Chapter 27: A Trio’s Journey (1)

Receiving no response from Lin Yan, Leng Mohan knew she still could not let go of what happened two years ago. For the past two years, he had been careful not to upset her; though they lived under the same roof, he rarely saw her face-to-face unless his mother was visiting.

Yet, after two years, she had not changed at all, remaining fixated on that incident. He did not want to wait any longer, unsure if another two years, or several more, would make any difference. Thus, he decided it was time to take action.

"Yan'er, your sister is doing very well abroad. She has a boyfriend who adores her, and they will likely be married before long," Leng Mohan said quietly, knowing she was listening.

When she still remained silent, he could only sigh. Deciding not to say anything more, he pulled her closer, his arm around her shoulders. "It is late. Go to sleep."

Lin Yan slowly relaxed in his embrace. Nestled against his neck, she felt comfortable and secure, yet she did not feel the slightest bit sleepy. Her eyes blinked, and her long eyelashes brushed against his neck, creating a faint, tickling sensation.

"I will strive to be a good daughter-in-law to the Leng family and a good wife to Leng Mohan," Lin Yan said suddenly.

Just as he had said before, even if it were merely a performance, she would perform the role of Leng Mohan’s wife and the daughter-in-law of the Leng family. She had played the part well for two years, but lately, she had found it increasingly difficult. Whenever she saw him on television or in the newspapers, arm-in-arm with Ziyan, a subtle, aching sourness would bloom in her heart.

"Mm," Leng Mohan replied softly. He knew he could not pressure her right now.

As they drifted off to sleep, they were, for once, just like any ordinary married couple, slumbering in each other's arms.

When Lin Yan woke the next morning, she did not hurry to get up, but lay quietly on her back. The man who had slept to her right was already gone. Not a trace of warmth remained on the bed; save for a few faint wrinkles in the sheets, the man who had held her the night before felt like nothing more than a dream.

After lying there for a long while, she finally rolled out of bed. She tossed her hair back carelessly and headed to the bathroom to wash up. As she entered, she froze. Her toothbrush was lying across the top of the rinsing cup, already topped with a layer of toothpaste. Stuck to the mirror in front of her was a sticky note: *Nutritious breakfast is downstairs.*

Below the sentence were rows of exclamation marks. It seemed he knew that seeing the note would only pique her curiosity without actually compelling her to eat, so beneath the pile of marks, he had added: *The breakfast was prepared by Ye Ye according to Mother's instructions.*

Lin Yan knew Ye Ye had been hired by her mother-in-law to help improve her health. Leng Mohan mentioning this was clearly a ploy to get her to go downstairs. She wondered when he had become so childish.

A sudden sense of amusement washed over her. They had never even consummated their marriage; what was the point of nourishing her body?

Still, to avoid any tension between her and her mother-in-law, she went downstairs. Sitting in the dining room, she looked at the table filled with beautiful and delicious food, feeling a touch of surprise. She had not expected Ye Ye to be capable of such variety; the colors and nutritional balance were flawless.

"Good morning, Lin Yan!" Ye Ye was spreading butter on a piece of bread. She looked up at Lin Yan, offering a bright, smiling greeting.

"Morning," Lin Yan replied coolly, sitting at the table and feeling uncertain about where to begin.

"Lin Yan, why aren't you eating?" Ye Ye asked, taking a bite of her own bread.

Lin Yan stared blankly for a moment before picking up her chopsticks to sample a side dish. The tart and spicy flavor was quite appetizing.