Loves watching “Cinderella and the domineering CEO kiss”
Tian Mengtong smiled sweetly, looking directly at Jiang Chang’an.
With the acting skills accumulated from her past life, even if the Emperor of Heaven himself came down, he wouldn’t be able to tell that Tian Mengtong was acting.
He would only think that this sweet-looking girl spoke frankly and didn’t have any bad intentions.
Jiang Chang’an felt like he was about to split apart…
“Chang’an gege, are you treating yourself as the leader of our team? But we’ve never held a leadership election. If it’s based on leadership ability and familiarity with the environment, then Cookie should obviously be everyone’s leader. Of course, if it’s based on seniority or age, then Teacher Chang should be chosen instead.”
Tian Mengtong continued speaking in an innocent tone, and even glanced at the senior veteran actor Chang Dawei, who was sitting with the male guests.
Chang Dawei hadn’t expected to get dragged into this while just eating his melon, and hurriedly waved his hands: “No no no, I’m not familiar with the environment, and I can’t speak foreign languages either. It’s better for Little Cookie to be the leader. The world belongs to you young people!”
[HAHAHAHAHA! Teacher Chang’s intense will to survive!]
[Teacher Chang is still so funny, I’m dying of laughter.]
[Teacher Chang almost didn’t react in time, with a face that said he got dragged into eating his own melon hahahaha.]
Tian Mengtong saying this didn’t mean she actually recognized Cookie’s leadership abilities.
She purely couldn’t stand Jiang Chang’an’s self-righteous, holier-than-thou attitude, as if the whole world had to revolve around him.
Seeing the change in Chu Xingxing’s personality—from someone with no opinions of her own, humble and weak, to a confident and decisive “female lead”—Tian Mengtong couldn’t help but be moved.
Once she opened her heart and broke free from the obsessions of her past life, Tian Mengtong felt like she didn’t love Jiang Chang’an as much anymore.
And the more she recalled many things from her past life, the more Tian Mengtong felt as if she had suffered a tremendous injustice.
In her previous life, after she and Jiang Chang’an got married, Jiang Chang’an’s “White Knight Syndrome” didn’t exactly make Tian Mengtong eat less jealousy.
Having recognized the situation and switched “tracks,” Tian Mengtong now put all her attention on Jiang Changsheng. Her brother Jiang Chang’an had become her “discarded piece.”
Jiang Chang’an looked at Tian Mengtong as if he’d seen a ghost…
He didn’t know what had happened to Tian Mengtong.
How could a person’s personality change so drastically in such a short time?!
But his upbringing and the remaining goodwill he held for Tian Mengtong made Jiang Chang’an hold back. He didn’t have an open conflict with Tian Mengtong on the spot, and forcefully swallowed the loss.
Tian Mengtong waved at Cookie and the little fan, her expression somewhat sorrowful: “You guys go ahead quickly, don’t keep Xingxing waiting too long.”
[Damn, I inexplicably smell a whiff of friendship “funeral pyre.”]
[Hahahaha! You’re not wrong, you’re really not wrong. Tian Mengtong is literally chasing after her bestie at the funeral pyre right now!]
[HELP! TMT really, I’m crying, where was she earlier? Now that Xingxing has Little Cookie, she thinks Xingxing is great and wants to win her back???]
[This is TM too exciting. I didn’t expect CBM Entertainment’s two big New Year variety shows to have so many melons to eat!]
Cookie rubbed the goosebumps on her arms, shivered, and pulling the little fan’s hand, ran all the way into the market.
Tian Mengtong sat back down in her seat, continued nibbling on her bocadillo, and didn’t even glance at Jiang Chang’an.
She felt like she had become a “female lead” too, just like Chu Xingxing.
Finally, she didn’t have to play pitiful in front of Jiang Chang’an just to win his concern for his “White Knight Syndrome.”
[SAVE ME!!! What on earth happened!!! How did my ship “Changmeng Baisui” suddenly BE overnight!!!]
[Wuwuwuwuwu, what happened exactly? These two were spreading sugar on the last trip, and now on this trip they’re throwing knives???]
[Which screenwriter wrote this crappy script? The characters fell apart and the plot fell apart too. Come out and take your beating!]
[Crying, completely heartbroken. This was the first CP I shipped wuwuwuwuwu]
—
Anton Martin Market, second floor, inside Caracola Madrid cake shop.
Chu Xingxing had already ordered coffee and yuzu-flavored and pistachio-flavored lava Basque cheesecakes for Cookie and the round-glasses little fan girl.
“Xingxing, we’re here!” Cookie held the little fan girl’s hand, running all the way.
“Little Cookie~” Chu Xingxing waved at them, giving the two cute girls a big hug.
“Eh?” Chu Xingxing lowered her head slightly, looking at the small girl with round glasses and a round face: “Baby, have I seen you before on the Saci red carpet? You were standing with a girl with a bun hairstyle, both wearing pink jackets and white skirts that day…”
“Wuwuwuwuwu, it was us…” The little fan girl nodded frantically, so excited she couldn’t say a word.
