Chapter 77
Old... um... wife
The next day, early morning.
Cheng Sangluo was sleeping sprawled out on her back with her mouth half open, and just as drool was about to spill from the corner of her lips, the person standing at the head of the bed launched a pillow attack.
"Ugh...ugh...what's wrong...what's wrong..." The puppy kicked its legs haphazardly and sat up, its eyes still closed, making a series of gibberish.
She caught the flying pillow in one arm, rubbed her sleepy eyes with the other, and when she saw the figure standing in front of the bed, she leaned against the headboard in annoyance and complained loudly, "Don't you know that people can scare each other to death!"
"Get up." Lin Jin didn't bother with any more words, pulling up a corner of the blanket as if to throw it off. "I'm hungry, hurry up and make me breakfast!"
"What time is it and you're already nagging me? You're not going to starve anytime soon." Cheng Sangluo pulled at the blanket, curling up into a ball. She picked up her tattered phone, glanced at the time, and immediately bit her tongue. "Ouch...it's nine o'clock already..."
She scratched her messy head, wondering why she'd been sleeping in until dawn lately, since she usually didn't stay in bed long.
Lin Jin crossed her arms and shrugged, glancing at the still-dazed dog, and said imperiously, "I'll give you five minutes to wash up, ten minutes to make breakfast, and you must leave in an hour."
Seeing the crazy woman turn to leave, Cheng Sangluo scrambled to the bedside, grabbed her wrist, and asked suspiciously, "Where are you going? Is something urgent?"
"We're going to the Civil Affairs Bureau to get our marriage certificate. I've already booked an appointment for 11 o'clock." Lin Jin announced today's schedule truthfully, then bent down, pinched the puppy's nose, and shook it, warning, "If you're late because of your dawdling, I'm not letting you off the hook."
Cheng Sangluo's eyes widened, and she exclaimed, "Huh?! We're getting our marriage certificate today? Why didn't you tell me yesterday?"
Lin Jin knew this person would be reluctant, so she simply laid out the most convincing terms: "What does the agreement say again? Hmm... Party B unconditionally accepts all arrangements made by Party A, and failure to comply with arrangements will be considered a breach of contract..."
"Stop, stop, stop! Don't keep bringing up agreements!" Cheng Sangluo couldn't stand the thought of breach of contract compensation; anything related to money was her Achilles' heel. "I didn't say I wouldn't get the marriage certificate with you today. You have to give me some time to get ready."
As she spoke, she sat cross-legged, her hands resting on her ankles, looking rather adorable in her honest and simple manner.
Lin Jin sneered: "Hmph, I didn't expect you to have such a vain side. You know you need to dress up nicely before getting your marriage certificate."
The puppy retorted, "Even if it's a marriage of convenience, this is still my first marriage, so of course I have to take it seriously. I can't dress like a beggar, can I?"
"Now you know you're complaining about your worn-out T-shirt?" Lin Jin teased, then slowly stood up. "Alright, I'll go back to the bedroom to tidy up. Hurry up and make breakfast and bring it in. You know how to serve people, right? I don't need to teach you, do I?"
"Tsk." Cheng Sangluo clicked her tongue, speaking sarcastically, "Then do you want me to feed you, help you get dressed, and do your makeup?"
"You have three minutes to wash up." Lin Jin, too lazy to argue, limped slowly out of the guest room.
She suddenly grabbed the doorframe, glanced back at the puppy, and said, "Say goodbye to your guest room properly. Little Sangzi will be my bed warmer tonight. Are you nervous?"
"What nonsense!" Cheng Sangluo jumped off the bed, pushed the woman in the way out the door, and said, "Go away, go do your own thing."
Despite the man's disdainful words and actions, he was secretly filled with concern and couldn't bring himself to do it. He silently picked up Lin Jin and started nagging again: "Did you just ignore what Dr. Chi said? Your feet can't touch the ground, there's a wheelchair here."
Lin Jin liked Cheng Sangluo's insincere manner; the more he talked on and on, the more she liked him.
