Chapter 5

After the lunch, Chen Kexin turned over and threw herself into the bed. “Yummy, dear, you’re good at cooking.” She tilted her head and acclaimed.

Wang Weixi put his bowl and chopsticks on the table and responded proudly, “Sure, am I great?”

Chen Kexin nodded solemnly. “Yep!”

“Will you give me a reward?” Wang Weixi sat on the bed and asked with an evil smile.

Chen Kexin could help but respond with a big smile, “Bad boy.” Then she hooked her arms around his neck and planted a kiss on his cheek.

Wang Weixi shook his head, saying shamelessly, “No. Here.” His lips pouted toward his wife.

Chen Kexin patted her husband’s chest slightly and said, “Babe, you’re a really bad guy.” Then she let her lips touch his. Wang Weixi reached out and pressed her to him. A casual kiss became lingering.

Seeing his wife blush, Wang Weixi smiled and held her in his arms, saying, “We’re married. Why are you still so shy?”

Chen Kexin replied with a coy expression, “Nah.” It sounded like the mosquito buzzed, but Wang Weixi thought it was melodious.

“Honey, we’ve had the meal. Do you need me to wash the dishes?… I… have never done it before,” Chen Kexin stared at the table and suddenly asked. Except for her laptop, she had not touched anything outside the bed, let alone doing the dishes.

Wang Weixi responded while shaking his head, “Of course, you don’t need to do those things. I’ll handle it. Sweetheart, go to sleep if you want to.”

Chen Kexin said delightedly, “You’re so nice, my dear.” Then she gave him a sweet kiss.

Wang Weixi fondly touched the bridge of her nose. “Honey, you have to learn it step by step. I can’t do the housework in time if I go to work…

Chen Kexin nodded her head and spoke sincerely. “Honey, don’t worry. I’ll learn it well and become a perfect housewife that makes everyone refresh their view on me and makes you proud of me.” She had dreamed of becoming a perfect housewife, though it sounded kind of ridiculous now.

Wang Weixi caressed her hair, saying, “No, you don’t have to. As for the housework, I’ll do whatever I can. You only need to occasionally give me a favor. I am unwilling to see that you don’t have time to do what you like after we get married.

Chen Kexin nodded seriously and responded movingly, “Honey, you’re so nice. I really love you.”

Wang Weixi planted a kiss on her forehead and rose to clear the table. After he walked out of the bedroom, Chen Kexin kept idly lying on the bed. Staring at the ceiling, she recalled what Chen Keren said yesterday and laughed involuntarily. “How is this possible? My husband treats me so well, he will cherish me,” she thought, turned over and slept.

Finishing the chores in the kitchen, Wang Weixi looked at the clock. It was 2 o’clock. “What shall I do next?” Glancing at the mop which was standing there, he exhaled deeply. Then he went to take the mop to clear the floor.

When everything was done, Wang Weixi sat on the sofa. He fished out a packet of cigarettes from his pocket, light up one, and started smoking cozily. Looking around with his narrowed eyes, he thought he had nothing a month ago, but now he owned all the things that everyone would envy. Although he had made out with his wife for a while, he still doubted whether he was in a long dream.

“Am I really married like this?” He cozily puffed out a circle of smoke, recalling what his mother said on the phone.

“Weixi, remember, everything you have is given by others. You only have the right to use them, but you don’t own them. I won’t be against your choice. I just wanna tell you that it’s OK that a man doesn’t have anything, but he must have his dignity. “Otherwise, treat your wife well. She is your woman. Don’t make her miserable.”

His mother’s words still ringing in his ears, Wang Weixi closed his eyes. “My dignity?” His father-in-law treated him well and had never looked down upon his family and his job. Instead, he supported their marriage, but Wang Weixi still felt uncomfortable.

“I have to try hard. What I get through my efforts are the most reliable,” Wang Weixi thought while taking a puff on the cigarette.

The night fell. Wang Weixi opened his eye, aware that he had fallen asleep on the sofa. He rose to stretch and glanced at the clock. It was already six o’clock.

“Sweetheart, why not wake me up?” The thought that Chen Kexin should be hungry now came to his mind and Wang Weixi kind of blamed himself. However, as he opened the door of the bedroom, he saw Chen Kexin still sleeping deeply like a dead pig.

He came to the bed and shook his wife, saying, “Sweetheart, get up.” Chen Kexin really slept more than a pig.

Chen Kexin turned her head, but she immediately fell asleep.

“Sweetheart, wake up. I’ll fix you dinner.” Wang Weixi believed that as long as he had the willpower, his wife would get out of bed.

Chen Kexin frowned slightly and slowly opened her eyes. Seeing her husband sitting by the bed, she puffed out her cheek and spoke angrily, “Nah, dear, why are you bothering me?!”

Alas…

Wang Weixi took out his phone and responded with a wry expression. “Dear, look at the time!”

Chen Kexin closed her eyes again and continued, “No, I only believe my feelings, not the clock!”

Wang Weixi sighed. “A really naughty girl.”

“OK, OK, sorry, I bothered you. After we have a meal, shall we go to the supermarket? I’ll buy some food for you.” Wang Weixi started to play up to his wife even though he was aggrieved.

