Chapter 19: Shen Yin

At the dining table, Xie Cen said to Wen Ming Yue, “Jing Jing changed her flight ticket. She’ll be back the day after tomorrow.”

Before Wen Ming Yue could speak, Wen Lan Sheng said, “It’s good that she’s coming back. We need to have a good talk with Jing Jing. The family’s money doesn’t grow on trees. How much have we spent on her education these past few years? Not only does she not care about the family’s expenses, but she’s also out there living a life of debauchery and couldn’t even manage to get a graduation certificate.”

Xie Cen defended her, “Your sister is more upset than anyone about being expelled. Don’t scold her anymore.”

Wen Lan Sheng pressed his lips together, knowing his parents favored his sister the most, and said no more. He picked up a piece of sweet and sour pork and placed it in Fan Xia’s bowl, “Xia Xia, eat this.”

Fan Xia took a bite, the sweet and sour sauce coating the tender pork, “It’s delicious. Lan Sheng, your cooking skills are getting better and better.”

“During the day when you go to work, after Lan Sheng finishes cleaning the house, he thinks about how to cook delicious meals to reward you,” Xie Cen chuckled, his eyes crinkling with laughter. “After all, he’s a boy, and family should be his priority. Lan Sheng’s childhood dream was to be a full-time househusband, and now that dream is about to come true.”

“Dad,” Wen Lan Sheng complained playfully.

Fan Xia smiled and said, “Uncle is right. I also hope that after marriage, Lan Sheng can focus on the family. After all, it’s too tiring to juggle both a career and take care of the family.”

“Xia Xia…” Wen Lan Sheng’s eyes shone with emotion.

“My daughter-in-law is so thoughtful. After all, Lan Sheng will need to give you daughters in the future and take care of the family. Let you women handle the workplace and career,” Xie Cen couldn’t stop smiling when he heard Fan Xia say that Wen Lan Sheng could be a full-time househusband after marriage.

As a man of the older generation, when he was young, he had to work at the factory to earn work points, then come home to cook for his wife-master and children, deal with his father-in-law’s difficult demands, and constantly be on guard against homewreckers. After struggling for most of his life, he was utterly exhausted and envious of those men who married well, not having to work themselves to death, only needing to take care of the home and children.

Moreover, Fan Xia was an orphan, so Lan Sheng wouldn’t even have to deal with the most troublesome in-law relationship in the future. Fan Xia was also wholeheartedly good to Lan Sheng, so he would be in charge of household matters. When Fan Xia got promoted, she could even help support Wen Jing.

Thinking of Wen Jing, Xie Cen felt melancholic and worried about his daughter’s future.

In these competitive times, without even a college degree, it would be very difficult for Wen Jing to find a stable job with good benefits in the capital… They could only ask Lan Sheng to plead with Fan Xia.

“Fan Xia, Jing Jing is about to return to the country, but given her current situation, she definitely won’t be able to find a good job. Could you help Jing Jing find a stable, high-paying position and get her in?”

Upon hearing this, Wen Lan Sheng was stunned. He looked at Xie Cen, wondering how someone expelled from university could possibly get a good position, and asking Fan Xia to intervene would only put her in debt to others.

Although Wen Lan Sheng wasn’t a workplace elite, he knew that workplace favors were the hardest to repay, especially for someone as hopeless as Wen Jing.

“Dad, let’s talk about this later. Let’s eat first,” Wen Lan Sheng answered for Fan Xia before she could speak.

After dinner, Wen Lan Sheng finished washing the dishes and came to the bedroom.

Fan Xia was sitting on the edge of the bed, handling work. A few stems of ginger flowers were in the vase by the bedside, their white, delicate petals held up by clear green calyxes. The floral scent, more subtle and elegant than gardenia, spread throughout the bedroom.

Wen Lan Sheng sat down beside Fan Xia, watching her fingers tapping incessantly on the laptop keyboard. Since the computer was on her lap, it would occasionally shake slightly.

She originally had her own independent study, and Wen Lan Sheng felt guilty and upset. If it weren’t for bringing his parents over, Fan Xia wouldn’t have to work cramped in the bedroom. For his sake, Fan Xia had already sacrificed so much.

Wen Lan Sheng gently pressed his face against her thin back, feeling her heartbeat. A warm current flowed from the bottom of his heart.

He placed his hands on Fan Xia’s shoulders, his fingers applying slight pressure, gently massaging to relieve the shoulder and neck pain caused by her work.

“Xia Xia, don’t take what my dad said earlier to heart,” Wen Lan Sheng said while massaging her shoulders.

Fan Xia paused her work and turned to look at him.

Wen Lan Sheng saw Fan Xia’s slightly surprised expression, obviously not expecting him to say this. She was always like this, ready to meet any request, whether from him or his family. She was probably already planning for Wen Jing’s work after her return.

Wen Lan Sheng felt both grateful and heartbroken.

“I know Wen Jing’s situation very well. My dad’s request is really too much to ask of you. Moreover, being expelled from school for cheating on exams is entirely her own fault. You’re just her sister-in-law, you don’t need to take responsibility for her,” Wen Lan Sheng hugged Fan Xia’s waist from behind, deeply inhaling her faint fragrance, his voice trembling, “Xia Xia, we just need to live our own lives well.”

Fan Xia’s expression was subtle as she held Wen Lan Sheng’s hand, “But if you do this, and uncle finds out, he’ll blame you.”

