Chapter 35.1

Chen Jubai felt like a thief. In a sense, he was—a thief who had taken someone else’s belonging without permission, only to be caught red-handed now.

He didn’t plan to lie anymore. He admitted honestly and directly, “I kept the scarf out of selfishness. I lied at the time. I’m sorry.”

Song Wei was stunned. “Back then, you…”

“Yes, I had ulterior motives.”

Her mind went blank. His feelings had always been apparent, but hearing him openly admit it made her flustered. Song Wei instinctively wanted to avoid his gaze but couldn’t. Instead, she locked eyes with his unflinching and candid expression and asked a question she already seemed to know the answer to, “You liked me even then?”

Chen Jubai’s lips curled slightly as he answered effortlessly, “Yes.”

“And now?”

“I still do.”

The feeling of being liked and hearing it spoken aloud was completely different. Song Wei finally understood what people meant by “heart racing.” Her heart was now pounding wildly, far from its usual place.

Her face flushed red as she tiptoed to kiss him.

Chen Jubai reciprocated.

The newly adopted kitten, Snowflake, had wandered into the bedroom, finding the only familiar person in this strange space. It circled them, tugging at their pant legs to climb up.

But no one paid attention to it.

After a while, when Song Wei was finally free, she glanced down. The kitten had obediently settled itself, tilting its head as if deliberately avoiding disturbing them.

“Snowflake is watching,” she remarked.

“It’s fine,” he replied. “It’ll get used to it.”

The new home needed decorating, and essentials had to be purchased.

After a brief rest, the two headed to a nearby supermarket.

At the entrance, in the snack aisle, Song Wei picked out some favorites, while Chen Jubai pushed the cart behind her.

Once done, they moved to the vegetable section. Song Wei asked, “Do we have cooking utensils at home?”

“Yes, but no seasonings. We’ll need to buy those.”

“Oh. So, what’s for dinner?”

“What do you want to eat?”

Song Wei smirked mischievously. “I wouldn’t dare decide. Whatever Chef Chen wants to make, we’ll eat.”

After a quick survey, he decided. “How about chicken soup? Or hot pot?” Knowing she couldn’t handle spicy food, he meant a clear broth hot pot.

“Sounds good!”

While he picked out vegetables, Song Wei wandered off to choose fruits, soon holding a mix of pears, bananas, and pineapple.

By the time she returned, Chen Jubai had finished buying vegetables and was picking out seasonings. She placed the weighed fruits into the cart, then hooked her arm through his, speaking affectionately, “What else do we need?”

“Salt. Over there.”

“Oh.” She then pointed at the two bottles of soy sauce in his hand. “What’s the difference between these?”

“One is light soy sauce, the other is dark. Light soy sauce is milder in color, while dark soy sauce is richer and good for coloring.”

“Got it. I wouldn’t know—just pick whatever you need.”

He placed both bottles into the cart and pushed it toward the salt.

Today’s shopping list was long. They were essentially starting from scratch, needing everything from kitchen supplies to bathroom essentials: tissues, face towels, and even her toothbrush and cup.

While picking tissues, Song Wei noticed sanitary pads nearby. Not wanting to make another trip later, she decided to grab some now. Selecting her usual brand, she turned and saw Chen Jubai staring at the shelves. “What are you looking at?”

A bit sheepish but still earnest, he asked, “Why are there so many kinds?”

Song Wei stifled a laugh and explained, “Of course—there are daytime, nighttime, cotton, mesh, and even menstrual pants, all tailored for different needs.”

He nodded thoughtfully. “Which one do you use?”

Holding up her choice, she replied, “This one—cotton.”

He glanced at it for a moment, committing the brand to memory.

After placing it into the cart, she looped her arm through his again. “Let’s go to the next aisle.”

Just as they turned the cart, he stopped abruptly.

Song Wei looked up and saw Zhuo Wan and an elegant woman approaching. Zhuo Wan appeared surprised, her brows furrowing slightly.

The woman beside her was striking, dressed in a chic tweed suit paired with a Hermes bag, standing out sharply in the supermarket setting.

Her gaze wasn’t as overt as Zhuo Wan’s but was sharp and observant. Her eyes moved slowly from their intertwined hands to the sanitary pads in the cart.

Song Wei suddenly felt a wave of pressure—not the professional intimidation of someone like Andy but a different kind of unease. Without realizing it, she withdrew her hand from Chen Jubai’s arm.

In those brief seconds, she glanced sideways at him, noticing his expression shift from surprise to recognition. He spoke, “Miss Ning, when did you return?”

Her surname triggered a memory for Song Wei.

She had always assumed the “President Ning” they mentioned was a man. Now it was clear she’d been wrong—Chen Jubai’s benefactor was this woman.

Watching him walk forward, she bit her lip and followed.

Reaching them, Chen Jubai introduced her naturally, taking her hand again. “Miss Ning, this is my wife, Song Wei.”

