Extreme Pampering
Chapter 182: No Reason Not to Love You.

Chapter 182: Chapter 182: No Reason Not to Love You.

The engagement banquet was held on a clear winter day; Shen Zhiyi had not involved herself in any planning, so it wasn’t until the day itself that she discovered the banquet was set at Nanyuan.

The place where she and Pei Yu had truly reunited.

The memories left here were not the most beautiful, but even these were about to be overlaid with new ones.

With the heating indoors quite sufficient, Shen Zhiyi took off her heavy coat and saw Qin Xiaoran and Wang Feifei, as well as Xiaodong, who was already enjoying the dessert buffet, when she entered the hall.

"This dress..." Qin Xiaoran started laughing the moment she saw her, "I was wondering why I hadn’t heard any news about it being for sale, turns out Brother Pei Yu had it reserved."

Shen Zhiyi looked down at herself, "He never told me, I thought the butler had picked it out."

"When it’s something that’s going to be on you," Qin Xiaoran winked at her with a meaningful smile, "how could he possibly let someone else handle it."

She teased on purpose, and Shen Zhiyi, a little embarrassed, chuckled and shifted the topic, "How’s your wedding preparation going?"

Qin Xiaoran’s wedding was just a few days away.

"Almost done," Qin Xiaoran didn’t pay much attention to her own wedding. After all, everything was monitored by her demanding mother-in-law. She was more curious about Shen Zhiyi’s, "I heard from Qin Fang that your wedding will be at Huating?"

Huating had scarcely hosted any outsiders since Pei Yu took over, even Qin Fang only visited occasionally, so it was unexpected to hold a wedding there.

"Yeah," Shen Zhiyi nodded, "Pei Yu arranged it."

She hadn’t involved herself in any part of the process and didn’t even have a clear idea of how far the preparations had progressed.

As they were talking, Pei Yu came over, accompanied by Qin Fang and Fu Songzhi.

Seeing him, Shen Zhiyi’s eyes curved into a smile.

Neither of them had invited any elders to their engagement party; only close friends were present, and the proceedings were simple, omitting the parts related to both sets of parents.

Under the direction of Secretary Qin, they signed the engagement document, and as soon as the pen was put down, Qin Fang began clamoring to offer toasts, dragging Pei Yu to their table.

Shen Zhiyi, on the other hand, was pulled away by Qin Xiaoran to pick out a wedding gift.

"I really don’t know what to gift you guys," Qin Xiaoran had put a lot of thought into the engagement gift and was somewhat clueless about what to choose for the wedding gift, "How about I just give you a card?"

Shen Zhiyi laughed at the suggestion, "Just like that?"

"Just pick something casually," her mind was on Pei Yu, and watching him slightly curl his lips, accepting every offered drink, she knew he was in a great mood and likely to get pretty drunk.

Indeed, that’s what happened. The group of young people made a ruckus until late, and by the time the party wound down, Pei Yu’s eyes were hazy, and he appeared quite inebriated.

He sat on the sofa, resting, and Shen Zhiyi went over to touch his face, flushed by the influence of alcohol, "Can you still recognize who I am?"

Pei Yu slightly lifted his eyelids, his black eyes intently on her, as if trying to see into her soul. He grasped Shen Zhiyi’s hand, found her ring, and let out a faint chuckle, "My wife."

All ceremonies were just formalities for them; the moment Shen Zhiyi nodded, willing to wear the ring, she became Pei Yu’s wife, and in the eyes of others, it was the same.

Shen Zhiyi curved her lips into a slight smile. "It seems you’re not too drunk yet."

"Pei Yu," she squatted down, her skirt spreading onto the carpet. She looked at him tenderly and asked softly, "I saw your betrothal gifts. Why did you give me so many things?"

It was only recently that she found out what the document he had coaxed her into signing was. While others gave houses and cars, he was unique in offering her shares.

"Not much," Pei Yu was indeed drunk, struggling to concentrate on her words. His gaze fell on her lips, and he leaned down to kiss her, murmuring, "I’m still afraid it’s not enough."

His feelings for Shen Zhiyi had never changed, even after they got together and married. He was still that initial Pei Yu, wanting to present her with many things to win her affection.

Shen Zhiyi didn’t care much for these things, but she knew that Pei Yu’s love was so vast and full that he needed to show it in this way, so she glimpse a fraction of it. Thus, she didn’t refuse but gave Pei Yu the response he desired.

"It’s enough," she said, looking into Pei Yu’s eyes. "It’s more than enough, Pei Yu."

Pei Yu asked, "Do you love me?"

"Love," Shen Zhiyi always answered such questions tirelessly, "Why wouldn’t I love you when you’re so wonderful?"

Perhaps her love for Pei Yu couldn’t compare to his love for her, but Shen Zhiyi’s love was also very genuine and lasting. It wasn’t any less valuable or superficial than anyone else’s, so the Pei Yu loved by her wasn’t any less fortunate than others.

When Shen Zhiyi focused on someone, her eyes always appeared very gentle and warm. Being looked at like this, even if Pei Yu often belittled himself, he had to admit that he was indeed loved by her.

His eyes lowered as he took her into his arms, and with a very straightforward tone, he complained to her, "Qin Fang said I was too eager, arranging everything so soon, as if I feared you would regret."

From the proposal, to the engagement, and then to the wedding, it was less than two months—a pace rarely seen. But in truth, it wasn’t rushed because many things had already been prepared by Pei Yu. It was just a ceremony that was missing.

"He was joking," Shen Zhiyi sat in his embrace, tugging at the short hair on the back of his neck. "It’s not only you who’s eager. I want to get it done as soon as possible too. We should have reached this step long ago."

Thinking about it, there was indeed a reason why Mr. