Chapter 47

That day was the first time since Shen Yiyi’s rebirth that she did not bring mung bean porridge to Li Chen.

After Li Chen left for work, she took the blankets outside to air them, then took a nap with the Three Baos.

When they woke up, the Three Baos realized that their Mom had not sent mung bean porridge to their Dad today. Curious, they asked her why.

Shen Yiyi replied: “Because your Dad doesn’t want me to send it, so I won’t.”

Hearing this, the Three Baos believed her and did not ask further.

Wangcai came running down to invite them to play marbles, so they started playing in the courtyard.

Shen Yiyi tidied up the house briefly, took out some old clothes to wash, and hung them up to dry.

By then, the sun was nearly setting. She took out the pork ribs, cut them into small pieces, marinated them, and washed rice to steam.

Estimating that Li Chen would be finishing work soon, she took a basket of rice, sat under the eaves, and started picking out small stones.

The rice had come from her personal space. Naturally, to avoid suspicion, she had mixed in plenty of small stones. Every day before cooking, she had to manually pick them out.

Sure enough, within ten minutes, the sound of the courtyard gate opening echoed. Shen Yiyi did not look up.

The Three Baos, who were playing in the courtyard, saw their Dad return and excitedly ran toward him.

Li Chen closed the courtyard gate and looked at his three sons rushing toward him. “I’m dirty, don’t come too close.”

The Three Baos stood near him for a moment before running off to play again.

Li Chen entered the house, put down his tools, and cast a seemingly casual glance at the woman under the eaves.

Since he had returned, she had not looked up even once.

Li Chen frowned slightly and called out: “Da Bao, come here and scoop some water for me to wash my hands.”

His voice was a bit loud, as if intentionally reminding a certain someone that he was back.

But even as Da Bao hurried over, scooped water, and he washed his hands, he glanced at her from the corner of his eye—she was still fully absorbed in picking out the stones.

Li Chen: “…”

He pulled over a stool, sat down, and watched the Three Baos playing in the courtyard for a while.

After a while, he “casually” asked: “Isn’t it about time to start cooking?”  

“Can’t you smell the rice fragrance?” Shen Yiyi replied without even looking up.  

Li Chen continued: “What about the dishes? What are we making tonight? I’ll handle the prep.”  

Shen Yiyi’s tone was indifferent. “No need, I can do it myself.”  

Li Chen was at a loss for words. He could clearly see that she was impatient with him.  

Her attitude now was completely different from how she had been at noon.  

He stared at her silently for a moment. After a while, he stood up. “Alright, I’ll go tend to the vegetable plot.”  

This time, Shen Yiyi didn’t even bother responding.  

Li Chen took a deep breath and left.  

He went to the plot, weeding and watering, keeping himself busy until the sky darkened. When he finally returned, he was stunned to find that they had already started eating!  

Tonight, Shen Yiyi had made steamed pork ribs with garlic. The meat was tender and succulent, releasing an aroma so rich that it instantly whetted one’s appetite.  

The Three Baos were each holding a bowl, gnawing on the ribs, while Shen Yiyi ate her rice in small bites. Every now and then, she would pick up a piece of rib for Xiao Bao, who struggled to grab food for himself. The scene was nothing short of heartwarming.  

Noticing his Dad from the corner of his eye, Da Bao called out: “Dad, are you done? Come eat, we saved you some food.”  

Li Chen washed his hands and stepped inside. Seeing the separate portion of food left for him, he couldn’t help but ask: “Why didn’t you call me?”  

The vegetable plot was just in the backyard—just a few steps away. A shout would have been enough. There was no need to go through the trouble of setting food aside for him.  

Li Chen looked at Shen Yiyi. It was obvious the question was meant for her.  

Shen Yiyi seemed about to say something when she caught sight of Xiao Bao struggling to chew on a piece of cartilage. His small face was scrunched up with effort, but he still couldn’t break it apart. Worried that his already fragile baby teeth would suffer, she told him to spit it out.  

