Chapter 2

The fried rice was simply too fragrant.

Jiang Yu devoured her meal, completely losing her manners, and licked the plate clean. As she put the plate in the sink, she couldn’t help but lick her lips.

It was so delicious! How did the original owner manage to resist eating it?

Just as she was about to squirt some dish soap to wash the plate, she spotted something on the cabinet above her, and her eyes lit up.

Chili sauce!

Jiang Yu’s hometown was known for its spiciness, so she loved adding chili to her meals. She had been too hungry earlier to think about it.

Now, suddenly seeing what appeared to be a nice bottle of chili sauce, she couldn’t help but take it down and open it.

The enticing aroma and spice wafted out, tempting her appetite.

How wonderful it would have been to have this delicious chili sauce mixed in with the fried rice she had just eaten!

But it didn’t matter that she hadn’t seen it earlier. She could add it to her meal next time.

Tempted by the chili, she couldn’t resist and dipped her finger to taste it.

“It’s so fragrant!”

This chili sauce was even more delicious than she had imagined. Jiang Yu’s eyes sparkled as she couldn’t help but taste it again and again.

Feeling a gaze upon her, she turned to see Jiang Zhe standing in the doorway of the kitchen, watching her.

Caught red-handed in her little theft of chili sauce, Jiang Yu felt embarrassed. She quickly closed the lid and put it back, forcing a smile as she squeezed dish soap, trying to cover up her guilt. “Um, I’m full now.”

Jiang Zhe’s eyes shifted slightly as he rolled up his sleeves and approached her. “I’ll wash the dishes. You can rest.”

In such cold weather, Jiang Yu really didn’t want to wash the dishes. She turned on the faucet to rinse the dish soap off her hands but shivered from the cold water.

Jiang Zhe turned the faucet handle and said, “This side has hot water.”

“In the future, you don’t have to wash the dishes after eating. Just leave them here.” His voice was cold and calm, like jade, and he had no expression on his face. As he looked down at the sink, his long eyelashes flickered gently, like they were alive.

They were standing a bit too close together, so Jiang Yu stepped aside and glanced up at the chili sauce to strike up a conversation. “This chili sauce is pretty good. Where did you buy it?”

He methodically washed the dishes while replying with a calm voice, “I didn’t buy it. My grandma made it.”

However, his gaze held a hint of surprise, as if he were astonished that she was interested in the chili sauce.

Jiang Yu didn’t want him to realize that she had changed her attitude, so she avoided his eyes and said, “Your grandmother is really skillful.”

Seeing that he had finished washing the dishes, she said, “I’m going back to my room now.”

Then she hurriedly left.

Jiang Zhe stood there with the dishcloth in hand, and suddenly, a memory flashed in his mind: the day his grandmother visited them and he had overheard her casually talking to a friend, calling her “that old hag.”

Full and satisfied, Jiang Yu returned to her room and lay down on the bed, rubbing her round belly.

She was already three months along, and her pregnancy was starting to show.

Now that she was full and her mind was clearer, she felt a bit of resistance towards being pregnant.

However, Jiang Zhe didn’t seem to be lacking in money. The original owner had never felt deprived in terms of food or clothing during their marriage. Although it didn’t compare to the male lead’s family, Jiang Yu thought that this situation was actually not bad.

The male lead’s uncle was handsome, could cook, and was low-maintenance. For an ordinary person, this marriage could be considered quite good.

“Since I’m here, I might as well accept it.”

As she lay there, Jiang Yu began to feel sleepy and unknowingly drifted off to sleep.

Jiang Yu slept soundly until evening, when she was awakened by the delicious aroma of food wafting in from outside.

She woke up feeling a bit dazed, unsure of her surroundings. Once she remembered that she had become the male lead’s aunt in the novel, she jumped up with a start. After calming herself, she put on her slippers and went out.

When Jiang Yu stepped outside, she saw the living room lights were on. In the kitchen, Jiang Zhe was wearing an apron and stir-frying something, and it smelled delicious; there seemed to be soup simmering in a nearby pot.

Jiang Yu touched her mouth to make sure she wasn’t drooling before walking in and asking cheerfully, “What delicious food are you making tonight?”

