Chapter 35: Back Home

Xia Zhuxi locked herself in her room.

She had politely turned down Shen Jingsong’s offer to keep her company.

Xia Zhuxi was deeply upset.

She hadn’t been able to give Shen Jingsong the perfect wedding she deserved.

She lay awake all night, her head throbbing with a numb ache. She yanked the heavy blackout curtains tight over the windows and collapsed onto the bed.

Once the initial wave of stress subsided and her emotions began to settle, she marshaled her pained brain to sort through the tangled mess of troubles.

Looking back over the past twenty-odd years, she had no regrets toward anyone except Shen Jingsong.

She hated herself for not reaching out to Shen Jingsong sooner, leaving her to shoulder all that bitterness alone.

As for her biological parents—and Pei Ziying—Xia Zhuxi had fulfilled every obligation.

The whole Lion Garden fiasco was a disaster.

Pei Jianxun had opposed the marriage at first, only changing his tune when he learned the venue was Xuanyuan Villa. Xia Jie had kept dropping hints, urging her to use the opportunity to forge ties between their family and the Chu Family.

At the wedding banquet, the Pei Family and Chu Yun occupied the main table amid a barrage of sycophantic toasts. The couple’s self-aggrandizing display had been utterly cringe-worthy.

After several rounds of drinks, Pei Jianxun—neck flushed red—raised his glass to Chu Yun with a booming voice. “Director Chu, old Pei here wants to talk a big deal with you!”

Xia Zhuxi cut him off. “Whatever business you’ve got, my Boss wouldn’t be interested. Don’t embarrass yourself at my wedding.”

Pei Jianxun smashed his glass in a rage, muttering curses under his breath. In the end, though, he forced a smile at Chu Yun. “Sorry about that, Director Chu. My little girl’s been rude her whole life—hic—thanks for putting up with her all these years.”

~~~

Pei Jianxun prized face and fortune above all else.

By humiliating him in front of Chu Yun and slamming the door on his money-making scheme, Xia Zhuxi had known he’d lash out at her later.

It just so happened that Pei Ziying had stirred up trouble right then, giving him an opening. And with Xia Jie indulging her every whim in that superstitious, old-fashioned way…

Sigh.

Xia Zhuxi rolled onto her back and snatched the squirrel plush toy from beside the pillow, hugging it close.

Xia Jie had always called her a jinx, a star of calamity who doomed the whole family. Back in kindergarten, Xia Zhuxi had actually believed it. Terrified her parents might die, she’d snuck off to White Dragon Temple, scarfing down vegetarian offerings and splashing her face with the holy water meant for the Buddha statue—until the monks sent her home.

God, what an idiot she’d been.

Even if we got hit by a car and died, we never should’ve had you!

Fine. If that was how they felt, then she’d pretend she’d never been born.

Live and let live. Of course, the Pei Family probably wouldn’t be doing much living.

Take Pei Ziying, for instance. Engaged to her longtime suitor yet stringing him along without setting a date, offending Lu Guanlan in the process and even provoking Qi Xuanyan. Her sleazy antics were enough to make anyone cringe.

Xia Zhuxi hadn’t known about Pei Ziying’s messy private life before, but Shen Jingsong had filled her in.

By Sister Jingsong’s account, Pei Ziying was a two-faced manipulator. For her to be fooling around so brazenly now, she must be desperate about something.

Desperate for what, exactly? Fewer hookups? Messing with Shen Jingsong? Or something else—like needs her fiancé couldn’t fulfill?

Xia Zhuxi’s thumb hovered over Li Han’s WeChat chat.

She’d just quit the family group chat and blocked her parents and sister, leaving only her almost-brother-in-law.

To be fair, this brother-in-law had always treated her well. They’d grown up together; he was friendly, without any major flaws.

A red notification dot popped up—it was from Li Han.

Li Han: Xiao Xi, you left the group?

Li Han: Xiao Xi, Mom’s words were harsh, but she is your mom, after all.

Xia Zhuxi gripped her phone, her expression darkening.

What kind of family fell apart so badly that it needed an unwed son-in-law to play peacemaker?

She didn’t reply, waiting to see what he’d say next.

Li Han: Your sister’s okay—just dehydrated from the shock, and she caught a chill from the cold wind. Lungs are a bit infected.

Li Han: Yingying told me about Lion Garden. I don’t fully buy it, so I’m asking you. I know you two have your issues, which is exactly why you need to talk more.

Li Han: Yingying said you messaged her to meet up in the middle of the night. She didn’t even know what the place was. Then when she got there, you locked her in with the lion—is that true?

?!

Pei Ziying’s mouth was a nonstop sewer.

Xia Zhuxi: No. I suggest you check her phone records.

Li Han: Her phone’s broken.

Li Han: Like I said, I don’t believe you’d do something like that. But why would Yingying head to Lion Garden alone at midnight?

That was a question for Pei Ziying—why she’d dared to make a play for Secretary Qi.

The so-called “playboy” who’d clawed her way to the top of Chu Corporation through cutthroat battles, expanding Xuanyuan at breakneck speed, hadn’t let the lions tear Pei Ziying apart only because Xia Zhuxi’s standing with Chu Yun carried that much weight.

Xia Zhuxi: I don’t know. And I don’t want to know anything about Pei Ziying or the Pei Family anymore.

Xia Zhuxi: I asked Director Chu for the surveillance footage for my own sake—not Pei Ziying’s. To clear my name.

Xia Zhuxi: My wife has made it crystal clear: from now on, I have no ties to any of you. And I won’t tolerate anyone bothering my family.

More than ten minutes later, Li Han finally replied: Xiao Xi, you have indeed been wronged. But you must remember, blood is thicker than water. Mom and Dad, and your sister—they will always be the most important people in your life. They’re just not good at expressing it, but deep down, they love you.

Li Han: I’m your brother-in-law, and that won’t change. As long as you speak up, your brother-in-law will do everything he can.

Xia Zhuxi stared at the message for a long time. Suddenly, she felt sorry for this big brother she’d grown up playing with since childhood.

She typed on the keyboard: Brother Li Han, what do you like about Pei Ziying?

Then she deleted it.

After going back and forth several times, she still deleted the words, sent a thank-you emoji, and then blocked Li Han.

After pursuing Pei Ziying for so many years, he still hadn’t reflected on the red flags. He kept making excuses for that scum everywhere he went. Would a meddlesome “nice guy” like him even listen to her advice?

Probably not.

He might even accuse her of spreading rumors.

Xia Zhuxi, oh Xia Zhuxi—in the first half of your life, you suffered because you stuck your nose in too many things.

In the second half, just focus on doting on your wife.

