Manipulative Harem God

510  The Withered Flower is blooming again (2)

As Zhang Wei watched Qi Xiang disappear into the evening, he couldn't help but shake his head slightly, a mixture of amusement and disbelief coloring his thoughts.

He pondered how, with a wife like Murong Jinxiang, Qi Xiang could still find himself drawn to the allure of club girls, who were undoubtedly several notches below what he already had at home.

Regardless, Zhang Wei had paid up, not just to settle past debts but also because—

"Uh? Where is Qi Xiang?" Murong Jinxiang interrupted his musings, returning with two plates balanced expertly in her hands.

She scanned the area, noting her husband's absence.

Zhang Wei replied with a nonchalant shrug, fabricating quickly, "He got a call from the Port; a consignment got stuck."

Murong Jinxiang pressed her lips together in subtle disapproval before setting the plates down.

She then turned her curious gaze towards Zhang Wei, "We only have whisky and wine tonight. Do you want a drink? You're welcome to stay at our house if you can't drive later."

"Get some whisky with soda for me, and I don't get drunk," he responded confidently before casting a suspicious glance towards Xiong Mei, who appeared to be sleeping with her eyes open. "Can't promise about this soul though."

Murong Jinxiang nodded and shot a puzzled look towards Xiong Mei. "Did you feed her something weird?"

Zhang Wei responded nonchalantly, "Some space cakes."

Murong Jinxiang, "..."

She paused speechless, a flicker of exasperation crossing her features before exhaling a resigned sigh. "I won't be bailing you out if the police decide to take you for a ride to lock-up," she declared, her tone half-serious.

Zhang Wei's smile turned mischievous as he responded with a playful wink, "Then I'd truly be at your mercy, wouldn't I— sister-in-law? Imagine, my deeds come to light, and my cute and gentle wife turns vengeful, casting me out into the cold streets. Jinxi, you wouldn't secretly enjoy the thought of my misfortune... would you?"

"Humph... Then try not engaging in such deeds. And who said anything about wanting you to suffer?" She shot back, her lips curling into a pout as she turned to leave.

Her departure was as elegant as ever, each step measured and graceful, compelling Zhang Wei's smile to broaden as he watched her retreating figure.

The area where they sat was usually reserved for VIPs.

But tonight, because of their close relationship, Murong Jinxiang had personally ensured they were seated here and tended to them herself, a privilege not lost on Zhang Wei.

The wait staff, discreet and professional, hovered at a respectful distance, ready to assist but careful not to intrude.

As for referring to her by her first name, Zhang Wei and Murong Jinxiang tended to change how they addressed each other when Qi Xiang wasn't nearby.

It was something both had come to do naturally, a tacit understanding that had never needed to be explicitly acknowledged.

After gently settling the sleeping Xiong Mei onto the couch, Zhang Wei deftly moved to a nearby stool.

His maneuver was calculated: by positioning himself there, Murong Jinxiang would have no choice but to sit next to him once she returned.

It was part of his broader plan, the same reason he had incentivized Qi Xiang to leave them alone—to enjoy some uninterrupted time with his good wife.

Murong Jinxiang possessed a unique beauty, and as she approached with two glasses in hand—one for her and one for him—Zhang Wei was enveloped by the delicate sweep of her fragrance.

It was a sweet and enchanting scent that seemed to linger in the air around her, subtly captivating his senses.

Murong Jinxiang raised an eyebrow inquisitively upon noticing Zhang Wei perched on the stool, but the sight of Xiong Mei sprawled peacefully on the couch answered her silent question.

She took a seat beside him with a slight smile, deliberately choosing not to bring the entire bottle of whiskey.

She knew well Zhang Wei's claim of sobriety and his playful insistence that he never got drunk—precautions were still necessary to prevent any unwarranted behavior.

Afterall, the past mistakes can't be repeated.

After settling in, she quickly noticed that the two plates of food she had brought were now firmly under Zhang Wei's control.

He was comfortably enjoying both the fried rice and the spaghetti, clearly monopolising both dishes to himself.

"sigh.."

This left Murong Jinxiang momentarily speechless.

She sighed and glanced again at the girl sleeping peacefully, then turned her attention back to Zhang Wei. "Wei, why don't you try living a bit more honestly? It's been three years since you married my cousin. Isn't it time you two thought about having children?"

Zhang Wei responded dismissively, "Children restrict freedom."

Murong Jinxiang frowned, her perspective shaped by more traditional values. "They don't," she asserted, feeling her elder status lent weight to her opinion.

Zhang Wei smiled, his earlier statement seeming more like a deliberate provocation. "So why don't you have any? Aren't you and Qi Xiang married for nearly ten years?"

Murong Jinxiang's expression tightened, her brows knitting together in a frown.

Seizing the moment to stir the pot further, Zhang Wei dropped his bombshell, "Yu Lei is already pregnant, and it's been a few months since we got the news. If she hasn't told you, then perhaps you two aren't as close as you think—nothing else."

Murong Jinxiang repeated in confusion, her voice tinged with disbelief, "What...?"

Her expression darkened involuntarily as she processed the news.

As Yu Lei's cousin, though not related by blood—Yu Lei's second aunt's family had adopted her after she was abandoned at the gate of an orphanage in Xiushan, Yu Lei's hometown—she had a complex connection to her family.

She had grown up there, and after finishing university, she craved a new life experience but still wanted to remain close to the expansive coastlines and the sea. This desire ultimately led her to move to Xueshan, where she met Qi Xiang.

As for not having children, her relationship with Qi Xiang hadn't been particularly strong, at least not as robust as it had been before their marriage.

But naturally, these were details she would not disclose to Zhang Wei, despite their good relationship.

Knowing that her cousin had kept such significant news from her, and that even Zhang Wei had been privy to it without saying anything, stirred a mix of irritation and bitterness within Murong Jinxiang.

She tried to mask these feelings, raising her glass to her lips in an attempt to wash away the unpleasant taste in her mouth.

Zhang Wei noticed her actions and smiled subtly, his eyes following the movement of her hand as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear before taking a sip.

She was seated to his right, making it easy for him to observe her discreetly.

Rustle...

He slid the plate of spaghetti closer to her. "Here, eat more, or you'll become malnourished," he teased lightly, trying to lighten the mood.

"Shut up," Murong Jinxiang retorted, her cheeks flushing a subtle shade of red.