As they left the town's pavillion, they could barely hear Mo Lihui's wailing inside. Lu Xinyi laughed while Shen Yi shook his head. That pitiful woman should know what was coming for her before she made a bet with Lu Xinyi.
Ah, those dumplings were really good. He was so lucky that he was working closely with his wife so he was able to have a taste of those dishes before Lu Xinyi presented it to the judges.
Lu Xinyi kept surprising him. Truth to be told, this was the first time he saw her making dumplings on her own. This day had been an unforgettable one because she'd let him fight with her.
"It's good that you win, or else I would have ruined them with my own hands." Shen Yi commented.
"Do you really think I'll let myself lose knowing that I'll lose you, too?" Lu Xinyi snorted. Her husband pulled her arm to make her look at him.
"Do you mean to say you cannot afford to lose me?" He teased.
Lu Xinyi looked over her shoulder, her body turning to face him. Would he find it repulsive if he knew how scared she was? Would he think she was kind of pathetic for worrying that he would find her not worthy enough if she lost?
She didn't want to think that he would, but when Mo Lihui shamelessly asked for a bet with her relationship with Shen Yi at stake, she was blinded by rage. Angry because she felt she wasn't worthy yet to stand beside him, angry at people thinking that they could get him from her that easily.
Didn't she deserve to be loved?
Her heart sank just by the mere thought of losing him. Seeing the conflicted emotion that passed on her face, Shen Yi narrowed his eyes. It was then she realized what they were.
It wasn't anger or resentment… Lu Xinyi was afraid of rejection and abandonment.
He hated seeing her like this. Hated that the pain caused by Gong Yijun and Meng Jiao still affected her. What else should he do to prove he would not leave her? Not now, not ever!
He couldn't… live without her, now. His life was bound to her whether she liked it or not.
"You think too much. There's nothing to worry about as long as I'm with you." He stroked her cheek lovingly.
Lu Xinyi didn't know what to feel about Shen Yi. Why was it easy for him to see right through her secrets?
"There are a lot of fools out there, Xinxin. They'll constantly test your patience."
"Can't blame them,"—she resignedly sighed—"but I wish they would use their brains sometimes. It will save them a lot of trouble."
"I agree. We can't really blame them. My dad said I'm quite a catch, or so he says." He shrugged, making Lu Xinyi laugh.
"Hey, I'm not joking!" Shen Yi exclaimed. "Besides those who keep on pissing you can't stop you from moving forward."
---
Lu Xinyi's win on the competition and bet had circulated around the town the next day. Mo Lihui kept herself locked on her room as she reflected on her mistakes while her brother was struggling to keep everything running within Blue Haven.
"Young Madam, are you sure you don't plan to open our doors soon? Since you've won, everyone is anticipating Grace Palace's re-opening." Yang Liqing asked while Lu Xinyi was busy eating melon with Shen Yi cutting the slices for his wife.
Watching the married couple slack off like this, Yang Liqing thought that her two masters had planned everything. They probably expected that after Lu Xinyi's win, people would start flocking outside Grace Palace to have a taste of her dumplings.
"Let them wait. Besides, we haven't found our new executive chef. There's no point opening Grace Palace if we don't have someone to look after it once we left." Lu Xinyi replied, taking a bite from the melon slices Shen Yi left beside her.
Spearing the melon with a stick, she hummed in delight once it reached her mouth. With her head laying on Shen Yi's thigh, Lu Xinyi refused to be disturbed with their momentary peace. With the weather shifting into colder nights, Lu Xinyi lost the will to check out the stalls for the festival. She still had two days left to check them anyway.
"What about Mo Lihui? I haven't seen her face since she lost."
Yang Liqing grinned. This was something she was waiting for Young Madam to ask!
"I heard she hasn't left her room since that day. Young Madam, do you know she even fired Luo Yin before going into seclusion? She must be very ashamed of putting such acts against you."
"She must be planning to avenge herself anytime soon."
"She must be extremely stupid if she still wants to go after you." Shen Yi finished slicing her melons and wiped his hands with a clean washcloth. It was rare to see Lu Xinyi splayed on the floor, with her head on his thigh.
Before her win at Silver Leaf Academy and the festival, she barely had time to rest. Now that everything was almost settled, Lu Xinyi would spend most of the days with him on the bed or being lazy around eating fruits that Yang Liqing brought her.
"It's hard when you have a crazy fangirl, no?"
Just as they thought that the next days would be peaceful while they waited for Yang Jian to find the son of the previous owner of Grace Palace, Mo Lihui caused trouble for Lu Xinyi again.
"Lu Xinyi! Get your cheating ass out of here!"
Once her voice reached Shen Yi and Lu Xinyi who were taking an afternoon nap, Lu Xinyi grunted and pushed her husband's arm.
"Shen Yi, I love dogs, but didn't I tell you not to get the vicious ones?"
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