“Not soft, pretty firm…”
[Grandma Jiang’s Love Lesson One: Men with a willowy, snake-like waist—absolutely not an option!]
[I’ve got my little stool and notebook ready, waiting for Grandma Jiang to explain why.]
[Pfft, hahaha, I feel like Grandma Jiang is a woman with stories! How does she know so much about Spain?]
[Isn’t Grandma Jiang a love guru? My guess is she’s dated a Spanish boyfriend before!]
[So trendy! Grandma Jiang and a foreigner? Didn’t she study opera before film school? I’ve seen her in costume, and she was gorgeous!]
[If she really did date a Spanish guy, suddenly the idea of a classical opera beauty x a handsome foreigner is a pretty great ship!]
[What, are you shipping Lin Daiyu with a foreigner? Hahaha, that’s a bit out there.]
“Grandma Jiang, why can’t we date a man with a snake-like waist?”
Chu Xingxing had already pulled out her trusty notebook without anyone noticing to jot down Grandma Jiang’s wisdom.
Grandma Jiang said, very seriously: “According to traditional Chinese medicine, a man whose waist is too thin and flexible enough to fold in half has liver problems.”
After Chu Xingxing wrote it down, her eyes drifted to Jiang Luoze’s waist…
It was, well, quite slender and, dare she say, alluring?
“Ahem, Xingxing, pay attention.” Grandma Jiang immediately caught her student’s wandering mind.
“Yes, ma’am!” Chu Xingxing instantly sat up straight.
Little Grandma Jiang spoke earnestly: “An ancient text says, ‘The liver governs the body’s sinews, and if the sinews fail to bind the bones, the lumbar spine deforms.’ This means there’s a huge connection between the liver and the spine. A ‘snake-like waist’ that wiggles around indicates a man’s liver isn’t in good shape. Why would you want a man with health problems? Plus, a bad liver can make a man’s personality more passive, calculating, and scheming, which definitely isn’t dating material.”
“Got it.” Chu Xingxing took meticulous notes.
First rule for choosing a man: No snake-like waists.
Meanwhile, Jiang Luoze had finished setting up the electric fireplace. Though the whole house had underfloor heating that automatically warmed up at night, this wasn’t a wooden cabin in the woods—they couldn’t have a real fire, so the electric fireplace was mostly for ambiance.
But since they were in Europe, Jiang Luoze was happy to figure it out so the elder ladies and Xingxing could enjoy the cozy atmosphere.
He walked over with a smile, leaning against the back of the sofa: “Auntie, are you feeding the youngsters some tall tales again?”
“I’m teaching Xingxing the tricks of choosing a man, how is that a tall tale? Oh, perfect timing, A-Ze, you can be my example.”
With that, Grandma Jiang stood up and pulled Jiang Luoze in front of Chu Xingxing.
“Question!” Chu Xingxing raised her hand obediently, her eyes full of curiosity.
Grandma Jiang: “Proceed.”
“Grandma Jiang, does A-Ze have a snake-like waist?” Chu Xingxing batted her big eyes, genuinely asking for academic reasons.
It wasn’t that she didn’t want to ask someone else, but the male dancers on TV had already left the stage.
Now, the screen showed a group of beautiful female dancers in flamenco dresses—full skirts with red-and-white polka dots, fishtail hemlines, and fringed silk scarves draped over their chests—dancing to lively music.
Chu Xingxing had wanted to watch the male dancers a bit longer to confirm what a “snake-like waist” really looked like, but now they were gone.
So, she had no choice but to focus on Jiang Luoze, using him as a “stand-in”…
“Come, come, come, this is exactly what I want to tell my dear.”
Grandma Jiang grabbed Jiang Luoze and started unbuttoning his shirt, from top to bottom, undoing every single one…
[WCC, is this something I get to see for free?! Keep going, Grandma Jiang! Don’t stop! There’s still an undershirt underneath!]
[Don’t stop the love lessons, Grandma Jiang! Start a class, I want to sign up!!!]
[I just want to know if there are many male bodhisattvas (no, male foxes) who can knit sweaters, make clothes, and earn money, in Grandma Jiang’s circle? Can I get one if I sign up (slurp)?]
…
Soon, the comments went off the rails, turning into…
[Grandma Jiang’s love class gives out male foxes? I want in!!!]
[Sign up for Grandma Jiang’s class and get Jiang Luoze? Can I book the whole thing? One Jiang Luoze isn’t enough, give me several!!!]
———-
Jiang Luoze didn’t move a muscle, his hands hanging naturally at his sides, obediently acting as a human “mannequin” for his aunt.
Underneath his black shirt, he wore a fitted undershirt.
Grandma Jiang pulled the undershirt up without ceremony, revealing Jiang Luoze’s extraordinarily pale, slender, and toned waist and abdomen, devoid of any excess fat. A thin layer of fair skin stretched over distinct V-shaped muscle lines. He was lean, and his waist looked very slender.
If you blocked out his head and just looked at his waist, you might mistake it for a snippet from some dance influencer’s belly dance video.