Without looking at her, Jiang Zhe replied in a stiff voice, “Garlic ribs, stir-fried tofu with meat, tomato scrambled eggs with beef, and winter melon meatball soup.”

Having had takeout for every meal lately, it had been a long time since Jiang Yu had enjoyed home-cooked meals. Hearing that Jiang Zhe was making so many delicious dishes made her eager to eat.

She enthusiastically went to get bowls and chopsticks. Jiang Zhe glanced at her and emotionlessly said, “If you’re hungry, just start eating. The dishes will be ready soon.”

“Okay!” Jiang Yu still served herself a bowl of rice and sat down in the dining room, waiting for him to finish cooking so they could eat together.

The table had two dishes that looked really appetizing. Jiang Yu originally wanted to wait for him, but she couldn’t resist any longer and took a bite. It was delicious, so she took another.

When Jiang Zhe brought out the soup, he happened to catch Jiang Yu eating. Feeling a bit guilty for not waiting, she jumped off her chair and headed toward the kitchen to help, but Jiang Zhe said, “Leave it to me.”

So, she went to grab the chili sauce she had tried at lunch. Jiang Zhe looked surprised, and Jiang Yu explained, “This chili sauce tastes great. It’s perfect for meals.”

Before long, Jiang Zhe realized just how exaggerated her definition of “perfect for meals” was. He found the chili sauce to be quite spicy, but she ate several spoonfuls without flinching. Seeing his shocked expression, she smiled and said, “It’s delicious!”

During this dinner, Jiang Yu enjoyed her meal just as much. With the delicious chili sauce accompanying her dinner, if she hadn’t been too full, she would have had another big bowl.

After dinner, she wanted to help clear the dishes, but Jiang Zhe didn’t give her a chance. With nothing else to do, Jiang Yu went to the living room, turned on the TV, and started watching.

After finishing his tasks, Jiang Zhe returned to his study, while Jiang Yu fell asleep on the couch while watching TV.

When Jiang Zhe came out and saw her asleep on the couch, he frowned slightly. Afraid she might catch a chill, he almost called out to wake her but remembered Jiang Yu’s quick temper.

Although she seemed easier to talk to that evening, her mood was still unpredictable, so after a moment of thought, he simply covered her with a thick blanket and returned to his study.

Jiang Yu slept on the couch all night, and when she woke up the next morning, her neck was stiff, and her whole body ached. She felt uncomfortable and, seeing the blanket draped over her, she felt an intense wave of annoyance.

When she noticed Jiang Zhe was already up making breakfast, she sulked and asked, “Did you cover me with the blanket last night?”

Having spent enough time with her, Jiang Zhe could read her emotions from her expressions. It was clear she hadn’t slept well, so she was in a bad mood.

She was a spoiled girl. Throwing things when she was upset was already a routine for them. Ultimately, Jiang Zhe had to deal with her outbursts, so he lowered his eyes and replied softly, “Yeah.”

Instead of throwing a fit as he expected, Jiang Yu looked at him with a sad expression and asked, “If you covered me with the blanket, why didn’t you wake me up?”

“Is that how you’re supposed to act as a husband? 🥹

Her voice was soft and sounded a bit like she was pouting.

Jiang Zhe was taken aback and replied, “I’m sorry.”

Instead of getting angry or throwing a tantrum, she pleasantly proposed, “Next time I sleep on the couch, could you please wake me up?”

“Sure.”

After Jiang Zhe agreed, he went back to the kitchen to prepare breakfast. It dawned on Jiang Yu why he hadn’t woken her. The original owner had also fallen asleep on the couch before, and when Jiang Zhe kindly tried to carry her back to her room, she woke up and saw him holding her. She had recoiled in disgust, smacked him, and said, “Why are you carrying me? Don’t you realize how disgusting that is?”

Jiang Zhe had likely learned his lesson from that incident.

Jiang Yu suddenly felt a bit sympathetic toward him.

What had happened to him was totally undeserved; he had to bear the brunt of the original owner’s violent temper simply because he had to take responsibility.

How pitiful.