~~~

She slept.

When she woke, it was evening. The curtains were still drawn, but they puffed up slightly in the breeze.

Xia Zhuxi had closed the window before going to sleep. Shen Jingsong must have come in to check on her and cracked it open for some fresh air.

She glanced at the air conditioner by the door. The temperature had been turned up two degrees, and the mode switched to sleep.

The humidifier on the corner of the desk was steadily releasing a mist scented with Snow Pine Romance.

Her taut nerves relaxed without her realizing it. Xia Zhuxi soaked in a bath, and when she stood up, she found a bathrobe right within reach.

Shen Jingsong had even prepared clothes for her.

A single rose petal was pinned down by a milk candy.

Tiny words were written on the petal: Eat me.

It was the milk candy from their wedding.

The one that had tricked her into a kiss.

Sweet, scorching-hot candy.

Xia Zhuxi slipped the candy into her mouth and sucked on her fingertip.

Mm.

Eat you.

Shen Jingsong had stewed fish soup—creamy white and brimming with a rich, savory aroma.

“Sister Jingsong.” Xia Zhuxi descended the stairs, her hands hanging at her sides, a squirrel plush toy dangling from one fist.

Shen Jingsong was adjusting the seasoning. She looked up, her smile warm and gentle. “Whose big baby is this? For a second, I thought it was Lulu from downstairs.”

Xia Zhuxi set the plush on the sofa, letting it join the Squirrel Army. She knew that little Lulu was always dragging a unicorn toy around everywhere. The unicorn was the logo for Lu Guanlan’s company, Fairy.

It was a subtle way of expressing love and dependence.

Xia Zhuxi padded over in her slippers and hugged Shen Jingsong from behind, pressing her bare little belly against the bow of the apron. “Sister Jingsong’s.”

A pause.

How childish.

Both of them laughed until their eyes crinkled.

Xia Zhuxi didn’t like eating crucian carp. Shen Jingsong said she knew and scooped all the tofu out of the soup for her—the essence of the fish had been stewed right into it. Warm and nourishing, good for the liver and kidneys. Who asked Xia Zhuxi to stay up so late these past few days, barely sleeping and even complaining about back pain?

