Chapter 33: Thirty-Third Day as a Salted Fish
“What are you saying, Miss Qin?” Shen Xiaoshan snuggled against Meng Zi’ang with a blissful smile. “My husband is naturally very good to me.”
Shen Xiaoshan had schemed tirelessly to snatch Meng Zi’ang away from Qin Jiaojiao. Back when she was working and studying abroad, she had happened to run into Meng Zi’ang and helped him out of a tight spot. Afterward, she recognized him as her childhood friend. Through her own digging, she discovered that he lived in an apartment building frequented by wealthy young masters studying abroad.
She had tried repeatedly to stage another ‘chance encounter’ with him, but never ran into him again. Only after asking around through multiple channels did she learn that he had already finished his studies and returned home.
Shen Xiaoshan was drawn to Meng Zi’ang’s striking looks and his status as a wealthy young master. She was just as ambitious as her mother; once she selected her prey, she would stop at nothing to lay her trap.
After retrieving her diploma from her university, she could not wait to return home to get close to Meng Zi’ang. Having a diploma gilded overseas wasn’t going to bring her massive fortunes on its own.
So, she gritted her teeth and made up her mind to charge into the entertainment industry.
The waters of the entertainment industry ran deep and murky. For a small nobody from a poor background, as long as they weren’t bad-looking—even if they were a girl from the countryside or the son of a bottom-tier fish vendor—they could carve out a world of their own the moment they seized an opportunity.
Shen Xiaoshan believed that one day she would explode in popularity, standing at the star-studded peak as a national goddess living a glamorous life, rather than slaving away as an exploited employee at a mundane company.
Entering the entertainment circle gave her a better angle to get close to Meng Zi’ang. After all, he was the CEO of one of the top ten entertainment companies in the industry. She didn’t just want a career; she wanted to snag the man she liked and become a wealthy daughter-in-law that everyone envied.
Even if this man had a nominal fiancée for a business alliance, people who got married could still divorce for true love, not to mention Qin Jiaojiao and Meng Zi’ang didn’t even have a real romantic relationship.
Shen Xiaoshan was like a snake slithering in the dark, keeping quiet as she slowly crept closer to her prey, manufacturing opportunities to spend time together.
She could feel that Meng Zi’ang had a favorable impression of her and deeply appreciated the strong, virtuous side she intentionally showed him. She only needed to boil the frog in warm water to completely win him over.
The only obstacle was Qin Jiaojiao.
Originally, Shen Xiaoshan had treated Qin Jiaojiao as a formidable rival. But once she actually met the pampered, arrogant girl, she felt she was one step closer to successfully marrying into wealth.
Qin Jiaojiao couldn’t handle the slightest provocation. As long as Shen Xiaoshan feigned innocence, Meng Zi’ang would step up to protect her on his own accord, while Qin Jiaojiao would throw a hysterical tantrum and make a huge scene with him.
What kind of man could stand a woman like that? Sure enough, Meng Zi’ang grew more and more disgusted with the spoiled, willful Qin Jiaojiao.
The ‘cheating scheme’ she orchestrated at the hotel completely blew up Meng Zi’ang and Qin Jiaojiao’s relationship. Right in front of everyone at the hotel, Qin Jiaojiao had loudly declared she was breaking off the engagement with the Meng family.
Afterward, everything went much smoother. She unexpectedly got pregnant and rapidly married into the Meng family. As long as she successfully gave birth to a son, she would be able to claim a five percent stake in the Meng Group.
However…
Shen Xiaoshan never expected she would end up participating in a couples’ variety show alongside Qin Jiaojiao.
Ever since joining the show, they frequently ran into Qin Jiaojiao. Shen Xiaoshan could tell Meng Zi’ang was feeling irritable, and it was obvious Qin Jiaojiao still had an impact on him.
Shen Xiaoshan felt deeply uncomfortable, but she knew Meng Zi’ang hadn’t completely fallen in love with her yet. The two had only married because of the shot-gun pregnancy, forcing them to build their relationship after marriage.
Shen Xiaoshan could not accept even a single risk in her marriage, so she deliberately voiced her envy of Qin Jiaojiao and Zhou Shaoli right in front of Meng Zi’ang.
