Volume 1, Chapter 25: Why Did I Marry Such a Shabby Wife?

Song Qinian remained detached, maintaining an air of indifference. She found herself questioning whether Lu Yuzhu was truly a daughter of a wealthy family, given her complete lack of table manners. Even if she were unfamiliar with Italian etiquette, she should at least have been aware of the traditional golden rule: "Do not talk while eating, do not talk while sleeping." To chat while chewing, with bits of food still visible in her mouth, was bound to make Daphne perceive her as unrefined. Of course, Song Qinian hadn't been born knowing these etiquettes either; she had only learned the customs of various countries after marrying Shen Chiyan.

Throughout the meal, Lu Yuzhu failed to find an opportunity to converse with Daphne, and her expression grew increasingly sour. The three women did not stay long, and when they finished, several dishes on the table remained untouched. Lu Yuzhu waved her hand grandly to summon the waiter for the bill. Song Qinian looked at the leftovers, frowning and struggling with hesitation. It was such a waste! Unable to bear it any longer, she typed a request on her phone to show the waiter. The waiter nodded, retrieved several containers, and packed the untouched food. Seeing this, Lu Yuzhu did not intervene, but a mocking, triumphant smirk curled the corner of her lips.

On the way back to the hotel, the atmosphere in the car was bizarrely tense. Daphne, who had chatted with Song Qinian all afternoon, had not spoken a single word to her since the food was packed. Lu Yuzhu, on the other hand, looked as smug as a victorious hen. *Hmph, no matter how capable Shen Chiyan is, what does it matter? With a wife who is such an embarrassment, he is destined to fail miserably.* Song Qinian felt flustered, feeling a twinge of regret for packing the leftovers. When she had first proposed it, neither Lu Yuzhu nor Daphne had said a word; why were they giving her the cold shoulder now? If her actions prevented Shen Chiyan from signing the contract with the Smiths, her guilt would be immeasurable. Shen Chiyan would surely kill her!

***

Ever since Song Qinian left with Daphne and the others, Shen Chiyan had been restless. Was that woman, Song Qinian, really capable of handling this? He waited all afternoon, and when they finally returned, he saw Lu Yuzhu looking radiant, while Daphne’s expression remained unreadable. Behind them, Song Qinian trailed with several takeaway containers, her head hung low and her face deathly pale. When her eyes met his, she quickly looked away, appearing both guilty and aggrieved.

Shen Chiyan frowned slightly. What had happened? Had she botched the job? Or had she been bullied by Lu Yuzhu and Daphne?

"Honey~"

"Oh, my precious wife, you’re back."

"Yes, my feet hurt..."

"Come, come, sit on the sofa and rest for a while."

Zhou Mingsheng rushed over to carry Lu Yuzhu to the sofa, and the two began to flaunt their affection as if no one else were around. Smith was also a doting husband; the moment his wife returned, he stood up, gave her a kiss, and settled her on the sofa.

Song Qinian grew increasingly anxious. It was over—Shen Chiyan was truly angry. She had surely disgraced him by packing those leftovers! As she watched Shen Chiyan walk toward her with a cold expression, she felt a mix of terror and deep resentment. She had expected him to scold her, perhaps even drag her away in a fit of rage. Instead, he simply took the bags from her hands and pulled her into his arms. "What’s wrong?"

Breathing in Shen Chiyan’s pleasant scent, Song Qinian’s nose stung even more. She took his hand and wrote on his palm: "I’m sorry..."

Before she could finish, Lu Yuzhu’s triumphant voice rang out. "Mr. Shen, you are the president of Dingsheng Group, a man of immense wealth. Why did you marry such a stingy wife? She actually packed up the leftovers, and we couldn't even talk her out of it."

Zhou Mingsheng, hearing this, gave Song Qinian a malicious, top-to-bottom look. "Mrs. Shen, that’s the kind of thing beggars do. As a woman of status, how could you disregard Mr. Shen’s reputation like that?"

"Exactly! The food loses its flavor once it’s been packed; who would even eat that?"

The couple’s back-and-forth left Song Qinian feeling utterly ashamed and terrified. Zhou Mingsheng was beaming with arrogance; he had been wondering how to outshine Shen Chiyan, and here Shen Chiyan had conveniently brought his own weakness along. *Oh, Shen Chiyan, for all your wisdom and cunning, how could you be so foolish this time?*

Smith said nothing, but Daphne held him back, her eyes fixed on Shen Chiyan and Song Qinian, as if waiting to see how Shen would handle the situation.

Song Qinian had never felt such regret. The thought that she had caused trouble the very first time Shen Chiyan asked for her help left her feeling self-reproachful and miserable.

Shen Chiyan suddenly let out a soft chuckle. He leaned down and pressed a light kiss to Song Qinian’s forehead. "How did you know I was hungry?"

Song Qinian looked at him in a daze, only to have him take her hand and lead her to the sofa to sit down. Shen Chiyan arranged the packed food on the table. "I am often busy with work and cannot guarantee three meals a day. Over the years, my stomach has suffered. Qiqi has developed the habit of bringing me food. Perhaps she thought I hadn't eaten yet today and packed this for me. My apologies for the spectacle."

Song Qinian was stunned that not only was he not angry, but he had actually defused the situation for her. She was deeply moved.

At this, Zhou Mingsheng let out a light huff. "Mr. Shen and your wife are truly loving, but would you really eat this packed food, Mr. Shen?"

Although the Shen family was influential, they had few male heirs. Shen Chiyan had been pampered since birth, surrounded by luxury. Furthermore, rumors had it that he had a severe case of mysophobia; how could he possibly eat someone else's leftovers? Besides, while the foreign market was important, Shen Chiyan was not the type to debase himself for the sake of a contract.

Shen Chiyan had already laid out the food—steaks, macaroni, various breads, and pasta. As the boxes opened, the aroma filled the air. Shen Chiyan picked up a piece of steak and put it in his mouth. Song Qinian stared at him in disbelief, feeling an inexplicable pang of sadness.

Shen Chiyan kept holding her hand with his other hand. After swallowing, he smiled at her. "It’s delicious."

When he was young, his grandmother would often toss him into military camps; there was no type of hodgepodge he hadn't eaten. The gourmet leftovers from a five-star restaurant were far better than the steamed buns and porridge of his youth.

Shen Chiyan looked at Smith and the others. "My wife, Song Qinian, is not lacking for a meal, but we were raised to be frugal and to oppose waste. This food is not spoiled; why shouldn't it be eaten?"

He looked deeply at Song Qinian. "This is not being stingy, and there is nothing to be ashamed of. Qiqi, you did exactly the right thing!"

Even though she knew Shen Chiyan’s words might just be a ploy to win the favor of the Smiths, Song Qinian was deeply moved. Her heart was warm and racing. Forgetting that they were only pretending to be a loving couple, she acted on impulse and wrapped her arms tightly around his neck.

*I wish I could hold him like this forever!*

Shen Chiyan was slightly taken aback, but he reached out and held her back. "Let me finish my meal first, and then you can hug me, alright?"