◎ Did she draw one of these for each of her blind dates, or… was it only for him? ◎

The third day after the wedding, the bride was supposed to take the groom back to her family’s home for a visit. Tao Xiaoxi’s family didn’t hold the return banquet at a hotel but hosted it at home, inviting relatives from both the Tao and Meng families.

Several older brothers were in the kitchen cooking, and several sisters-in-law were in the living room making dumplings. Tao Xiaoxi wanted to help, but they wouldn’t let her, saying that a new bride should not do any work today and could simply wait to eat when it was time. So, she sat on a chair, listening to their gossip.

She hadn’t slept well the night before and had gotten up early today, feeling drained and tired, her arms sore by now.

Meng Qing glanced at her a few times. “What’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?”

Second sister-in-law leaned over and whispered, “Oh, don’t ask. It’s obvious she didn’t sleep well. Newlyweds, it’s unavoidable. They must’ve been up all night.”

Eldest sister-in-law looked over with an ambiguous smile, “With that physique of the new son-in-law, it’s no surprise they were up all night.”

…

Was this the usual tone for teasing newlyweds, or did people get so open in their conversations after marriage? Tao Xiaoxi wanted to argue back but didn’t know how. While the methods of teasing might differ, they had indeed been busy all night.

Meng Qing’s gaze fell on the corner of her mouth, and her brow furrowed slightly, but she didn’t say anything, and continued to make his dumplings.

Tao Xiaoxi picked up the cup on the table, taking a sip of water to hide her discomfort.

At that moment, Chen Fang walked over, standing beside her. His finger lightly touched the cup she was holding. “The water’s a bit cold.”

Cold? She felt it was quite hot. She was burning up, wishing she could go outside for some fresh air.

Chen Fang took the cup from her hand, refilled it with fresh water, and returned it to her.

Second sister-in-law couldn’t stop exclaiming, “Look at him, so considerate. Xiaoxi’s worried about it being too cold, and he’s taking care of her like this. Xiaoxi, you really found yourself a top-notch son-in-law.”

Meng Qing’s brow relaxed a little.

Tao Xiaoxi secretly grumbled. It was just a cup of hot water. It wasn’t like it was something to be so overly dramatic about. If it were really painful, she wouldn’t have been trembling just holding the cup earlier. She had lost her mind to let him get so close to her, and now that it was too late, she’d have to tear up her notes when she got home. No, she couldn’t tear them up, they would still be useful. But she definitely couldn’t let him see them. If he did, she’d be in real trouble.

Second sister-in-law continued chatting, but Tao Xiaoxi didn’t know how to respond to these kinds of jokes, so she decided to quietly drink her water and let her thoughts wander. With Chen Fang around, at least she didn’t have to worry about becoming the subject of more teasing.

Chen Fang brought over several more cups of water, placing them next to her mother-in-law and sisters-in-law. “Second sister-in-law, I learned all this from the lessons my second brother gave me last time. Are you praising me or using me to praise him?”

When Chen Fang first visited the Tao family, the three older brothers came to check on him. One reason was to test his drinking tolerance and see how he behaved while drunk. The other reason was to give him a little warning, letting him know that the Tao family was no pushovers. If he dared to bully their sister, he’d better be ready to have his legs broken.

However, the brothers failed to test Chen Fang’s drinking ability—after a few rounds, they were all knocked out. Second brother had dragged him into a lecture that lasted more than an hour, giving him all the wisdom on being a good son-in-law and a good husband.

Second sister-in-law, recalling the state of her drunk husband, felt a headache coming on and didn’t continue teasing the couple. “You can stop talking about your second brother. If he had half your drinking ability and knew his limits, I wouldn’t have earned the nickname ‘Master’s wife’.”

Second brother liked to drink but had poor tolerance. Once drunk, he would talk about life and philosophy, so everyone jokingly called second sister-in-law ‘Master’s wife’ and second brother ‘Old Master’.

Tao Xiaoxi couldn’t help but laugh, imagining the scene of the lecture. More than an hour of it—he probably never experienced anything like that in school.

Chen Fang noticed the curve of her lips and gently tapped the back of her chair with his fingers. “Stop smiling. Whether I get another lecture later depends on you.”

Tao Xiaoxi leisurely took another sip of water, glancing at him. “What do you expect me to do? The lecture sounds great. I’ll just help you catch up on the lessons you missed during school.”

She definitely wasn’t going to care whether he was being forced to drink.

Chen Fang’s eyes shifted slightly. She was wearing a red sweater, making her look even more delicate. Her gaze at him was teasing, her fair face slightly flushed, and her lips bore a mark from last night’s bite. At that moment, he had almost exploded from desire, only managing to hold her down on the bed, wanting to devour her completely.

Marrying her had turned out even better than he had imagined.

The living room was filled with three tables: one for the elders, one for the younger people, and one for the children. It was lively and full of warmth.

