The man’s movements paused for a moment. She bit his neck lightly with her sharp teeth. “Hmm? Is it something you can’t tell me?”

Lu Linshen replied, “If I tell you, you can’t laugh at me or overthink it.”

“Mm-hmm.” Meng Suihuan nodded eagerly. “Go ahead, tell me.”

Under her curious and expectant gaze, Lu Linshen took a deep breath and said, “I learned it from books.”

“Books?” She poked his chest with her finger. “When did you start learning, and how long did you study?”

She had never noticed before that beneath his gentle and restrained exterior lay such meticulous thoughts. And he had even prepared in advance!

“For over a month,” he admitted.

Hearing this, she poked his chest again and teased, “Lu Linshen, it seems you’ve been planning this for quite some time.”

But she found herself liking it.

—

In the mirror, Meng Suihuan noticed several purple marks still on her body. Thankfully, it was winter, and she was dressed in thick clothes. Even so, she put on a turtleneck sweater, wrapping herself up tightly.

When she stepped out, she saw Lu Linshen. He was wearing a matching cream-colored down jacket, just like hers. It was the first time she had seen him wear such a color. He looked so fresh and youthful, like a student who had just entered society.

He leaned down and gently kissed her forehead. “Good morning, Suisui.”

Her heart pounded wildly. Even though they had done far more intimate things the previous night, she still felt her heart race from just a single kiss.

“Good morning, Lu Linshen,” she greeted him as she always did.

This time, he didn’t respond immediately. Instead, he looked at her intently and, with a gentle tone, made a request. “Suisui, how about using a different name?”

“A different name?”

“The one you used last night was pretty good.”

Last night… Last night, he had made her call him “husband” repeatedly, to the point where she grew tired of saying it.

While she felt comfortable saying it when they were alone, she couldn’t bring herself to use it in front of Lu Linshen’s parents or Lu Miaomiao. Her shy nature wouldn’t allow it.

She decided to pick another name. What should she call him?

He always called her “Suisui.” What if she called him… Shen Shen?

With a playful glint in her eye, she looked at him and said, “Shen Shen.”

His face tensed, and his brows furrowed, as if he were holding back something.

She couldn’t stop laughing at his reaction and repeated it with a bright smile. “Shen Shen sounds nice. I think it’s even better than ‘husband.’ From now on, I’ll call you Shen Shen.”

Lu Linshen: “…”

He pressed his brow, “Suisui, choose another one.”

Being called “Shen Shen” so affectionately made him cringe, especially when he thought about what his parents, sister, or anyone else might think.

Meng Suihuan smiled, “No need to change it. Isn’t this name perfect?”

“If you insist on calling me that, feel free to use it in the bedroom next time,” Lu Linshen teased.

She glared at him, annoyed. What a rascal—always teasing her. How had she not realized he was this mischievous before?

After some “friendly” negotiations, they settled on “Ah Shen.” It wasn’t as intimate as “husband” but also not as awkward as “Shen Shen.”

—

Xiuhe Jie came over with Zhao Chen, bringing gifts for everyone, including Meng Suihuan. Her smile was bright with joy.

The atmosphere was warm and cheerful as everyone shared a meal together.

Suddenly, a loud, blaring voice from outside interrupted them. It sounded like someone yelling into a megaphone, repeatedly calling Meng Suihuan’s name.

The lively atmosphere came to a halt. Meng Suihuan immediately recognized the voice. That loud, brash tone could belong to none other than her so-called mother, Zheng Xiujuan.

Sure enough, in the next moment, Zheng Xiujuan stormed in, her mouth spewing insults nonstop.

Her eyes darted to the room full of delicacies and valuables, and jealousy flashed in her gaze, fueling even harsher words.

“Meng Suihuan, you ungrateful brat! I raised you for 20 years, and now that you’re making money, you’ve turned your back on me? How could there be such a heartless daughter in the world?”

