◎ Does she have all her wits focused on him? ◎

Chen Fang walked ahead, his steps long and fast. Tao Xiaoxi followed slowly behind, their hands intertwined. From the outside, it seemed like a display of affectionate love—holding hands even while walking. But in reality, their wrists were secretly competing with each other.

Tao Xiaoxi couldn’t possibly compete with him, so she could only follow his steps toward the car.

Zhao Yijiang and Wan Jingjing had not left yet, they were standing by the car talking.  Wan Jingjing had just sent Huang Zhenzhu off. Huang Zhenzhu had cried a lot downstairs, which gave Wan Jingjing a headache. She kept repeating, “I only said one wrong thing, just a drunken remark. Why has he been giving me the cold shoulder all these years?”

Wan Jingjing asked her what she had said wrong, but Huang Zhenzhu kept quiet.

It wasn’t that Huang Zhenzhu didn’t want to say, but she was too embarrassed. What could she say? That she had told him to his face that his parents deserved to die? That wasn’t her intention. She was just repeating what her mother had been saying. Her brain was clouded by alcohol at the time, and in a moment of panic, the words slipped out. She knew that even though he didn’t like her before, he treated her like a sister. But now, when he saw her, he wouldn’t even look at her.

Wan Jingjing could tell from Huang Zhenzhu’s expression that the situation was quite serious. However, none of that mattered now. The important thing was that he was married. She really had no reason to pursue him any longer. She wasn’t anyone to him, so why should he show her any kindness? Wan Jingjing had tried to explain it to her several times, but it was clear she wasn’t getting through. No matter how much she talked, her lips felt sore from repeating the same words.

Seeing Tao Xiaoxi and the others approaching, Wan Jingjing smiled and greeted them, “Xiaoxi.”

“I thought you had already left, Jingjing.” Tao Xiaoxi smiled back and greeted her as well.

Although Zhao Yijiang always called him “Brother Fang,” he was actually six months older than Chen Fang. When Zhao Yijiang got married, he took advantage of his big day to assert seniority, insisting that Chen Fang call his wife, Wan Jingjing, “sister-in-law.” Chen Fang, unwilling to argue with someone drunk, casually obliged and called her that once. Since then, Wan Jingjing’s title as “sister-in-law” stuck. However, in reality, Wan Jingjing was three grades younger than Tao Xiaoxi and her peers. When Tao Xiaoxi graduated, Wan Jingjing was just entering her first year of high school. No matter how the men sorted out their hierarchy, among the women, they treated each other simply as friends and equals.

Wan Jingjing actually wanted to talk to Tao Xiaoxi. She knew Huang Zhenzhu’s feelings and shouldn’t have let her come along. Even though her intention was to make Huang Zhenzhu give up, she couldn’t explain this to Tao Xiaoxi.

Zhao Yijiang and Chen Fang were close, and her father-in-law also liked Chen Fang. Wan Jingjing didn’t want to damage the relationship between the two families.

The wives were chatting, while the men were smoking under a bare poplar tree.

Zhao Yijiang asked, “Has Huang Baodeng been putting pressure on you lately?”

Chen Fang flicked the ash from his cigarette and replied, “It’s normal. The pie is only so big, and everyone wants a piece. When it’s about personal interests, it would be strange if there was no pressure.”

“If you can’t handle it, let me know. My family has some connections. You know my old man likes you.”

“I’m managing fine for now. Don’t worry, I’ll speak up if I need help.”

“Just be careful. I heard from my father that Huang Baodeng’s methods have become more underhanded. If you really push him, who knows what he’ll do.”

Chen Fang didn’t seem concerned. “The older someone gets, the more cautious they become. If he really wanted to do something, he would have acted a few years ago. Now that he has a son, he’s probably being extra careful. He’ll only threaten with harsh words but won’t dare to take real action.”

Zhao Yijiang sighed, “It’s a pity about Huang Zhenzhu. How did she end up with a father like him? I thought he was a good guy at first. And her mother’s not any better, always trying to marry her off to a wealthy family in the city. If you had gotten together with her back then, maybe she could have had a peaceful life. Now, it’s too late to say anything.”

Before Zhao Yijiang could finish, Chen Fang kicked him, lowering his voice to scold him, “Zhao Yijiang, if you don’t want your mouth, you might as well donate it. If you ever bring up Huang Zhenzhu again in front of me, see what I do to you.”

