Chapter 40

Zhang Qingchi clearly hadn’t expected Wen Yan to be this calm, or to push back so logically. For a moment, she was so choked up she couldn’t get a word out.

A little embarrassed and angry, she snorted and tried to claw back some dignity. “You’re pretty good with words, huh. My sister must’ve been hooked by all that talk of yours, right?”

Wen Yan saw it clearly now.

This little girl wasn’t clueless at all; she had a clear target, and every bit of her hostility was aimed at Wen Yan.

Since the other party had come with malice, Wen Yan had no interest or obligation to play some roundabout verbal game with her.

So her expression cooled completely, a hint of lazy weariness seeping in, and her tone turned indifferent. “Think whatever you want.”

But she didn’t stop there. Her gaze returned to Zhang Qingchi’s face as she calmly corrected her. “However, there are two things I need to clarify about your evaluation of my appearance.”

“First, my own understanding of my gender is very clear and firm: I’m a woman. That is beyond doubt.”

“Second,” she paused slightly, her eyes bright and open, “what I look like is what a woman looks like.”

“The definition of a woman should never be constrained by narrow stereotypes.”

She watched Zhang Qingchi’s expression shift and continued, her tone carrying the indulgence of an elder toward a younger person, as well as a final warning. “As for what you said today, I can temporarily take it as you being young, speaking without thinking, and lacking basic courtesy and boundaries.”

“I won’t take the contents of this conversation to Zijin on my own initiative.”

“But if you keep trying to offend me in a similar way,” Wen Yan’s voice remained steady, yet a clear chill seeped through it, “next time, I’ll tell her directly.”

“I think she may be very willing to teach you personally what respect means.”

Those words hit Zhang Qingchi’s weak spot dead on.

She might poke and prod in private, but she absolutely did not want to leave an impression of being “unruly” or “ill-mannered” in front of Jin Zijin.

Zhang Qingchi’s face reddened with frustration as she stared. “You…!”

In the end, she only gave a heavy snort, folded her arms, and turned her face away in a sulk.

She didn’t look at Wen Yan anymore; she only watched the movement at the doorway out of the corner of her eye, her cheeks puffed in annoyance.

Wen Yan paid her no mind. She lowered her eyes again and gently stroked Mi Tang’s soft back fur with her fingertips.

She poured all her attention into that warm, quiet little life, as if the undercurrent of tension from moments ago had never happened.

——————

The two of them remained in that subtle standoff for a while longer before clear, steady footsteps finally sounded in the corridor outside the office.

Leather shoes striking marble at an unhurried pace, carrying the composure of their owner.

Zhang Qingchi’s eyes lit up instantly. The sulky expression on her face vanished in a flash, replaced by unhidden delight.

She practically sprang off the sofa and rushed out like a cheerful little bird.

“Jiejie!” she called sweetly as the door opened.

As soon as Jin Zijin stepped into the office area, Zhang Qingchi threw her arms around her.

Jin Zijin froze slightly, then genuine surprise and a smile appeared on her face. She patted her cousin on the back. “Qingchi? When did you get back? Why didn’t you say anything in advance?”

“The tour only ended yesterday! I wanted to surprise you and Auntie!”

Zhang Qingchi let go and hooked her arm through Jin Zijin’s, tilting her face up with a grin. “I missed your wedding last time. This time, for Auntie’s birthday banquet, there was no way I was going to miss it!”

Jin Zijin smiled, but her gaze had already moved past her and landed on the quiet figure on the sofa inside the office.

Following her line of sight, Zhang Qingchi immediately picked up the thread, her tone returning to that deliberately lively lilt. “Oh, right, sis. I got lucky as soon as I arrived; I just happened to run into the ‘young wife’ here.”

“Your taste is... not bad!”

She dragged out the last three words, her eyes flicking toward Wen Yan with hidden meaning.

At that, Jin Zijin’s brow furrowed almost imperceptibly.

She gently pulled her arm free and turned to Zhang Qingchi, her voice warm but unmistakably corrective. “Qingchi, don’t call her that.”

“Wen Yan is a girl. Calling her ‘brother-in-law’ isn’t appropriate.”

The protection in her words was understated, but as clear as a warm current.

Zhang Qingchi widened her eyes exaggeratedly. “Sis! You’re being way too protective! I only said one thing!”

She looked at Wen Yan again, her expression complicated. “Looks like this ‘young wife’ of yours really does have some skills.”

Jin Zijin’s stance remained firm. “Either call her Sister Wen Yan, or call her ‘sister-wife.’ Don’t use ‘brother-in-law’ again.”

“Oh...”

Zhang Qingchi drew out the sound, then her eyes rolled mischievously and she quickly put on a playful smile, turning directly toward Wen Yan. “‘Young wife,’ I think this sounds the smoothest. If I call you that, you won’t mind, right?”

She tossed the ball over with a trace of barely concealed probing and provocation.

Wen Yan lifted her eyes and met her gaze, then glanced at Jin Zijin.

She didn’t like the term, but she liked even less making a scene over a title the very first time they met and putting Jin Zijin in an awkward position.