Shen Jingsong had also bought jujube-walnut pastries. “Still got a headache? Walnuts are good for the brain.”

Xia Zhuxi blinked in surprise. “Sister Jingsong, didn’t you say that ‘eating something to replenish it’ is all nonsense?”

Shen Jingsong smiled bashfully. “Yeah… but when I got worried, I started believing it.”

Xia Zhuxi pulled her into a hug and nestled onto the sofa. “The headache was just from lack of sleep. I took a nap earlier, so it’s gone now.”

If anything, Shen Jingsong looked worse—without her makeup, there were dark circles under her eyes.

She’d gotten even thinner.

Other brides gorged themselves, blissed out and maybe even gaining a pound or two on the scale.

But her Shen Jingsong… she’d worried herself sick over Xia Zhuxi, barely sleeping a wink even on their wedding night. And now back home, she was still fretting, buying a huge bag of jujube-walnut pastries.

Xia Zhuxi tightened her arms around her, her eyes growing misty.

She felt like no amount of pampering would ever be enough for Shen Jingsong.

This woman was the apple of her eye.

They leaned back on the sofa, watching the little birds outside the floor-to-ceiling window—flitting up into the air one moment, then perching on the branches the next.

Shen Jingsong spoke softly. “Li Han said you blocked them all?”

Xia Zhuxi drooped her eyelids. “He came to you?” She sounded annoyed. “Just delete him.”

Shen Jingsong nodded. “Mm.” After a brief silence, she added, “Sorry, Xiao Xi. I don’t know if what I did back then was right. And I didn’t even ask for your permission.”

In this whole world, the only person who wasn’t allowed to apologize to her was Shen Jingsong.

Xia Zhuxi told her to wait a moment. She went to the safe in the study and retrieved a thin, crimson-red booklet. She set it on the coffee table and opened it.

“The Household Registration Booklet. Just me.” Xia Zhuxi spoke with conviction. “This household’s always had only me in it, so Sister Jingsong, you didn’t need anyone’s permission for what you did.”

Shen Jingsong flipped to the blank page at the back and placed her ID card on it. “And me.”

