While Wang Zhen was mistakenly pairing herself with her online search results, Yin Zhao-an returned downstairs with her school bag.
After grabbing a slice of bread from the table, Yin Zhao-an tried to leave, Wang Zhen stopped her in time to give her a lunch box and a milk carton. Then, Wang Zhen said, "No matter how distracted you are, you shouldn't forget to take your lunch."
In response, Yin Zhao-an accepted the lunch box and stuffed it into her bag. Then, she hastily left the house after saying, "I'm off to school."
At this time, Yin Changcheng had come out of the bathroom in a fresh set of clothes. Then, he sat down at the dining table and began eating his breakfast. Meanwhile, Wang Zhen stood by the front door as she stared at her daughter's departing back.
Noticing his wife's behavior, Yin Changcheng paused the hand that was reaching for the bread. Then, he asked, "Ah Zhen, aren't you going to eat?"
Wang Zhen frowned at her husband's question. Then, folding her arms around her chest, she said, "Our daughter is behaving abnormally. You spend more time at home than I do. Have you noticed anything strange about her recently?"
Yin Changcheng put his hand down cautiously. Then, after faking a light cough, he said, "I've been busy at the company recently. Truth be told, I didn't notice anything strange..."
"Hm?" Wang Zhen's gaze sharpened as she looked at her husband. Then, in a cold voice, she asked, "What company?"
"Oh, that... I started a company with a few of my old comrades who've retired from the army. I didn't tell you before because everything was still being set up previously, but we've gotten some results now, so..." Yin Changcheng hurriedly explained, a bead of cold sweat rolling down his forehead.
Wang Zhen wasn't the kind of person who would stubbornly cling to her husband's wrongdoings. After nonchalantly taking a seat at the table, she picked up the fork and knife in front of her and fiddled with the knife a few times. Then, with a contemplative look, she said, "This knife is quite sharp. Carving meat with it should be easy."
Cold sweat began emerging uncontrollably on Yin Changcheng's forehead. At the same time, he couldn't help but shudder when he recalled the early days of his marriage with Wang Zhen.
On a particular day many years ago, Wang Zhen had called him to the kitchen. Then, before his very eyes, she meticulously skinned, gutted, and deboned a whole chicken before neatly decorating everything on a plate, leaving behind only a clean skeleton on the chopping board.
After doing all that, she turned to him, smiling as she said in a gentle tone, "You'd best never betray me. I might not beat you in a fight, but I am the one taking care of your basic necessities."
At the time, Yin Changcheng had his mind filled with nothing but love, so he only felt joy when he heard Wang Zhen's words. He thought he had found a loyal woman with a strong character. However, he never thought this woman of strong character would eventually have him eating out of her hands, thoroughly turning him into a hen-pecked husband...
…
The streets in the early morning were bustling. While Yin Zhao-an was aimlessly walking forward, a motorcycle suddenly stopped in her way.
The rider was a young man with hair dyed blond. By his immature face, he looked about fifteen or sixteen years old.
After stopping his bike, the young man whistled at Yin Zhao-an and brightly smiled at her before saying, "Greetings, Big Bro!"
Originally, Yin Zhao-an was wondering which daredevil would dare to try to rob her in broad daylight. However, it turned out that the other party was the leader of the delinquents she had beaten up last night.
Yin Zhao-an wore a black hooded sweater today. Paired with the black Marten boots she wore, her legs looked more slender than usual. Meanwhile, due to her lack of sleep, her hair looked a little messy, looking like she had natural frizzy hair.
"Does your school let you keep such long hair? I thought all schools only allowed hair down to the eyebrows," the young man curiously asked. Evidently, he had yet to realize Yin Zhao-an's gender.
Yin Zhao-an coldly glanced at the young man before continuing on her way without saying a word.
The young man rode on his loud bike while following Yin Zhao-an, calling out to her one time after another.
"Do you know how to ride bikes, Big Bro?"
Yin Zhao-an suddenly stopped walking when she heard this question. Then, she looked at the young man's cool-looking motorcycle with a look of interest. Truth be told, she didn't know how to ride motorcycles.
When the young man saw that he had caught Yin Zhao-an's interest, he excitedly said, "How about I lend you my bike to practice, and you take me in as your underling?"
"Okay."
Yin Zhao-an had to go to school during the day and send Tang Yu home in the evening, so she arranged to meet the young man at the sports field of her school's old campus during the weekend.
...
When the weekend arrived, Yin Zhao-an put on a set of loose sportswear and a black cap before getting ready to leave home. However, just before she could leave, Yin Changcheng stopped her.
"Cough. Where are you going?" Yin Changcheng asked, knowing to pay closer attention to his daughter after the little incident with his wife.
Yin Zhao-an hesitated to speak the truth. However, when she recalled her father's "hen-pecked husband" personality, he was bound to tell her mother everything she told him. So, she decided to lie to avoid unnecessary troubles:
"I'm going to play with Tang-Tang."
Yin Changcheng sighed in relief when he heard Yin Zhao-an was only visiting Tang Yu. After patting his daughter on the shoulder, he smiled and said, "Go on. Make sure not to stay out too late."
Yin Zhao-an smiled in response before sticking her hands into her hoodie's pockets and leaving the house.
"This silly girl finally knows how to go out to play. Seeing her cooped up in her room studying all day is just scary," Yin Changcheng said, sighing ruefully before returning to the study.
Although Yin Zhao-an normally behaved like a fool, her title of top student did not come from luck. No matter how gifted a person was, talent without hard work would still leave a person with nothing.
...
When Yin Zhao-an arrived at her school's old campus, the blond young man wasn't the only one on the sports field. Four other young men were also present, and these four looked at her with ill intentions.
Yin Zhao-an would be a fool if she still couldn't tell what they were thinking after seeing their gazes.