Honestly, it was quite alluring…
[Ah! I’m dead…]
[Ahhh!!! This waist, I can (slurp)]
[So pale! Definitely a white fox type!]
“Come on, lift it up yourself,” Grandma Jiang instructed.
Jiang Luoze raised his hands to hold up his undershirt, keeping his abdomen exposed.
[Crap, he lifts his own shirt for us, wuwuwu!]
[Sorry, ladies, I need to go stop this nosebleed first…]
Chu Xingxing: Whoa!
Even though Jiang Luoze’s waist wasn’t her typical fitness-standard type of physique, there was no denying it was a bit… bewitching.
[Damn it, this woman should be the one playing Jiang Luoze’s role, wuwuwu, this pig boy is heading back to his village tonight.]
[The curve of Jiang Luoze’s waist, that inward arc, slurp, so tempting!]
[Are those abs and a V-line? How can they be so defined yet look so thin, wuwuwu, feels like they’d break if you squeezed too hard (no, what am I thinking)]
[Ahhh, I’m going crazy! It’s so pale, kind of like a mermaid princess! Already recording the screen…]
The production team knew what they were doing. Ten seconds after Jiang Luoze’s abs and waist were exposed, they slapped a mosaic over it.
It’s like, you couldn’t see much without it, but with it, the whole scene just became somehow more suggestive…
“Alright, dear, look here. From here to here is a man’s waist.” Grandma Jiang, completely unfazed, gestured for Chu Xingxing.
Chu Xingxing held her pen, the diligent student, and mimicked the gesture in the air: “Understood, from here to here…”
“Now let’s look at the proportion of A-Ze’s waist to his legs,” Grandma Jiang said, using a magazine as a reference point. “See how his legs are much longer than his waist?”
“Yes.” Chu Xingxing nodded, quietly noting down the proportion of Jiang Luoze’s legs to his waist.
Jiang Luoze is 1.85 meters tall, his legs significantly longer than his torso, his waist slender, his shoulders broad.
Grandma Jiang continued: “The ‘snake-like waist’ we warn against refers specifically to men with both a soft, slender waist and short legs. Both conditions must be met.”
Chu Xingxing nodded studiously: “I see. So, even though A-Ze has a slender waist, his legs are very long, so he doesn’t qualify as a ‘no-go snake waist’ man.”
“Clever girl,” Grandma Jiang said with a smile, pointing to Jiang Luoze’s firm side waist. “Also, look at the thickness from here to his abdomen. A-Ze’s waist is flat, which doesn’t fit the ‘snake waist’ standard either.”
“Got it, got it.” Chu Xingxing nodded vigorously.
Grandma Jiang: “And here’s the final trick. Let me teach you how to identify a ‘snake waist’ for sure, since not all men will just stand there obediently for us to examine like A-Ze does, right?”
“Right, right.” Chu Xingxing nodded, curious: “What’s the trick?”
[Waiting for Grandma Jiang’s secret trick!]
[Rubbing my hands together, I could listen to Grandma Jiang’s love lessons for a hundred sessions!]
“Come here, dear.” Grandma Jiang pulled Chu Xingxing up from the sofa.
“Mm…” Chu Xingxing put down her notebook and pen, and only when Grandma Jiang pulled her did she realize she was suddenly standing very close to Jiang Luoze.
If it were for work, being this close wouldn’t bother her.
But right in the middle of a lesson, suddenly standing so near this “male fox” emanating a faint scent of elderflower—that took serious mental fortitude not to be bewitched.
Anyone else would probably have lost it by now, man or woman…
But Chu Xingxing wasn’t just anyone.
She was a product of the apocalypse, a captain of a suicide squad raised among men, having seen all sorts of physiques among her comrades.
If her teammates were in danger, she’d carry them, lift them, save them without blinking, even if they were stark naked. So, for Chu Xingxing, aside from that faintly distracting elderflower scent, she remained remarkably calm and unfazed by the “male fox’s” pale, tempting waist and abdomen.
“Come on, dear!” Grandma Jiang grabbed Chu Xingxing’s hand and slap pressed it against Jiang Luoze’s slender waist…
It took a few seconds for Chu Xingxing to realize her hand was now on Jiang Luoze’s waist, held there by Grandma Jiang.
Chu Xingxing: …
She could clearly feel the firm, resilient, slightly cool skin beneath her palm, even the pulse of the blood vessels underneath…
On the live stream, without the mosaic, it would’ve looked like a perfectly normal, academic scene. After all, both Chu Xingxing and Grandma Jiang wore expressions of serious scholarly inquiry, not a trace of lechery.
Jiang Luoze was also very professional, his expression calm, the perfect mannequin. He’d been dealing with male and female models since his teens and had walked the runway for classmates in design school.
It was only because the production team added the “superfluous” mosaic for censorship that the scene became incredibly suggestive…
[Ahhhhhhhhhhh!]
[Straight to the hands-on part???]
