CHAPTER 538: CHAPTER 500: FORBEARANCE FOR NOW

After returning home, Third Aunt Lai remained sullen, despite the fact that Lai Jingshan had bought her a diamond necklace as a gift. She knew all too well that it stemmed from guilt, not love.

"Why don’t you try it on? Don’t you like it?" Lai Jingshan asked with a frown as he came out of the bath.

"It’s not that, I just feel it’s too expensive."

"Put it on, it suits you."

For eleven years of marriage, Third Aunt Lai had always been so excited to receive gifts from her husband that she couldn’t sleep. This time, however, she couldn’t even feign excitement.

But, in order to not let her husband notice anything unusual, she still managed to squeeze out a slight smile.

"Really? Then tell me... does it look good?"

"Mmm, quite pretty."

She wasn’t old, only just 35, definitely younger than Yuan Min, yet all Lai Jingshan did was to praise her superficially.

Quite pretty?

If it was pretty, why didn’t he take another look?

Looking at her reflection in the mirror, her nose suddenly turned sour, and her heart felt unbearably heavy.

For this household, for her daughter, she had to endure, not confront Lai Jingshan directly, and certainly not go to Bie Yuan to confront Yuan Min.

She was determined to outlast Yuan Min.

If it ever became unbearable, she would rather take drastic measures—even at the cost of her own life—than let Yuan Min have an easy time, ensuring that Yuan Min would leave this world with her.

"Lai Jingshan, Ming Yue said she misses you and wants you to visit school tomorrow and have lunch with her."

"Alright, we’ll go together."

Hearing this response, Third Aunt Lai felt somewhat relieved and began spritzing perfume.

Feminine scent? Ha, easy!

"Lai Jingshan, could you massage my shoulders?" Third Aunt Lai put down the perfume bottle, looking lovingly at her husband, "I’ve been feeling pain here recently."

"It’s probably from fatigue. You can delegate some tasks; there’s no need to take care of everything yourself."

"Okay, understood."

Lai Jingshan massaged her shoulders seriously, his heart full of various debts owed to his wife.

She had always been virtuous over the years.

"This perfume bottle seems to be..." Lai Jingshan paused, frowned, and picked up the perfume bottle from the dressing table, puzzled, "Why hasn’t it been finished after all this time? It must be expired, right?"

"No, why would it be?" Third Aunt Lai quickly snatched the bottle back and gently placed it back in its spot.

"Not? I remember it was almost..."

"Oh, it doesn’t matter with this kind of thing. Don’t you trust me? It still has a light, fresh scent." Third Aunt Lai spoke tenderly, tilting her head slightly.

With that, Lai Jingshan unconsciously moved in a bit closer: "Mmm, it is slightly... fragrant."

Third Aunt Lai’s skin was already fair and smooth, and with the faint fragrance, she appeared even more captivating, especially around her neck.

Looking at her, Lai Jingshan unexpectedly felt a hint of desire, something he had never experienced before.

So, he cleared his throat and continued to massage her shoulders, only now his movements were gentler, as if afraid of hurting her.

...

Meanwhile, elsewhere, Tang Xiaowan and Leng Lingxiao had just arrived in Huang City by helicopter.

They planned to spend the night at the East Suburb Villa.

This was the first property Leng Lingxiao had bought with his first pot of gold, and like his other villas, he had not named it uniquely but simply called it by its location.

"Wow, we’ve finally arrived! This is so great, we won’t have to wake up early tomorrow to go to Nanfeng Mansion."

"Are you tired?" Leng Lingxiao asked.

His tie had already been removed and thrown onto the sofa, and he was now unbuttoning his cuffs.

Upon hearing this, Tang Xiaowan knew exactly what he implied, and shyly shook her head: "Not tired, but... I’d like to take a shower first."

"Together, how about that?"

Leng Lingxiao hadn’t even reached the bed when she darted into the bathroom like a rabbit, followed by a loud shout, "Don’t come in, spying is strictly forbidden!"

