My Wife, So Fierce! - Chapter 39

“What’s wrong?”

Noticing Shen Baiyi’s odd expression, Zheng Yao turned to look but saw nothing unusual before turning back to her.

“Who else is in your car, sis?” Shen Baiyi concealed the emotions in her eyes, forcing a smile. “A friend of yours?”

“Yeah.” Zheng Yao nodded, then reminded her, “I made all this for you myself, don’t waste it. Eat it all, got it?”

“Got it.” Shen Baiyi smiled. “I’d never waste anything you made for me.”

As she spoke, she glanced at the car again. “Is your friend coming over for dinner? The nutritional meals you made for me would she even like them?”

“We’re eating out.” Zheng Yao huffed. “You’re the only one who can make me slave away in the kitchen like this.”

At that, Shen Baiyi’s eyes instantly brightened with amusement, her smile curving sweetly. “You spoil me.”

“I don’t.” Zheng Yao flushed slightly at her words and deliberately scowled. “Go eat your food. I’m leaving.”

With a wave, she returned to the car.

“That little sister of yours is quite pretty,” Zhou Meilin remarked, sneaking another glance outside. “I feel like I’ve seen her somewhere before. She seems… kinda fierce.”

“Fierce?” Zheng Yao looked baffled. “That girl? With her timid personality and delicate looks? If anything, you’re the one who might scare her. How is she fierce?”

She chuckled.

“Wow, your judgment’s way off.”

This was the first time she’d heard someone describe Shen Baiyi as “fierce.”

Feeling guilty for badmouthing a younger girl, Zhou Meilin coughed awkwardly. “Sorry, must’ve been my imagination.”

The distance was too far maybe she’d misread the expression.

Zheng Yao didn’t dwell on it, though Shen Baiyi’s earlier “You spoil me” still sent shivers down her arms.

Spoil Shen Baiyi?

Impossible.

She just couldn’t stand having such a skinny creature in her house.

Just like Yao Yao and Bubu before, she couldn’t tolerate any living thing looking like a walking skeleton, so she’d gone all out to fatten them up.

That was all.

She was just a soulless feeding machine, incapable of tolerating skinniness.

Trying to cover up, she added, “She’s just a kid. Once her college entrance exams are over, I’m kicking her out.”

Zhou Meilin blinked.

She hadn’t even said anything?

Her inner gossip demon burned fiercely, but knowing Teacher Guan wasn’t one to overshare, she swallowed her curiosity the entire ride, forcing the questions back down.

Luckily, the restaurant they went to was delicious, and they enjoyed their meal before browsing a nearby mall. By the time she dropped Zhou Meilin off, it was already 2 p.m.

With thousands of autographs to sign, Zheng Yao spent the entire afternoon in her study, her hand aching from writing. The thought of cooking held zero appeal.

After setting Shen Baiyi’s nourishing soup to simmer, she cracked open a cup of instant noodles for herself.

Honestly, after eating home-cooked meals for so long, instant noodles actually tasted… off.

Not just the flavor even her stomach seemed to protest. That night, Zheng Yao’s gut ached dully.

I thought the pain would pass after a while, but it kept coming in waves with no sign of relief.

After finally digging out a box of stomach medicine, I checked the expiration date only to find it had already passed.

I had no choice but to make a trip to the clinic.

On the way back, I happened to pass by No. 1 High School, but by this time, the senior year classes had already ended. Shen Baiyi was probably already on her way home.

Maybe I’d even run into her on the road.

No sooner had this thought crossed my mind than I spotted a figure ahead that looked exactly like Shen Baiyi.

Suddenly, Shen Baiyi stopped in her tracks.

At first, I thought she had noticed me behind her, but when I looked closer, my brows instantly furrowed.

Someone had stopped Shen Baiyi.

The petite Shen Baiyi looked even smaller surrounded by several tall, burly men.

The men clearly had ill intentions.

My expression darkened as I honked the horn at them and accelerated toward them.

The sudden honk made the men instinctively glance in my direction, but Shen Baiyi didn’t react at all.

She stared warily at the men in front of her, her expression cold. “Move.”

If possible, she didn’t want to resort to violence.

No matter how skilled she was, she couldn’t easily take down several grown men without getting hurt or dirtying her clothes and backpack.

That would be troublesome.

She wouldn’t know how to explain it to her sister.

“Little girl, you’ve got some nerve!” The leader of the men laughed mockingly. “Last time, you smashed our heads open and even got the cops to drag us in for questioning. Pretty impressive, huh?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Shen Baiyi said expressionlessly, refusing to admit anything.

The honking behind them continued incessantly, growing louder and closer.

The dimly lit road suddenly brightened, the headlights almost blinding.

“Seems like a concerned citizen is coming. Do you think she’ll call the police and have you arrested?” Shen Baiyi smiled faintly. “Uncles, care to guess whether I’m of legal age or not?”

Harassing women was already a crime, let alone harassing a minor.

Shen Baiyi was slender, and though she had grown taller recently, she still looked like she might not be an adult.

The men’s expressions changed, and without further hesitation, they sped off on their motorcycles.

Shen Baiyi stared at their retreating figures, lost in thought. She had reported them to the police last time, but they had only been locked up for a few days before being released. It seemed they hadn’t learned their lesson.