Overwhelmed with emotion, she reached out and ruffled the puppy's head, laughing, "If you care about me, just care about me. Can't you just talk nicely? Why do you have to act all prickly?"
“Because you’re such a nuisance, you never listen to advice.” Cheng Sangluo wrinkled her nose. “If you were just a little more obedient, you wouldn’t be so annoying.”
*
The sun was shining brightly near noon, the clusters of clouds looked delicious, and the breeze blowing through the branches was gentle.
On the steps outside the Civil Affairs Bureau, Cheng Sangluo, ignoring the strange looks from those around her, habitually carried Lin Jin horizontally, pausing carefully with each step down the stairs.
She was already tall, and with her broad shoulders and narrow waist, she looked like a walking clothes hanger in the gray suit that Lin Jin had specially customized for her.
Normally, this person's hair is like a pile of straw, but today it's neatly combed, and the high ponytail makes him look particularly energetic, adding a touch of handsomeness and composure.
Lin Jin, held in her arms, was holding up their marriage certificates and looking at them repeatedly in the sunlight. Although the corners of her lips weren't upturned, she couldn't hide the joy of her wish coming true in her eyes.
She gazed up at the festive red notebook, so intently that she felt a dreamlike illusion, and couldn't help but call out, "Cheng Sangluo."
"Hmm?" Cheng Sangluo responded, nodding her head close to Lin Jin's head and smiling gently, "Don't look at it, it's issued by the government, it can't be fake."
She had just reached the Bentley when she put Lin Jin down and was about to open the car door.
As their eyes met, the one who was stunned was Cheng Sangluo.
Lin Jin has difficulty walking, and she spent the whole morning running around without even having a chance to drink water.
Now that I have some free time, I finally have the chance to appreciate the beauty of the people in front of me.
Cheng Sangluo thought to herself that Lin Jin looked better today than ever before.
In fact, Lin Jin's makeup hadn't changed; it was as elegant as ever. Her long, curly hair wasn't styled in any particular way; it simply draped naturally over her shoulders, swaying gently in the wind and carrying a familiar scent of perfume.
Today was a special day, so she specially wore a short cheongsam with red elements, which not only accentuated her curvaceous waist but also showed off her elegant temperament.
Lin Jin leaned against the car door, holding the two red marriage certificates to her lips, and asked with a smile, "Why are you looking at me like that?"
Cheng Sangluo didn't avoid the question, and with a rare playful smile, she vaguely replied, "You're good-looking, aren't you?"
Lin Jin pouted unhappily: "You don't even know how to compliment people properly. Looks like I need to buy you a book of good words and phrases so you can brush up on your skills."
In the usual style of verbal sparring, Cheng Sangluo would have had to engage in several rounds of battle, but at this moment she didn't have much of a competitive spirit, because her gaze was captivated by the beautiful scenery in front of her, and she couldn't take her eyes off it.
Lin Jin opened her arms and hugged the puppy tightly to its broad waist, burying her face in its chest as she pleaded in a muffled voice, "I want to hear you call me... um... you know what I want to hear called you..."
"Hey, hey, hey, our marriage is just a formality, don't make it sound like it's real." Cheng Sangluo put one hand on her waist, then suddenly realized that his answer was a downer, so he fell silent.
Lin Jin buried her face even deeper, her half-closed eyelids unable to hide the disappointment rising in her eyes.
Yes, it wasn't easy to get to where we are today, so why be greedy?
She silently closed her eyes and focused on listening, hoping that hearing Cheng Sangluo's heartbeat would temporarily suppress her desire for more.
"Sigh..." Cheng Sangluo sighed, pulling Lin Jin closer to her waist, and stammered, "Um...that...um..."
She stuttered terribly, and her heart pounded: "Shut up, just say it!"
The puppy dawdled for a long time, finally touching the bridge of its nose and asking softly, "Wife, what are we going to do next?"
Lin Jin suddenly looked up and almost bumped into her chin.
Fortunately, the person was quick and dodged backward by tilting their neck, while also raising their hand to cover her head, complaining, "Be careful, it hurts if you bump into someone."