The happiest thing about being a fan is when the celebrity or idol you like remembers you.
[Ahhh! Xingbao called the little fan ‘baby,’ wuwuwuwu I want Xingxing to call me baby too!]
[Shocking! Xingbao’s memory is amazing. There were so many people on the red carpet, how could she remember one little fan?]
[Xingxing really has a great memory, and she replies to fans’ DMs herself. As long as it’s not some unreasonable request, she almost always responds.]
“Is that you, baby? What’s your name?” Chu Xingxing tucked the stray hairs by the little fan’s temples behind her ears.
“Yes, it’s me, it’s me. My name is Xinxin. That day my cousin took me to the Saci red carpet…”
The round-glasses girl covered her mouth. Seeing the four old babies sitting at the table and Jiang Luoze with a gentle smile on his face, she got even more excited: “Gra-grannies, hello. Male fox… no, Designer Jiang, hello.”
[Hahahahaha! The little fan is so cute, she almost blurted out “male fox spirit.”]
[Dying of laughter, the fans of “Xingxing Biscuit” are this cute too!]
Madam Wen Xuelan greeted the girls like she would her own juniors: “Little Cookie, Xinxin, come, you two sweeties sit down quickly, don’t stand. See if there’s anything else you’d like to eat?”
Grandma Xiao Jiang said with a smile: “That’s right, sit down quickly. Xingxing ordered cappuccinos and cake for you. This place’s egg and potato omelette is also good, served with a small piece of baguette. Would you like something savory? I’ll order more for you…”
Grandma Ai Minli and Grandma Sheng Shuwen also smiled as they looked at them.
Jiang Luoze pulled out two more chairs, gentlemanly making a “please” gesture.
Although the little fan Xinxin looked calm on the surface, inside she was already screaming like a screeching chicken…
This fan-chasing experience was so worth it, wuwuwuwu.
“Xinxin, sit next to me.” Chu Xingxing sat back down in her original seat first, gesturing for the little fan to sit too.
Her original seat had Jiang Luoze on the right and an empty seat on the left, with the four old babies sitting across from her.
Chu Xingxing originally wanted Cookie to sit next to the little fan…
But she discovered that Jiang Luoze hadn’t sat down yet, and the seat to her right—Jiang Luoze’s seat—had somehow already been “squatter’s rights”-ed by a light brown little curly-haired girl.
“I also want to sit next to Xingxing…” Cookie looked like she’d been neglected, pouting: “Xingxing isn’t paying attention to me anymore. Do you not love me anymore?”
Jiang Luoze was happy to give up his seat to the girl.
“Okay, you two sit together.” He shook his head helplessly, picked up his jacket, and went to sit across from them.
“Love you, how could I not love you?” Chu Xingxing pinched Little Cookie’s cheek, truly helpless against her: “Did you sleep well last night? You didn’t go hungry, right? Later I’ll pack some more cake for you guys to bring back and share with everyone.”
“No, I want to eat it all by myself!” Cookie had already started devouring the yuzu Basque lava cheesecake in front of her.
If it weren’t for the cameras, Cookie would have frantically complained to Chu Xingxing about the massive, surreal “BE” scene between Tian Mengtong and Jiang Chang’an earlier.
[Ah! Does Xingxing love me???]
[Holding high the “Xingxing Biscuit” banner that will never fall. Girls’ friendship is the best thing to ship!!!]
[Cookie really is a delicate little princess. Although she’s a bit high-maintenance, she’s not annoying at all. So cute wow.]
[Being good friends with Cookie would be such a wonderful experience hahaha. Look at how Xingxing always has this “sweet burden” look.]
Chu Xingxing now had the little fan Xinxin on her left and Cookie on her right.
She’d chat with Xinxin on the left for a bit, then turn her head to care for Cookie.
Finally, she managed to take care of both girls’ feelings.
“How did Xinxin come to like our Xingbao?” Madam Wen Xuelan treated the little fan like family.
Grandma Xiao Jiang also said with a smile: “That’s right, how does Xinxin have such good taste?”
“Actually, at first I was just a looks fan of Xingxing. I saw my friend liked a photo on Ins of Saci fox… Designer Jiang posted a photo, and Xingxing looked so beautiful in it, like a forest princess! Later I made that photo my screensaver, and then started watching the ‘Grandma’s Journey’ variety show…”
The little fan Xinxin earnestly chatted with the old babies about her journey of becoming a Chu Xingxing fan.
Listening to the whole thing, Chu Xingxing felt a bit embarrassed.
But thinking about how there were so many little sisters who trusted and liked her, she said to herself in her heart:
Chu Xingxing, you have to work hard to be worthy of their love.
You have to become a better person and create better works.