“Xiao Bao, we don’t eat that—just eat the meat.”

Li Chen who mistakenly thought that she was deliberately ignoring him : “…”  

Holding in his frustration, he silently began eating.  

After dinner, as usual, Li Chen took on the task of washing the dishes, while Shen Yiyi led the Three Baos to the courtyard for a post-meal stroll.  

Once they had finished digesting, it was time for their baths.  

Li Chen fetched the large wooden tub for the Three Baos, filled it with hot water, and carried it outside to the courtyard, calling them over to wash up.  

Then, he grabbed another bucket, intending to fetch bathwater for Shen Yiyi.  

Shen Yiyi saw this and said coolly: “I don’t need you to fetch mine.”  

With that, she stepped forward, took the bucket from his hands, and walked toward the kitchen.  

Li Chen stared at her for a long moment before following her inside.  

As soon as she scooped the water, he stepped forward, lifted the bucket effortlessly, and carried it straight outside.  

Shen Yiyi: “…I already said I don’t need your help!”  

Li Chen completely ignored her and mixed the hot water with cool water before carrying it to the bathing room.  

Shen Yiyi suppressed the upward curve of her lips, forcing herself to maintain an annoyed expression as she grabbed her clothes and entered the bathing room.  

By the time she came out, the Three Baos had also finished bathing.  

Shen Yiyi took them back to the room and pulled out some children’s books and picture albums that she had salvaged from the recycling station.  

The Three Baos, upon seeing the picture books, immediately lay on the kang bed, flipping through them with great interest. Whenever they didn’t understand something, they would ask Shen Yiyi.  

While answering their questions, she kept one ear tuned to the sounds outside, paying attention to Li Chen’s movements.  

But she couldn’t hear anything, nor could she see him. She had no idea what he was doing, and he hadn’t come back to the room either.  

After thinking for a moment, Shen Yiyi put away the picture books, coaxed the Three Baos to sleep, and then directly turned off the light.

Outside, Li Chen stared at the darkened room. “…”  

Pressing his fingers against his temples, he felt a wave of frustration stuck in his chest, neither rising nor subsiding. Irritated and restless, he couldn’t hold it in anymore and abruptly kicked the ground, sending a cloud of dust into the air.  

After a while, he finally stood up and took a cold shower.  

Just as he was about to return to his small house, he caught sight of the door next to his slightly ajar.  

Was it left open for him on purpose?

Or was it just an oversight when closing the door?  

Li Chen was more inclined to believe the latter.  

That heartless woman—how could she possibly leave the door open for him?  

He should just close it and turn back to his own room.  

But his dark eyes lingered on the narrow gap for a moment before he took a step forward and pushed the door open.  

To hell with it—his wife and kids lived here. Why couldn’t he come in?  

Li Chen stepped inside, assuming they were all asleep, so his footsteps were light. But as soon as he entered, a head peeked up from the large kang bed.  

Li Chen froze.

She wasn’t asleep.  

Just as he was about to say something, Shen Yiyi spoke first. “What are you doing in here?”  

The moment she finished speaking, silence filled the room. The air felt heavy, almost frozen in place.  

Through the darkness, Shen Yiyi couldn’t make out his expression, but she could feel his gaze locked onto her—intense, dangerous.  

She stared at his silhouette. She knew he was suppressing his emotions right now.  

She waited for a long time, expecting him to say something. But instead, he turned and walked away.  

???  

Shen Yiyi couldn’t believe it. She got out of bed to check and, sure enough, the door was now firmly shut.  

“…”  

She climbed back onto the bed and lay there for a while, feeling dissatisfied.

She had been just one step away—she needed to push him further.  

With that thought, she rolled off the bed, hesitated for a moment, then dug through the wardrobe and found a rather revealing outfit to change into.  

Opening the door, a gust of night air rushed in, making her shiver.

By nighttime, the temperature had already dropped.  

Shen Yiyi walked to the next room and tried pushing the door, but it wouldn’t budge. Without hesitation, she started knocking.  

