Refusing Divorce After a Contract Marriage - Chapter 5

Chapter 5: A Touch of Domestic Warmth

Jiang Chumian claimed it was nothing, but her crimson cheeks said otherwise.

Shen Qingye looked down at herself and gave a light chuckle: “You need to exercise more; spend some time in the gym.”

“In the future, don’t let yourself be so easily seduced by good looks,” Shen Qingye teased.

Jiang Chumian shook her head: “I won’t be.” She had someone she liked, and she wasn’t someone who prioritized looks above all else.

“Breakfast time has passed. Go find something to tide you over; lunch will be ready soon. Do you want to go out, call the cook, or order delivery?” Shen Qingye asked.

“Anything is fine.” Jiang Chumian didn’t have high demands when it came to food.

Shen Qingye sighed: “I thought adding another person to the house would help me decide what to eat every day.”

Jiang Chumian froze for a moment, then suggested hesitantly: “Should we order in, then?”

“Alright, you choose,” Shen Qingye said before heading back to her room to wash up.

Jiang Chumian opened a delivery app. She wanted to ask Shen Qingye for recommendations on good restaurants, but felt it might be bothersome. If she waited for Shen Qingye to come out, it might be too late to order. Eventually, she checked a review site and ordered from a place with decent ratings.

Shen Qingye finished showering and changed into loungewear—a large T-shirt and simple shorts. Her long, slender legs made Jiang Chumian feel a bit shy.

“I’ve ordered from a restaurant. The reviews were good, but I’m not sure how it actually is,” Jiang Chumian admitted, still unfamiliar with the local scene.

“It’s fine. Worst case scenario, we eat junk food,” Shen Qingye smiled.

Jiang Chumian was surprised: “Does President Shen eat junk food too?”

“Don’t you think barbecue and fried chicken are actually pretty great?” Shen Qingye asked.

Jiang Chumian lowered her gaze and shook her head: “I rarely eat them.” Such things were a luxury when she was a child, and forbidden once she grew up. The Jiang family didn’t allow them to eat things they considered “low class.”

“How tragic. Want to go get barbecue tonight?” Shen Qingye asked casually.

Jiang Chumian looked at her in a daze. Shen Qingye reached out and ruffled her hair: “President Jiang, don’t be so tense all the time.”

After living together for a while, Shen Qingye realized Jiang Chumian was different from her initial impression. She was ambitious, yes, but she wasn’t unscrupulous. Sometimes, Shen Qingye even felt a desire to take care of her.

It wasn’t hard to guess that Jiang Chumian had suffered a lot. Shen Qingye had known this since the first time she saw her as a child—a thin, small Jiang Chumian watching Jiang Xiaofan from a distance with envy in her eyes, while the “chosen one,” Shen Qingye, was surrounded by people at the Jiang house. Jiang Chumian had only taken one cautious look before retreating to her room.

Later, Shen Qingye went away for school, and Jiang Xiaofan followed her. Jiang Chumian began her life in boarding schools, moved away for university, and then went abroad. They hadn’t met again until now.

Shen Qingye knew from the files that Jiang Chumian’s life had been difficult from the moment she was born. But as a favored child of fortune, Shen Qingye hadn’t felt much sympathy initially due to their lack of contact. Now, she found Jiang Chumian was gentle and possessed a perfect sense of propriety. Occasionally, she displayed a sense of indifference to the world, likely as a defense mechanism. She was a “poor little thing” that one couldn’t help but want to protect.

Jiang Chumian looked away, feeling shy: “Okay.”

The food arrived shortly three dishes and a soup. It smelled wonderful and tasted quite good; her first attempt at ordering wasn’t a “landmine.”

In the afternoon, Shen Qingye dragged Jiang Chumian into playing a co-op game. Shen had assumed Jiang didn’t play much, but she turned out to be quite skilled.

“I didn’t see that coming.”

“I used to have to earn my own living expenses. A friend recommended I work as a ‘power leveler,’ so I’ve played a lot of games,” Jiang Chumian explained truthfully.

“You had to earn your own living expenses?” This was genuinely unexpected for Shen Qingye.

Jiang Chumian smiled faintly: “The housekeeper handled all the household expenses.”

