Chapter 1

Qin Liang had only visited this apartment once. The two had been married for less than a month, and she had her own house, where she usually lived. Ji Changfeng, with his handsome features, looked at her expressionlessly, showing no hint of any emotion.

Xinqi's local characteristics, she often confuses L and N, and in urgent situations or when she is slightly inattentive, she always calls Qin Liang as Qin Niang. Fortunately, her father gave this name to her instead of to her brother, Qin Lang. Otherwise, Qin Lang might never want to see Xinqi for the rest of his life

Qin Liang was taken aback, "No, the thief pushed me when he was escaping."

Ji Changfeng merely cast a sidelong glance at her, without making any move. Qin Liang looked at him with suspicion, only to hear him speak in a light tone: "Do you like me?" Qin Liang was at a loss whether to laugh or cry, feeling utterly confused, and replied: "Mr. Ji, have you had too much to drink?"

The people around looked at the two of them with some surprise, leaving Qin Liang feeling quite exasperated.

The cold frost quietly recedes, and the lush green leaves sway under the warm sun. The gentle and warm spring breeze lightly brushes against people's cheeks, while the once-dry branches along the road have unknowingly taken on a rich green hue. The weather in Beichuan is gradually warming up, just like the enthusiasm of the people of Beichuan

Qin Liang's expression suddenly turned unpleasant. Ji Changfeng glanced at her and said in a deep voice, "Mom!" As soon as the words left his mouth, Qin Liang immediately tugged at his sleeve, signaling him to stop talking.

Qin Liang was taken aback

Qin Liang cast her a faint glance and said: "Three seconds, disappear"

This is the first time they have mentioned the topic of children since their marriage

I do not like it, Qin Liang answered honestly

The traffic on the road was a complete mess, and in the end, Qin Liang still did not make it in time; the apartment door was wide open

Mr. Ji did not say anything

Ji Changfeng fell silent again, and only a dim yellow wall lamp illuminated the apartment. In the dim light, he could still see the scars on her wrist and asked softly, "How did this happen?"

Qin Liang answered the phone, "Hello."

Qin Liang is married, but no one in the company knows. Xin Qi is the only one who does. Although Xin Qi is quite carefree, she is still able to keep some secrets that should be kept, which is one of the reasons why Qin Liang has been able to maintain such a long friendship with her

Ji Changfeng did not argue with her, what difference does it make who it is?

The two lived a life of mutual respect, occasionally going back to the ancestral home together for meals to "show their affection".

Qin Qi walked restlessly, casting a reproachful glance at her with a worried expression: "But she isn't wearing a bra."

Mother Ji scoffed lightly: "As a mother, how could I not know if there is something wrong with my son? You need not cover for her. Giving birth is a woman's lifelong responsibility; if she cannot bear children, she should leave as soon as possible"

Qin Liang nodded obediently

The marriage of the two individuals was very low-key; they simply obtained their marriage certificate and had a meal with their families, without hosting a grand banquet or anything of the sort. The media's attempts to dig up gossip were thwarted by Ji Changfeng, who kept the news under wraps

She cast a slightly blushing glance at Ji Changfeng, only to hear his voice faintly reach her ears: "I don't have that plan for now, let's wait a bit longer."

His long fingers held a cotton swab dipped in pungent iodine, gently wiping her swollen area, a chill penetrating deep into her heart. Ji Changfeng cast a faint glance at her, packed away the medical kit, and advised, "Avoid water for the next two days, go change your clothes, grandfather wants us to return for dinner tonight"

It was only then that Qin Liang realized he was to be treated with medicine, feeling somewhat flattered and surprised

It has become quite common for people to have their wallets snatched on this street. A kind-hearted person immediately gave chase. Under normal circumstances, Xin Qi would have followed suit, but now that Qin Liang was injured, she held her hand and carefully examined the wound. Fortunately, it was just a scrape. She clicked her tongue and said, "Such delicate skin, and this little scrape can hurt you." Qin Liang waved her hand dismissively, put it in her mouth and sucked on it, feeling less pain and not bothering to say much to her. She picked up her bag and hailed a taxi.