“Why are you two back so soon instead of staying out to play longer?” Shen Xiaoshan put on a sweet, shy expression and said, “I didn’t get a good rest last night, so Zi’ang was taking care of me this morning. That’s why we came out so late. Do you know anywhere with nice scenery?”
Shen Xiaoshan glanced at Meng Zi’ang. “I want to go take some pictures with Zi’ang to keep as memories.”
Qin Jiaojiao: “…” Heh heh.
If she hadn’t known the plot, she really would have been fooled by Shen Xiaoshan. At this stage, Shen Xiaoshan and Meng Zi’ang were merely at the phase of mutual attraction, nowhere near the life-and-death devotion of being deeply in love.
Shen Xiaoshan dropping these suggestive hints and putting on that face was purely to provoke her.
The original host had simply hated being outdone by Shen Xiaoshan. Meng Zi’ang wasn’t some mountain of gold; he was a mere illegitimate son—whoever wanted him could take him.
Qin Jiaojiao smiled. “No idea. Why don’t you just ask a local?” She patted Zhou Shaoli’s shoulder. “It’s so hot, hubby. Let’s hurry back to the wooden house and enjoy the air conditioning.”
“Okay.” Zhou Shaoli carried her on his back as he walked toward the village.
Shen Xiaoshan brought it up in front of the camera as if casually mentioning it: “When Miss Qin ran away with her suitcase last time, I thought they had gotten into an argument. Seeing how affectionate the couple is now, I guess I must have misunderstood.”
Meng Zi’ang didn’t really want to discuss Qin Jiaojiao and Zhou Shaoli.
Seeing that he didn’t take the bait, Shen Xiaoshan had no choice but to follow him to find a local near the village entrance to ask about fun and scenic places nearby.
Unfortunately, neither of them could understand what the local was saying. After struggling for quite some time, a local auntie finally pointed out a trail leading up the mountain, and the two walked toward it.
Shen Xiaoshan regretted not bringing a sun umbrella. Sweating under the sun for too long would ruin her makeup, making her look bad on camera.
Basking in such heavy sun for a long time would damage her skin. To avoid keeping Meng Zi’ang waiting too long earlier, she had gotten up early to do her makeup and dress up. Since wearing a hat or carrying an umbrella would prevent the cameras from capturing her pretty, delicate no-makeup makeup look, she hadn’t brought either—and now she regretted it to death.
The camera was following them to film. Turning back all the way home to fetch an umbrella would make Meng Zi’ang think she was troublesome, so she could only brave the scorching sun and trek up the mountain with him.
Meng Zi’ang didn’t like the countryside scenery. As they strolled around under the blazing sun, it was already a miracle that he didn’t wear a look of annoyance on his face. To soothe his mood and show off their love on camera, Shen Xiaoshan occasionally pointed at something with a curious expression, bringing up topics to ask him about.
Season 2 of Romantic Lovers was broadcasting with massive popularity, and Shen Xiaoshan desperately wanted to ride this wave of traffic. She had put in plenty of work behind the scenes—watching daily videos of couples, analyzing high-view-count clips, and learning how to manufacture sweet moments.
As the two walked and browsed, they ran into a villager heading down the mountain with a bamboo basket on her back. Shen Xiaoshan put on a warm, friendly smile to greet the villager and asked what was inside the basket.
The villager carrying the basket was a middle-aged woman who spoke a bit of Mandarin. She answered her, “Just wild mushrooms from the mountain. I’m taking them home to dry and sell at the town market.”
Shen Xiaoshan asked happily, “Where did you pick these mushrooms? I’d like to pick some to take back too.”
“There are plenty in the woods just up ahead,” the villager said.
Shen Xiaoshan looked at Meng Zi’ang and said, “Zi’ang, these wild mushrooms look delicious. Why don’t we go up the mountain to pick some and invite everyone to eat wild mushroom beef hotpot together? How does that sound?”
Meng Zi’ang had zero interest in picking mushrooms and didn’t really want to go, but with the cameras rolling, he had to play along with Shen Xiaoshan’s act as a loving couple.
Noticing his reluctance, Shen Xiaoshan pulled his arm coquetishly. “Come on, let’s go. I’ve never eaten wild mushrooms I picked myself before.”
Meng Zi’ang had no choice but to nod.
