After registering an account on a video platform, Shen Zhiyi posted a video of herself making cola-plum pork ribs.
Once she uploaded the edited video, she went off to attend to other matters.
A few days earlier, she had discussed buying a car with Pei Xu, but they hadn’t yet decided on what type to get.
With so many car brands available, factors like performance, fuel efficiency, and comfort all needed consideration.
“Pei Xu, what kind of car should I buy? If you have time, could you accompany me to a 4S dealership?”
Pei Xu originally owned two cars.
But due to bankruptcy liquidation and his loss of vision, he had Zheng Shuyuan handle their disposal.
“I didn’t have anyone touch your Mercedes-Benz.”
When Shen Zhiyi went on vacation abroad, it seemed she had simply left the car parked in the airport parking lot.
“Sell it and replace it with a business vehicle, or at least switch to a four-seater.”
“You decide.”
Pei Xu placed his laptop on his lap, using screen reader mode to monitor stock trends.
“Are you planning to invest in stocks?”
“Yes, I’ve already invested the over two million you gave me.”
Seeing Shen Zhiyi’s lack of reaction, Pei Xu added another sentence.
“I lost five hundred thousand in two days.”
“Do you want to increase your position? I still have two million here.”
Pei Xu’s hand paused on the touchscreen.
“Your reaction isn’t what I expected.”
“And what reaction did you expect from me?”
Shen Zhiyi raised an eyebrow.
The next moment, her inner drama queen took over as she threw herself into Pei Xu’s arms.
“You bastard, give me back my money!”
Pei Xu’s back stiffened, not daring to move a muscle, afraid he might accidentally touch something he shouldn’t.
“In your mind, is this how I should act—throwing a tantrum and rolling on the floor?”
Pei Xu, catching the faint scent of pinewood on her, turned his head aside.
“Don’t worry, I won’t blame you. When I gave you the money, we agreed that losses would be mine, and gains would be mine too.”
Shen Zhiyi withdrew from Pei Xu’s embrace and patted his shoulder.
“If you need more money, remember to tell me.”
Shen Zhiyi continued browsing cars on her phone.
She had essentially scrolled through all kinds of posts.
The algorithm, noticing her constant searches for car-related videos and posts, kept pushing similar content to her.
After a week of research, Shen Zhiyi bought an affordable car with relatively high performance and comfort.
On the day she purchased the car, she didn’t forget to drive back the Mercedes-Benz coupe from the airport to sell it.
Watching her bank account grow by several hundred thousand again, Shen Zhiyi was starting to feel somewhat numb.
She returned home relatively early. During her last trip to the supermarket, she hadn’t bought many groceries.
Today was restocking day.
She wasn’t sure about others, but Shen Zhiyi found grocery shopping quite therapeutic.
“Pei Xu, the weather is pretty nice today. Want to go to the supermarket with me?”
“You go by yourself. Be careful on the road.”
Whether it was Shen Zhiyi’s imagination or not, she felt that ever since his last hospital check-up, Pei Xu had been somewhat resistant to going out.
Even when she tried to take him for a walk downstairs, he would find various excuses to refuse.
“Really not coming? But I need to buy a lot of things this time. I might not be able to carry them all by myself.”
Hearing this, Pei Xu hesitated.
“Let’s go out for a walk together. Consider it helping me, okay?”
Shen Zhiyi shook Pei Xu’s arm, about to press further, when she saw him rise from the sofa.
“Aren’t we going to the supermarket? Let’s go.”
Shen Zhiyi didn’t expect Pei Xu to be so easy to talk to.
Had she only used ten percent of her effort, and already managed to win him over?
“Fasten your seatbelt, we’re about to set off!”
Shen Zhiyi waited in the driver’s seat, and after Pei Xu fastened his seatbelt, she started the car and prepared to depart.
“Are you this happy just going to the supermarket?”
“Of course I’m happy. The feeling of filling a shopping cart is a lot like opening a package.”