“You ingrate! You’re spending money on your in-laws’ house, buying them things, but have you ever bought anything for your own mother? Our house is falling apart, your brother can’t afford a bride, and you don’t even care. You’re heartless, ungrateful, and cursed! How did I end up with such a cruel daughter?”

The commotion quickly drew the attention of the neighbors, especially given Zheng Xiujuan’s loud voice. Many gathered to watch the spectacle.

Some who didn’t know the backstory started criticizing her. “This daughter is so unfilial, only caring about her in-laws and ignoring her own family. People like this are best avoided.”

However, this time, instead of agreeing, the crowd began discussing Zheng Xiujuan herself, revealing details that silenced the critics.

Unaware of the shift in opinion, Zheng Xiujuan argued with the onlookers, only to end up embarrassed and wishing she could slap herself for speaking too much.

Meanwhile, Meng Suihuan remained calm, not engaging in a shouting match. She simply stared at Zheng Xiujuan with a neutral expression.

Lu Linshen wanted to kick her out, but Meng Suihuan stopped him, saying, “Let’s enjoy the show.”

Once Zheng Xiujuan paused to catch her breath, Meng Suihuan raised her eyelids slightly and asked, “Done yelling?”

“If you’re not finished, go ahead and continue.”

Zheng Xiujuan: “…”

Still full of bravado, Zheng Xiujuan raised her chin and said, “Give me money, and I’ll stop. Otherwise, I’ll come here every day and make a scene until you pay up!”

“I’m not giving you any money,” Meng Suihuan replied coolly. “Not only that, but I’ve already called the police. Congratulations—looks like you might spend New Year’s in a cell this year.”

Zheng Xiujuan sneered, “I’m your mother. The police can’t do anything to me. You’re supposed to give me money—”

What an unreasonable woman.

Fortunately, Meng Suihuan had anticipated this. She reminded her calmly, “Zheng Xiujuan, have you forgotten something?”

“I cut all ties with the Meng family a long time ago.”

Zheng Xiujuan scoffed and said, “Blood ties can’t be severed just because you say so. You’ll always be my daughter, and it’s your duty to care for me in my old age and see me off when I die!”

Meng Suihuan smiled faintly. “Caring for your old age is out of the question, but seeing you off? That’s doable. How about today? It’s a good day for a funeral. What do you think?”

Zheng Xiujuan: “…”

“You’re cursing me to die! You crazy girl, I’ll beat you to death—”

Zheng Xiujuan, enraged, lunged at Meng Suihuan to hit her. But Lu Linshen, quick to react, grabbed her hand, shielding his wife.

Meng Suihuan smiled, her eyes narrowing slightly. “If you lay a hand on me, I can make sure you spend the rest of your life rotting in prison—or worse, disappear from this world without a trace.”

Her voice dropped to a low whisper, carrying an almost demonic edge.

“Gone from this world entirely.”

“You—you—”

“Oh, don’t worry,” Meng Suihuan interrupted, her tone sweet. “I wouldn’t forget about your precious son. I’ll make sure he joins you when the time comes.”

Her smile was as beautiful as it was chilling. “You know I’m capable of it.”

Zheng Xiujuan’s eyes widened in shock.

Meng Suihuan tapped her fingers theatrically. “Today’s a good day for something like that. Why not now? That way, I can still enjoy the feast and even light some incense for you afterward.”

—

The drama ended with the police stepping in to restore order.

Noticing the constant smile on Meng Suihuan’s face, Lu Linshen couldn’t help but tease, “Are you that happy?”

“Of course! I got free entertainment, watched a live Sichuan opera face-changing act, and the star performer happens to be someone I despise the most. What’s not to love?”

“Suisui, it’s fine to be happy, but you put yourself in danger just now. What if she really attacked you?”

“Don’t do that again. I’d worry about you,” he said with genuine concern.

Meng Suihuan gently held his hand and playfully smiled. “Isn’t that why you’re here with me? Otherwise, I wouldn’t have gotten so close to that crazy woman!”

“What if I’m not around next time?”

