ATLAS TRANSLATES

The one answering her question was obviously not Yan Cheng.

Chen Jinyao’s eyes were almost tearing up. She lazily rolled over halfway, did some stretches to loosen up, then snuggled back into the warm blanket. On the phone, Yan Cheng was calmly explaining the whole story to her.

The cat Duni by her pillow let out a meow. It got up and walked over elegantly, then crawled right into her blanket, using its whole body as a fur neck warmer across her neck. Its tail swung as it let out continuous meows.

“Don’t make trouble, Duni.” Chen Jinyao was very helpless.

The explanatory voice stopped abruptly. After a long silence, Yan Cheng said, “I’ll take care of that bastard Zhou Chao sooner or later.”

“Zhou Chao is Zhou Xue’s cousin?” After petting the cat for a bit, she was much more awake. She turned on the bedside lamp with a slap and asked, “Are you willing?”

At two in the morning, the city had already fallen into deep sleep.

Without the noise underneath the concrete jungles, everything was perfectly quiet.

After quite a while, Yan Cheng finally replied somewhat mockingly, “What’s not to be willing about.”

Yan Cheng and Chen Jinyao were matched and married.

The two sides had no emotional foundation whatsoever. Their parents were impatient, so under the premise that they did not completely reject each other, they still held highly consistent views on their future married life. After chatting for a while and discovering they were “like-minded” in their views on marriage, they willingly accepted their parents’ arrangement.

Their union was a perfect match made in heaven.

But in reality, ever since before the marriage, word was going around about Yan Cheng’s deep affection for Zhou Xue, who also happened to be Huo Qidong’s wife.

In order to completely shatter Yan Cheng’s delusional obsession and to avoid tearing their face with the Huo family outright, the Yan family arranged this matchmaking for Yan Cheng. It was like a farce. Yan Cheng was stubbornly against it at first, but later conceded under the threat of his mother’s death. A man who had feelings for another woman, and was still desperately in love with that woman, many well-matched families considered this prospect and still rejected such a marriage of equals. Only the Chen family took the initiative to propose.

Unlike Yan Cheng whose love was known far and wide, only the Chen family knew of Chen Jinyao’s love for Huo Qidong. Chen JInyao and Huo Qidong grew up as childhood sweethearts. After Huo Qidong married Zhou Xue, her unrequited one-sided crush was doomed to be full of scars.

What Chen Jinyao’s family didn’t know was that the current Chen Jinyao was no longer the Chen Jinyao of the past.

The tea house had to be closed for a period of time.

That was the nice way of putting it. To be blunt, it was being shut down.

Zhou Chao had counter-attacked too quickly. The authorities were caught unprepared during the raid, and Yan Cheng naturally became the scapegoat.

Chen Jinyao didn’t quite understand how the “madly in love” from before could become such indifferent even mocking “what’s not to be willing” so quickly.

She guessed it had to do with a man’s dignity, or inferiority complex.

“So can you come bail me out, leaving that stupid cat behind?” Yan Cheng sat in the interrogation room, legs straight. He made a “tsk” sound and pulled at his tie, twisting his neck twice. His patience was finally worn out.

“Can’t do that.” Chen Jinyao answered without a second thought. She didn’t have a shred of the emotional concern a wife should have for her husband.

‘My wife doesn’t dare defy me in the slightest’, the big talk he spewed in front of Shang Congsi and the others was now ringing loudly in his ears.

And this Shang Congsi was still standing right there like a sticky plaster.

Yan Cheng: “……” Ouch, that kind of hurt my face.

Perhaps feeling a bit guilty for rejecting so bluntly, Chen Jinyao tried to make excuses. “It’s too late for a lady to be out and about. You’re locked up anyway, what’s a few more hours matter?”

She paused, then comforted, “Be patient. I’ll come get you tomorrow morning.”

“Fine.” Yan Cheng conceded and lowered his eyes, his tone nonchalant.

After hanging up, Shang Congsi glanced at him from the corner of his eyes. Seeing that his expression was unreadable, he decided to keep further questions to himself.

But he just had to poke his nose in things. Unable to restrain his curiosity, he asked, “Is sister-in-law coming?”

Most people’s mentality is the same – watching excitement without concern for consequences.

Yan Cheng crossed his long legs and smoothed his brows disdainfully, turning his face away. After a while, he finally let out the breath he was holding, his tone a little agitated. “She’s not coming.”

Upon hearing this, Shang Congsi raised his brows in surprise, not having expected this outcome at all.

Feeling the intense, mocking gaze, after a brief silence Yan Cheng licked his lips and explained unconvincingly, “It’s too late, not safe, so I told her not to come.”

“I didn’t hear you say anything like that on the call.” He didn’t buy that excuse at all.

“……” This kind of interrogative behavior was as infuriating as a slap to the face. Yan Cheng took a deep breath to stabilize his turbulent emotions, lazily lifting his eyelids to throw a domineering look – meaning clearly: None of your damn business!