The camera crew chimed in with a reminder: “Teacher Shen, do you know which mushrooms are poisonous? You shouldn’t pick wild mushrooms in the mountains if you can’t identify them.”
Shen Xiaoshan smiled toward the camera and said, “I used to go mushroom picking in the mountains with my family when I was little. I can tell the poisonous ones from the edible ones.”
On the other side, the Feizhu CP couple—who had driven to the town’s cultural gallery—were strolling around leisurely while the camera crew filmed the veteran couple.
Chen Feihong snapped photos for his wife as they walked and chatted.
Jin Mingzhu asked, “Do you still remember the last time we came out for a stroll like this?”
Chen Feihong shook his head. “I don’t remember.”
Jin Mingzhu complained grumpily, “I knew you wouldn’t remember. The last time we went on a trip together was September of last year.”
Chen Feihong wrapped an arm around his wife guiltily and said, “I’ve been too busy with work and barely had time to keep you company. When I’m free, you have to go out for stage performances, and when you’re free, I’m busy filming dramas. Where would we find the time to go out together?”
Jin Mingzhu wasn’t actually blaming him. Both of them had their own careers, and it was rare for them to be free at the same time. Even when they had a few days of vacation, both of them would just stay home to rest.
Chen Feihong said, “That’s why I dragged you along to participate in Romantic Lovers. Recording a variety show gives us plenty of time to spend together.”
As a renowned veteran artist in the country, Jin Mingzhu preferred performing on stage and didn’t usually like watching variety shows.
Many variety shows in the industry had scripts, and filming them was both exhausting and unrewarding—the production team’s final edit was often completely different from what was actually recorded.
Clearing her schedule for a variety show wasn’t nearly as good as performing in a few more stage plays.
Only after Chen Feihong repeatedly assured her that Romantic Lovers had no script, focused on exploring marriage, and used cameras to record the daily life of couples—making it a very relaxed romance variety show—was she willing to participate and make an appearance.
The two walked and chatted. As dusk approached, many people were playing in the park near the cultural gallery. Older women held fans while dancing, grandfathers exercised, practiced water calligraphy on the pavement, or sat together playing Chinese chess, while an elderly couple strolled slowly hand-in-hand.
Jin Mingzhu glanced at Chen Feihong, smiling gently as she asked, “Do you think we’ll be like this when we’re old?”
Chen Feihong said, “Retirement life is all like this—drinking tea, playing with birds, and strolling out every day. If you dance in the square, I’ll definitely have to guard you to stop other old guys from stealing you away…”
Jin Mingzhu gave him a light shove. “What nonsense are you talking about?”
Chen Feihong held his wife tighter and said, “You were the campus beauty back in university, and so many guys fought tooth and nail for you. Two or three guys in my dorm alone wanted to pursue you. It’s a pity none of them had my perseverance…”
Jin Mingzhu recalled the days when he had delivered breakfast to her every morning and waited for her after class every evening, pursuing her through rain or shine.
They had gone from school uniforms to wedding gowns, safely navigating the seven-year itch and staying married for over a decade. Life was mundane, but deeply blissful.
A surge of warmth and emotion flowed through Jin Mingzhu’s heart. Leaning against her husband’s shoulder, her face radiated a happy smile.
She and Old Chen would stay happy for a lifetime.
Returning to the porch of the wooden house, Qin Jiaojiao climbed down from Zhou Shaoli’s back, set the broken flip-flop to the side, and sighed. “I actually really liked this new pair of shoes. How did they break after just one wear?”
Zhou Shaoli asked her, “Where did you buy them?”
Qin Jiaojiao said, “Just randomly at a mall, I don’t remember which store.”
She pushed open the door to enter the living room, and Zhou Shaoli glanced at the broken strap of the sandal on the ground before following her inside.
Qin Jiaojiao placed her hat on the table, turned around, and said to him, “I’m drenched in sweat. I’m going upstairs to take a shower first.”
Zhou Shaoli sat down on the sofa, pulled out his phone to reply to work messages, and after sitting for a moment, he stood up, walked outside, and took a photo of the sandal on the ground with his phone.
Han Xiao, who was currently on vacation, was somewhat puzzled when he received the photo from Zhou Shaoli.