Shen Zhiyi turned on the car stereo, and even the music was quite cheerful.
Arriving at the supermarket entrance, Shen Zhiyi pulled out a shopping cart.
“Push the cart with this hand, and I’ll hold onto your other arm.”
Perhaps because it was the weekend, the supermarket was especially crowded.
Shen Zhiyi and Pei Xu moved at a snail’s pace the whole time, pushing the cart forward.
“The first floor is for fresh produce, the second floor is for baked goods and prepared foods. Let’s look around the first floor first.”
“Okay.”
Seeing that the bayberries looked quite fresh, Shen Zhiyi picked up a box and put it in the cart. She could make drinks and desserts with them when she got home.
“If you want to buy something, you can go get it. I’ll wait right here for you.”
Pei Xu worried that she might find it troublesome to have him along, so he thought about letting Shen Zhiyi release his arm.
“How could I just leave you alone here? I only have one husband—what if I lose you?”
Pei Xu felt as if his heart had been gripped by something.
“Oh, maybe not just one husband. Didn’t you say before that you’d help me find other husbands?”
Pei Xu pursed his lips, and his emotionless eyes immediately locked onto Shen Zhiyi’s current position.
“I won’t say things like that anymore in the future. Could you… forget all the unpleasant things I said before?”
“Alright, let’s both forget the unpleasant things we said to each other.”
Shen Zhiyi tossed a cabbage into the cart and hooked her pinky finger around Pei Xu’s.
Hearing him give a weak response, Shen Zhiyi couldn’t help but laugh.
Why did he act like a shy little wife, so oddly bashful?
“I’ll buy a piece of beef rib. I can make beef soup tomorrow, or beef noodles. What would you like to eat?”
“Anything is fine.”
“You’re quite clever, avoiding choices and taking everything.”
Shen Zhiyi picked up another box of beef ribs and tossed it into the cart.
After finishing the first floor, they took the escalator to the second floor’s bakery and snack section.
Shen Zhiyi wanted cucumber-flavored potato chips, but they were placed on the top shelf.
“Pei Xu, raise your hand.”
“Is someone robbing us?”
“What kind of logic is that? I’m asking you to help me get a bag of potato chips!”
“Oh, this one?”
After touching the bag, Pei Xu didn’t rush to take it down. Instead, he asked Shen Zhiyi first.
“A little more to the left.”
“This one?”
“A little more to the right…”
“Is this the right one now?”
“Let’s just pick the one in the middle.”
How could Pei Xu not know she was teasing him?
“Had enough fun, little ancestor?”
“This one will do.”
Shen Zhiyi took the potato chips from his hand and threw them into the cart.
“If you’re angry, just tell me. I won’t get upset no matter how much you joke around.”
Shen Zhiyi’s lips twitched slightly, feeling a bit guilty. Just as she was about to apologize, Pei Xu spoke again.
“Shen Zhiyi, if you ever plan to leave someday, be sure to tell me in advance. Otherwise, I’ll worry.”
“Where would I go? Even if I leave, I’ll definitely take you with me, so you can be my free laborer.”
“Free husband?”
“Laborer! Hard labor!”
After buying all the groceries they needed, Shen Zhiyi took Pei Xu to the checkout counter.
This time, they had far fewer items, and everything fit into just two shopping bags.
“That’ll be six hundred twenty-two yuan and fifty cents. How would you like to pay?”
“Honey, pay up.”
Pei Xu was taken aback for a moment before pulling out his phone and displaying the payment QR code.
After scanning it, the cashier handed the receipt to Shen Zhiyi.
At the supermarket exit, a staff member collected the shopping cart.
Pei Xu reached for the shopping bags and picked them up.
“Give me one to carry. That way, I can still hold your arm.”
“How about this instead?”
Pei Xu shifted all the shopping bags to one hand.
He was quite strong, and the arm holding the bags bulged noticeably—proof that his previous workouts hadn’t been in vain.