"What's wrong?" Charles glanced at her suspiciously, walking over to open the door. "Who is it?"
Shen Jianxi quickly pressed her finger to his lips, whispering in a hushed tone, "Shh, keep it down!"
"What's going on?" Charles raised an eyebrow, leaning in to look through the peephole. "Isn't that... Mmph mph mph!"
The moment his voice rose, Shen Jianxi quickly covered his mouth, dragging him into the living room.
"Didn't I tell you to be quiet!"
Charles asked her in confusion, "Isn't that your boyfriend? Why can't he hear?"
Shen Jianxi didn't answer. She sighed, pointed at the door, and shot him an exasperated glance.
Only then did he understand, his eyes widening in realization. He lowered his voice too.
"What are you going to do?"
Thinking of the man dining inside, Shen Jianxi shook her head. "I'm not seeing him! Don't make a sound, just pretend no one's home."
Besides, she hadn't figured out how to face Feng Chuyao.
Having married Qin Lang in that world and still being his girlfriend here, it honestly made her feel...
Thrilling.
Yes, exhilarating.
She discovered she felt no guilt on the first day of her new marriage to Qin Lang. She had been sitting in her room, dressed in a fiery red wedding gown, and when she thought of Feng Chuyao, her heart felt no pangs of remorse.
That day she knew, she was probably a natural-born player.
Her thoughts snapped back to the present. She saw Charles tiptoeing towards the door. Shen Jianxi's brow twitched, and she pulled him back with a dark expression, whispering, "Can you just behave yourself?"
Charles nodded with a look of utter grievance, appearing quite pathetic, his ears drooping.
But Shen Jianxi, who was long past being immune to his antics, showed no reaction.
However, neither of them noticed the fleeting shadow.
"Xixi, I... Who are you?!"
A familiar voice came from the doorway.
Forgetting her bickering with Charles, Shen Jianxi stiffly turned her head.
The man who should have been eating inside was now standing at the entrance, holding the doorknob, his stern expression tinged with an unexpected innocence.
Shen Jianxi gnashed her teeth inwardly, quickly realizing Qin Lang had done this intentionally. The guy might have been eavesdropping on their conversation!
But now was hardly the time to settle scores with him. Feng Chuyao was still waiting at the door for her explanation.
The man's gaze was sharp, sweeping over the two men inside. Neither of them flinched, and the air crackled with tension.
At this moment, Qin Lang smiled and slowly walked to the sofa, pulling her into his arms. He then asked Feng Chuyao, "And who might you be?"
Feng Chuyao ignored him, looking at Shen Jianxi and calmly saying, "Xixi, come here."
Though his expression remained gentle, the hand holding the bouquet had already tightened, with a few flower stems at the edges breaking.
Shen Jianxi's body stiffened, but she was about to move over. After all, in terms of time, she was the primary wife.
As soon as she moved, a large hand on her arm tightened, rendering her immobile.
Shen Jianxi's gaze followed the man's arm upward, meeting his dark eyes.
She frowned, gesturing with her eyes for him to let go, but Qin Lang acted as if he didn't see. Instead, he pulled her closer and said, "Madam, won't you introduce him?"
Shen Jianxi froze. She hadn't expected Qin Lang to go for such a move right off the bat. She was momentarily speechless.
When she didn't reply, Qin Lang provocatively turned to Feng Chuyao. "What business do you have with my wife? I can handle it for you."
Feng Chuyao could no longer hold back. He dropped the flowers and strode forward. Before he could get close, Charles stepped in his way.
Shen Jianxi: ???
When did these two team up? She had no idea.
Even Qin Lang looked at Charles with surprise.
"Get out of the way!" Feng Chuyao's veins bulged on his forehead as he struggled to suppress his anger. "You're her cousin, I don't want to lay a hand on you."
Charles shrugged. "You misunderstand."
He paused, handed something over, and flashed a bright, sunny smile. Then he added, "You can't go into battle without weapons, right?"
Shen Jianxi looked down and saw the little hammer. The corners of her mouth twitched. She knew Charles detested Qin Lang; how could he help him? So, he was plotting something.
As for Qin Lang, seeing this, he felt it was more normal. If this beastman had actually helped him, he would have been truly wary.
Feng Chuyao took the hammer without politeness and casually threw it onto the sofa.
Facing the two who were embracing, he first asked Shen Jianxi, "We only just yesterday... and today you give me such a big 'surprise,' right?"
"I..." Shen Jianxi hadn't figured out how to explain. At the same time, she was shocked by his mention of yesterday.
She and Charles had spent so much time in that world, but this time, only one day had passed in this one?!
The pendant was becoming more and more baffling.
She couldn't explain any of this, and at the same time, she felt an instinctive annoyance at the current situation.
Why choose, to like someone so much that it's tiring? Can't one like a few more?
As this thought crossed her mind, let alone what others would think if they heard it, even Shen Jianxi, who had accepted herself as a player, was startled.
What was going on? Had she reached a point where even being caught red-handed didn't make her feel guilty?!
No one present was a fool, so they naturally understood what Feng Chuyao meant by his pause.
Qin Lang tightened his grip. Even when he heard the woman's gasp, he didn't loosen his hold.
Shen Jianxi's brow furrowed. With a surge of effort, she yanked her arm free from his hand.
She looked at Qin Lang with a pained expression. Perhaps influenced by her recent thoughts and television dramas, she had intended to say, "Calm down," but what came out was, "Behave yourself, this is the first wife."
Qin Lang: ...
Feng Chuyao: ...
Charles: ... Sudan Novel Network
Under their quiet gazes, she suddenly realized what she had said and quickly covered her mouth tightly.