Wen xueqing had always thought that being a whale came with no worries. But when a whale meets an unlucky player, it feels like you're just a fool sending money to the game company with no return on your investment!
She had thrown in over a thousand yuan, but there wasn't even a ripple!
Having just joined the middle class, Wen xueqing resentfully gave up, vowing not to be a rich fool with more money than sense.
Hou yuancheng slowly ate the food in his bowl, his peripheral vision catching Wen xueqing's expression shifting from bright-eyed to expressionless, and finally to a tight frown. Her baby-fat face visibly drooped, looking like a little bun that had lost its filling—utterly pitiful.
His Adam's apple bobbed, but Hou yuancheng ultimately didn't ask what was wrong. The noodles were gone. He hadn't had such a comfortable meal in months. It tasted great, and his stomach didn't react badly to it. He rarely received such treatment even at the Zhou residence.
They preferred strong flavors, and especially after Zhou yunyi returned from abroad, they paid little attention to his appetite. In the past only Uncle Yan would secretly bring him porridge in his study on a difficult afternoon.
He even felt the urge to drink the thick noodle soup, but Hou yuancheng would never let such a thought show!
After he finished eating, Wen xueqing didn't pester him anymore. She tidied up the tray and left promptly.
Because she knew that distance creates beauty!
Hou yuancheng was now genuinely confused about Wen xueqing's motives. Was it for money?
The money he had now was practically nothing compared to before; you could say he was bankrupt. As for Wen xueqing's repeated claims of liking him, that was even more impossible.
He never believed in love at first sight.
Seeing Wen xueqing come downstairs with an empty bowl, Uncle Yan was truly astonished. After all, even he couldn't persuade Hou yuancheng to eat. He knew the master had been through too much recently, and he couldn't bring himself to say harsh words.
"Xueqing, have you studied Taekwondo or Karate?" Uncle Hou asked, his mind already conjuring an image of Wen xueqing's seemingly small frame subduing the tenth-dan black belt Hiu yuancheng with one hand, while forcing lunch into his mouth with the other."
"Does Tai Chi count?" During her freshman year of college, Wen xueqing's physical education final was Tai Chi, and she even got first place in the class!
This was something to be proud of than winning the annual scholarship. After all, due to the PE teacher's insane requirements, the pass rate for the Tai Chi exam was as low as ten percent!
Thinking of this, Wen xueqing felt even more proud, her chest puffing out straight and tall!
Uncle Hou was speechless.
Knowing that Hou yuancheng was a homebody who would never come downstairs unless necessary, Wen xueqing relaxed and strolled around the first floor to aid her digestion, finally stopping at the lawn in front of the small villa.
White railings, grass swaying in the wind, and from time to time, a small sparrow from the nearby woods would fly out and land on the mailbox.
"This lawn is really nice." Wen xueqing squatted on the steps, the afternoon sun casting a golden glow on her pink hair. Her thick eyelashes cast a shadow on her lower eyelids, and combined with her baby fat, it made the girl look even more delicate and beautiful.
As a senior butler well-versed in human nature, Uncle Hou immediately said, "I'll see if there are any suitable flower seeds when I go shopping tomorrow."
"Hey!"Wen xueqing interrupted Uncle Hou's idea with a profound look. Was he the type for useless romanticism? "Uncle Hou, is there a farmers' market nearby?"
Uncle Hou was a bit taken aback.
"The land is quite large. I want to plant some vegetables so we don't waste our family's resources."
Uncle Hou's expression was complicated. Before this"madam"married in, he had looked up information about her. Things like she wouldn't use face cream under ten thousand yuan, and her clothes and shoes had to be worth at least thirty thousand when she went out.
Later, anti-fans exposed that she was actually wearing fakes. She was extremely vain. The only time she was quiet was when she was acting like a zombie in every role.
But now…
Wen xueqing seemed to sense something and looked at Uncle Hou, suddenly becoming alert.
