Chapter 3: Do the Things Wives Do

The momentum of that roller coaster ride still hadn’t faded.

In just one day.

Xue Erbai had gone from waking from a nightmare, to Ji Wushan’s accidental amnesia, to her lying in a hospital bed...

And now she looked like this—so temptingly beautiful.

Xue Erbai’s heart was pounding so hard it felt like it might burst.

Relief and delight, and an excitement so intense she couldn’t put it into words.

And beneath it all, a secret thrill.

During Ji Wushan’s college years and the period right after graduation, it had been the moment when Xue Erbai truly realized her feelings, yet could only hide them in silence.

She had been busy with school.

Since she was little, she had played the part of the obedient, well-behaved daughter by her mother Xue Yanhe’s side.

If it hadn’t been for the year she entered university, when same-sex marriage was legalized, she still wouldn’t have dared think about how to come out to Xue Yanhe.

Not that she was exactly afraid; there was simply no reason. There wasn’t even anyone she liked by her side. If she were to say, with nothing to stand on, “Mom, I like women. I want to marry a woman,” Xue Yanhe would have had an eighty percent chance of not believing her.

Even if she did believe it, there still wouldn’t have been any upheaval.

Qimiao Miao was technically a family business; Xue Erbai was now its CEO.

But twenty years ago, it had just been neither a big nor a small snack factory. It had been built up step by step under the leadership of Xue Erbai’s mother, Xue Yanhe. After twenty years of ups and downs, Xue Yanhe had developed a personality that was decisive and unquestionable.

And this marriage, in Xue Yanhe’s eyes, was really nothing more than a business alliance; and not even the best choice of alliance at that.

After the contract marriage was signed, Xue Erbai immediately informed Chairman Xue Yanhe.

She also informed another director, her father, Xue Shan.

“The industry isn’t doing well. This time the Ji family overreached themselves; the follow-up capital can’t keep up. The rumor is that Ji Xian owes gambling debts..."

“And besides, I have feelings for Ji Wushan..."

Xue Erbai had explained the reasons for the contract marriage to Ji Wushan, and after listening for a long time, Xue Yanhe cared about only one thing. She cut in and asked, “Did you overreach yourself too?”

Qimiao Miao was neither huge nor tiny.

Even if an investment lost some money, it wouldn’t shake the foundation; but money couldn’t be lost for nothing. Xue Yanhe’s question hit straight at the heart of the matter.

Yet Xue Erbai, who already had private thoughts of her own, answered vaguely, “I’m going to develop Province Y next; Mom, trust me.”

“If you don’t trust me, just fire me.”

From childhood to now, Xue Erbai had almost never made a losing deal. The location of the Ji family’s shopping mall project in Province Y was actually pretty good; even if physical retail was in a slump now, at worst it would still make a small profit, never a loss. She couldn’t possibly lose money on it.

Sure enough, once Xue Erbai said that, Xue Yanhe had nothing left to say.

After a pause, she said, “Mom trusts you.”

There wasn’t much warmth between mother and daughter. In Xue Erbai’s world, Xue Yanhe was more often strong, rigorous, and businesslike.

But on the road to growing up, Xue Erbai had always cared especially about Xue Yanhe’s opinion, whether it was criticism or praise.

These kinds of conversations were rare; once they happened, Xue Yanhe wouldn’t keep making things difficult.

So Xue Erbai made a relaxed call to Xue Shan, saying everything briefly and directly, from the investment to the marriage.

On the other end, Xue Shan didn’t know which mountain he was on; the signal was poor. “So you... like... her?”

Her parents had divorced early. Most of the time, Xue Erbai lived with the housekeeper auntie. One of them ran the company and made money; the other made a living through photography; they lived separately.

That made Xue Erbai a little split.

And now too.

She felt heartache that Ji Wushan had forgotten these years; she also felt fortunate, able to take advantage of her amnesia and truly slip into the gap, to show Ji Wushan every side of herself she had never dared reveal.

To tell Ji Wushan she could rely on her.

To tell Ji Wushan she could have sincerity.

But all of this had to be done slowly.

The amnesiac Ji Wushan was more like a fragile doll; even the two of them having done things together only showed up as that face flushed from physical reaction.

