Pei Chen and Liang Zhiyi politely greeted Mrs. Zhang, and then the latter walked over to the elderly lady seated in the middle of the sofa, her smile bright and cheerful.
“Grandma!”
The old lady beamed at her. “Oh, my precious one is back…”
“Grandma, I missed you so much. I’ve been so busy with work lately that I haven’t had a chance to visit you.”
The old lady gently stroked her granddaughter’s face, her expression brimming with love. “I missed you too, but it’s okay. It’s good that you’re back for the New Year.”
“Grandma, today Pei Chen and I went up the mountain together to buy New Year’s goods for you.”
When Pei Chen was in college, he had already visited this place as a guest. With his warm and easygoing nature, it was no surprise that the elderly lady grew fond of him. Smiling, she invited him to sit next to Liang Zhiyi. “Xiao Pei, you two bought so many things! It’s too much; we won’t be able to finish it all, and it’ll go to waste…”
Pei Chen responded with a gentle smile, “It’s alright, Grandma. These are dried goods, so they can be stored for a long time.”
“Exactly, Grandma. Take your time with them. If you like anything, we can always get more,” Liang Zhiyi added sweetly.
The old lady chuckled, “Alright, that sounds good…”
At this moment, Mrs. Zhang, who had been listening quietly, chimed in with a smile, probing a bit as she asked, “It’s been a while since we’ve seen Zhiyi and Xiao Pei. Xiao Pei, I heard that you started your own business? And just now, I overheard them saying that your company has gone public?”
Pei Chen answered politely, while Liang Tianming, who treated Pei Chen almost like his own son, proudly praised his accomplishments. Mrs. Zhang listened, stunned, unable to process that Pei Chen had become such a successful figure.
As Liang Tianming continued speaking, the elderly lady was visibly pleased as well. “Xiao Pei is truly capable, and now that Zhiyi and Xiao Pei are married, Xinxin, you should hurry up and find a boyfriend too.”
Zhang Xinxin met Liang Zhiyi’s gaze and clenched her fists tightly. “…Okay.”
She glanced over at Pei Chen, whom she had once looked down upon, only to realize that he had now become a distinguished and exceptional man.
She recalled the video someone had posted in their class group, showing Pei Chen proposing to Liang Zhiyi. It was hard to believe that after all these years, they were still so deeply in love, while she had yet to find a suitable partner.
Jealousy gnawed at Zhang Xinxin, making her feel even more resentful.
After chatting for a bit, the elderly lady got up to go upstairs to take her medication, and Mrs. Zhang went to check on things in the kitchen.
In the living room, Liang Zhiyi suddenly had an idea. She gathered a bag of mountain delicacies and then pulled Pei Chen up, saying, “Come with me to give my aunt her New Year’s goods.”
Pei Chen was a bit surprised, knowing how much she disliked Mrs. Zhang.
Sure enough, as soon as they were out of sight, she turned to him and said, “You’re not allowed to say anything in a moment.”
He was taken aback, guessing what she was up to, and gently tried to dissuade her, “Zhizhi…”
He didn’t want her to stir up any unpleasantness because of him.
Liang Zhiyi playfully scratched his palm with her finger, her tone haughty, “This time, listen to me.”
Seeing no other option, he could only agree to go along with her wishes.
They walked into the dining room just as Mrs. Zhang was coming out of the kitchen. Liang Zhiyi handed her the bag of New Year’s goods with a bright smile.
“Auntie, this is a gift from Pei Chen and me for the New Year.”
Mrs. Zhang smiled broadly, “Thank you! You’re too kind…”
As Mrs. Zhang was politely accepting the gift, Liang Zhiyi smiled and said, “These New Year’s goods don’t have fancy packaging, but they’re not some cheap stuff we bought in bulk from a market. Pei Chen and I personally picked them out from his hometown. I just hope you won’t find them beneath you, Auntie.”
Back then, Mrs. Zhang had used similar words to humiliate Pei Chen.
