Wen Mochuan was not like Jiang Yiyan, who had plenty of free time and could hold her phone at all hours. So he had not yet seen the Moments post Shu Yao had made about her return flight.
Thus, when he suddenly heard his wife mention it, he was momentarily surprised. But after that brief reaction, he quickly regained his composure.
To him, his relationship with Shu Yao had already ended five years ago, before it had even truly begun. Though he occasionally felt some lingering unwillingness, given his character, he would never do something like keeping one eye on what he had while coveting something else.
So even after learning that Shu Yao was about to return, his heart remained relatively calm.
Whether they met or not made little difference. In any case, there would never be any outcome between them.
However, considering their respective positions, now that she was back in the country, they would inevitably have to interact sooner or later. Avoiding it forever was not a solution. After giving it some thought, Wen Mochuan said to his wife, “Alright, we’ll go together when the time comes.”
With that, he had given his answer, and then he returned to silence.
This reaction was exactly what Jiang Yiyan had expected. Based on her understanding of Wen Mochuan, he would not show much reaction or take any drastic action.
In the novel Deepest Love, it was mentioned that Wen Mochuan had never fully let go of what happened five years ago. He carried both regret and helplessness in his heart.
Even so, he had never crossed any boundaries.
He was a man with a strong sense of propriety and responsibility. Perhaps not the best husband, but certainly an excellent father, and indeed a good person.
In fact, if not for the original Jiang Yiyan later becoming increasingly extreme and reckless, hurting Shu Yao both openly and in secret after her return, her ending would not have been so tragic. At the very least, even if Wen Mochuan did not love her, he still had a sense of responsibility. For Meimei’s sake, he would have chosen to live peacefully with her.
Although Wen Mochuan’s reaction was within her expectations, as someone deeply fond of gossip, Jiang Yiyan still subconsciously hoped to see something different.
But since he said nothing more and showed no unusual reaction, she had no intention of provoking him further.
The topic ended there.
The car fell into silence once again.
Meimei had likely been tired from playing at home and had skipped her nap. Now, sitting comfortably in the car and nestled close to her parents, she soon fell asleep.
Without this little bundle of warmth to ease the atmosphere, the car felt even quieter.
Up front, Xiao Chen, seeing that the conversation had ended, refocused on driving.
After a while, Jiang Yiyan suddenly remembered they were heading out for dinner and quickly asked, “What are we eating?”
Wen Mochuan had already made arrangements. It was a newly opened countryside-style restaurant run by a friend of his.
He had attended its opening before and tried the dishes, finding them quite good, which was why he had decided to bring his wife and daughter again.
The restaurant’s ingredients were all supplied by the owner himself, who had his own greenhouse for growing vegetables. The food was fresh, nutritious, and of excellent quality.
The chef had also been specially hired at a high price, ensuring that the dishes were not only wholesome but also flavorful and beautifully presented. Combined with the unique décor and attentive service, the place had quickly attracted many customers.
Private rooms even required advance reservations.
But for someone like Wen Mochuan, a simple phone call to the owner was enough.
“It’s a farm-style restaurant. A friend of mine just opened it. It’s called ‘Shiweitian,’” Wen Mochuan explained briefly.
“Shiweitian?” Jiang Yiyan repeated, assuming it meant “Food is Heaven,” and smiled. “As the saying goes, food is the foundation of life. Your friend chose quite a grand name.”
Wen Mochuan turned his head slightly to glance at her, smiling faintly without speaking.
After a moment’s thought, however, he decided to explain.
He first told her the exact characters, then added, “But your interpretation isn’t wrong. When the name was chosen, it was meant to sound like that phrase.”
“Food is Heaven” sounded too grand for a countryside restaurant, while “Shiweitian” carried a similar pronunciation but conveyed a more rustic and down-to-earth charm.
Jiang Yiyan nodded in understanding.
When Wen Mochuan said it was a countryside restaurant, she had imagined something fairly ordinary. Even if it were more refined than the places she usually visited, it couldn’t be that luxurious. At most, she thought it would be a bit more spacious and better decorated, but still essentially just a restaurant.
However, when the car stopped in front of Shiweitian and she saw the place before her, she was momentarily stunned.
Only then did she belatedly remember Wen Mochuan’s status.
Given his position, how could he possibly frequent roadside eateries? Even if he had to on occasion, he would never bring his wife and child there.
Meimei was carried out of the car by Wen Mochuan. She had slept well on the way and still looked a little reluctant to wake up. Rubbing her eyes, she spotted her mother and immediately stretched out her arms.
“Mom, carry me,” she said, her voice still soft and hoarse from sleep.
But Wen Mochuan did not let go of her. Holding her securely, he gently explained, “Mom is wearing a dress today, it’s not convenient for her to carry you.”
Jiang Yiyan had been wondering how to politely refuse when Meimei reached out to her, but to her surprise, Wen Mochuan had already resolved the situation for her.