Wen Lan Sheng hugged her tighter, so tight that she could barely breathe, “Let him blame me then. I’m Jing Jing’s brother, but I’m not her parent. Some things shouldn’t be our responsibility to handle. I only need to take care of mom and dad. Jing Jing needs to face the consequences of her own mistakes.”

Being Fan Xia’s man, being with Fan Xia, was his lifelong obsession. He would fulfill his filial duty to support his parents, but for others, Wen Lan Sheng admitted he was selfish. He only wanted to seal off his world with Fan Xia, isolating it from everyone else. In their world, there would be nothing but each other.

Having said this, Wen Lan Sheng’s hand gradually moved upward, skillfully caressing the third button of her nightgown.

Fan Xia pressed down on his hand, whispering, “Don’t be naughty.”

“I’m not being naughty,” Wen Lan Sheng nuzzled Fan Xia’s face, breathing rapidly, “Xia Xia, I… I don’t want to use that anymore… let’s have a child.”

Fan Xia’s eyes changed slightly, “We’re about to get married. It’s not good for you if people find out you’re pregnant before the wedding.”

Wen Lan Sheng buried his face in the crook of her neck, each breath bringing a wave of heat to her neck, “I don’t care about what others think, otherwise I wouldn’t have… in high school. Besides, our wedding is just over a month away. If you conceive now, it won’t be noticeable.”

Fan Xia closed her laptop and turned to face Wen Lan Sheng, looking at his expectant eyes. Her voice was soft, “I know you don’t care about others’ opinions, but I do. I’ve hurt you once before, and although no one knows, I still remember the way those nurses looked at you when I went to pick you up from the clinic…”

Mentioning the abortion from his second year of high school, Wen Lan Sheng’s body trembled involuntarily. It was his nightmare, the pain of feeling his own child being crushed and flowing out of his body bit by bit with forceps, and the contemptuous looks from the nurses pushing him out of the operating room. He would never forget that humiliation for the rest of his life.

Fan Xia hugged Wen Lan Sheng’s trembling body, her voice soothing and reassuring, “I know how awful the things men say in private can be. Maybe they won’t notice at the wedding if you’re pregnant, but once the child is born, they’ll know the timing is off. By then, you know how nasty their words can be.”

Wen Lan Sheng’s body stiffened as he curled up in Fan Xia’s embrace.

Fan Xia lowered her head, her slender fingers brushing away the loose hair on his forehead, placing a gentle kiss there. Her voice was utterly bewitching, “We’re getting married in just over a month anyway. We can have a child after we’re married, it’s the same. It’s just waiting an extra month or so.”

Wen Lan Sheng clutched tightly at Fan Xia’s shirt collar, hesitated for a moment, then nodded.

Fan Xia lovingly pinched Wen Lan Sheng’s fair cheek, “Alright then, I’m going to take a shower now.”

Wen Lan Sheng reluctantly let go, smoothing out the creases on her nightgown, “Go ahead.”

Fan Xia got up and went into the master bathroom. The sound of running water came through the gaps in the door. Wen Lan Sheng lay on the bed, staring blankly at the ceiling.

Ding—

The familiar WeChat message alert sounded abruptly in the quiet space. Wen Lan Sheng instinctively took out his own phone, but it wasn’t his WeChat.

Wen Lan Sheng shifted his gaze to the bedside table where a soft screen light had come on. He picked up Fan Xia’s phone and saw the pop-up content on the screen.

It wasn’t work-related, yet he deliberately sent a message late at night.

Wen Lan Sheng’s expression tightened, his gaze distorted.

Glancing at the bathroom, Wen Lan Sheng hesitated for a moment before unlocking the phone.

Wen Lan Sheng knew the password for Fan Xia’s phone screen lock. It was because a long time ago, he had said he didn’t feel secure around her, so Fan Xia changed her phone password to his birthday.

Although he knew the password, Wen Lan Sheng had never privately checked Fan Xia’s phone before. This was the first time.

He opened WeChat, his cold eyes like a poisonous snake’s tongue, and replied with a forced cheerful voice message: “Xia Xia is in the shower. Is there something you need, senior? I’ll tell her when she’s done showering. If it’s urgent, I can drag her out of the bathroom right now!”

After sending the voice message, Wen Lan Sheng deliberately added a smiley face emoji.

In the dimly lit Yunshui Bay, Rong Xiu leaned against the floor-to-ceiling window. Hearing the WeChat notification, he eagerly picked up his phone. When he saw that Fan Xia had sent him a voice message, his heart almost leapt out of his chest.

But when he played the voice message and heard Wen Lan Sheng’s deliberately sweet voice coming through the speaker, it felt like a slap to the face, painfully stinging and humiliating.

Wen Lan Sheng was deliberately showing off to him, asserting his position as the rightful spouse.

Rong Xiu gripped the phone tightly, his knuckles almost cracking, jealousy gnawing at his rationality like a parasite. He took a deep breath and replied, “It’s not urgent. I have something to discuss with Fan Xia. You go to sleep first. When Fan Xia finishes her shower and sees my message, she’ll naturally reply to me.”

“Shameless!” Wen Lan Sheng was so angry he nearly bit through his silver teeth.

He had thought that Rong Xiu, if he had any face at all, would have shown some restraint after receiving his voice message. Who knew he would not only fail to restrain himself but become even more arrogant, even deliberately provoking him.

Wen Lan Sheng angrily closed the phone, opened the forum, and vented his frustrations!