After Being Bound to the Scummy Alpha System, I Became Famous Thanks to My Face Blindness - Chapter 73 EXTRA STORY 4

It took them a full week to finally get their new home arranged just the way they wanted. The moment everything was in place, Tang Ling couldn’t wait to invite their friends over for a little housewarming.

Tan Shiyi had just come out of the shower, her hair still damp, when Tang Ling came bounding over with her phone, waving it eagerly. “Wife, which of these photos do you think look best? Come help me pick.”

On the screen were countless pictures of the two of them—some from official shoots, some selfies, and even a few taken by fans. Every single one was filled with sugary-sweet affection.

“What are you picking them for?” Tan Shiyi asked, puzzled. “They all look fine. Are you planning to print them and hang them up?”

“Nope.” Tang Ling grinned. “We’re having people over, remember? I want to use these to make a digital invitation.”

Tan Shiyi gave her a skeptical look, leaned in for a closer look—and immediately blushed. “This app, isn’t this the one people use for wedding invitations?”

Tang Ling scratched her head. “What’s the difference? The templates look nice and it’s easy to use. It’s only for our friends anyway—doesn’t matter.”

“How can it not matter?” Tan Shiyi protested. “It literally says ‘wedding banquet’ right here! And this part—‘we invite you to witness our moment of happiness’—this is clearly for weddings!”

Tang Ling crossed her arms with conviction. “Well, us moving in together is a happy occasion too. Why can’t we call it a celebration? Why can’t we let them witness our happiness?”

“You’re so reckless.” Tan Shiyi sighed helplessly, though her heart melted a little. “Fine, do whatever you want—just make it look nice.”

Tang Ling sprawled lazily on the sofa, one leg crossed over the other, humming as she worked. It didn’t take long before she was done. She immediately sent the finished invite to Tan Shiyi and called out loudly, “Wife! I’ve sent it to you!

Check if it passes inspection!”

Tan Shiyi, now with her hair dry and smelling faintly fresh, sat down beside her and scrolled through it. “It looks nice. But who exactly are you inviting?”

“The time’s already set, so I’ll just post it to my Moments,” Tang Ling said breezily. “Whoever’s free can come. It’s too much trouble to organize otherwise.”

Truthfully, she just wanted to show off a bit of their domestic bliss. Whether people actually came or not didn’t matter much. She hit “share” with one tap and then leaned close to Tan Shiyi, sniffing playfully. “Wife, you smell amazing.”

Tan Shiyi pushed her away. “Don’t touch me—you haven’t showered yet.”

Tang Ling tossed her phone aside with mock indignation. “Fine, fine, I’ll shower. You let Tang Doudou—who’s literally covered in mud—sleep on the bed, but I skip one bath and suddenly I’m not worthy?”

Tan Shiyi shot her a look. “You know that, so what are you waiting for?”

Tang Ling saluted smartly. “Yes, ma’am!”

As she watched Tang Ling head into the bathroom, Tan Shiyi couldn’t help picking up the phone again. She read the digital invitation more carefully this time, her lips curving into a soft smile.

The next morning, Tang Ling woke up and immediately opened the app to check who had replied.

The first comment was from Bai Xi—two large characters followed by a string of exclamation marks: “DELETE THIS！！！！！！！！”

Tang Ling, long accustomed to ignoring Bai Xi’s dramatics, scrolled right past it.

The second reply was from Jiang Manli: “I’m coming! Of course I’m coming! Even if I have to climb mountains or cross fire! Just wait—your girl’s bringing a proper housewarming gift!!!”

The third came from Cheng Qingyan, concise as always: “I’m free.”

After that, only a few likes—no more replies.

Tang Ling strongly suspected that the bizarre contrast between the social butterfly Jiang Manli and the conversation-killer Cheng Qingyan had scared everyone else off.

Still, fewer people wasn’t a bad thing. The four of them had worked together before and knew each other well. It’d be more relaxed that way.

Finally, the day of their “wedding banquet”—well, housewarming party—arrived.

It happened to be a day off. That morning, Tang Ling and Tan Shiyi went to the nearby farmer’s market to buy a variety of fresh ingredients, then stopped by the supermarket for drinks and wine before heading home to cook.

Tan Shiyi did most of the cooking. Tang Ling could cook too, but she wasn’t nearly as skilled—her dishes never tasted quite as good. So, she was relegated to washing and prepping vegetables, basically acting as sous-chef.

Tan Shiyi handed her a basin full of chicken feet. “Didn’t you say you love trimming nails? Have at it.”

Tang Ling sighed dramatically. “Sometimes when you and Tang Doudou team up against me, I really start to wonder whose wife you actually are.”

