Luo Qi went back to her room and went to the wardrobe to pick out what she would wear. She carefully recalled which dress Jiang Shenghe has not seen her wear before. She picked one and changed into it.

Today was his birthday, yet it was her family who was dressed up grandly for the occasion.

After changing her dress, Luo Qi prepared to go to the train station.

[Where are you? ] she asked Jiang Shenghe.

[You don’t need to pick me up, the driver is already waiting at the station.]

… …

So Luo Qi did not go to the station anymore and simply waited for him by the flower shop.

Every time she stood here, she would think of her first business trip to Suzhou with him. She ran into him that day while he was on his morning run. He had just come out of the convenience store next to the flower shop; a bottle of drink in his hand, he congratulated her on her upcoming wedding.

A black off-road vehicle soon appeared before Luo Qi’s eyes that were full of anticipation.

Jiang Shenghe was wearing the same white shirt he wore on the day they received their marriage certificate, with its unique cufflinks.

Luo Qi didn’t know how much the driver in Suzhou knew. In front of the driver, she didn’t step forward to hug Jiang Shenghe. Instead, she walked in front of him and stood close to him. Her  coat rubbed against his. “Happy birthday.”

Jiang Shenghe closed the car door, lowered his head, and pressed a kiss on her lips.

He actually kissed her on the street! Luo Qi’s breath hitched, and a throbbing fierceness surged from the bottom of her heart, flooding it entirely.

Luo Qi smiled and took half a step back.

Jiang Shenghe also smiled gently and said, “I made up for missing it early this morning.”

Luo Qi stepped closer this time, getting closer to him than before, “It must be your twentieth birthday today.” 

Only feelings in youth could be so passionate.

“Let’s make it twenty-three.” That was the year when he first met her.

Jiang Shenghe opened the trunk to get the gifts. He couldn’t carry them all by himself, so he gave the lighter ones to Luo Qi.

He prepared three gifts for the Luo family, and one for their neighbor, Grandma Qian.

Jiang Shenghe has passed by this stone bridge several times before. In the past, he was merely passing by—but today, he was going to her home.

… …

Luo Zhiqiu opened the door when he heard the first knock. When he saw Jiang Shenghe for the first time, he thought he looked familiar. He somehow felt that he had seen him before, but he also thought that this was impossible.

Maybe because he and his daughter were in a relationship so he looked familiar?

“Hello, Uncle.”

“Hello, come in quickly.”

Luo Qi had prepared new slippers for him; Jiang Shenghe put them on and entered the house.

The living room was a little bigger than Luo Qi’s rental house, but it held many more things.

The kitchen was too small to fit the refrigerator, so it could only be placed in the far corner of the adjoining living room, and there was a bookcase next to the sofa. There was no place to put the piano that Luo Qi used to play when she was a child, so it was placed next to the TV.

The house was full.

Fortunately, there was a window facing the river, and the scenery was exceptionally good. Even though the place was small and crowded, it was not depressing.

A walnut-colored dining table was placed against one wall, and at the end of the table was a vase with five sunflowers in it.

He heard Luo Qi say before that the dining table became Aunt Jiang’s temporary desk at night, and she worked overtime on it.

After exchanging pleasantries, Jiang Yifang went back to the kitchen and Luo Zhiqiu resumed what he was doing.

Luo Qi took a cherry and put it in Jiang Shenghe’s mouth, “The first one is for the birthday boy.”

Jiang Shenghe asked, “Can I go to your room and have a look?”

“What do you think?” Luo Qi gave him another cherry, “Good things come in pairs.”

Next to the sofa was her bedroom door. She opened it and said, “Come in and take a look. It’s about seven or eight square meters.”

Jiang Shenghe closed the door and put his arms around her, “Where’s my lighter?”

“Hm?” Luo Qi pretended not to understand.

“Where did you hide my lighter?”

Luo Qi smiled, slipped her arms through his coat, and hugged his waist.

She asked him in turn, “I’m not at home, so you’re smoking again?”

“I didn’t smoke.”

“You must have more than one lighter.”

“I really didn’t smoke.”

