Chapter 77: What a Rare Sight (2)

Chapter 77: Chapter 77: What a Rare Sight (2) "Be careful, Miss Jin, if you get burned, Mo Chen will be heartbroken," Tang Ruan’s voice was low, but the softness in her tone was almost palpable. The first time Jin Jumo met Tang Ruan, she thought the woman was very beautiful. Her beauty wasn’t the kind that dazzled at first glance, but rather a gentle, willow-like beauty, with eyes that seemed to hold water. Generally, overly stunning looks, like Jian Liangtong’s. Women like that give off a sense of distance, admired from afar but difficult to approach. Whereas Tang Ruan’s beauty exuded a delicate allure impossible for any man to resist, easily invoking a strong protective instinct. Add to that her soft, fragile voice, and few men could withstand it. Hearing this, Jin Jumo paused slightly while serving the soup, smiling without answering. Tang Ruan didn’t say more. Jin Jumo and Tang Ruan carried the soup outside and saw the two brothers laughing, engrossed in something amusing. Rong Mochen’s usually stern face had softened completely, devoid of its typical cold aloofness. His dark, deep eyes gazed softly at Rong Sinan, with a faint smile. This version of Rong Mochen once again changed Jin Jumo’s perception of him. "What were you chatting about, smiling so happily?" Tang Ruan set down the porcelain bowl Jin Jumo held as she sat beside Rong Sinan. The oval-shaped expensive pear blossom wood dining table had Rong Sinan and Tang Ruan seated on the left, while Rong Mochen sat on the right. Jin Jumo glanced around and ultimately sat next to Rong Mochen. "I was just talking about the time Mo Chen and I fought when we were kids," Rong Sinan smiled, eyes full of reminiscing. "Are you talking about the time Mo Chen wielded a spatula, and you had a broom in your fight?" Tang Ruan recalled aloud. A spatula? Jin Jumo’s mouth twitched, mentally envisioning Rong Mochen using a spatula to fight! The result was... so absurd it defied imagination! "Miss Jin, you have no idea how ruthless our Mo Chen can be, one swipe of the spatula and my head was an instant explosion," Rong Sinan joked, still smiling. So ruthless? Jin Jumo awkwardly glanced at Rong Mochen beside her. Rong Mochen remained taciturn, lips held in a thin line. "Someday I’ll have to tell Miss Jin all about the mischief our Mo Chen got into as a kid." Rong Sinan chuckled conspiratorially. "..." Jin Jumo instinctively blocked out that comment. She genuinely hoped that this meeting would be the last for both Rong Sinan and Rong Mochen. "This is Brother’s specialty dish, give it a try," Rong Mochen, who had been silent, spoke up then. Jin Jumo looked at the added ribs in her bowl, her eyes twitching slightly, "Thank you." "Miss Jin, it’s my first time seeing Mo Chen being so considerate to a girl," Tang Ruan commented softly to Jin Jumo. Jin Jumo was slightly startled, looking up at Tang Ruan. Not sure if it was her imagination, she felt Tang Ruan’s gaze held a trace of sadness. Tang Ruan averted her gaze slightly, looking towards Rong Mochen, suddenly asking, "Mo Chen, when do you plan to bring Miss Jin home to meet Grandpa?" Hearing this, Jin Jumo quickly masked her embarrassment, focusing on the ribs. Originally intending only to conceal her embarrassment, she took a bite and the savory flavor greatly stimulated her taste buds. After finishing one piece, Jin Jumo picked up another with gusto, eating heartily without reservation. Rong Mochen didn’t look at Tang Ruan, his dark eyes quietly resting on Jin Jumo as she focused on the ribs, "Tasty?" "Mm-hmm," Jin Jumo praised without holding back, giving Rong Sinan opposite her a thumbs-up, "Delicious beyond words!" "Haha," Rong Sinan laughed heartily, "Mo Chen says it’s my specialty, but actually, it’s this one. Try it, Miss Jin." Rong Sinan, still smiling, gestured towards the chestnut stewed chicken on the table. "Mm-hmm," Jin Jumo’s eyes lit