“Xinxin looks like a sensible good child,” Grandma Sheng said with a smile after listening to the little fan’s journey. She waved at Jiang Luoze: “Aze, help me get my small bag.”
Jiang Luoze carried a single-shoulder bag with a zipper, containing some things the old babies needed when going out.
This way, the grandmas didn’t need to carry their own bags.
“Here you go.” He found Grandma Sheng’s small bag in the shoulder bag and handed it over.
“Thank you, Aze.” Grandma Sheng took the small bag.
She unzipped it and pulled out… a red envelope?!
[Shocking!!! What kind of family is this? Grandma Sheng actually carries red envelopes with her at all times???]
[I’m dumbfounded. Let me ask, does Grandma Sheng still need a granddaughter wuwuwuwu.]
[Do wealthy grandmas all carry red envelopes when going out? And this thick!!!]
[I’m new here. Is this the Grandma Sheng who handed out a bunch of 666 cash red envelopes to “milk powder,” “milk baby powder,” and “Xingxing fans” on the Saci red carpet?]
[Yes, ls sister, you’re not mistaken. It’s the “wealthy beyond humanity” former Shengshi Group CEO, Madam Sheng Shuwen.]
“Here, Xinxin. Grandma Sheng just heard you say you’re taking the college entrance exam this summer. I wish you success in getting into your ideal school ahead of time.”
Grandma Sheng Shuwen placed the red envelope in the little fan’s hand.
As the eldest-ranking elder in the family, Grandma Sheng Shuwen habitually carried “small” red envelopes with her.
Xinxin looked at the red envelope that was even thicker than the one from the Saci red carpet and didn’t dare take it at all, shrinking back: “No no no, thank you Grandma Sheng. I appreciate your kindness, but you already gave me a big 666 red envelope on the red carpet last time. I can’t take another one.”
“Take it, sweetie,” Grandma Xiao Jiang said with a smile: “This is Grandma Sheng’s blessing, hoping the child’s future is bright and prosperous.”
The usually somewhat stern and aloof Grandma Ai Minli, looking at the youthful and vibrant girl, also smiled faintly: “Just for good luck. Xinxin, little friend, take it. It’s fine.”
[Hahaha! The little fan’s expression of wanting to take it but not daring to is exactly like me receiving red envelopes from relatives during Chinese New Year.]
[Me too. The little fan’s terrified look is kind of cute, but the grandmas are really so warm.]
[Honestly, any family with these four old babies is truly blessed!]
“Can I, take it?” The little fan Xinxin hesitantly looked at Chu Xingxing.
She didn’t know why, but in the end she still chose to ask her idol for permission…
Chu Xingxing stuffed the red envelope into the little fan’s hand: “Take it. This is Grandma Sheng’s kindness.”
“Xinxin, little friend, what major do you want to study in university?” Grandma Sheng Shuwen asked with a smile.
Xinxin glanced at Chu Xingxing shyly and said: “I want to go back to China for university, so I need to take the overseas Chinese student joint exam. I want to study media.”
The little fan was too embarrassed to say that she wanted to be closer to her idol and hoped to work at CBM Entertainment after graduation.
Grandma Sheng Shuwen smiled kindly and said: “Media is a good major. Our Shengshi Group has its own media company and has invested in quite a few entertainment enterprises in the industry. We welcome you to intern at Shengshi Group in the future.”
Xinxin was shocked:!!!
Wuwuwuwuwu, tears are about to burst out!
So, by being a fan of Xingxing, her whole life became so lucky!!!
What kind of heaven-sent blessing is this!!!
As a newly minted fan girl, Xinxin of course knew that the major shareholder behind CBM Entertainment was Shengshi Group.
Her original dream was to work in planning or artist management at CBM Entertainment after graduation.
She never expected to directly receive an offer from CBM Entertainment’s “parent company”!
[Ahhhhh!!! Is this a Xingxing fan benefit?]
[HELP! Grandma Sheng is so doting on fans!!!]
[Getting a Shengshi Group offer before even starting university. Who understands this, I’m crying!]
[What kind of earth-shattering awesome benefit is this? Whatever, I’m a Chu Xingxing fan now too!!!]
—
After that, Chu Xingxing took a few photos with Xinxin and even filmed a short Vlog.
The luxurious trip of “Grandma’s Journey” had to continue.
The “budget travel” of “Let’s Travel Together” also had to continue.
The little fan Xinxin very sensibly said goodbye to everyone, thanking the old babies for their hospitality.
She herself was a video blogger with hundreds of thousands of followers. This fan-chasing experience was simply too awesome. She felt light-headed all the way home on the subway.
Xinxin was going to make this unique fan-chasing experience into a trilingual video in English, Spanish, and Chinese, and post it on different platforms.
—
Chu Xingxing didn’t use the production team’s budget for the grandmas. She used her own money to pack several Basque lava cheesecakes for Cookie.
