The older man was Wen Ruxing’s second uncle by familial hierarchy. By convention, Shi Wei Yue, who had already registered her marriage with Wen Ruxing, should also respectfully address him as such.
Shi Wei Yue was a person of refinement. Even if the original owner of this body hadn’t been particularly polite, her smile was flawless. The Alpha’s crisp voice wasn’t loud, but in the now-quietened room, it was clear enough for everyone to hear:
“Second Uncle, this toast is for you.”
Shi Wei Yue’s action was so abrupt that many were eager to witness the drama. It was said that Shi Wei Yue had initially agreed to be with Wen Ruxing with the intention of toying with her. The second daughter of the Shi family was notoriously mischievous, spoiled by her elder sister, and her temper was far from agreeable.
Though Wen Ruxing’s temper wasn’t exactly mild either, she had vulnerabilities within the Wen family, leaving her open to others’ whims. Many had been waiting to see how Shi Wei Yue would humiliate Wen Ruxing, ready to join in the mockery. Yet, to their surprise, this woman was actually standing up for her?
To be alive and yet have a junior pour a “libation” in his face, Second Uncle Wen’s dignity was utterly shattered. Unable to maintain his facade any longer, he immediately raised his voice and snapped:
“You!”
“Second Uncle, is this not enough? Should I have someone deliver a bottle from my family’s cellar to your home right now?”
Unlike the man’s fury, Shi Wei Yue stood beside him with an unruffled expression, one arm still linked with Wen Ruxing’s. Her gaze, half-lidded and faintly amused, swept over him.
Second Uncle Wen was a Beta, not particularly tall—with Shi Wei Yue in heels, they were barely at eye level. The poised woman exuded elegance, her composed tone leaving no room for criticism. Her eyes narrowed slightly, feigning helplessness, and her gentle, soothing words seemed genuinely concerned for an elder who had had too much to drink.
But the man wasn’t actually drunk, and he could detect a trace of danger in her gaze.
The young woman before him didn’t have the best reputation in their circles. Her marriage to Wen Ruxing was less of an alliance and more of a joke. In V City’s high society, who hadn’t heard of how Shi Wei Yue hadn’t returned home on her wedding night, leaving Wen Ruxing alone in the bridal suite? Even if Wen Ruxing acted unbothered, such gossip inevitably invited ridicule.
Unfocused, indulgent in pleasure these were the adjectives often used to describe Shi Wei Yue. So why did he sense a sharp edge in those beautiful eyes?
“Second Uncle is drunk. Escort him downstairs for some sobering medicine and rest. At his age, drinking too much isn’t good for the spleen, stomach, or brain.”
After a moment of tense silence, Wen Ruxing called for the servants without hesitation and had Wen Yan escorted away. She then noticed that Shi Wei Yue had been subtly entwining their hands the entire time. The woman’s skin was smooth, especially her well-maintained hands soft, elastic, and sending tingles wherever they touched.
Once Second Uncle was taken away, Wen Ruxing discreetly withdrew her hand.
The dinner was fraught with undercurrents.
At the table, factions within the family were clear. Superficially harmonious, the exchanges were laced with veiled barbs and sarcasm, each side taking turns to perform.
After dealing with that clueless second uncle, no one else dared to disturb the two of them on their way home. Shi Wei Yue was happy to enjoy the peace, savoring the delicacies prepared by the Wen family’s chefs. The portions were small but exquisite, and after just a few bites of each dish she liked, she was already full.
The original owner’s main contribution to the Wen family came from her backing family. As for herself, she had never been respected by other upper-class business families, including the Wen family, which ranked below the Shi family.
After the gathering, some were called into the study by Wen Ding Shu, the current head of the Wen family, for a meeting. The rest dispersed some to rest, others to chat and reminisce, “sharing family joy.” Shi Wei Yue had no interest in getting involved in their family affairs, so she took a stroll in the quieter back garden to walk off her meal.
Thanks to her bold act of splashing wine at the dinner table, anyone who happened to wander into the garden wisely avoided her, leaving her in perfect solitude.
However, Wen Ruxing had been called away right after dinner. Shi Wei Yue thought it would only be a short while, but after an hour of exploring the entire Wen family estate’s garden, she finally received a message from Wen Ruxing.
“Sorry, this might take a while.”
Wen Ruxing’s messages were always concise and devoid of personal emotion, so it was impossible to tell from these few words whether she was truly busy or not.
Based on the original owner’s dynamic with her, receiving this message would have clearly signaled that there was no need to wait. Staying in an unfamiliar home was boring, and the original owner would have left without hesitation.
Looking at the sparse chat history, Shi Wei Yue’s thoughts wandered inexplicably to the stack of high-end club membership cards she had found in the original owner’s bedroom, all black-gold annual passes.
Those exclusive clubs were exorbitantly priced, inflating the cost of anything inside by several or even dozens of times. Shi Wei Yue had never believed that a simple cream cake from a mall could be transformed into something extraordinary by a club chef’s “magic touch.” It was all just fancy branding, yet wealthy heirs eagerly threw their money at it.