Zhao Yijiang jumped back, standing a meter away, and slapped himself on the face. “I’m sorry, I talked too much. I just got drunk on Old Zhou’s wine and said some things I didn’t mean. If I do it again, just slap me, okay?”

Chen Fang pointed the lit cigarette at him, reminding him to remember what he had said.

Zhao Yijiang glanced at the two people talking in the distance, making sure they couldn’t hear him. He realized he had been reckless. Chen Fang had warned him several times not to bring up Huang Zhenzhu, but here he was, still talking about her after Chen Fang had already gotten married. It was like asking for a beating.

When he first heard that Old Zhou had set up a blind date between Chen Fang and Tao Xiaoxi, he was shocked. First, he couldn’t believe Chen Fang agreed to a blind date. Second, one of them was a sheltered, obedient little girl, and the other was a wild wolf. How could they possibly be a good match? He thought Old Zhou was out of his mind.

Now, it seemed like Old Zhou actually had a knack for matchmaking. When a wild wolf and a little rabbit were together, the wolf would know how to rein in its wild nature, serve the girl food, and hold her hand while walking. Even now, as they were talking, Chen Fang’s gaze kept drifting back to his wife.

So, it turned out that getting married was a good thing for a man. When he had a wife and a home, everything finally felt like it had a purpose.

Zhao Yijiang slowly moved back to Chen Fang’s side, this time wearing a serious expression. “So, what’s it like being married? Is it as good as you thought?”

Chen Fang took a drag of his cigarette, staring into the distance at Tao Xiaoxi’s figure. The faint irritation on his face slowly disappeared, and a smile appeared in his eyes, almost without him realizing it. “It’s quite interesting.”

Zhao Yijiang: … Huh?

“Interesting”—that was a strange description. He had never heard anyone say that. After being with an academic for so long, his vocabulary had gotten more refined. The normal response should have been, “Marriage is really great,” or, “Marriage makes life so much less free.”

What was so “interesting” about it? Was it the person? The situation? Or life itself?

Chen Fang extinguished his cigarette and threw it into the trash can, asking Zhao Yijiang, “Aren’t you in a hurry to go home and change your kid’s diaper?”

Zhao Yijiang was momentarily thrown off. Was this how the conversation was going to jump around?

“I’m in no rush, my mom’s at home,” he said, then halfway through, he caught himself, looked at Chen Fang, and smiled in a particularly sly way. “Brother Fang, if you’d just said you were in a hurry, that would have been easier. Instead, you’re beating around the bush with me. Alright, I get it. I’m in a hurry too. I’ll call my wife to hurry home and change the baby’s diaper, so I won’t delay you from doing something more interesting.”

Chen Fang felt like kicking him again. “Then hurry up and go.”

He is so grown up but still not as perceptive as the old lady in their family.

When Wan Jingjing heard Zhao Yijiang mention their child crying for her at home, she immediately became anxious and hurriedly said goodbye to Tao Xiaoxi.

Since Chen Fang had been drinking, Tao Xiaoxi took the driver’s seat. This was the first time Chen Fang was in a car driven by her. He thought of giving her some driving advice, but when he saw how smoothly she operated the car, he raised an eyebrow. “You drive pretty steady.”

She steered with one hand, expertly reversing into a narrow space without missing a beat.

Tao Xiaoxi replied, “I really enjoy driving. I got my license in college. At home, my dad is too scared to drive, and my mom drives too fast. So I’m usually the one driving.”

Chen Fang watched her profile, focusing on the road ahead, and couldn’t help but smile. When Tao Xiaoxi noticed, she glanced at him and asked, “What’s wrong?”

Chen Fang, casually playing with his lighter, said with a relaxed tone, “Just thinking our old lady was right.”

“What did she say?”

“She said I’m the luckiest one in the Chen family.”

…

Tao Xiaoxi didn’t doubt what the old lady said, but she was curious about what had prompted Chen Fang to suddenly express this feeling.

“Where’s your luck?” she asked.

“I married a smart and sensible wife who’s good at painting, knows how to protect my image in front of others, and is also a skilled driver. Isn’t all of this my good fortune?”

…

Why did every sentence of his feel slightly off, especially that one about being a “skilled driver”?

Chen Fang leaned forward, trying to catch her gaze. “Aren’t I lucky?”

