"What's not to like? Your Brother Ye is already the financial director. Wouldn't it be great if you could be an assistant? You could also spend more time with your Brother Ye. You two can be casual at the company. Whenever you're hungry, you can go out to eat anytime without caring about what others think. After all, this is our own company. As long as you don't cause trouble, it's fine."
When Xiao Pang heard Hou Mingzhu say this, he didn't have a good impression of this spoiled young lady. However, that quickly changed.
Xiao Pang had always been strategic, and his mouth was as sweet as honey. "Sister-in-law, I've never met a woman as generous as you. To be honest, you're truly a remarkable heroine."
"Alright, stop flattering your sister-in-law. Come to the company and work with peace of mind. Your salary won't be less. Because your Brother Ye is here, we can't let you starve."
Hou Mingzhu chatted with Xiao Pang for only a few sentences before her phone rang. It was likely for a gathering, and Hou Mingzhu left in her sports car. The whole process was very quick.
However, her decisive demeanor was indeed a bit masculine.
"Brother Ye, I'm completely on Sister-in-law's side now. She's really great. What did you do to marry such a beautiful and capable wife?"
Ye Tiancheng sighed helplessly, "Alas, it's over. I think you've completely defected."
"Brother Ye, isn't it all thanks to you? Otherwise, would Sister-in-law know who I am? But I'm also quite happy to be able to go to the Hou family's company. Otherwise, I'd feel too embarrassed to keep living in your employee dormitory for free."
Ye Tiancheng patted Xiao Pang's shoulder. "Actually, your sister-in-law talks nonsense, but one thing she said is right. As long as your Brother Ye is here, I won't let you, Yan Dazhuang, be bullied."
Xiao Pang started his afternoon shift. Their offices were quite close to him. Neither of them was the type to take money without doing work. Anyway, they didn't slack off on their job responsibilities and were actually quite busy.
They worked until evening to finish all their tasks. Ye Tiancheng had wanted to find Xiao Pang for a drink, but Hou Mingzhu called.
"Ye Tiancheng, come home for dinner today."
"Can I bring Xiao Pang with me?"
"Yes, you can drink at home if you want to. But don't drink too much. At most three bottles of beer, and at most one liang of liquor. If you drink too much, you'll get beaten."
Ye Tiancheng felt that Hou Mingzhu's actions towards him were all strategic, as if she had him locked in a solid framework.
"I understand, wife."
There was silence on the other end of the phone for a while. Ye Tiancheng thought she had hung up, but then Hou Mingzhu suddenly spoke again.
"Ye Tiancheng, what are you calling me? Are you crazy!"
"Wife, no matter how much true affection or feigned sincerity there is between us, the marriage certificate is real. I can't even call you wife?"
Ye Tiancheng had previously thought that after marriage, it would be a living hell, but he found that having a home felt good. At least there was a woman who urged him on.
No matter how late he returned home, there was always a light waiting for him. That was a harbor for his soul. For someone like Ye Tiancheng who was used to drifting, he could finally dock.
"You be careful, Ye Tiancheng. If you call me that again, I, I'll sew your mouth shut."
Hou Mingzhu was a little flustered. She should have found Ye Tiancheng calling her wife annoying, but it wasn't as bad as she imagined. She even felt that the meaning of those two words was different, with a hint of intimacy.
"Then I won't call you that anymore?"
Ye Tiancheng always felt that calling Hou Mingzhu by her full name was a bit impolite. Calling her wife felt quite intimate. If Ye Tiancheng were asked to call her "darling" or something similar, he really couldn't bring himself to say it. So, after thinking for a long time, he felt that calling her "wife" was more appropriate.
"Oh, whatever you want. Call me if you want. I'm not someone who forces things."
"Then I understand, wife. I was caught by my father-in-law earlier, so I can't leave early. It's my first day working as the financial director, and it wouldn't look good if other colleagues saw it. After work, I'll bring Xiao Pang home immediately."
"Okay, I'll be home soon. I'll ask the kitchen to make more delicious food."
After hanging up the phone, Ye Tiancheng felt his heart filled with warmth. It seemed that his married life with Hou Mingzhu was not as terrifying as he had imagined. Everything was going well, and Ye Tiancheng adapted quickly.
"You brat, my body was damaged and I was asleep for a while. I thought you would have recovered your true qi after waking up, but you still look like a weakling?"
"Stone, you're finally awake. I thought you wouldn't wake up. How did you awaken!"
Nuwa Stone had just woken up and was still very weak, speaking with little energy.
"You have the nerve to say that. If it weren't for me and the Great Green Snake desperately protecting you, your true qi would have dissipated long ago. I mean, completely dissipated without a trace. You would just be an ordinary person, unable to cultivate forever. You should thank us."
"The three of us are forever one. Thanking each other feels too distant. I will always share in your glory and suffer your losses. By the way, where is the Great Green Snake? Why can't I feel him in the spiritual consciousness space!"
"The Great Green Snake is helping you find a way to recover your true qi. It's estimated that he'll only appear after you break through. Until then, don't expect to see that stinky snake."
