Chapter 12
Luo Zhengzheng returned home and didn't see Gu Shi downstairs. She went to the kitchen and saw soup simmering on the stove.
Nanny Wang heard the noise and came to the kitchen. Seeing her, she smiled and said, "Zhengzheng's back. Gu Shi is upstairs. Your Uncle Wang went out and bought a lot of beef. Beef brisket soup is being stewed."
When Nanny Wang was young, she worked for Ye Li, taking care of her daily needs. After Gu Shi was born, Ye Li only trusted her and entrusted Gu Shi to her care. Over the years, thanks to Nanny Wang's help at home, both mother and son respected her greatly and always treated her as family. She addressed the Gu brothers by their first names.
Luo Zhengzheng married into the Gu Family, and Nanny Wang had always taken good care of her. After Chengjia was born, Nanny Wang also diligently cared for him, and Luo Zhengzheng had long regarded Nanny Wang as an elder.
Luo Zhengzheng didn't see her son and smiled, "Is Chengjia taking a nap?"
Nanny Wang nodded, "Just fell asleep."
Luo Zhengzheng had just come from the hot pot restaurant and still smelled of it. She said, "I'm going upstairs to change my clothes. Nanny Wang, I'll watch the pot. You go and rest." She knew Nanny Wang took a nap every day.
Nanny Wang smiled and said, "The beef brisket has just started stewing; it'll simmer for another hour or two. Why don't you take a nap?"
Luo Zhengzheng: "Okay."
Upstairs in her room, she didn't see Gu Shi and found the bathroom door closed. She changed into a loose-fitting knitted dress and was about to go downstairs to cook for Gu Shi when she heard Gu Shi's voice from the bathroom: "Zhengzheng?"
Luo Zhengzheng looked towards the bathroom: "It's me."
Gu Shi slightly opened the door, revealing half his body. Water droplets slid from his hair to his chest, brazenly exposed before Luo Zhengzheng. With his wet hair, he looked at her and said, "I forgot my bathrobe. Get me one."
Luo Zhengzheng didn't look at him. She casually grabbed a white bathrobe from the closet. She had just reached the bathroom door when he pulled her inside and slammed the door shut.
"What are you doing?" Luo Zhengzheng exclaimed, turning her face away to avoid his gaze and shoving the bathrobe haphazardly into his hands. "Hurry up and put on your pajamas, I don't want to get a sty."
Gu Shi looked at her and asked in a low voice, "A sty?"
Luo Zhengzheng cleared her throat and said seriously, "Even as husband and wife, this isn't appropriate, is it?"
Gu Shi tossed the bathrobe onto the sink, lowered his head to touch her forehead, grabbed her delicate wrist with one hand, and held her slender waist with the other. "What haven't you seen on my body?"
Luo Zhengzheng pushed him away, but couldn't budge him. "I'll go downstairs and cook for you."
Gu Shi's slightly darkened gaze fell on her pink lips, tightened his grip on her waist, and he said softly, "You left your husband at home for half a month, shouldn't you make it up?"
Luo Zhengzheng didn't agree with him, saying, "Weren't you away on a business trip?"
She couldn't help but think that she hadn't wronged this man at all; he really was petty.
Gu Shi remained silent.
In his youth, Gu Shi had a rather bad temper, often silently dealing with those who offended him. Few dared to provoke him. As he grew older and started working at Ye's company, his temper mellowed considerably. Luo Zhengzheng was his wife, a few years younger than him. She married him young, bore him children, and he had immense patience for her.
Luo Zhengzheng, seeing him looking at her calmly, always felt it was the calm before the storm.
Suddenly, he released her wrist, ruffled her hair, carried her to the shower, turned on the hot water, and prepared to take off her dress.
Luo Zhengzheng noticed his actions and quickly said, "Don't get my clothes wet, I'll take them off myself."
The man's intentions were too obvious. The bathroom was small, and through the steam, she looked at his cold, handsome face. His usually calm eyes were now deep and dark.
