Atlas Studios

  Atlas Studios

  “You can’t match me,” Si Zhengting said.

  Zhuang Nainai asked, “Why?”


  Si Zhengting gave her a nonchalant gaze, then looked her up and down. “The dumpling reflects the person who made it.”


  Zhuang Nainai was flabbergasted.

  She was seven months into her pregnancy, and she was much fatter than before. But she had two children in her womb, so she had been eating a lot in order to feed them. Now, unexpectedly, he was saying that she was ugly?!

  Zhuang Nainai’s eyes were as round as copper coins. She stared at him, furious.

  Si Zhengting had always found her to be particularly cute when she was angry, but just before he could curl his lips into a smile, he heard Ding Mengya cut in from the side. “Who’s Nainai getting fat for? You young brat, you’re despising your wife now, huh? Haven’t you noticed how Nainai actually feels a little more like a rich man’s wife now that she’s a little fatter?”


  Si Zhengting widened his eyes in disbelief.

  In the past, whenever Ding Mengya joked with Si Zhengting, Zhuang Nainai had never cut in.

  Similarly, whenever Zhuang Nainai spoke to Si Zhengting, Ding Mengya had never interrupted them.

  But this time……

  Si Zhengting turned to look at Zhuang Nainai, only to see that she didn’t seem the least bothered by the fact that Ding Mengya had cut into their conversation. She was now indignantly pointing at him and retorting, “Exactly! Si Zhengting, tell me, how can you despise me?”


  Si Zhengting looked at the two people in front of him: one was nagging at him not to bully his wife while the other was staring at him in dissatisfaction. As he continued to look at them, he suddenly began smiling.

  A gush of warmth flowed through his heart.

  There were three women in his life who were the most important people to him.

  Si Jingyu was already on good terms with Zhuang Nainai, and now, Zhuang Nainai and Madam Ding seemed to be moving in the right direction together.

  Other than the misfortunes currently befalling Si Jingyu’s marriage, everything in his life was complete.

  His dazzling smile now reflected in Zhuang Nainai and Ding Mengya’s gazes. The two of them glanced at each other at the same time and smiled.

  It was as if giving in to each other for the sake of the most important man in both of their lives felt good.

  After the dumplings were done, the three of them took turns to cook their own specialty dishes.

  Zhuang Nainai thought for a while before deciding on the breakfast that she used to make for Si Zhengting during their high school days: a sunny-side-up with potato cakes and banana chips. Even though it didn’t match with the current festivities, Si Zhengting gobbled up all of the food she made without eating much of the dumplings.

  By the time they finished dinner, it was only 8 in the evening, and the four of them sat down on the sofa to watch the Chinese New Year Special Program.

  The butler stood up to busy himself with washing fruits or nuts for all to eat, but Ding Mengya stopped him before he could do anything. “Li, it’s just the four of us today, and there are no outsiders. Let’s just do away with the usual formalities; let Si Zhengting go wash the fruits because he’s the youngest in the family!”


  Upon hearing this, Si Zhengting immediately stood up and walked toward the fridge.

  The butler, familiar with the family, decidedly sat down on the single chair opposite Ding Mengya. But Zhuang Nainai still noticed how his eyes were red, and she thought to herself,

  After Si Zhengting came back with the fruits, everyone glued their eyes to the program on the television.

  They chatted as they watched the television; peaceful and warm, they spent their New Year’s Eve this way.

  But Ding Mengya and the butler were old, after all, and they began yawning when it was 10 at night. Eventually, the butler stood up to brew a pot of tea, and Ding Mengya stood up with him. “Li, let’s go chat on the balcony.”