Chapter 12.2

Wen Yi’s mouth went dry from looking. She shifted her gaze from his Adam’s apple, which slid slightly under his collar, and said softly, “I need to take my folic acid. There is no water.”

Qin Nanshan was very considerate. He went downstairs to get water and came back with a thermos as well.

Wen Yi leaned against the headboard, holding the cup. “Where does Summer sleep?”

“There is a bed for him downstairs.”

“Oh.” She was making conversation. “Does he have food?”

Qin Nanshan chuckled. “Yes. Are you worried about him?”

“No!”

How could she be? She was just asking casually! Otherwise it would be too awkward. Who would have thought she could argue with him fiercely under the bed but turn mute the moment she was in it?

After taking her folic acid, Qin Nanshan reached out to take the cup and set it aside. “Sleep?”

“Mm.” Wen Yi slipped into the covers and closed her eyes.

He turned off the main light and the bedside lamp. In the darkness, he said, “Good night.”

“Good night.”

This good night did not lead to sleep. Whether it was the smell of the new quilt, the scent of the body wash in his house, or the smell on his body, all the scents intertwined. Once again, Wen Yi found it hard to fall asleep.

In half an hour, she tossed and turned no fewer than ten times.

On the eleventh time, the bedside lamp on his side turned on. Qin Nanshan propped himself up halfway to look at her. “Are you feeling uncomfortable somewhere?”

The warm light fell on his face, casting uneven shadows like a small mountain she could not cross.

“……No.” Wen Yi was irritated. “I cannot sleep. Maybe…”

It was only their second day living together. Was she really going to suggest separate beds? But how could they separate tonight? In the middle of winter, she could not possibly make him sleep on the floor.

Wen Yi huddled in the quilt, at a complete loss. She could only let out a deep sigh.

“It might be the new environment. If you cannot sleep, we can talk for a while.”

Wen Yi did not want to talk to him. She wanted to sleep. “Why don’t you go read for a bit and come back after I fall asleep?”

“???”

Only after Qin Nanshan left the room did he realize what was going on. So it was not the environment keeping her awake. It was him?

Then what about last night? Who was the one pitifully asking him to come in earlier?

He sat in the study on the first floor for ten minutes but could not figure it out.

At half past eleven, Xuan Ying came downstairs for water. Passing the lit study, she knocked and went in. She saw her son concentrating on a book. “Still not asleep?”

Qin Nanshan was too embarrassed to say he had been kicked out by his wife and said seriously, “Mm, still have some things to do.”

“What could you possibly have to do during the New Year? It is only Yi Yi’s second time sleeping here. She is not used to it. Hurry up and go keep her company.”

“……Okay, I will go now. You sleep first.”

At half past twelve, Qin Nanshan returned to the room. The person on the bed was breathing evenly. Finally, he could lie down.

He never expected that after getting married, even simple things like where he slept or when he slept would no longer be up to him to decide.

……

The weather during the New Year period was still quite bad, with sleet and biting cold.

The next day, the family celebrated New Year’s Eve. They went shopping for groceries, chatted, and cooked together in a lively bustle.

Wen Yi called Wen Hongyu to ask where she was. She said she was at her uncle’s house and told her not to worry. Wen Yi still wanted to ask how her romance was going, but Ms. Wen hung up the phone directly.

Coming out of the room, the living room only had Qin Xi playing games. Wen Yi asked, “Where are Mom and Dad?”

Qin Xi answered while focused on her game, “They went out. They’ll be back soon.”

Wen Yi looked around and did not see Qin Nanshan. “Where did your brother go?”

“Giving Summer a bath.”

As soon as she said that, noises came from the downstairs bathroom. Wen Yi took a step forward, paused, then after a few seconds moved toward the bathroom.

Qin Nanshan was focused on washing and did not notice her. Wen Yi leaned against the doorway.

Summer had a lot of fur and a large body, so bathing him was not easy. Fortunately, he was well behaved, standing quietly under the showerhead while Qin Nanshan rinsed him. White foam covered the floor.

On the car ride yesterday, he had asked what her impression of him was. Besides handsome, rich, and having OCD, there were many others. Whether he was rigid and boring remained to be seen, since they had only lived together for two days. But from their interactions during this time, she felt Qin Nanshan could be considered a gentle and emotionally stable person.

In today’s impatient society, that was a rare good quality.

However, many doctors had told her that a good natured, kind man was suitable to be someone else’s husband but not necessarily her own. She did not understand before, but now she did. Life had no perfect 100 percent. Wanting him to be both humorous and fun, as well as gentle and kind—that was like wanting to have your fish and eat the bear’s paw too.

Though what she saw right now was not bad, she always felt something was missing. Wen Yi had a slight regret in her heart.

Qin Nanshan and the dog noticed her. He said, “There is a bathroom on the second floor.”