This was the type Luo Zhengzheng had always liked; otherwise, she wouldn't have married him without hesitation.
Gu Shi heard the gritted teeth in her voice, a hint of amusement in his eyes. He pulled her into his arms and kissed her.
The temperature in the bathroom rose rapidly. She was soaking wet in his arms, one hand holding her ankle, the other tightening around her waist, as he gently kissed her.
After a long time, they left the bathroom and went to bed. Her voice was broken and panting.
After calming down, she glared at the man whose eyes were slightly red. His calm voice was slightly hoarse: "What's wrong?"
What could Luo Zhengzheng say? She only said, "What time is it? The beef brisket is still stewing in the pot. Go check it."
Gu Shi leaned against the headboard, languid and sexy. He said, "It's three o'clock. Nanny Wang should have turned off the stove."
Luo Zhengzheng looked at him. "How do you know?"
Gu Shi smiled at her. "Our son is awake." He had just heard Chengjia's voice.
Luo Zhengzheng nodded. Her son was awake, and Nanny Wang must be awake too. She sat up, got out of bed, but her legs went weak. She laid back down, looking at the man: "Look what you've done."
Gu Shi smiled: "Want me to massage them?"
Luo Zhengzheng hummed in agreement.
Luo Zhengzheng asked him, "Aren't you hungry?"
Gu Shi massaged her legs while replying, "Nanny Wang made pasta for lunch."
Luo Zhengzheng pinched his waist. This man was really a jerk.
Gu Shi took a breath: "Feeling better now?"
Luo Zhengzheng thought to herself, no wonder so many women say men are all scumbags. It was true.
Ignoring him, she was indeed exhausted and laid down on the bed, intending to take a nap.
Half-asleep, Gu Shi's voice suddenly rang out: "Tomorrow's the weekend, Zhou Chen's family is coming over."
Luo Zhengzheng didn't quite hear what he said, mumbled a sleepy "Mmm"y, rolled over, draped one leg over him, and wrapped her arms around his, drifting back to sleep. She was clearly using him as a human pillow.
Gu Shi helplessly watched her limbs sprawling on him, closed his eyes, and slowly drifted off to sleep himself.
When she woke up, Luo Zhengzheng found herself lying in Gu Shi's arms. She got up casually, went to the walk-in closet, and saw many new dresses, bags, and shoes. She looked around, grabbed a white dress, and went back to the room. Gu Shi was already awake. She said, "Hurry up and get dressed, we're going to Mom and Dad's for dinner."
Gu Shi scanned her and said with satisfaction, "This dress really suits you." He had always known his wife was beautiful, and this dress accentuated her elegance.
Luo Zhengzheng smiled: "I think it looks great too." It made her look several years younger.
Seeing how many things he'd bought her, Luo Zhengzheng happily took out the tie she'd bought for him and handed it to him: "This is a tie I bought for you. Do you like it?"
Gu Shi took the tie and looked at her: "For me?"
Luo Zhengzheng nodded: "Of course, who else would I have bought it for?"
Gu Shi said with satisfaction: "Not bad."
Luo Zhengzheng took a small bag Gu Shi had brought back, put her phone in it, went downstairs, and carried little Chengjia to the parents' house.
Seeing Luo Zhengzheng's dress, shoes, and small bag, Liu Hanyue's eyes were filled with envy and jealousy. She said, "This bag, this dress—they haven't even come out yet! I haven't bought any. How did you get them?"
Luo Zhengzheng looked at Gu Shi: "He bought them."
Liu Hanyue pursed her lips, huffing, "You know, we have the same father, so why is there such a big difference? I've been married to Gu Xian for so long, and he only bought me gifts during our wedding period. Now, for Valentine's Day and our wedding anniversary, he doesn't even give me gifts."
Not only was Liu Hanyue envious of Luo Zhengzheng, but Wang Yaning was equally envious. Although her family was well-off, they couldn't support her buying designer clothes. Only after marrying into the Gu Family did she receive two million yuan in pocket money each month. This allowed them to barely afford the clothes they liked, and they didn't dare to spend lavishly.
