"Family..." Li Yifei let out a soft sigh.
Xu Shanshan giggled and said, "I say, brother-in-law, you’ve even made it official with my sister, got the certificate, and yet you still don’t feel like you’re family with her?"
Li Yifei gave a bitter smile and said, "Shanshan, I’m not lying to you. I really don’t have that feeling with your sister. I haven’t even had the realization that I’m married. I don’t feel like she’s my wife. Now that we’re suddenly family, I really can’t adapt."
Xu Shanshan turned her head, resting her chin on Li Yifei’s shoulder. Her breath, carrying a faint fragrance and warmth, blew on Li Yifei’s face as she said with a smile, "Husbands and wives get familiar through intimacy."
At this, Xu Shanshan had a strange smile on her face, but because she was so close to Li Yifei, he didn’t feel comfortable turning his head to face her, so he didn’t see that peculiar smile.
Li Yifei felt Xu Shanshan’s sweet breath on his face and couldn’t help but feel a bit intoxicated. Being with Xu Shanshan always gave him a sense of guilt, but this feeling of guilt was precisely what excited men the most, Li Yifei included. Yet he shook his head, trying to distance himself from Xu Shanshan’s face, and said, "It’s not that easy. Sigh, I always feel like I’ve been pushed into marriage without thinking it through, just muddling into it with your sister and forming a relationship."
"Brother-in-law, can’t you stop being so conflicted? Even if you’re twisted up inside, didn’t you still marry my sister? So why not open your heart and get along with her?"
"I know it’s for the best, but... I’m not emotionally ready. You know I still have my first love, and Yiyi, I don’t even know how to deal with them."
"What’s so hard about explaining? I can help you cut through the mess quickly. A little pain now will make you feel better later."
Li Yifei had thought about this, but as for Yiyi, he couldn’t just break it off. That gentle girl had given so much for him. Even if he couldn’t truly marry her, he should at least take care of her for life. And Ye Yunzhu, his first love, wasn’t someone who would give up easily. Even though Li Yifei had married, she wouldn’t let go so easily, and he couldn’t be cruel to her either. With all those sweet memories from high school and her deep affection for him now, what could Li Yifei do?
Xu Shanshan laughed and said, "Alright, alright, I know it’s difficult for you, so take it slow. You will eventually feel that my sister is the right one for you. Besides, who else has such a wonderful sister-in-law like me? It’s like ’buy one, get one free’ for you. You’re getting a great deal."
Li Yifei turned to look at Xu Shanshan, who was winking at him with a playful smile, which made his heart flutter. Xu Shanshan had grown too close to him lately. It really felt like a "buy one, get one free" situation.
Thinking of the two twin sisters together, Li Yifei’s mind couldn’t help but wander. It was truly enticing.
"Ahem..." Li Yifei cleared his throat twice and said, "Shanshan, let’s not joke anymore. I need to go out now; I’ve got some things to take care of."
"Let me join you," Xu Shanshan said, clutching Li Yifei’s arm even tighter.
"This... might not be very convenient."
Xu Shanshan released Li Yifei, pouting, and said, "Oh, aren’t you just going to see those old flames? Go ahead. I’m not stingy, don’t worry, I won’t tell my sister."
Li Yifei quickly slipped out of Xu Yingying’s house, which technically was his home now. Once outside, he didn’t know where he should actually go.
Xu Yingying was at the company, diligently dealing with the work she had left behind over the past few days. Once she finished her tasks and relaxed a bit, she couldn’t help but think about her relationship with Li Yifei.
Because of her mother’s illness, she married Li Yifei without any hesitation. But who knew that the illness was fake, just a trick to make her marry Li Yifei. This made her feel uncomfortable, like she was unmarriageable and had to force Li Yifei to marry her. For Xu Yingying, this was hard to accept.
She admitted she had feelings for Li Yifei now but certainly not to the point of being unable to live without him. A marriage that began this way wasn’t what she wanted.
Yet, unexpectedly, last night she went further in her relationship with Li Yifei, which genuinely troubled Xu Yingying. She told Li Yifei she didn’t care, but she really did. To give herself to him just like that, without even any feeling, was tough. If she divorced Li Yifei and looked for another man to marry, that wouldn’t make her comfortable either.
