The first rays of morning sunlight streamed through the bright window, casting their glow upon the sheer curtains. A gentle breeze stirred, making the curtains sway and carrying with it the fragrance of flowers.
Zheng Wanwan propped herself up on the bed, the silken quilt slipping from her body to reveal fair skin and an alluring waistline. Her gentle eyes were heavy with drowsiness.
“Honey, breakfast is ready.” The man’s voice was low and deep. He wore a double-breasted suit, his figure tall and straight. A pair of gold-rimmed glasses rested on his high-bridged nose, giving him an air of elegance and refinement.
Zheng Wanwan turned her head, a few strands of her long black hair falling across her shoulder. She let out a soft hum. “Mr. Pei, I feel obliged to remind you that our marital relationship has already ended.” With that, she threw off the covers and got out of bed.
The man at the doorway was her childhood sweetheart and ex-husband. Three years ago, on the night of their wedding, he had vanished without a trace.
At the time, she had been lying in the bathtub, both nervous and expectant—after all, she had married the man she had secretly loved for ten years. But what she received instead was a bucket of cold water that extinguished all her fantasies…
Pei Lan had driven away in full view of everyone. Overnight, she had become the “abandoned wife of a wealthy family,” the laughingstock of their social circle.
Just last month, she had decided to file for divorce. Unexpectedly, that was when Pei Lan returned.
Their mothers were best friends—so close they might as well have shared the same pair of pants. Pei Lan’s family had already been deeply displeased by his disappearance, but out of consideration for each other’s feelings, they had quietly endured it.
If she were to tell them about the divorce, one misstep could ruin their twenty or thirty years of friendship.
Moreover, her mother-in-law—Pei Lan’s mother—was in poor health, yet she showered Zheng Wanwan with nothing but complete affection, treating her like her own daughter. She simply couldn’t bring herself to say the words…
Pei Lan had said they should live together for now, and that he would slowly figure things out. She had no choice but to reluctantly agree.
And so, she ended up under the same roof as her childhood sweetheart and ex-husband.
“By the way, aren’t you supposed to be starting your position at the university? Why aren’t you heading out?” After all, Pei Lan had raised her since childhood. Even if they couldn’t be husband and wife, there was no need to become bitter enemies.
Pei Lan adjusted his glasses. He had agreed to his father—who was the university president—to take up a teaching position, and had promised he would absolutely never join an expedition team for archaeological fieldwork. Only then had he earned the right to get close to Zheng Wanwan again.
“Honey, even a university professor can’t force students to attend class on a Sunday.” Pei Lan walked into the room as he spoke, pulled open the curtains, and folded the pink quilt on the bed.
Zheng Wanwan, toothbrush in mouth, mumbled indistinctly, “Then are you all dressed up to go on a blind date?” She rinsed her mouth as she spoke.
Pei Lan was silent for a moment before explaining in a low voice, “Mom called. She wants us to come home for a visit. She’s making dumplings for lunch.”
Zheng Wanwan poked her head out of the bathroom. “But I have a date this afternoon.” In reality, she was just going to watch a movie with her girlfriends.
The eyes behind Pei Lan’s glasses darkened completely.
In the past, Zheng Wanwan had always been overly cautious. If Pei Lan so much as furrowed his brow, she would worry whether she had done something wrong to upset him.
Even in his presence, she wouldn’t dare sneeze, afraid of ruining her image in his eyes.
But now, Zheng Wanwan simply enjoyed getting under his skin, watching him at a loss yet having no choice but to accept it.
It was absolutely satisfying.
That saying goes: feeling sorry for a man is asking for eight lifetimes of bad luck.
Zheng Wanwan wore a soft, flowing long dress, her black hair secured with an extremely simple hairpin. She had swapped her high heels for flat leather shoes, which made walking much more comfortable.
Pei Lan stood at 190 centimeters, while Zheng Wanwan was 165—the height difference between them was unmistakable.
“Wife, I boiled some tea eggs. Want to try one?” Pei Lan’s voice was deep, carrying an inexplicable allure.
For someone with a thing for voices, it was like casting a spell right into her ear.
Zheng Wanwan’s gentle eyes flicked over with a brief glance. “Correction: ex-wife. And anything related to eggs, I don’t eat, thank you.” With that, she opened the fridge and pulled out a container of vegetable salad.
Pei Lan knew he had thoroughly offended his young wife.
After breakfast, Zheng Wanwan took the watering can and tended to the flowers in the courtyard. Pei Lan sat under the patio umbrella, reading a book, a cup of freshly brewed tea resting beside him.
“Anyone who didn’t know better would think you were in your forties,” Zheng Wanwan said, straightening up and tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.
Pei Lan crossed his legs and lifted his deep, dark eyes to look at Zheng Wanwan. “Wife, I’m only two years older than you.”
Zheng Wanwan set down the watering can. How did he manage to live at twenty-eight like he was eighty-two? All day long he hung around with a bunch of old men studying antiques, and recently he was even planning to open a private museum—one that didn’t charge admission, no less.
She could already picture it: Pei Lan going to teach at the university during the week, then heading to the museum after work to gather with a group of old men, drinking tea and studying blue-and-white porcelain.
What had she even been so infatuated with back then? That whole “old-man wisdom” vibe…
“By the way, when are you going to find an excuse to move out? You staying here is really inconvenient for me,” Zheng Wanwan said, picking up the lukewarm water beside her and taking a couple of sips. Because of the weather, a thin layer of sweat had formed on the tip of her nose.
Pei Lan chose silence.
Seeing that he wasn’t responding, she assumed he was too absorbed in his book. She sighed inwardly, washed a bowl of cherries, and went inside to watch TV.
Pei Lan took off his jacket, his long, well-defined fingers landing on his tie. His young wife was puffed up with anger all day, and he couldn’t exactly tell her where he’d been for those three years.
Around ten o’clock, Zheng Wanwan’s parents arrived, a little worried about their daughter.
Seeing them, Pei Lan immediately rose to brew tea for his mother-in-law and father-in-law. “Mom, Dad, Wanwan is asleep—she won’t wake up right now.”
Zheng Wanwan’s mother, Feng Xi, sat down on the sofa. This son-in-law was someone she had watched grow up since he was a child, and when the two of them got together, she had been overjoyed.
But she never expected that on their wedding day, he would abandon her daughter and leave. How Wanwan had gotten through these three years—no one knew better than her, as her mother. There was no way to describe how much it pained her heart.
But what could she do about the pain? Pei Lan was the son of her best friend, Ye Yuncheng. She and Ye Yuncheng had known each other since school, weathering countless storms together—calling their bond one forged in life-and-death trials wouldn’t be an exaggeration. She couldn’t very well fall out with her over the younger generation.
“Let her sleep. We don’t have anything urgent anyway.” Zheng Lin took a sip of his tea. His affection for his daughter far exceeded that for his son—he had cradled her like the apple of his eye since she was little, and yet she had set her heart entirely on Pei Lan.
Pei Lan adjusted his glasses and sat down on the single armchair. “Dad, Mom, I know I was wrong. Please give me another chance.”
Feng Xi looked at Pei Lan as if she wanted to say something but held back, and finally couldn’t help herself: “Little Bamboo, how about this—let’s take Wanwan home first, and as for your mother, I’ll go talk to her.”
Their daughter had a lovesick brain. When Pei Lan crooked his finger, she would gladly give him her life.
But if the parents didn’t step in now, then in the future Pei Lan would come and go as he pleased, do whatever he wanted, and care even less about Zheng Wanwan.
Just then, Zheng Wanwan walked out of the bedroom rubbing her eyes. She had been watching TV but had grown sleepier and sleepier.
