Chapter 116

She then focused on taking small sips of the milk tea. Uh, it was a little hot. But it tasted good! She inadvertently noticed the brand on the packaging, but... why did it feel so familiar? Ama's Handmade?... Wasn't that the competitor that ruined Sister Li Xue's Milk Tea Shop across the Landmine?! So it's already this popular... The girl silently mourned for her for three seconds. But at the same time, another question arose in her mind. What kind of shop did she open this time? A cat cafe/brothel? Could it be that some big brand opened across the street again? ... "I knew my wife was the most magnanimous!" Seeing that Hua Xin truly didn't seem to care, Xia Yan slowly breathed a sigh of relief and said happily. Thank goodness... If this incident had made the girl feel disappointed in him, he could have committed suicide... He didn't drink the milk tea; he just held the cup in his hand. Xia Yan leaned back in his chair, tilting his head slightly to watch the girl happily sipping her milk tea, a slight smile involuntarily creeping onto his lips. So cute. Why could a cup of milk tea satisfy her? This question slowly rose in Xia Yan's mind. He recalled that during the four months of their Online Relationship, Hua Xin rarely took his money; she was happy just from spending money on games together and buying takeout and milk tea. Similarly, why would a bouquet of flowers make her so happy? She owned a house in Shanghai and was so outstanding and beautiful; her family must pamper her like a princess, right? How could this be...? Xia Yan frowned slightly, choosing not to keep it to himself, but instead feigning a casual, coincidental question. Ultimately, he wanted to know more about the girl. A name, a WeChat ID, a vague address. Xia Yan didn't even know Hua Xin's phone number; she was right beside him, yet he knew nothing about her. "What does your wife's family do?" "Your aunt and uncle must be very handsome and good-looking, right?" Hua Xin paused in her sip of milk tea, lost in thought, and fell silent, slowly putting the cup down. The warmth still lingered in her hands, yet she felt a chill. The amusement she felt from Li Xue's amusing life story and the happiness from the milk tea vanished, replaced by an unusual calm. Her eyelids lowered slightly, and she turned away from Xia Yan. She could make up a lie, but... what could she hide? It was all in the past. Hua Xin's tone was tinged with helplessness, a soft, self-deprecating laugh that tugged at the heartstrings, "They abandoned me when I was nine. As for my grandparents, they're probably all deceased or don't even know I exist." "After all, I haven't seen them in all these years." She turned to look at Xia Yan, saying softly, "I live alone." "Are you disappointed that I'm not a rich woman? Unable to support you...?" Hua Xin felt a warm embrace and arms around her shoulders, Xia Yan's head resting against hers. "I'm sorry," Xia Yan said softly, his voice low but heavy. He truly hadn't expected this situation, truly hadn't expected... After a brief silence, the girl didn't push him away in disgust, but patted his back, her eyes flickering slightly as she lowered her hands. She didn't hug him, smiling nonchalantly, "What's there to apologize for? It's none of your business..." "I'm used to it." 98. Whatever I want? Even if you see something with your own eyes, it's not necessary. It's true, misunderstandings arise, and you're wrong. ——————Excerpt from Hua Xin's Collected Writings. ——————————"Wife, who do you like the most?" Xia Yan asked Hua Xin with some curiosity, poking at the unknown game or anime peripheral figurine next to him. However, the Arabic numerals on the label made him a little embarrassed. Sure enough, no matter what you put on the 2D, the price will double... Figurines and dolls too, and there are also those metal pieces that cost a few dollars to make that can sell for thousands or tens of thousands of dollars. Figurines are okay, after all, they can be displayed on the table or in the cabinet and are pleasing to the eye. But these things... Xia Yan glanced at the small metal pieces with different patterns on the shelf, and the smile on his face immediately disappeared. He suddenly felt that even though he usually watched anime and read comics, he didn't deserve to be called a "2D." At most, he was just an enthusiast. He couldn't afford it. He simply couldn't afford it. "Heh heh..." "I like any woman, they're all my wives?!" The girl snorted, her eyes shining as she looked at the cabinet full of figurines not far away. The characters inside were her wives, the ones she longed for day and night, the ones she couldn't forget even in her dreams, just across one dimension! In those cold and lonely days, what accompanied her, what served as her spiritual sustenance, were probably the growth and love stories of these anime characters, and the games. Living frugally wasn't so bad. As long as she didn't starve, that was fine. But at least she wanted to see more excellent anime and novels, reach a higher rank in games, and have more intimate encounters with Niu Niu every night. This was the expectation she had held onto for nearly ten years. But now, the most important thing was something she could no longer achieve. She didn't immediately head to the figurine section, but instead intently searched the grain shelf for her "wife's" figure. Even though it was just a metal piece, she still wanted to see what it looked like (not that she wanted to buy it)... Xia Yan stood to the side, not saying anything discouraging (but rather, what's so interesting about a bunch of metal pieces? Why not just go to the Tieba and buy a couple of Fiji cups from Brother Huaiyi...), but thoughtfully watching the girl's happy expression as she looked at the items. But if his wife liked it... his house could probably fetch a good price, right? In ancient times, a rider galloped through the dust for a concubine's smile; now, a house brings a wife's smile! A house can be bought again, but where can you find a wife again? However, if the girl really liked something, he could afford a few hundred yuan. A sudden wave of weariness washed over him, causing a faint glint in his eyes. Xia Yan resisted the urge to yawn, keeping his expression normal. Although the recent high-intensity work had earned him a lot of money, he probably needed a good rest. I went to bed early last night, but I kept thinking about meeting my Cat Wife today, and I was so excited that I didn't fall asleep until very late... "So beautiful..." Hua Xin squatted on the ground, finally finding Violet in a corner among a bunch of other less popular anime characters. She looked like she belonged to a different world, nestled in a plastic bag. Okay, thirty yuan might not be a lot of money for others, but for her... the girl silently put down the small metal piece in her hand. Still...