Chapter 44 Can you please not kick me out tonight...?

As the door closed, all the noise outside completely disappeared.

Wen Zhi was no longer sleepy, but she remained in bed, staring blankly at the ceiling, feeling as if she was still surrounded by Song Juelan's presence.

After a while, she finally got up from the messy bed, took a shower, washed off the stickiness, and changed into some dry clothes.

I had just come out of the bathroom when the doorbell rang abruptly.

Wen Zhi thought Song Juelan and Xiao Tang had forgotten something, so she dried her hair and walked towards the door. When she opened the door, she saw someone she didn't expect.

"This awful weather, it's so hot!" Yao Zhihua strode in, carrying two large, heavy bags, and headed straight for the kitchen.

He opened the refrigerator door, stuffed the things he was carrying inside one by one, and called out to Wen Zhi, who was standing dumbfounded at the door, "Zhi Bao, I brought you two free-range chickens. You can make soup with them to nourish your body."

After saying that, he casually took a can of Coke from the refrigerator, opened it with a "click," tilted his head back and gulped down several mouthfuls, then sighed comfortably.

Wen Zhi then came to her senses and asked, "When did you get back?"

At the beginning of this summer vacation, Yao Zhihua went back to her grandparents' house to keep the two elderly people company, so the two have not seen each other during the summer vacation.

"I just got back yesterday. School is about to start, and I have some things to do at school, so I need to go there early."

Wen Zhi was slightly taken aback, somewhat not quite reacting.

Is school about to start?

"Where's Xiao Tang? I don't see him." Yao Zhihua crushed the empty can in his hand, threw it into the trash can, and walked back to the living room, looking around.

"He went to swimming lessons."

Yao Zhihua said "Oh," and then his gaze fell on Wen Zhi's damp black hair. He asked suspiciously, "Why are you taking a shower in broad daylight?"

Wen Zhi's expression stiffened slightly, and she immediately recalled what had just happened in her room. Her eyes darted around: "I was sweating a little just now."

Yao Zhihua knew Wen Zhi too well and immediately noticed that something was wrong with him. Then, recalling the obviously oversized clothes she had glimpsed hanging on the balcony earlier, she was so shocked that she stammered, "Is it that person? He's been staying at your house...?"

During this time, Wen Zhi didn't consult him about relationship problems anymore; perhaps she had been unwittingly deceived.

"No, he just stayed here for one night," Wen Zhi quickly explained.

That's all?

Yao Zhihua lost interest in pressing for details and her expression turned serious: "What's your relationship with him now? Are you dating?"

The question Wen Zhi had been avoiding was thrown at her head, and her heart tightened immediately: "...No."

He and Song Juelan held hands, kissed, and even did more intimate things just now, but they still haven't defined their relationship.

Yao Zhihua's eyes almost popped out.

That person stayed overnight at Wen Zhi's house. It seems he did something to Wen Zhi just now, but it turns out there's no relationship between them.

He instinctively assumed that the man was a scumbag who didn't want to take responsibility, and flew into a rage, slamming his fist on the table: "What excuse did he use to not date you?"

Wen Zhi silently took a small step back and explained in a low voice, "...It's me. I haven't told him yet that Xiao Tang isn't my child."

Yao Zhihua: "..."

Upon hearing that it was his friend's problem, his anger dissipated completely. He calmly walked to the refrigerator, grabbed an ice cream, and sat down leisurely on the sofa.

He said to Wen Zhi, not too harshly, "You can't keep lying to people, can you?"

Wen Zhi was already feeling guilty, and after he said that, her beautiful eyebrows and eyes drooped slightly.

Yao Zhihua immediately softened, took a big bite of ice cream, and decided to play the villain herself.

Since Wen Zhi didn't dare to tell that person the truth, he would help Wen Zhi tell that person the truth, so that Wen Zhi wouldn't have so many worries.

He's known Wen Zhi for so many years, and he finally saw that Wen Zhi had someone she liked. But instead of having a proper relationship, he's playing the role of a charming widow here. What kind of talk is that?

Having made up her mind, Yao Zhihua glanced at the clock on the wall and asked casually, "Will he come back later?"

"Yes, he took Xiaotang to class and will be back later."

Yao Zhihua couldn't help but click his tongue twice in his mind.

He felt that the two of them were practically living together.

Wen Zhi turned on the TV, opened a bag of potato chips, and sat on the sofa with Yao Zhihua, chatting casually.

As the sun began to set, the doorbell rang sharply, followed by Xiaotang's sweet, childish voice.

"Zhizhi, we're back!"

Wen Zhi immediately got up to open the door, her eyebrows unconsciously curving into a smile: "You're back."

Upon hearing that soft voice, Song Juelan smiled and handed the delicate paper bag to Wen Zhi: "I just passed by a dessert shop and bought you some pudding."

"Thank you." Wen Zhi's eyes brightened noticeably as she naturally took the paper bag.

"Brother Yao Yao!" Xiao Tang, who had run in first, suddenly called out, attracting the attention of the two people at the door.

Song Juelan's gaze suddenly fell on the living room sofa, and when she saw the handsome stranger, the soft smile on her lips vanished instantly.

He silently followed Wen Zhi into the room, turned around and locked the door before turning his gaze back to the person on the sofa, saying in a flat tone, "Hello."

When Yao Zhihua saw the person who came, a clear look of surprise flashed in his eyes.

Although she knew Wen Zhi had good taste, the person in front of her was simply a masterpiece of creation, with impeccable looks and figure. No wonder even Wen Zhi was moved.

He stood up from the sofa and nodded politely to Song Juelan: "Hello, I'm Wen Zhi's childhood friend, Yao Zhihua."