That's right, the original owner wasn't this frugal and down-to-earth! She couldn't let them suspect she was an impostor!
"Uncle Hou, do you know the two things in the world you can't believe?"
"What two things?" Uncle Hou squatted down, starting to chat with the young lady.
"The words of some men, and marketing accounts!"Wen xueqing said with firm conviction.
Uncle Hou fell into thought.
Later, Wen xueqing, drawing from the original owner memories, told Uncle Hou the stories behind several malicious reports by marketing accounts.
"Remember when they said a certain Best Actress was supposedly dumped by her younger boyfriend, appearing late at night without makeup and with greasy hair? Actually, that older sister was just working out at the gym late at night and didn't want to shower there."
"And that famous 'luminous script scandal' before? The two of them weren't even staying in the same hotel, just had the same room number. That well-respected old director in the industry got so angry his blood pressure shot up because of it."
"Oh, I remember that one. I was surprised for a long time back then. So that's what happened."
"Yeah, and also" Wen xueqing vividly brainwashed an innocent middle-aged man.
The window of Hou yuancheng's study happened to face the main entrance. In the early autumn afternoons, he would open it a crack to let in some fresh air. Usually, he could only hear the whistling of the wind, but now, the wind carried with it the sound of hushed discussions and laughter. This was a liveliness that hadn't been present in the villa for months.
Due to Wen xueqing's excellent performance at noon, Uncle Hou was now very confident in leaving the kitchen to her in the evening. However, the idea of having the master of the house cook still made Uncle Hou feel a bit uneasy.
"Xueqing, you don't have to cook every day. You should rest more. This kind of thing should still be my job." Uncle Hou was in the kitchen helping Wen xueqing peel garlic.
Wen xueqing puffed out her chest nonchalantly.
"Uncle Hou, I love cooking. I feel restless if I don't cook for a day!"
Uncle Hou gave her a skeptical look.
Wen xueqing was gradually getting used to breaking character, and she could now lie without blushing.
"That's why when I was on set, I'd practice my stir-frying whenever I had time at noon, just so my skills wouldn't get rusty!"
Uncle Hou was so convinced he almost applauded on the spot. Kids who enjoyed cooking were truly rare these days!
With her back to the old man, Wen xueqing felt a pang of guilt for brainwashing him. Oh well, she'll just have to eat more tonight to physically atone for it!
Seeing Wen xueqing carry the same tray from noon upstairs, Uncle Hou still felt a little worried.
"Xueqing, maybe I should go up in a bit. The master hasn't been in a good mood lately. If I go, he might be a little more considerate of an old man like me. I'm afraid he'll be harsh with you," he said, afraid of scaring the girl.
Wen xueqing was unconcerned. In her past life, she had refused the company's demand to accompany that pervert and had been cyberbullied for months as a result. If she didn't have some mental fortitude, she would have been gone long before the cancer came for her.
"Uncle Hou, plenty of people in the industry have been harsh with me. I have excellent mental resilience! But….."Wen xueqing suddenly became shy, "if my husband wants to divorce me, I'll still cry!"
Uncle Hou decided to go buy some Sensodyne tomorrow.
This time, Wen xueqing had learned her lesson. She knocked three times, and when she heard a slight movement inside, she precisely poked her head in, putting on her most innocent expression.
"Husband, I'm coming in."
Hou yuancheng, who was looking at the computer, froze and looked up.
The voice from the computer hadn't stopped.
"Um, brother, is… is that sister-in-law?"
Wen xueqing immediately recognized the voice of the main protagonist, Zhou yunyi. Now she was in a dilemma, not knowing whether to advance or retreat.
An ugly expression appeared on Hou yuancheng's cold face. He remained silent for a long time.
"Is that Wen xueqing? Let Mom see," another voice, that of a middle-aged woman, sounded from the computer.
Hou yuancheng took a deep breath. "Come in."
