He casually picked up another shrimp from the plate, peeled it, and placed it in the small dish before his wife.
Mu Wanqing’s expression turned subtle.
She had been startled earlier when she saw Wen Zhan peeling shrimp for Lu Kejun.
Everyone knew about their relationship, but showing such attentiveness to another man’s wife right in front of her husband was an entirely different matter.
Unexpectedly, he still cared about saving her face and immediately made it up to her with a shrimp.
Unfortunately, she couldn’t eat it…
“Thank you…” A faint smile appeared on her exquisite and serene face as Mu Wanqing picked up the peeled shrimp tail and placed it back into Wen Zhan’s bowl, saying softly, “I can’t eat this. Our daughter has a sensitive constitution—if I eat shrimp, she’ll break out in rashes.”
At these words, Wen Zhan’s face stiffened, and the atmosphere at the table grew even more delicate.
As the child’s father, Wen Zhan had been a new dad for over three months, yet he didn’t even know his own daughter had allergies.
It showed just how little he cared about his wife and children.
Gu Xinchen noticed the tension between them and immediately put down his chopsticks to peel shrimp for Lu Kejun.
When the couple’s eyes met, Gu Xinchen’s gaze was clearly meaningful, making Lu Kejun instantly awkward.
She averted her eyes, forcing a smile at Mu Wanqing as she explained, “Um… don’t misunderstand. The three of us have been like this since childhood—they’ve always treated me like a little sister, doting on and protecting me.”
Her explanation only made things worse.
It sounded as though she was boasting about her charm, with both men bending over backward for her.
Mu Wanqing smiled lightly. “It’s fine. If you like it, have more.”
“…” No one at the table responded.
After the meal, Wen Zhan offered to take Mu Wanqing home.
Meanwhile, Gu Xinchen and his wife were heading to the hospital to visit his grandfather, so the two parties parted ways in the parking lot.
Once in the car, Gu Xinchen didn’t look at his wife and said in a detached tone, “From now on, keep your distance from Wen Zhan when his wife is around.”
Lu Kejun sensed the reproach in his words and pouted, muttering, “It’s not my fault what happened today. I asked you to peel shrimp for me, but you refused.”
Gu Xinchen kept his eyes on the road and didn’t turn around, but his profile visibly hardened. “Kejun, this is just how I am. I’m not as gentle and considerate as Wen Zhan. I thought you understood that clearly when you married me.”
Lu Kejun hadn’t expected her husband to say something so harsh. She turned to stare at his cold expression, disbelief written all over her face.
Tears welled up quickly and soon spilled over.
She wiped them away angrily, struggling to hold back but failing as her voice rose sharply. “Gu Xinchen, what do you mean by that? Are you saying I’m throwing myself at you and getting nothing in return? That I deserve this?”
The man remained unmoved. “I didn’t say that.”
Lu Kejun could no longer sit still, her anger boiling over as she suddenly yelled, “Stop the car! I’m getting out!”
Gu Xinchen replied calmly, “Aren’t we going to see Grandfather?”
“I don’t want to go with you! Stop the car!”
In an ordinary couple’s quarrel, the husband, being broad-minded, would usually coax her, and the matter would blow over.
But Gu Xinchen had no such intention. Instead, he obediently pulled the Porsche over to the curb.
Lu Kejun had only been throwing a tantrum, expecting her husband to apologize and make amends. To her shock, he actually stopped the car—leaving her with no way out. Fuming, she shoved the door open and slammed it shut.
Gu Xinchen was just as ruthless, stepping on the gas without hesitation and speeding away.
Left standing by the roadside, Lu Kejun was utterly humiliated.
Although it was already October, the autumn heat was still fierce—the sun blazing and temperatures high. Watching her husband’s car disappear into the distance, tears streamed down her face.
Mu Wanqing sat in the car, replaying the scene during the meal in her mind. Worried about what Wen Zhan might say, her only thought was to escape.
“That… Brother Hang, you can just drop me off at a subway station. I’ll go back by myself. You all can return to the company,” she said, sitting up and leaning toward the front driver’s seat to instruct Yi Hang.
Yi Hang glanced in the rearview mirror. Seeing that his boss hadn’t spoken up, he understood the situation and respectfully replied, “Madam, we’re not in a hurry. We’ll still take you home.”
Mu Wanqing: “…”
Wen Zhan had been checking his phone after getting in the car, responding to a few messages.
Hearing their conversation, he put away his phone, his brow slightly furrowed.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t know you’re currently avoiding certain foods,” he apologized softly, speaking from the heart.
He had to admit—in the three months since the twins were born, his involvement had been minimal.
With a confinement nanny, a housekeeper, servants, and her—so many people surrounding the two children—he thought it was enough.
Moreover, he hadn’t been prepared to become a father initially, so when he saw those two tiny bundles, he didn’t feel that overwhelming joy or tearful excitement.
But now he was beginning to reflect.
After all, the two children carried his bloodline.
Anyone with a conscience should take on the responsibilities of a father and the duties of parenting—not just provide money and hire help.
This was exactly what Mu Wanqing feared he would bring up.
Because she had no idea how to respond, nor did she want to dwell on the issue.
Her husband was in love with another man’s wife, showering that woman with attention while completely neglecting his own lawful spouse—who would want to think deeply about that?
Wasn’t that just asking for humiliation, slapping herself in the face?
But Wen Zhan still brought it up.
Her mind tangled into knots. After an awkward silence, she forced a generous smile and said, “You don’t need to apologize. Raising babies is quite troublesome. It’s normal that you don’t understand.”
“But I’m their father. I should understand,” Wen Zhan continued, his gaze fixed on her calm profile.
Mu Wanqing knew he was watching her. She turned her face even more toward her window, unwilling to meet his eyes.
“In the future, I’ll make an effort to learn these things. You can teach me too,” Wen Zhan said, displeased by her avoidance, as he continued to express his intentions.
Mu Wanqing didn’t turn back, nodding vaguely. “Mm, I understand.”
When the car arrived at Yujing Bay, the woman couldn’t wait to get out.
Just before the car door closed, Wen Zhan said, “I’ll come back early tonight. Let’s have dinner together.”
It was unclear whether the woman heard him—her graceful figure continued toward the villa without pause.
Yi Hang, noticing his boss still staring outside, wisely refrained from driving off immediately.
After a long moment, Wen Zhan withdrew his gaze and said quietly, “Let’s go.”
Back at the company, Wen Zhan’s chief secretary, Secretary Li, approached him with a frown. “President Wen, why are you only returning now? This document is urgent—I’ve been waiting so long I’m about to wilt!”
Secretary Li was in her forties, a long-time employee of the company—a capable and mature woman whom Wen Zhan greatly admired.
Trusting his chief secretary’s competence, the man took the document and signed it without even looking, scrawling his name with a flourish.
Secretary Li turned and hurried off with her characteristic efficiency.
Wen Zhan returned to his office, but though documents piled high on his desk, he found himself unable to focus on work.
His mind was completely occupied by what had happened during lunch.
It was just peeling a shrimp for Lu Kejun—something that had been commonplace over the past decade or so.
But today, he felt guilty all along, as if he had committed a grave mistake.
Earlier on the road, he had intended to explain it to Mu Wanqing, but the words remained stuck in his throat.
Now, looking back, he still felt frustrated and irritable!
The office door knocked again, and Secretary Li entered to remind him of his schedule: “Mr. Wen, General Zhang and his team will be visiting in ten minutes.”
“Mm.” Wen Zhan nodded, then looked at the mature and poised female secretary before him. Thinking she had more life experience, he suddenly asked, “Secretary Li, when you women get angry, how can one properly appease you?”