Worth Every Penny

Dinner was warm and lively, the sweet-and-sour aroma of braised ribs mingling with the steam from the rice, filling the little table with the cozy scent of everyday life.

"Here, eat more. Build yourself up." Gu Yue picked up a well-trimmed rib, lean and fat evenly layered, and naturally placed it in Tang Wulin's bowl. "You must've been exhausted today, right?"

Tang Wulin's mouth was stuffed full of ribs, his cheeks puffed out like a hamster hoarding food. He answered vaguely, "I-I'm fine! It was mainly mentally exhausting, you know. I had to stay highly alert the whole time, watching dozens of screens. That takes a lot of brain cells!"

Gu Yue gave him a faintly amused look without exposing him, merely ladling another spoonful of seaweed egg-drop soup into his bowl. "So, what's Uncle Wang like?"

"Uncle Wang is great!" The moment Old Wang was mentioned, Tang Wulin perked up. He shoveled rice into his mouth while vividly describing the man. "He's that old guy who looks super serious but is actually really kind. This morning, he even talked to me about wellness. He said his precious giant teacup had cassia seeds and goji berries in it, good for clearing the liver and improving eyesight. In the afternoon, he taught me how to mop without leaving water streaks. He's practically a living encyclopedia of life."

"Oh? He didn't mention anything else?" Gu Yue casually raised a brow, the tip of her chopsticks lightly tapping the rim of her bowl.

Tang Wulin's heart skipped a beat. This is bad. She's testing me. He hurriedly swallowed his mouthful of rice, grabbed his cup, and gulped down some water. With a thoroughly righteous expression, he said, "He did! Of course he did! He mainly asked about how I was doing at work, whether I was adapting, whether I found it boring. I told him it was great, really fulfilling, and that I felt like I'd found a new direction in life!"

Gu Yue said nothing, only looked at him quietly. Under the warm yellow light, her beautiful eyes seemed especially deep, as though they could see through all the messy little thoughts in his head.

Tang Wulin's scalp prickled under her gaze, so he hurriedly took the initiative and shifted the topic to Gu Yue. "By the way, honey, how was your side? Is the new company's environment nice? How's the equipment? I heard a lot of office buildings make people line up for the elevators these days. Is your building crowded?"

At the mention of her new job, Gu Yue's eyes visibly brightened, and the corners of her lips rose unconsciously. "The environment is pretty good. Floor-to-ceiling windows, excellent lighting, and an open view. I can even see a small stretch of the river." She paused, a hint of pride in her tone. "They even gave me a new computer, top-of-the-line. It boots up in seconds. I don't have to stare blankly at a spinning mouse cursor like before anymore."

"That's good, that's good!" Tang Wulin nodded repeatedly, then frowned, putting on an expression of deep concern. "Then... is the workload heavy? Will you have to work overtime often? I'm telling you, we don't need that little bit of overtime pay right now. Your health is the most important thing! If it's too exhausting, then quit. At worst... at worst, I'll support you!"

Even Tang Wulin himself felt a little lacking in confidence when he said that. After all, his ability to "support" her was currently based on a monthly salary of 7,200 yuan. Still, he straightened his back as hard as he could, trying to project the air of, "Even if I earn less than you right now, I still have a heart that wants to cherish and spoil you."

A faint smile flickered in Gu Yue's eyes, as if his forced composure had amused her. "Don't worry. The workload is neither too much nor too little, just enough to keep me busy without making me too anxious. At the moment, I don't need you to support me."

"That's good! That's good!" Tang Wulin let out a long breath, and the worry hanging in his heart finally settled halfway back down. He placed a large helping of greens into Gu Yue's bowl and said earnestly, "Honey, I told you this move was a solid one! New environment, new beginnings, and most importantly, a salary of thirteen thousand. It's worth every penny—no, it's more than worth every penny! We're one step closer to our dream of moving into a bigger home!"

"Worth every penny?" Gu Yue set down her chopsticks and slowly wiped the corner of her mouth, looking at him with a half-smile. "Comrade Tang Wulin, are you saying that I, as a person, am only worth thirteen thousand?"

"Huh? No, no!" Tang Wulin immediately sensed something was off and waved his hands in a panic, nearly knocking over his bowl. "That's not what I meant! I meant... I meant this job! This job is worth every penny! As for you personally... you're priceless! Absolutely priceless!"