So should she just spend her life with Li Yifei? Xu Yingying didn’t know if she should.
"What’s wrong?" A hand rested on Xu Yingying’s shoulder, making her look up quickly. She saw it was He Fangqing, and smiled apologetically, "I was thinking about something and didn’t notice you coming in."
He Fangqing softly said, "You were so deep in thought. I knocked, but you didn’t hear. I came over and called you several times, and you didn’t respond. Is there something troubling you? Can you talk to me about it?"
Xu Yingying hesitated, then stood and pulled He Fangqing to the sofa, giving a bitter smile, "I really don’t know what to do now."
"Is it about Yifei?" He Fangqing immediately asked with a smile.
"Yes." Xu Yingying blushed and bit her lip, "My mom isn’t sick. She tricked me and Yifei into marriage."
He Fangqing’s eyes widened, then she burst into laughter, "Your mom sure values Yifei, going so far as to use such a method."
"I don’t know why they think so highly of him. I can’t see what’s so great about him," Xu Yingying complained.
"Heh, if Yifei wasn’t good, why did you want to marry him before?"
"At that time, it was for my sister. Who knew she was deliberately trying to provoke me to be with Yifei?"
"Haha... Shanshan is really something. With such a sister, you should feel lucky."
"But being married to Yifei , I really can’t get used to it."
"Is Yifei disagreeing? Wanting to divorce now?"
"Sigh... If not for last night, I think... we might have divorced."
"What happened last night?" He Fangqing kind of guessed but still asked.
Xu Yingying was quite embarrassed, but given that He Fangqing was her closest confidante and keeping it all inside was unbearable, she blushed and said, "Everyone was pretty happy last night, so we drank a bit more. Then... we ended up... together."
He Fangqing chuckled, "I guessed it. You’ve gotten married, and the relationship is serious; just live happily together."
Having let it out, Xu Yingying became more open, realizing that He Fangqing often did such things with Li Yifei, there was no need to be embarrassed, "I don’t know how to face him now. I don’t even know what he’s thinking. Fangqing, could you ask him for me?"
"Ask him?" He Fangqing pointed at herself, "This is between your husband and you; why involve me?"
Xu Yingying quickly grabbed He Fangqing’s hand and said eagerly, "Didn’t you promise that even if I married Li Yifei, you’d still stay close? Tonight, have him over at your place and ask him, I think he’ll tell you."
"You’re married to Yifei, and you still want... him... at my place?" He Fangqing’s eyes widened. Though they’d talked about it before when Xu Yingying was unmarried, as a married woman, it seemed like she was joking or speaking in earnest back then. But married, surely such thoughts had changed.
But Xu Yingying wanted her to stay with Li Yifei now, and He Fangqing couldn’t believe her ears.
Xu Yingying nodded repeatedly, "Yes, I meant it. And I consider you a sister, so being with him could help me. Besides, I know he’s still involved with others; I need help. On my own, I have no confidence."
"Weren’t you always confident? How come you’re lacking now?" He Fangqing was surprised.
Xu Yingying gave a bitter smile, "I have confidence in running a company, but in matters of love and marriage, I have none. Most importantly, I don’t know what to do."
"But... you know what we’d do if Yifei came over?"
Xu Yingying spat at He Fangqing, "Of course I’m not stupid!"
Staring into Xu Yingying’s eyes, He Fangqing slowly said, "Honestly, won’t you feel uncomfortable? Yifei is your husband now; it’s not like before."
Xu Yingying paused, thought carefully, and said, "If it were someone else, I might feel uncomfortable, but with you... I really don’t."
Inside, He Fangqing felt a joy she couldn’t express. She couldn’t expect to marry Li Yifei but had considered living independently. Yet, she was quite captivated by Li Yifei. Knowing that a married man normally curbed his relationships, she feared that wouldn’t work with them.
But with Li Yifei married, and Xu Yingying, his wife, inviting her relationship with him, things seemed reasonable and legitimate, with no mental burden.
"Sister Fangqing, will you or won’t you?" Xu Yingying urged again.
He Fangqing nodded with a smile; this opportunity was too good to pass up.