Their relationship had reached the point where they could eat each other’s leftovers?
Lin Wanqing watched as he moved with practiced ease, showing not the slightest hint of disgust.
They had slept together, yes, but this kind of gesture was comparatively more intimate.
So far, Lin Wanqing had only ever eaten leftovers from Song Huixin.
“Can’t waste food.” Shen Yunzheng replied in his low, calm voice.
Lin Wanqing: “…” That reason was perfectly sound.
“What are your thoughts on us getting married?”
After a moment of silence, Lin Wanqing was the first to ask.
Although their engagement had been settled long ago, there was no real affection between them.
Lin Wanqing didn’t believe in love at first sight either.
“That’s a question I should be asking you. What are your thoughts?” Shen Yunzheng countered.
“Just register the marriage, no wedding banquet. Keep it simple.”
Lin Wanqing didn’t like fuss and commotion. Besides, “I plan to continue university. Children are not in the picture for now.”
“Alright.” Shen Yunzheng nodded in agreement.
Her original self had previously attended an information technology college in the capital. That university had no real prestige—the kind you could get into if you had money.
She had grown up in a wealthy family, waited on hand and foot, and attending university was nothing more than going through the motions.
Song Huixin’s original self had been in exactly the same situation.
Now that the Lin family had fallen, Lin Wanqing naturally couldn’t continue studying in the capital. She would retake the college entrance exam this year.
Her goal was to get into the local medical university’s pharmaceutical research department.
Returning to her old trade.
Whatever conditions she raised, the man agreed to them all.
Lin Wanqing found herself increasingly unable to understand his personality.
She couldn’t see through him.
“Tomorrow morning, we’ll go register the marriage.” Shen Yunzheng suddenly spoke up. “Get a good rest today.”
They hadn’t even had the chance to meet his parents since returning to Su City, and now they were rushing to register the marriage tomorrow? Wasn’t that too fast?
But then Lin Wanqing reconsidered—their marriage was already a done deal. When they registered didn’t really matter.
With that thought, Lin Wanqing nodded. “Alright.”
However, the man didn’t arrange a separate room for her. He directly led her into the east room, closed the door, and started taking off his jacket??
In broad daylight, the man removed his jacket to reveal a sleeveless undershirt underneath, showing off his well-built physique.
Then he looked at Lin Wanqing with a completely composed expression. “Not sleeping?”
“You… we’re sharing a room?”
“Yeah.” Shen Yunzheng didn’t see any problem with it. What was wrong with sharing a room? They’d already cooked the rice—shouldn’t they sleep together?
Lin Wanqing really wanted to say that that night had been entirely due to the effects of the drug. She was clear-headed now, and sleeping in the same bed with a man she’d only met a few times was something she couldn’t get past mentally.
“There’s only this one bed in the house. If you think it’s too small, we can swap beds, but there’s no time for that today.”
Shen Yunzheng didn’t mention anything about sleeping in separate rooms. “Let’s make do for now, hm?”
Lin Wanqing didn’t want to sleep on the floor, and she felt too embarrassed to ask the man to do so. So she could only “make do.”
A 1.8-meter bed wasn’t actually that small. Lin Wanqing slept on the inside, and before getting into bed, Shen Yunzheng deliberately drew the curtains.
The harsh light from outside was instantly blocked out. The room was quiet. Lin Wanqing, who had thought she wouldn’t be able to fall asleep, drifted off in no time.
Beside her, Shen Yunzheng heard her breathing gradually slow. Only then did he open his eyes—
…
Song Huixin had been “dropped off” at the entrance of the old residence. As she entered the courtyard, the first thing she did was stare wide-eyed at a middle-aged woman for a good long while.
“You—”
“Hello,” they both spoke at the same time. Song Huixin continued, “I’m Song Huixin, just arrived from the capital…”
“So you’re Huixin!” The woman’s eyes suddenly lit up, her tone full of surprise. She hurried over, grabbed Song Huixin’s arm, and pulled her toward the house. “Oh my, we’ve been hoping and praying for your arrival! The old man has been talking about you nonstop these past two days. Did you have a smooth journey? Hm? Why did you come back alone?”
This woman was Shen Yunzheng’s sister-in-law, Wang Chunyan.
Elder Shen was a retired senior officer. He had two sons—the eldest went into business, and the youngest joined the military.
The one Song Huixin was to marry was Elder Shen’s youngest son, Shen Yunzheng.
Lin Wanqing was to marry Elder Shen’s grandson, Shen Chongli.
Song Huixin sized up her best friend’s future “mother-in-law.” She seemed like someone easy to get along with.
“Fairly smooth.”
“That’s good!” Wang Chunyan was grinning from ear to ear.
Elder Shen heard the commotion and came out of his study. When he heard his eldest daughter-in-law introduce her as Huixin, he hurriedly gestured for her to sit. “Huixin, you really have grown—more beautiful with each passing year. I almost didn’t recognize you!”
Song Huixin curved her lips in a small smile. She didn’t see her fiancé. “Where’s Yunzheng?”
“Didn’t he go to pick you and Wanqing up? Hm? Why did you come back alone? Where are the two of them?” Elder Shen asked, puzzled.
“It wasn’t him who picked us up. It was Chongli who picked up me and Wanqing. The two of them have already gone to another courtyard to rest.” Song Huixin was equally confused.
“Hmph! That good-for-nothing actually dared to run off at the last moment—doesn’t even take my words seriously!” Elder Shen slammed his hand hard against the back of the chair, furious.
“Dad, Huixin must be tired after sitting in the car for so long. Can we talk tomorrow?” Wang Chunyan spoke up to ease the tension, though she was also curious as to why her own son had refused to go pick up the bride from the capital, only to sneak off on his own. Now he’d even “hidden” his wife away without bringing her over for them to see first—honestly!
“Right, you go rest in the house first.” Elder Shen snapped back to reality and quickly reminded his eldest daughter-in-law to take Huixin to rest. He needed to settle accounts with that rascal Shen Yunzheng!
The room Wang Chunyan led Song Huixin to had been cleaned out long ago. “Rest well first. If you need anything, just tell me directly. From now on, we’re all family, so don’t stand on ceremony with your sister-in-law.”
“Mm, okay.” Song Huixin watched her leave, then sat on the edge of the bed without the slightest bit of drowsiness. She’d slept the whole way in the car, so she wasn’t tired—just curious about what her fiancé looked like.
I wonder what Qingbao is doing right now?
…
“Chunyan, go find Shen Yunzheng for me right now—Huixin’s already here!” Elder Shen fumed. “Utterly disgraceful.”
“Dad, Yunzheng might be tied up with some important mission. I’ll arrange for someone to find him right away. Please don’t get angry.”
Wang Chunyan soothed him gently. “Huixin is beautiful—once Yunzheng sees her, he’s sure to like her.”
“Good if he likes her. If he doesn’t, he’ll have to like her anyway. The engagement was settled between the two families long ago—he doesn’t get a say in it!”
“Yes!” Wang Chunyan dared not contradict a single word.
“Hmph, Chongli did quite well this time, at least. As long as one of these uncle and nephew pair gives me some peace of mind!”
“Dad, it’s a new era now—young people all have their own ideas.” Wang Chunyan smiled. “I don’t know what got into Chongli either. Instead of bringing her over for us to see on the first day, he took her straight to his courtyard to rest.”
“What else could it be?” Elder Shen pursed his lips. “They must have taken a liking to each other!”