Han Wenxue clenched her teeth for a long moment, unwilling to let this charlatan have his way. How could she back down so easily? With a resolute tone, as though marching to her doom, she declared, "Eat! Why wouldn't I eat?"
In truth, she was merely caught off guard. After all, Chen Yi had tidied up the house so meticulously—pots and pans gleamed, the entire space was orderly and clean. Surely, the food wouldn't be too bad.
"Alright then, wait here. I'll go buy some cabbage!"
"I'll go with you!"
"Why? You won't be of any help."
"I'm afraid you'll pick dirty vegetables."
"Suit yourself."
Chen Yi was speechless. This wasn't a supermarket; it was a vegetable market. How could the vegetables be clean? They were freshly harvested, still caked with dirt and mud, some even with wilted leaves.
Meanwhile, the landlady, who had returned home, couldn't stop worrying about this young couple. She feared they might quarrel again. Chen Yi was a hardworking young man, always well-behaved. Why had he suddenly gone astray this time? Finding a wife like Xiao Han was like winning the ancestral lottery—how could he afford to be picky? If Chen Yi were her son, she'd bring this daughter-in-law home immediately and let them get on with their lives. If the girl's family objected, well, they could deal with it later, once the baby was born.
The landlady felt she couldn't let Chen Yi's stubbornness ruin such a good match. He was young and inexperienced; he didn't understand what he was throwing away. If he didn't wake up now, he'd regret it for the rest of his life.
Keeping a close eye on them, the landlady finally relaxed a little when she saw Chen Yi and Han Wenxue heading out together without any signs of discord. She greeted them warmly, "Xiao Han, have you eaten? I just made some food. Why don't you join me?"
"No, thank you, Auntie. Chen Yi and I are going to buy some groceries and cook ourselves. I haven't tasted his cooking yet!" Han Wenxue smiled sweetly and politely, exuding the air of a happy young wife.
This left the landlady puzzled. What kind of charm had Chen Yi used on this girl? How had she gone from being upset to utterly devoted in such a short time?
Judging by Han Wenxue's demeanor and elegant attire, she was clearly from a wealthy family. Yet, here she was, willing to cook with Chen Yi. Surely, she'd make a wonderful, capable wife once they were married.
"Heh, everyone knows you're a heartless man now. You'd better cherish me, or the neighbors won't let you off the hook!" Han Wenxue teased with a triumphant smile, glancing at Chen Yi's exasperated face.
Chen Yi rolled his eyes. He couldn't fathom what this woman was thinking.
When they arrived at the vegetable market, Han Wenxue covered her nose and mouth with a white handkerchief, sticking close to Chen Yi with an uneasy expression. The place was filthy, and she felt her skin crawl. Only by staying near Chen Yi did she feel a semblance of security—though she'd never admit it.
"Chen Yi, is this your girlfriend? Lucky guy, landing such a pretty one!"
"Heh, you've got to be kidding me. There's no way someone like you could win over such a beauty. You must've tricked her somehow!"
Chen Yi was well-acquainted with the vendors at the market, and their banter was casual and unrestrained.
Feeling annoyed by their teasing, Chen Yi suddenly had a mischievous idea. With a loud voice, he announced, "My wife's pregnant. Any advice on what she should eat? You're all experienced, so share your wisdom."
Pregnant?
Not only were the vendors stunned, but even Han Wenxue froze.
Since when was she pregnant? And with Chen Yi's child?!
"No wonder she's covering her nose—pregnancy, huh? Haha, impressive, brother! Make sure to let me know when the baby's born. I'll bring a gift and toast to your happiness!"
Chen Yi scratched his head, feigning embarrassment. "We're not married yet. How could we have a baby?"
"What's the big deal? You're already on the highway. Why worry about a license?"
"Haha, you always seemed so reliable. Who knew you'd be so impulsive this time? Knocking her up before tying the knot—now that's bold! I like it. That's what it means to be a real man!"
Listening to their unrestrained jokes, Han Wenxue's face turned crimson. She wished she could disappear into the ground.