Wen Yi replied, “I do not need the bathroom.”

“Then stand farther away. Summer will shake off the water and might splash you.”

Wen Yi did not move. “Why not send him to a place outside to wash?”

“Now all the pet shops outside are closed. I was busy before and did not get to bathe him. Perfect timing to clean him up for the New Year.”

Wen Yi nodded in understanding and said no more.

After a while, Qin Nanshan looked up and saw she was still standing there. He asked uncertainly, “Do you want to come in and help?”

“No.”

Wen Yi turned and walked away.

Three minutes later, a call came from the bathroom: “Qin Xi, bring the towel from the balcony.”

Qin Xi was in the heat of her game. “Sister in law, sister in law, quick, help me out.”

Wen Yi had no choice but to grab the towel and go in again. Summer had already been rinsed clean. His doggy face grinned at her. She handed over the towel. Qin Nanshan did not take it. “You help dry him. I will clean the bathroom.”

Wen Yi gritted her teeth inwardly. He was definitely doing this on purpose!

But she had no proof. And the weather was cold; if they did not dry him quickly, he might catch a cold. Wen Yi draped the big towel over Summer. Sure enough, he shook off the water. Wen Yi pressed her hands on his body, strategically leaning back. She nearly could not hold him down.

After two shakes, it was over. Wen Yi did not know how to care for animals. She stiffly wiped him bit by bit, from head to toe.

Just when she thought she had accomplished the task, Qin Nanshan somehow found two hairdryers. He extended the invitation. “Blowing dry is the real big project. It would take me half an hour alone. Together?”

“……”

Summer was no longer dripping. The battlefield shifted to the living room. The noise from the hairdryers drove Qin Xi, who was gaming, away.

After ten minutes of blowing, the thick fur was finally half dry. Wen Yi’s hands were numb and stiff.

“Why is bathing a dog so much trouble?”

Qin Nanshan chuckled lightly. “Bathing is actually the easy part. There is still deworming, vaccinations, walking him, preparing food. Summer has a sensitive stomach. He cannot eat many things. If he eats something wrong by mistake, we have to rush to the pet hospital.”

“Ah?” Was this not almost the same as raising a child…

“Do not worry. I will take care of him. You do not have to.”

Wen Yi muttered under her breath: I did not say I would take care of him.

Once dry, Qin Nanshan patted Summer. “All done. Go play.”

But Summer did not leave. He wagged his tail at Wen in law.

Wen Yi looked confused, glancing at the dog, then at the man.

Qin Nanshan’s eyes crinkled with a smile. “Pet him.”

Wen Yi was no longer as scared as yesterday. She touched his head. Only after he was comfortable did he bounce away happily.

Qin Nanshan said, “He really likes you.”

“……” Wen Yi’s mouth was as stubborn as Ms. Wen Hongyu’s. “Do not think you can trick me into scooping his poop or bathing him!”

……

After the New Year’s Eve dinner, the family watched the Spring Festival Gala together for a while. That night, after showering, Wen Yi lay in bed replying to New Year blessings and sending red envelopes. Meanwhile, Qin Nanshan was once again kicked out of the room.

The next morning when she woke up, there was no one beside her as usual. Wen Yi felt completely relaxed. She was gradually finding this method very effective. It prevented outsiders and the baby from suspecting anything, and she could sleep well. It was killing two birds with one stone.

After breakfast, they headed to the eldest uncle’s house.

Qin Xi rode in the same car as Wen Yi and Qin Nanshan. The sisters in law sat in the back row chatting.

Wen Yi asked if she was preparing to look for a job. At the mention of this, Qin Xi got annoyed. “I do not know. Jobs are so hard to find now. I am scared I will not be able to find one.”

Qin Xi’s personality was inherited from Xuan Ying and Qin Heng, but her intelligence was far below Qin Nanshan’s. In her own words, smoothly graduating from A University’s undergraduate program was already a blessing accumulated from half a lifetime in her previous life.

Wen Yi asked curiously, “Does your uncle not own a company?”

Qin Xi: “I cannot go there.”

“Why?”

Qin Xi had no filter. “When Grandpa passed away and divided the assets, he set a rule that our family could never get involved in company affairs. Otherwise, with my aunt’s personality, how could she bear to give so many shares to my parents?”

Wen Yi had a guess in her heart. It seemed their good relationship was all just for show.

Next, they were going to have a meal together. Wen Yi asked a few more questions about the eldest uncle’s family situation to avoid saying the wrong thing out of ignorance.

She never expected that asking would shock her. Qin Xi whispered a warning, “Auntie Zhong Lan has health issues and had trouble conceiving. She was almost forty when she finally got pregnant through IVF. Who knew that after getting pregnant, she discovered Uncle had been cheating the whole time. Auntie made a huge fuss for years. In the end, that woman left, but she left behind a child—the little cousin we have now, who is only three months younger than my cousin brother. Mom says we’re lucky it was a girl. Otherwise, Auntie never would have let her through the door.”

