178 - Cinderella’s Dream: Together Forever

As Chen Wan made her way back, she felt the urge to hold Jiang Yan Xin's hand to placate her. Seeing everyone engaged in conversation, Chen Wan subtly reached out and intertwined her fingers with Jiang Yan Xin's. Jiang Yan Xin, failing to shake her hand free, glanced at Chen Wan, curious about what she had to say. "My dear, don't listen to her nonsense. She's just trying to trick me. I only have eyes for you, so don't be upset, okay?" Chen Wan swayed their joined hands gently, her tone filled with affection. Jiang Yan Xin shot her a sideways glance, lips faintly curving. She knew Chen Wan all too well. Yet, a hint of jealousy lingered—why did people always seem interested in her alpha? "I saw how smoothly you helped her earlier. It didn't look like a trap to me," Jiang Yan Xin commented with a nonchalant air, eyeing Chen Wan. "I didn't mean to. She fell into me suddenly, trying to feign injury. I was just being a Good Samaritan, helping her up. Didn't I call Qi Jing and the others out to help afterwards? I swear, I didn't do anything." Chen Wan hastily clarified, worried about the repercussions once they returned home. "What do you wish you could do? Hmm?" Jiang Yan Xin probed, her tone laced with a hint of intrigue. "Nothing, nothing, don't be mad, sweetheart. Are you tired? How about I give you a massage when we get home?" Chen Wan's voice turned soft and coaxing, a world away from the assertiveness she'd shown earlier that day while single-handedly controlling zombies to take down mutant creatures. Behind them, Qin Ke gently squeezed Shen Ming Yan’s wrist, whispering, "Poor Chen Wan's in trouble again today. That Ke Qing girl was obviously targeting her, and Yan Xin is bound to get jealous." Shen Ming Yan's eyes twinkled as she glanced at Qin Ke and chuckled softly, "Why do you seem so delighted about Chen Wan being in trouble?" "Oh, it's just a way for Chen Wan to toughen up!" Qin Ke giggled from behind, munching on her metaphorical popcorn. By the time they returned to their residence, Chen Wan still hadn't managed to soothe Jiang Yan Xin. Cai Cai, who had missed seeing Chen Wan and the others the previous night, promptly slid off the couch when she saw them return, bouncing towards Chen Wan for a hug. Chen Wan hastily halted Cai Cai. “Sweetheart, wait until Mommy and Mama have showered before hugging. Look, Mama’s still a bit dusty.” "Okay~" Cai Cai nodded obediently, then chattered on like a small chatterbox, "Mama, today I played with the flowers and Auntie, and I watched a cartoon about bunnies; it was really fun." "Good job, my little Yang Yang! You're learning to play by yourself," Chen Wan praised, making Cai Cai giggle happily. Once Jiang Yan Xin had showered, Chen Wan followed to wash up. When she emerged, Jiang Yan Xin was doing the laundry. Chen Wan joined Cai Cai in the living room, scooping her into her arms and playfully tickling her, "Our baby is so adorable." She planted a couple of kisses on Cai Cai’s cheeks. Cai Cai responded by snuggling into Chen Wan’s arms, returning the affection with a sweet, "Mama's adorable too!" Watching the pair's affectionate display, Jiang Yan Xin shook her head in amusement. Still, she wasn’t about to let Chen Wan off the hook that easily—there was more teasing to come. Taking advantage of Jiang Yan Xin's inattention, Chen Wan whispered to Cai Cai, “Sweetheart, I think I made your mommy mad again. What should I do?” Cai Cai blinked, and with huge eyes meeting Chen Wan's, pondered deeply over this adult-like question that seemed beyond her young mind’s grasp. Yet, eager to help, Cai Cai clasped her small hands into a circle around Chen Wan’s ear and whispered, "Mama, I’ll teach you how to make Mommy happy. Give her a kiss, and she won't be angry anymore." Chen Wan chuckled at her little one's determined advice, "You little trickster, you sure know a lot! Alright, I’ll try it your way, okay?" "Mhm," Cai Cai nodded enthusiastically, winking at Chen Wan. Chen Wan bathed Cai Cai and then took her to bed to play. She let Cai Cai lie on her stomach, playfully patting