She didn’t elaborate, but Shen Qingye understood. From the perspective of Mrs. Jiang, Shen couldn’t criticize much, but she could conclude that Jiang Chumian’s father was indeed irresponsible.

At 5:00 PM, they headed out. Jiang Chumian changed into a simple tracksuit that made her look youthful and vibrant. Shen Qingye took her to a crowded barbecue joint, ordering crawfish and various skewers.

Jiang Chumian never imagined her first time eating at a place like this would be with Shen Qingye. She was familiar with such lively scenes, but in the past, she had been the one serving; this was her first time as a customer.

The food was great. Shen Qingye loved crawfish but was slow at peeling them, so Jiang Chumian ended up helping her. After eating, they walked along a nearby trendy street. It was crowded with young people, but the bustling atmosphere was fun. Jiang Chumian even received a balloon from someone doing a promotional scan.

Overall, it was incredibly relaxing. The work-related stress of the past few days vanished. When they got home, they both smelled of barbecue. Shen Qingye showered first, while Jiang Chumian tied the balloon in the living room before heading upstairs.

That night, Jiang Chumian felt it was the most relaxed day she’d had in years.

In the days that followed, Shen Qingye wasn’t as busy, and Jiang Chumian’s work had settled into a routine. They became more familiar, occasionally having dinner together, though they often had separate plans.

One day, they both happened to finish early and met in the parking garage.

“Home so early today?” Shen Qingye asked.

“Yes, a few collaborations have been finalized,” Jiang Chumian replied with her usual calm.

The girl looked delicate and weak, but her personality was consistently cool and detached. Shen Qingye couldn’t help but smile. “That’s good.”

They entered the elevator together, only to find it raining once they reached the first floor.

“Have you had dinner?” Jiang Chumian asked.

“Not yet. I was going to call Auntie Zhang,” Shen Qingye said helplessly.

Jiang Chumian took off her jacket and rolled up her sleeves, revealing pale, slender arms: “It’s raining hard; let’s not trouble her. I’ll cook.” She opened the fridge and asked Shen Qingye about the ingredients.

Shen Qingye stood behind her, watching her slightly bowed back as she answered.

“Go shower first; I’ll handle dinner,” Jiang Chumian gave her a faint smile.

Shen Qingye thought for a moment and asked: “Need help?”

Jiang Chumian’s smile widened slightly: “No need, it’ll be quick.”

Shen Qingye truly didn’t know how to cook; as the only daughter of the Shen family, she’d never been asked to. Jiang Chumian couldn’t even picture her in a kitchen the mental image felt completely out of place.

Shen Qingye showered and came down in just a pajama top and shorts. Jiang Chumian was still in the kitchen. Shen went over to look. The pale blue apron was tied around the girl’s slim waist, and the warm yellow light of the kitchen softened her profile.

Sensing her presence, Jiang Chumian turned: “Hungry? It’s almost ready.” She hung the cloth back and tidied the utensils.

“Just came to look,” Shen Qingye said softly.

“It’s oily in here and you just showered. Just wait for me in the living room,” Jiang Chumian said politely.

Shen Qingye agreed. Jiang Chumian was always this attentive, yet always so formal.

Back in the living room, Shen turned on the TV and waited. It was a strange but wonderful feeling the once-cold house now felt filled with a sense of warmth.

Soon, Jiang Chumian brought out two dishes and a soup—simple home-style stir-fry.

“I’m not sure if it suits your taste; it’s probably not as good as Auntie Zhang’s,” Jiang Chumian said.

Shen Qingye took a bite of meat: “It’s delicious.”

“That’s good.” They lapsed back into silence; they had so little in common to talk about.

Jiang Chumian glanced at the TV and saw the female lead’s face: “What do you think about Shiguang hiring her as a spokesperson?”

Shen Qingye looked up. The actress had a strong presence.

“She fits the ‘independent woman’ style of our latest collection,” Jiang Chumian added.

Shen Qingye nodded: “Sure.” She then casually placed a piece of meat into Jiang Chumian’s bowl: “At home, we don’t have to talk about work.”

Jiang Chumian froze, then nodded: “Okay.”

