Chapter 39

She had come with ill intent.

Wen Yan looked at the young girl who had arrived uninvited and had clearly gotten the message from her brazen scrutiny and judgmental stare.

A hint of confusion appeared on her face at just the right moment, as if to ask: What do you want?

Zhang Qingchi met her eyes and answered with a cold snort, her tone dismissive and haughty. “Eat your food.”

Wen Yan: “...”

She said nothing else, only gave a polite little nod in acknowledgment before quietly looking away and turning her attention back to the lunch in front of her, which she still had not finished.

Her movements remained unhurried, as if she had merely been briefly interrupted by an irrelevant noise.

While Wen Yan calmly returned to her “battle of wits with the dishes,” Zhang Qingchi was far from idle.

She almost immediately treated Wen Yan like some exhibit that needed close inspection, her gaze sweeping over her again and again like a searchlight, critical and measuring, from head to toe, inside and out.

She was tall, with a broad, open frame; straight, wide shoulders; and a waist that narrowed neatly.

Her clothes were simple, but the lines beneath them suggested a body built on smooth strength. Hard-edged curves, not the least bit delicate.

Her bearing was too clean, almost cold.

Even with her hair tied back, she still lacked the usual feminine softness; instead, she seemed even more like a graceful, upright bamboo, elegant in a way that was almost androgynous.

Zhang Qingchi gave a soft tsk through her nose; it was hard to tell whether it was disappointment or contempt.

She looked away, quickly lit up her phone, opened WeChat, found a chat pinned at the top, and typed rapidly:

“Came back to the country early and went straight to my sister’s company to give her a surprise. Guess what? I ran into my legendary ‘brother-in-law’ in her office.”

The other side replied instantly: “What? Sister Zijin likes her so much she actually lets someone into her office?”

“When I went to sign a contract back then, her secretary blocked me outside several times!”

The message was full of pure surprise and envy.

Zhang Qingchi rolled her eyes and quickly typed back: “Save the envy. I looked carefully, and it’s completely different from what you said.”

“This ‘brother-in-law’...” She paused, searching for the most accurate wording. “She doesn’t look like a ‘brother-in-law’ at all; if anything... she’s pretty husband-like.”

“Get it? She’s got a pretty masculine look. Not much femininity.”

The more she spoke, the more certain she became that her observation was devastatingly accurate, and with the confidence of someone who had exposed the truth, she continued: “I’m telling you, my sister isn’t gay at all. She’s straight as an arrow.”

“She chose her mostly because she looks masculine enough to fit the image of a partner in my sister’s aesthetic, and because it completely avoids the hassle of ‘accidental pregnancy.’”

“That’s my sister for you. Rational no matter what.”

After typing that line, Zhang Qingchi’s lips curled into a mocking sneer.

When she sent it, she couldn’t help glancing sidelong at Wen Yan again.

Wen Yan had already finished the last few bites of food at an unhurried pace and was now using a tissue to wipe the corners of her mouth, her movements neat and efficient.

For some reason, Zhang Qingchi felt a surge of irritation. She angrily added another message: “Damn, is she a bottomless pit?”

“She’s cleaned the whole table out. Some men don’t even have her appetite!”

She stared at the screen and could almost imagine her friend on the other end reacting with surprise and gossip, and her mood grew even more complicated as she muttered to herself.

By then, Wen Yan had already tidied up the tableware.

She pressed the internal line, and Li Yue soon knocked and came in, briskly taking the food container away.

“Miss Wen, do you need anything else? The company bakery has some new items today, and the desserts are very good. You can try them.” Li Yue’s attitude was respectful and attentive.

“Okay, thank you for the trouble.” Wen Yan nodded.

Zhang Qingchi, who had been ignored the entire time, immediately raised her voice. “Sister Li Yue, bring me a coffee too, Americano. The dessert... the same as hers is fine.”

“Of course, Miss Zhang.” Li Yue agreed and turned to leave.

The office returned to silence, but an invisible smell of gunpowder lingered in the air.

Zhang Qingchi sat on the single sofa off to the side, deliberately relaxed in posture, but her eyes were locked tightly on Wen Yan.

Wen Yan seemed completely unaware. She simply lowered her eyes and reached out to gently stroke the little fluffball in her lap.

Little Honey flinched, then nudged its head into Wen Yan’s palm.

Watching this, Zhang Qingchi cleared her throat and decided to break the silence first, her tone carrying a carefully manufactured familiarity.

“You’re... Wen Yan, right?” she asked, though she already knew the answer.