Afraid of waking the sleeping Three Baos next door, she held back her strength—but the speed and rhythm of her knocking were anything but friendly.  

Inside, Li Chen had just been about to turn off the light and lie down when he heard the sound. He immediately knew who it was. With a swift movement, he sat up and opened the door.  

Under the dim light, he saw the woman standing outside—and for a moment, he was stunned.  

She was dressed in a traditional silk embroidered pajama set. Though it consisted of a long-sleeved top and pants, the thin fabric faintly revealed the lining beneath. The V-neckline accentuated her delicate collarbones, and her fair skin gleamed with a jade-like luster under the soft glow…  

Li Chen’s Adam’s apple moved slightly.  

This outfit wasn’t something Shen Yiyi had taken from her space—it was an actual piece from this era, something she had brought from home when she moved to the countryside.  

But she had never worn it before. First, because rural customs were conservative—if anyone saw her dressed like this, gossip would spread like wildfire.  

Second, in the original storyline, she had always tried to avoid Li Chen. She feared that his desires would get the better of him, so she had always dressed conservatively at home, never daring to wear something so revealing.  

Now, being stared at by Li Chen, she felt a little self-conscious, but she didn’t forget her purpose. Lifting her chin, she declared: “Let me in!”  

Li Chen’s gaze darkened, but after a brief pause, he stepped aside to let her enter.  

The moment Shen Yiyi walked in, she got straight to the point. “Li Chen, I want a divorce!”  

Li Chen had just been about to close the door, but upon hearing her words, he suddenly yanked it shut with a loud bang.  

Shen Yiyi jumped at the noise, instinctively scolding: “Be quieter! What if you wake up the Three Baos?”  

Li Chen turned around, his expression dark as coal, a cold sneer curling at his lips. “And what about them? Did you even think about the Three Baos before deciding you wanted a divorce?”

“I can take them with me!” Shen Yiyi immediately countered.  

“Take them with you to marry Lin Jiadong?” Li Chen was finally pushed over the edge. In just a few strides, he reached her, gripping her chin tightly. “Shen Yiyi, how dare you!”  

Shen Yiyi winced in pain, forced to tilt her head upward.  

Seeing her pained expression, Li Chen gritted his teeth. Even so, he released her—but not before throwing down a cold, vicious remark. “Divorce? Keep dreaming!”  

With that, he turned around to leave. He couldn’t stay here any longer—if he did, he feared he might truly lose control and strangle her.  

Just as he pulled open the door, a soft, warm body suddenly crashed into his back, and a pair of slender arms wrapped tightly around his waist.  

Li Chen froze on the spot.  

A delicate yet aggrieved voice whispered behind him: “I don’t want a divorce either… But I told you I wanted to live a good life with you, and you don’t believe me!”  

“You…” Li Chen’s heart pounded wildly. The next second, Shen Yiyi forcefully turned him around.  

“Listen carefully.” she said, staring straight into his eyes. “Everything I’m about to say is the truth. If you still don’t believe me after this, then I’ll really divorce you!”  

Her gaze was unwavering, her expression fierce with determination. “I don’t like Lin Jiadong anymore. The person I love now is you. Maybe this sounds abrupt, but I mean it when I say I want to live a good life with you. I swear, in this lifetime, I will never betray you! You might still have doubts, but give me time—time will prove that my words are true.”  

She paused, then enunciated each word clearly: “Do. You. Understand?”  

Li Chen stared at the woman in front of him, her serious gaze and fierce expression making his throat tighten. His Adam’s apple bobbed as he stumbled over his words. “Y-Yeah… I understand.”  

Shen Yiyi, satisfied, let out a playful chuckle. Then, suddenly, she tiptoed up, wrapped her arms around his neck, and pressed her lips against his.  

Li Chen’s breathing instantly went haywire.

Without thinking, his arms encircled her waist, tightening as he deepened the kiss.  

Moments later, Shen Yiyi found herself pressed onto the bed.  

The room was filled with warmth and intimacy.