Chapter Thirty-Six: Perfection

Silly Zhu finally left, heavy-hearted and lost in thought. The words Chen Liang spoke today struck him like a thunderbolt from a clear sky, leaving him scorched both inside and out. He had always thought the person who treated him best was on his side, but now he realized that was the very person who had schemed against him most deeply. Silly Zhu needed time to sort through it all.

As for Chen Liang, after revealing the truth to Silly Zhu, he went straight to find his beloved Xiaoyu. If not for the grudges of his past life, he wouldn't have bothered with Silly Zhu at all—holding his wife was far sweeter! Having risen early and worked herself to exhaustion, Xiaoyu napped peacefully in Chen Liang’s arms that afternoon. When she awoke, she changed into her everyday home clothes and joined her sister-in-law to chat and prepare dinner together.

Meanwhile, Chen Rong, who had returned home after a week at school only to find her spot usurped, glared at her second brother with a face full of grievance. "Second Brother, doesn't your conscience ache even a little?" She clung stubbornly to his arm, refusing to let go.

"Hmph! If I have no conscience, how could it hurt?" Chen Liang replied with an air of arrogance, practically looking down his nose at her.

"Ah! How can you be like this? I don't care, you won't get away with this unless you compensate me with at least two, no, three meals of braised pork!" Chen Rong, finally pushed past her limit, collapsed onto Chen Liang’s back, shaking his neck and demanding, "I don’t care! You got married and now I have no place to sleep—you owe me for my loss! I want braised pork, and you’d better go ask Mom!"

Their mother was a traditional woman who favored sons over daughters. With her youngest son married, Chen Rong, who once split a room equally with Chen Liang, was unceremoniously kicked out and given a tiny partitioned space in the room their parents occupied. Though her parents’ bedroom was larger, it had already been divided into a kitchen and a living room; now, partitioning another tiny room for her made her feel as if she’d gone from paradise to purgatory compared to sharing with her brother.

Chen Rong knew that this was the norm in every family, but she still couldn’t accept it. Only delicious food could soothe her wounded heart!

The siblings’ playful bickering naturally drew their mother’s scolding, and Chen Rong instantly quieted down, just like a mouse before a cat—though, of course, this mouse was no Jerry, and the cat no Tom.

Sensing his little sister had settled down, Chen Liang reached back to set her down, then shamelessly pleaded, “Mom, could you make braised pork tonight? I’ve been craving it for ages!”

How could the youngest son, her pride and joy, be refused? As long as the conditions allowed, his mother would never say no.

“You just spoil that girl rotten! One day you’ll over-indulge her, mark my words!” Muttering this, their mother headed off to cook the braised pork.

"Second Brother, you’re the best! Really, the best! And I want apples too, the kind you gave me last time!" Chen Rong, never satisfied, quickly made her next request.

But with Chen Liang’s supermarket, there was a limitless supply—she’d never be able to finish it in a thousand lifetimes!

"Alright, just a moment." He brought out several big apples from his room, handing one to everyone in the family. Fruit like apples could be given privately, but now, bringing them out in the open, everyone had to have one.

When it was Xiaoyu’s turn, Chen Liang took out a small knife, washed it carefully, peeled the apple, split it in half, removed the core, and sliced it into perfect bite-sized pieces. Watching the pair feed each other so sweetly, Chen Rong suddenly felt her own apple had lost its flavor.

Even her sister-in-law couldn’t resist pinching her husband’s waist—look at how your brother treats his wife, and then look at you, you’re hopelessly obtuse! Don’t expect any favors tonight until you change your ways!

Even Chen Jian, their eldest brother, couldn’t help but feel a twinge of jealousy. Though he said nothing, he fetched a small knife and began peeling apples for his wife as well.

Chen Rong: See, I must have been picked up off the street—here I am, forced to swallow mouthfuls of dog food just eating an apple! I’m exhausted! Let the world end, it’s not worth it!

Chen Hong: Hey! Mom, Dad, Uncle and Aunt, could you please mind the children? At least leave us some dignity!

Even their mother felt a pang of envy watching Chen Liang flaunt his affection. Her hands moved with a little more force than usual as she cooked.

But Chen Liang, ever the master at reading people, noticed immediately. He sidled up to his mother, draped an arm around her shoulder, and showered her with sweet words until laughter creased the corners of her eyes.

Only after peeling an apple for his mother as well did he finally appease her.

Chen Jian glanced at his knife, exchanged a look with their father, who immediately snapped, “Out!” Only then did the eldest brother quiet down.

Chen Jian: Why am I always the one who ends up hurt in the end?

Setting aside the later incident where, after dinner, their father insisted on peeling an apple for their mother—only to end up thoroughly embarrassed when she scolded him—the Chen household was still filled with laughter and warmth.

So who says honest men don’t want romance? They just aren’t as skilled at it! But with a little guidance, who wouldn’t want to try their hand at being romantic?

After a sumptuous dinner, Chen Liang could no longer restrain himself and hurriedly pulled Xiaoyu back to their room.

If daytime made indulgence unseemly, then surely nothing would interrupt them at night.

Let all bear witness: Chen Liang is sworn to be an enemy of gambling and vice!

So he won’t mention a single indecent word.

Heaven above, I, Chen Liang, am eternal enemy to gambling and vice! Surely that’s enough?

The moment Xiaoyu entered the room, she turned bashful. She was just innocent, not foolish—how could she not guess Chen Liang’s intentions?

She shuffled awkwardly for a while before regaining her composure. After bolting the door with a crimson face, she took a bright red porcelain basin and her special towel to the outer room, instructing Chen Liang not to peek.

Being called out for his thoughts, Chen Liang immediately assured her he was not that kind of man, telling her to put her mind at ease.

Heh... Tch! That’s men for you—the more they protest, the more likely they are to be thinking about it.

As the saying goes, a man’s word is not to be trusted—ancient wisdom never fails!

After washing up, Xiaoyu returned to the inner room, cheeks flushed, dove shyly under the quilt, and, tossing her clothes out piece by piece, wrapped herself in the blanket and whispered to Chen Liang that she was ready.

Transformed into a wolf, Chen Liang stripped off his own clothes in a flash and climbed into bed.