“If there’s only one, then give it to Leyi!”
Jiang Lai wasn’t that greedy.
Whenever she tasted something good, the first people she thought of were her sister-in-law and daughter.
Only if both of them had already tried it, and there was some left over, would Jiang Lai consider having some herself.
She gently waved her hand, intending to continue waking up her daughter, but at that moment, Chi Yingyu suddenly grew unhappy.
“This is specially made for you.”
Chi Yingyu placed the bowl she was holding firmly on the dining table and forcibly pulled Jiang Lai from the bathroom doorway, setting her down in the chair.
During this, Jiang Lai felt like a little pet being lifted—struggling was useless.
Jiang Lai had always tried to maintain her dignity and continue being the reliable head of the family.
But every time she attempted to uphold her authority as the family’s matriarch, reality would deliver a harsh blow, sometimes even shattering her position.
“If you give it to Leyi, I’ll be very sad.”
Chi Yingyu’s pitiful look left Jiang Lai almost helpless.
While Jiang Lai was washing up in the bathroom, her sister-in-law had already changed out of her clothes.
Chi Yingyu wore a clean and tidy long-sleeve shirt, which, given her figure, was a bit loose.
But with the apron over it, the outfit outlined Chi Yingyu’s proud silhouette perfectly.
Sometimes, only when something was covered did it seem even more ambiguous, filled with a sense of mystery.
“Then I can leave half for my daughter.”
“No need!”
A single glance from Chi Yingyu immediately stopped Jiang Lai from saying more.
She could only focus her thoughts on the covered bowl on the table.
Jiang Lai looked at the bowl, carefully covered, and though it wasn’t fully uncovered yet, she could already smell the rich aroma coming from within.
Her taste buds, already awakened, were now stirred even more, increasing her appetite.
Once this thought formed in her mind, Jiang Lai lifted the lid of the bowl.
Inside lay a fragrant, golden shrimp paste egg pancake about the size of her palm.
The shrimp paste was spread out, slightly concave, filled with plenty of golden egg mixture.
It looked delicious enough to make Jiang Lai swallow hard—an absolute treat.
“I also added some finely grated carrot. Eating a bit of shrimp during your period is good for your body.”
If there were a contest for the family’s favorite food, delicious shrimp paste would undoubtedly be a strong contender.
Whether in texture or nutrition, all three of them loved it dearly.
Especially when they went out for hotpot—it was almost like each person had their own portion.
Even on regular days, they’d buy frozen shrimp paste from the supermarket to keep in the fridge.
“There isn’t much shrimp paste left, so I only made one. It just finished frying, so it might be a bit hot. Be careful when you eat it.”
Chi Yingyu took the opportunity while her brother-in-law sat in the chair eating breakfast, quietly settling down beside her, waiting for her to taste the breakfast she had just made.
But compared to the shrimp paste pancake in the bowl, Chi Yingyu found Jiang Lai, sitting right there on the chair, even more deliciously tempting.
The scent from Jiang Lai’s body was truly captivating—far more alluring than the aroma of food.
Jiang Lai took a small bite of the pancake, leaving a shallow tooth mark on the remaining piece.
So hungry.
Although Chi Yingyu wasn’t actually hungry, that thought was born at this moment.
Greedily, she took a deep breath, wanting to devour her brother-in-law in one bite.
After the meeting, Jiang Lai closed her laptop, finally ending her day’s work.
Now that her period no longer affected her, she turned her attention to Xu Ruobing’s tasks.
The preparations.
So far, she had simply recorded the entire upcoming live stream process and memorized how to respond to unexpected situations.
During this time, Jiang Lai had even rehearsed with others, all to avoid stage fright during the actual event.
The preparations were very thorough—at least in Jiang Lai’s eyes, covering every aspect, maybe even a bit too detailed to the point of tediousness.
But knowing Xu Ruobing would be co-hosting the stream made all the fuss necessary.
After all, countless live stream events had tried to invite Xu Ruobing.
The invitations alone could fill an entire inbox.
The only regret after finishing work today was that Jiang Lai hadn’t seen Xu Ruobing in the studio.
Lately, Xu Ruobing had been busy preparing for the New Year’s Gala.
Every day, aside from rehearsing, she polished her skills, barely even finding time to eat, let alone meet with Jiang Lai.
Carrying her bag after work, Jiang Lai saw messages from Xu Ruobing, as well as from her daughter and sister-in-law.
She replied to them one by one on her way home.
Xu Ruobing sent photos of rehearsal scenes and some breathtaking selfies.
Jiang Lai secretly followed Xu Ruobing’s public social media account.
Xu Ruobing rarely posted, and even fewer posts had pictures.
She always maintained a lofty, untouchable image in front of others, giving her fans an idol who didn’t like to share daily life.
But Xu Ruobing’s real personality was much chattier than anyone imagined.
Her sister-in-law and daughter mostly sent messages about moving house.
No matter how reluctant Jiang Lai felt inside, once a decision was made, she couldn’t easily change it.
Otherwise, she might earn a reputation for breaking her promises in front of her daughter.
So now, the sister-in-law had moved back, and as long as she could keep her behavior in check, Jiang Lai wouldn’t feel the urge to avoid her anymore.
But moving was a time-consuming and exhausting task.
Besides, both Jiang Lai and Chi Yingyu were busy with their own work, leaving only Jiang Leyi to pack up the house.
So what Chi Yingyu sent Jiang Lai were photos of neatly arranged cardboard boxes, waiting to be moved home in a few days.
After replying to all the messages, Jiang Lai arrived at the Underground Parking Lot.
She didn’t have a driver’s license yet, so she couldn’t drive her own car home.
Xu Ruobing’s studio was also far from Jiang Lai’s current home—more than an hour away by subway.
To save Jiang Lai time and spare her from too much trouble, Xu Ruobing had specially arranged a driver to pick her up and drop her off.
Today was exhausting.
Jiang Lai didn’t want to go anywhere else—she just wanted to lie in the bathtub and soak in warm water, warming her body.
The Underground Parking Lot at the studio was mostly empty and dim.
The quietness made every footstep seem especially clear.
If she listened carefully, there was even an echo.
Jiang Lai found the car she had been riding in for the past two days.
But today, the driver seemed a little slower than usual.
The car was empty, but Jiang Lai had the spare key Xu Ruobing gave her, so she didn’t have to wait outside in the cold.
She headed straight to the back seat.
Just as she opened the rear door to get in, a slender, snow-white hand suddenly reached out from the darkness inside the car, covering her mouth.
Another hand tightly wrapped around her waist, pulling her forcefully in, leaving her no chance to resist.
Robbery? Or………… What?