Han Xiao: 【President Zhou?】
Zhou Shaoli: 【Buy an identical pair of flip-flops and send them via express delivery.】
Han Xiao stared at the women’s sandal in the photo, hurriedly zooming in to inspect it in an attempt to locate a brand logo. Since he wasn’t familiar with women’s brands, he quickly sought help from his girlfriend.
After forwarding the photo over, his girlfriend sent back a question mark.
Han Xiao: 【Babe, President Zhou wants me to buy an identical pair of shoes for Madam and express deliver them over.】
Girlfriend: 【Oh, I thought you were cheating.】
Han Xiao: 【Scared.jpg, babe, don’t tell me horror stories! Hurry up and help me figure out which mall carries this brand—it’s super urgent!】
His girlfriend stopped teasing him and replied: 【There’s a brand store in the mall right downstairs from our place.】
Han Xiao: 【Babe~ when are you coming back? I’m so lonely at home.】
After getting ready to head out and buy the item, his girlfriend still hadn’t replied to him, clearly off having fun and ignoring his text.
Han Xiao’s heart shattered into pieces. His girlfriend had abandoned him at home, yet he still had to go buy shoes for President Zhou’s wife—what a pitiful man he was!
After self-pityingly wallowing for a few seconds, Han Xiao rushed to the mall, quickly bought an identical pair of shoes, and immediately arranged for an emergency courier pickup, demanding they be air-freighted out at top speed.
After finishing her shower, Qin Jiaojiao changed into a cute little dress and went downstairs. Zhou Shaoli wasn’t in the living room, and when she opened the front door, he wasn’t in the courtyard either.
Where did he go?
Qin Jiaojiao returned to the room to find her phone. There was a voice message sent by Zhou Shaoli, his voice sounding very pleasant to the ear.
“An elderly person collapsed outside the door just now, so I’m taking him to the town hospital.”
He was probably driving right now, so Qin Jiaojiao didn’t spam him with messages, simply replying: 【Got it.】
With Zhou Shaoli not at home, she opened the fridge and pulled out some eggs, planning to whip up some simple egg fried rice before taking a midday nap.
Shen Xiaoshan led Meng Zi’ang into the woods. Sure enough, just as the villager had said, all kinds of wild mountain mushrooms were scattered across the grass under the carpet of fallen leaves.
Shen Xiaoshan didn’t actually crave wild mushrooms that much. She simply wanted to capture more interesting footage so that when the show aired, the Shan-Meng CP would get more screen time with extra content.
It wasn’t as hot in the woods. Shen Xiaoshan squatted down to pick a mushroom, held it up, and asked Meng Zi’ang, “Zi’ang, guess what this mushroom is called?”
Meng Zi’ang lowered his eyes. Shen Xiaoshan’s smile was pure, her eyes filled entirely with his reflection. Touched by the sight, his gaze softened. “I don’t know, tell me.”
Shen Xiaoshan stood up, brought it up to his eyes, and told him the name of the mushroom, adding that while it looked pretty, it was poisonous and inedible.
Meng Zi’ang grabbed her hand nervously: “It’s poisonous and you still picked it? Throw it away quick!”
Shen Xiaoshan loved how much he worried about her and giggled, “It’s fine, I’ll just wash my hands later and won’t get poisoned.”
The two chatted and laughed in the woods, occasionally dropping a sweet line or bickering playfully, looking utterly adorable on camera.
After picking a heap of mushrooms, Shen Xiaoshan looked at Meng Zi’ang. “There are so many, how are we going to carry them back?”
Meng Zi’ang took off his jacket. “Use my clothes.”
“But this jacket is your favorite,” Shen Xiaoshan disapproved. “I remember it was really expensive. Let’s look around and see if we can find some big leaves to hold the mushrooms.”
“It’s just a piece of clothing,” Meng Zi’ang said nonchalantly. “How could it be more important than the mushrooms my baby worked so hard to pick?”
Shen Xiaoshan hugged him emotionally, giving the camera a full display of affection: “Zi’ang, you’re so good to me!”
Meng Zi’ang loved that Shen Xiaoshan’s heart was entirely filled with him, putting him first in everything while being gentle, thoughtful, and strong. This was the kind of woman he liked and needed—not some spoiled, short-tempered canary.