up, and she picked up a piece of chicken to feed into her mouth, unsure if it was the heat or the taste causing delight. Her eyes formed crescent shapes as she savored two pieces, then said to Rong Sinan, "Brother Rong, this is really, really good. Your skill could open a restaurant!" "Haha," Rong Sinan laughed again, "That’s a suggestion I’ll seriously consider." "Brother Rong, if you open a restaurant, I’ll definitely go every day to support it," Jin Jumo said with such earnestness it seemed as if Rong Sinan had already opened up shop. "Alright," Rong Sinan replied, moving the plate of stewed chicken and steamed ribs with pumpkins towards Jin Jumo. Jin Jumo finally knew the meaning of embarrassment, her face turning a shade of red. Rong Mochen squinted at Jin Jumo’s blushing face, the edges of his thin lips twitching slightly. Tang Ruan’s delicate features stiffened, her fingers gripping the silver chopsticks tightly. Back when Rong Sinan pursued her, upon learning she loved these two dishes, he personally inquired from the chef how to make them... After the meal, Rong Mochen didn’t suggest leaving, and Jin Jumo didn’t know what to say. In the villa’s living room, Jin Jumo and Rong Mochen sat across from Rong Sinan and Tang Ruan on either side of the sofa. The servants brought up washed fruits and brewed tea, then left the villa. "Miss Jin, how did you and Mo Chen meet?" Tang Ruan elegantly sipped her tea, posing the question as if in casual chat. How did they meet? Jin Jumo squinted, "At a bar." "A bar?" Tang Ruan was shocked, looking at Rong Mochen, "Mo Chen never goes to bars." Never goes? Jin Jumo chuckled inwardly, figuring she must have been lucky that time! "Does Miss Jin remember the time?" Tang Ruan asked eagerly, her delicate fingers lightly tapping the rim of her cup, her gaze intense on Jin Jumo. Noticing this, Jin Jumo slightly furrowed her brows, "About a year ago, I think." Tang Ruan’s face turned pale, muttering, "A year ago... when Sinan and I got married." "..." Tang Ruan’s voice had dropped, but since everyone else was silent, the room was very quiet. No sooner had she spoken than Jin Jumo sensitively noticed a chill sweep through the room, especially from beside her. Suddenly. Jin Jumo seemed to understand something. She recalled hearing Rong Sinan call her Ruan Ruan, realizing she was indeed the Tang Ruan that Fu Mulan once told her had a close relationship with Rong Mochen! But she didn’t expect. Tang Ruan to be Rong Mochen’s sister-in-law! These relations were... really tangled. No wonder she always felt Rong Mochen seemed like a different person in front of his brother, considerate and gentlemanly. This was the root cause! It felt like a knot in her heart had finally been untied, lightening Jin Jumo’s whole demeanor. "Brother, there are things to handle at the company this afternoon; Momo and I will head off first," Rong Mochen spoke then, his tone even and unaffected. Rong Sinan’s face was slightly stiff, his gaze at Rong Mochen filled with concern and a sliver of guilt, his voice cracked slightly, "You’ve come by so seldom, won’t you stay a bit longer?" "Another time," Rong Mochen said, standing up. Jin Jumo immediately stood as well, looking at Rong Sinan, "Thank you, Brother Rong, for the lunch you made yourself." Hearing Jin Jumo’s words gave Rong Sinan a faint smile, albeit a bit forced. Indeed, if it were her, she wouldn’t be able to smile right now either! "If Momo likes it, come often, Brother will cook for you," Rong Sinan automatically changed the address from Miss Jin to Momo. Jin Jumo smiled a bit awkwardly, "Sure." Tang Ruan clenched her lips, also standing up, her gaze on Rong Mochen pained, "Let me escort you out." "No need," Rong Mochen replied tersely. Jin Jumo noticed, as soon as Rong Mochen spoke, Tang Ruan’s eyes welled with tears, her face turned a stark white, and holding one arm with the other, she looked frail and pitiful.