It was six in the evening.
Under Lin Hanbing’s urging, Cheng Zhanya ate dinner.
She had eaten a bit too much, and her stomach felt bloated.
She frowned, trying hard not to vomit. She endured it until her face turned pale.
“Are you feeling unwell?”
Lin Hanbing looked worried.
Cheng Zhanya was too embarrassed to admit she had overeaten. She waved her hand and got up to head to the bathroom.
Lin Hanbing followed closely behind, unable to relax.
“Urp—”
“Cough, cough…”
By the time they reached the door, Lin Hanbing heard her wife’s retching. It made her heart race with anxiety.
She went in and gently patted her back.
“Are you feeling any better?”
Lin Hanbing’s expression was odd. “Yaya, did you overeat?”
Cheng Zhanya flushed bright red at being found out, and then came another bout of retching.
Lin Hanbing felt both heartbroken and amused.
She kept patting her wife’s back. The toilet was filled with Cheng Zhanya’s vomit, but Lin Hanbing didn’t feel disgusted at all. She was far more concerned about her wife’s health.
Cheng Zhanya heaved until she had no strength left. She slumped over the edge of the toilet, gasping for breath.
Lin Hanbing carried her back to the living room and poured her a glass of warm water.
“Gargle.”
Cheng Zhanya rinsed her mouth and felt much better.
Inopportunely, Fan Jiujiu bounced over. It stepped on Cheng Zhanya’s thigh and looked up with its cute face. “Meow~”
Lin Hanbing picked it up and booped its nose.
“Go play by yourself.”
“Meow~”
Lin Hanbing sat down beside her and asked softly, “Feeling better now?”
Cheng Zhanya nodded.
Her throat felt raw, like it had been scraped, stinging and burning.
She didn’t want to do anything.
She just wanted to sleep.
But thinking of the appointment that evening made Cheng Zhanya worry she’d oversleep.
“Go rest for a bit.” Lin Hanbing saw through her thoughts and said helplessly, “I’ll wake you at eight.”
“Really?”
Cheng Zhanya looked at her skeptically.
Lin Hanbing disliked Chen Man.
Cheng Zhanya knew that very well.
That afternoon, Lin Hanbing had warned her not to meet Chen Man, and they’d even argued about it. She really wondered if Lin Hanbing might deliberately let her miss the appointment time.
Lin Hanbing looked helpless under her gaze. “Really.”
“I don’t want you having too much contact with her, but since you already agreed, how could I let you embarrass yourself in front of your idol?”
“Then wake me at seven-thirty.”
Cheng Zhanya said.
“Alright. I’ll carry you to the bedroom.”
“No, I can walk myself.” Cheng Zhanya refused.
Lin Hanbing shrugged and watched as she slowly made her way back to the room. There was a hint of resentment in her eyes.
It felt like they had regressed to before their reconciliation.
She shouldn’t have let Cheng Zhanya go to that art exhibition.
At eight that evening.
Cheng Zhanya received a call from Chen Man’s assistant.
The assistant told her the address and time.
She asked if Cheng Zhanya needed a ride.
Before Cheng Zhanya could respond, Lin Hanbing snatched the phone. “Got it.” Then she hung up.
Cheng Zhanya looked at her in confusion. “What are you doing?”
“I’ll drive you.”
A ride?
No need.
If she accepted a ride from Chen Man, that woman would definitely come along.
Cheng Zhanya couldn’t imagine how cramped the car would feel with the two of them, not to mention Chen Man’s predatory gaze.
Lin Hanbing frowned in disgust.
The word “sleazy” had never crossed her mind for a woman before.
Only Cheng Zhanya was oblivious.
Cheng Zhanya had a sweet face that made her look young. After five years of marriage, she had hardly changed at all. Now with her new short haircut, she looked even younger.
These years, she had stayed home painting, with little contact with the outside world. Most of her friends were from high school.
She was like a blank sheet of paper.
Pure and innocent.
Remembering the scandal where Chen Man had been involved with seducing minors, Lin Hanbing felt a chill.
She didn’t want her wife going to this meeting at all.
