Chapter 175: Long Time No See (Part 2)

Zhang Chi: "Did you get in touch with her?"
Liu Jing: "She said she will definitely come."
Zhang Chi: "Can you ask her to stay overnight at the Bund?"
Liu Jing: "What are you trying to do?"
Zhang Chi: "I want to have a chat with her."
Liu Jing: "You two broke up so long ago, what is there to chat about?"
Zhang Chi: "Please, I just want to talk to her."
Liu Jing: "Her husband is coming along too, and he is a total jealous type."
Zhang Chi: "I want to meet her husband as well."
Liu Jing: "I'll ask for you."
Zhang Chi: "Thanks a lot."

Tao Ming put her phone back into Liu Jing's hand without saying a word.
Liu Jing poked Tao Ming in the ribs with her elbow twice: "You two haven't kept in touch at all since the breakup?"
"Mhm." Tao Ming thought to herself, what was there to stay in touch for? Once you break up, you should just treat each other like strangers.
Liu Jing's voice sounded somewhat wistful: "You two were so good together back then."
Tao Ming didn't want to continue the topic: "What's the use of bringing that up? Our daughter is already this big."
Liu Jing shifted her gaze to the figure standing by the floor-to-ceiling window: "They really grow up fast."
Tao Ming echoed: "Changing every single day, never a moment of peace."

Su Nanxing walked over with two bottles of water: "Have some water."
Liu Jing took the water and teased: "What a dutiful, devoted husband."
Su Nanxing sat down beside Tao Ming, brought the water to her lips, watched her take a few sips, and then replied: "It's only natural to dote on one's wife."
Tao Ming said helplessly: "He treats me like a disabled person and takes care of me around the clock."
Liu Jing retorted ungraciously: "Stop showing off! It makes me mad just looking at you."

Tao Ming sat up and took off her coat: "It's too hot."
Liu Jing slipped her hand under the hem of Tao Ming's shirt and felt around: "You're wearing barely anything and you're still hot?"
"Liu Jing, stop taking advantage of my wife!" Su Nanxing complained with dissatisfaction when he saw Liu Jing's move.
Liu Jing pulled Tao Ming into her embrace and kissed her on the forehead: "Hit me if you dare!"
Su Nanxing pulled Tao Ming's hand back toward him: "Wife, stay away from her, don't let her lead you astray."

Tao Ming nuzzled against Liu Jing's chest and smiled: "Nanxing, I never told you, but actually, the two of us are a couple."
Su Nanxing's face darkened completely.
Liu Jing burst into laughter: "Heterosexuals are only for reproduction, same-sex love is the only true love!"
Hearing this, the two little ones ran over in unison: "What does that mean?"
Liu Jing put away her smug expression, released Tao Ming, and scooped up the two little ones: "Call her Third Mommy."
The two little ones hesitated for a moment, and only called out "Third Mommy" after seeing Tao Ming nod slightly.
Liu Jing once again reached into her pocket and pulled out that blue Kinder Joy, looking puzzled: "How come I only grabbed one?"
Tao Ming hurriedly helped her find an excuse: "It probably fell out. This thing is round, it rolls away easily."
Liu Jing placed the Kinder Joy on the coffee table and promised the two little ones: "I'll buy you more when we go out later."
Su Nanxing glanced at the sky: "It's time for dinner, what do you all want to eat?"
......

Liu Jing contacted her husband, and the group gathered at the hotel restaurant.
They found a window seat in a corner, exchanged a few polite pleasantries, and sat down.
"Tao Ming, it's been a few years, you're a completely different person." Liu Jing's husband was named Li Zhiming, who had grown up with Liu Jing since childhood—a textbook childhood sweethearts relationship.
Tao Ming smiled politely: "You're exaggerating. Look at you, you haven't changed much at all, still just as handsome and debonair."

