When Jin Chen emerged from the bathroom, his parents anxiously pulled him aside for questioning.
“Ah Chen, what’s wrong with Yi Yi? Is she feeling unwell somewhere? Should we take her to the hospital for a check-up?”
Jin Chen pursed his lips and, without warning, dropped a bombshell: “She’s pregnant.”
Jin’s Father and Jin’s Mother’s expressions changed dramatically.
Instantly, they both lost their composure.
They pounced on their son for a round of mixed doubles.
Jin’s Father angrily scolded, “How irresponsible! Why didn’t you tell us Yi Yi is pregnant? If we hadn’t come over, were you planning to wait until the child was old enough to run errands before telling us?”
Jin’s Mother added, “How could you be so careless? Holding a wedding now would be so rushed. People might think our Jin family only let Yi Yi marry in because of the child. What would others say about her?”
Jin Chen was thoroughly beaten up.
He didn’t dare utter a word.
It wasn’t until Zhong Yi came out that he was spared.
When Jin’s Mother saw Zhong Yi, her face softened with tenderness. She stepped forward, took Zhong Yi’s hand, and asked warmly, “Yi Yi, are you feeling unwell anywhere? It was Mom’s fault earlier—I didn’t know you were pregnant and couldn’t stand the smells. Good child, we’ve made you suffer.”
Jin’s Father chimed in, “If you’re uncomfortable, you must tell Mom and Dad. If Jin Chen bullies you, tell us too. Don’t hold back.”
Faced with the elders’ enthusiasm, Zhong Yi found it hard to adjust for a moment, unsure how to respond. She forced a smile at the corners of her mouth and said, “Thank you, Mom and Dad. Jin… Chen has been taking good care of me.”
But Jin’s Mother found her son utterly displeasing: “Jin Chen is just someone who doesn’t know his limits. The wedding hasn’t even happened, and now there’s a child. Yi Yi, you’ve really been wronged this time. Don’t worry—if anyone dares to mock you outside, our Jin family will make sure they never laugh again in their lives.”
Zhong Yi was speechless.
Truly, they were a family.
Their words were exactly the same.
She smiled and said, “Thank you, Mom.”
Jin’s Mother smiled with satisfaction, her eyes scanning Zhong Yi’s still-flat abdomen. Unable to hold back her concern, she said, “Look how thin you are. Has your appetite been poor during the pregnancy? Tell us whatever you want to eat—don’t hold back. Although the child is important, your own health is even more so. And if you want to work, go ahead. If not, leave it all to Ah Chen, okay? What’s a husband for? He’s here for you to boss around.”
Zhong Yi’s nose tingled with emotion.
She had never experienced such intense care before.
For the first time, she understood how warm a parent’s concern could be. All the unease in her heart vanished like mist.
During the meal, Jin’s Mother patiently accompanied Zhong Yi and discussed with Aunt Liu, asking her to learn more appetizing side dishes. As long as Zhong Yi liked them, anything would do.
Meanwhile, Jin’s Father and Jin Chen discussed wedding arrangements.
It was best to hold the wedding within three months.
Although time was tight, all the necessary procedures had to be followed, and it couldn’t be too exhausting. After all, Zhong Yi was pregnant and couldn’t overexert herself.
After breakfast, Jin’s Father and Jin’s Mother took Zhong Yi out shopping, leaving poor Jin Chen relegated to the role of driver.
The family went to the most expensive commercial center in the capital, which gathered all the world’s top luxury brands.
The prices were exorbitant, absurdly high.
This mall was a place Zhong Yi usually didn’t even dare enter to use the restroom, let alone shop. A random skincare set could cost her a month’s salary.
Zhong Yi tugged at Jin’s Mother’s sleeve and said, “Mom, there’s no need to buy skincare products. Jin Chen gave me some last night, saying he brought them from home. I haven’t started using them yet.”
Jin’s father and mother turned their gaze simultaneously toward Jin Chen.
In unison, they exclaimed in shock, “So it was you who stole it!”