Cookie, who had been shouting about eating “all by herself,” was just saying that. She couldn’t possibly not share with the other guests of “Let’s Travel Together.”
“Xingxing, we have to separate again…” Cookie held the paper box of cheesecake, looking unhappy: “And you didn’t even get close to me, you were chatting with Xinxin the whole time.”
Chu Xingxing was amused by Little Cookie’s aggrieved look.
This kind of little girl who grew up rich in love wore all her emotions on her face.
Happy, unhappy—it was all clear at a glance.
[Little Cookie really depends on Xingxing so much. The two have such a good relationship.]
[Cookie is like a little octopus, not wanting to be separated from Xingbao for even a second hahahaha. Truly worthy of “Xingxing Biscuit”!]
[Ah, two great beauties standing together is really pleasing to the eye. Little Cookie’s jealous look is really cute hahaha.]
“We’ll meet at the next stop. We’re leaving for southern Spain tomorrow. Meeting new things and new friends during travel is what makes it more interesting.”
Chu Xingxing pinched Cookie’s slightly baby-fat cheek and said with a smile: “I’m your old friend. Don’t worry, I’ll always be here.”
Chu Xingxing’s words gave Cookie a lot of security.
“Okay.” Cookie nodded, then opened her arms to ask for a hug: “When we get to the south, can I come find you guys to hang out?”
“I have no objections, of course you can.” Chu Xingxing patted Cookie’s shoulder.
Cookie’s big eyes darted around, then “pushing her luck,” she asked: “Then after the livestream ends at night, can I come sleep with you?”
“Emmm…” Chu Xingxing didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.
“You don’t love me…” Cookie got aggrieved again.
“Love you, love you. Let’s see if we’re staying far apart, and we can’t break the show rules, right?” Chu Xingxing coaxed Little Cookie.
Of course she wanted to bring Cookie along everywhere, but they were in two different production teams after all.
If she kept giving Cookie such an obvious “backdoor,” Chu Xingxing was afraid the other guests of “Let’s Travel Together” would ostracize Little Cookie.
The old babies looked at the two girls with their “deep sisterly bond,” all wearing auntie smiles.
Each of them fell into memories of their youth.
When they were young, they went to the countryside together for agricultural work, and by their teens they had become good sisters with a bond forged through life and death.
The grandmas had been young too. When they were girls, they were so close they wanted to stick together every moment, so they understood the friendship between Chu Xingxing and Cookie very well.
Grandma Xiao Jiang had shallow tear ducts. As she smiled, her eyes got a bit teary: “Seeing these two good girls reminds me of when we were in Wanliu Village…”
Hearing “four sisters,” Grandma Ai and Madam Wen Xuelan hurriedly gave Grandma Xiao Jiang looks.
Only then did Grandma Xiao Jiang realize she’d “misspoken.” She held back her tears, coughed twice, and pretended to have a bit of a “lisp” as she said again: “I mean, the sisters took such good care of me back then.”
Grandma Sheng Shuwen, whether she heard it or not, wore a faint smile, looking at Chu Xingxing and Little Cookie.
Only Grandma Xiao Jiang secretly blamed herself.
Her brain…
She often forgot that she couldn’t mention that person in front of Big Sister.
Sure enough, besides becoming fond of reminiscing, getting older also made you more forgetful.
—
The old babies strolled and ate around Anton Martin Market for over an hour.
Before coming, they all said they weren’t hungry.
But when they saw every snack, they all thought “we’re already here,” and really wanted to try it.
The result was that they ate until their bellies were round again.
After eating, they naturally got sleepy.
The grandmas had a habit of taking afternoon naps.
One more reason that made the old babies like Spain even more:
They discovered that Spaniards also have a habit of afternoon naps, called “Siesta” in Spanish.
From 2 to 4 PM, many shops and workplaces are closed.
This time period is also when the sun is strongest and people get lazy.
So the old babies went straight back “home” and happily took an afternoon nap.
[The old babies seamlessly blend into Spain’s leisurely lifestyle!]
[I’ve discovered that Spain is really suitable for retirement!!!]
[Yes, there’s lots of food, 300 days of sunshine a year, blue skies and white clouds every day, good air, no heavy industry, and a golden coastline. Prices are relatively low compared to other European countries, and it’s not so competitive. It’s not suitable for young people to hustle, but it’s really great for retirement.]
—
The old babies’ nap was somewhat affected by jet lag, so they slept a bit long.
Chu Xingxing also had a habit of napping for her health, but she slept very briefly, at most half an hour.
But right now, due to jet lag, her energy was slightly lacking.
To make sure she could provide energetic “porter” service whenever she was with the old babies, Chu Xingxing decided to snooze a bit longer.
She hugged the “Ah Blankie” hundred-family blanket made by Cookie’s mom and dozed on the sofa in the small living room.
Why didn’t she choose to nap in bed?