Meimei was a little clingy but naturally well-behaved. Hearing that it would be inconvenient for her mother, she immediately stopped insisting.
The restaurant owner personally came out to greet them. Jiang Yiyan stood beside Wen Mochuan with a smile.
When Xu Qing saw Jiang Yiyan standing next to Wen Mochuan, his eyes lit up, and his steps faltered slightly. This… did not match his impression of his sister-in-law at all.
Xu Qing was naturally aware of Wen Mochuan’s past. He had also met the Jiang family’s young lady when they were younger, though it had been so long that he had no real memory of her.
All he knew was that within their social circle, rumors painted her as ill-tempered, malicious, and utterly disagreeable.
It was said that she had stolen her stepsister’s boyfriend and treated both her stepsister and stepmother with harsh words and a terrible attitude.
Even her own father and brother were said to dislike her, gradually distancing themselves from her.
Her reputation in their circle was in shambles, and she had no genuine friends.
Her behavior had long become gossip material among wealthy wives.
In that world, she was practically a laughingstock.
Originally, Xu Qing had felt sorry for his older brother figure, thinking he had been trapped in a carefully laid scheme and had his life ruined because of it.
But seeing her in person today, looking at the elegant and refined woman before him, he found it hard to believe those rumors.
Was this really the Jiang family’s young lady?
Or perhaps Wen Mochuan had secretly kept another woman?
But that didn’t make sense either. From what he knew of Wen Mochuan, he was not the type to betray his family. And even if he had found someone else, he would never bring her out so openly.
Though Wen Mochuan was the third young master of the Wen family and held great influence in Shenzhen, the Jiang family was not to be trifled with. If he ever crossed the line, the Jiang father and sons would never allow their family to become a laughingstock.
With these thoughts in mind, Xu Qing greeted Wen Mochuan, then turned to Jiang Yiyan with a smile.
Relying on instinct, he boldly addressed her. “You must be my sister-in-law. It’s your first time here, so later please try the dishes and let me know what you think. If there’s anything lacking, don’t hesitate to tell me so I can improve.”
Jiang Yiyan responded with a composed smile. “I’m sure it will be excellent. Otherwise, Mochuan wouldn’t have brought us here. Right, Mochuan?” At home, their dynamic didn’t matter, but in front of outsiders, she still preferred to maintain a harmonious image.
Even if they couldn’t appear deeply affectionate, at least they could seem normal.
Wen Mochuan glanced at her and nodded with a faint smile.
Xu Qing immediately said, “Our restaurant has only just opened, and the Third Brother bringing sister-in-law and his niece here truly honors me. Please, this way.”
He gestured and led them inside. Jiang Yiyan naturally took Wen Mochuan’s arm, though she was mindful not to cling too tightly, only resting her hand lightly against him.
Wen Mochuan noticed and instinctively glanced at his arm, but said nothing. After a brief look, he lifted his gaze again and continued walking.
If she wanted to hold his arm, he let her. He neither encouraged nor avoided it.
The exterior of the restaurant already had a distinctive charm with a touch of classical elegance. But once inside, the décor was even more striking.
There were small bridges and flowing water everywhere, creating a refined, traditional atmosphere. The dining tables in the main hall were arranged among these scenic elements.
Passing through the hall, they arrived at a private room at the back.
After personally leading them in and helping them order, Xu Qing excused himself to attend to other guests.
The private room was spacious and carefully decorated with various small ornaments. As soon as Meimei entered, she was captivated by these interesting items and wandered off to play on her own, no longer clinging to her parents.
The adults, however, had little interest in such things. Wen Mochuan and Jiang Yiyan took their seats at the dining table.
Sitting face to face in silence felt awkward. Since they had grown somewhat familiar, Jiang Yiyan decided to start a conversation.
She glanced at Wen Mochuan, then thought of Xu Qing’s reaction earlier and smiled. “The owner seemed quite surprised to see me standing beside you just now.”
There was a hint of meaning in her words, along with a trace of self-mockery.
Xu Qing’s expression had been obvious enough that even she had noticed, so Wen Mochuan certainly had as well.
Thus, he understood what she meant.
His wife’s reputation in their social circle had not been good. There were many rumors about her temper and behavior. Though not entirely unfounded, those belonged to the past. At least now, she has changed considerably.
Although he still did not understand why she had become so different after his business trip, he privately wanted to help correct her reputation.
That was one of the reasons he had chosen to bring her here today.
Xu Qing had a wide network and was highly sociable. After today, the narrative about his wife within their circle would likely begin to shift.
“Perhaps he felt that the you he saw today is different from the one described in the rumors,” Wen Mochuan said calmly, subtly addressing the point.
Jiang Yiyan naturally understood his meaning. She pursed her lips slightly and chose not to continue the topic.