As they wandered through the market, Chen Yi didn't spend a single penny but ended up with his hands full. One vendor gave him a pound of pork, another handed over a few cabbages, and a young girl watching her mother's stall added two pounds of fruit.
Hearing that Chen Yi's wife was pregnant, everyone had the same reaction: they gifted him something.
Chen Yi was smug, while Han Wenxue was furious.
She tried to explain, but Chen Yi would brush it off, saying his wife was just shy. When she tried to storm off, he dragged her back.
"Do you think this is okay?" she fumed after they returned to Chen Yi's small apartment. Sitting on a chair with her arms crossed, she glared at him.
"What's not okay?" Chen Yi replied nonchalantly. "You're so eager to be my wife; I'm just helping you fulfill your dream. And now, with a baby in the picture, it's even more meaningful."
"I'm not talking about that! I mean, you shouldn't deceive the people at the market. They trust you, and you're taking advantage of that trust!"
It was clear to her that Chen Yi was well-liked in the community. But that didn't justify exploiting their goodwill. Her innate sense of justice flared up, making her forget, for the moment, that she was supposed to be at odds with this charlatan.
"Deceive?" Chen Yi scoffed. "How is this deceit? I've helped them all with their feng shui, named their children, and never charged a dime. They're just finding a way to thank me. How can that be called deceit?"
"Aren't you afraid your girlfriend will misunderstand?"
"Of course, I'm afraid," Chen Yi replied with a laugh. "But what can I do? Things have reached this point. Denying it won't help."
"You're shameless!"
Han Wenxue decided that if she ever met his girlfriend, she'd tell her exactly what kind of person Chen Yi was so she could steer clear of him.
"My shamelessness exists to shine even brighter in the face of shamelessness!" Chen Yi retorted before turning to sort through their "spoils."
It took Han Wenxue a moment to realize he'd just called her shameless, albeit in a roundabout and artistic way. She took several deep breaths to suppress her anger, finally coming to a conclusion: never argue with a charlatan. He's a professional; you'll never win.
Before long, Chen Yi had whipped up a pot of fragrant pork and cabbage stew with glass noodles. The glistening pork belly, translucent noodles, and tender cabbage looked mouthwatering to Chen Yi but made Han Wenxue frown.
There was no attention to nutritional balance—too much fat, overcooked cabbage, and destroyed vitamins. Eating like this regularly would surely ruin one's figure.
Chen Yi noticed her furrowed brows and guessed she was being picky. He didn't care.
Eat if you want. Don't if you don't.
If she had the guts, she could leave now and never bother him again.
To his surprise, Han Wenxue stayed. She took out her own set of utensils, carefully pushed the fatty meat aside with a spoon, and picked out some cabbage and noodles.
Chen Yi smirked but said nothing. Only girls raised in luxury would fuss over such things. If she had to follow him through mountains and rivers for a month of feng shui consultations, she'd be begging for fatty meat by the end.
After a few bites, Han Wenxue discovered that Chen Yi's cooking had a unique charm—it was delicious. Her small bowl was soon empty. Glancing at Chen Yi, who was focused on his meal, she hesitated before getting up to serve herself another bowl.
This time, she didn't bother picking out the fatty meat, scooping a random half-bowl instead.
She had to admit, Chen Yi's cooking was irresistible. Compared to this, her usual diet of steak and fruit salad felt like eating straw.
After finishing his meal, Chen Yi cleaned the pots and dishes, lit a cigarette, and took a satisfying drag.
Han Wenxue, coughing from the smoke, stormed to the window in irritation, refusing to speak to him.
Once he finished his cigarette, Chen Yi began crafting a talismanic artifact, the "Azure Dragon." Having already sketched the design, he now needed to bring it to life—a task requiring meticulous craftsmanship. His enhanced spiritual energy made the process smoother, allowing him to carve intricate details and inscribe runes without interruption.
Curious, Han Wenxue stood nearby, watching. Her initial curiosity turned to astonishment as she saw the crude piece of wood transform into a lifelike miniature dragon, its head held high in a proud roar.
This wasn't a charlatan—this was an artist!