From the moment Wen Zhiyun suddenly raised her voice, Fu Linyuan had appeared at the doorway.
He happened to hear every single word of Cen Zhen’s heartfelt confession, not missing a syllable.
Standing at the entrance, his figure stiffened slightly. The weariness in his eyes tightened abruptly, and a strange emotion churned in their dark depths.
Wen Zhiyun was about to say more, but when she turned and saw the person at the door, she instantly fell silent in fright.
Fu Linyuan slowly walked in, his gaze fixed firmly on Cen Zhen, his voice low and hoarse.
“Sorry, I’m late.”
This apology, understood by those who were sensible and reasonable, was meant to make up for Wen Zhiyun’s rudeness and impulsiveness.
Wen Yifeng and his wife had always doted on their daughter but never indulged her.
Now that their niece-in-law was visiting for the first time and had suffered such unfair treatment, as parents, they had no reason to let her endure it silently.
A sharp glance swept over their daughter.
Wen Yifeng said sternly, “Wen Zhiyun, apologize to your sister-in-law!”
This was the first time in years that her father had called her by her full name so seriously, and Wen Zhiyun felt somewhat intimidated.
But not wanting to lose face in front of Cen Zhen, she stubbornly chose to remain unmoved.
Lowering her head and picking at her nails, she muttered softly.
“I didn’t do anything wrong.”
Her daughter’s willfulness angered Fang Qing as well. Her usually gentle expression turned cold.
“If you have a problem with your sister-in-law, you have a problem with your brother. A Yun, from childhood till now, you know better than anyone how your brother has treated you. Are you sure you want to break his heart like this?”
These words struck a chord in the defiant Wen Zhiyun.
In this world, the last person she wanted to hurt was Fu Linyuan.
Even though she detested Cen Zhen at that moment, to avoid angering Fu Linyuan, she pretended to be in the wrong and apologized.
Cen Zhen could, of course, tell that she was unwilling.
But for the sake of harmony and appearances, she accepted it nonetheless.
Before the meal, Cen Zhen accompanied Fu Linyuan to wash his hands in the restroom.
In the living room, Liang Wanxiang looked at Wen Zhiyun with displeasure.
“A Yun, you were too immature just now.”
“When your brother was dating Miss Lin, you couldn’t stand her arrogant and rude personality. Now that your brother has married a sweet and likable girl like Zhenzhen, what are you making a fuss about?”
Having just been forced to apologize, Wen Zhiyun was already filled with anger. Now, being criticized again, she felt nothing but resentment.
“Grandma, why are you taking her side too? I just don’t understand what kind of spell that Cen Zhen has cast on all of you. Can’t you see that her sweetness is just an act? And besides, where is she sweet? Just now, she was so eloquent…”
Fang Qing was a sensible person.
She immediately pointed out, “Just the fact that this girl doesn’t mind your brother’s infertility is enough to put your grandmother at ease.”
Wen Zhiyun, her eyes reddening, didn’t understand what she meant.
Fang Qing continued, “Your grandparents are getting older, and slowly, your father and I will grow old too. In the future, you’ll have your own family. But what about your brother? He can’t have children, so he’ll inevitably live without the company of offspring. Do you expect him to stay single for the rest of his life?”
“Your grandparents want him to settle down early so that he’ll have someone close by his side to take care of each other.”
“That way, he won’t have to spend the rest of his life alone.”
These words had some effect.
At the dinner table, Wen Zhiyun stopped targeting Cen Zhen and ate quietly.
Wen Yifeng and his wife felt apologetic for their daughter’s earlier rudeness, and during the meal, they frequently inquired about Cen Zhen’s preferences.
Liang Wanxiang even used serving chopsticks to help Cen Zhen pick up dishes from time to time.
For the past two days, Cen Zhen had been eating boxed meals costing ten yuan each, consisting only of vegetables, leaving her so deprived that she dreamed of meat at night.
Now, with such a lavish spread on the table, she couldn’t spare a second mouth to say thank you, focusing entirely on devouring the food.
She ate with immense relish.
Wen Zhiyun sat across from her.
She couldn’t help but think Cen Zhen acted as if she had never eaten a proper meal before.
Silently rolling her eyes, she muttered to herself, “Like a starving ghost reincarnated.”
Without drawing attention, she picked up a piece of lamb near her side of the table. After chewing it slowly, she whispered to Fang Qing, “Mom, the lamb today is really flavorful. Would you like to try some?”
Fang Qing politely declined, “No, thank you.”
Strangely enough, in their family, apart from their daughter who loved lamb, no one else could quite get used to the taste.
Noticing how much Cen Zhen seemed to enjoy the meat, Fang Qing asked kindly, “Zhenzhen, do you eat lamb?”
Cen Zhen, her cheeks stuffed, nodded with a smile.
She was someone who couldn’t enjoy a meal without meat!
“Then let Auntie give you a piece. A Yun has always been picky about food—she loves lamb but often complains that the chef’s preparation isn’t quite right. Today, however, she actually praised the flavor. You should try it too.”
As she spoke, she placed a piece of lamb on Cen Zhen’s plate.
Both she and Liang Wanxiang kept adding dishes to Cen Zhen’s plate, and before long, it was piled high like a small mountain.
From the moment she sat down at the table, Cen Zhen had eaten heartily and without fuss, making Liang Wanxiang grow fonder of her with each passing moment.
What a wonderful girl.
At the table, Wen Yifeng and Fu Linyuan occasionally discussed work matters, while Wen Zhiyun pestered Fang Qing to go shopping with her.
Under Liang Wanxiang’s affectionate gaze, Cen Zhen focused solely on indulging herself, filling her once-flat stomach until it was round and full.
There was plenty of meat on her plate, and it was impossible to tell who had given her which piece.
Cen Zhen simply picked up whatever was closest and ate it.
Up until now, every piece of meat had been delicious and satisfying.
But with this particular piece, after just a couple of chews, a raw, gamey, and pungent flavor surged up her throat.
Her previously hearty appetite instantly turned into a churning turmoil.
Her face paled abruptly, her pupils contracted, and her stomach convulsed violently.
“Ugh…”
Without another word, she clamped a hand over her mouth, hastily stood up, and rushed toward the bathroom.
The chair scraped against the floor with a sharp, urgent sound.
Everyone at the table froze.
Expressions of shock filled their faces.
The next moment, the sound of uncontrollable retching echoed from the bathroom.
One heave after another, each one tightening the listeners’ hearts.
Liang Wanxiang looked worried. “A Yuan, go check on your wife right away. Did she eat something bad?”
Fu Linyuan didn’t delay, striding straight toward the bathroom.
At that moment, Wen Zhiyun’s face showed a hint of hesitation and discomfort. She sighed softly.
“As expected, the rumors outside are true.”
Wen Yifeng frowned and immediately pressed, “What rumors?”
“That she often hangs out with shady men. Neighbors living around her have complained about her making strange noises with men in the middle of the night, disturbing everyone. Some even say she’s pregnant with an older man’s child, and since he refused to take responsibility, she started going on blind dates everywhere. It looks like my brother is the unlucky one.”
“Shut your mouth!”
A voice as cold as ice suddenly exploded from the doorway.