C14 Chapter 14

"That's not quite right," Lee Sujin said as she arranged the utensils neatly and took a seat next to her mother. "If it weren't for your brother-in-law, you'd probably still be lying in a hospital bed."

"Let's eat," Wang Lifang urged, giving her younger daughter a meaningful glance to mind her words. She then turned back to Lee Susu and continued, "Your sister is just concerned about you. She wouldn't have traveled all this way otherwise."

Lee Susu shoved a bite of food into her mouth, too disinterested to respond. It seemed she had long grown used to her sister's bluntness.

"Dongdong, make sure you eat plenty," her mother-in-law encouraged, passing some dishes to him.

Chen Dong accepted them gratefully. Meanwhile, Lee Sujin, with a spark of mischief in her eyes, served some food into Chen Dong's bowl. "Brother-in-law, my sister made all of this. Go on, try it and see how it tastes."

Chen Dong had never actually seen his wife cook before, so as he savored the meal, he felt a moment of contentment. "It's really good," he admitted.

Hearing the compliment, Lee Susu looked up and shot Chen Dong a glare, as if to say he didn't deserve her culinary efforts.

Lee Sujin couldn't help but laugh, her hand covering her mouth. "Brother-in-law, how on earth did you manage it? Falling from the 24th floor and saving two lives with just a mop?"

Chen Dong had no desire to revisit the subject, suppressing the wave of aversion that rose within him. "Like I told the reporters, it was just luck," he said dismissively.

The meal continued in silence, and Chen Dong couldn't help but feel it was his presence causing the awkwardness. After a few more bites, he set his chopsticks down. "I'm finished."

"Dongdong, you're done already?" Wang Lifang asked, her age forcing her to eat slowly and carefully.

"Yes." After exchanging a few trivial words with his mother-in-law, Chen Dong avoided glancing at the two women at the table and retreated to his room.

Elbowing her sister playfully, Lee Sujin grinned. "Why do I get the feeling that our brother-in-law is a changed man?"

Lee Susu was engrossed in her meal, not once lifting her head. It seemed she had little interest in engaging with her sister. Meanwhile, Lee Sujin, feeling snubbed and awkward, gestured to Wang Lifang. "Mom, I haven't been home in so long, and Susu barely acknowledges me."

Wang Lifang, after a lengthy chew, turned to Lee Susu. "Why aren't you talking to your sister?"

Lee Susu, too old for such complaints, rolled her eyes, a habit likely picked up from her coddled life. "How am I supposed to know if she's changed?"

Lee Sujin's interest piqued again. "Brother-in-law has been inching his way into Susu's good graces. He's even sleeping in her room now."

"What kind of talk is that?" Wang Lifang, who had always pampered her younger daughter, was not pleased. "Your sister and brother-in-law have been married long enough. It's about time they had a child. What's wrong with that?"

"Absolutely," Lee Sujin agreed, her lips curling into a smile. "I'd love to help with the baby and be a godmother."

Lee Susu felt a pang of sadness at these words, finding them particularly grating. She remained silent.

Fresh from the bath, Chen Dong caught sight of his wife on the bed, engrossed in her tablet, possibly working, her brow slightly furrowed. As he arranged his blanket on the floor and prepared to lie down, he heard her call out.

Lee Susu set aside her tablet and faced him with a stern expression. "My sister will be staying with us for a few days, maybe longer. You'd better stay in line."

Chen Dong was aware of Lee Sujin's reputation. Though she lived in another province with her workaholic husband who was hardly ever home, she managed to alleviate her loneliness by being quite sociable with various men.

The specifics of these social escapades were unknown to Chen Dong; he only knew what Lee Susu had told him.

Touching his nose, Chen Dong responded in a subdued tone, "Hmm."

Why would she suddenly say that? Lee Susu must be worried that her good-for-nothing husband couldn't resist the temptation and was fooling around with his sister-in-law.

Indeed, as Chen Dong lay on the floor, the woman in the bed grumbled, "He didn't rush back when I was in the hospital. Now that he's back, there must be something going on. That little hussy is so sly."

Chen Dong remained silent.

After the lights went out, Chen Dong turned over and remembered something Yang Guogang had mentioned about an interview. He considered whether to tell Lee Susu, but before he could decide, he heard her steady breathing; she had fallen asleep.

Chen Dong closed his eyes, too indifferent to bother speaking. He hadn't expected Lee Susu to accompany him anyway.

The next morning, Lee Susu was already gone when he awoke. Chen Dong stepped out to find his sister-in-law lounging on the sofa, idly flipping through channels. She flashed a radiant smile at him as he emerged.

It's no wonder a charming sister-in-law like her would have unclear relationships with so many men; there's always a reason.

What man wouldn't be drawn to such a striking woman? Chen Dong touched his nose, his thoughts drifting to his foolish wife. It seemed she had never smiled at him, always wearing a stern expression, as if he owed her millions.

"Good morning," Chen Dong eventually replied.

"Breakfast is on the table, freshly warmed," Lee Sujin said without taking her eyes off the TV. "Mom went to the gym early this morning."

"Okay," Chen Dong acknowledged, sitting down to eat at a leisurely pace. He checked his watch; there was still time before his meeting with Yang Guogang, so there was no rush.

Feeling somewhat uncomfortable with another person in the living room, Chen Dong ate quickly, sensing as if he was being watched.

"I heard you're preparing three million yuan to repay Zhang Qi, is that right?" she asked abruptly.

Chen Dong simply acknowledged her question.

"With only two days left until the deadline," the sound from the television ceased, and Lee Sujin turned, adopting a provocative pose on the armrest of the sofa. "Have you managed to persuade your wife to help with the payment?"

The underlying tone of the latter part of the sentence carried a subtle hint of disdain.

Chen Dong pressed his lips together, the money was already in his possession; Yang Guogang had transferred it to his card just the night before.

Lee Sujin interpreted Chen Dong's silence as an admission. She shook her head, tinged with a hint of pity, "Some manage to scrape by on the streets despite having broken arms and legs. Brother-in-law, you're fully able-bodied, yet you're always depending on your sister-in-law. It must be quite a burden for her."

Chen Dong was at a loss for words.

For a brief moment, he didn't know how to respond. Picking up a napkin, Chen Dong wiped his mouth and said, "I've finished eating."