Tan Shiyi, merciless as ever, said flatly, “Less talking, more trimming. You’re also in charge of deveining the crayfish. Don’t make me look like I’m overworking you when our guests arrive.”

Tang Ling wailed, “Isn’t this just exploitation at this point?”

But complaints aside, work still had to be done. As the two went about tidying up, they bickered nonstop, yet somehow found enjoyment in it.

When it came to social gatherings, Jiang Manli was always the most enthusiastic. It didn’t take long for her to arrive. Tang Ling thought she’d come bearing a lavish housewarming gift—only to see her carrying a birdcage instead, with two cockatiels inside.

Jiang Manli was quite pleased with her choice. “Ling-jie, Sister-in-law, I figured with your combined wealth, there’s nothing you can’t buy. What your home really lacks is a couple of kids. These two little ones—Sisi and Niannian—were hand-raised by my mom. They’re super affectionate! You can finally experience the joy of motherhood without any of the pain!”

Tang Ling stared at the timid little birds and immediately felt a headache coming on. Tan Shiyi had already been an “effortless mom” to a dog—now she was supposed to mother two birds? Was there even a shred of family hierarchy left anymore?

Tan Shiyi, however, was utterly charmed. “Which one’s Sisi and which one’s Niannian?”

“My mom says the one with the rounder face is Sisi, and the one with the bald forehead is Niannian. See if you can tell them apart.”

Round face, bald forehead—how could that sound cute? Yet Tan Shiyi, oblivious as ever, cooed happily, “I can tell! Sisi, Niannian, hello there! Aren’t you two just the sweetest?”

While Tan Shiyi was busy playing with the birds, Jiang Manli took Tang Ling aside. “Ling-jie, is my Lu Yao coming today?”

Tang Ling shot her an exasperated look. “No. It’s just you and Cheng Qingyan.”

Jiang Manli froze, stammering, “Cheng Qingyan? Why her?”

“What about her?” Tang Ling asked, puzzled. “You two have some kind of feud?”

“Not really,” Jiang Manli said, scratching her head. “She just has this piercing gaze, like she can see straight through people. Gives me the creeps.”

Tang Ling sighed. “If you haven’t done anything shady, what do you care how she looks at you? Stop overthinking and come help me chop up these chicken feet.”

Before she could finish speaking, there came another knock at the door. This time, it was Cheng Qingyan.

The moment Tang Ling saw what Cheng Qingyan was carrying, she nearly blacked out—two fishbowls, each with a fighting fish inside.

Her reasoning was the same as Jiang Manli’s, though much more succinct: “I figured your place probably has everything, so I brought a pair of bettas to add a little vitality to your home.”

Tang Ling sighed. “Great. Another pair of sons, pain-free delivery.”

Cheng Qingyan blinked. “What?”

Tan Shiyi, who had never seen fighting fish before, leaned in curiously. “Their tails are so pretty! Why can’t they live together?”

Cheng Qingyan paused before explaining, “Fighting fish can’t share a tank.”

Watching Tan Shiyi listening with rapt attention, Tang Ling felt her sense of authority as head of the household plummet. Wonderful. She’d lost one Tang Doudou, only to gain several more.

After officially “adopting” their new family members, the four women decided to prepare a “celebratory feast” together, dramatically boosting productivity.

Soon, the dishes were plated and served. They sat around the table, popping open three bottles of champagne to set the mood—Tan Shiyi stuck to juice.

A few rounds later, the three who drank had each polished off a bottle, and the truth-telling began.

Tang Ling slumped over the table, still mumbling, “You two seriously came here just to undermine my status at home. Who brings gifts like Sisi and Niannian? Totally detrimental to family harmony!”

Jiang Manli scratched her head in frustration. “I only brought them because I thought my Lu Yao would come—I wanted to look soft and gentle for once! You think I wanted to carry those birds? Do you know how nerve-wracking that trip was? I was terrified they’d poop on me and ruin my image!”

Cheng Qingyan said with perfect seriousness, “Please refrain from mentioning poop at the dinner table. And why, exactly, is this detrimental to family harmony?”

Tan Shiyi couldn’t help laughing at the sight of the three of them. “Honestly, I should record you all right now. You’ll die of embarrassment when you see yourselves sober.”

Cheng Qingyan, who wasn’t quite as drunk, chuckled. “You must think we’re ridiculous. Anyway, I almost forgot—congratulations on moving in together. I wish you both a wonderful life ahead.”

After spending more time together, Tan Shiyi no longer felt awkward around Cheng Qingyan. In fact, she was faintly grateful. “Thank you. I hope you find your own happiness soon too.”

Cheng Qingyan smiled softly. “I’ll take that blessing.”

They shared a quiet smile and raised their glasses, letting everything unsaid settle gently between them.