Now she blushed at the slightest thing.

And such a Ji Wushan, besides herself, seemed like she might also need other family members, right?

After all, what Ji Wushan had lost happened to be the part of her life that Xue Erbai had been missing, or rather, had almost never been part of.

----

【“Her Romantic Encounter” may delay filming due to XTV host Ji Wushan’s traffic accident...】

After Ji Wushan drank some congee, she fell asleep. Xue Erbai was called out by Qiao You, and information from the traffic police team came through at the same time. The accident responsibility was split fifty-fifty; Qiao You had already handled most of it.

And just from the video, no one could clearly tell why Ji Wushan had been so distraught.

At the same time, because she wasn’t really a well-known host, her participation in a currently fairly popular program shot the matter onto the trending list.

But the comments underneath had Xue Erbai frowning hard.

The show had been finalized months ago: a dating variety show jointly produced by XTV and Youzi TV. Ji Wushan would join the recording as both host and guest.

She was originally an XTV-contracted host; it was just one of her jobs.

It was only that last month, one of the dramas starring newly signed actress Yi Fan, a dual-female-lead series, had become a modest breakout hit. Then the production team announced that Fu Lingnan, an award-winning actress who had been hugely popular a few years back, would also join. The show’s popularity immediately shot up.

Now Ji Wushan had become the target of criticism; nobody cared about her physical condition.

Everyone was just attacking her, complaining about the delayed filming.

Xue Erbai was perfectly capable of handling public opinion, but once it involved Ji Wushan, she couldn’t help worrying.

“Don’t let her see it.”

“And you’re not allowed to mention it either.”

Xue Erbai instructed Qiao You, but after saying it she felt she was overdoing it because she cared too much.

How could Qiao You possibly bring it up on her own?

And how was she supposed to stop Ji Wushan from looking at her phone? And...

What annoyed her even more was that Xue Yanhe’s call came before she even made it back to the ward.

“I heard Wushan was in a car accident?”

“Yes.”

“I’m at the hospital entrance. Have someone come pick me up.”

Just like that.

Xue Yanhe was incredibly decisive. Though she phrased it as a question, she was already there.

Xue Erbai had no choice but to send Qiao You to pick her up.

When Xue Yanhe reached the door, Xue Erbai personally told her about Ji Wushan’s amnesia.

“Don’t provoke her.”

Xue Erbai didn’t really know how Xue Yanhe might provoke Ji Wushan, but she still said it.

Xue Yanhe really did speak little. She only offered the usual concern, and said that after Ji Wushan was discharged, she should come live at home.

Xue Yanhe and Xue Shan had divorced years ago. Xue Yanhe lived alone at Songfeng Bieyuan, out in the suburbs, where the environment and scenery were both excellent, and there were housekeepers and nutritionists.

Xue Erbai also stayed there occasionally, and most of her belongings were kept there too.

At first, she had been planning to go visit only after her relationship with Ji Wushan deepened a little more.

She hadn’t expected Xue Yanhe and Ji Wushan’s first meeting to be in the hospital.

Naturally, Xue Erbai turned down the invitation.

Neither of them said much. When Ji Wushan first saw Xue Yanhe, there was a heavy emotion in her eyes; then it faded.

It wasn’t until Xue Erbai sent her off and came back that Ji Wushan had already turned onto her side, the blanket pulled up to her neck.

It was getting late too. After the medicine was changed, Xue Erbai squeezed onto the narrow folding bed and silently looked at Ji Wushan.

In the next few days, Ji Wushan was quiet and obedient, speaking very little to Xue Erbai.

Until the day of discharge, when the phone rang. Just after her bandages had been changed, Ji Wushan’s hand trembled.

A thin mist quickly gathered in her eyes.

Like she was asking for help, she looked toward Xue Erbai.

Only then did Xue Erbai lower her head and ask, “What’s wrong?”

Actually, she had already seen the caller ID on Ji Wushan’s phone.

【Her】

A name that barely counted as a name.

“Can I answer it?”

“...You can.”

She had hardly spoken all day, so Ji Wushan’s voice was a little hoarse. Xue Erbai held the phone and swiped to answer while handing over a cup of water.

Watching Ji Wushan take small sips, she asked the other side softly, “Hello?”