"My husband shall watch openly and honorably."

"No, no, you’re not allowed in!"

As soon as the words inside finished, the sound of the door locking echoed out.

Leng Lingxiao’s lips curled slightly, "Little rascal!"

Then he saw Tang Xiaowan’s phone begin to blink, followed by the notification tone.

"Your phone is ringing, sounds like a message."

From the bathroom came Tang Xiaowan’s sweet voice, "Can you reply for me? It’s probably from Ye Wanhua, she might be asking what time I’ll be back in Huang City."

"Ye Wanhua? You know without looking?" Leng Lingxiao mumbled to himself, then walked to the sofa.

But when he picked up the phone and saw the message, he immediately laughed, indeed just as his little wife had predicted, it was indeed from Ye Wanhua.

["What time will you arrive tomorrow? Are you flying or driving? Is Ling Xiao coming back with you? Let me know when you’re leaving, just send a message."]

"This guy, can’t believe he didn’t say!"

He had thought Tang Xiaowan wouldn’t be able to keep calm and would have already informed everyone.

Turns out, they still had no clue.

Leng Lingxiao pondered for a moment, then replied in Tang Xiaowan’s tone: ["Probably around ten tomorrow, we’ll be at Nanfeng Mansion, remember to prepare plenty of food, the more the merrier, preferably all meat."]

After sending it, he nodded satisfactorily, certain that his little wife would have replied just like that.

Not a lie, nor revealing the travel plans.

Ye Wanhua couldn’t help but chuckle upon receiving the message, quickly taking her phone to the study to share the good news with her husband.

"It seems like today... everyone will be up late!" Wang Junchen thoughtfully said.

"Yeah, no one is sleeping!"

"Then tomorrow, we’ll have to prepare lots of tasty food, like pig’s feet! Lobsters! Lamb chops and roast duck! As long as dad’s dining table can handle it... arrange it all for Tangtang, as a welcoming treat."

Ye Wanhua was momentarily stunned.

All meat, isn’t that a bit too indulgent?

"Be careful not to get too fat, you still have to fit in a wedding dress, oh right, and a cheongsam."

"It’s not like we’re in Chicheng?" Wang Junchen frowned puzzledly at his wife, "It’s only about ten degrees, wouldn’t it be cold in a cheongsam that day?"

He thought even a wedding dress would be cold, and was considering whether to drape something over it.

"It won’t be cold, we’re getting married, not wandering outside aimlessly. Once you leave the door, there’ll be a wedding car, it won’t be cold at all. Look, aren’t I wearing a dress now?"

"Oh, alright, as long as it’s not cold."

A man’s judgment of temperature, he found somewhat difficult to agree with, but his wife was not wrong, it was indeed warm inside, and the wedding car could drive right up to the door.

He just hoped the weather forecast was accurate, that it wouldn’t rain or be windy that day.

"No, I need to go down for a bit, have to soak more bird’s nest, don’t want any delays tomorrow." Ye Wanhua suddenly stood up, intending to head out.

She believed Tang Xiaowan needed to nourish her body, having definitely been worn out recently.

Between midterm exams and work.

"There’s plenty at Nanfeng Mansion, dad has been preparing it continuously for mom," Wang Junchen held his wife’s hand gently, "Just take care of yourself, don’t worry, we won’t forget about Tangtang."

"Oh right, indeed."

Although Ye Wanhua’s tone was mild, she was actually thrilled inside, wishing she could record her husband’s words to treasure them.

Finally, her husband stopped calling Tang Mei an old lady. A peaceful home leads to prosperity; this was a good start.

"Ah Hua, why not stay at Nanfeng Mansion for a few days?" Wang Junchen suddenly spoke, "Let’s gather everyone there, and come back after the wedding?"

Ye Wanhua nodded vigorously, excited.

She had had this idea for a while but was worried her husband wouldn’t adjust, so she hadn’t mentioned it.