Meng Zi’ang squatted down, scooped all the wild mushrooms into his jacket, cradled it in his arms, and said, “Let’s go.”
On the other end, the Feizhu CP couple drove back to Feizhu Cottage. Just as they were preparing to cook dinner, they received a group tag from Shen Xiaoshan.
The production team had issued a temporary notice that the guest couples needed to gather to eat and chat together.
Originally, it was scheduled to be hosted at the Feizhu CP couple’s house, but Shen Xiaoshan communicated with the production crew, saying she had picked a lot of mushrooms on the mountain and could prepare a wild mushroom beef hotpot.
By the time Qin Jiaojiao woke up toward the evening, Zhou Shaoli still hadn’t returned from town. While she was sleeping, he had sent a few messages explaining the situation.
The elderly person who had collapsed was a left-behind senior living in the village with his grandson, while his son worked out of town and would take three hours to rush back by train. So, Zhou Shaoli was staying at the hospital to keep watch, intending to drive back only after the senior’s condition improved.
Worrying that she wouldn’t have dinner to eat, Zhou Shaoli had privately reached out to Jin Mingzhu, asking the Feizhu CP couple to let Qin Jiaojiao mooch a meal.
Seeing the evening announcement that the production team wanted everyone to eat hotpot at Shen Xiaoshan’s place, Qin Jiaojiao stretched lazily and sent Zhou Shaoli a message.
【Dinner is taken care of. When are you coming back?】
Golden Nugget: 【On the way back.】
Qin Jiaojiao asked with concern: 【How is the senior doing?】
Golden Nugget: 【Fainted from malnutrition. Nothing serious, don’t worry.】
“That’s good.”
Qin Jiaojiao got out of bed, randomly threw on a dress, and prepared to set off.
As she headed downstairs, she remembered they were filming a show, so she turned back to the bedroom to dig out a dress made of exquisite fabric with a gorgeous cut. She put on a refined, delicate light makeup look, pinned her hair up, and put on a pair of pearl earrings.
Rich heiress vibe, get!
Qin Jiaojiao set off in high spirits. She had originally felt indifferent toward Shen Xiaoshan and Meng Zi’ang, but Shen Xiaoshan’s repeated provocations had left her feeling somewhat annoyed. Even a gentle soul had a temper, so let’s see who’s prettier and better at showing off romance!
Besides, with Zhou Shaoli cooperating, she wasn’t afraid of failing at all.
Shen Xiaoshan and Meng Zi’ang were staying in the largest and most spacious modern-style villa. By the time Qin Jiaojiao arrived, Jin Mingzhu and Chen Feihong were already in the room.
Chen Feihong was sitting on the sofa playing on his phone, with Jin Mingzhu leaning against him. Behind the open kitchen counter, Shen Xiaoshan was chopping vegetables while Meng Zi’ang stood beside her, washing vegetables according to her instructions.
“Jiaojiao, you’re here,” Jin Mingzhu greeted.
Qin Jiaojiao wore a smile on her face. “Teacher Jin, how was your trip to town today?”
Jin Mingzhu said, “It was very nice, I took a lot of photos.”
Qin Jiaojiao found a spot to sit down and asked, “Did you post them on your WeChat Moments? I want to give them a like.”
“I didn’t post them.” Jin Mingzhu rarely posted on WeChat Moments like young people did, saying, “They’re all stored in my phone.”
Qin Jiaojiao’s voice was very sweet: “It would be such a pity not to post such beautiful photos on WeChat Moments to share the joy.”
Jin Mingzhu abandoned her husband to sit next to Qin Jiaojiao for a chat. “Then help me pick a few.”
Qin Jiaojiao leaned down to check the photos for Jin Mingzhu, selecting several great ones. “I think these ones look really pretty.”
“Then I’ll post these ones,” Jin Mingzhu said with a smile.
Shen Xiaoshan glanced at Qin Jiaojiao, who was acting so intimately with Jin Mingzhu, her eyes darkening slightly. Last time she went to watch Jin Mingzhu’s stage play, she had intentionally posted on WeChat Moments and even bought a trending search, but unfortunately, Jin Mingzhu hadn’t appreciated the gesture at all.
