My Wife, So Fierce! - Chapter 24.2

As the guest room door closed, Zheng Yao clutched her head, feeling as though it might explode.

Tonight was destined to be sleepless.

Zheng Yao barely slept at all, yet woke up unusually early the next morning. Dark circles hung under her eyes as she stumbled out of bed.

The moment she opened her door, she saw Shen Baiyi sitting at the dining table, shelling corn kernels into a small dish.

“Sis, why are you up so early?” Shen Baiyi stood upon noticing her, looking flustered.

Zheng Yao’s eyes fell on the table. “What are you doing?”

“I thought you might prefer something sweet, so I wanted to make you corn porridge.” Shen Baiyi’s expression dimmed noticeably, though she forced a smile. “After all, this might be the last time I can make breakfast for you. I won’t get the chance in the future.”

Zheng Yao fell silent.

Her temples throbbed, intensifying her already pounding headache.

Without a word, she headed to the bathroom.

The toiletries she’d left in disarray before bed were now neatly arranged. The drain was spotless not a single strand of hair in sight.

The toothbrush and towel she’d prepared for Shen Baiyi were nowhere to be seen.

Had she thrown them away?

Frowning, Zheng Yao checked the trash bin, it was immaculate, scrubbed inside and out, looking brand new.

If they weren’t in the trash, had Shen Baiyi taken them with her?

Well, she had no money. Every little bit counted.

The thought made Zheng Yao sigh again.

After washing up, she belatedly noticed the temperature had dropped significantly.

A quick check confirmed it was over ten degrees colder than before today’s high wouldn’t even reach the previous days’ lows.

She couldn’t help but approach Shen Baiyi. “Aren’t you cold?”

“I’m fine.” Shen Baiyi sped up her movements. “Just wait a little longer, sis. I’ll be done soon.”

Her hands turned red from handling the corn kernels.

Zheng Yao stopped her: “Don’t do that anymore.”

But she accidentally touched Shen Baiyi’s hand, and the icy temperature instantly revealed the answer to her previous words. To be this cold. How much of what Shen Baiyi said was actually true?

Her expression darkened: “Go to the guest room and find a thick coat to wear.”

Shen Baiyi’s eyes flickered as she lowered her head: “Okay.”

With that, she obediently walked back to the guest room.

Zheng Yao followed her. If she remembered correctly, there should still be a thicker coat in the guest room.

But with many things, when you’re not looking for them, they seem to be everywhere yet when you actually need them, they’re nowhere to be found.

After watching Shen Baiyi rummage through the drawers for a long time without finding anything thick, Zheng Yao simply went back to her own room and tossed a large padded jacket at her.

“Wrap yourself up.”

“Thank you, sister.” Shen Baiyi hugged the coat, feeling a warmth spread through her. Sister still cared about her, still worried for her.

The coat was quite large and long.

Shen Baiyi slipped her arms into the sleeves, the hem nearly reached her ankles, and the shoulders were so wide that she looked bulky, barely able to move her hands.

Glancing at her sister, she noticed Zheng Yao was wearing a similar padded jacket, except hers was light pink while Zheng Yao’s was pale yellow.

Even though they looked like the same style, Zheng Yao wore it so beautifully, the soft color making her appear even gentler.

But then again, her sister was naturally a gentle person.

–

The sweet aroma of corn porridge filled the air. Zheng Yao glanced toward the kitchen, where Shen Baiyi was making potato pancakes. This girl must have suffered a lot in the past despite her young age, she had years of cooking experience, seemingly capable of anything.

Even amnesia hadn’t made her forget these skills.

Zheng Yao was lost in thought.

She was about to kick Shen Baiyi out of the house, yet here the girl was, toiling like a dutiful little wife to prepare breakfast for her. Did she really hold no resentment at all?

Remembering the shy, ingratiating smile Shen Baiyi always wore, Zheng Yao sighed quietly. She still hadn’t figured out what to do with her.

