Are You Satisfied?

Liang Dongyan hadn’t told Liang Xinyun about the marriage registration, but he mentioned that Zhou Mo and Han Chen had something going on.

Zhou Mo couldn’t help but wonder if there was something wrong with Liang Dongyan’s eyes.

She and Han Chen had a complicated relationship, with a mix of new grievances and old resentments.

They had a narrow path as enemies. They maintained a superficial friendship due to their shared history as neighbors and high school classmates, but Zhou Mo had no intention of reconciling or burying the hatchet.

If Han Chen wanted revenge, he could bring it on.

Liang Xinyun asked, “How did you and Han Chen meet this time?”

“Oh, my mentor introduced a lawyer to me, Liang Dongyan, who happened to be with Han Chen at the time,” Zhou Mo replied.

“I didn’t mean this time,” Liang Xinyun clarified. “I meant when Han Chen returned two months ago. How did you meet then?”

“Um...” Zhou Mo didn’t know how to answer. The first time they met... was when Han Chen showed up at her door in the pouring rain late at night.

But if she mentioned that, Liang Xinyun would dig deeper and ask why Han Chen came to her. She couldn’t possibly say that Han Chen came to register their marriage, right?

“It was... a chance encounter,” Zhou Mo deliberately skipped that day and chose to talk about the next day instead. “My ex-boyfriend was hospitalized, and Han Chen was his attending physician.”

Indeed, the three words “ex-boyfriend” worked wonders. Liang Xinyun’s expression immediately fell, losing her smile.

“Do you still have any contact with your ex-boyfriend?” she asked.

“It’s impossible not to have any contact. We have a lawsuit to fight,” Zhou Mo replied.

“All right,” Liang Xinyun breathed a sigh of relief.

“Huh?” Zhou Mo was puzzled.

Liang Xinyun quickly corrected herself, “No, I mean... with Liang Dongyan’s help, everything will be resolved.”

Zhou Mo didn’t think too much about it. Dinner was served, and it was already dark outside.

Liang Xinyun bought a free-range chicken and said she wanted to stew it for soup.

Zhou Mo suggested using a pressure cooker for faster cooking, but Liang Xinyun insisted on using a clay pot for better flavor. The stew would take several hours.

Zhou Mo didn’t feel like she could leave, so she had to stay. By the time dinner was ready, it was already nighttime.

Since it was Sunday the next day, Liang Xinyun had a reason to suggest that Zhou Mo stay the night and have Han Chen drive her home if she thought it was too late and unsafe.

What could Zhou Mo say? Liang Xinyun had already thought of all the possible options for her.

Liang Xinyun was an elder, a longtime friend of Zhou Mo’s parents, and a neighbor whom they hadn’t seen in years.

Zhou Mo, who always appeared obedient and sensible in front of her elders, couldn’t possibly defy Liang Xinyun’s wishes.

During dinner, Liang Xinyun reminded Han Chen, “Give Mo Mo a bowl of chicken soup! The soup is right in front of you. Isn’t it convenient?”

Only then did Han Chen notice the pot of chicken soup in front of him? He got up, served a bowl, and placed it in front of Zhou Mo.

Zhou Mo smiled as if she were watching a show. With her chin resting on her hand, she teased, “So you’ve changed so much now. Did Auntie teach you everything step by step?”

Han Chen, in Zhou Mo’s initial impression, was dull and rigid, lacking observing qualities.

But now, things were different. He had learned to unscrew the bottle cap when giving water to a girl, and he even helped her press the elevator button. He seemed to have learned how to be a gentleman.

Han Chen didn’t respond to Zhou Mo’s teasing and instead served another bowl to Liang Xinyun. “Mom, you should try it too.”

Liang Xinyun accepted it with satisfaction and then turned to Zhou Mo. “Mo Mo, how is Han Chen’s performance now? Are you satisfied?”