At the sound of her voice, Wen Yan looked up and met her gaze calmly. “Mm.”

“My sister got married way too suddenly,” Zhang Qingchi said with a smile that held no warmth. “I was touring overseas with the orchestra then, and the important performances couldn’t be skipped, so I couldn’t make it to your wedding.”

As she spoke, she leaned forward and extended a well-manicured hand, introducing herself with a gesture of handshake. “Nice to meet you. I’m Zhang Qingchi, Sister Zijin’s cousin.”

Wen Yan looked at the hand she had offered but did not immediately take it. She only nodded again, her tone calm and polite. “Hello, Cousin Qingchi.”

That title was courteous, but distant, like a soft wall of cotton that made Zhang Qingchi’s carefully prepared display of social etiquette fall flat.

Her extended hand froze in midair; only after a few seconds did she draw it back awkwardly, the fake smile on her face nearly failing to hold.

What a soft but nasty little jab.

Zhang Qingchi gritted her teeth inwardly and quickly adjusted her approach, turning the subject to the kitten on Wen Yan’s lap. Her tone became deliberately curious. “This cat is yours? It’s so small. How old is it? What’s its name?”

“Little Honey,” Wen Yan answered, gently scratching the kitten under the chin.

“Little Honey?” Zhang Qingchi raised a brow, her tone subtly pointed. “That’s quite a... clingy-sounding name.”

She changed course, her words carrying a hint of anticipation for a good show. “But you might not know this: when my sister was little, a stray cat scratched her badly. Ever since then, she hasn’t really liked little animals, especially cats.”

She watched Wen Yan’s reaction leisurely, tapping in the direction of Little Honey with her fingertip and adding with interest, “You just brought it in like this. If my sister finds out, she might not be happy.”

Wen Yan’s hand on the kitten paused slightly.

Jin Zijin... didn’t like cats?

But when they had discussed adopting one before, she hadn’t objected at all; in fact, she had even actively taken part in choosing the name and the supplies.

A question flashed through Wen Yan’s mind, but it did not show on her face.

She simply tilted her head as if seriously considering Zhang Qingchi’s words, and then answered in a calm, factual tone, “It was Zijin who told me to bring it in.”

She paused, then looked at Zhang Qingchi and added clearly and slowly, “The name ‘Little Honey’ was also chosen by her.”

Zhang Qingchi’s smile froze instantly: “...”

It felt as if something in her chest had been lightly pricked.

But Wen Yan wasn’t finished. She continued with an almost blunt honesty, sprinkling salt over the invisible wound. “Adopting this kitten was a decision we made together.”

Zhang Qingchi: “...!”

She could practically hear something snapping inside her.

Damn it!

That perfectly calm face was obviously hiding a smug little victory dance!

And yet every word she said was true, leaving Zhang Qingchi with nowhere to push back.

Zhang Qingchi took a deep breath and forcefully suppressed her churning irritation, squeezing out an even faker smile. Her voice was stiff. “Looks like... you’re pretty well favored by my sister.”

This time, Wen Yan did not answer immediately.

She thought about it for a moment, about Jin Zijin’s attitude toward her since their marriage.

Spoiling her habits, respecting her space, supporting her work, and even leaning toward her in countless details with near-unprincipled favoritism... Those scenes flashed through her mind.

“Mm,” she finally said, openly nodding. Her gaze was clear as she looked at Zhang Qingchi and confirmed, “That’s true.”

Whether out of a desire to make up for something or simply because she liked her, Jin Zijin really did treat her in a way that could only be described as doting.

Zhang Qingchi was choked silent by her utterly matter-of-fact openness; inwardly, she was already raging: Not a shred of modesty!

Thick-skinned as anything!

At that moment, Li Yue came back with the coffee and desserts, placing them lightly on the coffee table in front of the two of them.

“Please enjoy,” she said. Looking at Wen Yan, she added thoughtfully, “There are also cat treats prepared for the kitten; they’re under the tray. You can feed it.”

“Thank you.” Wen Yan thanked her sincerely for the thoughtfulness.

After Li Yue left, Wen Yan opened the cat treats and the enticing smell of meat drifted out. Little Honey was immediately drawn over and began licking them in small bites.

Zhang Qingchi picked up her coffee and took a sip; the bitterness cooled her down a little and also gave her a new angle of attack.

She set the cup down, her gaze falling on Wen Yan’s profile as she focused on feeding the cat. Her tone turned breezy and suggestive. “Brother-in-law...”