She had no intention of keeping those dozens of membership cards. With the company on the verge of bankruptcy, the original owner’s reckless spending was downright irresponsible, no wonder her family had been so disappointed.
For the rest of the afternoon, Shi Wei Yue didn’t leave. She casually settled into a pavilion, effortlessly spent 9.9 to download a bundle of business management materials from an app, and began reading.
**
Wen Ruxing was the last to emerge from the study. From a little past one in the afternoon until now, just after six in the evening, a full five hours had passed.
The outcome of the discussion hadn’t been pleasant, but she rarely let unfavorable emotions show, whether at home or in front of others.
Few stayed for dinner, but among them was someone on good terms with the cousin who had pressured her to drink earlier. Noticing Wen Ruxing’s weary demeanor, the person remarked with a mocking tone:
“Such a long talk must be a lot on your plate.”
“Ruxing, the Shi family’s second daughter treats you well. You should cherish her and make the most of it.” Without waiting for a response, the person added with a smirk, “Oh, by the way, where is she? Didn’t see her this afternoon.”
Wen Ruxing dodged the hand reaching for her shoulder. The afternoon’s unpleasant negotiations had left her mentally exhausted and a bit irritable. Just as she was about to snap, her phone vibrated, interrupting her thoughts.
She instinctively glanced down at her phone. Among the sparse notifications beneath the latest evening news push was one from Shi Wei Yue, someone she hadn’t muted even during her busy schedule. Shi Wei Yue usually wouldn’t disturb her unless necessary, so Wen Ruxing had forgotten to add her to the meeting’s do-not-disturb list.
The message was as concise as her own style:
“Let me know when you’re done.”
Sent at 2:30 p.m.
It had been hours since then, and Wen Ruxing assumed Shi Wei Yue had already gone off to enjoy herself somewhere. She was about to lock her screen when an irritatingly “concerned” voice chimed in beside her:
“Aren’t you going to call your wife?”
Call her?
Their marriage agreement was one of mutual non-interference, which implicitly allowed each to do as they pleased as long as no scandals arose. Though Wen Ruxing hadn’t done anything, she wasn’t sure if Shi Wei Yue was currently out having fun. Even if she were just singing karaoke with friends, a call at the wrong moment would surely be met with impatience.
The more the other person wanted to see her embarrassed, the less Wen Ruxing was willing to give them the satisfaction. Annoyance simmered inside her, but she still sent a message:
“I’m done.”
She expected the message to vanish into the void. Yet, as she reached the entrance, she nearly collided with a familiar figure.
The sun had mostly dipped behind the distant mountains, casting a half-light that traced the elegant curve of the woman’s long, voluminous curls. Shi Wei Yue’s golden-gray waves shimmered with a faint glow, making them appear even brighter. Her eyes, catching the warm light, brimmed with unconcealed affection and joy at the sight of her beloved and she made no effort to hide it.
Shi Wei Yue had clearly rushed over. The back garden was sizable, and she was somewhat directionally challenged, so finding the entrance had taken some effort. Her Alpha scent carried a hint of exertion, but it only added a flush of allure to her features. She took a few quick steps forward, effortlessly clearing the stairs, and grasped Wen Ruxing’s hand, giving it a gentle, playful shake.
“Wife,” she said, her tone casual yet smooth, as if she’d grown perfectly comfortable with the term. She flicked a brief, indifferent glance at the other person before focusing entirely on Wen Ruxing. “Shall we go?”
The ease with which Shi Wei Yue called her “wife” made Wen Ruxing study her for a moment longer. Under the stunned and complicated gazes of the Wen family, Shi Wei Yue firmly held Wen Ruxing’s hand and led her toward the car.
The butler politely escorted them a short distance before Shi Wei Yue dismissed him. The sunset stretched their shadows long behind them, making them look like a pair of newlyweds too enamored to part.
But this time, Wen Ruxing didn’t immediately pull her hand away in private. After a brief silence, she finally spoke in a low voice as the car came into view:
“Thank you.”
“Hmm?”
Shi Wei Yue’s tone lifted in surprise.
She was genuinely taken aback that Wen Ruxing, the so-called “big villain”, would thank her. But having gone the entire afternoon without a sip of water to avoid running into the Wen family’s unpleasant company, her voice carried an unintentional huskiness.
Not one to waste an opportunity, Shi Wei Yue leaned in closer, close enough to catch the faint, soothing fragrance clinging to the other woman, a scent that sent a tingling warmth through her.
“You’re mine. Of course, I—”
Before she could finish the double-meaning sentence, Shi Wei Yue met Wen Ruxing’s inscrutable gaze and instantly deflated like a punctured balloon.
As they approached the car, Shi Wei Yue instinctively reached out to open the rear door for her, steeling herself to complete the unfinished words in a hushed voice that drifted softly into Wen Ruxing’s ear:
“Of course, I’m yours too.”