She couldn’t send her back to that impoverished rural village. With Shen Baiyi’s meek temperament, the Tan family would devour her in no time.

That family was drowning in debt, who knew what they were capable of? Besides, Shen Baiyi had left her hometown and come here, perhaps precisely because of them.

People like that were experts at harassment. How could a young girl like Shen Baiyi handle them? If you couldn’t fight back, the only option was to flee.

Sending her back would be throwing her into a pit of fire. Zheng Yao wasn’t particularly kind-hearted, but she wasn’t that cruel either.

That meant she had to arrange for Shen Baiyi to live and study somewhere else preferably not too far, so she could keep an eye on her in case anything happened.

After much deliberation, keeping her in City A seemed the most sensible choice.

Not only did it have the most prestigious high school, but also A University, one of the country’s top institutions. If Shen Baiyi’s academic performance remained strong, getting into A University wouldn’t be a problem, saving her the hassle of moving again later.

But would No. 1 High School accept Shen Baiyi?

With only a few months left before the college entrance exams, and Shen Baiyi’s amnesia possibly erasing her knowledge, she’d have to study twice as hard as everyone else.

What if this amnesiac girl buried herself in books day and night and ended up burning out?

She still needed someone by her side to look after her, ensuring she balanced work and rest without neglecting either her health or studies.

That meant arranging for another person.

But arranging for someone wasn’t that simple.

A pile of troublesome matters, the more she thought about them, the more her head ached.

Why was everything so complicated?

No sooner had she solved one problem than several new ones cropped up. It was endless!

“Sister, breakfast is ready,” Shen Baiyi said, placing the potato pancakes on the table before turning to bring out the porridge.

Busy as a little bee.

Zheng Yao got up and walked over. The potato pancakes were divided between two plates four on one, two on the other each adorned with a smiley face drawn in ketchup, looking utterly adorable.

Seeing Shen Baiyi about to serve her porridge, Zheng Yao stopped her. “I’ll do it myself.”

“Okay.”

Shen Baiyi seemed a little disappointed, her eyes downcast as she handed over the spoon.

Zheng Yao pressed her lips together. This girl, does she feel uneasy if she doesn’t do something for me every single day?

Suppressing her inner grumbling, she took a sip of the fragrant corn porridge. The sweet flavor burst on her tongue, and her brows relaxed. The porridge not only smelled good but tasted even better.

“Do you like it, sister?”

Hearing Shen Baiyi’s sudden question, Zheng Yao tamped down her enthusiasm for the porridge and replied matter-of-factly, “It’s passable.”

Though her words were indifferent, her actions were swift before long, the bowl was empty.

She hadn’t even touched the potato pancakes yet.

Glancing down at the bright, cheerful smiley faces on them, she picked one up and placed it on Shen Baiyi’s side. “I can’t eat this much.”

Then she got up to serve herself another half-bowl of corn porridge. This time, she ate more slowly, pairing it with the potato pancakes.

The pancakes were delicious crispy at the edges and perfectly seasoned. The ketchup cut through the greasiness, making them so enjoyable that Zheng Yao polished off two without feeling the slightest bit overwhelmed.

By the time she reached the last one, she was already stuffed. She wasn’t usually one for breakfast, yet today she’d eaten several times her usual portion.

But faced with that final pancake on the plate, she couldn’t bring herself to refuse. Before long, she had cleaned up every last bit of the breakfast Shen Baiyi had prepared.

A full stomach lifted her spirits.

Watching Shen Baiyi fumble slightly in her oversized borrowed coat, Zheng Yao spoke up. “After we finish eating, I’ll take you to buy some warmer clothes.”

At that, Shen Baiyi slowed her eating. She looked up. “There’s no need, sister. I probably have clothes at home. No point wasting money.”

“You don’t have a damn thing,” Zheng Yao retorted bluntly. “What home do you even have now?”

That little courtyard had likely been seized by the Tan family long ago. If Shen Baiyi still had a home, would she have ended up here?

