Chapter 25: Marital Affection
This noon, Aunt Wang made five dishes and a soup, including Bai Zhenzhen's favorite sweet and sour pork ribs, pan-fried ribbonfish, and a black chicken soup that is especially good for replenishing qi and blood.
"Zhenzhen, Xiao Shen, dinner's ready," Aunt Wang called out after setting out the food, but she didn't go to knock on the door herself.
Uncle Liu came out of the kitchen carrying a plate of dipping sauce for boiled shrimp, and the half-closed bedroom door opened from the inside.
"Aunt Wang, wait a little longer." Shen Huai'an, who came out first, looked perfectly normal. After speaking, he led Bai Zhenzhen behind him into the bathroom.
Aunt Wang smiled and agreed. Seeing that the young couple's relationship had finally improved, she was happier than anyone else.
When the two finished washing up and came out, Bai Zhenzhen looked the same as usual, except for some unusual redness and swelling around her lips.
The two sat side by side at one side of the dining table, with Uncle Liu and Aunt Wang sitting opposite them. After Bai Zhenzhen sat down, she picked up her chopsticks and buried herself in her food. Shen Huai'an picked up a soup spoon and first ladled a bowl of chicken soup for her and placed it beside her.
Bai Zhenzhen caught a glimpse of it out of the corner of her eye, pouted slightly, and felt the burning sensation on her lips. Her lingering anger surged again, and taking advantage of the moment when Uncle Liu and Aunt Wang were talking, she raised her foot from under the table and stomped hard on Chen Huai'an.
Shen Huai'an paused in his chopsticks, then reached down with his left hand and grabbed her unruly leg.
His large hand, carrying a familiar, burning heat, gripped her tightly near her knee through her skirt. Bai Zhenzhen's body stiffened, and she tried to pull her legs back slowly, but his hand was like an iron clamp, impossible to break free from.
Bai Zhenzhen finally looked up. Shen Huai'an's smile hadn't faded. He picked up a piece of pork rib with his right hand and put it into her bowl. "Eat well and have more vegetables."
Having said that, he withdrew his left hand that was restraining her.
Hearing this, Aunt Wang, who was sitting opposite, smiled and said, "Zhenzhen, don't you love sweet and sour pork ribs the most? The ribs I bought at the nearby market today are very fresh. You should eat more, and Xiao Shen should also try them and see if they suit your taste."
"Thank you, Aunt Wang. Your cooking is delicious. Don't just focus on us, you and Uncle Liu should eat too." Although Shen Huai'an appears rather aloof, he is quite adept at social etiquette.
Bai Zhenzhen gripped her chopsticks and angrily poked at the spare ribs in her bowl, as if she were venting her anger on someone.
She had previously thought Shen Huai'an was sexually frigid, but she was completely wrong. This man was too good at pretending. Not only was he domineering and forceful in that area, but he was also shameless!
After dinner, Shen Huai'an was about to go back to work. While Aunt Wang was tidying up the kitchen and Uncle Liu was moving the car, he said to the person sitting on the sofa who was sulking, "Zhenzhen, I'm going to work now."
Yesterday he was calling her Miss Bai, but today he's calling her Zhenzhen. Bai Zhenzhen opened her mouth to speak, but Shen Huai'an suddenly smiled at her again, "I'll come back early tonight to keep you company."
Shen Huai'an is really gone this time. Bai Zhenzhen sat on the sofa, staring blankly in the direction of the door. It took her a few seconds to realize that she had been bewitched by his smile and had even forgotten to curse him.
Hmph, who needs him to accompany her? Bai Zhenzhen can't wait to move back to her big villa.
As Shen Huai'an was walking to work, a colleague caught up from behind, patted him on the shoulder, and said with a smile, "How strange, Prosecutor Shen didn't go to the cafeteria for lunch today."
This colleague is named Chen Tongfa. He is usually very cheerful and talkative, and can chat with anyone. In the past, Shen Huai'an always put work first, so he couldn't find a reason to joke. Recently, after Shen Huai'an's family moved to the family compound, a lot of gossip started to circulate nearby. Chen Tongfa seized the opportunity.
I teased him yesterday that he didn't go home to be with his wife for lunch, but he didn't work overtime last night, and he went home for lunch today.
Chen Tongfa pondered, wondering if he had any credit for it.
But jokes aside, thinking about the rumors circulating in the office recently, Chen Tongfa patted Shen Huai'an on the shoulder and reminded him, "Prosecutor Shen, we all know your wife comes from a good family, but she has indeed been acting a bit high-profile since she moved here. Hey, don't look at me like that, I didn't say that. I just heard some bad things and wanted to remind you. The prosecutor's office is a rather serious and proper place. You and your family should be more low-key in your daily lives, otherwise it might affect your reputation."
He meant well, and Shen Huai'an could tell, but he didn't really care.
“I understand, thank you for telling me all this,” Shen Huai’an said, and not wanting others to misunderstand, Bai Zhenzhen added another explanation, “But my wife is not overly high-profile. Those are just her daily routines. Just because she married me doesn’t mean I should force her to give up her original habits.”
After listening, Chen Tongfa felt that Shen Huai'an was right. He clicked his tongue and thought to himself, "With this kind of awareness, no wonder he can become the son-in-law of the richest family."
Before leaving at noon, he promised to go back early in the evening to be with her. Shen Huai'an always keeps his word. He finished his work early in the afternoon and left work on time at six o'clock with his colleagues.
On the way, some colleagues greeted him curiously, and Shen Huai'an responded gently while also accepting others' teasing remarks about how good their relationship was.