So she nodded with an indifferent expression. Her voice gave nothing away. “It’s just a form of address. Suit yourself.”

Zhang Qingchi immediately looked triumphant and turned to Jin Zijin, a little smug. “See, sis? Even the ‘brother-in-law’ herself has no objections.”

“She likes this title too, so stop worrying about it!”

Jin Zijin ignored her excuse and subconsciously looked toward Wen Yan.

Wen Yan’s face still held no special expression, calm as ever.

But Jin Zijin still keenly sensed something very unusual.

She couldn’t quite say what felt off, though, and could only assume it was just Wen Yan’s nature; unwilling to argue with Qingchi, she could only shake her head helplessly. “Fine, have it your way.”

She walked over to Wen Yan and naturally sat down beside her. Her gaze fell on the little ball of fluff curled on Wen Yan’s lap, and the sharpness in her brows softened instantly.

She reached out and lightly tapped the kitten’s damp little nose with a fingertip, her voice tender in a way even she herself didn’t seem to notice. “Mi Tang, were you being good?”

“Did you wait well with Mama?”

“Meow~” Mi Tang gave a tiny mew and rubbed against her fingertip.

Jin Zijin’s eyes curved with a smile. She looked up at Wen Yan with amusement. “Does that count as answering me?”

Wen Yan looked at the smile close at hand, and the faint ripples stirred up by Zhang Qingchi quietly settled. A small smile also curved her lips. “Mm, I guess it does.”

The atmosphere between them flowed naturally and intimately, turning the little sofa area into a space that belonged only to the two of them.

Zhang Qingchi took in the scene and felt like her whole world had been turned upside down.

Good heavens...

Since when had her always composed, always restrained cousin, who kept her distance from everyone, ever shown someone such an almost indulgent expression and tone?

This Wen Yan... hadn’t she cast some sort of spell on her sister?

She coughed hard, forcibly inserting herself into the quiet. “Sis! I know you two are newlyweds and all over each other, but could you maybe spare a thought for your little sister who just got back from abroad and is all alone and pitiful?”

“I hardly ever come home. Don’t you want to take me out for something good to eat and celebrate?”

Only then did Jin Zijin fully turn her attention back to her, asking with good humor, “What do you want to eat?”

“Anything!” Zhang Qingchi’s eyes lit up. She immediately suggested, “As long as it’s you and the ‘young wife’ taking me along, it can count as... making up for your wedding banquet!”

She deliberately emphasized the words “wedding banquet.”

But Jin Zijin didn’t agree right away. Instead, she looked at Wen Yan and handed the decision over. “That’s not for me to decide. You’ll have to ask your Sister Wen Yan.”

Zhang Qingchi immediately clasped her hands together and turned to Wen Yan, putting on a pleading posture as she blinked at her. “Please, please, Sister Wen Yan~”

Wen Yan looked at Jin Zijin, then at Zhang Qingchi, who was wearing an expression of hopeful expectation. After a moment of silence, she finally nodded. “All right.”

——————

In the end, the three of them went to a high-end hot pot restaurant known for its privacy and fresh ingredients, and took a quiet private room.

The red-oil broth bubbled away in rolling bursts; steam rose thickly, filling the room with the spicy, fragrant aroma of chili and seasoning.

Zhang Qingchi let out a satisfied sigh. “Ah, I’ve been craving this the whole time I was overseas. I missed it so much it was making me crazy.”

Jin Zijin smiled and put a slice of fresh, tender beef into her bowl. “Then eat more today.”

As Zhang Qingchi ate heartily, her eyes kept darting around; every now and then, her gaze settled on Wen Yan across the table, who was unhurriedly cooking beef tripe.

After brooding for a while, she asked as if casually, her tone full of innocent curiosity, “Sis, speaking of which... at first I heard Auntie say you were getting married, and your intended was named ‘Wen Chen,’ right?”

“How did it suddenly turn into Sister Wen Yan later?”

She lifted a slice of beef and waved it around. “When I heard the news back then, I thought you’d suddenly... gone gay. It really startled me.”

Click.

Wen Yan’s chopsticks, which were just about to lower the meat into the pot, paused almost imperceptibly.

The smile on Jin Zijin’s face faded a little too; a trace of displeasure flashed in her eyes.

This child had truly said too much today, and far beyond any proper boundaries.

She picked up a piece of tender shrimp paste and dropped it into Zhang Qingchi’s bowl, her tone still warm but clearly shutting her down. “There’s so much good food here and you still can’t keep your mouth busy? Focus on eating.”

Zhang Qingchi grinned twice and didn’t let it go. Instead, she leaned in a little, lowering her voice, though it was still enough for both people at the table to hear. “I’m just curious...”

“Sis, when you agreed to that match with the Wen family, I thought you were just going to find some random guy and deal with Grandma that way.”

“Who knew you’d swap out the groom at the last minute, and the new one would be Sister Wen Yan...”

Her eyes moved back and forth between Jin Zijin and Wen Yan, full of mischief. “Could it be... our Sister Wen Yan was just too charming, and you fell in love at first sight, then suddenly found your ‘true love’?”