Qin Liang looked at Xin Qi with some regret and said: "It seems that I won't be able to buy the watch after all. I have something to attend to, so I will leave first. You can take your time browsing."

A formal male voice came through the phone: "Madam, hello, Mr. Ji has asked me to inform you to wait for him at the apartment at 5 o'clock this afternoon"

Qin Liang sighed as he hung up the phone and glanced at the ceramic watch on his wrist—there are still two hours left

Qin Liang almost stumbled and fell to the ground. After a moment, she glared fiercely at the innocent-looking Xin Qi and said: "Aside from wearing skirts, not wearing underwear, and wearing this sweater that is about to slip down to your waist, do you have any other hobbies?"

Answer

Qin Liang poked her forehead with his finger and said, "Alright, stop worrying so much. Besides, the raw rice has already been cooked into a meal."

The old man's smile froze on his face, and after a long silence, Mother Ji suddenly slammed her chopsticks down with a sharp sound: "Is it that you don't want to have children, or is it that you can't have them?"

Qin Liang looked at her shamelessly acting cute and felt a chill rise from the depths of her heart. Most of the classmates she got along well with in university had either returned home or gone to other places, leaving only the two of them behind, and by a twist of fate, they ended up in the same company. Qin Liang herself did not understand how they ended up together. Xin Qi's persona fluctuated between a mature woman and a cute girl, unpredictable and elusive. If it weren't for Xin Qi taking the initiative to approach her, she would probably still be all alone.

Xinqi felt somewhat indignant. In fact, she had never met Qin Liang's husband; she only knew that he seemed quite wealthy. Qin Liang was even unwilling to disclose his age. When Xinqi asked a couple more questions, Qin Liang shot her a disdainful glance and said, "Are you investigating his household registration?"

In the end, acting is merely acting; if you take it seriously, you will lose

Okay, I understand

After a long while, he finally spoke slowly: "Where have you been?"

But who cannot do the surface

Qin Liang glanced at Xin Qi beside him, subtly covering the microphone and shifting a small step to the side, and asked: "What do we need to prepare?"

Qin Qi laughed as she dodged her sharp gaze: "Alright, alright, what is there that we can't talk about? Besides, getting married is the most normal thing in the world."

Qin Liang cast her a sidelong glance, and said lightly: "I am considering whether or not to sever ties with you"

The man, with a well-groomed appearance and long legs crossed, sat leisurely on the sofa waiting for her, his pitch-black eyes fixed intently on her. Qin Liang remembered that he had told her he hated it when others were late, but Qin Liang herself was also time-conscious, just not as extreme as he was.

Qin Qi immediately grabbed her hand and acted spoiled, refusing to let her go: "Is it that husband of yours whom you can hardly see more than a few times a month?"

Amidst the hurried pedestrians on the street, a striking scene flashed by. Although it was still early spring, some had already revealed their smooth and flawless backs, along with their long, straight, slender legs. Paired with 12 cm high heels, their steps were swift, as if they were treading on wheels of fire, instantly eliciting a chorus of whistles and continuous teasing remarks wherever they passed. Qin Liang glanced at the woman beside him, who remained unmoved, and frowned in displeasure, saying, "I think you could take off that bothersome sweater outside."

Qin Liang no longer spoke much to her, and Xin Qi stamped her foot: "Hey—"

Qin Liang's face immediately turned red to the roots of his ears, and he gritted his teeth and said: "Xin, Qi!"

Qin Liang's wrist brushed against a bicycle parked on the sidewalk, and immediately a sharp, burning pain surged through her wrist. Xin Qi let out a scream: "Mother!"

Qin Liang set down his bag and slowly walked over, "I apologize, there was traffic on the way."

Ji Changfeng's dark, pitch-black eyes glanced at his mother, and he said lightly: "Mom, it's not Liangliang's fault; it's my problem"

The two individuals got into the car, one after the other. As the vehicle passed through a dark intersection, Qin Liang immediately spoke up: "Hey—I've arrived, stop."

