Cheng Fangqiu choked on her words, unable to refute. The way he understood it seemed correct, but there was something indescribably strange about it. She simply chose to ignore it, though she couldn’t shake the growing itch at her waist where he had kneaded just moments ago.
“We were just saying that if things aren’t going well between a married couple, they should find the problem and solve it. If they can’t solve it, then they can change partners.”
Cheng Fangqiu tried to phrase it as tactfully as possible, but no matter how she put it, to Zhou Yinghuai, it meant only one thing.
She would replace him.
Cheng Fangqiu carefully observed Zhou Yinghuai’s expression. Sure enough, almost as soon as she finished speaking, he looked as if he had suffered a heavy blow. The light in his eyes dimmed instantly.
Watching the beautiful eyes gradually fill with mist, Cheng Fangqiu panicked. She quickly reassured him, “We were just talking nonsense. Don’t take it to heart.”
Who knew that the more she explained, the redder his eyes became?
Cheng Fangqiu suddenly regretted telling him the truth. Had she known, she would have just told a white lie to coax him.
“Qiuqiu, will you replace me?” Zhou Yinghuai’s dark eyes were dim with dejection. His eyelashes drooped, shielding his emotions, and his fingers, resting at his side, curled up unconsciously—utterly helpless.
Cheng Fangqiu’s heart pounded with unease. Shouldn’t it be her who was afraid of being replaced? How did it turn into him being on edge?
Did Zhou Yinghuai really like her that much? Look at this—once a man of serene composure, cold and noble, now on the verge of shedding golden tears.
That being said, this contrast was strangely enticing.
Cheng Fangqiu swallowed, inexplicably wanting to deepen the crimson hue at the corners of his eyes.
Realizing what she was thinking, Cheng Fangqiu froze, then fiercely berated herself for having such a beastly thought. How could she be so scummy? Not only had she deceived his feelings, but now she even wanted to take advantage of his body.
Was she even human anymore?!
The guilt and shame in her heart surged. Taking a deep breath, she glanced toward the kitchen and, seeing no one coming out, quickly leaned in and kissed his cheek.
A loud “smack” echoed in the quiet living room.
Both of them froze. Zhou Yinghuai’s lashes lifted suddenly, his dark eyes staring at her, flickering with surprise, confusion, and delight—before all of it turned into embarrassment.
It was as if, in broad daylight, a good and decent man had been taken advantage of.
Cheng Fangqiu’s entire face burned red, but she maintained her composure. Reaching out, she patted his head and softened her voice, “My husband is so capable, so outstanding, so handsome—who would be willing to replace him?”
As soon as she finished speaking, she clearly saw Zhou Yinghuai’s long eyelashes tremble. Encouraged, she continued.
“In my heart and eyes, there’s only you. No one else could replace you.”
Even Cheng Fangqiu herself found these words unbearably cheesy. Goosebumps nearly popped up all over her body. She shivered and, remembering that coaxing someone didn’t mean forgetting to set boundaries, she added, “That is, as long as you don’t make any principle mistakes.”
“Principle mistakes?” Zhou Yinghuai’s brows moved slightly.
Cheng Fangqiu counted them off, “For example, cheating, domestic violence, breaking the law…”
Before she could finish, Zhou Yinghuai’s gloom vanished completely, replaced by a radiant smile. Like a sky clearing after the rain, his handsome face bloomed into a dazzling flower. Just looking at him made Cheng Fangqiu feel as if a soft white feather was brushing against her heart, ticklish and intoxicating.
Seeing this, Cheng Fangqiu couldn’t help but ask curiously, “What are you smiling about?”
She was laying down the rules—this was supposed to be a serious matter.
Zhou Yinghuai’s gaze burned as he looked at her. He reached out, clasped her hand, and intertwined their fingers tightly together. His lips curved, his voice carrying an unconcealed lightness and joy.
“Because in this lifetime, there is no way I could ever be replaced.”
Confident and brazen, it was a declaration of absolute certainty—
And at the same time, an utterly soul-stealing love confession.
Cheng Fangqiu’s heartbeat skipped a beat. She secretly took a deep breath, desperately trying to suppress the restless flutter in her chest. She was afraid that Zhou Yinghuai would hear the erratic, frantic pounding of her heart.
“Alright, we’re still at someone else’s house.”
If Xu Qiqi and the others saw them, wouldn’t that be embarrassing? He might not care, but she still did!
Zhou Yinghuai responded softly, his voice carrying a lazy indulgence. His brows relaxed, showing no trace of the despair from moments ago.
Finally, he lightly stroked the center of her palm before reluctantly letting go.
At that moment, a loud clang echoed from the kitchen—the sound of a metal basin crashing onto the floor. The two of them instinctively turned toward the source of the noise.
Cheng Fangqiu blinked and asked with some concern, “Qiqi?”
Two seconds later, Xu Qiqi’s voice came from inside.
“N-no problem, I just accidentally knocked over a vegetable bowl. You guys carry on, don’t mind us.”
Cheng Fangqiu frowned. Why did Xu Qiqi’s voice sound so strange? As if she had been crying or was struggling to breathe.
Had they been arguing?
If that were the case, then as an outsider, it was even more inappropriate for her to ask. She sensibly followed Xu Qiqi’s lead and didn’t pursue the matter further. With nothing else to do, she picked up a nearby notebook and began discussing wedding banquet details with Zhou Yinghuai.
—
When Xu Qiqi entered the kitchen, she saw Chang Yan’an standing at the stove, wearing a dark gray casual outfit and an apron, slicing green peppers.
As soon as she saw him, Cheng Fangqiu’s words from earlier—about how he might like her—flashed through her mind. Her delicate face heated up for a moment.