Because she was afraid she’d sleep too comfortably and wouldn’t be able to get up…
After dozing for forty or fifty minutes, Chu Xingxing groggily opened her eyes and found a familiar figure sitting at the European-style desk in the small living room.
“Aze, you didn’t sleep?” Chu Xingxing rubbed her eyes, sat up holding the little blanket, her voice a bit nasal, sounding somewhat alluring.
[Ahhhhh! Xingbao’s just-woke-up voice, I’m dead.]
[Daughter suddenly became so soft, I can’t handle it wuwuwuwu.]
“No…” Jiang Luoze turned around, still holding a pencil.
“Are you an alien…” Chu Xingxing yawned, lazily flopping her head back against the sofa: “Or is it that as a high-quality human elite, Aze has evolved away the need for sleep?”
[Hahahahaha! I’m TM dying of laughter!!!]
[God, “evolved away the need for sleep,” Xingbao is so witty!]
[Honestly, I’m also curious. Apparently Jiang Luoze only slept four hours last night. After a long-haul flight, not only did he not need to adjust to jet lag, he played all day and is now drawing and working at noon instead of napping. What kind of insane energy is this?]
[At first I thought Jiang Luoze was the frail, delicate, can’t-take-care-of-himself “little fox” omega. Now I realize, maybe the “little fox” survives on fairy dust?]
Jiang Luoze’s slender, pale fingers pressed against his temples and full forehead, laughing so hard his long eyelashes trembled.
“Help, don’t look at people with that expression, okay?” Chu Xingxing covered her eyes with the little blanket.
She really couldn’t stand that bewitching look of his. Muffled under the blanket, she said: “Stop laughing, I’m serious…”
“Then let’s see who stops laughing first?” Jiang Luoze’s hearty laughter didn’t stop: “Fifty euros bet.”
Money! Money! Money!!!
Chu Xingxing poked her head out from the blanket. She didn’t know why she wanted to laugh so badly, but she forced herself to hold it in while looking at Jiang Luoze’s handsome face: “I won’t laugh first, I’ll definitely win… pfft!”
Well, broke in three seconds.
“Ah…” Chu Xingxing wanted to roll around on the sofa. She didn’t want to lose fifty euros!
“Laughing is a happy thing, why hold it in?” Jiang Luoze’s eyes sparkled. While laughing, he lowered his head and drew something in his sketchbook.
“Because you said we were betting!” Chu Xingxing was very competitive. She tried again to hold back her laughter and sat up: “Don’t let me win, okay? If you let me win, it’s no fun.”
“I never let girls win,” Jiang Luoze laughed with his head down, eyes lowered, one hand holding the sketchbook, the other dancing the pencil nonstop: “Girls aren’t the weaker ones. They’re strong competitors.”
[Ah, I really like what Jiang Luoze said. He really respects women.]
[I suddenly feel so guilty. Why do I have those worldly desires toward such a proper “little fox”…]
[If ls sister feels guilty, then let me handle those worldly desires. I can accept the punishment!]
“I think so too.” Chu Xingxing’s lips curved up, but she didn’t keep “hahaha”-ing like before.
She leaned out from the sofa, both hands braced on the sofa back, craning her neck to see what Jiang Luoze was drawing.
It was because Jiang Luoze always looked at her when drawing design sketches. Occasionally Chu Xingxing was curious about what he was drawing.
“Did I win?” Chu Xingxing hadn’t seen the drawing yet. She found she could “hold” her laughter.
“You won,” Jiang Luoze was still smiling, his pencil not stopping for a moment, but he said sincerely: “I owe you fifty euros. Give me five more minutes, then I’ll settle the payment.”
“Then I’m starting the countdown,” Chu Xingxing grabbed her phone, set a five-minute timer, and waved the phone with a serious face: “Just in case you welch on the debt.”
[Am I the only one who feels like I’m watching a dating show? I really love the interaction between Xingbao and “male fox spirit” wuwuwuwu. They’re so shippable!]
[Me too, I’ve been smiling like an auntie the whole time. Is this really not a dating show?]
[I admit I’m fickle. On the first trip I shipped Xingbao with Best Actor Wen Han, but!!! Double-door, sorry, it’s not that you’re not good. It’s that Jiang Luoze, this seductive spirit, is too strong…]
[Our Wen Xiaonuan is very suitable as family, as a big brother—the gentle, tolerant, quiet, steady big brother type. And Wen Han is also the oldest and highest-ranking among the F4 grandson group of the old babies.]
Chu Xingxing was already used to talking casually with Jiang Luoze, doing whatever she wanted in front of him.
Even more exaggeratedly, out of trust in Jiang Luoze’s professionalism, as his model, Chu Xingxing could stand in front of him with a bare face and only underwear without feeling embarrassed or shy.
Strange to say, the two hadn’t met many times before, but traveling together felt as默契 as old friends who’d known each other for years.
