Chapter 123: Shady Character

“Wow, Qiao’an, you’re too kind. Thank you so much!” 

Bi Qiao’an froze for a moment. “I never imagined my dear Shanshan would express her gratitude in such a refined way.”

Shen Yanming and Song Wennuan covered their mouths and chuckled. Jiang Shanshan was so immersed in the surprise of the gifts that she was completely unaware of the undertones.

Only when Bi Qiao’an asked what had actually happened did Jiang Shanshan come back to her senses. She immediately spilled everything about Song Wennuan and Wei Liang.

After hearing the story, Bi Qiao’an took on a serious tone. “Dear, tell me the truth. Is there really nothing between you and Wei Liang? Do you have any feelings for him at all?”

Song Wennuan nodded firmly. “Absolutely not. As soon as I joined the work unit, my colleagues warned me about him. If it weren’t for work assignments, I wouldn’t even interact with him. That time at the Western restaurant was suggested by colleagues in the same group. At Times Square, I was called over by a senior colleague. If I had known this would happen today, I wouldn’t have had any contact with him at all.”

Bi Qiao’an nodded. “Good. You’d better stay away from him. With a wife like that, even if there’s nothing between you, she can still imagine a long steamy story. But don’t be afraid. The next time she causes trouble for you, call the police. Don’t ever indulge her, or that crazy woman will definitely take advantage.”

Bi Qiao’an paused, her brow furrowing. “Isn’t it awkward now? Besides, your colleague isn’t trustworthy either. Knowing his wife’s behavior, he still doesn’t control her. For her to be so outrageous, how can we be sure he’s not secretly encouraging her?”

Although condemning someone without an investigation was unethical, Bi Qiao’an really despised this kind of man. He couldn’t even manage his own wife. How incompetent!

Song Wennuan nodded, taking her words to heart. Previously, she’d always heard others sympathizing with Wei Liang, but if he really cared, how could he allow his wife to run amok?

Seeing that Song Wennuan understood, Bi Qiao’an felt relieved. There was a bit of selfish motive in her words—she was afraid that the entanglement would turn into something real. She worried that Song Wennuan would end up heartbroken.

After a while, Shen Yanming and Bi Qiao’an said goodbye to Song Wennuan and Jiang Shanshan. 

Once in the car, Bi Qiao’an turned to Shen Yanming. “What do you think of this?”

Shen Yanming smiled slightly. “I’m afraid your friend won’t be able to completely avoid the situation.”

“How is that possible? They don’t even have a relationship!”

“Although Song Wennuan is soft-tempered, she’s not completely spineless. If this matter ends here, then they should keep their distance. But do you think Wei Liang’s wife will give up so easily?”

Bi Qiao’an slumped in the passenger seat, her shoulders sagging. “I’m just afraid Wennuan will make an impulsive decision!”

“Everyone has their own fate. We can’t interfere.”

“Then find someone to investigate. Find out what kind of person Wei Liang is. Also, where did Fang Fang get those photos?”

Shen Yanming nodded. “Don’t worry too much. This isn’t something you should be handling.”

Bi Qiao’an pouted, falling silent as she gazed out the window.

After returning home, Shen Yanming and Bi Qiao’an quickly turned on the air conditioning. The warmth slowly filled the house as they changed into comfortable pajamas.

Following a short rest, Bi Qiao’an stored the plants they had traded for into her space and planted them using her mind. She released the pair of mynas from their cage, allowing them to roam freely in the space.

Shen Yanming fiddled with a small coal-burning stove for some time before finally getting it lit. Black smoke filled the living room, prompting Bi Qiao’an to open the windows. The cold air stung her nostrils, but it helped clear her mind.

“I wonder if they’ll provide heating this year,” she mused aloud.

“We’ll find out when we check online,” Shen Yanming replied.

Once the smoke cleared, Shen Yanming had Bi Qiao’an warm herself by the stove while he whipped up a delicious meal: tomato and egg stir-fry, dry-fried green beans, fish-flavored shredded pork, and a pot of steamed rice. 

“It’s so good to eat rice again! I was tired of rice gruel every day,” Bi Qiao’an exclaimed, praising Shen Yanming’s culinary skills. “Honey, your cooking has definitely improved!”

“Then eat up!” Shen Yanming encouraged, beaming at her compliment.

Bi Qiao’an’s week-long rice gruel diet was a reminder of the water shortage; no one could justify using precious water for cooking rice. Gruel stretched the food supply without wasting water.

After their meal, Bi Qiao’an snuggled under the warm quilt. The sky outside was a brilliant blue, and the sun shone brightly, its warmth chasing away some of the chill.

Shen Yanming moved the small stove safely into the bedroom, then slid under the covers and wrapped his arms around Bi Qiao’an. “Little ingrate, you couldn’t even wait for me,” he teased, his breath tickling her ear.

Bi Qiao’an snuggled closer, relishing his warmth. “I grew up on the bed. Did you too, Mr. Shen?”  

Shen Yanming chuckled, his fingers caressing her waist. “I don’t mind spending all of our time ‘rooted’ to the bed with you, Miss Bi.”

Bi Qiao’an ignored his playful comment and pulled out her phone to search for updates on heating services. The discussion posts were all informal chatter without any official news. Bi Qiao’an even saw posts titled “Escape from Beihai City” and “Escape from Ximeng City.”

Clicking in, she discovered that many northern cities were experiencing temperatures several degrees lower than those in Hai City. Some elderly residents and children, unable to withstand the cold, had decided to relocate their families to the warmer Guangchao City. 

The Qinghe Alliance Real Estate Network listed only twenty thousand rental units in Guangchao City. Consequently, many people rushed to reserve rental houses with the City Housing Bureau. Watching the available rentals on the Guangchao City Housing Bureau’s website dwindle by the minute, Bi Qiao’an sighed. “There sure are a lot of wealthy people!”

Shen Yanming’s groping hand paused. “What, you want to go?”

“Of course not. It’s freezing there. It’s still bearable here. Besides, the weather will only get colder. If we don’t adapt while it’s relatively ‘warm,’ are we waiting to die when the global cooling comes?”

Shen Yanming hugged Bi Qiao’an tightly and leaned against the headboard, nodding in agreement. “My wife is so smart!”

They knew the winters would only become harsher. The only way to survive was continuous adaptation.

While Shen Yanming and Bi Qiao’an browsed the comments section, more than a dozen bigshots in the Qinghe Alliance’s imperial capital office gathered around a square stove, discussing the heating issue.

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