Hearing movement, Chang Yan’an turned his head. Upon seeing that it was her, his lips moved slightly as if hesitating before finally saying, “It’ll be ready soon.”
She wasn’t here to rush him.
Xu Qiqi pursed her lips and shifted her gaze toward Zhou Yinghuai, who was washing vegetables. “Comrade Zhou, Qiuqiu said she needs to talk to you.”
Upon hearing this, Zhou Yinghuai unhesitatingly put down the half-washed vegetables and walked out of the kitchen.
In an instant, only Xu Qiqi and Chang Yan’an remained. The latter glanced at her before shifting his attention back to his cooking. However, he said casually, “Go outside. I don’t need you in here.”
It was as if she insisted on staying!
Xu Qiqi gritted her back teeth in frustration. Fangqiu definitely got it wrong. With an attitude like this, how could he possibly like her?
But deep down, she still held a sliver of hope. What if…
Besides, Fangqiu had said that since she didn’t plan to get divorced, she should communicate properly with her husband to make their days easier.
Instead of silently fuming, it would be better to talk to Chang Yan’an directly. At least she could tell him to be more mindful with his words. Couldn’t he at least be a little more tactful?
If he had rephrased his words to “I can handle this alone, you should go out first,” she wouldn’t have been so angry.
Chang Yan’an had a temper that responded to softness rather than force. If she spoke calmly, he would likely change his behavior.
With her mind made up, Xu Qiqi closed the kitchen door. Just as she was about to speak, the man in front of her looked up with a slightly surprised expression. He seemed confused as he asked, “Why are you still here? Don’t you dislike the smell of oil and smoke?”
Won’t you start pouting again if your dress absorbs the scent?
He knew she wouldn’t actually be sad, but he couldn’t bear to see it anyway.
“It’ll be done soon. Go outside,” Chang Yan’an repeated helplessly when he saw her standing there, silent and unmoving.
But just as he finished speaking, Xu Qiqi suddenly blurted out an unexpected question.
“What were you trying to say earlier?”
“Huh? What?”
Not understanding what she was asking, Chang Yan’an instinctively responded with a question.
In front of him, the young woman’s eyes suddenly turned red. She took a deep breath and pressed on, “When I complained that you were acting like a hands-off boss, were you trying to explain something at the time?”
Chang Yan’an was momentarily stunned. Then, he set down the knife in his hand and hesitated for a moment before finally saying, “It’s all in the past. There’s no need to bring it up…”
“I want to hear it.”
Xu Qiqi stubbornly fixed her gaze on him. The sunlight streaming through the window bathed her figure in a golden glow, making the flush of red around her eyes stand out even more.
Chang Yan’an keenly noticed that she was acting differently today. In the past, she never pressed for answers like this. She never wanted to listen, and he never wanted to talk—saying too much would only make her more annoyed.
But this was the first time she had said she wanted to listen. That she wanted to hear about him.
The hand hanging at Chang Yan’an’s side slowly curled into a fist. His fingertips brushed against his palm twice. He was always indifferent by nature, and even when explaining, his expression remained emotionless.
“At that time, a new lead came in on the investigation. I was busy following up on it and couldn’t find time to be with you.”
He paused for a moment before adding, “I’m very sorry.”
The wedding banquet was important to her. But to him—was it not just as important? After all, this time, the bride was her.
But in this world, rarely could one have the best of both worlds.
Having finished explaining, Chang Yan’an looked slightly uneasy. He was not good at saying things that sounded like self-pity or excuses. His belief had always been that actions speak louder than words.
If Xu Qiqi hadn’t asked today, he probably would have kept these words buried inside him forever.
Yet, after saying all this, he received no response for a long time. The corners of his lips pulled into a bitter smile. I knew it—nothing would change.
With that thought, he let out a slow, heavy breath, about to tell Xu Qiqi to leave the kitchen. But when he looked up, he met a pair of tear-filled eyes.
Chang Yan’an’s brows furrowed tightly. Instinctively, he stepped toward her—
And in the next second, a soft body crashed into his embrace.
Her arms wrapped tightly around his waist, and her tears seeped into his chest, soaking through the fabric and burning against his skin. His heart jolted.
“Chang Yan’an, why didn’t you tell me sooner?”
Her muffled voice trembled with frustration.
“Is your mouth clamped shut like a stubborn clam? With the way you are, if I hadn’t been willing to marry you, you’d be doomed to die alone!”
If she hadn’t listened to Fangqiu’s advice and stayed behind to talk to Chang Yan’an, she probably would have stormed out the moment he said that first sentence. Then, like always, they would have fallen into another cold war—how could she have heard what he said afterward?
He usually seemed smart, so why did he act like his brain was waterlogged when it came to these things?
If he remembered that she hated the smell of cooking oil, why not just tell her outright instead of beating around the bush?
If he had been busy handling something for her father while preparing the wedding banquet, why not just let her know earlier? How had she misunderstood for so long?
“I don’t even have the right to scold you.”
Xu Qiqi bit her lower lip, her voice slightly shaky. “If I had asked you more questions, this wouldn’t have…”
She rarely reflected on her own actions, having had a smooth-sailing life since childhood. So before she could finish her self-reproach, she felt so awkward that she cut herself off.
Then, under Chang Yan’an’s stunned gaze, she reached out, wrapped her arms around his neck—
And pressed her lips against his.
No—pressed was too gentle. Bit would be more accurate.
Her teeth clamped down on his lower lip. In the instant he flinched from the pain, her tongue slipped through the gap, teasing, licking, and drawing him in without restraint.