She was mainly targeting the resources held by Director Chen Feihong, yet Jin Mingzhu’s attitude toward her had always been lukewarm, like treating a workplace colleague.
Distracted, Shen Xiaoshan accidentally cut her finger, letting out a sharp hiss. Meng Zi’ang quickly rushed over to her side, asking with concern, “Baby, what’s wrong?”
Shen Xiaoshan had only grazed her skin and drawn a tiny bit of blood, but she put on a strong front and shook her head: “I’m fine.”
“You cut your finger and you still say you’re fine? I’ll go upstairs to get you a Band-Aid.” Meng Zi’ang walked upstairs.
The commotion couldn’t be ignored by the living room, so Jin Mingzhu and Qin Jiaojiao stood up and walked into the kitchen.
Jin Mingzhu asked, “Is it serious? How about I chop the vegetables instead?”
Shen Xiaoshan smiled subtly and said, “It’s just a tiny nick, I’ll be fine once I put on a Band-Aid. The vegetables are almost all chopped anyway, so you two can just sit back in the living room.”
Seeing how insistent Shen Xiaoshan was, Jin Mingzhu and Qin Jiaojiao returned to the living room sofa to continue chatting.
After a while, the wild mushroom beef hotpot was ready to eat. Everyone sat down scattered around the table, but Qin Jiaojiao fell into deep thought as she held her chopsticks.
Why had she only brought self-heating hotpots instead of hotpot soup bases? As long as she brought various flavors of hotpot bases, she and Zhou Shaoli could have enjoyed all kinds of hotpot variations.
Ah, what a miscalculation.
Qin Jiaojiao had been a little reserved at first, but one should never hold a grudge against good food. Listening to them chat about their daily married lives, she dug into her meal like a beast.
“Why did Miss Qin come over alone? Where’s President Zhou?” Shen Xiaoshan suddenly chimed in to ask.
Qin Jiaojiao put down her chopsticks and explained, “An elderly person collapsed outside our door, so he took him to the hospital and is currently rushing back.”
Shen Xiaoshan laughed and said, “So that’s how it is. I thought he just didn’t want to eat hotpot.”
Without even thinking, Qin Jiaojiao shot back, “Keep your thoughts to yourself.”
After finishing the hotpot, Qin Jiaojiao returned to the wooden house to rest in the living room. After playing two rounds of games, she went to the bathroom to take a shower, blew her hair dry, and heard a commotion coming from downstairs.
Wearing her indoor slippers, Qin Jiaojiao padded downstairs, and sure enough, Zhou Shaoli—whom she hadn’t seen for most of the day—was back, still dressed in the casual outfit from this afternoon.
“You’re back.”
Zhou Shaoli gave a faint nod. “I’m going to take a shower.”
“Are you hungry?” Qin Jiaojiao asked eagerly. “What do you want to eat?”
Zhou Shaoli knew she wasn’t much of a cook and said, “I’ll make something myself after my shower.”
Qin Jiaojiao let out an oh, asking, “Are you sure you don’t want me to make you something?”
Zhou Shaoli turned back to glance at her. “No need.”
“…”
Qin Jiaojiao lowered her head. “Alright then.”
Zhou Shaoli’s footsteps on the stairs paused, and he said, “Then just whip up something simple.”
Qin Jiaojiao responded happily, dashing into the kitchen to open the fridge. She had made egg fried rice at noon and felt it tasted pretty good, so she felt confident she could handle it!
When Zhou Shaoli came downstairs, he saw Qin Jiaojiao wearing a light pink silk nightgown, holding a pan and spatula, awkwardly tossing and stir-frying the rice.
Smelling the faint aroma floating through the air, Zhou Shaoli suddenly felt a wave of hunger and walked over to her side.
The egg fried rice in the pan looked golden, plump, and surprisingly good. Qin Jiaojiao turned off the stove and dished it out.
“Here, give it a try.”
Zhou Shaoli sat down on a chair, picked up the chopsticks, and placed a bite of egg fried rice into his mouth.
Qin Jiaojiao watched him with bright, sparkling eyes, asking with full expectation, “How is it?”
The egg fried rice in his mouth was extremely salty and dry, but Zhou Shaoli swallowed it directly and praised without batting an eye: “It’s delicious.”
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