In the end, Duan Yuanzhou reluctantly went grocery shopping with Pei Jingyi to prepare dinner.
Although Wen Huan didn’t want Duan Yuanzhou to eat well, he was, after all, Pei Jingyi’s current boss.
So, for the sake of Pei Jingyi’s future comeback, Wen Huan reluctantly took two hundred yuan from her small drawer and handed it to Pei Jingyi, telling him to buy something nice.
But Pei Jingyi pushed the money back. After all, Duan Yuanzhou was only his nominal boss now and didn’t need special treatment. Moreover, he didn’t want to use Wen Huan’s hard-earned savings to entertain him.
So, he went to the small market near the entrance and bought some pork, vegetables, and a fish. The fish seller even generously gave him a handful of green onions.
“Xiao Pei, I’ve prepared all the ingredients for you. Just go back and cook it. This fish is a special reservoir fish I saved for you—it’s really fresh!” The fish seller smiled brightly and praised, “These days, there aren’t many men like you who buy groceries and cook for their wives every day. No wonder your wife is so beautiful!”
“Thank you.”
Pei Jingyi rarely smiled, but at this moment, the corners of his lips lifted slightly. “I’ll come here often in the future.”
Because Wen Huan loved eating fish, and she also loved it when people praised her beauty.
If he told Wen Huan what the fish seller said, she would be in a good mood all day.
Pei Jingyi was willing to do more business with people who praised Wen Huan.
As for the fish seller, having him come back often to buy from her was the best reward.
Besides, Pei Jingyi was so handsome—just looking at him made her happy!
But standing nearby, Duan Yuanzhou felt conflicted. His aloof, otherworldly Pei Ge, who used to be indifferent even when dealing with business tycoons, was now so familiar with many vendors at the market. What’s more, Pei Jingyi, who once barely acknowledged people, was now chatting happily with a fish seller?
Duan Yuanzhou was deeply shaken. Even after returning to the rented apartment to help with cooking, he still felt dazed.
This feeling reached its peak when he saw Wen Huan sitting on the sofa, happily finishing her candied hawthorn.
He couldn’t help but pick a fight again: “Sister-in-law, you didn’t help with grocery shopping, but you should at least lend a hand with cooking!”
Wen Huan turned her face and looked at Duan Yuanzhou.
She realized this person was quite similar to someone named Pei Yi from the Pei family in the past. They both looked down on her, thinking she was born to do chores.
But Wen Huan said righteously, “My husband didn’t ask me to help.”
Duan Yuanzhou was suddenly speechless, feeling that Wen Huan’s words made sense. “But… even if Pei Ge didn’t say anything, you should still offer to help. After all, you’re Pei Ge’s wife. A good wife should share her husband’s burdens. It’s because you don’t understand this that your reputation used to be so bad.”
Wen Huan thought Duan Yuanzhou’s words were the ones that sounded bad. But at this moment, she tilted her head as if realizing something: “Do you really want to be someone else’s wife?”
A natural airhead never realizes she can end an argument with a single sentence.
Duan Yuanzhou was completely silenced, feeling that even when picking a fight, he couldn’t come up with something like that!
So, he mustered all his strength, trying hard to come up with a counterattack.
But just then, Pei Jingyi brought the cooked fish to the dining table.
As soon as Wen Huan smelled the aroma, she knew this dish was made for her. Because she loved eating fish the most, and in the entire market, only one female seller’s fish was the freshest and most delicious.
Then, trotting over to Pei Jingyi, Wen Huan completely changed from her earlier attitude toward Duan Yuanzhou, which had been infuriating enough to kill. Like a beautiful Ragdoll cat waiting to be fed, she snuggled into the man’s embrace, rubbing her cheek against his neck, soft and sweet: “Hubby, you’re so good to me, I love you so much~”
Pei Jingyi had put in hard work.
Wen Huan’s sweet emotional support was also given generously, as if it cost nothing.
And this was the first time Duan Yuanzhou had seen Wen Huan acting coquettishly with Pei Jingyi in private.
The words he had carefully prepared were once again stuck in his throat—not out of anger, but because he felt inexplicably hot all over, his face flushed deeply. He even found himself thinking unconsciously that there seemed to be more than one way for a good wife to share her husband’s burdens…
Pei Jingyi loved how Wen Huan was always willing to put in effort for him after he had been busy.
He never tired of her affectionate gestures, no matter how many times she made them.
Because whenever Wen Huan blinked her moist eyes and rubbed her soft cheek against his chest, it truly melted his heart.
But Duan Yuanzhou was still here, and Pei Jingyi didn’t want his exclusive, delicate beauty to be seen by others.
So, with a stern expression, Pei Jingyi restrained himself and gently pushed Wen Huan away, his Adam’s apple bobbing slightly: “Sit properly. If you like it, eat more.”