As he spoke, he gestured wildly with both hands, his expression so sincere that he seemed to be reciting some sacred oath. "Honey, in my heart, you're more precious than any Wall Street financial elite, more important than the CEO of any multinational corporation! You're a limited edition no amount of money can buy! You're our family's precious guardian treasure! You're—"

"Enough, enough!" Gu Yue finally couldn't hold it in anymore and burst out laughing. The little bit of fake anger she had put on instantly vanished. She reached out and lightly poked Tang Wulin's smooth forehead with her index finger, saying helplessly yet amusedly, "You really are all talk. Have you been reading too much of The Domineering CEO Falls in Love with Me? You never do anything useful all day, just sweet-talk people."

Tang Wulin wasn't annoyed at being exposed. Instead, he chuckled foolishly and took hold of the hand Gu Yue had used to poke him, rubbing it in his palm. "I'm just worried about you. Seeing you ride your bike to work today, I kept wondering whether you'd tire yourself out. Even if the pay is good, it isn't worth it if it comes at the cost of your health."

Those words were sincere. Seeing the genuine concern in his eyes, the subtle imbalance Gu Yue had felt because of the gap in their incomes suddenly faded by more than half. She squeezed Tang Wulin's hand in return, her tone softening. "I know you worry about me. Don't worry, the commute is only twenty minutes, and riding a shared bike is good exercise too. Besides..." She paused, her gaze turning resolute. "This job isn't just about money."

"Then what is it for?" Tang Wulin asked curiously.

"It's to prove myself." Gu Yue looked out into the night and spoke softly. "To prove that I'm not just someone who can cook and manage the household. I can stand on my own in the workplace too. I can earn a decent salary through my own abilities. That feeling... makes me feel grounded."

Tang Wulin paused, then nodded hard. "I get it! I really get it! It's like today in the surveillance room. Even though I was slacking off most of the time, when I actually adjusted that camera's focus and helped Uncle Wang solve a small problem, that feeling of 'I'm useful too' was amazing!"

Gu Yue: "..." She took a deep breath and decided to let this self-satisfied fellow off the hook. "Eat your food, drama queen."

"Yes, ma'am!"

The two exchanged smiles, and the atmosphere at the table became relaxed and cheerful again. Tang Wulin was delighted inside, feeling that his performance tonight had been practically flawless. He had comforted his wife, cleverly maintained his place in the family, even if it had been through slick talk, and also looked ahead to a bright future.

After dinner, Tang Wulin volunteered to do the dishes, calling it "a way to thank my wife for her loving dinner." Gu Yue curled up on the sofa and opened her laptop, seemingly taking care of some preparatory work.

Water splashed noisily in the kitchen. Tang Wulin hummed an out-of-tune tune while scrubbing the dishes. Through the half-open kitchen door, he watched the focused figure in the living room, and an indescribable sense of contentment welled up inside him.

Although his salary was currently only a little more than half of his wife's, and although his daily job was basically watching surveillance footage to see whether his wife had gone out, he believed that with his intelligence and handsome looks—mainly the latter—one day, he would earn a salary that made Gu Yue see him in a new light. When that day came...

"Hey, Tang Wulin!" Gu Yue's voice came from the living room. "Can you wash the dishes properly? I heard you smash a plate!"

"Ah! It's fine, it's fine! A pair of chopsticks fell on the floor!" Tang Wulin hurriedly picked up the "evidence" and called toward the living room guiltily, "I'll be done soon!"

In the living room, Gu Yue shook her head, though the corners of her lips couldn't help but curl upward. She lowered her head to look at the unfinished document on her computer screen, her fingers gently gliding across the touchpad.

As for that guy still fumbling around in the kitchen...

Gu Yue turned back to look at his reflection in the kitchen, humming a tune and occasionally grinning foolishly at the window glass. Her gaze softened involuntarily.

"Forget it. Take it slow," she murmured, returning her attention to the screen.

Tang Wulin dried the last plate, shook the water droplets from his hands, and strode out of the kitchen with great vigor. "Reporting to my wife! Mission successfully completed! What are your next instructions?"

Gu Yue closed her laptop, stood up, and walked over to him. Rising onto her tiptoes, she smoothed out a nonexistent wrinkle on his collar, then placed a gentle kiss on his lips.

"My instruction is," she said with a smile, "go to bed early. You have to get up early tomorrow and keep shining at your 'dream job.'"

Tang Wulin was flattered. He pulled her into his arms and rubbed his cheek against the top of her head. "Yes, ma'am! I guarantee I'll complete the mission! For our family's bright future, I'll definitely... well, try not to slack off!"

Gu Yue laughed silently in his embrace.

But quietly, she set her next goal for herself—

Next month, she would make Tang Wulin's payslip with "7200" written on it look a little less... justified.

And Tang Wulin, completely unaware of any of this, was immersed in his wife's fragrant kiss and beautiful fantasies, utterly oblivious to the greater "storm" brewing ahead.