His words felt like a switch, instantly freezing the lighthearted atmosphere.

Meng Suihuan opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but ultimately remained silent. The two fell into an uneasy quiet.

—

New Year’s Eve Dinner

The entire Lu family pitched in for the preparations. Lu Linshen and his father chopped wood, slaughtered chickens, and prepared the meat, while Lu Xiuhe and Lu’s mother cleaned and prepped vegetables.

When Meng Suihuan offered to help, the women cheerfully told her to rest. Not wanting to sit idle while everyone was busy, she washed some fruits, but her hands became so cold she quickly went to warm them by the fire.

Taking advantage of a break in Lu Miaomiao’s chores, Meng Suihuan tried to help feed the fire, mimicking Miaomiao’s actions. But she accidentally extinguished it instead.

“Sister-in-law!” Lu Miaomiao cried out. Feeling guilty, Meng Suihuan gave her an awkward smile.

To her dismay, Miaomiao called in Lu Linshen, who walked in and asked, “What’s going on?”

Before Miaomiao could explain, Meng Suihuan quickly covered her mouth, laughing nervously. “Nothing, just fooling around with Miaomiao.”

Then, she felt a warm touch on her face—Lu Linshen’s fingers lightly brushing her cheek.

“What are you two playing at?” he asked with a soft laugh. “You’ve turned into a little cat.”

“Is it very dirty?” Meng Suihuan hadn’t even noticed, but it must have happened while she was feeding the fire.

His gaze lingered on her face, and there was something more in his eyes—a hidden emotion that made her heart race.

Flustered, she quickly stood up. “I’ll go wash my face.”

She hurried to the backyard, but before she could draw water, she was pulled into a warm embrace and kissed.

It was Lu Linshen.

She was familiar with his scent. Instead of pushing him away, she softly responded.

Then, she heard Miaomiao’s voice calling, “Big Brother!” followed by approaching footsteps. Meng Suihuan quickly pulled away, stepping back to put distance between them.

Unfortunately, a faint black smudge now marked his light-colored clothes—her handiwork from earlier.

Playfully, she called out, “Lu Linshen.”

“Hmm?” he responded.

Taking advantage of his distraction, she swiftly smeared a bit of soot on his face. Seeing the black streak on his clean cheek, she burst out laughing. “Now you’re a little cat too!”

Lu Linshen chuckled.

At that moment, Miaomiao entered the backyard, her expression mischievous.

“Gege, what are you and Sister-in-law sneaking around doing?”

Meng Suihuan cleared her throat. “I came to wash my face.”

“And Gege?” Miaomiao smirked. “Is he here to wash Sister-in-law’s face too?”

“You two sure take your time. Your faces are still so dirty after all that effort!”

Meng Suihuan turned away, her face burning with embarrassment.

Lu Linshen sighed. “If you tease your sister-in-law again, no red envelope for you tonight.”

Miaomiao gasped, outraged. “Big Brother, you’re so mean! Always threatening me with red envelopes!”

Meng Suihuan laughed softly, silently agreeing with Miaomiao. Lu Linshen might appear calm and proper on the surface, but deep down, he was downright mischievous. Especially when it came to—

At times, he could be mischievous to the extreme.

After the family reunion dinner came Lu Miaomiao’s favorite part—receiving red envelopes. She sweetly offered blessings to everyone.

“May Mom and Dad have good health and a long, happy life.”
“May Sister and Brother-in-law love each other and grow old together.”

When it was Lu Linshen and Meng Suihuan’s turn, Lu Miaomiao grinned cheekily.
“May Gege and Sister-in-law stay as close as glue and never let their love fade.”

Everyone laughed and handed over red envelopes. Meng Suihuan watched Lu Miaomiao, a trace of envy in her eyes.

Just then, Lu Linshen suddenly called her name.
“Suisui.”

She turned to look and saw Lu Linshen holding a red envelope, gazing at her with a warm smile and deep affection in his eyes.
“Happy New Year,” he said softly.