Chapter 7: Easy to Please  

The close proximity left Wen Li slightly dazed. This man kept switching between calling her “Lili” and “Mrs. Shen,” like some bewitching male fox spirit.  

Wen Li silently retreated to a safe distance and said, “With so much value at stake, would the Wen family really let me take these willingly?”  

Shen An sighed inwardly—his wife was as dense as reinforced concrete, utterly immune to charm.  

“The Wen family wouldn’t make a losing deal either. There’ll be plenty of business dealings ahead,” Shen An replied, leaning back into his chair.  

Wen Li zipped up the bag and assured him, “Don’t worry, I won’t let you suffer losses either.”  

Shen An narrowed his eyes at her and corrected, “We’re one as husband and wife. My losses are yours too, Mrs. Shen. Our future fortune depends on you.”  

Wen Li thought to herself—was this man always so unserious? He was already the richest man around; what did he need her help for?  

“Didn’t eat much at dinner, did you? Want to grab something?” Shen An asked.  

Wen Li considered it. “I’m a bit tired. Can we just eat at home?” A single evening with the Wen family was more exhausting than performing surgery.  

“Sure, whatever you say.”  

That tingling sensation washed over her again. Wen Li stole a glance at him but found his expression unchanged. Was Shen An on some kind of medication?  

On the way back, Shen An suddenly told the driver to stop and said to Wen Li, “Wait in the car for a bit.”  

She rolled down the window and watched as he walked into a milk tea shop. Ten minutes later, a cup of milk tea was placed in her hands.  

Wen Li looked at the drink, then back at Shen An, puzzled. “Why did you buy me milk tea?”  

“Zhou Zhuan said girls cheer up when they drink milk tea.” The actual quote was: When girls are upset, buy them something sweet—they’re easy to please.  

Wen Li couldn’t help but chuckle. “You think I’m upset?”  

Shen An answered honestly, “You seemed unhappy the moment you stepped into the Wen house.”  

Wen Li shook her head. “No. You’d only be upset if you had expectations of family. I never had any for them, so they can’t affect my mood. I’m just not close to them and don’t know how to act around them.”  

Shen An studied her for a moment before giving a quiet “Hmm.” “Then we won’t go back to the Wen house from now on.”  

Then, pointing at the bag of antiques, he joked, “I doubt the Wen family will dare bother you anytime soon either.”  

Wen Li took a sip of the milk tea. The subtle sweetness warmed her heart.  

Back at Sky Lake Bay, Wen Li set down her bag and said to Shen An, “Do you want to shower first? I’ll make something to eat.”  

“Thanks for the trouble,” Shen An replied, the picture of obedience.  

After showering and changing into pajamas, Shen An walked into the kitchen. “Need any help?”  

“No, it’s almost ready. Dumplings okay?” Wen Li asked.  

“Sure. What filling?”  

Shen An tried to make himself useful by grabbing two plates from the cabinet and setting them on the counter.  

Wen Li turned and noticed his hair was still wet. “Pork and celery. Why didn’t you dry your hair? You’ll catch a cold easily.”  

Others might be fine, but Shen An’s sickly constitution couldn’t handle even the slightest chill. If anything happened to him, she’d have a hard time explaining.  

“Couldn’t find the hairdryer,” Shen An said, noting the concern in her eyes. An idea flashed through his mind. “How about you help me dry it later with yours?”  

Shen An’s scheming was practically written all over his face. Unfortunately, Wen Li was made of reinforced concrete. Spoiled much? Expecting her to dry his hair for him? It wasn’t like he was paralyzed.

“The hair dryer is in the first cabinet in the bathroom. Feel free to use it.”

Shen An really wanted to ask if she genuinely didn’t understand or if she was doing it on purpose.

As he dried his hair, he thought to himself, *Such a hard-to-flirt-with wife. The road ahead is long and arduous.*

Taking a bite of the dumpling, Shen An paused in surprise and glanced at the half-eaten dumpling in his hand.

Wen Li noticed his reaction immediately and asked nervously, “Is it not good?”

“It’s delicious. I thought you’d boiled frozen dumplings.” The filling clearly tasted homemade.

Wen Li relaxed. “When I have time, I like to make dumplings and wontons myself and freeze them for convenience.”

“You’re busy with work. Should we hire a housekeeper, or I could transfer one from the old house to help with cleaning and cooking?” Shen An sought her opinion.

Wen Li considered it. “I’m not home much. I usually hire a cleaning lady to come weekly. If you think it’s necessary, we can arrange for someone.”

Shen An guessed she probably didn’t like having a stranger living in the house long-term, so he said, “Then let’s stick to your previous arrangement.”

He shouldn’t disrupt her way of life just because he’d suddenly returned.

Wen Li and Shen An had the same phone model, color, and ringtone, so when her WeChat notification sounded, he thought it was his.

Picking it up, he realized it was hers when he saw the message preview—but not before catching Cheng Yu’s text:  

*”Dr. Wen, Dr. Zhang from General Surgery asked about your shift schedule again today. He’s planning to align his shifts with yours next week. He’s been chasing you for three months—young and accomplished. Really not considering him?”*  

Shen An narrowed his eyes. *What a wonderful niece I have.*  

Setting Wen Li’s phone down, he picked up his own and called his eldest sister. “Sis, how old is Cheng Yu now? Shouldn’t you be arranging blind dates for her?”  

People shouldn’t have too much free time.  

“Huh? She’s not that old, no need to rush.” On the other end, Shen Yaozi was baffled by her younger brother’s sudden call.  

“Cheng Yu is the same age as my wife. Wen Li’s been married for nearly two years, and she hasn’t even dated anyone.” Hearing the water stop in the bathroom, he added, “It’s settled. Arrange more for her.”  

When Wen Li stepped out of the bathroom, she found Shen An reclining against the headboard, arms crossed, watching her. His gaze followed her wherever she moved.  

Sitting at the vanity to apply body lotion and skincare, Wen Li could see the man on the bed through the mirror. Under the fluorescent light, his dark eyes fixed on her—seemingly casual, yet sharp beneath the surface.  

She returned to her side of the bed and slipped under the covers.  

The moment she lay down, Shen An leaned over her, startling Wen Li into shrinking back. “What’s wrong?”  

Seeing her frightened expression, Shen An felt disheartened. He hadn’t even done anything—just moved closer—and she was already scared.  

After a few seconds of locked gazes, Shen An reached out, handed her phone to her, then retreated to his original spot.  

“Sorry, I picked up the wrong phone and saw your message.” His tone was haughty, less an apology and more an interrogation.  

His irritation was obvious. Checking her phone, Wen Li quickly understood and replied to Cheng Yu: *”Three years of chasing won’t change anything. I’m married.”*  

“Aren’t you going to say anything?” Shen An asked, annoyed that she still had the leisure to text Cheng Yu.

“What did he say? About Dr. Zhang?” Seeing Shen An’s expression darken, Wen Li replied, “I told him I’m married, but he didn’t believe me.”

“Why wouldn’t he believe you?” Shen An glanced at her.

“Probably because I don’t seem like a married person.” Married people wouldn’t just follow the same simple routine every day. Married people would have someone to pick them up when it’s windy or rainy.

Though she never blamed Shen An for leaving the country the day after their wedding, she had once held expectations for this marriage, so sometimes she couldn’t help feeling disappointed.