Sweetie, don't look at him, kiss me.

Lin Qingmian chewed on her chopsticks, thought for a moment, and typed with her left hand: [Wait until I get my cast off, it'll be soon. By the way, Sister Shiyang, regarding the sample garment production for that series we talked about before, are you handling it, or should I find a factory?]

Fang Shiyang replied instantly: 【We have partner factories here, so you can rest assured about the quality. Just refine your draft first, no rush.】

Lin Qingmian replied with "okay," put down her phone, and continued eating her breakfast.

Halfway through her meal, another message popped up. She thought it was from Ji Linzhou, but when she picked it up, it was from Ji Xingqing.

Ji Xingqing sent a photo—it was of the courtyard of the Ji family's old house, with several osmanthus trees in the background and a recliner under them. The caption read: "Mianmian, do you know what happened last night? That bastard Ji Xingye drank all night, threw up everywhere, and made my grandma furious. He wouldn't say what happened, just kept drinking in silence. I've never seen him like this before. Did you two meet yesterday?"

Lin Qingmian stared at that photo for a long time.

Ji Xingye wasn't in the photo, but she could almost picture him looking like this—slumped against a recliner, dark circles under his eyes, reeking of alcohol, like a wounded, trapped beast.

She paused for a moment, then typed a few words and sent them: "We met once. It wasn't anything serious; maybe he's just adjusting well after returning to the country."

Ji Xingqing quickly replied: [Liar! He wouldn't drink like this because he's "not used to it"! Something's definitely happened to you two!]

Lin Qingmian did not reply to her.

She put down her phone and continued eating her breakfast, only to find that the porridge had cooled down considerably and the crab roe buns were a bit hard. She chewed slowly, but her thoughts drifted far away.

She recalled Ji Xingye's back as he turned to leave yesterday, his shoulders slightly slumped, but his back ramrod straight.

Twenty years.

Twenty years have passed, and just like that, they were wiped away with a single stroke of a pen in a corridor.

She lowered her head, looked at the cold porridge in the bowl, and let out a long sigh.

It's not that I'm not sad.

The sadness is different now. Before, it was a heart-wrenching pain, like someone had ripped a piece of flesh out of your heart. Now, the sadness is like a long cold; you still have a runny nose and a cough, but the fever is gone.

She picked up the bowl and drank the cooled porridge spoonful by spoonful.

As expected, Ji Linzhou returned at noon.

When he entered, Lin Qingmian was curled up on the sofa reading a design magazine. Hearing the sound of the door lock turning, she looked up.

Ji Linzhou changed his shoes, placed the bag he was carrying on the cabinet in the entryway, and walked over while unbuttoning his suit jacket: "What did you have for lunch?"

"The things you left this morning." Lin Qingmian closed the magazine. "I've finished eating them."

Ji Linzhou nodded, walked to the sofa and sat down, reaching out to feel her forehead: "Does it still hurt?"

"My arm is a little itchy," Lin Qingmian answered honestly. "The doctor said it's healing, a normal phenomenon."

"Hmm." Ji Linzhou withdrew his hand, leaned back on the sofa, and closed his eyes slightly, seemingly a little tired.

Lin Qingmian turned her head to look at him and noticed a faint bluish tinge under his eyes, as if he hadn't rested well.

Are you very busy today?

"Hmm." Ji Linzhou opened his eyes, turned his head to look at her, and said, "I had a meeting this morning, and I have to go back to the old house this afternoon."

Lin Qingmian was taken aback: "Back to the old house?"

"The old lady called today and asked me to come back," Ji Linzhou said calmly. "She said it's about Ji Xingye. He drank all night last night, and the old lady felt something was wrong, so she wants everyone to come back for a meeting."

"Su Tingwan is going too."

He spoke the last four words calmly, but his gaze remained fixed on her face.

Lin Qingmian met his gaze and understood what he meant—he was asking her a question.

Ask her if she minds, ask her if she wants to go together.

She remained silent for a while.

"I'll go back with you," she said.

A flicker of light seemed to cross Ji Linzhou's eyes, but he quickly suppressed it, raising only an eyebrow slightly: "Are you sure?"

"Hmm." Lin Qingmian nodded softly, "Now that Ji Xingye already knows, there's no point in continuing to hide it."

"and……"

She paused, looked up at him, her gaze earnest: "You're my husband. I shouldn't always leave you to face this alone."

Ji Linzhou looked at her with a deep gaze.

The afternoon sun slanted in through the window, bathing her in a warm, golden light. She sat on the sofa, looking up at him, her eyes filled with a certainty and trust that she herself might not have realized.

His heart skipped a beat.

"Okay," he said, his voice slightly hoarse. "Then let's go back together."

Lin Qingmian smiled, pursed her lips, and turned to get up from the sofa: "I'm going to change my clothes."

At three o'clock in the afternoon, the black Cayenne drove into the gate of the Ji family's old mansion.

Lin Qingmian sat in the passenger seat, looking out the window at the tall osmanthus tree. In the past, when she and Ji Xingye came here, they would always secretly climb the tree to pick osmanthus flowers, and they would be scolded severely by Old Madam Ji when they found out.

Now, when she sees this tree again, it feels as distant as if it were something from a past life.

The car came to a stop, Ji Linzhou got out, walked around to the passenger side, opened the door, and reached out his hand to her.

Lin Qingmian stared at the large, well-defined hand for a moment, then reached out and placed her own hand inside.

The man's palm was dry and warm, and he held her firmly in his hand.

The two walked side by side through the courtyard, through the carved archway, and into the main hall of the Ji family's old mansion.

Most of the Ji family members have already arrived.

Grandpa Ji and Grandma Ji sat in the main seats, their expressions not very good. Ji Xingye's second uncle and aunt sat to one side, while Ji Xingqing sat in the corner. When she saw Lin Qingmian enter, her eyes widened instantly, and her mouth formed an "O" shape.

The most eye-catching one is Su Tingwan.

She sat beside Madam Ji, wearing a light purple dress, her hair neatly styled, and her makeup impeccable. She was talking to Madam Ji while holding a teacup when she heard the noise at the door and looked up.

Then her gaze fell on Ji Linzhou and Lin Qingmian's clasped hands.

The teacup paused in her hand.

The air fell silent for a moment.

"Linzhou has arrived." Old Madam Ji spoke first, her voice carrying a hint of suppressed displeasure: "Why did you bring outsiders along?"

Standing beside Ji Linzhou, Lin Qingmian could feel everyone's gaze fixed on her. Those gazes held surprise, confusion, suspicion, and a fleeting, icy glint in Su Tingwan's eyes.

Ji Linzhou did not let go of her hand.

He slightly turned to pull her closer to him, then looked up to meet Old Madam Ji's surprised and uncertain gaze, his voice calm yet clear—

"She's not an outsider."

"She is my wife."