But Cheng Zhanya had promised.
If she tried to stop her, they’d probably end up fighting again.
“There’s no need to trouble you.” Cheng Zhanya frowned, unhappy that Lin Hanbing had made the decision for her.
“Then are you okay troubling your idol?”
Cheng Zhanya: “…”
She fell silent.
She hadn’t planned to let Chen Man pick her up anyway. It was their first real meeting, and they’d argued over her at noon.
She wasn’t worried about troubling Chen Man—she could just take a cab.
Subconsciously choosing Lin Hanbing stemmed from complete trust, and more importantly, she preferred troubling her wife.
Glancing at the time, there was still some time before the appointment. Cheng Zhanya instinctively opened the wardrobe.
She rummaged through, hesitating over what to wear.
Lin Hanbing stood at the door with her arms crossed, watching her wife’s excited expression thoughtfully.
Clearly, everything she’d said that afternoon had been completely forgotten.
Was there any need to get this thrilled?
Lin Hanbing felt irritated.
She held it back without showing it.
Cheng Zhanya pulled out a pink dress and held it up to herself in front of the mirror. She didn’t notice Lin Hanbing’s twisted expression at all.
She was immersed in her joy.
She had moved some things to Fan Yaobai’s place, so the wardrobe held only less frequently worn clothes. Cheng Zhanya hesitated and pulled out a black slip dress instead.
Lin Hanbing’s face changed instantly.
“Wear something else. It’s autumn— it’ll be cold at night.” She held back, keeping her voice as even as possible to avoid sounding upset.
Cheng Zhanya glanced at her but ignored it, continuing to hold the dress up to the mirror.
In the end, though, she gave it up.
She chose the pink long dress with princess sleeves.
With her short hair, Cheng Zhanya looked even more youthful. Her fair skin made her seem delicate in the pink gown, positively glowing.
Lin Hanbing: “…”
She regretted it.
She regretted waking Cheng Zhanya up.
A casual fan like that—what did it matter if she kept the appointment or not? A scolding from Cheng Zhanya would be better than this anxiety.
Lin Hanbing took a deep breath, regretting it more and more.
Cheng Zhanya didn’t want to wear a jacket, but Lin Hanbing insisted.
The black thin jacket clashed terribly with the pink dress.
Cheng Zhanya: “…”
“I don’t want to wear it.”
Lin Hanbing kept a straight face. “Be good. It’ll be cold tonight.”
Cheng Zhanya was speechless but didn’t argue.
They were meeting Chen Man at a Western restaurant. By the time Cheng Zhanya arrived, Chen Man was already there.
Chen Man held an English novel in front of half her face. A cup of coffee sat on the table. She was quiet and serene, unaffected by her surroundings.
The server led Cheng Zhanya over. “Good evening, Miss Chen.”
Chen Man set the novel down and stood.
“Good evening, Miss Cheng.”
Cheng Zhanya checked the time—she wasn’t late. Out of politeness, she asked, “Have you been waiting long?”
“Not really.” Chen Man smiled.
“What would you like to eat?”
“Anything’s fine for me.” Cheng Zhanya said, “You’re probably more familiar with the menu. I don’t eat Western food often.”
“In that case, I’ll order.” Chen Man smiled. “Do you trust me?”
“Of course.”
“And no need for formal titles with me.” Chen Man laughed. “We’re about the same age. Just call me Chen Man.”
“I’m thirty-four, just a few years older than you.”
“You can call me Man-jie.”
Cheng Zhanya admired Cheng Jiguang, but it was still their first real meeting. She wasn’t used to Chen Man’s forwardness.
Chen Man seemed like a seasoned player in the dating game—generous at every turn, with perfectly timed pressure. Combined with her refined features and unique skin tone, she was incredibly charismatic, easily captivating a young woman’s heart.
She agreed. “Okay, Man-jie.”
“Can I call you Zhanya?”
Cheng Zhanya said humbly, “Little Cheng is fine.”
Chen Man shook her head. “I prefer Zhanya—it feels more intimate.”
“Whatever Man-jie likes.”