Liu Jing pulled her son Doudou and told him to call her Fourth Mommy, but Doudou twisted and squirmed, refusing to say a word no matter what.
Su Nanxing stood up, walked over to Doudou, squatted down, and handed the boy a Transformers toy: "Hello there."
Doudou hid behind Liu Jing, desperately wanting the Transformers toy yet lacking the courage to reach out and take it.
Liu Jing asked in surprise: "Where did this come from?"
"Figuring there would be a lot of kids this time, I bought some toys before coming." Su Nanxing called the two little ones over and placed the Transformers toy into Ruanruan's hands: "Ruanruan, Nuonuo, give this to the little big brother."
Ruanruan carried the Transformers toy to Doudou and said in a soft, piping voice: "Big brother, this is for you."
Nuonuo stood to the side and chimed in: "Big brother, hello."
Doudou's face turned beet red, stammering and not knowing how to respond.
Ruanruan grabbed Doudou's hand and shoved the Transformers toy into his arms: "Big brother, let's play together!"
Doudou hugged the Transformers toy and replied in a tiny voice: "Hello."
Soon, the three children hit it off. Doudou livened up as well, scooting over to sit beside the two little ones, their three little heads huddled together in animated chatter.

Tao Ming sat down next to Liu Jing and asked in a low voice: "What's wrong with Doudou?"
Liu Jing sighed: "I was too busy before, so I left him with my mother. Who would have known that the kids in the neighborhood bullied him? He was too timid to speak up, and he ended up like this."
Tao Ming patted Liu Jing's hand: "No matter how busy you are, you have to raise your own child. What young children need most is their parents' love."
"I've already brought him to live with us, he just hasn't broken the habit overnight." Liu Jing looked rather self-reproaching.
Tao Ming didn't know how to comfort her, so she patted Liu Jing's hand once more.

On the other side, Li Zhiming pulled out two cigarettes and offered them to Su Nanxing and Qiao Kongqing. Su Nanxing waved his hand: "I don't smoke."
Qiao Kongqing was dumbfounded—what on earth was this?
Su Nanxing had to speak up for him: "He doesn't smoke either."
Li Zhiming put the cigarettes back into the pack: "Actually, I don't smoke either."
Su Nanxing smiled: "Then what was that for?"
"Hey, you know how men are, just trying to bridge the distance." Li Zhiming sized up Qiao Kongqing, marveling at how unfair the Creator could be; how could a man possibly look this good?
Seeing him stare fixedly at Qiao Kongqing, Su Nanxing spoke up: "You didn't come to their gathering last time."
Li Zhiming withdrew his gaze, glanced at Liu Jing, and replied: "I happened to be away on a business trip last time."
Naturally, Su Nanxing wasn't going to harp on the issue, so he asked again: "My wife told me you and Liu Jing are childhood sweethearts."
"Yeah, grew up together since we were kids, we're as familiar to each other as our own left and right hands."
Su Nanxing's eyes lit up: "Then did you know my wife back when they were in college?"
Li Zhiming didn't seem to expect Su Nanxing to ask that, and nodded: "I knew her. I knew everyone in their dorm."
Su Nanxing leaned in a bit closer, lowering his voice: "Then do you know the guy who was dating my wife back then?"
Li Zhiming hesitated, as if recalling something, and finally replied cautiously: "I only saw him a few times, we weren't close."
Su Nanxing was just about to ask more when he heard a voice calling from afar: "Liu Jing, is that you?"

The group looked toward the source of the sound. Once Li Zhiming saw clearly who it was, he thought to himself: what a small world; we were just talking about you, and here you show up.
Naturally, Tao Ming looked over as well. She took just a single glance before turning her head back, pinching Liu Jing's arm nearby, and whispering through gritted teeth: "What are you playing at?"
Liu Jing looked a bit guilty: "I really didn't know he'd come here."

The newcomer walked rapidly to the side of the group, his eyes seemingly glued to Tao Ming's face. After looking her over a couple of times, he asked with some uncertainty: "Tao Ming?"
Tao Ming put on a polite and aloof smile: "Long time no see."
Su Nanxing sized up the man in front of him. True to what Tao Ming had once described, he looked like a movie star—tall, handsome, mature, and steady. Thinking about the fact that Tao Ming used to date him, a wave of discomfort instantly washed over Su Nanxing, and his voice involuntarily carried a hint of annoyance: "Wife, introduce us."
The newcomer extended his right hand toward Su Nanxing: "Hello, I'm Zhang Chi, Tao Ming's college classmate."