The moment Su He finished speaking, familiar footsteps sounded from the main entrance.
Lu Yanbei opened the door and walked in.
He came straight from the company, not even having time to change his clothes. He was still in his white shirt and black trousers, the tie clip a chain style that Su He had helped him choose.
His suit jacket was slung over his arm, and in his other hand, he carried a briefcase. His hair was slightly dishevelled, giving him a travel-worn appearance.
"Husband!" Su He turned around joyfully and rushed towards him.
Lu Yanbei opened his arms and hugged her. "Good girl, we have guests."
"One is my best friend, and the other is my brother. Neither are outsiders," Su He said, standing on tiptoe and offering him a kiss on the cheek.
Seeing his wife so enthusiastic, Lu Yanbei naturally wouldn't embarrass her. He lowered his head, captured her lips, and returned a passionate French kiss.
Jiang Xiaoxiao and Su Chen's unresolved issues were now overshadowed by an unsolicited display of affection.
These two, when it came to showing their love, truly paid no attention to the occasion.
"Alright, we know you're in love. If you don't come over soon, the food will get cold," Jiang Xiaoxiao said, clearing her throat as she watched the couple's intimate moment.
Su He released Lu Yanbei's neck and casually pursed her lips.
"Don't just stand there, sit down," she said, taking on the role of hostess.
Su Chen and Jiang Xiaoxiao exchanged a glance, then shifted their gazes away and sat at opposite ends of the table.
Lu Yanbei went to the kitchen to wash his hands and, incidentally, fetch bowls and chopsticks for Su He.
The formidable tycoon, who commanded the business world, had now transformed into a doting househusband. The change was extraordinary.
"Thanks to my husband, you're in for a treat!" Su He used a ladle to serve each of them a bowl of chicken soup. "Try it, I stewed it for four hours."
"You can cook?" Su Chen looked at her with surprise.
The pampered princess of the Su family had never done such things.
He had assumed the food was Jiang Xiaoxiao's doing.
"Don't look down on me!" Su He glared at him good-naturedly.
Lu Yanbei, however, didn't hesitate. He picked up a small soup spoon and began to eat, spoonful after spoonful, without any reservation.
Seeing Lu Yanbei drink the chicken soup with a straight face, Su Chen hesitated for a moment before lifting his bowl and taking a shallow sip. It wasn't as fishy as he had expected, and the taste was surprisingly good.
The most unaffected one should have been Jiang Xiaoxiao.
After all, having lived and eaten with Su He for so long, she had long been conquered by her cooking.
Su He, having sampled quite a bit in the kitchen, wasn't hungry at the moment.
She propped her head up, gazing at Lu Yanbei as he ate with adoration.
Some men, no matter what they did, looked so good!
Oh, it was simply unbearable!
Lu Yanbei, under her intense gaze, remained composed.
Such self-control was perhaps rare in the world.
The four of them finished lunch in silence. Lu Yanbei was then ushered into the bedroom by Su He to rest. She knew he had been suffering from insomnia again lately and hadn't had a good night's sleep. His first priority here was to catch up on sleep.
"I'm not sleepy," Lu Yanbei said with a chuckle.
"Sleepy or not, you need to lie down. Assistant Cheng said you can't even concentrate during meetings," Su He stated matter-of-factly.
Lu Yanbei silently made a note of Cheng Jue's name in his mental ledger. He planned to send him to manage a branch in Siberia once he had accumulated enough transgressions.
In reality, Lu Yanbei knew Su He's intention was to prevent any confrontation between him and Su Chen that might lead to an embarrassing situation.
"You underestimate my capacity," Lu Yanbei said, leaning in and pinching her cheek.
"I just care about your health," Su He pouted.
"Then do you want to sleep with me?" Lu Yanbei asked, taking her hand and looking at her with a sly smile.
"I can, but I need to settle those two first," Su He sighed.
Lu Yanbei raised an eyebrow. "Even wise judges can't settle family disputes! Their issues are for them to resolve. You shouldn't interfere."
"I didn't intend to interfere," Su He blinked. "I'm just curious and want to spectate."
Su He was, after all, quite enthusiastic about gossip.
Lu Yanbei: ...
"Be good, just ten minutes," Su He pecked him on the cheek as a gesture of appeasement.
Lu Yanbei helplessly massaged his forehead and had to let her have her way.
After all, she was his beloved.
*
Outside, the living room was unusually quiet.
Su He peeked her head out, but surprisingly, neither of them was there.
As she was wondering, Jiang Xiaoxiao walked in from outside. "What, planning to eavesdrop on our conversation? You'll likely be disappointed!"
"What's going on? Where's my brother?" Su He looked around but couldn't find Su Chen.
"He left," Jiang Xiaoxiao said calmly.
"You sorted things out that quickly?" Su He scratched her head.
Jiang Xiaoxiao stepped forward and hugged her. "Miaomiao, I know you want to matchmake us. But between him and me... it's not what you think. In any case, I'll be moving out in a couple of days..."
"Why move out when you're living so well?" Su He asked, puzzled.
"I'm very grateful for everything you've done for me. But you're married now, and you can't abandon your husband to stay here with me..."
"But..."
"Don't worry, I can take care of myself. My wound is almost healed; look, I can hop and jump now..."
Su He's expression became serious.
She knew Jiang Xiaoxiao was afraid of causing her trouble.
But what were friends for? Wasn't it to help and support each other during difficult times?
Why was she being so formal with her!
"I know what you're going to say," Jiang Xiaoxiao said, cutting her off before she could speak. "I'm not as delicate as you think. Don't you remember, I'm known as a strong woman? How could I be defeated by such a small matter!"
"I've already walked through the gates of hell once; there won't be a second time."
Su He was gradually persuaded.
"Where do you plan to move? If you're not comfortable staying elsewhere, you can pay me rent every month," Su He knew she wasn't someone who liked to take advantage of others, so she decided to try a different approach.
Jiang Xiaoxiao still smiled and shook her head. "You really don't need to worry about this; I have a place to go."
Su He was rendered speechless.
After a long moment, she tried to guess, "Did my brother arrange it for you?"
Jiang Xiaoxiao: ...
"So, he plans to keep me as his mistress?" The gossip enthusiast Su Xiaohe's face was filled with question marks.
"You're overthinking it," Jiang Xiaoxiao said, holding her stomach and trying hard to suppress a laugh.
Because laughing would pull on her stitches and hurt.
Also, her imagination was truly something else.
She had already said they weren't that kind of relationship, yet still thinking of keeping her as a mistress.
"He found me a new job as compensation," Jiang Xiaoxiao said preemptively to prevent Su He from continuing to speculate wildly.
Su He, however, looked unconvinced.
The two who had been at each other's throats moments ago had reached a reconciliation so quickly?
This was completely against the usual script!
*
Jiang Xiaoxiao was a decisive person. Since she had decided to move out, she immediately packed her bags and called a ride-hailing car.
Su He's attempts to persuade her to stay were in vain, so she could only see her off at the door.
"Thank you for your help these past few days," Jiang Xiaoxiao said regretfully as she bid farewell. "You and Mr. Lu must have a good life together and aim for two babies in three years!"
"I can have two babies in less than three years!" Su He had always been unrestrained in front of Jiang Xiaoxiao.
Unfortunately, these words were overheard by Lu Yanbei, who had come out for a drink of water.
"Is A'Miao hinting at something to me?" the man asked, leaning against the doorframe with a charming smile.