“Any plans for the weekend?” Shen Qingye asked suddenly.

“Meeting a friend on Saturday.”

“Then… want to go ice skating on Sunday?”

Jiang Chumian lowered her eyes: “I don’t know how.”

Shen Qingye put down her chopsticks: “It’s fine, there are coaches.”

This was their fourth month of marriage. Aside from family dinners, they never made plans together.

“Okay,” Jiang Chumian didn’t have a reason to refuse.

Shen Qingye gave a rare, gentle smile: “It’s a date, then.”

Jiang Chumian was dazed by the smile before replying seriously: “It’s a date.”

After dinner, Jiang Chumian cleaned up. She showered and put on long-sleeved pajamas; she was sensitive to the cold due to childhood malnutrition.

Shen Qingye was waiting in the living room with a bottle of red wine. Seeing Jiang Chumian come down, she gestured to a glass she’d poured for her.

The two, who usually retreated to their rooms after work, sat together watching a spy thriller. The plot was actually quite good.

“Who do you think the mole is?” Shen Qingye was more talkative than usual.

They watched four episodes in a row. By the time they finished, it was midnight and the wine was gone. Jiang Chumian looked at Shen Qingye’s profile her high bridge, her calm amber eyes. Such a woman must have countless pursuers; Jiang Chumian still didn’t quite understand why she had chosen her for this contract.

“Is there something on my face?” Shen Qingye turned to meet her eyes, a smile playing on her lips.

Caught staring, Jiang Chumian felt awkward, but the wine-induced flush on her face masked her embarrassment.

“That’s the end of the update. Want to watch something else or rest?”

“It’s late. You have plans tomorrow,” Shen Qingye chuckled.

“Goodnight, then,” the girl said softly.

The next day, Jiang Chumian was out by the time Shen Qingye woke up. There was a note on the fridge telling her breakfast was warming in the kitchen. The elegant handwriting suggested the writer was a gentle soul.

Jiang Chumian was meeting her only true best friend, Xiao Jinyu. They had been classmates from primary school all the way through university. Unlike Jiang Chumian, Xiao Jinyu was an only child, named so that she would “always have a life of brocade and jade.” Her family had a successful small company, and she had indeed grown up pampered. Because she never had to worry about anything, Jiang Chumian always felt she was a bit of a “sweet, naive girl.”

Xiao Jinyu had just returned from a trip and urgently called Jiang Chumian out to give her a gift—a small box tied with a girly ribbon.

“Well? Are you moved?” Xiao Jinyu looked at her expectantly.

Jiang Chumian smiled: “Thank you, Jinyu. Do I have to guess what it is this time?”

“No, go home and open the ‘blind box’ yourself!”

“Okay, I’ll listen to you.”

“Let’s go shopping!” Xiao Jinyu waved her hand: “My dad just gave me some pocket money. Big sister is treating you today.”

Seeing her spoiled princess act, Jiang Chumian’s mood improved. They had coffee and dessert, then hit the malls. Jiang Chumian didn’t like shopping, but she could never say no to someone she cared about. After a long day of carrying bags, they had dinner and milk tea. Xiao Jinyu insisted on taking photos and posting them to social media. Jiang Chumian followed suit.

At home, Shen Qingye saw the post while scrolling. The girl in the photo with Jiang Chumian was more glamorous and had a brighter smile. Jiang Chumian stood beside her with a faint smile, but her usually calm eyes were lit up like starlight. Shen Qingye found it hard to look away.

So she can be this happy.

When Jiang Chumian returned that night, she was lugging several bags and the “girly” gift box.

“You’re back?” Shen Qingye said from the sofa.

“Yes,” Jiang Chumian said shyly. She felt a bit embarrassed by the amount of shopping Xiao Jinyu was relentless. “I’m going up now.”

She hung her new clothes in the closet and tidied up, only to realize she’d left the gift box on the shoe cabinet. She was too tired to go back down immediately, so she showered first. After the fatigue faded, she headed downstairs in her usual “wrapped up” pajamas.

Hearing the slippers, Shen Qingye turned. Seeing the girl in the loose pajamas, a thought flashed through her mind: Jiang Chumian is far too thin.

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