[Does every lesson in Grandma Jiang’s love class come with a “practical session”???]
[No wonder Jiang Luoze is so familiar with Europe. The culture is really open, and I love it (serious face jpg.)]
[More, more! I, Wang Ruihan, officially love watching this!]
[I’m so mad, wuwuwu! Why isn’t it me there! Why isn’t it my hand on that fox’s waist!!!]
“Is A-Ze’s waist soft?” Grandma Jiang asked with a completely straight face.
“Uh…” Chu Xingxing just kept her hand there, not daring to squeeze!
This waist was so delicate; she was afraid if she gripped it, she’d leave a bruise on that fair skin or, worse, injure him somehow.
And Dr. Ip wasn’t around for first aid.
If she squeezed as Grandma Jiang suggested, she wasn’t sure how fast the European 120 would arrive…
“Oh, dear, give it a proper pinch.” Grandma Jiang took matters into her own hands and pinched Jiang Luoze’s other side.
“Hiss…” Jiang Luoze finally reacted, a low, breathy sound escaping him. He chuckled softly, “Tickles.”
[Holy crap! That low gasp!!!]
[Nosebleed!]
Chu Xingxing’s inner thoughts: I’ll just give you a quick, merciful pinch!
She quickly and gently pinched Jiang Luoze’s waist and immediately retracted her hand: “Pinched it. Not soft. Pretty firm.”
Grandma Jiang nodded and said: “That’s right, dear. When you’re not sure if a man’s waist is truly a ‘snake waist,’ just reach out and feel it. If it’s firm and taut like this, it’s not a snake waist. It’s only a ‘snake waist’ if it’s soft and squishy, with a thick layer of fat you can pinch.”
[Hahahahahaha! That’s the secret trick?!]
[What a trick, hahaha! I thought Grandma Jiang had some amazing technique, but it’s just reaching out and touching!]
Chu Xingxing stepped back slightly and sat down on the sofa again: “Got it, got it…”
“Is my body no longer needed?” Jiang Luoze turned his head, smiling at Grandma Jiang.
Grandma Jiang patted his shoulder and raised her hand to help him button up: “All done. It’s warm in here, don’t want your tummy to get cold, right.”
“I’ll do it myself.” Jiang Luoze pulled down his undershirt first, then slowly buttoned his black shirt, one button at a time.
Grandma Jiang, hearing movement from the stairs, went over to call her friends: “I hear them coming down. Over here, in the living room, not that side~”
Only Chu Xingxing and Jiang Luoze were left in the small sitting room.
“Have you ever had Spanish food before, Xingxing?” Jiang Luoze asked slowly.
“No…” Chu Xingxing made a point of looking at the person she was speaking to. “Never had it…”
Looking up, she saw Jiang Luoze’s long, pale fingers rubbing against the black fabric of his shirt, the mother-of-pearl buttons sliding snugly into their holes…
The cameraman, knowing his job, gave Jiang Luoze’s hands a close-up since the mosaic wasn’t needed anymore.
[Help! Screaming internally!!!]
[Hands! Those hands! I can’t resist beautiful hands!]
[Jiang Luoze is a bit too skinny, and he’s just a tailor, right? Nothing too impressive. Look, he even has calluses on his hands. He buttons so slowly, probably from drawing all day and his fingers stiffening! So, ladies, don’t fight me for him. You can leave this flawed man who can barely take care of himself to me (Wink)]
[Hey! The abacus beads from the comment above are hitting me in the face!!!]
Chu Xingxing wanted to just reach over and button them up for him in three seconds flat!
Help!
Why does this “male fox” button his shirt so differently from everyone else?
Jiang Luoze didn’t pause, nor did he look down at the buttons. He just kept feeling his way slowly, his gaze fixed on her: “I hope you like Spanish food, because I quite like it myself.”
Chu Xingxing: “I’m… not picky…”
Jiang Luoze smiled, a hint of mischief in his eyes: “Mm, that’s great, Xingxing.”
———
The “eldest ladies” from the Grandma’s Journey production team were all particular people.
With a professional fashion designer around, and everyone in meticulous Europe, they all wanted Jiang Luoze’s advice on their outfits before heading out.
Chu Xingxing was still wearing Jiang Luoze’s jacket, but underneath, she’d changed into a white, five-sleeve knit top with a turned-down collar and a denim-and-knit paneled midi skirt. She’d also let her hair down. Because her hair had been braided earlier, her naturally wavy black hair was even more textured, falling loosely and naturally around her back. The “grandpa-style” chest bag didn’t look out of place at all.
Jiang Luoze had helped her choose this outfit.
With the jacket on, she looked like a cool, edgy girl.
But with it off, the snug knit hugged her curves, while the denim and knit skirt gave her a feminine yet heroic vibe, perfectly suiting her personality.
Jiang Luoze adjusted a few accessories and details for the other ladies, ensuring they looked understated yet polished—exactly the goal.
They had half an hour before their reservation at Ten Con Ten, the Spanish restaurant Jiang Luoze had booked. A leisurely stroll would get them there right on time.