She started with the teasing, belittling title. “You’re pretty popular with women, huh. Even Sister Li Yue is so careful and attentive with you... No wonder my sister took a liking to you.”

Wen Yan’s hand did not stop feeding the cat; she only raised her eyes and looked quietly at Zhang Qingchi, waiting for her to continue.

That gaze was too calm, like a deep pool, and only made Zhang Qingchi feel even more uncomfortable, as if she had been seen through.

Zhang Qingchi avoided her eyes and kept going on her own, her smile carrying more malice. “You’re so tall, and your looks are actually pretty handsome. Back in school, there must’ve been a lot of girls orbiting around you, right?”

She leaned slightly forward, lowered her voice, and every word came out like a poisoned needle. “Come to think of it, your looks are better than most men’s, and there’s no risk at all of making a woman ‘accidentally pregnant’...”

“Heh. If I went to the same school as you, maybe I’d want to mess with you too.”

Buzz.

Something in Wen Yan’s head seemed to ring softly.

Through those words, she finally understood where Zhang Qingchi’s inexplicable hostility came from.

And what kind of petty insult was hidden inside that roundabout language.

The office fell into silence, broken only by the faint sound of the kitten licking the cat treat.

Wen Yan was silent for a very long time; long enough that Zhang Qingchi nearly thought she had been too shocked to speak, and a trace of pleasure began to rise in her heart.

After a while, Wen Yan spoke.

Her voice was still steady, even clearer and calmer than before, as if she were reciting a complicated medical diagnosis. “What you mean is...”

Word by word, she laid the other woman’s hidden malice fully bare in the sunlight. “Zijin chose to marry me because my appearance matches some preference she has for men.”

“And at the same time, I don’t have the biological function of making her ‘accidentally pregnant.’ Is that right?”

She paused and looked directly into Zhang Qingchi’s suddenly flickering eyes, her words blunt and piercing. “In other words, you think Zijin is still fundamentally heterosexual.”

“And I’m only a safe, harmless substitute she found. Right?”

Such direct and sharp analysis left Zhang Qingchi momentarily speechless.

She had not expected Wen Yan to strip away that fig leaf so completely and without the slightest embarrassment.

Her face flashed red and white in turn, and she forcefully gave a cold snort, which counted as a tacit admission. “At least you’re self-aware.”

Wen Yan was not provoked by her attitude.

She even tilted her head slightly, looking thoughtful, then said very seriously, “I think what you just said is a little offensive.”

“Of course,” she added, her gaze open and steady. “Not just to me, but to Zijin as well.”

Zhang Qingchi bristled like a cat with its tail stepped on. “I’m telling the truth. How is telling the truth offensive?”

“The truth?” Wen Yan repeated softly and shook her head. “Zijin is a mature, capable adult.”

“She knows her own needs, understands her own choices, and has enough wisdom and courage to bear every consequence of those choices.”

As she thought it through and responded, Wen Yan’s tone grew firmer. “I don’t think she would enter a marriage just to relieve loneliness, or to enjoy some kind of ‘safe convenience.’”

“With her conditions, if all she wanted was company or entertainment, there would never be a shortage of people willing to rush forward without caring about status or title.”

Wen Yan’s gaze turned solemn and earnest as she looked at Zhang Qingchi, as if stating the most basic truth in the world. “That is Zijin’s charm and value. I’ve never doubted that.”

“Also, please respect your sister as the outstanding and fully independent person she is, someone entirely capable of taking responsibility for her own life.”

Zhang Qingchi was blocked so hard by those words that her face went red and white. She insisted stubbornly, “I... I didn’t say my sister was bad! I was talking about you! About her choosing you...”

“As for me,” Wen Yan cut in, her tone calm again, “I don’t know where your malice toward me comes from.”

“But there is one thing I know very clearly: since Zijin chose me, the person standing beside her can only be me.”

Her voice was not loud, but every word was clear, as if she were convincing the other woman and, at the same time, convincing herself. “I deserve her choice.”

However, the moment those words fell, a faint voice from the deepest part of her heart, like a reef beneath the water, lightly disturbed that certainty.

Really, Wen Yan?

Are you really her best choice, and her final choice?

That question was as light as a feather, yet it made the wall she had just built tremble almost imperceptibly.

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Li Yue: Damn it, this is basic working-people etiquette. Stop making everything into a sexuality thing all the time.

Wen Yan: Whether I believe it in my heart or not, I’m definitely not losing in a verbal fight. [laugh-cry]