So that's how it is. Ye Tiancheng thought he was the only one having a hard time, but it wasn't like that. Nuwa Stone and the Great Green Snake, who were following him, had both suffered considerable damage because of that stinky frog's curse. Without their help, Ye Tiancheng seriously suspected that he might have already lost his life.
"By the way, stinky stone, I'm already married. I have a wife now. I forgot to tell you. Aren't you going to give a wedding gift? The gift money still needs to be given."
"If you're asking me for money, I definitely don't have any. I can't give you any other benefits either. The divine power I could help you with before can't be activated now. It might take some time. You should just be content."
"No benefits at all. It seems you're not as reliable as Hou Mingzhu. I'll just quietly live off her. Living off her is easier."
Now that Nuwa Stone couldn't help, Ye Tiancheng still had to rely on people in reality. It seemed necessary to appease Hou Mingzhu properly. In any case, he couldn't make Hou Mingzhu angry.
"You brat, I really envy you. I didn't expect you to be so capable. I thought when I woke up again, you would have fallen to begging for food. I didn't expect you to be more glorious than before. You look even more handsome in your suit, and you're even driving a car worth tens of millions."
Ye Tiancheng couldn't help but feel a bead of sweat. "Alright, stop praising me too much. If you praise me any longer, I'll really get arrogant. Leave me some room for improvement."
Xiao Pang was sleeping soundly in the sports car. When he heard Ye Tiancheng seemingly talking to someone, he suddenly opened his eyes.
"Brother Ye, who are you talking to?"
"It's nothing, you're overthinking it."
"Oh, I see. Then I'll continue sleeping."
After speaking, Xiao Pang moved his lips and chewed, as if he had dreamed of eating pig trotters while sleeping. Now that Ye Tiancheng had woken him up, if he continued to sleep, he could probably continue eating.
When they arrived home, Xiao Pang quickly got to eat real pig trotters. The chef at home was specifically hired by Hou Mingzhu. Given how picky Hou Mingzhu was, the chef's skill would certainly not be bad.
The braised pig trotters were stewed to be very flavorful and tender, almost melting in the mouth, making it impossible to refuse such a delicacy.
"Sister-in-law, your chef's cooking is delicious. It's so fragrant. I've already eaten my fourth bowl of rice."
Besides the braised pig trotters, there were also stir-fried vegetables that went well with rice, such as scrambled eggs with tomatoes and stewed potatoes with green beans. Each dish was full of home-style flavor, making it impossible to stop eating.
"Xiao Pang, eat more. You're too thin."
Hou Mingzhu had developed the habit of eating very little at each meal. So, she hadn't even finished her first bowl of rice. She usually left more than half of it. Eating less rice at dinner was effective for weight loss.
"Wife, don't just talk. Eat more rice. Look how thin you are, like a stick."
It must be said that Hou Mingzhu wasn't dryly thin. She was still curvy and well-endowed, but ultimately too slender. Ye Tiancheng felt that women with a little more flesh on them looked more blessed.
"You men can eat a lot without getting fat, which is really enviable. Don't just boss me around. I gain weight easily. I don't want to become a fat woman, or you'll divorce me."
Hou Mingzhu's words made Ye Tiancheng laugh, and he didn't stop for a while.
"You want to divorce me? How dare I? You'd be more likely to divorce me."
"It's fine, you two can show your affection freely. I'll eat my food. It won't be a problem at all. Brother Ye, Sister-in-law Ye, you do as you please. You don't need to consider my feelings at all."
After Xiao Pang had eaten his fill, he was going to return to his employee dormitory, but Ye Tiancheng strongly insisted that Xiao Pang stay and spend the night there.
That way, Ye Tiancheng could go to work with Xiao Pang the next day, and they would have company.
When they went to sleep at night, Ye Tiancheng went to chat with Xiao Pang. Xiao Pang looked distraught, feeling that Ye Tiancheng was too clueless.
"Brother Ye, it's late at night. I'm a single dog and have to spend it alone, but why are you also with Sister-in-law? You can't let Sister-in-law be alone in an empty room."
"Xiao Pang, I won't lie to you. Hou Mingzhu explicitly told me that if I dared to touch her, that tigress would want to cripple me immediately. No matter how bold I am, I wouldn't dare to do such a thing, unless I didn't want to live."
Xiao Pang rubbed his chin and thought for a long time, then gave Ye Tiancheng a very pertinent answer.
"Women say one thing and mean another, Brother Ye. From my experience, when a woman says no, she means yes. You should be more assertive and show your manly vigor."
Ye Tiancheng thought about it, then quickly shook his head.
"That's the normal situation. I'm living off Hou Mingzhu now. To put it bluntly, I'm a parasite. Hou Mingzhu is the boss, and I'm a subordinate. How could I dare to challenge her authority? Unless I want to die."
"Oh, Brother Ye, don't be so unconfident. I think you're very capable. Even if you're a tiger fallen into the plains, you shouldn't be bullied by a dog."
"Alright, Xiao Pang. I almost got you killed because of my impulsiveness before. I learned my lesson then. Before I have the ability, I should still lie low. If I force myself forward, I'll end up harming myself and those around me."
Xiao Pang thought about it and quickly comforted Ye Tiancheng.