Hearing this, Mrs. Zhang’s face stiffened momentarily as she recalled the past. But she quickly recovered and forced a smile, hastily explaining, “Of course not. I really appreciate it.”
“Is that so? I thought these weren’t high-end enough to catch your eye,” Liang Zhiyi added, her words dripping with sarcasm.
She had never been able to stomach the way Pei Chen was humiliated back then, and now she felt compelled to indirectly return the favor on his behalf.
At that moment, Zhong Xinrou walked into the dining room and caught the tail end of their conversation. She gently pulled on Liang Zhiyi’s hand and softly admonished, “Zhiyi, you shouldn’t speak to your elders like that.”
But Mrs. Zhang quickly interjected, “It’s alright, it’s alright. I was the one who misunderstood before and said some harsh things to Xiao Pei. I feel so guilty about it now. But look at Xiao Pei now—his business is thriving, and he and Zhiyi make such a perfect match…”
Mrs. Zhang’s tone had taken a complete 180, from her previous disdain and condescension to now lavishing praise on Pei Chen with an ingratiating smile.
They all returned to the living room, where Mrs. Zhang continued to engage Pei Chen in conversation for quite some time. Eventually, she tentatively asked, “Xiao Pei, your company is in the medical industry, right?”
“Yes,” he replied.
“Well, the restaurant business has been tough in recent years, so we’ve shifted to the medical field too,” Mrs. Zhang said, her face beaming with a smile. “Since we’re family now, if there’s any opportunity to collaborate, please consider us. Here’s my business card…”
So this was her angle all along.
Although Liang Zhiyi was disgusted, she couldn’t openly confront Mrs. Zhang, so she kept her feelings to herself. Pei Chen accepted the card with a polite nod, but they both knew exactly what kind of person Mrs. Zhang was.
Fortunately, later on, Zhong Xinrou discreetly advised Pei Chen to keep his business dealings professional and to politely decline any collaboration if it wasn’t feasible. There was no need to force anything.
After a while, the housekeeper came to announce that dinner was ready, and everyone could take their seats.
As the elderly lady descended from upstairs, Liang Tongzhou and Ji Fei’er also arrived home.
The family had known about their relationship for a couple of years now. Ji Fei’er’s family background was also impressive, and the Ji family had been close with the Liang family since the elderly lady’s generation. Ji Fei’er had grown up around the Liang family, so she felt right at home having dinner there, especially since she was best friends with Liang Zhiyi.
That evening, despite the presence of the Zhang mother and daughter, the atmosphere at the Little New Year dinner was warm and harmonious. Liang Zhiyi and Ji Fei’er huddled together like two chirping sparrows, excitedly chatting away.
The two little sparrows even indulged in some alcohol, much to the chagrin of Pei Chen and Liang Tongzhou. Despite their best efforts to intervene, they exchanged helpless glances and could only try to limit how much the girls drank.
After dinner, they chatted for a while before Mrs. Zhang and Zhang Xinxin decided to head home. The elderly lady invited the remaining guests to stay the night at the villa, assuring them that there were plenty of rooms available. They agreed to stay.
As the night deepened around ten o’clock, Pei Chen was in the study, sipping tea and playing chess with Liang Tianming. When the housekeeper informed them that the rooms were ready, Liang Tianming smiled and said, “Xiao Pei, you should go rest. We can continue our game tomorrow.”
“Alright, Dad. You should get some rest too.”
Pei Chen left the study and asked the housekeeper where Liang Zhiyi was. The housekeeper informed him that she was in Liang Tongzhou and Ji Fei’er’s room.
Pei Chen knocked on the door of their bedroom and entered to find the two girls sitting on the bed, giggling and chatting, clearly enjoying themselves. Meanwhile, Liang Tongzhou was slumped on the sofa, looking utterly resigned as he tried to keep an eye on the two tipsy girls, preventing them from getting too out of control.