her tiny backside. "Sweetie, how about a massage? It'll feel nice." "Massage!" Cai Cai giggled, lying eagerly on the bed. Even though Aunties and flowers kept her company when Mommy and Mama weren't around, she still preferred them most. Chen Wan attended to Cai Cai, gently massaging her little legs and arms, evoking peals of laughter. When Jiang Yan Xin came over, she saw the loving scene and her eyes softened. Noticeable even from afar, Cai Cai beckoned enthusiastically, "Mommy, join us for Mama's massage; it’s fun!" Finding it impossible to refuse Cai Cai's cuteness, Jiang Yan Xin lay beside her, allowing Chen Wan to massage them both. Massage for Cai Cai, Chen Wan was all proper, perhaps only to earn her daughter’s laughter. But for Jiang Yan Xin, her hands wandered mischievously. Raising an eyebrow, Jiang Yan Xin silenced Chen Wan with a glance, and finally, Chen Wan behaved. After playing with the little one for a while, Cai Cai fell asleep. Chen Wan moved her to the side, tucking her in securely to prevent her from falling off the bed, before tucking herself in the other side to appease Jiang Yan Xin. With her eyes shut, Jiang Yan Xin made no move to acknowledge Chen Wan. Whispering softly, Chen Wan pleaded, “Sweetheart, don’t be mad. Tomorrow at the gathering, I’ll stay by your side and won’t wander off, okay? No more helping others either.” Jiang Yan Xin cracked one eye open, pinching Chen Wan’s cheek playfully, “Are you sure?” “Yes, definitely,” Chen Wan quickly confessed. “Do you know what to do then?” Jiang Yan Xin asked, raising her eyebrows in expectation. Chen Wan leaned over and kissed the corner of Jiang Yan Xin’s lips gently. “Dear, I am the alpha after all.” “And? Just because you’re the alpha, does that mean you can’t be teased?” Jiang Yan Xin’s eyes widened slightly, challenging Chen Wan. Chen Wan immediately softened, murmuring, “Being teased by you isn’t so bad.” With that, she melted down beside Jiang Yan Xin, slipping into serenity, convincing herself it was no different from before and she’d grow used to it. The following morning, Jiang Yan Xin was in particularly high spirits. She nestled against Chen Wan as she woke, planting a soft kiss on her lips. Meanwhile, Chen Wan looked at Jiang Yan Xin with a hint of grievance. Gently patting Chen Wan’s cheek, Jiang Yan Xin comforted her, “Alright, alright, tonight it’s your turn. Now get up; we need to get going early and bring everything over to Wei Si Yu’s for breakfast.” Dutifully, Chen Wan got up to freshen up, waking the little one who was still groggy. After a simple breakfast, Ye Lan and Jiang Zhao Yuan opted to stay behind, preferring not to join in the bustle and keeping an eye on the house and flowers. The others, including the trio from upstairs—Qi Jing and her companions—headed towards building 21. Having been woken early, Cai Cai was soon dozing off in Chen Wan’s arms, lulled by the sun's warmth. The adults couldn’t get enough of Cai Cai’s innocent demeanor. Her adorable, oblivious expression was truly heartwarming. Elsewhere, true to her word, Ke Qing had stayed in Shi Tou's room the previous night, while he slept on the couch. Early the next morning, Wei Si Yu announced her intention to return some clothes, taking Shi Tou with her. Choosing her words carefully, Wei Si Yu finally turned to Shi Tou and said, "Shi Tou, I don’t think Ke Qing is as simple as she seems. Didn’t you notice she was following Chen Wan yesterday? She might be trying to win Chen Wan over. I don’t mean anything else by this, just giving you a heads-up as a friend. I’d hate for you to be fooled." "How could it be? Even if Ke Qing did approach Chen Wan yesterday, it was only because Chen Wan is like our leader here. Ke Qing just wants to stay with us, that’s all. She didn’t do anything over the line. She only asked for Chen Wan's input at the end, nothing more," Shi Tou argued, defending Ke Qing after a moment’s thought about last night. "Alright, assuming that part was reasonable. But what about when she nearly fell into Chen Wan’s lap while getting into the vehicle?" Wei Si Yu continued, keenly raising