Jiang Luoze had been to Madrid before and knew the Salamanca district was charming, perfect for wandering and taking in the sights.
The ladies didn’t carry purses; their daily necessities and funds were all tucked into Chu Xingxing’s chest bag.
She silently thanked Cookie for the wise decision countless times. This “ticket-seller” bag was a lifesaver: lightweight, practical, and spacious. Its only flaw was being ugly. But in Europe, “ugly” was actually a plus.
The elder ladies were still full of novelty, their urge to take photos constantly bubbling up.
Jiang Luoze advised against lugging around DSLR cameras and used his phone to take pictures for them instead.
Though it was already 8 p.m., Madrid still basked in daylight, though the sun had lost its intensity.
The “Grannies” strolled through Salamanca’s streets, admiring the elegant, historic, and diverse Spanish architecture. They were thrilled to discover that the area boasted flagship stores for almost every major European luxury brand.
If it weren’t for their dinner reservation, Wen Xuelan would have lost control of her shopping urges entirely.
Among all the ladies, Grandma Jiang adapted to Spain the fastest, blending in like a local.
Southern Spain enjoys over 300 days of sunshine a year, which likely contributes to the Spanish people’s warm and outgoing nature.
Local Spanish people shopping, sightseeing, and relaxing in Salamanca greeted the adorable group of Asian “elderly ladies” with smiles and friendly waves.
[Spanish people seem different from my impression of Europeans?]
[I noticed that too! They’re so warm, everyone smiling, looking super friendly?]
[Haha, they’re friendly partly because Spain’s economy is weaker compared to other Western European countries, but with good welfare, lower prices, and free healthcare, the national happiness index is pretty high.]
[Honestly, Spain is a great country for retirement, just not ideal for young people building careers.]
[Then choosing this destination for the show was a great idea! It is a retirement tour after all, haha, so a retirement country is perfect.]
Spaniards greet each other with “Hola.”
While the other elder ladies were a bit shy and reserved, Grandma Jiang acted as if she’d been born there. Whether she understood or not, she’d smile back and mimic their accent, saying “Ola,” a total social butterfly.
When they passed a quaint little flower shop, Grandma Jiang paused briefly at the entrance, bent down to smell a bouquet of roses, and gave the owner a thumbs-up.
They were half a street away when the elderly shopkeeper, dressed in a shirt and light grey tweed vest with a matching hat (and no wedding ring), chased after them with the very bouquet of “orange soda” roses Grandma Jiang had admired.
He spoke rapidly in Spanish, thrusting the flowers into Grandma Jiang’s arms.
Wen Xuelan, ever the gossip, nudged Chu Xingxing’s arm with a grin: “Oh my, Xingbao, look at this old man! He’s not taken a fancy to our Yaoyao, has he?”
“Foreigners are a no-go. Yaoyao’s had experience before. Even if he’s mixed-race, I didn’t like him…” Grandma Ai Minli started, her expression stern, but Grandma Sheng Shuwen stopped her.
“Shh, don’t mention that person. Don’t upset Yaoyao.” Grandma Sheng shook her head.
Everyone was in such a good mood on the first day of their trip; she didn’t want to spoil it.
Besides, Sheng Shuwen and Jiang Luoze had chosen Spain as their destination partly for reasons others might not know. She knew this country held a special meaning for Jiang Yao.
“A-Ze, come translate for your aunt,” Grandma Jiang called out.
Jiang Luoze walked over to her.
“Is Auntie going to accept the flowers?” he asked.
“First, hear what he has to say,” Grandma Jiang said with a smile.
Jiang Luoze thought, I don’t speak Spanish either. He had to brave it and communicate with the old man in English and French. Luckily, the man knew some French, and Jiang Luoze got the gist.
Jiang Luoze: “His name is Pablo. He said he saw you liked the orange roses. They’re a variety they grafted themselves in their greenhouse. Many people don’t like them, but he saw you appreciated them. So, he wanted to give this bouquet to someone who understands their beauty.”
Grandma Jiang accepted the bouquet of orange roses.
Today, she wore a cream-colored maxi dress and a light camel coat. Her smile was radiant, matching the vibrant, sun-like orange roses perfectly.
She said to Jiang Luoze: “A-Ze, quickly thank Pablo for me. Tell him I love them, that orange roses are just as special as his unique shop.
Few people like orange roses because they haven’t yet discovered their beauty, but Pablo has great taste. He’s the one who saw it first.”
Chu Xingxing was floored by this speech.
No wonder Grandma Jiang is a “love genius” who’s dated over twenty men. And according to the other ladies, every single one of her ex-boyfriends still pines for her and never speaks ill of her.
Her EQ is phenomenal!
Just imagine this exquisite, elegant, subtly exotic Chinese lady, radiating charm, slim and graceful, standing there gracefully accepting flowers and delivering such sweet words…
How could that not turn the head of that provincial Spanish old man?
Even Chu Xingxing felt like if she were an old man, she’d be completely charmed.