Jiang Shenghe kissed her, starting from the corner of her lips to its fullness.

Luo Qi raised her head, taking back her lips from his to reply to him.

“Time is so tight, how did you have time to buy gifts?”

“I asked He Xu to buy it.”

“…”

The home was too small and there was no soundproofing. Jiang Shenghe let go of her and said, “Let’s go out and talk outside.”

Most of the dishes on the table were Jiang Shenghe’s favorites, with only three non-spicy dishes prepared for Luo Qi.

Jiang Shenghe didn’t make a wish; he didn’t ask for much, and all of it has already been fulfilled.

Over the meal, they talked about Luo Zhiqiu’s company. Jiang Shenghe asked with concern, “Are you still losing money?”

They were still losing money, but orders were increasing. “It’ll probably be fine by next year.”

… … advance chapters available @ whitemoonlighttranslations.com

Jiang Shenghe actually knew the situation of his father-in-law’s company very clearly. It was Lingjia Capital that provided the financing in the first place, and the risk agreement was also signed with Lingjia Capital.

He met Luo Zhiqiu seven years ago, a meeting at a law firm. Luo Qi had already returned to China at that time. Luo Zhiqiu had just undergone surgery and was extremely thin.

Luo Zhiqiu didn’t know who he was. There were other people in the lawyer’s office at that time, and he probably didn’t remember him.

When Luo Zhiqiu’s company went bankrupt, unpaid suppliers came to block the company one after another, and the trouble continued on and off for more than half a year.

Jiang Shenghe asked Uncle Xu for help to settle the payment of goods as much as possible, and negotiated privately with several large suppliers, and they eventually dropped all lawsuits.

He settled everything he could after the company went bankrupt. The 30 million that Luo Qi’s family had been repaying in the past few years were loans in Luo Zhiqiu’s personal name, and there was nothing he could do about it.

At that time, Uncle Xu didn’t understand and made fun of him.

For Jiang Shenghe, resolving these matters was just a matter of owing a few favors—but for Luo Qi, it would have crushed her for the rest of her life.

That thirty million yuan made their family unable to breathe for seven years.

He didn’t think much about it at that time, he just wanted her to have a good life and didn’t want her to be burdened by debts.

… …

Luo Zhiqiu didn’t dare to drink yet, so Jiang Shenghe didn’t drink either. He toasted him with water instead, “Uncle, for your health.”

“Thank you.” Luo Zhiqiu almost drank half the glass of water in one go.

After the birthday meal, Jiang Shenghe stayed with them for a while, then Luo Qi drove him back to the train station.

He promised his mother that he would go home for dinner tonight. She’s been preparing for it since yesterday, and he couldn’t let down her joyful expectations.

This year’s birthday was the grandest he’s ever celebrated. He celebrated it in Suzhou at noon and then returned to Beijing in the evening.

Luo Qi would be driving her father’s car to see Jiang Shenghe off, but Jiang Shenghe opened the passenger door and said, “Luo Qi, come sit here and I’ll drive.”

Before getting in the car, he took off his coat, intending to put it on the back seat. Luo Qi reached out and said, “Give it to me. I’ll take it.”

Since leaving the President’s office, she has never taken his clothes for him again.

Sitting in the passenger seat, she put his coat on her lap.

Jiang Shenghe glanced at her from time to time; she leaned back against her seat and looked outside the car with enjoyment.

“When you get back, I have a small gift for you.”

This made Luo Qi turn around, eager to know, “What gift?”

“I won’t tell you yet.”

“I’ll tell you where the lighter is.”

Jiang Shenghe smiled, “Exchange of information?”

“Yes.” Luo Qi sat sideways facing him, “You tell me first.”

“Then it won’t be a surprise if I tell you.”

Seventh Year of My Secret Love for You translated by Maela @ whitemoonlighttranslations.com

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A list of all advance chapters is HERE.
Chapter 51.3 — I Missed You
Chapter 52.1 — The Photoshop is Pretty Good
Chapter 52.2 — The Photoshop is Pretty Good
Chapter 52.3 — The Photoshop is Pretty Good