the point with hopes her friend might pick up on the nuances she saw. "That was just an accident. Si Yu, you’ve probably been overthinking because you’re exhausted. Ke Qing is really innocent; given what those people did to her before, she just lacks a sense of security. She’s a good girl. I assure you, there’s no problem with her," Shi Tou insisted, standing firm in defense of Ke Qing. Realizing that she had said all she could, Wei Si Yu decided not to press the issue further to avoid straining their friendship. She trusted that with time, the truth would reveal itself. "Anyway, I still advise you not to trust her too easily," Wei Si Yu concluded with a shake of her head. "Don’t worry," Shi Tou nodded, dismissing the concern. Upon returning home after their errand, they found Chen Wan and the group had arrived. A mighty entourage of ten people, with Chen Wan still cradling the sleepy Cai Cai. Wei Si Yu gently caressed Cai Cai's cheek, teasing with a smile, “What’s up with Yang Yang? Can’t even open her eyes?” “The little one was still dozing and I roused her up. Let her nap in your room for now, and we’ll wake her for lunch,” Chen Wan chuckled in reply. "Alright, come quickly." Wei Si Yu led Chen Wan into her room, letting Cai Cai continue her nap on the bed. Ke Qing had noticed the child in Chen Wan's arms, assuming she was either Chen Wan’s younger sister or a child taken in out of kindness. After seeing Chen Wan step out and noticing the absence of Jiang Yan Xin by her side, Ke Qing seized the opportunity to approach. She maneuvered herself nearby with plans to chat with Chen Wan. Chen Wan was mid-conversation with Wei Si Yu when, out of the corner of her eye, she spotted Ke Qing standing just two steps away. Instinctively, she darted over to Jiang Yan Xin’s side, obediently staying close. No way was she going to fall for that again, especially after the scolding she received last night in her mind’s domain. With her sense of pride well and truly checked, she decided there was no use pretending to be bold in front of her wife. Ke Qing was momentarily taken aback. She hadn't even said a word before Chen Wan swiftly retreated to Jiang Yan Xin’s side. Ke Qing forced a smile at Wei Si Yu, internally grinding her teeth and assuring herself that there would be other opportunities. However, that opportunity never came. Chen Wan was on high alert today. She stuck to Jiang Yan Xin like glue while cooking, even insisted on accompanying her to the restroom, desperate not to be alone for fear of Ke Qing making her move. Even Jiang Yan Xin eventually had enough. Gently nudging Chen Wan, she said, "Go check on Yang Yang. Stop following me around. I’m going to the kitchen to help Si Yu with the pancakes and you’re just in the way." "But dear, I want to stay with you," Chen Wan's voice softened, clearly in a playful pout. Seizing the moment of privacy, Jiang Yan Xin quickly brushed a kiss on Chen Wan’s lips, murmuring tenderly, “Alright, I’m not upset today. Go play with Yang Yang.” "Okay," Chen Wan sighed. To avoid any chance of being cornered by Ke Qing, she grabbed Qin Ke and Shen Ming Yan to join her in visiting Cai Cai in Wei Si Yu’s room. She’d come to understand that being alone was risky—too easy to get ensnared with Ke Qing and left to explain herself. Everyone busied themselves with chores: some cooked in the kitchen, others cleaned in the living room. Ke Qing kept herself occupied as well, currently washing cups alongside Qiao Shi Rui, one of the high schoolers who had joined them. Seeing the youthful enthusiasm in Qiao Shi Rui, Ke Qing couldn’t resist striking up a conversation. “What's your name? Were you a student before this?” "Yeah, we’re all high school students. I know you! You played that princess character," Qiao Shi Rui replied, recognizing Ke Qing from her fondness for dramas. "Yes, I used to play some small roles. From now on, we're teammates. Just call me Sister Ke Qing," Ke Qing smiled warmly. "Alright," Qiao Shi Rui reciprocated the smile, feeling reassured that anyone with Wei Si Yu, and by extension, Chen Wan, must surely be trustworthy.