However, this exaggerated performance provoked uproarious laughter from those inside. Luo Yucheng, seated beside Wen Tingyan, laughed so hard she collapsed against his shoulder.
And Wen Tingyan… didn’t utter a single word of protest…
Awen turned around with a laugh, “A Yan, is this…”
Before he could finish his question, he spotted Jian Zhi standing at the doorway. His smile froze instantly. “Sis… sister-in-law…”
Everyone turned to look at the door.
They all froze.
Luo Yucheng straightened up from Wen Tingyan’s shoulder and said with a smile, “Oh, so this is the legendary wife of A Yan? Hello there, come on in. I’m A Yan’s good friend.”
Jian Zhi looked at everyone in the private room, her heart already turning cold.
Wen Tingyan finally stood up and walked toward her. “Jian Zhi, what are you doing here? They were just joking, don’t take it to heart.”
Jian Zhi looked at him, feeling that this person had become utterly unfamiliar—never had he seemed so distant before.
So when others were mocking his wife, he actually took their side?
“Yeah, sis… sister-in-law, I’m sorry, I was just joking. Please don’t be angry,” Awen put down his glass and apologized.
“Jian Zhi!” Wen Tingyan reached her and moved to embrace her.
But Jian Zhi suddenly remembered Luo Yucheng laughing against his shoulder, remembered his own hand pleasuring himself in the bathroom, remembered him crying out “Cheng Cheng” at the moment of climax. Instantly, she felt his hand was utterly filthy.
She quickly dodged away.
“Jian Zhi.” Wen Tingyan looked at his empty hand in surprise, then sighed. “I apologize on their behalf. Don’t be angry, okay? When we get back, I’ll buy you a gift—anything you want.”
Luo Yucheng shot Awen a coquettish glare. “You’ve made A Yan’s wife angry, and you’re not apologizing properly? Did you think everyone is like me—clumsy and thick-skinned, letting you joke around however you want?”
Jian Zhi sneered inwardly. Such manipulative words…
But clearly, these men couldn’t detect it—they were completely taken in.
Awen grumbled after being glared at, “I already apologized! How was I supposed to know sister-in-law would suddenly show up? I really was just joking.”
“A joke is only a joke when the target finds it funny.” Jian Zhi trembled as she spoke these words, mustering nearly all her courage.
She was crippled. She didn’t deserve Wen Tingyan.
This realization had haunted her like a curse for the past five years. Any doubtful or contemptuous looks would make her retreat, hiding in her nest like a quail for long periods, silently licking her wounds alone.
After hearing this, Awen muttered, “But I already apologized!”
“I… I don’t accept it…” Jian Zhi trembled even more violently. This was the first time she had directly confronted mockery like this.
“Then what else do you want?” Awen grumbled.
Jian Zhi didn’t know what she wanted either. She just shook her head, indicating she wouldn’t accept it—wouldn’t accept her husband’s friends mocking her, wouldn’t accept her husband taking his friends’ side.
“Enough, everyone stop talking.” Wen Tingyan stood up and positioned himself between her and Awen.
He was the leader of this group.
After graduating from university, he had led these people to venture out. It was through his exceptional business acumen and execution that they had achieved the company’s current success.
Therefore, whenever he spoke up, no one else dared say another word.
“Jian Zhi.” Wen Tingyan’s gaze remained as calm as ever when looking at her, starkly different from the glowing expression he had in Luo Yucheng’s video. “They’re all longtime friends of mine. They meant no harm—just joking around. For my sake, could you forgive them? Shall I have the driver take you back?”
“Sister-in-law…” Luo Yucheng pouted and stood beside Wen Tingyan. “If you’re really angry, be angry at me. Please don’t ignore A Yan anymore. They organized today’s gathering because I’m back… A Yan, ask your wife to stay for dinner. I’ll toast her with a drink to apologize.”
Hah, what a masterfully brewed cup of tea.
“Sorry.” Jian Zhi looked at Wen Tingyan. Luo Yucheng dared to speak like this only because he allowed it! Suppressing the bitterness in her heart, she said, “I don’t drink, especially not wine that tastes like tea.”
Luo Yucheng’s eyes instantly welled up as she turned to Wen Tingyan. “A Yan, is she insulting me? I…” Then, putting on a brave face as if holding back tears, she said, “It’s fine, it’s fine. Sister-in-law misunderstood me. It’s okay if she scolds me a little. Don’t blame her…”
Wen Tingyan’s expression turned stern. “Jian Zhi, Cheng Cheng meant well. Why must you be so sharp-tongued?”
Meant well?
Only a fool would believe those words were well-intentioned.
Was Wen Tingyan a fool?
No, he wasn’t. He simply chose bias over fairness.
Where his heart leaned, that side was right.
Jian Zhi looked at the two before her and the several others behind them, feeling as though an insurmountable chasm lay between her and them.
They were the ones on the same side—a solid, unbreakable group. She was merely an outsider who had stumbled into their world. No, she had never even managed to squeeze into their world. Even hovering on the periphery, she was superfluous.
Struggling to hold back tears, she let out a soft “Hah,” turned, and walked out.
Behind her, Luo Yucheng’s voice chimed in, “A Yan, Sister-in-law, she…”
“It’s fine. She’s very understanding. I’ll coax her when I get back. Come on, let’s continue. Don’t mind her.” Secretly, he glanced back at Jian Zhi’s retreating figure and texted the driver to take her home.
Jian Zhi wished she could walk away calmly and steadily, but she couldn’t. The more agitated she felt, the more unsteady her steps became.
At that moment, did her frantic, desperate rush to leave resemble how Awen had once mocked her?
Would they burst into laughter the moment she was gone?
She wiped her tears forcefully and quickened her pace, stumbling even more…
By the time Wen Tingyan’s driver rushed out, Jian Zhi was nowhere to be seen outside the restaurant.
The driver returned to inform Wen Tingyan.
Wen Tingyan frowned slightly and called Jian Zhi. She didn’t answer—she hung up. When he called again, her phone was off.
Awen, who had already been feeling uneasy, spoke up, “A Yan, Sister-in-law’s temper is only because you spoil her. With your status and image now, any woman you marry would treat you like a king at home. Yet she dares to give you attitude? You’re far too tolerant.”
Wen Tingyan remained silent.
Others chimed in to support Awen, “Awen’s right. You’ve sacrificed so much for her and your family, working so hard outside. If she can’t understand or appreciate that and even gives you attitude over such a small matter, is she really worth it?”
“Exactly, being able to marry her is already an immense blessing for you. Otherwise, with her being a cripple, who else would want her in the future? If you don’t take her, she’ll only end up marrying another disabled person.”