Accidentally Becoming a Green Tea Goddess Everyone Loves - Chapter 14

Returning to the villa from Lu Yanwei’s home, Shen Shirou opened the door and was immediately greeted by a savory aroma wafting through the house.

It was the smell of a home-cooked meal.

When she had left earlier, Jiang Peixing hadn’t been home. That meant.

After slipping into her slippers, Shen Shirou headed straight for the kitchen. Sure enough, she spotted Jiang Peixing’s silhouette. The setting sun filtered through the glass window, casting a long, elegant shadow over her.

Jiang Peixing’s back was turned to her. Her sleeves were rolled up halfway, revealing pale, slender forearms as she maneuvered a spatula with fluid, practiced ease.

Who would have thought? Someone as cold and detached from the world as Jiang Peixing actually knew how to cook. And from the smell of it, she wasn’t half bad.

Shen Shirou had lived in the villa for a month and had never seen Jiang Peixing step foot in the kitchen. She had honestly assumed the woman was the type who struggled with basic self-care.

Just as Shen Shirou arrived, Jiang Peixing finished the final dish. She turned around and brought the plates to the dining table.

Knowing Jiang Peixing must have noticed her, Shen Shirou leaned against the back of a dining chair and offered a half-hearted compliment. “Sister, your cooking smells amazing. Just one whiff and I’ve completely lost my self-control. I really want a taste.”

She had made the hint obvious enough; surely Jiang Peixing would have some reaction and invite her to join?

Instead, Shen Shirou stood there and watched as Jiang Peixing served herself a bowl of rice without a single word of acknowledgment. It was as if she hadn’t understood the subtext at all.

But Shen Shirou wasn’t about to give up. She grabbed her own bowl and chopsticks and sat down. “Can I eat with you, Sister? I haven’t had the chance to try your cooking yet.”

Despite the question, she began moving her chopsticks before Jiang Peixing could even respond. She didn’t care whether she was welcome or not—Jiang Peixing had eaten the noodles she made once, so consider this meal a repayment.

To her surprise, Jiang Peixing only lifted her eyelids slightly to glance at her out of the corner of her eye. She then continued eating in silence, showing no displeasure at Shen Shirou’s intrusion.

The dinner proceeded peacefully until they reached the end of the meal.

“Tomorrow is the appointment for the custom wedding dress,” Jiang Peixing’s voice sounded softly.

Shen Shirou froze. She remembered the novel’s setting: she and Jiang Peixing were supposed to wed in three months. In other words, if the engagement wasn’t broken, she would be legally bound to this woman within a month after that.

A wedding was a logistical nightmare; preparations obviously had to start early.

Given the Jiang family’s extravagant style, the dress was likely a handcrafted custom piece, requiring measurements and styles to be finalized months in advance.

“The company has run into some trouble,” Jiang Peixing said, setting down her chopsticks. “It hasn’t been fully resolved yet.”

Having spent this much time together, Shen Shirou understood Jiang Peixing’s shorthand. The company was busy; therefore, Jiang Peixing couldn’t make it.

“I don’t have time right now. I’ll have to wait until the weekend is over,” Jiang Peixing’s next sentence confirmed the suspicion. “Can you go by yourself tomorrow?”

Jiang Peixing’s expression remained stoic, but Shen Shirou caught a hint of inquiry in her tone. She was actually asking for Shen Shirou’s opinion.

On anyone else, this would be normal. On the consistently cold and abrasive Jiang Peixing, it was borderline bizarre.

A ridiculous thought crossed Shen Shirou’s mind: Is Jiang Peixing feeling guilty because she can’t accompany me?

That explained why she hadn’t gotten angry at Shen Shirou’s boldness earlier. Shen Shirou mused that since they’d be parting ways in two months anyway, it didn’t really matter if the dress was ordered or not, it would never be worn.

However, seeing someone as heartless as Jiang Peixing feeling guilty was a rare treat. She had to take advantage of it.

“It’s fine, Sister. Just take care of the company,” Shen Shirou said in a low, muffled voice. “I’m used to being on my own. I won’t make a scene or throw a tantrum over it.”

Her tone was laced with bitterness, sounding anything but sincere. As expected, her words caused a brief flicker of emotion in Jiang Peixing’s eyes.

After a moment of silence, Jiang Peixing looked down. “Do you need me to have Rong Yuan drive you?”

“No need,” Shen Shirou replied. “Rong Yuan is your assistant. If she’s gone, it won’t be convenient for you to work.”

In reality, Shen Shirou had already decided to call Lu Yanwei and ask her to come along. Why would she need Rong Yuan?

After finishing the meal, Shen Shirou stood up to take the dishes to the kitchen sink. As she turned back, she noticed Jiang Peixing’s gaze had landed on her phone, which was sitting on the table.

Attached to the phone was the pendant Lu Yanwei had given her—a red cord with a bell and a tiny, exquisite little rabbit charm.

After a few seconds, Jiang Peixing withdrew her gaze. Shen Shirou picked up the phone and grumbled inwardly, What are you looking at? This was given to me by your future wife.

Back in her room, Shen Shirou shut the door. Once she was sure Jiang Peixing couldn’t hear her, she dialed Lu Yanwei’s number.

“Yanwei, are you free to go out tomorrow?”

The next day was a gloriously sunny day. Shen Shirou sent the address of the bridal boutique to Lu Yanwei and headed there early. By the time Lu Yanwei arrived, Shen Shirou was already trying on different styles of wedding dresses.

Jiang Peixing’s parents were very open-minded and had given the couple full autonomy. Thus, the style of the dress was entirely up to Shen Shirou.

Shen Shirou was trying on a gown with a long, sweeping train. Just as she was about to inspect herself in the mirror, she heard approaching footsteps. She turned and saw Lu Yanwei. She smiled and waved.

Looking at the woman before her, Lu Yanwei instinctively held her breath.

Shen Shirou’s eyes were curved like crescents, and the white wedding dress was encrusted with pearls, the train trailing elegantly on the floor. She was hauntingly, untouchably beautiful. For a moment, the rest of the world seemed to vanish for Lu Yanwei, leaving only Shen Shirou.

Lu Yanwei stood frozen in place.

“Yanwei?” Seeing no reaction, Shen Shirou walked toward her.

But the train was too long. Shen Shirou tripped over the fabric and nearly tumbled to the floor. Lu Yanwei snapped out of her daze and moved with lightning speed to steady her. “Careful.”

Shen Shirou fell right into Lu Yanwei’s arms. She blinked playfully, her expression charming. “It’s okay. I knew you’d catch me.”

“What do you think of this dress?” Shen Shirou stepped out of the embrace, holding her skirt and spinning around once for Lu Yanwei.

Lu Yanwei could swear she heard the sound of her own heart racing. Her face flushed as she spoke her honest thought: “You look breathtaking.”

Despite knowing Shen Shirou had a fiancée, Lu Yanwei couldn’t stop an unavoidable illusion from taking root. It felt as if this wedding dress was being worn for her.

As if she were the one about to marry Shen Shirou.