“Qingchi.” Jin Zijin frowned and added another chopstickful of food to her bowl, her tone turning even less pleased. “You really talk too much.”

That reaction seemed only to confirm Zhang Qingchi’s guess. She immediately let out an exaggerated, “Ohhh—”

She turned to Wen Yan, her eyes bright. “So it really was like that! Sister Wen Yan, what about you? What were you thinking? Why did you agree to marry my sister?”

A series of questions came flying out, and Jin Zijin’s chopsticks paused midair as well.

The beginning of their marriage was not entirely the result of honest, mutual affection.

There was family interest entangled in it, an unexpected substitution, and some complicated feelings that could not easily be explained to outsiders.

She subconsciously looked at Wen Yan, her heart inexplicably tightening.

Wen Yan dipped the cooked tripe lightly into the sesame oil sauce and put it into her mouth. Only after chewing carefully and swallowing did she lift her eyes.

Her gaze lingered briefly on Zhang Qingchi’s probing face, then slowly shifted to Jin Zijin.

The steam from the hot pot blurred part of the view, but it made her eyes seem all the more focused.

“Because,” she said, her voice clear and calm through the haze of steam, “your sister’s charm was greater.”

The private room suddenly fell silent for a beat, with only the pot continuing its steady bubbling.

Wen Yan seemed to sink into some memory, her speech slowing, carrying a kind of rare candor. “The first time I saw her, I liked her a lot.”

She frowned slightly, as if searching for a more accurate way to put it. “At the time, I thought that if she could like me, that would be great.”

“No,” she quickly denied herself, shaking her head. “That doesn’t seem quite right either.”

She set down her chopsticks and folded her hands on the table’s edge. Her expression was more serious than ever, as if she were analyzing a complex case. “What I was thinking then... more precisely, it should have been: my brother Wen Chen doesn’t deserve such a good partner.”

Her gaze landed on Jin Zijin’s face, clear and direct. “Compared to my brother, I think... I’m more suited to standing beside her.”

It was too straightforward, too sincere.

Zhang Qingchi’s mouth fell open; she didn’t even notice the meat slipping off her chopsticks.

Jin Zijin, even more so, froze. It felt as if something had lightly struck her heart, and then her pulse began to race uncontrollably.

She looked at Wen Yan, her eyes full of incredulous surprise, and a hidden tremor from being hit dead-on by such a direct confession.

Wen Yan still didn’t seem satisfied with what she’d said. Her brow furrowed even more. “That way of putting it... may not be quite right either.”

She fell into brief confusion, then continued in a low voice, almost to herself. “I don’t know why I thought that way either.”

“Because before that, I had no expectations for marriage, and I had no particular interest in either women or men.”

“Until that day... I saw her...”

Her voice gradually softened, her gaze drifting away as if she had traveled back through time to that brilliantly lit banquet hall. “That day, she was wearing a black suit. The cut was very sharp.”

“She didn’t deliberately emphasize any feminine features, but she was just incredibly attractive.”

“The first time I saw her, I couldn’t look away.”

“Then I didn’t dare look at her again.” Her voice grew even lighter, carrying the special softness of revisiting old memories. “But I still couldn’t help wanting to look at her.”

“So I turned my head and pretended to look at the night view outside.”

Wen Yan smiled a little, turning to look at Jin Zijin, her eyes very soft. “The floor-to-ceiling windows in the banquet hall were wiped very clean, like a huge mirror.”

“Through them, I saw the brilliant lights outside; and I also saw your profile reflected on the glass.”

Wen Yan rarely spoke so much. The whole private room sank into a long silence.

Only the red broth continued to boil tirelessly, making a monotonous but strangely tender bubbling sound.

Jin Zijin looked at her calm face, and in her mind, Wen Yan’s words kept replaying over and over.

So...

So on the day they first met, she had not been the only one dazzled by a stranger she had only seen once, right?

In fact, that day, you had been looking out the window the whole time to look at me, right?

Secret joy rose in her heart, along with a violent pounding of her pulse, so intense it felt as if it might shatter her ribs.

At last, Wen Yan came out of her memory. She turned her head to look at the thoroughly stunned Jin Zijin beside her.

Seemingly realizing she had said too many inappropriate things, a hint of embarrassment appeared on her face. She awkwardly tried to patch things up. “Ahem... this might sound a little... perverted.”

“You can just listen to it and not take it too seriously.”

Jin Zijin: “...”

She opened her mouth, but found her throat blocked by something and couldn’t get a single word out.

She could only stare blankly at Wen Yan, at her slightly reddened ears, at the fleeting shyness in her clear eyes.

For one brief moment, Jin Zijin only felt her own heartbeat thunder in her ears.

————————

Zhang Qingchi: I should be under the car.

Fake. It’s all made up. This woman is way too good with words; no wonder my sister is completely smitten!

It’s all fabricated!!

The detail: Wen Yan kept looking out the window that day.

What was outside the window?

Your reflection.

[watching the drama]

Write sweet romance! I’m a professional!