Shen Zhili stared at his retreating figure, her eyes suddenly growing warm.
She missed the Jiang Xianzhuo from eight years later.
Right at this moment.
Although she had inexplicably started over, her habits hadn’t changed… She had long grown accustomed to that Jiang Xianzhuo’s presence, which had seeped into every corner of her life.
The Jiang Xianzhuo who would reply to all her messages instantly.
The Jiang Xianzhuo who would wrap her in his arms, rest his chin on the top of her head, and coax her softly.
The Jiang Xianzhuo who, no matter how unreasonable or petty she was, would always sigh helplessly and indulgently in the end, forever choosing to compromise.
Not this one before her.
This Jiang Xianzhuo, covered in thorns, who questioned her every approach in his mind, wrapping himself tightly in a layer of ice.
Shen Zhili blinked hard, forcing back the stinging sensation in her eyes.
Forget it.
Missing him was pointless.
She had to act, to speed up the progress bar.
She needed to make this teenage version of Jiang Xianzhuo return to the loyal husband who loved her to the bone as soon as possible.
Given his current stubborn attitude, she had no idea how much effort it would take to make him drop his guard and talk to her normally.
Just as she was thinking this, Jiang Xianzhuo suddenly turned off the induction cooker and turned to look at her.
“It’s done. Get something to pack it in and take it back to eat.”
Shen Zhili’s eyes lit up.
“You made this for me?”
Jiang Xianzhuo didn’t answer, only giving her a cold glance.
“You bought the ingredients. No point in wasting them.”
Shen Zhili raised an eyebrow knowingly.
How thrifty of him.
She walked over, rummaged through the large insulated box for a few clean containers, and began packing the food.
Jiang Xianzhuo stood nearby, watching her clumsily scoop the meat from the pot with a spoon, his brow furrowing uncontrollably.
Finally, unable to bear it any longer, he reached over and took the containers and spoon from her hands.
“Do you have zero common sense?”
Shen Zhili blinked, looking at him innocently.
No, she didn’t.
A few years later, he had told her himself that she didn’t need to learn anything, that she could just stay at home and be useless, and he would handle everything.
Where would she have gained any common sense?
Jiang Xianzhuo didn’t look at her again, lowering his head to neatly divide the food and broth from the pot into the containers before sealing the lids tightly.
Once he was done, he handed the fully packed containers to her.
“Take them.”
His voice was still cold.
But Shen Zhili detected a hint of reluctant compromise in those two words.
Her mood inexplicably lifted a little as she reached out and took the containers, holding them in her arms.
“Thank you.”
Jiang Xianzhuo didn’t respond, turning instead to clean up the small stove she had left in a mess—washing the pot, wiping the table.
Shen Zhili stood where she was, watching his busy figure, and suddenly spoke.
“Jiang Xianzhuo.”
Jiang Xianzhuo paused.
“I’ll come again tomorrow night.”
His body stiffened, and he turned to look at her.
His beautiful eyes were filled with refusal.
“Don’t come.”
Shen Zhili smiled.
She hugged the warm containers in her arms as if they were some kind of trophy.
“I wasn’t asking for your opinion.”
“I was just letting you know.”
With that, she said no more, turned around, and left with the containers.
The door to the break room closed, cutting off the view.
Jiang Xianzhuo stood in place, staring at the tightly closed door as if he could still see her arrogant figure from when she left.
Emotions surged in those narrow, long eyes.
Irritation, confusion, and a ripple of something even he hadn’t noticed.
He lowered his head to look at the mess she had made of the break room, then glanced at the oil stains left on the induction cooker.
Finally, he pulled out his phone.
The screen lit up, still on the chat interface with Shen Zhili.
That chibi-style cartoon avatar, contrasting and cute, lay quietly in the contact list.
His fingertip hovered over the screen for a long time.
[What exactly do you want?]
Deleted.
[Don’t come again.]
Deleted.
His fingers rose and fell repeatedly over the keyboard, but in the end, it all returned to a blank space.
He locked the screen and slipped the phone back into his pocket.
…
When Shen Zhili returned to the Shen family villa with the food containers, it was already eight in the evening.
The enormous crystal chandelier lit the living room as bright as day, yet it only made the space feel emptier and colder.
Mom Liu, who had been wiping a vase, saw her come in and immediately approached, her eyes filled with concern.
“Young Miss, you…”
“It’s nothing, I just went out to take care of something.”
Shen Zhili placed the food containers on the dining table, opening the lids one by one.
The steaming aroma instantly filled the air.
Mom Liu leaned over to take a look, her eyes widening in surprise.
“This… did you make this?”
Shen Zhili shook her head.
“Someone else made it.”
Mom Liu was even more astonished.
“Which restaurant? The craftsmanship looks really good… it smells delicious.”
Shen Zhili didn’t answer. Instead, she picked up her chopsticks and placed a piece of dark, soy-braised duck meat into her mouth.
Tender and falling off the bone, rich and mellow.
The flavors of the spices and the meat blended perfectly, exploding on her taste buds—it was a familiar taste.
A taste she had missed.
Shen Zhili closed her eyes, chewing slowly, trying to find the same affection in it as before.
Then, without warning, her eyes grew wet.
The tears she had desperately held back in front of Jiang Xianzhuo at the convenience store were now easily breached by the familiar taste, breaking through the dam.
One after another, scalding teardrops fell onto the back of her hand.
Mom Liu, who had been standing calmly nearby, was startled by this sight.
“Young Miss, what’s wrong? Is it not good? I’ll throw it away for you…”
Shen Zhili shook her head. Even as tears fell, she picked up another piece of spare ribs and stuffed it into her mouth, her voice muffled by chewing and crying.
“It’s delicious.”
“Especially delicious.”
She ate like this, tears streaming down her face, taking big mouthfuls like a child who had been hungry all day and finally found her way home.
After finishing one entire container, she opened the second.
Mom Liu stood by, watching with a mix of heartache and confusion.
She had worked in this household for over a decade and had never seen the young miss like this.
…
Meanwhile, at the convenience store.
Jiang Xianzhuo finished cleaning up the mess, took off his blue uniform, and prepared to clock out.
The middle-aged woman came out from behind the cash register and handed him a neatly folded stack of cash, with some loose change tucked inside.
“Xiao Jiang, here’s this week’s wages. Count it.”
Jiang Xianzhuo took it, glanced at it, and stuffed it into his pocket.
The woman looked at him and smiled, her tone carrying the familiarity of someone who had been through it all.
“Also, that girlfriend of yours… she’s really something.”
“Her temper might be a bit fiery, but it’s clear she’s looking out for you.”
Jiang Xianzhuo’s fingers tightened slightly in his pocket.
“She’s not my girlfriend.”