Cheng Zhanya felt a bit strange inside but didn’t show it. She nodded in agreement.
Chen Man ordered two medium-rare steaks and one signature pasta.
Halfway through, she paused and asked Cheng Zhanya, “Zhanya, coffee or a cold drink?”
Cheng Zhanya was pregnant.
Both options were off-limits.
Cheng Zhanya smiled at the server. “Hot milk for me.”
“And one steak fully cooked, thank you.”
Chen Man raised an eyebrow. “Fully cooked steak loses all its tenderness and flavor. Medium-rare is the best.”
Cheng Zhanya smiled. “My stomach isn’t great. I can’t digest medium-rare steak, and it often upsets it.”
“What a shame.”
Cheng Zhanya shook her head. “It’s nothing. You get used to it.”
Chen Man nodded, showing respect.
Once the orders were placed and the server left, Chen Man rested her hand on the table. Her eyes fixed intently on Cheng Zhanya’s, a faint smile in their depths. “Zhanya, you love painting so much, and your analysis was so insightful. Your work must be outstanding.”
Cheng Zhanya smiled shyly.
As they talked about her work, Cheng Zhanya forgot that odd feeling from earlier. She smiled and said, “I just paint for fun. It’s nothing like yours.”
Chen Man was a master; Cheng Zhanya was just an amateur.
Not in the same league.
“I wonder if I could take a look at Zhanya’s work sometime.” Chen Man said.
Cheng Zhanya waved her hand. “Don’t say that.”
“My work is serialized online. I haven’t published anything physical.”
“I only have one piece, and it’s unfinished.”
“I’d love to read it.” Chen Man sounded genuinely interested.
Cheng Zhanya felt embarrassed. She hesitated before saying, “My Daily Life with My Wife.”
Chen Man raised an eyebrow. “I’ve had the pleasure.”
“You’ve read it?!” Cheng Zhanya was surprised. She thought a master like Cheng Jiguang wouldn’t waste time on comics.
“I’ve read it. The art style is very healing.”
Chen Man found her surprise amusing. “I’m just a regular person. I need entertainment too.”
“But Zhanya, you… don’t seem like a married woman.”
Cheng Zhanya covered her mouth and laughed softly, looking down. “I got married right after college and have been serializing it ever since.”
“So the ‘friend’ you mentioned this morning is actually your wife?”
Cheng Zhanya thought for a moment and, oddly, didn’t want to deny it. “Yes.”
A subtle change crossed Chen Man’s face. “What a pity. I thought someone as beautiful as you, Zhanya, wouldn’t tie herself down with marriage.”
Cheng Zhanya just smiled without responding. She glanced up and saw Lin Hanbing sitting nearby up front.
She frowned slightly.
Why had Lin Hanbing come too?
Shouldn’t she be at home?
Lin Hanbing sensed her gaze, looked up, and smiled at her. Then she took a sip of milk, as if reminding her.
Cheng Zhanya: “…”
Was she spying on her?
Cheng Zhanya found it both funny and exasperating.
She couldn’t even get mad. In that moment, Lin Hanbing seemed so childish, even endearing in a way she’d never noticed before.
Endearing? That word felt so out of place for Lin Hanbing.
Cheng Zhanya couldn’t help laughing.
Thinking of her attitude toward Chen Man made it impossible to blame her behavior.
Chen Man followed her gaze, her expression shifting slightly.
“Do you know Miss Lin?”
Cheng Zhanya snapped back to attention, reined in her smile, and nodded solemnly. “I do.”
“What a coincidence. I know her too.”
“From a celebratory banquet a few years back.”
“Truly a coincidence,” Cheng Zhanya agreed with a nod.
In the brief lull as the server delivered their dishes, the two women paused their conversation. Soon enough, Chen Man picked it up again. “Should we invite Miss Lin over?”
“No need, right?”
“She’s not interested in painting.”
“But I heard she recently invested in an animation production company.”
Cheng Zhanya replied offhandedly, “Maybe she’s just branching out into new projects.”
“You seem to know Miss Lin pretty well.”
