Wen Yi continued to ask, “Your classmate seems to be doing well. What about you? When will you become a little leader?”

Even though she knew he probably had no ambition to become an official, Wen Yi was still curious. But Qin Nanshan clearly wasn’t interested in indulging her curiosity, replying straightforwardly, “I don’t want to be a leader for now.”

“Alright then.” Wen Yi crossed her legs and said lazily, “But I want to be one.”

She had no intention of becoming a housewife. Even after having a child, her career would always be her top priority.

Qin Nanshan glanced at her again, catching the underlying meaning in her words, “If you want to aim for it, no one will stop you.”

Wen Yi hummed but didn’t respond. Right now, it was hard to keep her position secure. Promotions and raises were a pipe dream. She figured that after these two years of pregnancy and childbirth, whatever was hers would still be hers.

They bought some New Year’s goods and delivered them to Wen Hongyu, but she wasn’t home. Qin Nanshan asked if she was still at work, and Wen Yi said she was probably out on a date, so they didn’t need to worry about her.

It took them another half-hour to reach the eastern suburbs, and Wen Yi adjusted her mindset, ready to fulfill her duties as a good daughter-in-law.

As soon as they got out of the car, Xia Tian ran straight to Xuan Ying, the elderly woman, and the dog started playing joyfully. Qin Xi came over and linked arms with Wen Yi, “Sister-in-law, you finally made it. I’ve been alone at home, and Mom’s been nagging me to death.”

Qin Xi was easy-going and naturally familiar. She had helped a lot during the wedding, and the two had grown closer, despite the age gap.

Looking at Qin Xi’s sweet smile, Wen Yi once again doubted that Qin Nanshan was even related to this family. He seemed so different from them.

The Qin family had fixed traditions for celebrating holidays. They would have a family dinner on New Year’s Eve, and on the first day of the new year, they would go to the elder uncle’s house. This was a rule set by the late Grandpa Qin to maintain family harmony.

According to what Qin Nanshan had said and what Wen Yi later observed, the relationship between Qin Heng and his brother’s family was indeed good—much better than those families who fought bitterly over inheritance.

This might also be due to the fact that none of Qin Heng’s family members had any real ambition. The couple and their son were focused on scientific research, and their daughter traveled and enjoyed life. None of them had big desires.

The New Year’s goods and dinner were almost ready. Wen Yi originally planned to head to the kitchen to help out, but Xuan Ying sent her away, saying that she was pregnant and didn’t need to help.

With some free time, Wen Yi went to chat with her sister-in-law. Qin Xi was a talkative person, talking about her studies and her friends. After talking so much that her mouth was dry, Wen Yi handed her some water.

At one point, Xia Tian came over. Qin Xi tried to pick him up but found she couldn’t. She patted his head, “Look at how fat you’ve gotten. It’s all my brother’s fault for feeding you so much.”

Xia Tian happily licked her palm. After playing for a bit, the dog grew tired and sprawled out at their feet, falling into a deep, comfortable sleep.

Wen Yi said, “Your brother seems to have a really strong bond with Xia Tian.”

“Of course! Xia Tian even saved my brother’s life once.”

Wen Yi’s eyes widened in surprise. Qin Xi explained, “It wasn’t a big deal. I think my brother was still in grad school at the time. You know how he is—nothing can distract him when he’s working on a problem. That day, my mom was going out and asked my brother to turn off the stove later because there was soup cooking in the kitchen, but he didn’t hear her. In the end, the soup boiled dry, and a fire started. Xia Tian ran to the door, barking wildly, and that’s when my brother noticed. He managed to put out the fire before it spread.”

“Sister-in-law, you’ve seen the house, right? Back then, the whole place was almost entirely made of wood. Honestly, if Xia Tian had been a few minutes later, we might not have just lost the house, but people too.”

“Plus, my brother always felt guilty. Did he ever tell you? He believes that Mao Mao, Xia Tian’s mother, died because of him, so he’s always treated Xia Tian extra well. Sometimes, I think he sees Xia Tian as his own son.”

Wen Yi listened quietly, her gaze fixed on Xia Tian.

She didn’t know much about dog breeds. Qin Nanshan had told her Xia Tian was an Alaskan Malamute, and she had secretly looked it up while waiting for him last night. The internet said that Alaskans were generally gentle, playful, and capable of being both lively and calm. She was half-convinced, but still not fully comfortable.

Now, she was feeling hesitant and uncertain.

Sensing her gaze, Xia Tian woke up, straightened his head, and looked at her. Then he walked over with his large frame and stopped a step away from her. After not being rejected, he moved closer.

Wen Yi suppressed the little fear she had left, cautiously extended her hand, and then hesitated. After a few seconds, she relaxed and rubbed his head. Xia Tian’s fur was clean and soft, and touching it felt nice.

Xia Tian immediately grinned at her. Wen Yi was still a bit scared, but she didn’t pull away. Xia Tian moved closer, jumped onto the sofa next to her, and lay down right beside her.

The warmth of the dog’s body seeped through the fabric of her clothes and into her skin. Wen Yi’s lips curved into a faint smile as a soft feeling passed through her heart.

To others, this scene appeared normal. Qin Xi didn’t notice the subtle exchange between the person and the dog and continued speaking until Xuan Ying called them for dinner.

Xuan Ying’s cooking skills were excellent, and the seven or eight dishes were full of color, fragrance, and flavor.

Everyone at the table, except for Qin Nanshan, was talkative, and the conversation never stopped throughout the meal.

After dinner, Wen Yi finally remembered something. She had planned to tell him in the morning that they should sleep in separate beds, but before she had the chance, they had come to his parents’ house. Now, sharing a bed was inevitable.

The last time she had slept in Qin Nanshan’s bedroom was on their wedding night a few days ago, but she had been so exhausted then that she fell asleep immediately. Now, all the wedding decorations had been taken down, leaving only a bright red quilt embroidered with “Happy Union for a Hundred Years.” Even with the lights off, it was still glaringly bright to her.

After showering, Wen Yi lay down. The new quilt had a peculiar scent that wasn’t pleasant. About half an hour later, Qin Nanshan entered the room. Wen Yi asked if there were any extra sheets they could use. Qin Nanshan replied that there were, but Xuan Ying had specifically instructed that the new bedding should only be changed after a month, so they would have to endure it for now.

Left with no choice, Wen Yi pulled the quilt over herself.