Jin Chen: “…”
The skincare products at home had vanished without a trace. Jin Chen claimed he hadn’t taken them, and Jin’s mother would sooner suspect herself of early-onset dementia than suspect Jin Chen—after all, those were products for pregnant women. What would Jin Chen need them for?
Just yesterday, Jin’s mother had even gone to get her brain checked!
She had suffered quite a bit for nothing!
Zhong Yi was utterly confused. “What was stolen?”
Jin Chen defended himself, “I just took them casually.”
Jin’s mother was so angry she scolded him directly, “You brat, you really don’t care about your wife’s pregnancy at all! You’re so stingy you won’t even spend a little money. How could you just casually take these things? Would it kill you to buy some yourself?”
Zhong Yi belatedly realized what was happening. Not wanting to get Jin Chen in trouble, she spoke up for him, “Mom, Dad, he gave me his card. I can’t even spend it all.”
Jin’s mother took Zhong Yi’s hand. “Yiyi, today you can buy whatever you want. Don’t hold back—max out your husband’s card.”
Jin’s father chimed in generously, “That’s right, spend his money freely. The money he earns is meant for you to spend.”
Jin Chen trailed behind the three of them, his hands full of shopping bags.
Regarding his position in the family, he was self-aware enough to know that saying nothing and just handing over the card was enough.
“Thank you, Mom and Dad.”
Zhong Yi affectionately linked arms with Jin’s mother. It was clear she was touched by the elders’ warmth and was gradually opening up.
However, as Jin Chen watched his wife smiling with such simple, innocent delight, he felt a pang of frustration. It was his money being spent—shouldn’t she be thanking him?
And besides, they had just gotten married. Zhong Yi was his wife.
He hadn’t even held her hand more than a few times.
And now she was being monopolized by someone else.
On their wedding night last night, Zhong Yi had fallen asleep before Jin Chen had a chance to get intimate with her.
Now, looking at Zhong Yi’s soft, pink, and moist lips, he felt an unbearable itch in his heart.
He really wanted to just sweep her away and have his way with her, consequences be damned.
Jin’s mother was someone who knew how to enjoy life. She was particular about food, clothing, and daily necessities, with discerning taste and a preference for luxury brands.
They shopped at almost every high-end store.
She didn’t even bother picking and choosing—if she liked something, she’d have it packaged and sent directly to a designated address.
In just two hours, Jin Chen’s phone buzzed incessantly with purchase notifications.
The total spent exceeded twenty million!
He frowned.
Why had they spent so little?
The store staff were moved to tears—this year’s sales targets had been exceeded in one go!
Everyone treated Zhong Yi like a goddess of wealth, swarming around her and enthusiastically promoting products.
Jin’s mother waved her hand grandly.
“Buy it!”
“Buy, buy!”
“Buy, buy, buy!”
“Get them all!”
“Mom, stop buying. My closet is about to overflow,” Zhong Yi pleaded, tugging at Jin’s mother, who was caught up in a shopping frenzy.
“No problem. If the house is too small, move into a villa. A’Chen has plenty of properties. You can wear a different outfit every day without repeating.”
Her daughter-in-law was just like a daughter to her, so of course she deserved the best.
Zhong Yi looked to Jin Chen for help.
Please stop Mom—she’s about to empty the entire mall!
Unexpectedly, Jin Chen was even more extravagant than his mother. “How about we just buy the mall? Then we can take our time picking.”
Zhong Yi felt her vision go dark.
Jin’s father and mother, with Zhong Yi in tow, finished shopping at one store and moved on to the next.
Just as the Jin family left the store, two women emerged from the fitting room.
The younger woman pulled aside a store clerk who was packing clothes and asked, “What’s the relationship between that lady and that woman just now?”
The clerk explained, “They seem to be mother-in-law and daughter-in-law.”
Daughter-in-law?
Zhong Qing was stunned.
“Mom, how did Zhong Yi become the Jin family’s daughter-in-law?”