The Wuling 5*5 mini pickup truck looked quite decent despite its compact size—almost convincing in its appearance.
In reality, even the top-tier version of this vehicle cost less than 80,000 yuan after all fees.
Jiang Yufeng was quite surprised. Ye Ximeng, the eldest daughter of the Ye family, would drive such a… cheap car.
He parked the car and entered the villa’s living room directly through the garage’s side door.
The moment he stepped inside, a rich yet elegant fragrance enveloped him entirely.
It was a pleasant scent, soothing his nerves that had been tense all day, spreading a sense of relaxation and tranquility throughout his body.
It was strange—every time he stepped into this marital home and breathed in its scent, it seemed to relax both his body and mind.
It was like finding a quiet sanctuary amidst the bustling city.
He quite liked this feeling.
His gaze swept across the living room, where he saw Ye Ximeng sitting by the small round table near the window, typing something on her laptop. Occasionally, she would lightly furrow her brows, lost in thought.
A sense of tranquility, warmth, and serene comfort washed over his heart.
For a moment, he felt reluctant to disturb this peaceful, cozy atmosphere.
He softened his footsteps, walked over to the sofa, sat down, and took out a Buddhist scripture from his backpack to read.
He made no sound throughout.
The quiet and warm atmosphere lingered in the living room.
By the windowsill, Ye Ximeng focused intently, typing on her computer, occasionally producing soft tapping sounds from the keyboard.
On the sofa, Jiang Yufeng flipped through the Buddhist scripture, the rustling of pages turning now and then—soft and gentle.
Very occasionally, Jiang Yufeng would turn his head to glance toward the window. Seeing Ye Ximeng still deep in thought, he would turn back and continue reading the scripture.
The tranquility of the room was broken by the sound of the doorbell.
Ye Ximeng snapped back to reality.
She had been editing a list of spices and equipment she needed to purchase, along with some financial planning and budgeting.
Lost in her thoughts, she had forgotten the passage of time.
Checking the time, the doorbell at this hour was likely Zhang Yi delivering dinner.
Ye Ximeng looked up and stood, but her gaze unexpectedly met a pair of cool, profound eyes.
It was Jiang Yufeng.
“When did you get here?” Ye Ximeng asked in surprise.
Perhaps it was her imagination, but she seemed to catch a flicker of amusement in Jiang Yufeng’s cool eyes.
“I’ve been here for a while. I saw you were busy, so I didn’t want to disturb you,” Jiang Yufeng said.
“Sorry, I was indeed preoccupied just now,” Ye Ximeng replied.
“It’s fine,” Jiang Yufeng said.
Jiang Yufeng opened the door.
Sure enough, it was Zhang Yi delivering dinner.
The dinner spread was lavish, catering to both Ye Ximeng and Jiang Yufeng’s tastes.
Without Mother Jiang there to supervise, Ye Ximeng didn’t serve Jiang Yufeng any dishes.
That was when she noticed something peculiar.
Vegetables like carrots, water bamboo shoots, and green peppers—which she found particularly delicious—were completely untouched by Jiang Yufeng’s chopsticks.
Moreover, the arrangement of the dishes was quite interesting.
The dishes she considered delicious, such as carrots, water bamboo shoots, and green peppers, were placed right in front of her.
In front of Jiang Yufeng were dishes like bitter chrysanthemum, bitter gourd, and bitter leaf vegetables—all things that made her tongue feel bitter just by looking at them.
Suddenly, she recalled a saying: two people who can’t eat from the same pot…
Could it be that she and Jiang Yufeng were just like that?
But that night when Mother Jiang was present, Jiang Yufeng had clearly eaten all the carrots, water bamboo shoots, and green peppers she had served him…
Ye Ximeng absentmindedly chewed her food. How juicy and delicious the green peppers were, how sweet and crisp the carrots, and how fresh and tender the water bamboo shoots.
How delicious…
Her eyes darted around, and she suddenly picked up the serving chopsticks, placing a piece of carrot in Jiang Yufeng’s bowl.
Jiang Yufeng’s eating movements abruptly paused.
He looked up at Ye Ximeng, seemingly wanting to say something but hesitating.
In the end, he said nothing and continued eating with his head down.
Suppressing the upward curve of her lips, Ye Ximeng served Jiang Yufeng another piece of water bamboo shoot.
Jiang Yufeng hesitated for a moment but ate it anyway.
Just as Ye Ximeng struggled to hold back her smile and reached for the green peppers with the serving chopsticks,
Jiang Yufeng finally couldn’t take it anymore.
“Stop serving me,” Jiang Yufeng said.
Ye Ximeng couldn’t help but burst into laughter.
After a while, when her laughter subsided, Ye Ximeng asked, “The dishes in front of me—carrots, water bamboo shoots, and green peppers—are all things you don’t like to eat, right?”
“Hmm,” Jiang Yufeng responded lightly.
Instantly, Ye Ximeng found it even more amusing. “Then why did you eat them so happily when I served them to you last night?”
“Mom was watching. In front of elders, we have to act like a loving couple,” Jiang Yufeng said.
Recalling the scene from last night, Ye Ximeng’s eyes crinkled with laughter again. No wonder Mother Jiang’s expression had suddenly turned so strange back then.
“Alright, I understand. Next time there are elders around, I’ll serve you the dishes you like,” Ye Ximeng said.
“You can serve me some dishes too, but don’t serve me bitter ones. I can’t eat them; I can’t swallow them.”
“Understood,” Jiang Yufeng replied lightly.
After the meal, Zhang Yi cleaned up and left.
However, Jiang Yufeng didn’t leave with her. Instead, he sat down on the sofa.
Of course, Ye Ximeng had no reason to ask him to leave.
She also walked over to the sofa and sat down not far from Jiang Yufeng, tending to the incense burner on the coffee table.
She scooped out the burnt, grayish-brown incense ash, smoothed it out, and pressed a new incense seal.
Jiang Yufeng watched quietly without interrupting.
Only after the new incense was lit and a faint floral and fruity fragrance lingered in the air did Jiang Yufeng ask, “What incense is this?”
He had noticed it—this morning during her morning routine, Ye Ximeng had lit the same incense.
It wasn’t Pear Blossom Incense, nor was it Snow in Spring, but its rich yet delicate fragrance was no less impressive than the former two.
“Infant Incense,” Ye Ximeng said. “A famous incense passed down from the Northern Song Dynasty.”
Jiang Yufeng lowered his eyes slightly, savoring the scent carefully.
After a moment, he asked, “Is this also the blended incense powder from the incense shop you recommended to me?”
“Yes,” Ye Ximeng said.
Jiang Yufeng nodded and took out his phone to open the online store.
Seeing the completely refreshed store page and the newly added incense category in the product section, Jiang Yufeng was momentarily surprised.
“The online store’s page has been redesigned. It’s quite elegant,” Jiang Yufeng remarked.
“Oh, right, I noticed that too. The store owner not only makes excellent incense but also has great taste,” Ye Ximeng said happily.
Jiang Yufeng opened the chat window with the store’s customer service and typed a message to send.
As soon as the message was sent, a “ding-dong” notification sound came from Ye Ximeng’s pocket.