She could easily picture how enchanting and captivating Grandma Jiang must have been in her youth.
[Wow! Grandma Jiang’s EQ is off the charts! How can anyone not be charmed by that? At least if I were that Spanish old man, I’d be a goner.]
[Is this Love Lesson Two? How to gracefully accept a stranger’s compliment! (Taking notes, taking notes!)]
[Grandma Jiang must have been the unattainable dream girl for so many men!]
[Don’t even mention others; my dad is still a huge fan of hers. He said he immediately thought she was the prettiest when he watched the show. Especially her eyes! He says he fell for my mom because her eyes resembled Grandma Jiang’s! (Sorry, Dad, for revealing your first love, lol)]
[Not just men! My mom still keeps a tin cookie box with young Grandma Jiang’s picture on it. She says she thought she was the most beautiful girl when she was little and even took the box to the barber to get the same hairstyle! (Of course, it didn’t turn out the same, lol).]
After speaking, Grandma Jiang smiled and nodded at Pablo in thanks, her gaze bright and open, looking him straight in the eyes.
After Jiang Luoze translated, the florist Pablo was so touched his eyes reddened. He insisted on giving Grandma Jiang another bouquet of red roses and invited them all to his greenhouse for afternoon tea, asking Jiang Luoze for her contact information…
Chu Xingxing watched Grandma Jiang with deep respect, thinking: Wow, our Grandma Jiang’s charm is truly irrepressible…
Jiang Luoze gave an awkward but polite smile. He’d been fending off “romantic interests” for his aunt since he was a kid, so he was quite familiar with the routine.
He politely declined Pablo’s invitation, saying if they had time tomorrow, they’d be sure to visit his shop, but they had plans for now.
Finally, they could continue on to the restaurant.
Grandma Jiang plucked a single orange rose from the bouquet and tucked it into Chu Xingxing’s jacket pocket: “Flowers for a beauty. Our dear looks lovely.”
“You’re the real beauty here,” Chu Xingxing said, inhaling the rose’s fragrance.
Grandma Jiang smiled: “I’m old now, but I suppose I was quite pretty in my youth.”
“You were more than just ‘quite pretty’!” Chu Xingxing had seen the period dramas Grandma Jiang starred in back in the day. With those big, expressive eyes, whether playing a capitalist’s daughter or an educated youth sent to the countryside, no amount of simple costumes could hide her stunning beauty.
Grandma Jiang’s beauty was the kind that stood out in a crowd—vibrant and dazzling.
Wen Xuelan came over, warmly taking Grandma Jiang’s arm: “When it comes to beauty, our Yaoyao is indeed unparalleled. I act too, but I’ve always gone for the elegant type. Our Yaoyao is the prettiest among us.”
“Absolutely! Our Yaoyao is a heartbreaker,” Grandma Sheng Shuwen boomed with laughter.
“Come on, let’s go! So that foreigner doesn’t chase after our Yaoyao again.”
Grandma Ai Minli, ever the protector, pushed everyone along, wary of more foreigners “harassing” the youngest of their sisterhood.
Even Chu Xingxing was nudged forward by Grandma Ai, watching the ladies chat and laugh as they walked.
She sighed softly to herself.
It was lovely. Even though Grandma Jiang had never started a family of her own, she’d had three sisters who loved and cared for her all her life, and a nephew like Jiang Luoze by her side.
Although Grandma Jiang was always trying to get her to date, Chu Xingxing had never heard her pressure any of the younger generation about marriage or children.
Who wouldn’t love such a wonderful grandma?
They were less than 400 meters from Ten Con Ten.
Wen Xuelan, a sweet tooth, spotted a green-signboard frozen yogurt shop.
Seeing the various fresh fruit toppings, she found herself rooted to the spot. It was already past 8 p.m. If they ate first and came back, surely the shop would be closed, right?
She really, really wanted a frozen yogurt with fresh fruit and artisanal chocolate sauce.
Chu Xingxing noticed the longing in Grandma Wen’s eyes.
She wasn’t a dessert person herself; she could eat it but didn’t crave it. She was a meat lover. If she went two meals without it, she’d be craving it something fierce. She imagined Grandma Wen felt the same way about frozen yogurt as she did about a big braised pig trotter.
She clutched her chest bag, torn about whether to buy Grandma Wen some, but knowing that eating something so cold before a meal wasn’t great for digestion.
Just as she was wrestling with the dilemma, she heard Jiang Luoze speak.
“How about we get some yogurt after dinner?” Jiang Luoze bent slightly, turning to Wen Xuelan. “I’ve had this brand before. The dark chocolate sauce is amazing. And restaurants, bars, and dessert shops in the city center here stay open late. They’ll definitely still be open after we finish eating, don’t worry.”
Wen Xuelan looked incredulous: “Really?! But we have the last dinner reservation, won’t it be very late? The yogurt shop will still be open?”
“Haven’t you noticed, it’s past 8 and there are still so many people on the streets?” Jiang Luoze smiled.