“Uncle’s house is always full of chaos. Anyway, I do not like going there. Sister in law, do not be scared. We just eat and come back.”

The man driving in front did not interrupt or deny it, so the situation was probably more or less accurate.

Wen Yi nodded and took it to heart.

The eldest uncle did not live far away, also in a villa. The area was larger than Qin Nanshan’s family home, with yards in the front and back. The interior decoration was luxurious. Just the large round marble slab at the entrance alone probably cost over a hundred thousand.

As soon as they entered, Wen Yi first saw the obedient girl following behind Auntie Zhong Lan. Her name was Qin Tan, around eighteen or nineteen, with a smile on her face.

Wen Yi did not want to clash with Zhong Lan. She still remembered what she had said at the engagement banquet and the wedding. But they were all adults, and to her, Zhong Lan was nothing more than a stranger she saw only once or twice a year at most. Their relationship was thinner than a cicada’s wing and even lighter. There was no need to punish herself with someone else’s words.

She treated Zhong Lan like a client and smiled brightly. “Uncle, Auntie, Happy New Year.”

They also maintained the facade, enthusiastically welcoming the new bride inside.

Wen Yi personally handed over the gifts and gave one to the younger sister. The girl thanked her and held another in her hand. Wen Yi asked, “Where is little brother? Not home?”

Zhong Lan smiled and replied, “Ignore him. That stinky boy is probably out wandering somewhere again. I will call him when it’s time to eat.”

Wen Yi nodded, then turned to the girl standing obediently beside them. “Has little sister started university this year?”

The girl answered, “Yes, at A University. First year.”

Wen Yi praised her, “That’s impressive.”

Out of the corner of her eye, Zhong Lan’s expression changed slightly before she turned and left.

It was the New Year; no one wanted to make things unpleasant. The two families got along peacefully until dinner in the evening.

Her cousin Qin Kan came back late. Zhong Lan twisted his ear and scolded him fiercely. Qin Kan was rebellious too and talked back a few times. Zhong Lan got even angrier, and Xuan Ying tried to mediate from the side.

The food at Uncle’s house tasted good. Wen Yi focused on eating, turning a deaf ear to the drama at the table.

Until suddenly she heard, “Cannot even get into university. Look at how promising you are.”

Wen Yi looked up at the tense dinner table and suddenly understood why Zhong Lan’s face had changed earlier. Her biological son could not get into university, but the illegitimate daughter had. She probably felt humiliated.

Zhong Lan could not control her temper and said harshly, “If you keep going like this, what kind of wife will you be able to marry? Let me tell you, I will never agree to you being with that low class girlfriend of yours. Not even dating!”

Wen Yi had not thought much of it at first, but Zhong Lan gave her a meaningful glance.

Now she understood. It was a veiled insult aimed at her.

Qin Yong was displeased. “Making a scene on New Year’s. Will it ever end?”

Zhong Lan retorted, “I am making a scene? You are never home and never discipline your son. Now you blame me? I think sooner or later our son will turn out just like you.”

Qin Yong slammed down his chopsticks with a “pa” and stood up to leave.

Wen Yi glanced around. Qin Heng and his wife shook their heads. Qin Xi and her brother were used to it and unfazed. Qin Tan carefully tried to lower her presence. Qin Kan casually continued eating his meal.

How interesting.

But she never expected the matter was not over and that it would soon turn to her.

Wen Yi overheard another conversation.

After dinner, Xuan Ying went to the kitchen to comfort her. Zhong Lan pretended to cry a couple of times before saying, “Guess who I saw on the street yesterday?”

“Who?”

“Wen Yi’s mother!” Zhong Lan’s tone was full of disdain. “She looks about our age but dresses so gaudily. No wonder she raised a daughter like that. There was a man in his forties standing next to her. Did you not say Nanshan has no father in law? Well, I think there will be one soon.”

“At her age, doing this kind of thing—is it not embarrassing? If Nanshan ends up attending his father in law and mother in law’s wedding, and the man brings in some younger brother or sister, would not Nanshan have to support them?”

Xuan Ying said sternly, “Sister in law, you cannot spread rumors about things that are not true.”

Zhong Lan insisted, “I saw it with my own eyes…”

Wen Yi did not want to listen anymore and had no intention of tolerating it. They could gossip about her, but not about her mother. She made some noise as she walked over. The people in the kitchen fell silent. Wen Yi went in.

Xuan Ying looked uncomfortable and said anxiously, “Yi Yi, we will clean up here. Go rest outside.”

Wen Yi smiled. “Thank you, Mom. I just came in to get some water.”