Upon hearing his identity, Song Juelan's cold and hard expression softened slightly. He was about to introduce himself when he remembered that he and Wen Zhi did not yet have a formal relationship.

In the end, he simply gave his name: "Song Juelan".

After exchanging a few words with the two, Wen Zhi took Xiao Tang to the bathroom to take a shower.

Only the two people who had just met were left in the living room, sitting at opposite ends of the sofa, silently watching the commercials playing on the television.

Yao Zhihua had just decided to help Wen Zhi by telling the truth, but now she felt a little scared.

He hadn't expected that the person Wen Zhi had provoked was not only tall and imposing, but also had a muscular physique.

Just looking at Song Juelan's strong and powerful forearm, he felt that he couldn't withstand a punch from Song Juelan.

Just as Yao Zhihua was hesitating, a deep, magnetic voice sounded in her ear: "Can I ask you something?"

Yao Zhihua nodded subconsciously: "Of course, go ahead and ask."

Song Juelan's gaze remained fixed on the television screen as she said in a deep voice, "I want to know about Wen Zhi's ex-husband."

Yao Zhihua paused for a moment, then felt this was a good opportunity to tell Song Juelan the truth. Mustering her courage, she said, "Actually... Wen Zhi, he..."

The moment he opened his mouth, Song Juelan fixed his sharp gaze on him. That gaze was like a sharp blade scraping against him. His cold and handsome face was expressionless, yet there was an invisible sense of oppression.

Yao Zhihua's heart skipped a beat, cold sweat broke out on his back, and he swallowed back the words "Wen Zhi is not a widow" that were on the tip of his tongue. Finally, he squeezed out, "Actually, I'm not very familiar with that person either."

After saying that, he wanted to bite off his own tongue.

How can you be so pathetic!

Song Juelan frowned, clearly not quite believing it.

That expression made Yao Zhihua's heart skip a beat, and she suddenly understood why Wen Zhi had never dared to be honest with Song Juelan.

This man has such a strong presence that it makes people unconsciously intimidated. If it were him, they would also try to deceive themselves and think they could keep it a secret for as long as possible.

Fortunately, Song Juelan didn't press him further. She politely thanked him and turned her gaze back, though her tightly furrowed brows remained furrowed.

After Wen Zhi helped Xiao Tang take a bath, she didn't notice the strange atmosphere in the living room and invited Yao Zhihua and Song Juelan to have dinner together.

Xiao Tang had only met Yao Zhihua a few times, but he liked having many people at home and being lively. He would chatter like a happy little bird at the dinner table, which made the originally somewhat tense atmosphere much more relaxed.

Before leaving, Yao Zhihua took advantage of Song Juelan's inattention to pull Wen Zhi to his side and said in a low voice, "Zhi Bao, I think you don't need to rush to tell him this. Let's find a suitable time to tell him."

He could now fully understand Wen Zhi's feelings and couldn't help but offer him a few words of sympathy and comfort.

Wen Zhi was a little confused, but she nodded nonetheless.

After seeing Yao Zhihua off, Wen Zhi returned to the living room and saw Song Juelan still sitting on the carpet, playing with miniature kitchen utensils with Xiao Tang.

He walked over, sat cross-legged on the carpet, picked up a small frying pan, put it in the small microwave, and asked, "Aren't you going back?"

Song Juelan's slender fingers were helping Xiao Tang hold the spatula. Hearing this, he paused slightly, then closed the door of the small microwave oven for him and replied, "Wait a little longer."

Xiao Tang was intently fiddling with the oven, making "ding" sounds, and wasn't listening to them.

He opened the oven door, took out two watermelons, and generously shared them with Wen Zhi and Song Juelan. The two of them politely pretended to eat them.

After playing with her toys and watching cartoons for a while, Xiaotang returned to her room contentedly. Listening to Wenzhi's bedtime story, she drifted off into a sweet dream.

Wen Zhi closed the storybook and tiptoed out of the children's room. Seeing Song Juelan still sitting on the sofa, she knew that he wasn't planning to go back tonight.

The events of the day were still vivid in his mind, and he subconsciously felt that it was somewhat dangerous to let Song Juelan spend the night here.

He had just walked over and hadn't even had a chance to speak when Song Juelan on the sofa grabbed his wrist and gently pulled him, causing him to lose his balance and fall onto Song Juelan's lap.

The first few times Song Juelan ambushed him, he would be startled, but now he's gotten used to it and is even too lazy to struggle. He simply sits on Song Juelan's lap and says irritably, "Do you think this is your own home?"

Song Juelan wrapped her arms around his waist, buried her face in the crook of his neck, and brushed her thin lips against his skin as she asked softly, "Can you not kick me out tonight?"

Wen Zhi hadn't intended to send him away in the first place, so when he asked her that, she deliberately asked, "Why?"

I want to spend tonight with you.

These straightforward words made Wen Zhi's heart flutter, and her ears secretly turned pink. She pretended to be calm and picked at him, "Only tonight?"

Song Juelan looked up and kissed his ear, answering earnestly, "I think about it every day."

"..." Wen Zhi stopped talking.

He discovered that no matter what he said, Song Juelan would take it seriously.

After the animated series on TV ended, a late-night movie screening began. Wen Zhi picked up some potato chips from the coffee table, sat on Song Juelan's lap, and ate them while watching.

Just as he was getting to an exciting part, a series of notification sounds suddenly rang out, almost startling him so much that he dropped the potato chips in his hand.

He turned his head and saw that Song Juelan's phone, which was on the sofa, was constantly popping up messages, with the time displayed on the lock screen.

00:00.

Song Juelan seemed unconcerned about the news, her eyes just shining as she stared at him. She lowered her head and quickly kissed him on the lips, her tone filled with anticipation: "Today is my birthday."