Although he didn't care about the rumors, he didn't want too many people to keep focusing on Bai Zhenzhen's words and actions. Anyway, gossipy people just wanted something to talk about, so it was better to let them shift their attention elsewhere.
After returning home, Shen Huai'an did not mention the rumors to Bai Zhenzhen. He was unusually early today, and Aunt Wang had just finished preparing dinner and was still there. She was even happier to see him.
"Xiao Shen is back. Wasn't work busy today?" Aunt Wang asked, then quickly added, realizing something was off. "Work is never-ending, so it's good that you're back early."
After Aunt Wang finished speaking, she went back to the kitchen to serve the food, leaving the living room to the young couple.
Bai Zhenzhen didn't go out this afternoon. After waking up from her afternoon nap, she called Bai Chuxiong to check on his health. Then she declined Ren Lina's invitation to go out. After resting enough, the discomfort in her body finally disappeared.
Shen Huai'an changed into slippers and hung up his coat before entering the living room. From the moment he entered, his gaze kept falling on her. He saw her leaning against the sofa, watching TV in a lazy manner, her face fair and rosy. He was relieved when he saw that she seemed to be in no discomfort.
"Dinner's ready, you can watch TV later." Shen Huai'an came over and called to her. He looked down and saw that she had kicked her slippers all over the place. He squatted down, picked them up, and put them neatly at her feet. He looked up and said, "I'll watch a movie with you after dinner."
Bai Zhenzhen blinked and looked at the man squatting in front of her. She felt that he had changed a lot since last night, and it seemed that he really took her words seriously.
Having realized this, Bai Zhenzhen couldn't help but want to find fault, "But what if I don't want to watch movies at home anymore?"
"Shall I take you for a walk?" Shen Huai'an was still half-squatting, his gaze level with hers. "There's a People's Park nearby, the scenery is quite nice, it'll be good to go there after dinner to digest."
"There are so many mosquitoes outside, I don't want to go." Bai Zhenzhen didn't even look, and sat up to find her slippers.
She's best at taking advantage of others and pushing her luck. Once she's sure she has Shen Huai'an under her thumb, her little expression immediately turns arrogant.
Shen Huai'an assumed she was still angry about what happened at noon, grabbed her foot and put it into her slippers, and continued, "We have mosquito repellent at home. Apply it before you go out and you won't get bitten by mosquitoes."
A warm palm pressed against her foot, and Bai Zhenzhen subconsciously pulled her foot back. Shen Huai'an closed his fingers and held her foot tightly. "Don't move, the shoe is here."
After helping her put on her shoes, Shen Huai'an stood up and took her hand to wash her hands and prepare for dinner.
Bai Zhenzhen dodged his outstretched hand and walked towards the bathroom first. "Hey, you just touched my foot, don't touch my hand!"
Shen Huai'an, feeling slighted, chuckled softly. He wasn't the one who was disgusted; it was the owner of the foot who was disgusted.
The two went into the bathroom one after the other. Outside, Aunt Wang had put all the food on the table. She took off her apron and peeked in their direction, saying, "Zhenzhen, Xiao Shen, the food is on the table. After you finish eating, just put the bowls in the kitchen and I'll wash them tomorrow. Lao Liu and I will be leaving now."
Having finally seen the young couple being affectionate, Aunt Wang wisely left first, giving them more time alone.
Bai Zhenzhen had no plans to go out tonight, so Uncle Liu drove the car directly back to the villa. On the way back, Aunt Wang was still telling him that the more she looked at Bai Zhenzhen these past two days, the more she felt that she and Shen Huai'an were a good match.
When Shen Huai'an and Bai Zhenzhen finished washing their hands and came out, Aunt Wang and Uncle Liu had already left the family compound, leaving only the steaming food on the dining table.
It's late September now, the season for lotus roots. In addition to a pot of pork rib and lotus root soup, dinner also included Bai Zhenzhen's favorite cold lotus root salad.
Shen Huai'an is not picky about food; he can eat anything as long as it's not too bad. Aunt Wang is a good cook, and the food she makes is just to his liking. Bai Zhenzhen also has an unusually good appetite today, and there's hardly any food left on the table.
After dinner, Shen Huai'an got up to clear the dishes and took them into the kitchen to wash them.
When he came out, he saw that Bai Zhenzhen had already changed into her outdoor clothes.
Bai Zhenzhen had eaten a bit too much for dinner, and she was also a little bored after staying at home all day, so she agreed to Shen Huai'an's suggestion to go for a walk while they were eating.
After Shen Huai'an finished tidying up the kitchen, the two of them went out together.
The sun had just set, and the evening glow on the horizon hadn't completely faded yet; the orange-red clouds were especially beautiful.
Not long after they left, Shen Huai'an reached out and took her hand, leading her toward the park.
Bai Zhenzhen glanced at him, but Shen Huai'an remained calm and said seriously, "There are a lot of people and cars outside at this time, so I'm holding your hand to prevent collisions."
He wasn't exactly making excuses; there were indeed quite a few people outside at this hour, and acquaintances kept greeting Shen Huai'an, making it difficult for Bai Zhenzhen to break free from his grasp.
Little did she know that after today, the neighbors who had witnessed the couple going out for a walk together would start gossiping about their loving relationship.
They said that although Prosecutor Shen looked cold, he was actually very gentle and considerate to his wife, always holding her hand to protect her from being bumped into. They also praised Bai Zhenzhen for being beautiful and polite, which successfully dispelled the previous rumors.
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Author's Note: Here I am~ [dog head with rose in hand]
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