“Dad, Mom, why are you here?” Zheng Wanwan said as she walked straight over to Feng Xi and threw herself into her arms. A mama’s girl—no matter how old she got, she still wanted to be pampered.
Zheng Lin looked at Zheng Wanwan, and his originally stern eyes instantly softened considerably: “Your mother and I came to see you. Do you want to come home and stay for a couple of days? Your younger brother just happens to be back on leave from the military.”
Zheng Wanwan also had a twin brother who had joined the military right after graduation and only came back once every two years.
Pei Lan knew what his in-laws meant, so he stood up. He couldn’t let them take Wanwan away—otherwise, there really would be no chance left.
Zheng Wanwan had actually overheard a bit of the conversation, which was why she had rushed out in such a hurry without even putting on her shoes.
“By the way, Dad, Pei Lan bought you some new tea yesterday. He was planning to deliver it to you this afternoon,” Zheng Wanwan said as she stood up. She was grown now, not a little kid anymore—she shouldn’t let her parents worry about everything.
Pei Lan placed the slippers at Zheng Wanwan’s feet: “Honey, put your shoes on. Don’t catch a cold.”
Zheng Wanwan glanced at him, obediently put on the shoes, and pulled Pei Lan toward the pantry.
Feng Xi and Zheng Lin exchanged a look, both wearing helpless expressions.
Pei Lan closed the pantry door and wrapped his arms around Zheng Wanwan’s waist from behind. His tall frame bent down, and his voice came out somewhat hoarse: “Thank you, honey.”
“Don’t overthink it. I just don’t want my parents to worry,” Zheng Wanwan said as she took out a gift box containing two tins of tea leaves.
Pei Lan knew that his in-laws wouldn’t have come today unless they had been pushed to their limit…
“Dad, this is pre-rain Longjing tea. I was originally planning to bring it to you myself,” Pei Lan said as he placed the tea on the coffee table.
Zheng Lin gloomily lit a cigarette. You can’t hit someone who’s smiling at you—this son-in-law had boxed them in so tightly they couldn’t get a word out.
Zheng Wanwan sat down beside Feng Xi and linked her arm through hers: “Dad, don’t smoke. I’m preparing for pregnancy.”
“Huh?” Feng Xi almost couldn’t react in time. Even after all this, she was still preparing for pregnancy—she still intended to have Pei Lan’s child!
Even Pei Lan himself, the one directly involved, hadn’t reacted…
Zheng Wanwan gazed at Pei Lan with a look of infatuation. In other words, this was exactly how she had always looked at him—like a dog spotting a chicken leg. The only difference was that she didn’t drool.
Feng Xi pinched the bridge of her nose: “As long as you’re happy.” What else could she say? Her own daughter was willing—utterly devoted.
“Think it over more when it comes to having a child. There’s no rush.” Zheng Lin, in front of Pei Lan, couldn’t say too much and could only offer a gentle word of advice.
Zheng Wanwan stood up and linked her arm through Pei Lan’s: “Pei Lan said that from now on, wherever he goes, he’ll take me with him. He won’t let me suffer any grievances, and he’s also agreed that the child will take my surname.”
Zheng Lin looked at Pei Lan. If he could truly do all that, then they didn’t necessarily have to take Wanwan back home…
“That’s settled then.” Feng Xi stood up as she spoke. “Your father and I still need to get back to the company. We just happened to pass by today and wanted to check in on you.”
“Father, do you have time tonight? I’d like to go night fishing with you and learn some techniques.” Pei Lan knew his father-in-law enjoyed fishing, so he played to that interest.
Zheng Wanwan’s hand found Pei Lan’s waist and pinched hard. She’d just told him she had plans for the afternoon, and now he wanted to spend the evening with her father fishing? How infuriating.
Zheng Lin’s eyes lit up at the suggestion. “Sure, I’ll wait for you at home. Perfect timing—I’ve been wanting to try out my new fishing rod.”