Luo Zhengzheng didn't need to worry about any of this. Every month, Gu Shi would have someone buy her a huge amount of clothes and jewelry. A single outfit could easily equal their entire month's allowance. Moreover, as far as she knew, Gu Shi had given Luo Zhengzheng his supplementary credit card, so she wasn't short of money.
Yu Shuang naturally envied Luo Zhengzheng, often marveling at her good fortune. Hearing Liu Hanyue's words, she couldn't help but scoff. They shared the same father, but they weren't the same mother. Clearly, Gu Shi had inherited not only his father's good looks but also his mother's.
Besides, even if Gu Ming, Gu Xian, and Gu Ling wanted to lavishly buy clothes and accessories for their wives like Gu Shi did, they wouldn't have that much money. They didn't have a mother who was the chairman of a conglomerate, nor were they as good at making money as Gu Shi.
Ye Li glanced at Luo Zhengzheng's attire and then looked at her bare neck: "I have a piece of mutton-fat jade necklace; you can wear it. It'll match this dress perfectly."
Gu Shi had brought back several outfits for her this time, including a jade pendant. Thinking she'd take it off when she got back that evening, she hadn't worn it. Hearing mother-in-law 's words, she was about to nod when Gu Shi said from the side, "I'll get Zhengzheng some jewelry."
Ye Li glanced at her son and said in displeasure, "Do I need your permission to give Zhengzheng jewelry?"
Luo Zhengzheng hurriedly said, "No need, no need for his permission, Mom. I’m lacking a white jade necklace. I remember you have a white jade bracelet, it's quite pretty too."
Ye Li glanced at her son and smiled rather smugly. She didn't have a daughter, and Luo Zhengzheng, her daughter-in-law, used to be somewhat timid around her, but now she had changed. Not only was she magnanimous, she also suited her taste perfectly, just like the daughter she had always envisioned. She said, "Okay, you can have it all after the meal."
Gu Shi glanced at Luo Zhengzheng, lowered his head, and silently ate his meal.
Liu Hanyue pouted, eating her meal in a sullen mood. She actually wanted it too, but she didn't dare to say anything. Although she was often easily acted up, she wasn't stupid. She called Ye Li "Mom" and treated her like mother-in-law , but she didn't naively believe that Ye Li would treat her like a daughter-in-law. Even if her mom and Ye Li had a good relationship, she didn't think Ye Li would be completely open with her.
Wang Yaning and Yu Shuang’s heart also felt unrest, but they hid it, constantly reminding themselves, "That's not your mother-in-law, that's not your mother-in-law."
Ye Li looked at her three daughters-in-law: "I have a few pairs of diamond earrings, you can take them and wear them for fun."
Liu Hanyue, Wang Yaning, and Yu Shuang were overjoyed: "Thank you, Mom!" Having diamond earrings was nice. Actually, this mother-in-law was quite good; she didn't interfere with them, but occasionally gave them things, though not as much as she gave Luo Zhengzheng. People should know how to be content.
Gu Ming and Gu Xian glanced at their stepmother. Although she wasn't as kind to them as Gu Shi, compared to other stepmothers, she was already quite good.
As for Gu Ling, compared to Gu Ming and Gu Xian, he didn't actually dislike Ye Li at all. After all, she treated all three of them equally, without discrimination, which made him feel comfortable and not looked down upon.
Back home, Luo Can hadn't returned yet. Luo Zhengzheng sat on the sofa, looking at the white jade bracelet on her wrist, her face full of smiles.
Gu Shi looked at her: "I bought you so much jewelry and I've never seen you this excited."
Luo Zhengzheng took off her bracelet and necklace: "What do you know? Mom gave me jewelry, which means she likes me. Of course I'm happy when another person likes me."
Gu Shi looked at her helplessly, wanting to tell her that his mom had always liked her, but thinking of his mom's smug look, he chose to remain silent.