Tao Xiaoxi pursed her lips, eyes still fixed on the road, and purposely avoided looking at him. “Your wife is your own business. If you want to boast, I can’t stop you, can I?”

Chen Fang laughed out loud. “Tao Xiaoxi, when you were in school, were you the type to nod enthusiastically while Old Zhou was lecturing, but actually had your own little schemes going on in your head and weren’t planning to listen to a word?”

“Stop slandering me. I was always the one who listened to Old Zhou the most.”

Chen Fang smirked. She listened the most? If this were before, he would have believed it, but now, he could only say her innocent face was deceiving.

“Have you ever eaten those red-hearted radishes? The skin is white and green, but the inside is pink, completely different on the outside and inside. You and the red-hearted radish are the same kind.”

…

You’re the red-hearted radish! No, wait, it’s more like a flirtatious, oversized radish.

Tao Xiaoxi felt a little dissatisfied in her heart but smiled sweetly on the surface. “I know the red-hearted radish. It’s also called the Heart’s Beauty, right? Thank you for praising my “beautiful heart.”

Chen Fang tugged on her red ear. “You must be cursing me in your head, huh? What did you say?”

If she were to admit to cursing him, she’d be foolish. Tao Xiaoxi wouldn’t admit it. Instead, she stepped on the gas and sped up. Chen Fang was pushed back into his seat by the sudden acceleration. The road was usually congested at this time, but today, it was surprisingly smooth, with few red lights, and they arrived home quickly.

Yan Qiufang was just coming back from a walk and smiled when she saw them. “So fast, I thought you’d be gone longer.”

“How could it not be fast? Your granddaughter-in-law was speeding all the way home.”

Chen Fang got out of the car first, followed by Tao Xiaoxi, who let him take the lead in complaining.

The old lady didn’t believe his words. “You think Xiaoxi is like you? She drives steady. I never feel dizzy when she’s driving.”

Tao Xiaoxi stuck out her tongue at Chen Fang, tossed him the car keys, and quickly linked arms with the old lady, calling her ‘Grandma’ affectionately.

Chen Fang watched the two of them walking away together and shook his head with a smile. Was she using all her tricks on him? By the time he finished unloading the car and entered the building, the two had already gone inside and shut the door, leaving him to enter with the password.

“I made some Tremella and lotus seed soup before I went out. It’s good for your health to drink some before going to bed. I’ll serve it for you.” Yan Qiufang washed her hands and went to the kitchen.

Tao Xiaoxi quickly stopped her. “Grandma, go sit down and rest. I’ll serve it myself. I’m not a little kid, you can’t spoil me like that.”

The old lady really treated her like a child, the kind who’s still in kindergarten. Every day at the market, she’d bring something tasty for her—candied hawthorn, sweet sugarcane, sunflower seeds, small cakes, biscuits, and sometimes a special treat just for her. Once, she even bought a big bag of lollipops, saying the neighbor’s little granddaughter liked them and thought she would too. The neighbor’s granddaughter was only seven years old, but Tao Xiaoxi did indeed like them.

Yan Qiufang smiled warmly. “You’re still a child. No matter how old you get, in my eyes, you’ll always be a kid.”

Chen Fang came in, just in time to overhear this.

“Grandma, that’s not fair. She’s the same age as me. Why do you say I’m the adult, who has to handle everything, but when it comes to her, she’s still a child?”

Yan Qiufang gave him a humph. “You’re the head of the family now. If you were still a child, what would we do?”

Tao Xiaoxi came out carrying two bowls of tremella soup. “Grandma, speaking of which, Chen Fang is actually the youngest in our family. My birthday is three days before his. So technically, he should call me ‘sister.’”

Tao Xiaoxi had only learned the exact date of Chen Fang’s birthday when they registered their marriage. In their family, birthdays were usually celebrated according to the lunar calendar. Tao Xiaoxi’s birthday was on the third day of March, and Chen Fang’s was on the sixth. When she found out, she was a little surprised. She had always thought Chen Fang was older than her, but he was actually younger, just three days. She was the older one, and he was the younger, which was an established fact since they were born. She had wanted to hear him call her “sister” at the time, but they weren’t very close then, so she let the thought go.

Although they’re not very close now, at least they’re a bit more familiar than before. After all, they’ve shared the same bed, and since he calls her a red-hearted radish, it’s fine for her to call him “younger brother” just once.

