Once at the office, I tidied up my workspace briefly before heading to Wang Di's office.
Wang Di seemed both surprised and a little awkward. Ever since the incident at the hospital, she had been avoiding me intentionally or unintentionally, and I naturally didn't seek her out either.
"You rarely come to my office. Did the sun rise from the west today?" Wang Di smiled as she poured me a glass of water.
"Manager Wang, I came to ask about the flowers in your office. What are they called again, and where can I buy them?" I got straight to the point, stating my purpose.
"Oh, these flowers? When they're called Xianrenpi, they're a traditional Chinese medicine for treating neurasthenia. When they're called Yinyanghuo, they're an aphrodisiac. Which one are you looking to buy?" Wang Di covered her mouth and laughed.
"I was injured a while back and have been feeling a bit lightheaded lately. I wanted to buy some to help clear my mind," I said calmly, sticking to the excuse I had prepared in advance.
Wang Di looked at me with a knowing expression, clearly not buying my explanation. Still, she didn't press further and simply said, "You won't find these flowers on the market."
"Not on the market?" I frowned.
Wang Di nodded. "That's right. They're not ornamental flowers, so they're not sold commercially. A friend of mine in the suburbs grows them as a hobby."
"I see. Could you ask your friend if they'd be willing to sell me a few pots?" I requested.
"Of course. When do you need them? I can ask for two pots for you," Wang Di replied with a smile.
"The sooner, the better. And, well… two pots might not be enough. Could you ask for ten?" I said, feeling a bit awkward.
"Ten pots?" Wang Di was taken aback for a moment before laughing again. Her gaze turned somewhat peculiar, making it clear she no longer believed my story about using them to clear my mind.
"Well, my place is quite spacious. I thought putting some in the living room and bedroom would work better," I explained awkwardly, scrambling for another excuse.
Sensing my discomfort, Wang Di smiled and dropped the subject. "I'll ask my friend and see when they can bring ten pots into the city."
I thanked her and returned to my office.
When I got home that evening, my wife hadn't returned yet. It was Liao Wen's first day at work, so she likely had a lot to take care of.
With nothing else to do, I decided to cook dinner myself.
As soon as my wife walked through the door and saw the table laden with delicious dishes, she excitedly rushed into my arms, giving me a big kiss on the cheek.
"You've worked hard, dear," she said, beaming like a child.
"It's just a meal. No need to get so excited, especially with Liao Wen here," I chuckled.
Only then did my wife remember Liao Wen's presence. She quickly let go of me, her face flushing slightly.
Liao Wen awkwardly turned her head away, not daring to look at us.
"Come on, let's sit down and try my culinary skills," I said, trying to ease the awkwardness.
My wife and Liao Wen washed their hands and joined me at the table.
"How was your first day at work?" I asked Liao Wen as I added some food to his plate.
"It was great. Sister-in-law introduced me to a lot of colleagues, and they've all been very kind to me," Liao Wen replied.
I was about to say a few more words when my wife cut in, adding food to Liao Wen's plate while giving him advice on workplace etiquette.
Throughout the dinner, my wife and I did most of the talking. Liao Wen occasionally exchanged a few words with me but completely avoided engaging with my wife. No matter what she said, he simply nodded in agreement.
After dinner, my wife went to change and take a shower. Liao Wen retreated into the small bedroom and didn't come out again. I watched TV for a while out of boredom. Once my wife finished her shower, I smoked a cigarette and hurried back to the bedroom.
My wife was already sitting on the bed, scrolling through her phone, seemingly chatting with someone.
I changed into my pajamas and lay down beside her, smiling as I asked, "Flirting with a handsome guy?"
Hearing this, she turned to look at me, raised an eyebrow, and grinned. "Yeah, you told me to go flirt. Are you jealous again?"
"I swear on the light, I'm really not jealous this time," I said, pointing at the lightbulb with a serious expression.
"You silly husband, look at you," she laughed and scolded, then sat up a bit and said to me, "Didn't I tell you a cute guy added me? I didn't want to pay him any attention at first, but this little guy kept calling me 'sister' and was so sweet-talking. I thought it was kind of fun, so I chatted with him for a bit."
"You don't need to explain it to me. Chat however you like—I'm really not jealous. But..." I drew out the last word.
"But what?" my wife asked.
"There's a handsome guy staying with us right now. Wouldn't it be a shame not to flirt a little?" I said with a smile.
"What do you mean?" she frowned.
"What do you think of Liao Wen? I already figured it out last night—I'm one hundred percent sure you're his dream girl," I said, grinning.
Her face flushed instantly. "Stop talking nonsense! It's so awkward. And what are you trying to do by saying all this?"
"Why are you blushing? I've noticed you've been pretty friendly to Liao Wen these past couple of days. Be honest—do you have feelings for him?" I teased.
"I'm blushing because you're talking nonsense! Liao Wen is nice, so isn't it normal for me to have a bit of a good impression of him? Don't twist things, and definitely don't talk like that anymore. Liao Wen is already shy, and if you keep saying things like that, he'll feel too embarrassed to stay here. It makes me uncomfortable too," she scolded, her face growing even redder.
"I was just stating a fact," I muttered, then moved closer to her and whispered, "Nannan, I'm going to be completely honest with you. As long as you're happy, even if you want to spend time alone with someone or something happens, as long as you tell me beforehand and I think it's okay, you can go ahead without worrying about anything."
My wife listened quietly, her gaze growing increasingly strange as she looked at me.
"Nannan, do you remember a couple of days ago when you said you were willing to let me live off you for the rest of my life? At that time, you told me that as long as two people are happy together, there's no need to overthink things. I've been reflecting on it these past few days and realized you were right. As long as our hearts are connected, everything else will fall into place. Why worry so much? So, if you have feelings for Liao Wen, as long as it makes you happy and you want something to happen, I truly don't mind." I continued my lengthy speech, increasingly convinced that Liao Wen might be a turning point—perhaps even a way for my wife to finally let go.
"Liao Fan!"
My wife suddenly called my name sternly, and my heart sank. Whenever she addressed me directly like that, it was a sure sign she was angry.
Sure enough, my wife glared at me with a dark expression and said coldly, "How have you become like this? Wife-swapping was already going too far, and now you're encouraging your own wife to sleep with another man alone? Do you get some kind of thrill out of wearing a green hat?"
"What's this all about? Why are you getting angry all of a sudden? I'm just trying to communicate with you and share my thoughts," I quickly explained.
My wife stared at me for a long time before finally speaking. "Fine, let's communicate. Today, I'll also share my thoughts properly."
"Alright, alright, go ahead. Let's talk calmly, no need to get angry," I urged.
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