Wen Huan fell silent for a moment, feeling somewhat helpless as she looked at Pei Jingyi’s distant and indifferent demeanor.
Pei Jingyi, this iceberg, was truly heartless.
She had almost rubbed her cheek raw, yet he remained as calm as still water.
Indeed, life wasn’t the same with just anyone. Wen Huan thought that perhaps only with the female lead, Zuo Rouya, could Pei Jingyi transform from an iceberg into a volcano, turning his aloofness into doting affection?
Fortunately, Wen Huan didn’t envy that.
After all, as a supporting female character, all she needed to do next was survive and change her fate of possibly being imprisoned by a deranged villain.
So, following Pei Jingyi’s instructions, she sat down at the table, raising her little face cooperatively: “Okay, I’m sitting properly. I’ll definitely eat a lot tonight.”
“Good girl.” Pei Jingyi praised her as he served her rice.
But before leaving to call Pei Chen for dinner, he couldn’t help but brush the back of his hand against Wen Huan’s cheek.
Seeing this, Duan Yuanzhou, standing to the side, blushed even more.
Wen Huan’s simple, captivating gestures—her every smile, her every breath—had finally made him understand why the father and son of the Pei family could be so easily “manipulated” by her.
From this perspective, a year later, when Pei Jingyi regained his high status, he would undoubtedly bring Wen Huan back to the Pei family.
And the position of Mrs. Pei beside Pei Jingyi seemed even less likely to belong to anyone other than Wen Huan.
“Ah—Mmm!”
But Wen Huan, who was earnestly devouring her meal, knew nothing of Duan Yuanzhou’s thoughts.
Because Wen Huan had said she would “eat a lot,” she truly meant it. Moreover, Wen Huan’s appetite wasn’t small to begin with. Unlike young girls who dieted year-round, Wen Huan prioritized health.
Coincidentally, Wen Huan’s constitution wasn’t prone to gaining weight, and blessed by nature, the soft flesh on her body knew exactly where to grow. Her figure was not only firm and toned but also exquisitely proportioned.
Wen Huan had no intention of flaunting her sensuality, but she was aware of her advantages.
So, when she was in school, Wen Huan dressed modestly. But later, when her parents’ health declined and she decided to pursue Pei Jiaping, she bought two tight-fitting dresses to wear.
Once, Wen Huan heard from the housekeeper that Pei Jiaping was coming, so she quickly changed into a black knitted dress and planned to casually stroll in front of Pei Jiaping.
Of course, she wasn’t thinking of sparks flying from the very start. Wen Huan chose Pei Jiaping as her target because she had carefully observed that he was a decent person. So, if they could become friends, have a good chat, and win some sympathy to gain help, that would be the best outcome for Wen Huan.
But unexpectedly, when Wen Huan happily arrived at the living room with this plan in mind, she found only Pei Jingyi sitting on the sofa—not a single trace of Pei Jiaping!
And when Pei Jingyi saw Wen Huan emerge in her graceful attire, whether it was an illusion or not, his gaze turned icy cold.
Wen Huan was so frightened that goosebumps rose all over her body, but she didn’t dare to slight Pei Jingyi, lest he take his anger out on her mother, who worked as a maid. She politely stepped forward, bowed respectfully, and poured a cup of tea for Pei Jingyi.
But to her surprise, the next moment, Pei Jingyi clenched his jaw and spoke to her sternly, “Stand up straight.”
Wen Huan quickly straightened her posture, momentarily feeling as if she were facing some iron-fisted drill instructor.
However, it was only later that Wen Huan realized the issue: her newly bought knitted dress was of poor quality, and since it was her first time wearing it, she hadn’t known the neckline was particularly loose. When she bent over, almost all of her modesty was exposed.
Wen Huan was so embarrassed she felt like she might spontaneously combust. After losing all face, she hid in the maid’s room for the entire afternoon.
Unexpectedly, she later heard from the housekeeper that Pei Jingyi also seemed to have stayed in his room all afternoon without going out…
Without meaning to, Wen Huan instinctively glanced in Pei Jingyi’s direction. But when she looked up, she saw Duan Yuanzhou watching her with a complicated expression.
Wen Huan immediately challenged him, “What are you looking at? Duan Yuanzhou, have you never seen a beautiful woman before?”
Duan Yuanzhou nearly spat out the food in his mouth. He had never met a woman like Wen Huan, who was not only beautiful but also fully aware of it.
Although, with Wen Huan’s level of beauty, it would indeed be hard to find a second like her in this world.
Still, women ought to be modest to be endearing.
Someone like Wen Huan, who flaunts her beauty and acts aggressively—Pei Jingyi didn’t like that.
And neither did he.
So, without holding back, he put down his bowl and chopsticks and said, “Sister-in-law, I wasn’t looking at you because you’re beautiful. It’s because your phone on the table has been buzzing nonstop. Have you gone deaf from eating?”