Wen xueqing nodded like a pecking chicken, closed the door, and brought the tray in.
Hou yuancheng's face was already pale, but now it had turned ashen. The book never mentioned any further contact between the Zhou family and him.
But after so cruelly kicking him out of the CEO position, moving him to the suburbs, and even arranging for an 18th-tier drama queen to disgust him, why were they calling now? To see if Hou yuancheng was as miserable as they had expected?
Wen xueqing approached with confusion and placed the dinner next to Hou yuancheng's hand.
Two figures appeared on the computer screen. One was Zhou yunyi, dressed in a white gown with black wavy hair, her features as exquisite as a little princess. The other was an equally luxuriously dressed, slightly plump woman, Madam Zhou. The environment behind them could only be described as magnificent.
The broke Wen xueqing had previously thought the little villa's decor was quite nice, but now she saw that comparisons truly reveal the world's disparities.
Just a few months ago, Hou yuancheng had also lived in such a house.
Despite being mentally prepared for Wen xueqing to be somewhat unimpressive, Zhou yunyi and Madam Zhou were still thoroughly surprised when they saw her in a shabby, ripped short-sleeved shirt and a head of pink hair packed in a messy ponytail. After all, Hou yuancheng probably wouldn't have given such a person a second glance before.
Thinking this a trace of guilt flickered in Madam Zhou's eyes, but recalling her adopted son's past behavior, she discarded the superfluous emotion and looked at the two with an air of authority.
Before Wen xueqing could greet them, Madam Zhou spoke. "Now that you're married, you two should live a good life together. Xueqing, when you're at home and not working, you can dye your hair back. My son's thinking is rather traditional."
Hearing that the Zhou family had stripped Hou yuancheng of all his company assets when they kicked him out, meaning his current salary was paid from Hou yuancheng personal savings over the years, Wen xueqing instantly lost any goodwill she might have had for this woman.
Ha! On what grounds? Not even a dean of discipline is as controlling as you!
"I'll listen to whatever my husband says." Wen xueqing made her stance clear with her words and actions.
"Cough, cough, cough!" Zhou yunyi almost choked on the water she had just sipped.
Madam Zhou frowned even more deeply. How could she be so mushy? She had no manners at all.
Believing she understood her adopted son's personality, she pointed at Hou yuancheng and was about to scold him.
The gloom in Hou yuancheng's eyes miraculously dissipated a little at those words. After a moment, he parted his lips. "Pink hair is… quite cute."
Wen xueqing turned her head in surprise.
Madam Zhou instantly lost face, and even Zhou yunyi looked over in astonishment.
"Yuancheng, how have you become so thoughtless, just like a child?!" Madam Zhou scolded.
"Brother, hurry up and apologize to Mom!" Zhou yunyi frowned. As expected of the protagonist, even her frown was beautiful. It was just that her words were inhumane.
Having been in the industry for a long time, Wen xueqing was now a master at identifying manipulative schemers. She saw through this little trick at a glance. She hadn't liked this universally adored female lead when she read the book, always feeling something was off. Only after experiencing it firsthand did she finally get it.
Wow! Isn't this a hindsight-expert plus a feigned innocent?
Before Wen xueqing could speak, Hou yuancheng coldly raised his right arm and placed it on the table, which at first glance looked like he was protecting Wen xueqing.
"Didn't you banish me? Why are you still holding me to the Zhou family's standards? Why did you call this time? To laugh at me?"
"You!" Madam Zhou's face turned ugly. "You have to bear the consequences of your own mistakes, but that doesn't mean you can disown me as your mother! If I didn't care about you, would I be calling you secretly? And your sister, last time you… The scar on her arm still won't fade! Do you think we deserved that?"
Wen xueqing, holding a huge piece of gossip, didn't know if she should indulge. But when she looked down at Hou yuancheng, she saw his thin shoulders trembling slightly. She couldn't imagine how angry he must be right now.
