"Because it fits."
Two simple words from Long Yejue were all the explanation he offered.
Fits…? What a perfunctory response.
Tang Mianmian mulled over the word, her imagination running wild. Perhaps she looked like the ideal housewife?
She shuddered at the thought, finding it ridiculous to describe herself that way.
Is this what happens to women after getting their marriage certificate? Their worth drops?
Back at the villa, An Yi had already arranged everything. Her bedroom now resembled a high-end fashion boutique.
I told him to only buy a few pieces…
Faced with the overflowing wardrobe of clothes, shoes, and bags, Tang Mianmian felt like crying.
After a shower, she sat on the bed, dazed.
She still couldn't quite process how she had gone from single to married in such a short span of time.
Now she was sharing a home with a man who was essentially a stranger.
Okay, fine, they weren't exactly sharing a room, but the situation still felt surreal.
The house was quiet. She wasn't sure if Long Yejue had gone to sleep or not. If he had, it would put her mind at ease.
To be safe, she locked her door, testing it several times to ensure it would only open under considerable force. Satisfied, she finally climbed into bed.
Being the type of person who could fall asleep the moment her head hit the pillow, Tang Mianmian soon drifted off into a deep slumber.
Meanwhile, in another room, a certain man spent a restless night, unable to sleep.
Tang Mianmian woke to birdsong and the fragrance of flowers wafting through the air.
The beautiful, finely decorated room left her momentarily disoriented.
Then she remembered him, and the realization hit her—she was married.
As a married woman, what's the first thing I should do?
Naturally, it's to fulfill the role of a full-time caretaker and prepare breakfast for her husband!
She checked the time and froze. Ten o'clock already?
"Maybe this old phone isn't showing the right time," she muttered.
Ever since losing her phone during the chaos of Su Shijie's wedding, she'd been using an outdated backup.
After freshening up, she stepped out of her room to find the house eerily quiet.
The door to the room opposite hers was closed. She wondered if Long Yejue was still asleep.
She rapped herself lightly on the head. It's so late—he must already be awake.
Hurrying downstairs, she spotted him in the living room, sitting on the couch with a tablet in hand, reading the news.
She froze, awkwardly greeting him, "Morning."
"Morning? It's already past ten," Long Yejue replied with a raised brow, a trace of amusement glinting in his phoenix eyes.
Tang Mianmian wanted to slam her head against a wall. She stammered out an excuse, "My phone… It's showing the wrong time!"
"There's a clock in your room."
"…!" Did he really have to expose her like that?!
"The kitchen has breakfast. I was worried you wouldn't sleep well here, but it seems my concerns were unnecessary," he said with a faint smile, his dark eyes softening slightly.
Tang Mianmian could only respond with a dry laugh, retreating to the kitchen to escape the awkwardness.
The breakfast—sandwiches—seemed to be his handiwork, given that there was no one else in the villa.
She sat down to eat, finding the food surprisingly good. Compared to the days when her work schedule left her no time for breakfast, this felt like a luxury.
Wait—work?
Why wasn't she at work? Why wasn't he at work?
Wolfing down her sandwich, Tang Mianmian hurried out of the kitchen, puffing her cheeks indignantly. "Why aren't you at work? It's already past ten! Even the boss has to work, right? Or did you get fired?"
Long Yejue looked up at her, amusement dancing in his eyes as he watched her puffed-up, chipmunk-like face.
He didn't bother to explain, simply enjoying her flustered state.
"Wait, you're the boss. You don't get fired—you fire people!" she corrected herself. Then, realizing something, she exclaimed, "I'm the one who should be at work!"
"It's Saturday," he finally said, amused by the chaos of her thoughts.
"Saturday? Oh, it's the weekend!" Tang Mianmian let out a sigh of relief. "If you'd told me that earlier, I could have taken my time with breakfast."
"Did you give me a chance to say anything?" he countered, his lips curving into a faint smirk.
Tang Mianmian froze, realizing he had a point. Embarrassed, she muttered, "Must've been water in my brain that night."
"Water isn't the problem. What matters is cleaning it out in time—get rid of the impurities and clear your head," he said with a meaningful look, standing and slowly approaching her.
His tall frame loomed over her, forcing her to tilt her head back to meet his gaze. His lips curved slightly. "So, have you cleared your head?"
"…!"
What kind of analogy is that?!
Her mouth opened and closed a few times, but no words came out. Long Yejue didn't wait for a reply.
Turning, he headed upstairs. Halfway up the staircase, he called back, "I'll be in the study. Let me know if you need anything. Lunch will be in two hours."
His tall figure disappeared at the top of the stairs, leaving Tang Mianmian to exhale in relief.
Repeating his words to herself, she muttered, "Lunch? In two hours? I just had breakfast—I'm not even hungry!"
Shaking her head at his puzzling comments, she left the house and wandered into the garden.
Back in the day, she would have had to visit a botanical exhibition to see such beautiful flowers. Now, she could enjoy them right in her own backyard.
If nothing else, marrying this man came with perks, she thought as she strolled among the blooms.
Tang Mianmian flitted through the garden like an excited butterfly, snapping photos with her outdated phone.
Unfortunately, the old device didn't do the scenery justice.
