12 – Save the ‘Thank Yous’ for Strangers
But unlike when he left, he now had a plate in his hands.
When Pei Qingji walked over, the servants were just setting dishes on the dining table. He grabbed an empty plate and picked out a few items that were easy to eat and that Wen Song liked.
Wang Junlan glanced at him. “You need to eat breakfast too.”
“Song Song’s styling will take a while. I’ll go feed her first, then come back to eat.”
Wen Yuanbai seemed to nod in approval. “Go ahead.”
There was plenty of food anyway, and it was all still warm, so Pei Qingji was guaranteed hot food when he came back.
He piled a plate full of food and returned to the living room.
Wen Song had apparently already picked out her outfit, and the stylist was now applying makeup to her face.
She suddenly seemed to think of something and sat up straight. “Are these cosmetics and skincare products safe for pregnant women?”
The stylist smiled. Just then, Pei Qingji walked over, and she pointed in his direction.
“Don’t worry, your husband already gave instructions yesterday. All the skincare and cosmetics have been swapped for pregnancy-safe options. Every single product was carefully checked—none contain any ingredients prohibited during pregnancy.”
Wen Song followed her pointing finger and saw Pei Qingji walking over with food in his hands.
“What’s wrong?” he asked with a smile, sitting down beside her.
“Thank you.”
Pei Qingji tilted his head slightly, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. “Save your thank-yous for strangers from now on.”
Wen Song licked her lips and didn’t reply, but the tips of her ears flushed a suspicious shade of red.
She looked forward again as the stylist continued working on her makeup, while Pei Qingji fed her bites from time to time.
But he had piled way too much food on that plate, and Wen Song really couldn’t finish it all.
He picked up a piece of paper-skin siu mai, and Wen Song took only one bite before shaking her head. “No, I can’t eat any more.”
Pei Qingji didn’t push her. He naturally popped the remaining half into his own mouth.
“I’ll be right back.” With that, he picked up the plate and left.
When he returned to the dining room, Wang Junlan and Wen Yuanbai had already finished eating and were sitting in their chairs, as if waiting for him.
“Song Song’s not eating anymore?” Wang Junlan asked.
Pei Qingji nodded. “Mm, she ate quite a bit. I’ll bring some more along when we head out, so she can eat if she gets hungry.”
“Mm.” Wang Junlan nodded in satisfaction. “Pregnant women do get hungry easily. Eating smaller meals more frequently is the way to go.”
“Got it. Mom, if you have any other pregnancy tips, please do share them with me. I signed up for a class, but the instructor is still unmarried and childless, so your experience might be more practical.”
With one sentence, he both showed how much he valued Wen Song and charmed his mother-in-law.
Wang Junlan laughed heartily and shot a meaningful glance at Wen Yuanbai across the table.
“Xiao Pei, come here.”
“Okay.”
Pei Qingji acknowledged and walked over to stand properly beside Wen Yuanbai.
Wen Yuanbai had always been gentle with his wife and daughter, but in front of others, he was the chairman of a conglomerate. To put it more grandly, a single word from him could change the trajectory—even the fate—of countless lives under his command.
Having held a position of power for years, he exuded an overwhelming sense of authority.
But at this moment, standing beside him, Pei Qingji showed not a trace of timidity. His back was straight, his gaze unwavering.
Wen Yuanbai studied him for a long moment before his imposing demeanor finally softened.
He took out the prepared household register, but before handing it to Pei Qingji, he gave a warning.
“Wen Song will always be my daughter, Wen Yuanbai’s. You two are only getting married—she is not marrying into your family. You must treat her well, treat her well for a lifetime. Otherwise, I will make sure the Pei family pays for it.”
Pei Qingji accepted the household register with both hands, then bowed to both Wen Yuanbai and Wang Junlan.
“Thank you, Mom and Dad, for trusting me. I will treat Song Song well for the rest of my life.”
Wang Junlan nodded, called out toward the kitchen to have someone bring out the hot breakfast, then said to Pei Qingji, “Your father and I still need to go to the company. You go ahead and eat first. Tonight, our two families will have dinner together to celebrate you and Song Song getting your marriage certificate.”
“Alright. Mom and Dad, go ahead and take care of your business.”
Wang Junlan and Wen Yuanbai left the dining room. Judging by the sounds outside, they greeted Wen Song before leaving.
Pei Qingji glanced at the household register in his hand and couldn’t help but curl his lips upward—another step closer to his goal.
He ate his meal quickly. By the time he went out, Wen Song was already having her hair done.
Blessed with natural beauty, she truly didn’t need overly elaborate styling.
Pei Qingji glanced at the two dresses she had picked out, then went to the nearby clothing rack and selected two suits that would match them.
His styling was much simpler—just a light base on his face to even things out, then a quick style of his hair, and that was it. The stylist’s assistant could handle that task.
They finished their preparations almost simultaneously. To preserve a fresh first impression, they went to separate rooms to change clothes.
The doors opened at the same time. Pei Qingji raised his eyes first, looking at Wen Song across from him, wearing her veil.
When the dress had been hanging there, he knew it was beautiful. But once it was on Wen Song, it was Wen Song who was beautiful.
A white slip dress with thin straps, the upper half in satin with a lovely sheen, adorned with small prints. The boning cinched her waist beautifully, while the lower half was a layered lace panel with a slight flare, the playful pattern complementing the design perfectly.
Around her neck hung a double-strand pearl necklace, its soft, lustrous texture matching the dress well. On her feet were pointed-toe kitten heels, with straps tied around her slender, delicate calves, adding a touch of femininity.
The dress and its accessories were somewhat elaborate, so her hairstyle was kept much simpler.
With her perfectly rounded skull, a simple low bun was enough to look stunning. Once she put on the veil, the atmosphere of getting a marriage certificate instantly came through.
Wen Song blinked and looked at Pei Qingji. “How is it? Do I look good?”
Pei Qingji smiled. “Beautiful.”
The marriage certificate photo required a red background. The photographer had already set up a spot and called them over.
Wen Song nodded and walked forward with her chin up and chest out, like an elegant yet slightly haughty little cat.
Pei Qingji smiled and walked up beside her, letting her take his arm as they went over together.
The certificate photo only captured the upper body, but it would be a waste not to make use of today’s styling, so the two were called over to the sofa for a few more shots.
To avoid delaying their departure, it really was just a few photos. Fortunately, both of them had photogenic looks, and with the composition on point, there was barely even a need for retouching.
Wen Song picked out a photo to bring for the certificate today. By the time they went to change into their second outfit, the photographer had already sat down and started editing.
For the second outfit, since they were heading to the Civil Affairs Bureau, Wen Song chose a more elegant and refined Dior Hepburn dress.
A long one-piece dress with wide straps, it beautifully accentuated her collarbone. The style was minimalist, but the tailoring was impeccable.
She switched to a lighter, thinner veil more suitable for going out, and only then did they leave with their freshly printed photos.