As the new son-in-law, Chen Fang was bound to be forced to drink, and he couldn’t escape it. The older brothers had already planned it out. The eldest brother would take the first round, and they would all take turns. Today, they were going to make sure the new son-in-law drank to his limit.

After several rounds of drinking, the three older brothers grew even more enthusiastic. They mixed white wine, beer, and red wine together. Chen Fang, of course, had no choice but to keep up. He couldn’t refuse his eldest brother’s drink, and there was no room for pretending—he had to drink seriously.

Tao Xiaoxi noticed him rubbing his stomach. The old lady had mentioned that his stomach wasn’t in good condition, a problem he had developed over the years from drinking too much in business. Her chopsticks hesitated for a moment in her hand. She sighed and thought to herself: It’s her turf now, so she should step in and protect him.

When the eldest brother offered him more alcohol, Tao Xiaoxi stopped him. “Big Brother, he drank too much the day before yesterday. His stomach is bothering him badly. He went to the hospital yesterday, and the doctor said his stomach is already inflamed. If he drinks again today, it could ulcerate. If he leaves the house, he’ll end up at the hospital. Do you have the heart to let that happen?”

Chen Fang didn’t expect her to block him. He leaned back in his chair, his arm casually draped over the backrest, quietly watching her. The once gentle and innocent-looking Tao Xiaoxi now seemed so natural at lying. He hadn’t even realized he had made a trip to the hospital yesterday.

This was the first woman, apart from the old lady, to stand up for him.

It felt… quite refreshing.

The elder sister-in-law immediately stopped her husband’s glass. “Stomach ulcers aren’t a small issue. He shouldn’t drink anymore.”

The second sister-in-law had already lost patience with them drinking. She grabbed the wine on the table and replaced it with two bottles of orange juice. “Let’s have orange juice. What’s so good about alcohol? It’s bitter and spicy.” She turned to the second brother. “You should drink less too. Alcohol isn’t your wife. Don’t lose your mind every time you see it.”

When his wife stepped in, the second brother had no choice but to put his drink down.

The unmarried third brother, however, wasn’t so easily swayed. He didn’t direct his words at Tao Xiaoxi but spoke to Chen Fang. “Brother-in-law, we all know your drinking capacity. Your stomach doesn’t get inflamed that easily. Let me tell you, you can’t let your wife control you just because you got married. As men, the head of the family should have a say. If you want to drink, you should drink.”

Chen Fang smiled. “If that’s how it is, then even if my stomach’s fine, I can’t keep drinking with you. Big Brother and Second Brother have already told me that for a harmonious family, the wife must be the head of the house. If you don’t listen to her, you’re asking for trouble. The relationship between my brother and sister-in-law is so good, I must learn from them. In our house, Xiaoxi is the head, and I must listen to her. If she tells me to go east, I wouldn’t dare go west.”

Tao Xiaoxi: …

The words came so naturally from him. She had no idea when she became the head of the house. If she were really the one giving orders, then her hand wouldn’t have suffered this marriage injury.

Both the eldest and second brothers nodded in agreement with Chen Fang’s words. Even though they hadn’t said it before, they had to acknowledge it in front of their wives. If they didn’t, they’d end up sleeping on the couch that night.

The second sister-in-law teased the third brother. “See that? Chen Fang knows how to treat our Xiaoxi right. Look at how well they get along, always in sync. That’s the difference. He’s on a higher level than you, that’s for sure.”

The eldest sister-in-law nodded, agreeing with her younger sister-in-law.

The third brother had tried to dig a hole but ended up falling into it himself. He silently gave Chen Fang a thumbs up. In just a few words, he managed to win everyone over. He was really impressive, and the third brother had to admit defeat.

Tao Xiaoxi’s aunt, who had been listening to the lively conversation at the younger generation’s table, couldn’t help but laugh. She nudged Meng Qing’s arm. “Your son-in-law really knows how to talk. I think you have nothing to worry about. Look at how well the couple gets along. They’re in perfect harmony. You should trust Xiaoxi’s judgment.”

Meng Qing nodded in agreement, but in her heart, she wasn’t entirely at ease. It was good that he knew how to handle things, but sometimes, knowing too much could cause trouble. Nowadays, young girls like this kind of thing, and how many men could resist the temptation of making advances? Tao Xiaoxi was innocent and didn’t even know how to curse, let alone fight. She’d definitely get bullied.

But these were things she could only discuss with Tao Wenyong, not with anyone else. Since Tao Xiaoxi was already married to him, and nothing had happened yet, she could only speak well of her son-in-law for now.

Tao Xiaoxi had no idea about her mother’s thoughts. She was busy trying to pick up beef meatballs with her chopsticks. Her hands didn’t seem to cooperate today, and after two failed attempts, she sighed deeply. Just as she was about to try again, a pair of chopsticks appeared next to her and picked up the meatball she had been eyeing, placing it in her bowl.