When Yan Qiufang heard Tao Xiaoxi’s words, she was momentarily stunned, then burst into laughter. “Yes, even if it’s just three days, he’s still your younger brother. He should call you ‘sister’!”

With the old lady supporting her, Tao Xiaoxi’s confidence grew. “Come on, Younger Brother Ah Fang, call me sister and let me hear it.”

What’s so good about calling him Brother Ah Fang? Calling him Younger Brother Ah Fang is much better.

Chen Fang looked at her mischievous smile on her pale face. His lips twitched in amusement. This childish attitude of hers, and yet she wanted to act like his older sister.

Tao Xiaoxi didn’t insist on him calling her sister. Just the expression on his face was enough to make her happy.

The two exchanged silent glances, and Tao Xiaoxi looked away first. She wasn’t scared of him. She simply realized the tremella soup would get cold if she didn’t eat it soon. She carried the bowl over to the couch. One for Grandma, one for her. The old lady seemed to be enjoying the show, almost ready to crack open sunflower seeds. It was her first time seeing her grandson in such an awkward situation.

“What’s in the bag?” The old lady, having seen enough drama, broke the silence to give her dear grandson an easy way out.

Chen Fang pulled things out of the bag. “Old Zhou went back to the village and brought back some millet and jujubes.” He paused when he saw the large chunk of donkey meat. He continued pulling things out. “This is donkey meat. Your granddaughter-in-law loves it. Old Zhou got it for her.”

Tao Xiaoxi coughed, choking a bit. The old lady hurriedly grabbed some tissue and patted her back. “Eat slowly, no need to rush.”

Tao Xiaoxi coughed until her eyes teared up. She took the water Chen Fang handed her, drank a few sips, and pressed her chest down, finally feeling a little better. It wasn’t because she was eating too fast, but there was no way to explain it to the old lady. She shot Chen Fang a glare, silently blaming him for the situation.

The old lady, unaware of what was happening, just heard her granddaughter-in-law loved donkey meat and was already thinking about how to prepare it.

“Would you like to eat the donkey meat with sauce?” Yan Qiufang asked Tao Xiaoxi.

Before Tao Xiaoxi could reply, Chen Fang answered for her. “She loves it with sauce. Last time, she really liked the beef you made with sauce.”

Yan Qiufang slapped her thigh. “Grandma will go make it for you. Marinate it overnight, and you can eat it tomorrow morning.”

Tao Xiaoxi gave up on the tremella soup and headed straight to the kitchen. She didn’t have time to talk to the old lady, so she said to Chen Fang, “You even tricked Grandma.”

Chen Fang responded, “Then you go tell Grandma you don’t like it.”

There was no way Tao Xiaoxi would say that. The old lady worked so hard for her. If she said she didn’t like it, it would hurt the old lady’s feelings.

“Despicable,” Tao Xiaoxi muttered under her breath.

Chen Fang grabbed the cup from the coffee table, drank the water she left behind, then walked toward the kitchen. Just before entering, he paused, turned back, and reminded her, “Don’t forget your two cloves of garlic tonight.”

Tao Xiaoxi froze, the spoon almost in her mouth. Luckily, she hadn’t eaten yet, or she’d have choked again. This bowl of soup had been quite the rollercoaster.

In the kitchen, Chen Fang was helping the old lady.

The old lady asked, “Has Zhou Ying not returned yet?”

“Probably not until the end of the year.”

The old lady sighed. “When I first met that guy, he seemed like a decent person. Who would’ve thought he’d turn out to be such a beast? Your teacher and his wife must be heartbroken, especially with their daughter going through a divorce.”

In July this year, when Chen Fang was handling some business in the city where Zhou Ying lived, Old Zhou’s wife and the old lady asked him to bring some things for Zhou Ying. When Zhou Ying came to meet him, she was wearing sunglasses, and Chen Fang immediately sensed something was off. She didn’t say anything, so he didn’t ask. That night, the old lady tried calling her. Over the years, the two families had become close, and the old lady treated Zhou Ying like a granddaughter. Zhou Ying, not wanting to tell her parents, preferred to share things with the old lady instead.

The man had cheated, and Zhou Ying wanted a divorce, but the man refused. During their argument, he hit her. He claimed it was a drunken accident, but it was clearly domestic abuse.

The divorce proceedings had been dragging on for three or four months, and it was expected to be finalized before the end of the year. Zhou Ying planned to take care of everything and then return to her hometown to start over, wanting to be closer to her parents as she got older.