Just as she was thinking this, the sound of a car door opening came from behind.

It was the concerned citizen.

Shen Baiyi adjusted her expression and quickly turned around. “Thank”

Her words cut off abruptly.

Seeing her sister rushing toward her, her face lit up with joy. “Sister, what are you doing here?!”

At the same time, she felt a pang of fear.

Those men had almost seen her sister.

“Did they hurt you?”

Zheng Yao’s face was grim as she grabbed Shen Baiyi and looked her over. Only after confirming she was unharmed did she relax.

“No.”

Shen Baiyi shook her head obediently. After a moment’s thought, she spread her arms and hugged her sister, her voice trembling with feigned distress. “That was really scary just now.”

There was genuine emotion in her words.

She had been truly frightened.

A wave of fear washed over her as she realized how close she had come to acting impulsively. If her sister had seen her fighting, she didn’t know what her sister would think of her.

It might even have scared her sister.

Sniffing the familiar scent from her sister, she closed her eyes contentedly. “Thank goodness you’re here.”

Suddenly, she sensed something amiss.

Her nose twitched as she leaned closer to her sister for a careful whiff. Confirming it was the familiar antiseptic odor, she frowned and looked up with concern. “Did you go to the hospital, sis?”

Why did she smell like a hospital?

Zheng Yao, however, brushed past this, her expression stern as she pressed, “Was this the first time you ran into them, or has it happened before?”

“Just once before,” Shen Baiyi replied vaguely under her sister’s relentless questioning. “They didn’t dare do anything, so don’t worry.”

Their courage was indeed limited, no real menace in their eyes. Last time, she’d even smashed a rock into one of them, leaving him bloodied. Yet when they met again, they showed no increased ferocity.

Such people only prey on the weak. As long as she acted fiercer, they wouldn’t dare bother her again.

“This is too dangerous.” Zheng Yao’s face remained grim. She couldn’t bear to imagine what might have happened to Shen Baiyi if she hadn’t stepped out today.

Would she have escaped by sheer luck, or fallen victim to those men?

The thought spurred her to a decisive command: “Starting tomorrow, I’ll pick you up after dark.”

Without giving Shen Baiyi a chance to refuse, she shoved the bicycle into the trunk and opened the car door. “Get in.”

Seeing her sister’s unyielding expression, Shen Baiyi obediently climbed in without another word.

The moment she entered the car, she spotted the medicine on the seat.

Her heart clenched. “Are you feeling unwell, sis?”

“It’s nothing, just a minor issue,” Zheng Yao replied offhandedly, her furrowed brow still tense.

A girl alone especially a pretty one was truly vulnerable out there.

Not just outside, but even at home wasn’t safe.

She’d scrolled through countless news reports about solo-living women being robbed or assaulted in their own homes.

And Shen Baiyi, so delicate and gentle, was particularly at risk.

Heavy with worry, they arrived home. Zheng Yao gestured toward the kitchen. “There’s soup simmering for you. Go have some.”

As she turned toward her room, an arm suddenly caught hers. Zheng Yao’s eyes flickered Shen Baiyi’s palm was scalding hot, rough with calluses.

An impossible-to-ignore sensation.

She turned back, patience in her voice. “What is it?”

“Can you tell me what’s wrong?” Shen Baiyi lowered her head. “If you don’t, I’ll just keep imagining the worst. I’m really worried about you.”

She looked so dejected, like a drenched puppy.

For the first time, Zheng Yao found herself thinking a puppy could be cute.

Patting Shen Baiyi’s hand gently, she murmured, “Just some stomach pain. Nothing serious.”

Shen Baiyi released her grip but frowned deeply. “Stomach pain? Have you not been eating properly?”

It almost sounded like an accusation.

Zheng Yao felt a strange twinge since her father’s passing, few had dared question her like this.

And yet, she couldn’t snap back.

“No,” she refused to admit any neglect toward meals.

If she conceded now, Shen Baiyi might latch onto this forever, undermining her authority. Then she’d have no ground to insist on proper meals for her sister later.

“It’s an old issue,” she stated without guilt.

Fortunately, Shen Baiyi didn’t press further though she didn’t let go either. Instead, she asked earnestly, “Are you hungry now? Let me make you some congee.”

Zheng Yao wanted to shake her head, but her stomach was more honest than her mouth. Before she could say anything, her belly had already growled loudly.

“……”

The protest was too obvious. After a moment of silence, Zheng Yao simply admitted, “I am a little hungry.”

She grasped Shen Baiyi’s hand that had just released her arm: “I can cook for myself. You go take a shower after your midnight snack and get to bed early.”

Her tone brooked no argument.

Unfortunately, this time Shen Baiyi didn’t obediently listen to her.

Lifting her head, her beautiful face set with stubbornness, she said, “I want to make congee for my sister.”

Her dark, luminous eyes held emotions Zheng Yao couldn’t decipher. When she stared straight at her like that, there was an inexplicable forcefulness that made Zheng Yao unconsciously hold her breath, unable to voice any objection.

After several seconds of staring at each other, it was Zheng Yao who gave in.

She turned her head away uncomfortably, somewhat annoyed: “Suit yourself.”

She had actually been intimidated by a little brat?!

So, infuriating!

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