Being with Jiang Luoze felt very comfortable. He could catch any topic, never got angry no matter how you joked, and always seemed emotionally stable.
“Okay, start your countdown. I’m not someone who breaks promises.”
Jiang Luoze lowered his head and focused on drawing. Whether it was his beautiful phoenix eyes or his pale cherry-colored lips, he was smiling.
At this moment, Jiang Luoze’s inspiration was exploding. He even felt that it wasn’t his brain controlling his hand, but that the hand holding the pencil had been infused with a soul and was drawing on its own.
Jiang Luoze’s attention was all on the design sketch and Chu Xingxing.
In his eyes, she was a star in the sky, beautiful and dazzling.
And Chu Xingxing, along with the livestream fans and viewers, had all their attention on him.
In this European-style living room, Jiang Luoze focused on drawing, beautiful as a European oil painting. “Beep beep beep, beep beep beep…” Chu Xingxing’s phone timer went off.
Jiang Luoze put down his pencil at the same moment.
“Is it a trade secret? So mysterious, you wouldn’t let anyone see it before. What did Aze draw…”
Chu Xingxing, like a nimble little cat, made a difficult move on the sofa, leaning most of her body forward to look.
Jiang Luoze turned the sketchbook around and showed her, smiling with the corners of his eyes curved in a way that made him look especially like a “fox spirit.”
Chu Xingxing:!!!
“So beautiful…” Apart from beautiful, she couldn’t praise anything else.
Just a design sketch, yet it couldn’t hide the beauty and boldness of this gown.
In the model drawing, the corset-style top with boning cinched in a perfect waist. The pencil strokes showed the shadow of lace texture, proving the gown was made of slightly sheer material.
And the flowing, elegant skirt line that emphasized the waist-to-hip ratio, along with the hem featuring a strong Flamenco mermaid-skirt style, added a bold, heavy stroke to the gown.
Chu Xingxing had seen Jiang Luoze’s hand-drawn sketches before. He never drew faces.
The model’s face was always blurry, replaced by a hat or simple lines.
But in this design sketch, just a few simple strokes outlined a familiar face shape, facial features, hairstyle…
That’s right, Jiang Luoze’s model was Chu Xingxing.
After intense work, Jiang Luoze relaxed completely.
“I’ll make this gown, only one. I hope it becomes your battle armor. May I have the honor of paving the way for the queen.”
Jiang Luoze’s voice was soft, the corners of his eyes upturned, looking at her with lowered brows and eyes, exactly like a loyal “guard” to a “queen.”
Chu Xingxing pressed her lips together, eyes darting around:…
Ah!!!
How was she supposed to respond to this?!
[Ahhhhh! I’m a screeching chicken!!!]
[It’s just TM handsome exploding!!! Jiang Luoze, you are my god!!!]
[This child is kneeling to Xingxing. Please, Xingxing, just take Jiang Luoze. If you miss this village, there won’t be this shop anymore!!!]
[This insane professional ability. “Little Fox” is absolutely top-tier, right? Before I die, I must date someone like this, before I die, before I die I must date someone like this…]
—
6 PM.
The grandmas appeared in front of the camera one by one, full of energy.
After the afternoon nap, everyone set off from the “homestay” again, heading to Madrid’s best spot for watching the sunset—Montaña Park.
There was a very luxurious gift from afar there: an Egyptian temple built in the 2nd century BC, located in Montaña Park near the Plaza de España in Madrid.
Because Egypt was building the Aswan Dam, which might submerge the temple, the Egyptian government decided to donate the temple to Spain.
When the grandmas got out of the car, they were a bit disappointed at first.
Chu Xingxing was too. In front of her was just a “little dirt mound.” You could see Plaza de España and the Edificio España, but nothing else special.
“Is there really the most beautiful sunset in all of Spain here?” Chu Xingxing didn’t believe it…
“Yeah, isn’t this just a small park?” Even the usually supportive Grandma Xiao Jiang dissed her nephew: “We came all the way to Spain just to see a small park we could find at our doorstep? This isn’t even as nice as our Chinese gardens…”
Jiang Luoze didn’t explain much, just waved at them: “Follow me. If I told you in advance, there’d be no surprise.”
The old babies had plenty of energy at this point. Climbing a “little dirt mound” was nothing.
Chu Xingxing “brought up the rear,” following behind the grandmas.
If any grandma couldn’t climb anymore, she’d help from behind, giving a gentle push.
Passing through tree shade and grass similar to Retiro Park, they seemed to arrive at a park located on a hillside high ground.
Because Chu Xingxing was walking last, she only discovered when she arrived that all the old babies were stunned.
Chu Xingxing turned back to pull her follow-shooting director Xiao Mao, and when she turned around, she was stunned too.
Damn!
Jiang Luoze, you didn’t lie to me…
The camera operator, who had finally huffed and puffed his way up, was breathing heavily, but his hands were steady.