Wen Xuelan: “Oh right, do Spanish people like to take evening strolls after dinner like us Chinese?”
Jiang Luoze shook his head: “Actually, not yet. Their meal times are at least two hours later than ours. Lunch is from 2 to 4 p.m., and on weekends, it’s normal to eat lunch until 5 or 6 p.m.
The earliest dinner is at 8 p.m., and many restaurants don’t even open until 8:30. They can eat dinner well past midnight and then go for a drink. So dessert shops in the city center staying open until 10 or 11 p.m. is normal. You don’t have to worry about missing out.”
Chu Xingxing was also amazed.
Spanish people live way too comfortably!
[Wow! What a life!]
[Wuwuwu, Spanish people don’t grind at all, do they? They all just lie flat, I’m so jealous!]
[Honestly, it makes sense why Jiang Luoze has such a relaxed vibe—because he’s spent so much time in Europe? I haven’t seen a single person walking fast on the street. Everyone’s smiling and strolling slowly.]
[Real talk from a Spanish student: It’s true, not competitive. Simple living has little pressure. But every silver lining has a cloud. The laid-back life means locals are extremely inefficient and prone to mistakes. Dealing with them can be a headache ( :з」∠) ]
[So, it seems there’s no such thing as easy money and a job close to home.]
[Let’s just enjoy the virtual tour with Xingxing and the Grannies! Let’s not think about work stuff for a change. Don’t block my virtual food!]
[Yeah, yeah, I’m curious about Spanish ham! What does it actually taste like?]
At 8:20, they arrived at Ten Con Ten.
The weather was pleasant, and Jiang Luoze had booked a table on the outdoor terrace. Spanish people love dining al fresco, enjoying the sun and fresh air, whether in winter or summer.
In winter, terraces are often enclosed with clear covers and heated with gas heaters. In summer, they’re shaded with awnings, and some even have misting systems for added comfort.
After they were seated, the waiter brought English menus.
Aside from Chu Xingxing and Jiang Luoze, and Wen Xuelan, who’d lived in the US and knew basic English, the other three ladies didn’t touch the menus. Ai Minli and Grandma Jiang couldn’t read them at all—they’d learned Russian in school. Grandma Sheng Shuwen knew some English, but at her level of business, she rarely ordered for herself, leaving such details to subordinates.
Chu Xingxing scanned the menu, ready to translate for the elder ladies, but before she could speak, a loud, jarring police siren made her frown. The elder ladies tensed up as police cars sped by.
Jiang Luoze reassured them: “It’s okay. In a tourist country, police patrols are normal…”
Meanwhile, the Grandma’s Journey live chat was buzzing—
[Wow! Jiang Luoze is a prophet! I just came from the Let’s Travel Together stream. That group hasn’t even left the airport! They’re at the airport police station filing a report!]
[What happened? I don’t care about the others, just tell me if Cookie is okay?!]
[No idea. Let me switch phones to check that stream?]
[No way, Let’s Travel Together is so unlucky! What happened? It’s this late and they’re still at the airport?]
[Honestly, I don’t have much sympathy for them. I’ve watched both streams. Someone didn’t listen to advice and paid for it.]
Meanwhile.
Madrid Barajas Airport, Terminal 1.
Police Station.
Cookie sat on a hard plastic chair, hugging her waist pouch, utterly bored.
She was beyond frustrated with Jiang Chang’an and his bunch of noobs.
Before boarding, Cookie had warned them not to dress so flashily in head-to-toe luxury brands.
Only a few sensible female cast members, the ones who’d been picking coconuts on a deserted island, listened. They packed away any logo-laden sunglasses and bags, trading their stylist-designed airport outfits for simple fleece jackets before checking their luggage.
Tian Mengtong had hesitated for a bit, seeing the other women do it. But her severe appearance anxiety won out, and she kept her sweet, stylish ensemble, though she secretly swapped her Chanel bag.
And of course, some people didn’t listen at all.
Especially the men in the group, who thought, “Why would a thief dare to steal from me?” Their confidence was sky-high; they believed they were so imposing they could scare off any pickpocket.
Jiang Chang’an was obsessed with his image. Besides, all his casual clothes were high-end brands; changing wouldn’t help much.
When he disembarked, his sunglasses boasted a giant Chanel double-C logo, and while his backpack was black, it was absolutely covered in LV monograms. Even his suitcase was a luxury brand, which matched Tian Mengtong’s cherry-pink suitcase almost like a couple’s set.
His fans, naturally, went crazy for his style, flooding the comments—
[Ahhh! Chang’an is so handsome!!!]
[I’m buying everything he wears! That suitcase is beautiful. Our brother has impeccable taste!]
[Chang’an’s a true influencer; no wonder luxury brands fight to sponsor him!]
[Our “Long Peace” fans’ purchasing power is insane, haha. Even the luxury store clerks are scared!]
——–
Madrid Barajas Terminal 1, Arrival Hall.
After retrieving their luggage.