Pei Lan pushed up his glasses, enduring the pain.
After getting into the car, Feng Xi cast a worried glance at Zheng Wanwan. “Wanwan, if you have time, come stay at home for a few days.”
Pei Lan bent slightly at the waist, sunlight glinting off the gold-rimmed frames of his glasses, making him look even more refined. “Mother, I’ll bring Wanwan back whenever we have time. Please don’t worry.”
When chasing after your wife, saving face is forbidden.
Feng Xi rolled up the car window.
Pei Lan’s personality was just like his father’s—perfectly proper on the surface, but full of nonsense underneath.
Once the car had driven off into the distance, Zheng Wanwan shot Pei Lan a vicious glare. “Night fishing? I might not even make it back in time tonight.”
“Sweetheart, I forgot you had plans this afternoon. Should I call Father and explain the situation?” Pei Lan’s expression was earnest, a hint of guilt on his face.
Zheng Wanwan stepped closer to Pei Lan, her fair face flushed with anger. Her hand found his thigh through his trousers and pinched hard. “Don’t give me that! You did this on purpose!”
They’d grown up together—she knew exactly what he was like.
“Sweetheart.” Pei Lan’s brow furrowed slightly, his voice low and husky.
Zheng Wanwan released her grip. “What a weird habit.” She turned and walked toward the courtyard.
Pei Lan followed behind her. “Sweetheart, you know my habits better than anyone…”
“I know nothing. I haven’t even touched you.” Zheng Wanwan opened the door and entered the living room. She needed to prepare some supplements—they were heading to her mother-in-law’s place for dumplings later.
Pei Lan was like a mute swallowing bitter herbs—unable to voice his suffering. On their wedding night, he’d been even more eager than Zheng Wanwan. He’d thought he’d be back within a month or two at most, but he never expected to be gone for three years.
Zheng Wanwan placed the supplements in the trunk of the car, then handed the keys to Pei Lan. “I don’t feel like driving.”
It was the Bentley her father had bought her last year, but she rarely drove it—she preferred sports cars.
Pei Lan took the keys and opened the passenger door. “Sweetheart, the museum opens tomorrow. Will you come with me?”
“No.” Zheng Wanwan refused flat out. Why did he have so many demands? In the month since he’d been back, it was one thing after another—she hadn’t had a single moment to herself.
And the one free afternoon she’d finally managed to get, he’d gone and ruined it.
Pei Lan drove them home. Zheng Wanwan stood at the door holding the supplements. This place was more than familiar to her—she’d grown up here.
Ye Yuncheng heard the doorbell and opened the door holding a bowl of grapes. Her face lit up with joy at the sight of Pei Lan and Zheng Wanwan.
“What brings you two here today?” Ye Yuncheng took Zheng Wanwan’s hand and shot Pei Lan a glare, not bothering to hide her displeasure.
Zheng Wanwan looked at Ye Yuncheng in surprise. “Mother, weren’t you supposed to be making dumplings this afternoon?”
“Wanwan wants dumplings? Of course! I’ll go prepare them right away.” Ye Yuncheng took Zheng Wanwan’s hand and led her inside.
Pei Lan set the supplements aside and pushed up his glasses.
“Wanwan, have a seat. Mom will go wash some fruit for you,” Ye Yuncheng said as she headed toward the kitchen. As she passed Pei Lan, she shot him another glare—good-for-nothing brat, just looking at him made her blood boil.
Pei Lan sat down beside Zheng Wanwan.
Zheng Wanwan squinted her eyes, reached out, and pinched little Pei Lan: “Didn’t you say Mom was making dumplings and wanted us to come back?”
Pei Lan winced in pain, furrowing his brow. He gripped Zheng Wanwan’s wrist, and his eyes behind the lenses darkened. If he hadn’t said that, she would have already gone off on a date with someone else first thing in the morning…