When Liang Zhiyi saw Pei Chen, her eyes curved into crescent moons. “Peipei…”
Pei Chen noticed the wine bottles on the bedside table and asked Liang Tongzhou, “They’ve been drinking again?”
Liang Tongzhou sighed, “They insisted on drinking, and when I said no, they started crying. What was I supposed to do?”
Pei Chen chuckled, rubbing Liang Zhiyi’s flushed cheeks, and asked gently, “How did you end up drinking this much?”
She hiccupped and waved her hand sluggishly, “Didn’t drink, didn’t drink…”
But it was clear she was quite drunk.
He coaxed her softly, “Zhizhi, how about we go back and rest, okay?”
She met his gaze, staring blankly for a few seconds before obediently nodding and reaching out her arms toward him, “Carry me…”
Pei Chen obliged, scooping her up effortlessly. She clung to him, her body limp and relaxed against his. As they prepared to leave, Ji Fei’er called out, “Zhizhi…”
The two girls exchanged a few incoherent words, and Pei Chen turned to Liang Tongzhou. “I’ll take Zhiyi back now.”
Liang Tongzhou moved over to Ji Fei’er and pulled her into his arms, stifling a grin as he said, “Please, take your wife away. One is already more than enough trouble.”
With that, Pei Chen carried Liang Zhiyi back to their room. The housekeeper thoughtfully brought over some hangover medicine, which Pei Chen had her take first.
Once they were in the room, he locked the door and carried her to the bathroom, asking if she felt uncomfortable. She shook her head but continued to cling to him, occasionally letting out soft, cute little whimpers, though it was unclear what she was trying to say.
This was the first time Pei Chen had seen her drunk.
She was adorably childlike in her tipsy state.
Her soft breaths tickled his neck, igniting tiny sparks of warmth that spread through him. He swallowed hard, feeling his throat go dry.
This was just like her—effortlessly stirring a heat within him with the smallest of gestures.
Having been too busy recently and not having touched her for several days, Pei Chen felt a deep longing growing inside him, spreading through his body like vines, urgently demanding he take her completely.
Back in the bedroom, he gently laid her down on the bed.
He hovered over her, his dark eyes locked onto her wide, innocent ones. As he caressed her hair, his voice turned deep and mesmerizing:
“Zhizhi, how are you so adorable?”
Her almond-shaped eyes, bright and clear, gazed up at him, her intoxicated mind hazy. She softly whispered, “Brother…”
It was the first time she had called him that.
Her expression was pure, her voice soft and sweet like spun sugar, melting into his ears.
Hearing this, Pei Chen froze for a moment, his eyes widening as his mind was instantly thrown into turmoil.
He lowered his body closer to hers, his gaze burning as he rasped, “What did you just call me, Zhizhi?”
“Mm…”
He leaned in, his lips near her ear, his breath uneven:
“Say it again, Zhizhi.”
Her ears tingled, and she instinctively clutched his shoulders, repeating in a delicate voice, “Brother…”
No sooner had the words left her lips than he tilted her chin upward, his scorching kiss crashing down, sealing her lips with his.
His tongue easily breached the defenses of her teeth, and Pei Chen tasted the faintly sweet flavor of alcohol mingled with the syrupy scent of lychee, a sweetness that only made him crave more.
The kiss grew more intense, overwhelming Liang Zhiyi, who could only let out a soft whimper as she felt his hands begin to wander, igniting little fires all over her body, making her feel as though she were a delicate rose slowly blooming under his touch.
After a while, he finally eased up, and she looked at him with tearful, dazed eyes, her voice trembling as she pleaded, “Brother, don’t bully Zhizhi…”
Her nose was red, her mind swirling with drunkenness, and she murmured softly:
“Zhizhi is so hot, Zhizhi is going to melt.”
Pei Chen could hardly bear the sight of her with that innocent face, saying such sweet, drunken words.
His control snapped entirely, his eyes darkening as he gripped her slender waist, nibbling on her earlobe, his warm breath caressing her ear as he coaxed:
“What kind of melting? Let Brother see, hmm?”