Chapter 195: I'm Exhausted—Time for My Reward?

On the other side, Su Ruan was in the children's room keeping Jinjin and An'an company.

The new room was larger than the one in Hu Tong, its walls painted light blue and covered with star‑and‑moon wallpaper.

Two small beds were placed side by side, with a shared nightstand between them.

"Mom, is this my bed?" An'an climbed onto a bed and, excited, rolled on it.

"Yes, this one is An'an's, that one is big brother's," Su Ruan adjusted her daughter's pillow and asked, "Do you like it?"

"I like it!" An'an sat up, patting the mattress with her little hands, "So soft!"

Jinjin was more interested in the desk.

The new desk came with a small bookshelf, and he had already arranged his picture books neatly on it.

"Mom, the desk… it's huge," Jinjin looked up at Su Ruan, "It can hold so many books."

"When Jinjin starts school, he'll do his homework right here," Su Ruan patted her son's head.

The most surprising thing for the family was Jiang Nainai's room.

The first floor faced south, with excellent natural light.

The private bathroom had handrails and anti‑slip mats installed, a renovation Jiang Ran had specially done for his grandmother.

On the balcony, Su Ruan placed several pots of ivy and jasmine, and added a rattan chair.

"Grandma, look here," Jiang Jiaojiao helped Jiang Nainai onto the balcony, "Sitting here in the sun is so comfortable."

Gu Yanshen followed behind, carrying Jiang Nainai's luggage, "Grandma, we installed a call bell by the bedside; if you need anything at night, just press it and we'll hear you."

Jiang Nainai sat in the rattan chair, feeling the evening breeze, and a satisfied smile spread across her face, "Good, good. You've been thoughtful."

By the time everything was settled, it was already past nine at night.

The children had been tired all day and went to bed early.

Jiang Jiaojiao and Gu Yanshen also said their goodbyes and returned home; Jiang Jiaojiao, being pregnant, gets tired easily, and the doctor advised her to sleep early.

The living room of the new home finally fell quiet.

Jiang Jianguo and Li Huijuan sat on the sofa, looking at the unfamiliar surroundings, both feeling a bit emotional.

"In the blink of an eye…" Li Huijuan sighed lightly, "We moved out of Hu Tong."

"Moving out is good," Jiang Jianguo patted his wife's hand, "The kids are doing well; we can enjoy the blessings together."

Jiang Ran brought out several cups of hot tea from the kitchen, "Dad, Mom, Grandma, have some tea."

Su Ruan also sat down, leaning against Jiang Ran. The four of them sat together, the lighting warm.

"You're exhausted today, aren't you?" Jiang Nainai lifted her teacup and sipped slowly, "It's been a busy day."

"Not tired," Jiang Ran said, "Bringing you and Mom and Dad here, no matter how tired, is worth it."

"Exactly," Su Ruan nodded, "From now on our whole family lives together, how wonderful."

Li Huijuan looked at her son and daughter‑in‑law, her eyes full of pride, "You two have had a hard few years. From the Hu Tong Small Shop to now having your own company, your own brand… Mom has seen it all."

"That's because RuanRuan is capable," Jiang Ran wrapped an arm around his wife's shoulder, "I'm just a helper."

"Don't say that," Su Ruan scolded, "Without you, I couldn't do anything on my own."

Jiang Jianguo managed a rare smile, "You two support each other; that's what a marriage is."

After chatting a while longer, the elders grew tired and each returned to their rooms to rest.

Only Jiang Ran and Su Ruan remained in the living room.

"Finally… everything's settled," Jiang Ran let out a long sigh, collapsing onto the sofa.

Su Ruan was also tired, but her spirit was still excited. She looked around the new home: the spacious living room, the bright lighting, the cozy décor.

All of this felt so real it was almost unreal.

"Jiang Ran."

"Hmm?"

"We… really have a home now."

Jiang Ran sat up, looking at her, "We've always had a home. Hu Tong is home, this place is also home. As long as our family is together, anywhere is home."

He reached out and pulled her into his arms, "But… this home truly is better. It has an elevator, heating, a private bathroom. Grandma doesn't have to climb stairs, Mom and Dad don't have to burn coal stoves, the kids have their own rooms."

Su Ruan leaned against his chest, listening to his steady heartbeat, "Yes. It's wonderful."

The two embraced quietly for a moment. Jiang Ran suddenly remembered something and laughed softly.

"What are you laughing at?" Su Ruan looked up at him.

"I'm thinking of when we first got married," Jiang Ran's eyes lit up, "We lived in that little bungalow, drafty in winter, leaking rain in summer. You sat at the sewing machine, pressing the pedal, saying, 'When we have money later, we'll buy a house with heating.'"

Su Ruan also laughed, "You still remember?"

"Of course I remember," Jiang Ran kissed her forehead, "Every word you said, I remember it."

He paused, his voice softer, "Now we not only have a heated house, but also a company, a brand, Jinjin and An'an, and we've brought Mom, Dad and Grandma here too."

"Hmm," Su Ruan's nose tinged with emotion, "It feels like a dream."

"It's not a dream," Jiang Ran squeezed her hand, "It's what we've built step by step."

It was late at night.

The two tiptoed upstairs, returning to their bedroom.

The master bedroom on the third floor was the largest room in the whole house, with a private bathroom and a small balcony.

Su Ruan had decorated it very warmly.

Beige walls, wooden furniture, and light‑blue sheets on the bed.

"This bed..." Jiang Ran lunged onto it to test, "It's softer than the one in Hu Tong."

"We chose it on purpose," Su Ruan opened the wardrobe, hanging the last few clothes, "Your back isn't good; you need a firmer mattress, this one is just right."

"My wife is really thoughtful," Jiang Ran embraced her from behind, his face buried in the nape of her neck, "After a day's work, she deserves a reward."

Su Ruan's face warmed: "Don't mess around… Mom, dad and grandma are downstairs…"

"It's a floor apart, can't hear." Jiang Ran's hand was already restless, slipping into the hem of her dress, "And… shouldn't we celebrate the first night in the new house?"

His kiss landed behind her ear, warm breath brushing her sensitive skin. Su Ruan's body trembled, hand clutching the wardrobe door.

"Jiang Ran…"

"Hmm?" Jiang Ran mumbled vaguely, his hand still moving, "Call me husband."

Su Ruan's face reddened further, yet obediently whispered low, "Husband…"

That word darkened Jiang Ran's eyes. He grabbed her, carried her a few steps to the bedside, and set her down gently.

The new mattress was indeed soft; the two sank into it, as if wrapped by clouds.

"Curtains…" Su Ruan whispered softly.

"It's drawn." Jiang Ran kissed her lips, "Focus."

This kiss was gentler and longer than usual.

As if to confirm each other's existence, to confirm the reality of all this.

Clothes slipped off one by one; when skin met skin, both sighed contentedly.

"Daughter‑in‑law…" Jiang Ran whispered in her ear, "From now on, every night, we'll be like this…"

Su Ruan couldn't speak, could only hug his neck, responding with action.

The new house's soundproofing was indeed good.

Afterwards, the two embraced, calming their breathing.

Jiang Ran stroked Su Ruan's sweaty back intermittently.

"Tomorrow is Sunday; we can sleep in," he said contentedly.

"No way." Su Ruan's voice still breathy, "We have to go to the office. The press conference was successful, but there's still a lot of follow‑up work."