Seeing the view before him, he also silently mouthed “woc” in his heart…
[WOC! It’s really so beautiful!!!]
[What kind of magical landscape is this? It’s like traveling through time!!!]
[Is this in Madrid, Spain? I thought I’d traveled straight to ancient Egypt!!!]
[What’s that shimmering area? So beautiful!!!]
In front of them, a spacious open flat area suddenly appeared.
What Chu Xingxing found incredible was that what met her eyes was an ancient Egyptian temple bathed in golden, radiant sunset, standing in a scene where water and sky merged into one color.
Behind the temple was a platform overlooking most of Madrid’s picturesque scenery.
The mysterious, heavy strokes of ancient civilization and the elegant, beautiful scroll of Europe blended together without any sense of incongruity.
“Templo de Debod, that’s how you say it in Spanish. This was a gift from the Egyptian government to Franco’s regime. The entire temple was cut apart from the shores of Lake Nasser, transported piece by piece from Egypt, and reassembled on-site in Madrid.”
Jiang Luoze’s gentle, slow voice pulled Chu Xingxing back to reality.
It was as if in that instant, her soul had traveled to ancient Egypt. The feeling was so unreal.
Jiang Luoze continued: “History is full of coincidences. An Egyptian temple coincidentally appeared in Madrid, and Montaña Park also accepted this guest from the 2nd century AD who traveled across the ocean. The ancient Egyptian craftsmen who built the temple back then probably never dreamed that one day the Egyptian government, out of gratitude, would have this temple appear on the European continent.”
[In my lifetime, I must come here to see the sunset with my own eyes!]
[So beautiful my heart skipped a beat. Who would have thought there’d be an ancient Egyptian temple in Madrid, Spain? So magical!!!]
[It’s really so beautiful. I’m completely out of words. Thanks again to the old babies for taking us on a cloud tour. So satisfying!]
Jiang Luoze led the old babies and Chu Xingxing to the observation deck to enjoy the magical and wonderful sunset.
The sun, tilting west, was still radiant, bathing everything around in a golden atmosphere.
On the nearby lawn, a few blonde children ran around laughing. A single young woman buried her face under a book, dozing. A couple held each other tightly, kissing passionately.
Chu Xingxing turned her head slightly to look at Jiang Luoze.
Other couples were kissing. She was too embarrassed to look their way.
Although she loved reading novels about “Cinderella and the domineering CEO kissing,” that didn’t mean she loved watching real people kiss in person.
As if by telepathy, Jiang Luoze turned his head and looked down at her.
Because just now, in his line of sight, there were also several couples hugging and kissing tightly. It was improper to look…
When the two made eye contact, it seemed they both understood something, and burst out laughing.
Chu Xingxing deliberately teased him: “Don’t look back. If you look around blindly, you’ll get a stye.”
Jiang Luoze sighed with a smile and said slowly: “Then I’ll have to trouble Xingxing to look at me a little longer for now.”
Chu Xingxing grinned foolishly.
It wasn’t a hardship at all. Looking at a great beauty like Jiang Luoze, she was clearly the one getting the better deal…
“Picture picture!!!” Grandma Xiao Jiang timely discovered this loving scene.
Excitedly, she took out her phone, didn’t even have time to put on her reading glasses, randomly unlocked it, squinted, and “click click” took a bunch of photos.
[Hahahahaha! Is Grandma Xiao Jiang leading the charge in shipping CP?]
[Grandma Xiao Jiang looks super competitive, so cute.]
[Grandma Xiao Jiang: The CP I ship cannot BE!!!]
[Grandma Xiao Jiang’s mindset be like: the good girl I picked myself, I absolutely cannot let her get away.]
[Never mind Grandma Xiao Jiang, I’m really shipping Xingxing and “Little Fox” to death. They’re a perfect match wuwuwuwu…]
[Yes yes yes, “Little Fox” is a very special type of dating show guest—no, travel “porter.” Living with Jiang Luoze would really be so happy!]
—
Today was the old babies’ last day in Madrid.
For the final dinner, Jiang Luoze chose a traditional seafood restaurant.
They’d only eaten snacks at noon, so by evening everyone was hungry.
This seafood meal was quite satisfying.
The Carabinero (Spanish red prawn), bigger than a palm, made Grandma Sheng and Grandma Ai, who loved all kinds of seafood, cry on the spot from how delicious it was.
This large-size red prawn is also a “luxury” for locals in Spain and not cheap.
After being pan-fried with a little olive oil and seafood, it’s ready to serve.
The most amazing part was the Carabinero’s head roe, with a uniquely wild, fresh sweetness that leaves a lifelong memory.
By comparison, the shrimp meat—sweet, bouncy, and hundreds of times better than lobster—seemed almost inferior.
Grandma Ai Minli even lamented these shrimp heads. If only she could use them to render shrimp oil and add a spoonful when making wonton noodles. Absolutely divine!
