Ruan Tang served several dishes to her daughter before picking up her own chopsticks. The delicious taste made her pause.

Her best friend, Xu Yaoyao, had once told her that there is no absolute despair in this world. Even in the deepest abyss, one must be brave enough to seek the light. And good food, she had said, can dilute despair.

That was back when Ruan Tang had been driven from the Ruan Family, becoming the laughingstock of the entire East Sea, her reputation utterly ruined.

Ruan Tang didn't know why that particular memory surfaced just then.

Does this mean... I've finally found the light?

"Mommy, Mommy..."

Her daughter's puzzled voice pulled her from her thoughts.

"Huh? What is it?" Ruan Tang asked, coming back to herself.

Xu Yiyi blinked her big eyes and asked with concern, "Mommy, you were just daydreaming. Were you thinking about something sad?"

"No, it was something happy." Ruan Tang stroked Yiyi's hair and smiled. "Let's eat. After dinner, Mommy will give you a bath."

A thought seemed to strike Xu Yiyi. She gave Xu Lai a furtive glance, then lowered her head in shame and muttered to herself, "This time, Yiyi won't secretly take pictures of Mommy in the bathroom. I want to be an upright, good person just like Daddy!"

Ruan Tang: ???

She remembered one time while bathing Yiyi, the little girl had brought her tablet in, saying the anime she was following had a new episode. They had indeed taken a selfie with the tablet after the bath.

But Xu Yiyi secretly took other photos? It was obvious who was behind this!

Ruan Tang felt her face burn with a mixture of shame and anger.

Ruan Lan was completely dumbfounded. Oh my god, Brother-in-law is way too bold, actually telling Yiyi to do something like that!

"Brother-in-law, although you've committed an unforgivable act, well... I can understand. You're a man, after all," Ruan Lan said, patting Xu Lai's shoulder with a sigh. "Just be more careful about your methods next time. That's not how you pursue a woman."

Xu Lai clutched his chest. It hurt. He reckoned that even battling enemies for thousands of years wouldn't be this agonizing.

A beat too late, Xu Yiyi covered her mouth with her small hand. "Daddy," she said weakly, "Yiyi accidentally let it slip. Now Mommy knows. What do we do..."

Seeing Xu Yiyi's guilty expression, Ruan Lan could instantly picture Xu Lai crouching on the ground, patiently coaxing his innocent niece to never, ever speak of this.

Her expression grew complicated. "Ugh, men."

Xu Lai: "..."

Ruan Lan, you can't kick a man when he's down!

Facing his wife's cold, murderous gaze, Xu Lai carefully chose his words. "If I said this was a misunderstanding, would you believe me?"

"Do you believe it yourself?"

"I do!"

After speaking, Xu Lai looked at his wife's icy face and knew he probably couldn't clear his name this time. He gave up on explaining. If he told the truth, Xu Yiyi would be in for it. While she wouldn't get a spanking, punishments like copying homework and being banned from her phone and tablet for a month were likely unavoidable.

So, he said with resignation, "It's my fault. I'm sorry."

"Mommy." Xu Yiyi lifted her little face and said nervously, "Actually, it has nothing to do with Daddy. It was my fault."

"Children shouldn't lie, you know," Ruan Lan chided gently.

"Yiyi isn't lying!"

Xu Yiyi recounted the entire incident, her story logical and convincing. More importantly, Ruan Tang knew that Qian Xiao, that little stinker, was perfectly capable of coming up with such a terrible idea.

She asked doubtfully, "Are you sure it wasn't Xu Lai who told you to do this?"

"Daddy is a good person! He even told me not to do things like this in the future because it would hurt Mommy," Xu Yiyi said, full of remorse. "Mommy, I'm sorry. At first, I just wanted you and Daddy to get along."

"Yiyi, it's a wonderful thing to realize your mistake and try to fix it." Ruan Lan said with heartfelt relief, before adding solemnly, "I knew my brother-in-law had upstanding character! He would never do something like that."

Xu Lai glanced at his sister-in-law. Whatever makes you happy.

Ruan Tang bit her lower lip. "Then why didn't you say anything earlier..."

"Prejudice in one's heart is a great mountain," Xu Lai said, looking at her deeply. "Since you were already disappointed in me, you would naturally believe what you already assumed to be true. You didn't believe me, and I don't blame you for it."

"..."

Ruan Tang was filled with shame. When compared, how honorable Xu Lai was, and how petty she had been!

With a solemn expression, Ruan Tang bowed deeply in apology. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have misunderstood you."

"It's okay. I did look at the photos, after all."

"Shut up! There's no need to mention things like that!" Ruan Tang cried, her face blushing as she swung a fist at him.

Nearby, Ruan Lan looked puzzled. It was clearly a matter of a misunderstanding being explained, so why did she suddenly feel like she was being subjected to a sickeningly sweet display of affection?

Are these two showing off their love in front of me on purpose?

But considering her sister's personality, Ruan Lan figured it had to be her imagination. Even so, her eyes suddenly filled with intense anticipation. She wondered what her proud, haughty sister would be like once she fell into the sea of love. Would she remain standoffish, or would she become a sweet, demure lady?

Just thinking about the scene made the corners of Ruan Lan's lips curl up. She really wanted to witness it with her own eyes.

Ruan Lan couldn't help but pat Xu Lai's shoulder encouragingly. "Brother-in-law, go for it!"

Xu Lai stared at his sister-in-law, his intuition screaming that something was off about her.

"Stop staring. I, Ruan Lan, am the woman you can never have in this lifetime. After all, I'm your sister-in-law," Ruan Lan said, rolling her eyes at Xu Lai, a flirtatious and charming smile on her face.

Veins throbbed on Ruan Tang's forehead. They were flirting right in front of her! What would they do behind my back?

Ruan Tang said in a heavy tone, "Xu Lai, don't you forget your vow!"

"You two have already reached the stage of making vows for eternity?" Ruan Lan asked, surprised.

Xu Lai felt his heart grow weary. "...Ruan Lan, just eat your dinner. Stop digging a pit for me to fall into."

"Tsk." Ruan Lan rolled her eyes dramatically.

Perhaps it was because of her misunderstanding of Xu Lai during dinner.

After the meal, Ruan Tang did something unprecedented. She actually brewed a cup of black tea for Xu Lai, brought it to him personally, and even blew on it to cool it down.

"Time for your medicine... oh wait, I mean tea," Ruan Lan muttered from the sofa, where she was lying down and playing a PS4 game.

Ruan Tang snapped, "Shut up and play your game."

"Aye, aye." Ruan Lan didn't spare them another glance.

Xu Lai sat down on the sofa, accepted the tea, and took a sip. "You need something from me?" he asked with a smile.

Ruan Tang seemed a bit awkward. "N-no, it's nothing."

"Oh."

"Um..." Ruan Tang hesitated for a long time before finally asking softly, "Are you busy tomorrow during the day?"

"It's Sunday, so I can go into work or not, it's up to me. What's up?" Xu Lai put down his teacup, looking puzzled.

"Let's go shopping tomorrow," Ruan Tang said, her voice calm as if she were suggesting something trivial.

However, Xu Lai keenly noticed that his wife's heart was not as calm as her expression. Her fingertips were subconsciously twirling a strand of loose hair on her shoulder, as if to hide her true feelings.

"Sure."

"I happen to be free tomorrow too," Ruan Lan chimed in without turning her head.

"Just the two of us." Ruan Tang ignored her sister's remark, looking directly into Xu Lai's eyes as she enunciated each word.

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