No sooner had the words left her mouth than Shen Baiyi’s eyes reddened.

Zheng Yao froze. The one who eats is beholden to the cook. Here she was, having just enjoyed a full breakfast prepared by Shen Baiyi’s hard work, only to turn around and be this harsh. Not the best look.

After a moment of silence, she attempted damage control. “What I meant was, your home has been taken over by the Tan family. You probably can’t go back.”

Shen Baiyi’s eyes grew even redder, tears glistening at the edges.

“…”

That might’ve hit a sore spot.

Nothing seemed to work. Zheng Yao sighed, rubbing her temples. What else can I even say? It’s all the truth, isn’t it?

But Shen Baiyi didn’t actually cry, just looked at her with reddened eyes and said, “It’s okay, sister, I understand everything.”

Understand? What could her empty head possibly understand? Remembering the Tan family members she’d seen last year, Zheng Yao felt another headache coming on.

“I can wear sister’s clothes,” Shen Baiyi continued, then tentatively asked, “Sister, could I take a few of your unwanted clothes when I leave?”

“I’ll buy you new ones,” Zheng Yao frowned.

“But sister’s clothes fit me too,” Shen Baiyi looked puzzled. “I really like sister’s clothes. They’re still practically new, why waste money buying more?”

Zheng Yao hesitated.

That actually made some sense.

With Shen Baiyi’s petite frame, her middle school clothes would probably fit perfectly.

She’d always been someone who quickly tired of new things, often growing bored with freshly purchased clothes after just a few wears. If she dug them out now, they’d likely still look brand new.

But they were styles from years ago probably outdated by now. Might as well just buy new ones.

She reaffirmed her stance: “It’s not wasteful.”

If they could be worn, how was it wasteful? It was making full use of resources.

“Sister, please stop spending money on me,” Shen Baiyi’s voice grew even more subdued. “Thinking about how much money sister has wasted on me makes me feel terrible. I don’t even know how to repay you.”

At these words, Zheng Yao stopped hesitating and nodded: “Alright then, I’ll go back to the old house later and find you some old clothes.”

Shen Baiyi had been bustling around her home precisely because she felt indebted for the help. If Zheng Yao bought her a bunch of new clothes now, the girl would probably feel compelled to carve out her own heart as repayment.

“Thank you, sister!”

Seeing Shen Baiyi look much happier, her thin face all smiles, Zheng Yao sighed in relief.

After taking Shen Baiyi’s temperature again and confirming the fever hadn’t returned, Zheng Yao finally felt comfortable leaving the house.

Before going, she reminded Shen Baiyi: “Stay home and don’t wander off.”

“I will, sister,” Shen Baiyi replied.

Looking as obedient as could be.

Zheng Yao felt reassured. After all, Shen Baiyi wasn’t like Bubu, this girl was much more compliant.

The Zheng family’s old house was quite far from their current neighborhood. Zheng Yao drove for over half an hour before arriving.

The old house remained largely untouched as she rarely visited. Inserting the key into the lock, her movements felt unfamiliar.

When the door opened, the musty smell of disuse hit her. Zheng Yao held her breath and instinctively stepped back, her gaze sweeping the interior.

The living room lay directly ahead. With no one living there for so long, all the furniture was covered in white sheets. Yet Zheng Yao seemed to see a scene from her childhood Bai Yuanzhu reclining on the sofa while her father sat on the floor massaging her legs.

After standing in the doorway for a moment, she entered.

The long-unventilated house didn’t smell pleasant. Zheng Yao didn’t linger in the main area, immediately opening the door to her old bedroom.

The room was awash in pink.

Her father had personally designed her bedroom, even painting the walls in soft pink tones something she’d later complain made the room too childish.

What had her father said in response back then?

He said that in his heart, he would always be a child, so it didn’t matter if he was childish because he was a child to begin with.

Now, even this man who always saw himself as a child was gone.

With a soft sigh, Zheng Yao pushed down her thoughts.

She hadn’t come today to reminisce about the past.

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