"What did you call me?" Lin Jin's eyes sparkled with anticipation, as if she were seeking the truth, and her smile became even more genuine: "Say it again."
Cheng Sangluo couldn't stand the crazy woman's sweet pleading. Actually, she wasn't unwilling, but saying it made her feel embarrassed.
She hesitated again, feeling her tongue slurring, and mumbled, "Old...um...old...wife..."
"Can't you just call out to the dog with feeling, in a clear and natural voice?" Lin Jin complained, tugging at the dog's sleeve. "Hurry up."
"Hiss...you..." Cheng Sangluo's face turned as red as a rotten tomato. He was about to lose his temper, but seeing the crazy woman's expectant expression, he had no choice but to restrain his temper and whisper in her ear, "Wife."
"It sounds nice~" Lin Jin praised with satisfaction, then carefully put the marriage certificate into her bag. "Go to the company, I need to take care of some work. You just focus on making the seal."
"Huh? Today's auspicious day for getting our marriage certificate! Shouldn't we be out having fun and eating? Instead, we're going to work!!!"
Seeing the puppy complaining, Lin Jin pinched her puffed-up cheeks and coaxed her, "We can have a candlelight dinner tonight, we can have romantic moments, we can do whatever we want, but we need to finish our business first."
“That’s true. It’s a fake marriage anyway, so there’s no need to celebrate.” Cheng Sangluo shrugged dismissively and helped Lin Jin into the car. “But I have a small request.”
Lin Jin initially wanted to refute the theory of a fake marriage, but upon reflection, she felt it made sense. In name only, she and Cheng Sangluo were now merely in a business relationship.
They can kiss, flirt, and do unspeakable things, but they can't talk about love.
Lin Jin's smile stiffened slightly, but fortunately, she was in a good mood, so she agreed to the puppy's request: "What do you want to do?"
"Can we have a seafood feast? I don't have any money right now, but this meal is on me. You can deduct it from my salary as a way to celebrate our successful cooperation." Cheng Sangluo was as honest as ever, never seeking wealth from beginning to end.
Lin Jin raised her eyebrows, as if she had seen some kind of treasure, and couldn't help but laugh out loud: "Ha...that's all you're asking for?"
"What else?" The puppy looked honest and simple.
"You're stupid, but you can do a lot of things beautifully, especially when it comes to saving people, you're incredibly wise." Lin Jin first praised, then immediately complained, "You're smart, but you don't want anything in return. Do you know how many people want to get close to me? They can make a fortune just by making me happy, but with you, it's just a plain seafood feast. They're so poor they can't even afford to eat, and they still want to treat me to a meal?"
"How can you compare? I'm not like those wild butterflies outside. I don't rely on coquetry to support myself. I rely on hard work to get rich." Cheng Sangluo is still the same Cheng Sangluo. Even after seeing so much of the upper class's behavior, her true nature has never changed.
She bent down to fasten Lin Jin's seatbelt, continuing to mutter, "You can say I'm after your looks, but you can't say I'm after your money, because I never even considered it, you know?"
Lin Jin knew, of course. She smiled but remained silent, not responding to the conversation.
I was secretly laughing to myself: Silly girl, haven't you realized yet? We signed so many agreements, but I deliberately omitted the prenuptial agreement.
*
Zhouhai City Criminal Investigation Center.
"Is this missing person case unusual? Why was it suddenly transferred to our criminal investigation team?" Ji Nanxing tilted his head and held the landline receiver between his fingers, while his hands were busy tidying up the documents scattered on the table.
As if she had heard something unusual, she sat up straight, adjusted the receiver, and repeatedly asked, "Who did you say is missing?"
"......"
Ji Nanxing heard the familiar name again and frowned. "Okay, leave this case to us. I will send people to the scene for investigation this afternoon. Please make sure the scene is properly cordoned off."
[Author's Note]
1. Guess who's missing?
2. My upcoming novel, "The Sinful Lover," is available for pre-order. Please add it to your favorites.
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