“What else do you want to eat?” he asked, a clear smile in his voice.

Tao Xiaoxi glanced at him, unwilling to talk to him. She was like this because of him, and he was still laughing at her.

“None of your business,” she mumbled, filled with resentment.

Chen Fang took her words the other way, picking up a few dishes she liked and placing them in her bowl. He whispered, “I can’t not care. It’s my responsibility, isn’t it?”

Tao Xiaoxi elbowed him urgently. “Eat your food.”

She was clearly afraid others would know what had happened last night.

“Tsk tsk tsk.” The third brother clicked his tongue, shaking his head and clicking his tongue again.

The second brother, who was peeling shrimp for his wife, looked up at him. “What are you clicking for?”

“What else would I click for? Obviously because I’m a lonely bachelor,” the third brother said, finishing off the rest of his orange juice with the same enthusiasm as if he were drinking alcohol.

Tao Xiaoxi’s aunt overheard. “Third Brother, I was just going to mention this to you. We have a new young lady at our workplace. She’s exceptionally pretty and very cheerful. You’ll definitely like her. Want to meet her? I can arrange it.”

The aunt, who is also the third brother’s biological mother, agreed on his behalf. “Of course, he’ll want to meet her. Sister, when is she available? If not, they can meet this afternoon.”

Third brother: …

The evening banquet ended with the third brother being set up on a blind date.

After the meal, everyone started to leave. It was still early.

Meng Qing suggested that Chen Fang lie down in Tao Xiaoxi’s room for a while. Even though he hadn’t drunk any more after the first rounds, he had already drunk quite a bit. No matter how strong his tolerance, drinking this much for several days in a row would take a toll on his body. Tao Wenyong had gone downstairs to play chess in the small park, leaving Meng Qing and Tao Xiaoxi to chat quietly in the living room.

Meng Qing asked, “What have you two been eating these past few days?”

Tao Xiaoxi replied while cracking melon seeds, “We had two meals at Grandma’s house. Chen Fang can cook too.”

“Really? He can cook?” Meng Qing was surprised. Looking at his face, she didn’t think he could even tell the difference between oil, salt, soy sauce, and vinegar.

“Yeah. His cooking is actually pretty good. Grandma said he’s been cooking since he was little. Back then, Grandma was busy working outside to earn money, so she didn’t have time to take care of him. She would just leave him some money to eat at the small restaurant downstairs. But one night, when Grandma came home, he had steamed rice ready and even cooked two dishes. It scared Grandma half to death.”

Meng Qing couldn’t stand hearing these stories. Losing parents at such a young age, he must have learned to take care of himself early on. She softened her opinion of Chen Fang. “He’s had a hard time too. I can’t blame him for being a bit strong-willed. With an elderly person and a young one at home, if he were any weaker, he’d probably get bullied. It’s not a bad thing for a man to be a bit more assertive.”

“Yeah, that’s true,” Tao Xiaoxi agreed, subtly reminding her mother of the perfect match she had arranged for her earlier.

Meng Qing shot her a glare and noticed the smirk on her daughter’s lips. She hadn’t planned to say anything, but her daughter always seemed to provoke her.

“He can be assertive, but you shouldn’t just let him lead you around. You need to have your own opinions and not let him dictate everything, or you’ll end up suffering.”

Tao Xiaoxi didn’t quite understand why her mother suddenly got upset. Only when she noticed her mother’s gaze did she realize.

“Ah, mom~ I get it,” Tao Xiaoxi said, embarrassed and flustered, wishing she could disappear into the couch. “I’m just eating melon seeds, these are so tasty. Let me peel some for you.”

She didn’t want to be led around, but sometimes, certain things weren’t really in her control.

Chen Fang was lying on the pink bed, listening to the murmurs in the living room, gazing out the window. His usually cold eyes softened in solitude, and a lazy weariness flowed through him. This was probably what it felt like to be home.

He picked up the book on the nightstand and casually flipped through it, realizing he couldn’t understand any of it. He was about to put it back when his hand paused. He flipped back to the page that had caught his attention earlier.

Inside, there was a black-and-white sketch.

To be precise, it was a black-and-white sketch of a man.

Black pants, black shirt, crew cut. The features were familiar, and the clothes were too. If he remembered correctly, this was the outfit he wore for his first blind date with her.

The difference was, that day, he had buttoned his shirt from top to bottom.

But in the drawing, the shirt was left unbuttoned, with only a few buttons undone. The details of what lay beneath were carefully drawn, with light and shadow contrasting sharply, outlining… her imagined view of his body.

Chen Fang looked at the sketch, his fingers brushing over it lightly.

Did she draw one of these for each of her blind dates, or… was it only for him?

°.✩┈┈∘*┈˃̶୨୧˂̶┈*∘┈┈✩.°

Ayalee: The older brothers are all Tao Xiaoxi’s cousins, in case some of you are confused about that.