Not to mention the crab full of roe and fat, the expensive and hard-to-harvest goose barnacles with sweet, juicy meat, the garlic pan-fried razor clams with no sand, one bite each, super satisfying, the arm-length live langoustines so sweet they make your head spin, the fragrant, bursting fish roe sandwiches, and the high-end cold platter of sea urchin and Gillardeau oysters with caviar…
[That red prawn wuwuwuwu! I must eat it once in my lifetime!!!]
[Even the old babies with such picky tastes find it delicious. I’ve bookmarked this seafood restaurant!]
[It’s only the first day, and from morning to night I’ve already noted down so many must-eat, must-visit restaurants thanks to “Little Fox.”]
[First time seeing a live langoustine, and so big. How sweet must it be!!!]
Jiang Luoze noticed Chu Xingxing was a “meat” lover and specially ordered Spanish local wagyu steak.
Spanish-style seafood restaurants usually have stone-plate beef.
A sizzling hot stone slab comes to the table, and diners control how done they want their beef.
Compared to Japanese wagyu that’s too “melt-in-your-mouth” like “drinking oil,” Spanish wagyu crossbred with local cattle has pale yellow fat with fine, even marbling.
The red beef sizzles on the stone slab, letting the fat melt under high heat, creating a perfect Maillard reaction.
Medium-rare is just right. It enters the mouth soft, tender, with no chewy fibers. The fat has a faint milky aroma, the beef has a sweet aftertaste, full of rich layers.
[Meat lovers rejoice!!!]
[Sisters, you must try this kind of veal. It’s TM so delicious.]
“Super delicious! Are these all restaurants Aze has been to before?” Chu Xingxing felt she’d run out of words. Apart from “delicious,” she couldn’t find any other adjective.
Jiang Luoze turned his head to look at her. Xingxing was cute like a little leopard that had just eaten a big piece of meat—a bit dangerous, ready to show claws at any moment, but also easily satisfied.
“Yeah, I’ve been traveling around Europe for work a lot these past few years. I still have a big stash of private ‘food pocket lists’…” Jiang Luoze’s tone was very soft. Knowing she liked the dishes he ordered made his heart soft too.
He paused, his eyes carrying a bit of expectation, and said softly: “In the future, I’ll take you to eat more delicious food, okay?”
“That would be great!” Chu Xingxing’s eyes sparkled. When it came to food, she wasn’t sleepy at all!
A trace of slyness flashed through Jiang Luoze’s phoenix eyes: “Good. You promised me, so no taking it back.”
“Ha, taking it back when there’s good food? That would be really immature.” Chu Xingxing smiled and nodded, saying seriously: “I’m a very sensible person.”
She said it lightly now. In the not-too-distant future, she would almost become an “immature” person.
—
After dinner, although there were plenty of nighttime entertainment options in downtown Madrid,
since everyone had to take the AVE (Spanish high-speed train) early the next morning to the southern city of Seville, they decided to go back to the “homestay” to rest.
Seville, the capital of the Andalusia region, is the birthplace of Spanish culture.
Actually, at first, Jiang Luoze’s designed route didn’t place Seville in the south so early.
But after discussing privately with Grandma Sheng, he decided to put this city as the second stop.
One reason was that Seville is conveniently located. You can easily get there from Madrid by AVE, and renting a car in Seville as the starting point for a southern tour is very suitable. It’s also convenient for getting to nearby tourist spots like Ronda, Córdoba, Cádiz, etc.
The second reason was a bit personal.
Jiang Luoze had also heard about this from Grandma Sheng, and it had to do with his aunt.
Back then, Jiang Luoze’s aunt Jiang Yao had once dated a boyfriend and was almost about to get married, but due to a series of unlucky events, the lovers ultimately couldn’t be together.
Grandma Sheng Shuwen said: “There were some misunderstandings involved. I only found out these past two years. Some misunderstandings are best explained by the person involved to your aunt in person.”
Back at the “homestay,” Jiang Luoze reported the next day’s itinerary to the grandmas.
“Grandma Xiao Jiang!” Chu Xingxing was very excited. She remembered the stunning flamenco performance she’d seen on TV that day: “When we get to Seville, we can see a live ‘water-snake waist’ performance!”
[Hahahahahaha! Xingbao faithfully follows Grandma Xiao Jiang’s little love lesson!]
[Looking forward to seeing a live flamenco performance. I heard it’s very shocking!]
[Let me judge for myself—is “Little Fox’s” waist more powerful, or the flamenco male dancer’s “water-snake waist” more powerful!]
“Ah…” Grandma Xiao Jiang’s expression was a bit dazed. She asked softly: “We’re going to Seville tomorrow?”
Grandma Xiao Jiang had thought their second stop would be Córdoba, since it’s further north than Seville.
Mentioning the city of Seville, Grandma Xiao Jiang’s thoughts seemed to slowly drift back more than thirty years…
