"Come eat. Don't just sit around sulking. You've been hanging out in Ai Xiaoxi's hometown these days—you've had plenty of time to be bored. Don't put on a show for me."
No one knew how long had passed before Feng Yunchen re-entered the room. When she saw Jiang Hai and Ai Xiaoxi still kissing, a flash of jealousy crossed her face. She walked over, gave both of them a light smack on the rear, and made her displeasure known.
Hearing her words, Ai Xiaoxi blushed and quickly sat up, beginning to get dressed. Jiang Hai, on the other hand, was much more casual. He pulled Feng Yunchen into a kiss before standing up, still in just his pants.
Rolling her eyes, Feng Yunchen turned and left the room. Not long after, Jiang Hai and Ai Xiaoxi followed.
In the living room, a meal of four dishes and one soup had already been laid out.
There was a plate of sautéed three vegetables, Ziran-style beef, stir-fried shredded potatoes, and pork with green peppers, along with a large bowl of seaweed and egg soup. Everything looked and smelled delicious, making Jiang Hai's mouth water.
Without waiting for Feng Yunchen to serve him, he washed his hands, sat down, and began eating.
When Ai Xiaoxi came out and saw him already halfway through the food, she felt a little awkward about sitting down directly, so she went to the kitchen to help Feng Yunchen carry out the rice bowls.
By the time the two women returned with bowls in hand, Jiang Hai had already sampled every dish.
"How is it? Tastes good?" Feng Yunchen asked, watching him enjoy the food.
"It's really good," Jiang Hai replied sincerely, giving her a thumbs-up.
"You're just trying to flatter me," Feng Yunchen said, rolling her eyes at him again. Still, she couldn't hide the pleasure in her smile. Deep down, his praise made her very happy.
The three of them sat at the table. There was no need for formalities—they were long past that stage in their relationship.
They dug in with their chopsticks. One had to admit, Feng Yunchen really had the makings of a good wife and mother. She was strong, capable, and didn't shy away from housework. Moreover, she knew Jiang Hai inside and out.
If not for her poor choices early on, she might've been a strong contender for the role of the main heroine. But now, she was content being the unnamed woman behind the scenes. She had willingly stepped aside for Ai Xiaoxi.
"Oh, right—this is for you."
As they ate and chatted, the conversation remained relaxed and familiar. Though they didn't live together, they kept in close contact. Jiang Hai knew what was going on in their lives, and they knew his. They chatted or video-called on WeChat almost daily.
They knew that after leaving China, Jiang Hai had gone to the Caribbean to fish for tuna. They also knew he had recently restocked his manor with more beef. In fact, the beef they were eating now had been sent to them by Jiang Hai himself. After all, they were his women. When they'd mentioned wanting to try his manor's beef, he had sent them plenty—enough to last for a good while.
After they finished eating, Jiang Hai pulled two boxes from his backpack and handed them over.
The women's eyes lit up as they opened the boxes.
The necklace he gave Ai Xiaoxi had a pearl base inlaid with diamonds—it was the most dazzling of the bunch and suited her youthful, twenty-one-year-old charm perfectly. The necklace he gave Feng Yunchen was a platinum piece with a single large diamond. The third one, with smaller diamonds, had been prepared for Qi Li.
Though all three were made from premium materials, the styles were distinct. Feng Yunchen's was more elegant, Ai Xiaoxi's more brilliant, and the one for Qi Li more modest. But regardless of the differences, like birds to shiny trinkets, the two women couldn't resist their sparkle.
They didn't ask about the price. They just picked the necklaces up and admired them, delight gleaming in their eyes.
Compared to Ai Xiaoxi, who was still a bit hesitant, Feng Yunchen was far bolder. As the mistress, she accepted her role and acted accordingly. Without hesitation, she put the necklace on and showed it off to Jiang Hai.
"How do I look?" she asked with a proud smile.
"Gorgeous," Jiang Hai said with a grin.
Pleased with his reaction, Feng Yunchen touched the necklace fondly. While she wasn't in the business of flaunting wealth, she could recognize value when she saw it—this was clearly Tiffany. Though less well-known in China compared to Cartier or Swarovski, it was a top-tier brand. In the U.S., it was one of the most prestigious.
Most Chinese girls might not be familiar with Tiffany or Bulgari unless they were from elite circles, but Feng Yunchen wasn't the average girl. She knew this necklace would've cost over a million yuan back home.
Of course, a man spending money didn't necessarily mean true love. But it was still a gesture of sincerity. A man who fussed over splitting the cost of even a bottle of water clearly didn't care. In love, generosity and stinginess spoke volumes.
"You're not so heartless after all," Feng Yunchen teased. "Eat up. You've been on a plane for over ten hours and you've got a long train ride tomorrow. Better get some rest."
Satisfied by his gift and words, she smiled. Ai Xiaoxi, meanwhile, gently put her necklace away. She knew it was expensive and didn't feel comfortable wearing it just yet, but she would treasure it.
This time, she didn't thank Jiang Hai aloud—he had once told her there was no need for formalities between them.
"By the way, when we leave, what about you? Heading back to Bingcheng for Mid-Autumn Festival?" Jiang Hai asked, a tinge of guilt creeping into his voice at the thought of leaving Feng Yunchen alone.
"Me? I haven't decided yet. Maybe I'll stay here, maybe I'll go back to Bingcheng to visit my parents," she said with a shrug.
"Well, I'll be going back to Bingcheng on the 11th anyway," Jiang Hai said after a moment's thought. "Wouldn't hurt for you to head back too."
Upon hearing that, Feng Yunchen asked why. Jiang Hai explained that one of his old buddies was getting married. After thinking it over, she figured it wouldn't be a bad idea to go back.
She quickly checked flights on her phone, but tickets for the next day were all sold out—unsurprising, since many were heading home early for the holiday. Fortunately, there were still tickets available for the Mid-Autumn Festival itself.
While she was hesitating about whether to book one, Jiang Hai had already handled it. With a single phone call to the Chinese representative of American Express, he secured her a first-class ticket. He only needed her ID number to finalize the booking.
Such was the power of a Black Gold Card.
"I didn't know you were this useful," Feng Yunchen laughed. "Come on then—tonight, big sister is going to reward you. Xiaoxi, hurry up and clean up and head to the bedroom. I'm not going to last much longer!"
Grinning, she grabbed Jiang Hai's hand and pulled him toward the bedroom. Ai Xiaoxi smiled, obediently cleared the table, and followed them in soon after…
So much for going to bed early tonight.
The next day, around noon, Jiang Hai, Feng Yunchen, and Ai Xiaoxi packed up and left the house together.
Feng Yunchen headed to the airport. Jiang Hai and Ai Xiaoxi made their way to the Imperial Capital South Station. They agreed to meet again in Bingcheng, then went their separate ways.
Jiang Hai was dressed casually in outdoor wear and carried a sports backpack with a charger, game console, a few pairs of pants, and a sports outfit—if he needed anything else, he'd just buy it later.
Feng Yunchen, on the other hand, brought a lot. Besides her shoulder bag, she had a full-sized suitcase.
Jiang Hai couldn't help but wonder why women always carried so much. Was she moving house?
When he opened the suitcase and saw it packed with clothes and shoes, he was baffled. It was just a few days—was there really a need for all this, like she was headed to a fashion show?
Still, Ai Xiaoxi liked it, so Jiang Hai didn't complain and helped carry it.
They took a taxi and, since it wasn't rush hour, arrived at the station in good time to exchange their tickets and head inside.