Chapter 16.1

Lu Yi took a deep breath, rested her chin on her hand, and followed up with a cheerful “Wife” in response to his earlier words. She even added, much more naturally than he had, “Thank you, husband.”

“…”

Lin Jinshen pressed his lips together, still unable to fully accept the word husband. He couldn’t understand how Lu Yi could say it so naturally.

If it hadn’t been a marriage of convenience between them, would she have been able to say this to someone else? Or was it just him?

“Mom, do you need anything?” After pouring water, Lin Jinshen asked the two mothers.

Mrs. Xu frowned slightly. “No need, don’t trouble yourself.”

He nodded and returned to his seat.

Mrs. Qin crossed her arms, a silent smile playing on her lips. Both mothers, having lived long lives, could clearly see what was real and what was just for show. The display was clearly to put them at ease.

And it worked.

The fact that the couple was willing to cooperate proved that their marriage seemed fine on the surface.

Mrs. Qin pulled out her phone. “I’ll send the photos I just took to the group chat. Everyone can take a look.”

Opening her photo gallery, she selected dozens of photos to send, including a shot of the couple together. Though there wasn’t much interaction between them in the photo, just standing side by side made them appear like a perfect match.

No matter how many times she looked at them, Mrs. Qin felt nothing but satisfaction toward Lu Yi. Yet occasionally, a twinge of guilt crept in, as though they had tricked someone’s daughter into the family.

“These turned out beautifully,” Mrs. Xu said, opening each photo and saving them one by one with a gratified expression.

Lu Yi smiled and said, “Mom, your photography skills are so professional! Did you ever take lessons?”

“No, I just take pictures casually for fun.” Mrs. Qin smiled modestly.

The elders in the group chat responded uniformly with compliments. An uncle exaggerated, saying at first glance, he thought it was a celebrity poster.

Lin Yumo: 【@Uncle That’s not quite right. Sister-in-law is prettier than some celebrities.】

【When I opened the photo, I thought a goddess had descended. I cried tears of joy. Truly, my brother has married above his station!】

【Sister-in-law, are you sure you can’t consider me?】

【…】

As soon as Lin Yumo joined the chat, she became the life of the group, bantering with the uncle in a lively back-and-forth.

Lu Yi replied to her: 【If you hurry back now, there’s still time to crash the wedding.】

Lin Yumo: 【Got it. I’ll book a flight now!】

While the chat heated up, Lin Jinshen finally began scrolling through the photos. Some were new to him. His finger hesitated before saving a few, then he switched to the messages and scanned them quickly.

He sent a photo of their marriage certificate to the group chat.

@Lin Yumo: 【Married.】

The statement made it clear: there was no chance for anyone else.

Lin Yumo: 【?】
【You didn’t even post a photo of the certificate before. Brother, do you know what this is called?】
【Being lowkey!】

Lu Yi had no idea when Lin Jinshen had taken the photo. At the time, he had looked utterly indifferent, as though going through a routine procedure.

Lin Jinshen replied: 【I’m not like you, eager to announce every little thing to the world.】
【By the way, I saw your latest grades.】
【Your allowance this month will be cut in half.】

Lin Yumo: 【Ahhh!】
【This is abuse of power!】
【Sister-in-law, help me out. Just now, my hopes of being the favored one were crushed!】

“…”

Lu Yi chuckled softly. She hadn’t met this little sister-in-law yet, but she had a feeling they would get along well.

The waiter began serving dishes, and as the meal progressed, Lu Yi felt a slight discomfort in her throat. Covering her mouth, she coughed softly.

Mrs. Xu immediately put down her chopsticks and looked at her with concern. “Are you catching a cold?”

“No.”

Lu Yi sipped some tea to soothe her throat.

Mrs. Xu, with a hint of reproach, said, “Your health has always been poor. You’ve been prone to illness since childhood, catching colds whenever the seasons change. Back then, I could look after you, but now you’re grown. You must take better care of yourself.”

Lin Jinshen interjected, “That’s on me. I’ve been busy lately and haven’t been attentive. I’ll make sure to take better care of her from now on.”

Mrs. Xu’s expression softened. “It’s not entirely your fault. Lu Yi is an adult now.”

Lin Jinshen insisted, “It’s my responsibility to care for her.”

Lu Yi didn’t have a chance to jump into the conversation but silently admired how much better his acting had gotten. His earlier statements sounded far more natural than his forced “wife” from before.

He added, “She lacks stamina and endurance, which might contribute to her weaker immune system.”

Lu Yi propped her chin on her hand and stared at him. Lack stamina and endurance?

What was he basing this on? The bedroom? Was it her fault she couldn’t keep up with him? Waking up at 5 AM, finishing in an hour, then heading out for a morning run like nothing happened?

Mrs. Xu chimed in, “Yes, and she loves heavy-flavored foods. Illness often starts with diet. Eating uncleanly can build toxins in the body.”

“Indeed. Strong flavors harm the spleen and stomach, which can lead to fatigue and poor sleep quality.”

“You’re absolutely right, Jinshen. Keep an eye on her diet in the future.”

“Of course.”

Lu Yi and Mrs. Qin exchanged glances, their smiles tinged with helplessness.

After this exchange, Mrs. Xu’s impression of their marriage improved. At the very least, from her son-in-law’s words, he didn’t seem entirely indifferent to her daughter.

Newlyweds, she reasoned, needed time to build their feelings. A proper attitude was a good starting point.

“Let’s eat. We’ve been at this all day—you must be hungry,” Mrs. Qin interjected.

Lu Yi lowered her head to eat, but suddenly a shadow fell over her bowl, and a piece of steamed fish appeared in it. She turned to meet Lin Jinshen’s dark gaze.

His Adam’s apple bobbed slightly as he said in a gruff tone, “Eat more.”

Lu Yi feared he might add another “wife,” but thankfully, he didn’t. She relaxed a little, then returned the gesture by placing a dish from the table into his bowl.

“You too.”

“…”

Their clumsy performance of domestic harmony was sickening even to themselves. They quickly averted their gazes and focused on their food.

Lu Yi no longer cared whether Mrs. Xu saw through them. Continuing this act was making it impossible to finish the meal.

Fortunately, the conversation at the table shifted, and the mothers began chatting about organizing a card game soon.

After the meal, Lin Jinshen suggested taking the mothers shopping as a gesture of appreciation for all their efforts with the wedding. He urged them to buy whatever they wanted and charge it to his card as a token of gratitude.

The gifts themselves weren’t the main point; both mothers lacked for nothing. The rare opportunity to spend time with their children was what truly mattered, and they happily agreed.

Mrs. Xu selected a blue-green Birkin bag, while Mrs. Qin chose a jade bracelet of the highest quality.

Throughout the outing, Lin Jinshen accompanied them without showing a hint of impatience, though he offered little input on their choices. His enthusiasm for swiping his card made up for his lack of verbal participation.

While the mothers chatted with the shop assistants, Lu Yi and Lin Jinshen held their purchases. Their eyes met, and he asked, “Not getting anything for yourself?”

“I don’t have anything in mind,” she replied. Then, recalling the paintings he had gifted her, she thought it might be appropriate to return the gesture.

After some deliberation, Lu Yi decided on a tie for him—not his usual Stefano Ricci brand, but a small Nordic designer’s piece. The navy-blue tie with subtle dark floral patterns suited his old-fashioned taste perfectly.

Lin Jinshen handed over his card.

“Wait, I’ll handle it myself,” Lu Yi interjected, quickly pulling her card from her bag—not the supplementary card he’d given her, but her own salary card.