She met Xia Zhuxi’s surging gaze. When she smiled, the corners of her eyes curved enchantingly. “Just add one more person to the Household Registration Booklet.”

~~~

《Eight Tones of Ganzhou》 dominated the charts for two straight months, catapulting Exiled Fairy Ranran to instant stardom.

She was still the same Shen Jingsong, but the Qifeng Boss looked at her with an entirely different expression now.

“Teacher Shen, have you considered the jewelry ad?”

“Jingsong, have you selected the new script yet?”

“Our Jingjing Fairy wouldn’t even consider such an obscure production; it has to be an A-list lead role.”

Shen Jingsong sighed, once again witnessing the boss’s fickle nature.

“What obscure production?”

The boss grumbled, “Love Saint. Just the name sounds outdated, and they still have the nerve to send over the intent letter.”

What saint?

Shen Jingsong suspected she had misheard and asked for the file to see for herself. Sure enough, it was some masterpiece from a certain Pei. Oh ho, what clever tricks had she pulled to squeeze money out of him?

Shen Jingsong tossed the file aside. Today, she was heading home early; Mid-Autumn Festival was approaching, and there were plenty of things to prepare at home.

As she passed the reception room, she spotted a somewhat familiar figure.

Xiao Yun?

The woman next to her was… Boss Wu from Huangjia Film Industry.

Shen Jingsong frowned. Boss Wu was someone whose boldness might not be apparent to those without prior dealings—she was a real powerhouse.

But those deep in the industry knew better: charitably put, she was bold; more plainly, her methods were opaque. She lent money privately and loved signing high-stakes bets.

Rumor had it she had already ruined several young directors and investors.

The elevator doors slid open, and the tip of Shen Jingsong’s high heel caught the edge of the gap. A sultry female voice rang out from behind her.

“Shen Jingsong, got a moment to chat?”

“Me?”

Xiao Yun was wearing heavy makeup, her eyeshadow a deep, intense shade. “Yes, you.”

Boss Wu had already left, leaving Xiao Yun and Shen Jingsong on the reception room balcony overlooking the bustling traffic below.

Xiao Yun said she had seen the confession wall from A Film Academy ten years ago. The official blog had deleted many posts, but some bot had screenshots archived.

Xiao Yun furrowed her brows. “Did Pei Ziying try to get back together with you the last time she saw you?”

Shen Jingsong wasn’t sure what her angle was and gave a concise reply. “Yes.”

Xiao Yun said she understood, her face twisting with resentment. After a moment, she smiled and nodded, her bracelet clinking coldly against the railing. “But you married Xia God.”

The conversation lasted less than three minutes.

When Shen Jingsong left, Xiao Yun was still sitting alone in the reception room, lost in a daze.

Combining it with their earlier talk, Shen Jingsong found it odd that Xiao Yun and Boss Wu were meeting at Qifeng.

Something felt off.

What exactly was off?

Never mind, it had nothing to do with her.

Mid-Autumn reunion.

A home with just two people was still a reunion.

Shen Jingsong taught Xia Zhuxi how to wrap mooncakes.

The neighbors downstairs found out and came up with their child to join the fun.

With a kid around, Shen Jingsong bought a batch of cartoon-shaped molds.

Lulu loved clinging to Shen Jingsong.

“Aunt Shen is the gentlest. Mommy’s a slacker, Godmother Lu scolds me, and Aunt Xia is great but sometimes doesn’t let me play with Aunt Shen.”

Shen Jingsong sifted the red bean paste with a smile. Mm, what a spot-on assessment.

The four adults and one child made two trays of mooncakes, sealed them, and planned to eat them under the moon that evening.

Night fell, and the bright moon hung high.

Xia Zhuxi took a bite of a mooncake. “When did I ever stop Lulu from playing with you?”

Shen Jingsong’s fragrant shoulders were slightly exposed as she held a fan half-covering her face. “What do you think?”

Xia Zhuxi’s ear tips flushed red. ?

Shen Jingsong set down the fan, revealing a triumphant smile.

It was the bad squirrel.

Xia Zhuxi knew she had been teased again.

*

The Li family was decked out with lanterns and decorations.

The prospective daughter-in-law had agreed to spend Mid-Autumn at her husband’s family, so Mr. and Mrs. Li were delighted.

They were just about to start the reunion dinner when their son suddenly pulled his fiancée aside, his tone full of helplessness.

“Yingying, it’s a holiday today, and Mom and Dad are here. It’s not good for you to leave suddenly like this. At least stay for dinner.”

“Mid-Autumn comes every year, but this movie opportunity is only once!”

Li Han tried persuading her for a long time but still couldn’t keep Pei Ziying.

He had no idea where she had pulled in this investment from; she insisted the investors were holding a meeting tonight to discuss the script and casting.

Seeing him return to the table alone, Li Han’s father was displeased. “She left?”

Li Han nodded.

Li Han’s father slammed the table. “Mid-Autumn is for family reunion— she won’t even eat dinner? Does she have any respect for her elders or her husband’s family?!”

The Li family was an old established clan in Shengjing, while the Pei family were upstarts. The Lis had never approved of their son pursuing a Pei girl and only relented because of his infatuation.

Back in the day, Pei Ziying had indeed shone brightly—beautiful, clever, and likable. But these past years, she had run her studio without producing a single hit, surviving solely on Li Han’s support. The Li family was deeply dissatisfied.

Mrs. Li’s blood pressure rose as she fumed, “Ahan, ask her if this marriage is even happening!”

“Mom, calm down. Yingying’s just chasing her dreams, and now she finally has a shot…”

After soothing his parents, Li Han went out alone and sat in his car, lighting a cigarette.

Pursuing Pei Ziying had never felt tiring before, but in the six months since their engagement, Li Han felt an unprecedented exhaustion.

He couldn’t remember when this humble obsession had begun. All that lingered in his mind was a hazy image of Pei Ziying at around ten years old, patiently explaining the problems to him.

His mind wasn’t the sharpest, and his grades had always been at the bottom of the class. If he got a question wrong, he’d have to stand outside the classroom as punishment—only correcting it allowed him back inside. Pei Ziying happened to pass by the doorway. She was so beautiful, with her big eyes and red lips. She smiled at him and smoothly corrected the mistakes on his paper.

Li Han exhaled a puff of smoke.

His phone vibrated. Li Han pressed a hand to his forehead and unlocked it.

He swiped open the screen, and his pupils abruptly contracted.

Staring back at him was a blatantly explicit photo. Pink lighting cast an ambiguous glow, while a red carpet lay strewn with all sorts of toys.

A disheveled woman sprawled in a brazen pose, her mouth wrapped around a cat teaser stick.

The snapshot was perfectly clear.

That woman bore the face of his fiancée.