They pushed their baggage carts to the main hall, looking for the metro line to their city-center accommodation. Carts weren’t allowed into the metro, so they had to unload their bags and find the elevator to the platform.
Just as they reached the metro entrance, Cookie suggested they gather their luggage in a circle, with a few people watching it, while the others bought tickets from the automatic machines.
The female guests stayed with the luggage.
Jiang Chang’an and the others went to buy tickets.
A group of over a dozen loud, laughing Gypsies passed by them.
“Watch your bags!” Cookie immediately went on high alert.
Dressed in her ridiculously shabby clothes, with her cash pouch securely hidden, Cookie was the least of the thieves’ worries. If anything, they’d be afraid of her.
Even her phone was tethered to her bag with a metal chain. Her luggage was too heavy for a snatch-and-grab on the street, and thieves weren’t that brazen in the open.
[Haha, Cookie is the ultimate example of theft prevention!]
[Learned my lesson! I’m going to dress like Cookie next time I visit Europe!]
Jiang Chang’an and the others were clustered around the ticket machines, figuring out how to use them, and didn’t hear Cookie’s warning. Jiang Chang’an, who’d attended international school and studied abroad in the UK, was indeed quite fluent in English.
Still smarting from the “bamboo raft incident” on their first trip, which had humiliated him and earned his father’s rebuke, Jiang Chang’an was determined to redeem himself this time. He’d been acting as the group’s “leader” from the moment they landed. The other male guests had even suggested he manage the group’s funds.
Cookie didn’t care who held the purse strings; she had her own provisions. The female guests were indifferent too.
So, Jiang Chang’an ended up carrying the cash envelope from the production team.
He and Xiao Xiong were using two separate machines, both with backpacks slung behind them. The area was crowded with other tourists and locals. When the rowdy group of Gypsy teenagers suddenly appeared, chaos ensued. Even the cameraman was jostled, struggling to keep his camera steady.
As the noisy group of Gypsy youths moved on, Jiang Chang’an had just figured out how to buy tickets. Xiao Xiong was still struggling.
“I’m at the payment screen, come over here,” Jiang Chang’an said to Xiao Xiong, who hurried over, freeing up one machine.
“Accepts cash, right?” Xiao Xiong asked.
“Yeah, bills up to 50 euros. The production team gave us all 50s…”
Jiang Chang’an reached into his backpack to get the envelope. As he swung the bag to the front, his heart skipped a beat.
Why was the zipper open???
And inside, the cash envelope was gone. His wallet was gone too. His iPad, tucked in an inner pocket, was still there. But he hadn’t felt a thing.
Xiao Xiong urged him: “Hurry up! If we don’t put the money in, we’ll have to start all over again…”
Jiang Chang’an was silent, showing Xiao Xiong the open side pocket of his backpack.
“F*ck!!!” Xiao Xiong nearly fainted, his vision going dark.
People behind them started grumbling, telling them to move aside if they weren’t buying tickets. Jiang Chang’an maintained his composure for the camera, giving his cameraman a signal to cut away.
Off-camera, he confronted the director: “You saw the thieves! Why didn’t you warn us? Do you want to be blacklisted from CBM Entertainment?!”
The cameraman, who’d been jostled and shoved by the Gypsies, felt incredibly wronged: “We really didn’t see anything! It was chaos, so many people suddenly appeared. If we’d seen them stealing, of course, we would’ve warned you!”
Xiao Xiong sighed, now copying Cookie’s example and carrying his backpack on his chest: “I have a foreign currency card. Should I use it first?” The cameraman shook his head weakly: “Sorry, Xiao Xiong-ge. The contract says you can’t use your own money during the trip…”
[Holy crap! Were those Gypsies professionals or what?!]
[You have to be careful of Gypsies in Europe, not just in Spain. They’re professional thieves and pickpockets.]
[Jiang Chang’an’s fault this time. Cookie warned them multiple times. He wanted to look cool and kept his bag behind him.]
[Exactly! Cookie even said, “A bag on your back belongs to others; a bag in front is yours.”]
[The thieves are scum, but Jiang Chang’an was way too careless…]
[So what now? Wuwuwu, I just hope our Cookie’s okay! She needs to call Xingxing! Get Xingxing to rescue her!]
———
Half an hour later.
Cookie was at the police station with Jiang Chang’an, who’d lost all the trip’s funds and his own wallet. The Spanish police, accustomed to tourist reports, were unfazed.
With thefts, the Spanish police don’t accept in-person reports anymore; they have a dedicated phone line, and you have to wait on hold.
While waiting, Cookie helped the clueless Jiang Chang’an report his card as stolen. Luckily, his passport was safe in its holder. Otherwise, he’d be stuck as an undocumented person.
Compared to the cheerful vibe of Grandma’s Journey, the entire Let’s Travel Together group was panicking about their lost funds.
Jiang Chang’an finally noticed something different about this trip: Tian Mengtong wasn’t clinging to him, calling him “Chang’an-ge” in her soft voice, or tagging along like a little tail like she did before. Nor was she looking to him for help when things went wrong.