Ning Shuhui’s gaze returned to her, and she smiled faintly. “Hello, Miss Song. I’ve heard a lot about you from Wanwan. I planned to meet you at the office on Monday, but I didn’t expect to run into you here.”

Chen Jubai spoke again, “Weiwei, this is Sister Ning, another shareholder of Guangnian.”

Song Wei responded with a polite smile, “Hello, Sister Ning.”

Chen Jubai asked, “When did you get back?”

“Just two days ago. I had lunch nearby with Wanwan and came here with her to shop for some things.”

Supermarkets aren’t ideal for conversations, so their shopping trip was temporarily interrupted. The four of them headed to the checkout area, where each took a separate lane.

Chen Jubai and Song Wei had bought many items, which they placed one by one on the counter. While the cashier scanned the items, Chen Jubai casually grabbed two boxes of contraceptives from a nearby shelf.

Song Wei was momentarily stunned. She instinctively turned her head and caught Ning Shuhui pulling her gaze back.

But Song Wei didn’t have time to worry about whether Ning Shuhui had seen it. Tugging at Chen Jubai’s sleeve, she whispered, “Don’t just grab anything.”

“Hmm?”

“These… they come in different sizes.”

She recalled an embarrassing incident at a convenience store when she had casually grabbed a box and quickly checked out. The cashier, perhaps noticing her discomfort, had kindly informed her, “This is the smallest size.”

Flustered, she had muttered, “Oh…”

The cashier had chuckled. “Most people use medium size. If the fit isn’t right, it can be uncomfortable.”

Back in the present, Chen Jubai glanced at the box in his hand, then calmly put one back and replaced it with another. Song Wei saw the text on the packaging and her face flushed.

The cashier, who had witnessed the whole exchange, glanced at them with a knowing smile. Song Wei, thoroughly embarrassed, hurriedly helped bag their items.

After paying, they reunited at the exit. Chen Jubai turned to Ning Shuhui and suggested, “How about dinner together tonight?”

Zhuo Wan looked at Ning Shuhui, who smiled faintly and replied, “We wouldn’t want to interrupt your plans. Let’s arrange a gathering with Chu Qi and the others on Monday instead.”

“Alright, see you Monday then.”

Zhuo Wan and Ning Shuhui left first.

Once in the car, Zhuo Wan couldn’t hold back her frustration. “Sister Shuhui, what’s going on here? Where did this Song Wei even come from? How could Chen Jubai marry her? How is that fair to you?”

Zhuo Wan had joined the company through Ning Shuhui’s referral and was closer to her than to Chen Jubai. She had never quite understood why the Ning family heiress would personally invest in a small startup. Though the money seemed like a gamble at the time, she started to understand after meeting Chen Jubai.

Over the next two or three years, Zhuo Wan became more certain. Ning Shuhui treated Chen Jubai differently than she did others.

Ning Shuhui calmly placed her bag to the side, adjusted her skirt, and instructed the driver, “Old Li, let’s go.”

As the car started moving, she spoke slowly to Zhuo Wan, “Don’t spread unnecessary gossip. It could have negative consequences.” Then she asked, “What’s the story with this Song Wei?”

“She’s just from an ordinary family with nothing remarkable about her background. The only thing noteworthy is her education. The two of them met through a matchmaking setup, and by the time I found out, they were already married.”

“Is she working at Guangnian now?”

“Yes, she joined before the New Year.”

“Did Chen Jubai bring her in?”

Zhuo Wan shook her head. “I can’t confirm that. I asked HR, and they said she submitted her resume on her own. Her qualifications were suitable for the product manager position, but Jiang Zhendong was initially against hiring her. He only changed his mind later, and in the end, she was hired after a final interview with Director Ling. Chen Jubai wasn’t involved in the process.”

Ning Shuhui seemed lost in thought. “How is her performance?”

Zhuo Wan hesitated before giving a noncommittal answer. “She’s alright.”

In truth, Zhuo Wan had done her research. Song Wei was competent, meticulous, and well-regarded by her team. Even a collaborating partner had praised the new manager during a recent meeting.

But to Zhuo Wan, work was work. There were plenty of talented people in the world. What mattered to her was that Song Wei was Chen Jubai’s wife.

In Zhuo Wan’s mind, the person by Chen Jubai’s side should have been Ning Shuhui. After all, without Ning Shuhui, there would be no Chen Jubai of today.

With a sigh, Zhuo Wan muttered, “Sister Shuhui, I really feel for you.”

Ning Shuhui smiled and shook her head. “Wanwan, you’re overthinking it. We’re just business partners. Chen Jubai hasn’t done anything wrong.”

Zhuo Wan hesitated, but deep down, she didn’t believe that. If Ning Shuhui didn’t care, why had she rushed back so suddenly upon hearing the news? According to her original plans, she wasn’t supposed to return until the end of the year.

“Are you planning to go back after this?” Zhuo Wan asked.