Chapter Thirty-Eight: Fortune Born of Misfortune

"Oh ho ho ho ho... Hello, dear father-in-law. Where's mother-in-law?"
Ren Qian forced a smile, poking half his body through the doorway, then quickly pulling back, his face full of confusion as he glanced at the young nurse and murmured, "You told me the house was filled with the smell of burning, but this isn't just burnt—it's the stench of a chemical weapons leak!"

The nurse was speechless.

"Oh my, the son-in-law's here! Come in, come in. Today, I've been thoroughly angered. That rascal Wan Feng, relying on having more fans than you, dared to suppress you on Weibo.

Humph! Your father-in-law saw injustice and drew his sword to help, rallied his million fans, joined forces with Feifei's fan army, and surrounded Wan Feng's sycophant battalion, utterly defeating them, driving them to disgrace and tears.

But why haven't you stepped forward yet? Now your fans aren't retaliating, and neither are mine or Feifei's. Hurry up and post on Weibo to scold Wan Feng's lackeys. Quick, your father-in-law will lead you to victory today!"

Oh ho ho ho ho...

Ren Qian and the gentle sister both gave cold, mocking laughs. Even in the face of disaster, he remained so cheerful.

Father-in-law was bewildered by their derisive stares, awkwardly climbing up from the sofa, searching for his slippers for ages before finally putting them on.

As he stood, his face registered shock; he turned in disbelief toward the kitchen, but the scene there left him full of resentment. He turned back and sighed helplessly, "I can't believe I didn't notice... Maybe I was just having too much fun and overlooked it."

Oh ho ho ho ho...

How could anyone ignore a stench so potent it stings the eyes? Who is he trying to fool? He's a master at playing dumb.

Father-in-law, seen through, could only chuckle sheepishly and sit back down. Truthfully, Feifei was wonderful in every way—except her cooking was utterly outrageous.

Whenever she cooked, she'd come up with some bizarre idea. For instance, she'd toss the ingredients straight into the pan.

Hearing the sizzling, she'd muse, "Am I pioneering a new culinary path? If I don't follow the usual route, the dish will surely turn out delicious."

Whimper, whimper...

She imagined Lin, the gentle sister, and Ren Qian would all heap praise upon her~

With these thoughts, she grinned with satisfaction—only to realize, as she smiled, the dish was already burnt!

Only then did the diva realize she should follow the recipe steps! So she scooped out the charred food, added oil and salt, and when she saw the clear oil boiling, she poured the already burnt dish back in.

And her imagination soared again.

Adding oil should make the dish more moist, right? I see all those fried snacks on the food street are crispy and dark—I’m frying mine too. The taste must be amazing.

Whimper, whimper...

They'll all praise me for it~

While she was smiling, black smoke began to billow from the pot, and finally, she decided to scoop it out.

On the food street, they only take it out when it’s smoking, so I’ve mastered perfect timing! Whimper, whimper... Surely folk wisdom mustn't be underestimated.

A plate of dark cuisine, freshly out of the oven; and the diva's imagination took flight again.

Should I try it to see how delicious it is? No, no—if I taste it and it's so good I can't stop, and eat it all, then the three of them will have nothing left! I must overcome myself!

And so, the diva was lost in her own imaginative world, unable to escape. Funnily enough, because her flights of fancy soared so high, she never actually tasted her own cooking.

...

"The fridge is nearly empty now. Just thinking about those vegetables soon turning into charcoal and entering my fragile stomach makes me lose my appetite."

The nurse pouted, pulling Ren Qian over to sit by the window. The late winter breeze brushed their faces, bringing a quiet enjoyment of being alive. They sat together, cherishing the rare, beautiful moments before dinner.

"Feifei, your son-in-law is here, and he's starving! If he gets any hungrier, it'll be fatal! Why don't we eat out? Save you the trouble—if you get exhausted, I'll feel terrible.

I married you so you'd never have to lift a finger. From now on, let me cook, wash the dishes, do the laundry, mop the floor—just rest and relax. Come on out, let's go out for dinner~"

Lin Ruowan suggested bravely, having endured four or five meals of charcoal, even on New Year's Eve. He couldn't even stay up that night. Alas, the more he spoke, the more tears he shed.

Now he couldn't bear to see anything black on his plate—if he did, he'd immediately recall those meals and feel nauseated!

"This time, I've made significant progress in my cooking. The dishes are done; I'll bring them out now~"

Significant progress?!

Before anyone could react, the diva swiftly carried out plate after plate of dishes, as if they had returned from a study abroad in Africa. Her speed was astonishing!

"Come and eat, why are you just standing there? Ren Qian, this will be your home from now on. If you want anything, just tell your mother-in-law. I'll cook it for you—don't be shy."

Ren Qian was speechless.

His spirit was shattered—how could anyone say something so venomous with such kindness? Forcing himself, he picked up his chopsticks, cast a bitter glance at the nurse, then another at his equally suffering father-in-law, lifted his bowl, and prepared to sacrifice himself.

...

Late at night, the nurse supported Ren Qian, whose legs were weak, head dizzy, spirit wilted, and eyes lifeless, as they staggered out of the toxic den.

She was deeply moved because Ren Qian, using the excuse "The dish is delicious, I want more. Since Wenrun eats lightly at night and needs to diet, I'll take her portion," had volunteered to eat her share.

Thus he successfully spared her from disaster.

But Ren Qian was even more tragic now, barely conscious, half paralyzed.

He lay on the nurse's soft lap, staring blankly at the car ceiling, as an advertising slogan drifted through his mind: "There's charcoal in your throat—can't cough it up, can't swallow it down, it's truly disgusting."

He never wanted to experience today's ordeal again.

"Nurse, shall I take you out to live somewhere else? Far away, so we can always find excuses to avoid meals in the future. Anyway, we must never eat there again—if I do, I fear I'll drop dead..."

Ren Qian struggled to suppress his nausea, choking back his words.

"You're absolutely right! We must escape Feifei Auntie's clutches as soon as possible. It's not just the food—I'm afraid to even look at the plates that held those dishes, and I can't stand the lingering smell in the house!"

"So tonight..."

"I'm not taking you back to the dorm—we'll find a hotel. Tomorrow we'll go apartment hunting!"

The nurse was resolute; she had had enough, and would never remain in that dragon's den waiting for death.

Hier... hier... hier...

Ren Qian nodded feebly, then turned his head to bury it in her lap. Inside, he was secretly thrilled.

Wow, hahaha~

She actually agreed to live together so easily?!

Truly, it came without the slightest effort~

Now, every day he could sleep with a beauty in his arms, warm and fragrant, surrounded by the scent of a young woman—the thought of it made his heart race, and the anticipation... tsk tsk.