Shang Congsi raised a brow, changing the topic, “Or how about I get you out?”

In the latter part of the night, the capital city began to snow. Initially, it was scattered light snow that melted upon touching the ground. Gradually, it intensified, turning from small to large. By the time the city transitioned from night to day, what awakened the sleeping people was not the first ray of morning sunlight but the gleam reflected by the pure white accumulated snow.

Auspicious snow heralds a prosperous year. This year is likely to be a lucky one.

Due to heavy snow blocking the roads, it was not easy to go out. Therefore, Chen Jinyao specifically waited until the snow had lessened. She left only after the accumulated snow on the road downstairs had been cleared. It was already nine o’clock then. Standing on the windowsill, she glanced outside. The window was slightly open, allowing the piercing cold wind to sneak in. Duni, at her feet, kept rubbing against her, seeking attention. Chen Jinyao lowered her eyes, glanced at it, and nudged it with her foot.

“I have to go pick up your dad,” she said.

Before leaving, she listened again to the howling cold wind outside.

She pursed her lips and decided to grab a down jacket for Yan Cheng from the wardrobe.

When Chen Jinyao arrived near the city center police station, it was almost ten o’clock.

She put on light makeup, trying to make herself look a bit disheveled. Finding a parking space, shifting to park, unfastening the seatbelt, she bent down to pick up the down jacket and handbag from the passenger seat. After getting out of the car, she caught the green light, sprinting towards the opposite side of the road, heading straight for the police station gate.

“Hello, officer.” A bit out of breath from running, “I’m here to find someone who came in yesterday, named Yan Cheng.”

…

Chen Jinyao’s tardiness stirred strong dissatisfaction in Yan Cheng.

The door opened, and the person inside slowly raised their eyes. Upon seeing her, without any hesitation, they said the first sentence, “Why didn’t you come tomorrow?”

After suppressing feelings of frustration, a hint of sarcasm unconsciously crept into the tone.

“…,” feeling guilty, Chen Jinyao leaned against the door without saying anything. However, her gaze remained on him.

Red eyes, dark circles, stubble, messy hair, and more, all converging into his tired face.

Although the room had heating, it wasn’t enough for this man who cared more about style than warmth. His coat was more like a suit and didn’t serve much purpose.

“It’s snowing outside, and the roads are bad,” Chen Jinyao approached, handing him the down jacket, “I’ve taken care of the paperwork; we can leave.”

Yan Cheng put on the coat, bending over to zip it up. “Yes, yes, the value of a wife’s command is priceless; safety must be ensured during travel.” Perhaps in a hurry, the zipper encountered some hindrance at the beginning, facing a series of unfortunate events. It seemed to resist, stuck at the junction, and he couldn’t fix it. “Tsk.”

“Move away,” a light pat on the back of his hand.

He pouted and obediently straightened up.

Chen Jinyao, with her head lowered, focused. Stray strands of hair softly hung on her fair cheeks. After a few seconds, with a click, the zipper reached the top, tapping his chin. Accomplished, she took a step back. “Done.”

“Hmm,” his Adam’s apple moved up and down, and Yan Cheng murmured.

“How long will Er’s Pavilion be closed?” The trees and buildings on both sides of the road, covered in silver, gradually retreated. Chen Jinyao gripped the steering wheel, eyes on the road. The car played soothing English songs, creating a quiet atmosphere. She couldn’t help but ask.

Yan Cheng’s economic source was Er’s Pavilion. The Yan family had an heir, so they never interfered with his profession. If he wanted to be a laid-back bar owner, they let him be. After all, Er’s Pavilion was doing well enough to support his indulgences.

“About a month and a half,” Yan Cheng answered.

“Is there anything you need to do?” She inquired.

“What?” He looked confused for a moment, then closed his eyes, lazily saying, “Yes, be a stay-at-home husband.”

“…,” almost losing her grip on the steering wheel, Chen Jinyao remained silent for a moment. Silence was the best form of refusal. Yan Cheng also seemed to realize it, opened his eyes, and asked, “Don’t you like it?”

“No.” Not liking it. Wasn’t that obvious enough?

“Why?” Yan Cheng, acting surprised, exaggeratedly asked.

Glancing at him, Chen Jinyao smiled, lips curved. “Can’t afford it.”

“………………”

The atmosphere in the car was quite pleasant.

When the red light came on, Yan Cheng’s phone rang. It was a call from Zhou Xue, displayed prominently. Perhaps intentionally shown, perhaps Yan Cheng wanted her to see. Anyway, Chen Jinyao glanced casually and spotted it.

Suddenly, the carriage became quiet. In Chen Jinyao’s dark eyes, a hint of starlight appeared, and with a smile on her face, she raised her eyebrows at Yan Cheng, lightly saying, “It’s your call.”