Liang Muxi was just about to greet him when Song Jinchuan coldly averted his gaze, turned around, and went back to his room.
Mother Chen noticed the disappointment on Liang Muxi’s face and felt a pang of sympathy for her.
This young couple appeared to have been married for only a short while, yet they had already started sleeping in separate rooms.
The master of the house was icy cold—he rarely spoke, rarely smiled, and had almost no communication with his wife.
Yesterday morning, she had asked whether she should call the mistress up for breakfast together, and the master had replied flatly with two words: “No need.”
He had left right after breakfast without leaving so much as a message for his wife.
Too cold! She couldn’t bear to watch.
As a fellow woman, she felt indignant on behalf of this young girl.
Mother Chen couldn’t help but ask, “Madam, has the master always treated you this way?”
Liang Muxi was taken aback for a moment. Meeting Mother Chen’s concerned gaze, she realized Mother Chen had misunderstood.
To an outsider, her relationship with Song Jinchuan did seem strange.
No married couple should be as distant and unfamiliar with each other as they were.
But they weren’t truly husband and wife—just partners. Keeping their distance was only natural.
“Mother Chen, my… my husband is actually a very good person. He’s cold on the outside but warm on the inside. He treats me very well too.”
Saying the word “husband” felt so awkward!
Mother Chen hesitated for a moment before asking anyway, “Is there something wrong between you two? I noticed you sleep in separate rooms…”
Liang Muxi gave an awkward laugh and explained, “Well, you see, we were introduced by our families and got married. We’re not very familiar with each other yet, so sleeping together right away felt a bit hard to accept. We want to take it slow and build some feelings first.”
After explaining, she added a reminder: “Mother Chen, please don’t mention our situation to anyone else.”
Mother Chen nodded quickly. “I understand. The master’s people have already told me to keep quiet about it.”
“I see. But if you don’t communicate at all like this, how will you ever build feelings? You need to take the initiative. I can tell the master isn’t much of a talker, but at least you’re good with words, madam. You should be more proactive and try to get closer to him.”
“Only through more contact can feelings develop. The way you two are now just won’t work.”
Liang Muxi silently put down the dumpling wrapper and wanted to retreat to her room.
Mother Chen realized she had said too much and quickly slapped her own head.
“Madam, I’m sorry. I’ve said too much. Please don’t take it to heart. I’ll stop talking.”
Liang Muxi smiled and shook her head. “It’s fine.”
Liang Muxi didn’t continue helping with the dumplings. Instead, she went over to the sofa, turned on the TV, and started watching.
Mother Chen was making pan-fried dumplings, and the whole house was filled with the aroma of crispy golden goodness.
“Madam, it’s ready to eat.”
Liang Muxi tossed aside the remote and stood up. “I’ll go get Song Jinchuan.”
Knock, knock.
She knocked twice on the door and was about to call out when the door opened.
Song Jinchuan stood inside the doorway, looking down at her.
Liang Muxi thought he was so tall—she had to tilt her head up just to talk to him.
“Breakfast is ready.”
Song Jinchuan gave a slight nod.
The two walked toward the dining room.
Liang Muxi tilted her head to look at him. “How tall are you?”
Song Jinchuan looked at her with a puzzled expression.
Liang Muxi said, “You just seem really tall. Just asking.”
Song Jinchuan was silent for two seconds before saying, “190.”
Liang Muxi clicked her tongue. “So tall!”
Song Jinchuan said, “You really are short.”
Liang Muxi: “…”
She stopped in her tracks and glared at the back of a certain someone, grinding her teeth.
“So what if I’m short? It’s not like I’m marrying you!”
Song Jinchuan turned around and stared at her in shock.
Liang Muxi also realized what she had just said and bit her lip in frustration.
She forgot—she was already married to Song Jinchuan, even if only legally.
“Why are you so upset?” Song Jinchuan asked, confused.
Liang Muxi pulled out a chair and sat down, her small face set in a stern expression.
“Do you have any emotional intelligence? How could you mock a girl’s height to her face?”
After saying that, Liang Muxi felt it was rather rude to speak to her sugar daddy like that. How could she say he had no emotional intelligence?
She was about to apologize.
But Song Jinchuan apologized to her first.
“I’m sorry. That was my fault. But I wasn’t mocking you—I was just stating a fact.”
Liang Muxi’s face darkened. The mood she had just managed to repair turned gloomy again.
“You might as well not have explained at all.”
Stating a fact?
The fact that she was very short?
Song Jinchuan realized he had said something wrong again and simply shut his mouth, sitting down to eat.
Mother Chen glanced at the dining room and smiled.
This was what a married couple should look like.
They bicker—one gets angry, the other tries to make amends.
Liang Muxi buried her head in her pan-fried dumplings, having no intention of communicating with Song Jinchuan at all.
She had just eaten for a bit when her phone rang.
Seeing the caller ID, her eyes lit up. She casually grabbed a tissue to wipe her mouth, then took her phone and headed toward her room.
As the bedroom door closed, Song Jinchuan heard her call out joyfully, “Big brother!”
Liang Muxi had a big brother?
He actually didn’t know that.
His marriage to Liang Muxi had been forced upon him, and he had no intention of developing things further with her. He had never bothered to learn about her background back then.
It didn’t matter what her family circumstances were. When the three-year term was up, they would divorce.
Inside the room, Liang Muxi exclaimed in delight, “Big brother, you’re really in the capital?”
A warm, gentle male voice came through the phone: “Just got off the plane. Where are you? I’ll come find you.”
“I’m sharing a place with someone, so it’s a mess and not convenient. Big Brother, let’s meet outside. You haven’t had breakfast yet, right? I’ll treat you.”
Big Brother didn’t know she’d gotten married.
She didn’t dare tell him.
If it were a proper marriage, she’d just tell him, but this marriage of hers was special—they’d divorce in two years, so it was better not to mention it.
Liang Jiaqiao walked out of the airport, bent down, and got into the car, his eyes darkening slightly.
After a long moment, he said, “Alright.”
“Then we’ll see each other in a bit. I’ll head out soon.”
“No rush, take your time getting ready.”
Liang Muxi hung up the phone and went to the walk-in closet to find clothes.
Song Jinchuan was about to return to his room when the master bedroom door opened.
He turned to look.
Liang Muxi was wearing a lake-blue dress, cinched at the waist, making her look very slender. It was sleeveless, with her smooth shoulders exposed.
Her face was made up with delicate makeup. Her brows were like paintings, her thick lashes long and curled, and her pink lips slightly pressed together.
Liang Muxi looked over with confusion: “Is there something on my face?”
Song Jinchuan averted his gaze and shook his head.
After a moment of silence, he asked, “You’re going out?”
“Yeah.”
“To see who?”
Liang Muxi frowned slightly.
Why did Song Jinchuan’s words sound so strange?
Still, she answered, “My big brother.”
Song Jinchuan stared at her for a while, then turned and walked toward the second bedroom.
Liang Muxi didn’t think much of it and left the house in a good mood.
Song Jinchuan sat on the bed, hearing the door close, feeling inexplicably restless.
He took out his phone and called the people at Shangjing No. 1: “Move the things from my study to Wanbo Haoting.”
…
Liang Muxi sat in a nice breakfast shop, looking down at the menu.
A tall figure stood before her, softly calling, “Xixi.”
Liang Muxi looked up, immediately stood, and exclaimed with joy, “Big Brother!”