For a moment, she even felt that Hou yuancheng was suffering a great injustice.
"Since you find it so infuriating, there's no need to contact me again," Hou yuancheng said, his eyes filled with sarcasm.
"You!" Madam "Zhou's chest heaved violently. Zhou yunyi quickly went to soothe her mother, while saying in a very pained tone, "Brother, no one owes you anything. We treat you with sincerity. Even if you don't understand, please don't trample on our sincerity." As she spoke, Zhou yunyi's eyes began to redden.
Hou yuancheng didn't say a word, just watched coldly, his face growing even more ashen.
Wen xueqing couldn't stand by and watch any longer.
"What sincerity? Your son and brother gets married, and you don't even come to see him. If you think he's so wicked, then either never contact him again, or don't push him into his current situation and still expect him to treat you with sincerity. It's easy for you to make a phone call, to open your mouths and say you care about him. Care about what? That his partner has pink hair and you need him to 'clean it up'?" Seeing her boss, the one who paid her salary, being bullied like this, Wen xueqing rolled up her sleeves and went for it.
"You!" Madam Zhou was so choked up she couldn't say a word.
Wen xueqing wasn't afraid either. A million-a-month salary demanded a certain attitude. She glanced at Hou yuancheng , and seeing no sign of him stopping her, Wen xueqing continued her steady performance.
"Furthermore, you knew I, Wen xueqing, was this kind of person, yet you still had my husband marry me. Now you're starting to point fingers. It's like knowing a toy is broken, but still giving it to your unfavored son, and then turning around to say how ugly the toy is and that he needs to fix it up to please your eyes. From beginning to end, have you ever cared about Hou yuancheng's opinion?"
"And you talk about trampling on your sincerity. Marrying me off to him, is that your sincerity?"
Wen xueqing's eyes were crystal clear, without a hint of concealment. When she got ruthless, she had no problem disparaging herself. She was like a mirror, directly and clearly reflecting the true faces of the two people opposite her.
Madam Zhou's eyes grew flustered, and this time, Zhou yunyi was genuinely crying from anger. Having grown up in the lap of luxury, her verbal sparring skills were no match for Wen xueqing, who had rolled around in the mud.
In the end, it was Hou yuancheng who broke the brief silence. "The words have been said. In the future, there's no need to contact me against your conscience. I am very selfish. From now on, you have no right to comment on my affairs. As for the past, I won't be making any more plans for it either. You can rest assured."
With that, he ended the video call.
Right in front of Wen xueqing, he deleted Madam Zhou's WeChat.
Hou yuancheng closed his laptop. Wen xueqing speaking up for him had left him with very complicated feelings. He had clearly been gritting his teeth in anger at him during the day, but now he didn't know how to face her.
"I'm not a good person. You don't need to speak up for me like that."
Wen xueqing shamelessly moved Hou yuancheng's laptop aside and pushed the dinner she had made towards him. It was a corn and pork rib soup with stir-fried pork stomach, and a small dish of appetizing salted long beans.
"I side with my own, not with reason. It's not like I'm a good person either."Wen xueqing swiftly handed him the chopsticks.
For the first time Hou yuancheng found it so difficult to communicate with someone. But this time, he didn't refuse Wen xueqing . He took the chopsticks. After all, he had just stood up for him. Besides, Wen xueqing's cooking was indeed much more fragrant than Uncle Hou's.
"Don't describe yourself like that in the future. At the very least, you should have some self-respect." Although Hou yuancheng was still suspicious of Wen xueqing, his heart genuinely ached when he heard her describe herself as a broken toy.
Moved, Wen xueqing leaned in close to Hou yuancheng's ear, her soft and sweet voice wrapping around him. "Then I'll say the same to you. I think you're pretty great, too. You're exactly my type!"
The hand Hou yuancheng was holding the chopsticks with trembled, and the pork rib he had just picked up fell.