My Wife, So Fierce! - Chapter 37

Zheng Yao raised an eyebrow. “The noodles I cook aren’t as good as takeout.”

Shen Baiyi frowned in protest. “The noodles Sister makes are better.”

She looked like she was about to get worked up.

Zheng Yao almost laughed. The girl’s thoughts were so easy to read her eyes were filled with nothing but adoration when she looked at her. Saying her noodles were delicious was simply a case of loving the crow because of its nest.

She just didn’t know what Shen Baiyi would be like if she ever regained her memories.

Back in the Shen household, Shen Baiyi had always been polite to her, but Zheng Yao’s sharp intuition told her that Shen Baiyi hadn’t actually liked her much.

They had been strangers to begin with, not to mention the tangled web of complicated history between them.

At this thought, she couldn’t help but envy the current Shen Baiyi.

Having lost her memories, she had forgotten all the unpleasantness of the past. Everything could start anew.

“Shen Baiyi.” But just because Shen Baiyi had lost her memories didn’t mean Zheng Yao had. She grew serious. “Do you really like me right now?”

“Of course I like Sister!”

Shen Baiyi answered instantly, only to accidentally bite down on the inflamed, swollen flesh inside her mouth. The pain made her eyes redden, tears nearly springing forth.

“Hey, don’t get so worked up.” Seeing her eyes well up with tears, Zheng Yao instinctively stepped closer. “Did you bite your tongue?”

As she spoke, she reached out and pinched Shen Baiyi’s chin. “Open your mouth. Let me see.”

The distance between them abruptly closed. Zheng Yao tilted Shen Baiyi’s chin up, peering inside. “Open wider.”

Warm breath brushed against her, and Shen Baiyi’s entire face flushed crimson.

The pain in her mouth had long since faded. With Sister watching her so closely, she blinked nervously, mouth gaping wide, her tongue unsure where to rest.

“You’re bleeding.”

The swollen flesh on the right side of Shen Baiyi’s cheek had been bitten open, a thin trail of blood seeping out. Zheng Yao didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

Luckily, it wasn’t too serious.

“Why so worked up?” She released Shen Baiyi and continued what she had been saying earlier. “The reason you think you like me now is because, after losing your memories, I’m the person you’ve seen the most. It’s imprinting like a baby duckling following the first thing it sees.”

“It’s not because I’ve seen Sister the most that I like Sister,” Shen Baiyi retorted, frowning despite the pain in her cheek. “And it’s not imprinting either.”

But as for what it actually was, she couldn’t quite put it into words.

Seeing this, Zheng Yao sighed softly.

Over this period, both Shen Baiyi and she had grown increasingly close. Zheng Yao was the one who knew everything, no matter how much affection she poured into Shen Baiyi, it was her own choice.

But Shen Baiyi was different.

It almost made Zheng Yao feel like she was taking advantage of the situation.

“Shen Baiyi, I’ll be honest with you.” Her expression turned solemn. “Before you lost your memories, you might not have liked me at all. You might have even disliked me.”

“Sister’s lying. It’s Sister who doesn’t like me, who dislikes me,” Shen Baiyi muttered under her breath.

She always trusted her first instinct.

The moment she had seen Sister, there hadn’t been a trace of dislike in her heart.

“Anyway, I’ve said what needed to be said.” Zheng Yao shrugged. “Whether you keep liking me or start disliking me, that’s up to you. But don’t blame me for turning cold if you regain your memories and come making a scene.”

“I will never dislike you, sister.” Shen Baiyi immediately pledged her loyalty. “I like you the most.”

As she spoke, she couldn’t resist reaching out to hug her: “Even if it’s you, sister, you can’t stop me from liking you.”

Talking is one thing, but why must you be so handsy?

Zheng Yao clicked her tongue and pushed her away: “How old are you, still acting like this? If you’re not holding my hand, you’re trying to burrow into my arms. And you say you don’t treat me like a mother.”

Although she wanted to write a novel with a single mother as the protagonist, that didn’t mean she actually wanted to be a mother, okay?

Getting so close, all sticky and clingy.

“Does sister dislike me?”

Shen Baiyi looked utterly wounded.

Zheng Yao: ???

Not wanting to be all lovey-dovey with her means disliking her now?

So unreasonable.

Zheng Yao couldn’t be bothered to deal with her and shook the medicine in her hand: “Take your medicine and go to sleep.”

Shen Baiyi deflated: “Oh.”

Although unhappy that her sister hadn’t directly answered her question, she was truly exhausted. Not only did her tooth ache, but her head felt like a hammer was chiseling inside, the pain so intense she had no energy left to press the issue.

She obediently took the medicine and went to lie down in her room.

It must be said, the medicine did help somewhat.

As the pain eased a little, Shen Baiyi fell into a deep sleep.

This sleep was heavy.

She dreamed again.

Unlike the last shameful dream, this time she dreamed of a very unfamiliar place.

An unfamiliar house, unfamiliar men and women.

A tall, burly man circled around a beautiful woman with joy on his face, while the woman coquettishly pouted or feigned anger. The two looked perfectly harmonious.

Though it should have been a heartwarming scene, she felt no joy.

Only irritation.

She didn’t like this man, nor did she like that woman. She felt repulsed, disgusted, but the dream version of her suddenly realized these two should be her father and stepmother.

This woman was her sister’s mother.

The one who had abandoned her sister and come to her home.

Perhaps because she thought of her sister, the scene shifted, and her sister suddenly appeared in this house. Unlike her usual self, her sister looked at her with nothing but disdain.

Instantly jolted awake, Shen Baiyi lay in bed, gasping for air.

Her heart raced uncontrollably, an inexplicable panic sending waves of palpitations through her. Her mind was filled with that look of disgust from her sister, leaving her breathless like a dying fish.