A few seconds passed without a sound. Only then did she glance down and realize the call hadn’t connected at all.

Or rather, the moment she answered, the other side had hung up.

She wanted to ask who that person was, and why they could make Ji Wushan this nervous.

But Ji Wushan clearly didn’t want to say; instead, she asked, “Are we going to... Mom’s place?”

“You want to?”

For some reason, Xue Erbai heard a trace of reluctance in Ji Wushan’s tone.

But when she asked, Ji Wushan only gave a small nod. “After all, she’s your mother; and besides..."

“She cared about me that day.”

Cared about her?

Xue Erbai asked herself that in her heart.

After all, Xue Yanhe’s visit that day had felt more like routine business.

A visit to see her daughter, her wife.

Then agreeing to it in that way still counted as routine business.

“Okay, then we’ll stay one night.”

Visiting Xue Yanhe was actually not that easy for Xue Erbai.

So she specifically had Qiao You send over clothes.

She took off the white loungewear she had on and changed into a gray suit.

When she came out of the bathroom, she clearly saw the faint surprise in Ji Wushan’s eyes.

She knew very well why.

Aside from the first day, she hadn’t dressed like this.

And that day, because of so many things, she hadn’t looked particularly proper either; it had been a completely different feeling.

On the way there, Xue Erbai handled a few calls.

Ji Wushan was very quiet.

Her phone was even quieter.

As soon as the incident happened, Xue Erbai had contacted the TV station. Everything that could be handled had been handled.

They would wait and see how Ji Wushan recovered before deciding when she’d return to work.

The wife privilege was being used by Xue Erbai for the first time so smoothly that her mood was excellent.

But when they got out of the car and she saw Ji Wushan’s nerves, her good mood nearly fell apart.

“It’s okay,” she said softly, taking Ji Wushan’s hand.

Feeling the coolness of her fingertips, she tightened her grip a little and said, “After we go in, I might accidentally offend you.”

That was Xue Erbai’s polite warning. Ji Wushan seemed prepared for it too; she gave a light nod.

The villa Xue Yanhe lived in was the smallest one in all of Songfeng Bieyuan. Creepers wound through the courtyard, giving it an old-fashioned, classical feel.

Before entering, Xue Erbai spoke up as if she were afraid Ji Wushan would be nervous. “My mom just likes this one.”

Her tone was bright, almost playful.

But once Ji Wushan was led into the house hand in hand by Xue Erbai, she became very proper.

The fingers around Xue Erbai’s wrist held just the right amount of pressure; every step followed Xue Erbai’s own rhythm. Ji Wushan kept close, right on her heels.

During the meal, the conversation between mother and daughter didn’t seem to require Ji Wushan to rack her brains.

Xue Erbai would pass the topic along, and she would skillfully steer around Xue Yanhe’s questions.

At night, naturally, the two of them stayed together.

The master bedroom on the third floor had been specially kept for Xue Erbai by Xue Yanhe, convenient for when she came back; convenient for when she brought her wife back too.

The bed was big; the two of them lay together and could barely touch each other.

But this was also the first time in Ji Wushan’s memory that she had shared a bed with someone else.

And that person was her wife.

During the hospital stay, they’d had some unavoidable physical contact. Ji Wushan would also occasionally be stirred by things Xue Erbai had said.

【A wife who can sleep next to you.】

The surface injuries on her body were already fine, only her fingers...

She was a little nervous, but fortunately after Xue Erbai finished showering she was called away by Xue Yanhe to discuss something. By the time she came back, Ji Wushan’s tension had eased by half. But the moment she saw Xue Erbai in black lace sleepwear, she still couldn’t stop herself from blushing.

The bed dipped; another person’s warmth spread over.

Ji Wushan blinked silently.

The scent of lime couldn’t be shaken off.

She turned her head to look at Xue Erbai, who had lain down on her side; she stared at Xue Erbai’s hair, soft like seaweed. Under the orange light, Xue Erbai looked so warm that she made one want to reach out and touch her even more.

But Ji Wushan didn’t move. In a low, soft, honest voice, she only said, “My fingers... still aren’t better.”

“Maybe I can’t do the things wives do.”

“But I can kiss you.”