Chen Kexin unfolded one of her eyes, asking, “Really?”

Wang Weixi nodded seriously, “Why should I cheat you?”

“OK, I’ll get up. Go get dinner for me. I’m hungry. My dream has cost my energy.” Chen Kexin responded with a lovely smile.

Wang Weixi said with resignation, “… OK.” “Looks like the girl expended a lot of energy on her dream.”

He finally cajoled Chen Kexin into getting out of bed. Sitting by the dining table in the kitchen, Chen Kexin frowned at the two dishes they had for lunch, with her pink lips pursed.

“What’s wrong?” Wang Weixi put a bowl of rice in front of her and asked in puzzlement.

Chen Kexin raised her head. Seeing her husband wear a curious look, she bit her lip and pointed at the two dishes, saying, “We had the two dishes for lunch, right?”

“Right. What’s wrong?” Wang Weixi asked. He sat down while using his chopsticks to pick up a small piece of meat toward his wife’s mouth. “Honey, come, open your mouth.”

Chen Kexin turned away, saying severely, “I don’t eat leftovers.”

His chopsticks embarrassedly paused there. Wang Weixi gradually furrowed his eyebrows. “But I cooked it at noon.” He had kept doing this for 27 years.

Chen Kexin glanced at the meat and decisively shook his head, saying, “Then it’s leftovers…”

“Yes, but it’s only been a few hours…” Wang Weixi took back his chopsticks and replied with resignation.

Chen Kexin curled her lips and said with dissatisfaction. “I’ve never eaten leftovers…”

Wang Weixi sighed. “Right, how could Chen Derong let his daughter eat leftovers? Even though it only went through a few hours, leftovers are leftovers,” he thought as he stood up. “Then I’ll scramble eggs for you.”

Chen Kexin wanted to stop him, but Wang Weixi had come to the gas cooker. Scanning his profile, Chen Kexin felt kind of guilty. “Am I too childish?” Although Wang Weixi did not say anything, Chen Kexin still discerned his displeasure from his look.

Soon, a dish of scrambled eggs was done. Wang Weixi carried it to the table and said fawningly, “Honey, here are fresh scrambled eggs.”

Chen Kexin gazed at the eggs which looked delicious, saying delightedly, “It’s my first time eating scrambled eggs, haha.” Then she took a bit into her mouth and kept nodding. “It tastes good.”

Seeing Chen Kexin wear a happy expression, Wang Weixi felt a strange sense of loss. “Her original life is wonderful. Can I give her what she wants?” Because of a simple dish, Wang Weixi felt uneasy about their future.

“Dear, have I pissed you off?” Staring at Wang Weixi, Chen Kexin asked with a bit worry.

Wang Weixi came to his senses and responded while shaking his head. “Of course not, how can I be mad at you?”

Chen Kexin placed the chopsticks on the table and lowered her head as if she was a child who made a mistake. “I know I was being naughty just now… I get used to my previous life, but I’ll change it. So please don’t get mad, OK?”

Wang Weixi wore a satisfied smile. Actually, he did not blame her on the incident just now. He said with a nod, “Sweetheart, don’t worry. I won’t be mad at you. I’ll make different dishes for each meal. Is it OK?” Faced with his wife’s petulance and pitiful apology, Wang Weixi chose to unconditionally accept it.

His mother said that Chen Kexin was his woman and a man could not make his woman miserable. His father had not achieved this goal, so Wang Weixi wanted to make it for Chen Kexin.

He would try his best to obtain what she liked and change what she hated. Although he did not know how many contradiction and difficulties they had to fix, Wang Weixi was only sure that he was firm at that moment.

“How long a man could remember his promise?” Wang Weixi did not know.

Chen Kexin was moved by her good-tempered husband, saying, “Dear… You’re the best man in this world!”

Wang Weixi chuckled and replied, “Eat more.”

He considered this childish face under the faint yellow light. “We’ll be happy, right?”

The dinner started with a little friction but ended with happiness. Wang Weixi cleared the table. Thinking of the scene that he hung about with his wife in the supermarket, he could not help but smile.

Turning his head, he saw Chen Kexin bending over the table and sleeping soundly.

“Honey, you sleep again?” Wang Weixi rolled his eyes. “Oh my god, you’re really lazybones!”

Chen Kexin rubbed her big eyes and responded, “Honey, I feel sleepy.”

“But… didn’t we say we’ll go to the supermarket?” Wang Weixi asked with resignation.

Chen Kexin waved her hand and said, “No, we won’t.” Her casual reply immediately killed Wang Weixi’s expectations.

“Hrm… Then…” Wang Weixin faltered, like a boy having been wronged. He was overwhelmed.

Chen Kexin raised her head, trying hard to open her eyes. “Looks like I’m really tired of those wedding things. Honey, could you carry me to the bed? I wanna sleep.”

…

Wang Weixi came to his wife with a wry expression and carried her into the room. “Are you not afraid that I’ll make you more tired?” Seeing Chen Kexin’s rosy cheek and pretty eyelash, he suddenly spoke with a snicker.

Chen Kexin pressed her head against his chest, chuckled and said, “Well, I wonder whether you have such strength.”

…

Tender was the night.