When the two got married, they agreed to live their own lives. Ji Changfeng is not the type to explain herself, and she does not like to inquire into other people's affairs. Similarly, she does not appreciate others prying into her matters. Ji Changfeng has never asked her either

Qin Qi pouted in grievance and said: "Wuwuwu---"

Qin Liang had a watch that he wore for five years. After several repairs, it finally became completely unusable a few days ago

The old man kept serving dishes into Qin Liang's bowl until it was piled high like a small mountain. With a hint of helplessness, he glanced at Ji Changfeng, but then heard the old man say: "Eat more, Liangliang is too thin. If she gains some weight, having children won't be so hard."

As Qin Liang had just stepped out, a shadow suddenly flashed past her, and a solid shoulder brushed heavily against her. A sharp cry rang in her ears: "Ah—catch the thief!"

The phrase "raw rice has been cooked into mature rice" carries a particular significance when heard by Xin Qi, this lewd female rogue. She glanced around for a moment and then quietly leaned closer to her ear and asked: "I heard the first time is very painful, how is it? How painful?"

Ji Changfeng couldn't help but furrow his brows, "Did you go and catch it?"

Ji Changfeng is naturally an actor. When they are alone, he is always indifferent towards her, but whenever there are elders present, his "pampering" of her is so pronounced that she almost believes it herself

He stopped speaking, turned around, and entered the room. Qin Liang felt a bit disappointed, but also slightly relieved, as he had imagined a sealed space with particularly low air pressure. Qin Liang prepared to go in to take a shower and change his clothes. After a while, he saw Ji Changfeng come out with a medicine box, his voice cold: "Sit down"

Ji Changfeng lightly nodded and said: "Hmm, do not fall in love with me"

"Shut up!" Old Master Ji scolded Old Madam Ji, then turned to Qin Liang and said: "Don't pay attention to her; your mother speaks without any restraint. However, she is not wrong; giving birth is a woman's lifelong responsibility. In any case, you need to plan for yourselves."

She was quite angry about that matter. To be honest, in her eyes, Qin Liang was not even worth a finger of the daughter-in-law she favored. She valued that girl because her biological father was a division-level official; what was Qin Liang in comparison? Because of this issue, she had also quarreled with Ji Changfeng a lot, saying, "Are you just trying to provoke me? What kind of judgment does your grandfather have? What kind of girl did he choose? What help can she provide you?"

Qin Qi chuckled and said: "Aren't I just concerned about you? What if you get deceived by someone?"

This watch was given to her by Ji Changfeng. When she wore it to work for the first time, a colleague asked her, "This watch must be a high imitation, right? It looks so real, where did you buy it?" Qin Liang had no idea, so she could only nod and say, "Yes, it's fake." Since then, she has never worn this watch again

"What are you doing!" Xin Qi said playfully

Qin Liang casually waved his hand, saying, "I encountered a thief and accidentally got scratched."

As the two individuals stepped into the Ji residence one after the other, the elder Mr. Ji, upon seeing Qin Liang, joyfully took her hand and spoke without pause. Ultimately, this marriage was facilitated by the elder Mr. Ji; it is quite popular to say these days that for those of a certain age, not getting married is a crime! The elder Mr. Ji had surveyed the surroundings of this courtyard and found no one to his liking, insisting on having someone introduce him to potential matches. Qin Liang came from a modest background, her father being a minor section chief. The moment the elder Mr. Ji laid eyes on this girl, he was exceedingly pleased. Mr. Ji typically refrained from expressing opinions, while Mrs. Ji merely scoffed lightly. Initially, it was thought that their son would have his own ideas about this matter, and no one expected that he would agree so readily.

Seeing that she was truly about to lose her temper, Xin Qi stuck out her tongue and swayed her hips as she walked away

She still does not know that this watch is worth several months of her salary. Qin Liang is a time manager, with her schedule precisely arranged down to the minute and second, so the importance of the watch to her is akin to that of a man's significance to Xin Qi.

Qin Liang felt that everyone around him was looking at him with mocking expressions. Just as he was about to comfort them, his phone in the bag rang at an inopportune moment. Qin Liang took it out and glanced at the screen, and his heart suddenly trembled. He gestured for Xin Qi to be quiet, and after a couple of clicks, Xin Qi fell silent.