He didn’t know she’d switched her focus.
“Hey, money-loser, what’s your plan?” Cookie asked bluntly.
Jiang Chang’an, humiliated, replied: “I’ll find someone to send cash. We need to sort out accommodation first.”
“Accommodation shouldn’t be a problem,” Cookie said, waving her phone. “The team pre-booked a guesthouse; the receipt’s already here, and it’s paid for. Dinner tonight, transport, and attraction tickets are the real problems… And are you sure the team will let us use our own money?”
Under Cookie’s gaze, Jiang Chang’an shot a cold look at the production director. The director paled, looking around frantically.
Jiang Chang’an was furious, while fans and viewers thought it was hilarious, assuming it was staged.
[Hahaha! This is hilarious!]
[Feels scripted, but I love seeing celebs fail, hahaha.]
[The director running away is so funny! Love seeing the cast and crew at odds!]
[I love the show’s ruthless, “evil” producers! More, more!]
[They should rename this show Let’s Fail Together!!!]
Production Director: Wuwuwu, I can’t afford to offend the CBM Entertainment young master, but I can at least avoid him!
He’d love to bend the rules, but Xiang Ge had given strict orders before his vacation: “Stick to the rules for the show’s sake.”
The head director wasn’t bold enough to defy Xiao Xiang without his say-so. And Xiao Xiang was unreachable.
So, after filing their report, the eleven cast members of Let’s Travel Together stood outside the police station, staring blankly at each other. No one spoke.
Jiang Chang’an, his face dark, clearly had no plan either.
Suddenly…
“Eh…” A young Chinese girl with round glasses pushed her suitcase past them, then stopped and walked back. “Is that… Cookie?!”
Cookie perked up, waving: “Hi, babe, I’m Cookie.”
The girl’s face flushed red: “It really is Cookie! I have a ‘Star Cookie’ card. Could you please sign it?”
“Of course.” Cookie smiled, signed her name, and even drew a little heart on the photo of her and Xingxing.
“What happened? You guys look down,” the girl asked.
The girl was a local Chinese who’d been born in Spain. Home for spring break to visit her grandparents, she’d been introduced to Chu Xingxing by her cousin, then fallen into the “Star Cookie” fandom and started watching Grandma’s Journey. She’d even attended the Saci red carpet to support Xingxing, receiving milk tea, baked goods, hand warmers, and even a light meal from Sheng Hotel while waiting outside.
“Someone got careless and had all our funds stolen by Gypsies…”
Cookie explained, subtly pointing at Jiang Chang’an.
[Haha! Cookie’s so adorable!]
[I love Cookie! She even drew a little heart on the card. Ah, so cute!]
[Mommy loves you, Cookie!!! Cookie and Xingxing forever!!!]
The girl with the round glasses fumed: “Oh! That’s awful! Guys are so unreliable and annoying!”
Having grown up abroad, she’d barely seen any Chinese dramas and wasn’t familiar with the Chinese entertainment scene. The only stars she cared about were Chu Xingxing and Cookie, introduced by her cousin. She didn’t know who Jiang Chang’an was.
So, she imitated Cookie’s gesture, pointing at him accusingly.
Jiang Chang’an was incredulous: ???
He was a top idol, one of the youngest acting award winners, always swarmed by girls at home. And now some girl didn’t know him and called him unreliable and annoying?!
“He’s really annoying. Guys are such a pain…” Cookie chimed in.
“Well then…” The girl with the round glasses blinked and said to Cookie: “I could ask my dad to come pick you up? Not for free, though! Could I get a photo with Xingxing? That way it’s a fair exchange, not cheating, right?”
She’d watched Grandma’s Journey and, for Cookie, caught bits of Let’s Travel Together. She knew the reality show game and was already offering a clever loophole.
Cookie was overjoyed, her light amber eyes sparkling. What a brilliant fan! Perfectly played!
[Wow! The fan is so smart!!!]
[As expected of a “Star Cookie” sister, high IQ and EQ!]
[Cookie is so lucky. She always finds help. It seems everyone who’s close to Xingxing has good fortune. I want some of that luck too!]
Cookie nodded enthusiastically: “We can do that?! Of course! Just tell me what we need to do. I can be the photographer!”
The girl with the round glasses beamed: “No, I meant a photo with all of you! Then I’d be the first person with a group ‘Star Cookie’ photo!”
“Deal!” Cookie high-fived her little fan.
This was a fantastic deal!
They’d solve their transport problem and she’d get to see Xingxing. She already missed her, and they’d only been apart half a day.
“Eh?” The girl with the round glasses suddenly looked puzzled. She whispered to Cookie: “Is that the woman who lost the anti-bullying ambassador vote to Xingxing… what’s her name again?”
Cookie nodded slowly, enunciating each word: “Oh yeah, that’s her. Tian Mengtong.”
Tian Mengtong, who had been trying hard to avoid the camera, looked utterly defeated:
Could you just, like, delete me from this situation already…