Chen Fang reminded the old lady, “She wants to keep the divorce a secret until after the New Year. Please don’t let anything slip while you’re at Old Zhou’s.”

The old lady patted him on the shoulder. “Don’t worry, my mouth has never slipped in my life. I won’t tell anyone.”

“Yes, Grandma, your mouth is as tight as steel. No one can pry anything out of you.”

Tao Xiaoxi, holding her bowl, returned to the couch. She wasn’t eavesdropping on purpose, but she had just wanted to take her bowl to the kitchen and see if there was anything she could help with.

She sat on the couch for a few seconds, then slowly finished the tremella soup, one spoonful at a time. She didn’t stop until Chen Fang came out of the kitchen.

“Would you like more? There’s still some left in the pot,” Chen Fang asked, seeing that both bowls were empty. He was about to get her another bowl.

Tao Xiaoxi waved her hand. “No, no more. I’m full. My stomach is already sticking out.”

Chen Fang glanced at her stomach. “With your little quail stomach, anything you eat makes it stick out.”

She wasn’t a quail! Tao Xiaoxi held his hand as he reached for another bowl. “I’ll do the washing.”

“Go upstairs and take a shower. Didn’t you say you were tired earlier?” Chen Fang’s thumb gently stroked the soft little hand covering his, the two of them separated only by a coffee table. If he leaned just a little closer, he could touch her lips. His breath lingered, wanting to get closer, but he stopped himself. He didn’t want to mess around in front of the old lady and risk upsetting her.

He urged her, “Go on, I’ll help Grandma and then join you upstairs.”

She took forever to shower. Every time, she was in there for at least an hour. Unlike him, who could finish in ten minutes from start to finish.

“Okay, I’ll go up. You finish up here.” She withdrew her hand, stood up, and took a few steps toward the stairs. Then she turned back to look at him. “Thanks for the hard work, Younger Brother Ah Fang. I’ll go upstairs first.”

Chen Fang wanted to reach out to grab her, but she had already gone into the kitchen to talk to the old lady.

He had noticed that her expression seemed a little off earlier and thought something was wrong. It turns out she was just hiding her mischief here.

When Yan Qiufang heard the sound of the door closing, she glanced at her grandson, whose eyes hadn’t moved away yet, and said, “You should go upstairs too. Why are you staying here with this old woman? I don’t need your help. Hurry up, hurry up. If you keep hanging around like this, the soul of the dish will run off with the person. If you leave something behind, my soup will go to waste.”

Chen Fang didn’t respond to the old lady’s teasing and said, “I’ll leave after I finish washing the dishes.”

She glanced at her tall grandson and couldn’t help but ask, “How’s married life? Is it good?”

“It’s alright,” he replied, his tone sounding somewhat indifferent.

“Eh, just alright? You must be feeling pretty good deep down. A sweet and soft little girl has entered your home. You probably smile in your sleep,” she said.

“I don’t know if I smile in my sleep, but I definitely saw you smiling in your sleep that day when you were napping on the sofa,” Chen Fang teased.

Yan Qiufang acted as though she was going to hit him.

Chen Fang turned his back to her, offering a more comfortable position for the old lady to hit. Then he casually asked, “I remember we have a white apron, right?”

“Yes, I put it away. White ones get dirty too easily. What’s wrong?” Yan Qiufang asked, curious about why he suddenly brought up the apron.

“Can you find it for me? Xiaoxi likes white,” he replied.

“Sure, let me get it for you.”

Yan Qiufang immediately wiped her hands and found the white apron.

After taking a shower, Tao Xiaoxi was sitting in a hanging basket chair to dry her hair. She had thick hair, so she preferred letting it air dry for a while before using a blow dryer.

The sound of the door code echoed, and she looked up at the person entering. “Is Grandma done?”

“Mm-hmm.” Chen Fang changed into indoor slippers, hung his coat on the rack, and walked over to her. “Why did you finish your shower so quickly today?”

“It’s okay. I’m usually not slow. It just felt a little stuffy in the bathroom today, so I just rinsed off quickly and came out,” she explained.

“What’s that in your hand?” she asked, noticing the white cloth he was carrying that looked like clothing, but not quite.

Chen Fang threw the item to her. “You like white, right?”

Tao Xiaoxi unfolded it.

It was a white apron…

A half-length one…