A hand suddenly reached out.

Before Shen Baiyi could react, her body had already responded swiftly, slapping away that fair, delicate hand without hesitation.

A sharp smack rang out, followed by a hiss of pain:

“Ouch!”

The familiar voice brought Shen Baiyi back to her senses.

Dazedly, she turned her head to see her sister standing by her bed, frowning as she rubbed her hand. That pale hand, so fair the faint blue veins were visible, was now reddened, with the faint imprint of her slap still visible.

Realizing what she had just done, Shen Baiyi’s face instantly paled: “Sister…”

Zheng Yao raised an eyebrow: “Nightmare?”

Seeing that her sister didn’t seem angry, Shen Baiyi recalled the way her sister had looked at her in the dream and instantly felt wronged.

“Yeah.”

Tears welled in her eyes as she looked up: “Sister, hug me.”

As she spoke, she spread her arms.

Zheng Yao froze.

“Are you a child?” She couldn’t help but laugh, reaching out to pinch Shen Baiyi’s unswollen cheek. “You want a hug just because you had a nightmare?”

But Shen Baiyi insisted, her hands stretched out stiffly, her upturned face showing both panic and stubbornness.

Zheng Yao fell silent.

After staring at the teardrops hanging from Shen Baiyi’s eyelashes for a long moment, she finally gave in. She sighed softly, “I really can’t deal with you.”

Though her words were complaining, she stepped forward and pulled Shen Baiyi’s head into her embrace.

She patted Shen Baiyi’s shoulder lightly, offering awkward comfort: “Dreams are the opposite of reality, what are you afraid of?”

She wasn’t accustomed to such tender gestures.

Bai Yuanzhu was a spoiled one herself, always throwing tantrums or acting up, and their father was too busy coaxing her to pay Zheng Yao any attention.

No one had ever done this for her, so naturally, no one had taught her how to do it either.

Yet strangely, perhaps from watching her father pacify Bai Yuanzhu so often, she seemed to have picked it up instinctively.

Shen Baiyi clung tightly to her, clearly frightened.

Zheng Yao waited patiently for her to calm down.

But after a long while, Shen Baiyi still hadn’t let go, and Zheng Yao’s patience finally ran out: “Let go.”

The moment she spoke, the person in her arms retreated.

Zheng Yao looked down to see Shen Baiyi with lowered lashes, their thick shadows obscuring the emotions in her eyes.

Making it impossible to discern how she truly felt.

Seeing Shen Baiyi’s pitiful expression softened Zheng Yao’s heart, and her tone gentled: “Come eat something. Didn’t you say the noodles I make are the best?”

“Big sister’s noodles are the best,” Shen Baiyi’s expression brightened slightly.

But as they walked, she couldn’t resist grabbing Zheng Yao’s hand again, complaining, “Why aren’t you calling me Xiaobai anymore?”

The question was so abrupt that Zheng Yao didn’t even notice her hand being taken again.

She raised an eyebrow, amused: “Why should I call you Xiaobai?”

Shen Baiyi froze, stunned: “But you called me Xiaobai yesterday.”

Because Zheng Yao had called her Xiaobai yesterday, she had already forbidden Zhu Xiaofu and Zhuang Yang from using the nickname.

Xiaobai had become Zheng Yao’s special name for her, how could she stop now?

“Yesterday was yesterday, today is today.” With that, Zheng Yao pulled her hand back and pointed at the noodles on the table. “Hurry up and eat before they get soggy.”

Shen Baiyi’s displeasure was written all over her face. Zheng Yao expected her to argue, but instead, Shen Baiyi just gave her a reproachful look before lowering her head to eat.

Unbelievably obedient.

The more she acted like this, the more Zheng Yao wanted to tease her.

Sitting across from Shen Baiyi, Zheng Yao crossed her arms and studied her for a moment before grinning: “Do you like it when I call you Xiaobai?”

Shen Baiyi nodded without hesitation.

“Don’t you think ‘Xiaobai’ sounds like calling a dog?” Zheng Yao gave examples: “Xiaohei, Xiaobai, Dahuang…”

“I don’t mind.”

Shen Baiyi’s face flushed red.

Zheng Yao raised an eyebrow: “But I don’t like dogs, you know.”

Shen Baiyi was taken aback.

“Big sister doesn’t like dogs?” It had never occurred to her that someone who owned two cats would dislike dogs.

“Of course not. So are you sure you still want me to call you Xiaobai?” Zheng Yao blinked. “Every time I say it, I’ll think of the animal I hate most. You really don’t mind?”

Shen Baiyi stammered, “Then, sister, call me Xiao Yi.”

Remembering dogs was fine, but recalling the dogs her sister disliked was not.

“Shen Baiyi, are you trying to take advantage of me?” Zheng Yao laughed. “You want me to call you ‘auntie’?”

Shen Baiyi’s face instantly flushed red. “I didn’t mean that!”

She had completely forgotten the homophone in her name.

Speaking too quickly, she choked on her noodles. What she had intended to explain was now stifled by her coughing.

She coughed violently, as if her lungs would tear apart.

Zheng Yao hurriedly stood up to pat her back, both exasperated and amused. “Alright, alright, I’ll call you Xiao Bai from now on. Why are you in such a hurry?”

Once Shen Baiyi finally caught her breath, she no longer insisted on being called Xiao Bai. “No, if you call me Xiao Bai, sister will hate me.”

Zheng Yao, unusually patient, said, “I hate dogs, not you.”

“But can sister promise that even if you call me Xiao Bai, you’ll still like me forever?”

Zheng Yao raised an eyebrow. “Of course.”

The next second, a radiant smile bloomed on Shen Baiyi’s face. “Good. Sister promised me, you’ll always like me.”

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