Not only that, but since she hadn't replaced her SIM card yet, she couldn't upload the photos to social media. She imagined her friend Rui Rui seeing these and screaming with excitement.
After just two photos, her phone died. She pouted in frustration. "Old phones are useless. Fully charge them, and they still die in minutes. I guess I need a new one."
But she had no money to spare for such luxuries. Feeling dejected, she headed back to the villa.
As she entered the grand hall, she spotted Long Yejue's assistant, An Yi, stepping through the door. He greeted her with a polite bow. "Mrs. Long."
Hearing the title still made her feel awkward. She gave him a faint smile, intending to head upstairs, but An Yi stopped her.
"Mrs. Long, this is for you. The young master asked me to get you a new phone."
Surprised, Tang Mianmian turned to him and eyed the elegantly wrapped box in his hand. She couldn't tell what model it was, but it looked expensive. "He asked you to buy this for me?"
An Yi nodded emphatically. "Yes, he just gave the order earlier and told me to deliver it right away. The SIM card has also been replaced with your old number, so you can use it immediately."
"That efficient?" Tang Mianmian was genuinely surprised.
Just moments ago, she'd been lamenting her old phone's shortcomings, and now the problem was magically solved. It felt like a dream.
"Of course. When the young master gives an order, I make it my top priority," An Yi replied with a courteous smile, embodying the essence of a multi-talented assistant.
Tang Mianmian admired his efficiency, giving him a thumbs-up before eagerly unboxing the phone. Inside was a pink, diamond-studded smartphone.
She wasn't sure if the stones were Swarovski crystals or real diamonds, but they sparkled brilliantly. The soft pearl-pink hue of the phone shimmered under the sunlight, exuding luxury.
"This phone looks so expensive," she said, holding it up and examining it with wide eyes.
An Yi hesitated before carefully replying, "It's… reasonable. Not too expensive."
Certainly far less extravagant than the young master's own collection.
"Are these diamonds or crystals? If they're diamonds, this phone must cost a fortune. I can't accept it." Tang Mianmian tried to put the phone back in the box.
An Yi panicked. If she didn't accept the phone, it could mean serious consequences for him. "Crystals! Definitely crystals! The manufacturer collaborates with Jue Corporation and sent this as a trial model. It didn't cost anything."
"Really?" She eyed him skeptically.
An Yi nodded so vigorously he almost gave himself whiplash.
"Well, in that case, thank you!" Tang Mianmian accepted the phone with a smile. If it was just a trial product, she felt no guilt in using it.
An Yi silently exhaled in relief, filing away this new insight into Mrs. Long's personality for future reference.
As she set up the phone, she casually asked, "Didn't he mention lunch earlier? You're not preparing anything for him?"
An Yi hesitated before replying cautiously, "I think what the young master meant was… he hoped you'd cook for him."
"Really?" She froze mid-action.
"Uh-huh." An Yi nodded with conviction, though internally he was praying for forgiveness for the half-truths he'd been spouting.
Tang Mianmian frowned, visibly distressed. "But I only know how to make simple home-cooked dishes. Someone like him probably eats fancy gourmet meals. What if he doesn't like my cooking and throws me out?"
Her dramatic worries left An Yi flustered. "That won't happen. The young master isn't that picky…"
Forgive me, young master. I'm just trying to get through this unscathed.
"Good, as long as he's not picky." Relieved, she grinned and waved her new phone. "Thanks for the phone! I'll go cook now. Stay for lunch, okay?"
With that, she turned and headed to the kitchen.
An Yi stood frozen, a chill running down his spine.
Had he not clarified that the phone was from the young master? Why had she thanked him instead?
Oh no… I may have stolen credit for the young master's gift. This could end badly.
Faced with the fully stocked double-door refrigerator, Tang Mianmian was at a loss.
It was filled with premium ingredients—seafood, steak, giant crabs, lobsters…
Is this really a home fridge? Or did I stumble into a restaurant kitchen?
After much rummaging, she finally found some vegetables she felt confident cooking.
With a sigh of relief, she rolled up her sleeves and got to work.
Not knowing Long Yejue's preferences, she decided to make a variety of dishes. Based on his meal at Shui Tiao Ge Tou yesterday, she knew he liked crunchy foods, so she started with a refreshing cucumber salad.
She added sweet-and-sour pork, eggplant in garlic sauce, mapo tofu, and two additional dishes for An Yi: bamboo shoots in chili oil and stir-fried mushrooms with carrots.
To round things out, she prepared a simple mushroom soup.
In no time, she had whipped up five dishes, a soup, and a cold appetizer. The spread looked surprisingly impressive.
Just as she was about to call the two men to eat, she saw them coming down the stairs, lured by the aroma.
An Yi took a deep breath and praised her enthusiastically, "Mrs. Long, you're amazing! It smells incredible!"
"They're just simple home-cooked dishes," Tang Mianmian said, fidgeting with her apron nervously.
"Get to work," Long Yejue interjected coolly, dismissing An Yi without so much as a glance.
An Yi blinked and quickly excused himself, leaving Tang Mianmian feeling a little out of place under her husband's scrutinizing gaze.
His nonchalant demeanor made her wonder if he'd even like the food she had prepared.