Zhou Mo blushed for a moment. Why did she suddenly ask if she was satisfied? It made it seem as if Han Chen had been trying his best to change just to cater to her evaluation.

She added, “Even if I am satisfied, it doesn’t matter. It’s important for Han Chen’s future partner to be satisfied.”

Liang Xinyun’s smile froze on her face, and she awkwardly said, “Eat, let’s eat.”

She picked up a piece of spare rib and served one to Zhou Mo and another to Han Chen.

After dinner, Liang Xinyun insisted that Zhou Mo stay in the living room and watch TV instead of going to the kitchen.

She told Zhou Mo that Han Chen didn’t cook, and she would let him take care of the dishes. Liang Xinyun pulled Zhou Mo to sit on the sofa and started chatting with her.

Feeling restless, Zhou Mo glanced at the time and realized that she had to leave.

She didn’t want Liang Xinyun to come up with any more excuses to make her stay overnight.

Zhou Mo had an idea and opened her bag, taking out a brand new sapphire blue velvet jewelry box.

She opened it to reveal a silver diamond brooch, quietly resting inside, with the sparkling diamonds reflecting a colorful starlight.

“Auntie, I came in a hurry and didn’t bring any small gifts. This brooch is for you,” Zhou Mo said.

“Oh, how can this be? You and Han Chen are classmates, and we are neighbors. Your presence already makes me happy. Why would you still give me something?” Liang Xinyun protested.

Zhou Mo took out the brooch and leaned forward. “It’s just a small gift. I can’t just come here and have a meal without bringing anything. Let me put it on for you.”

When it came to pleasing elders, Zhou Mo was confident in her abilities. She helped Liang Xinyun put on the brooch and urged her to look in the mirror.

Unaware that her bag was not properly placed on the sofa, with one side drooping over the edge, Zhou Mo, with Liang Xinyun’s newly adorned face, moved to check her reflection in the mirror.

Liang Xinyun couldn’t contain her happiness as she looked at herself in the bathroom mirror. “It’s very beautiful,” she couldn’t help but praise.

“As long as you like it,” Zhou Mo took advantage of Liang Xinyun’s happiness and pretended to check the time.

“It’s getting late, and I should go back now. Auntie Liang, I’ll come to visit you next time.”

With the gift in hand, Liang Xinyun continued to wear a smile. “Okay, let Han Chen send you later.”

“No need, I’ll take a taxi. It’s not far from here to where I live,” Zhou Mo declined.

The two of them walked towards the living room and noticed that Zhou Mo’s bag had fallen off the sofa.

Some items were scattered near the corner of the sofa—lipstick, compact powder, a small mirror, but a small object with a square shape and jagged edges, which was the most noticeable.

A perceptive person could easily recognize what it was.

“Mo Mo, you...” Liang Xinyun began to speak, but Zhou Mo, feeling extremely embarrassed, didn’t care about anything and quickly started putting everything back into her bag.

Just as she was reaching for the square-shaped object, a hand suddenly appeared and took it before her.

Zhou Mo looked up and saw Han Chen standing up, calmly putting the object into his own pocket, as if nothing had happened.

He said, “You should have let me keep it yesterday.”

Zhou Mo’s mind was momentarily blank, and she couldn’t process what he was saying. Was he speaking an unknown language?

Zhou Mo’s brain temporarily shut down.

Liang Xinyun was the first to react. She helped Zhou Mo up and pushed Han Chen, urging him, “Hurry up and take Mo Mo home. It’s late.”

As if swept away by the wind, Zhou Mo and Han Chen were both sent out of the house by Liang Xinyun before Zhou Mo could understand the meaning behind Han Chen’s words.

Zhou Mo turned back and glanced at the closed door, glaring at Han Chen with anger.

Han Chen ignored her and entered the elevator. “Are you coming or not?”

Zhou Mo swung her bag and entered the elevator. When the elevator doors closed, she couldn’t help but ask him with annoyance, “What did you mean by what you just said?”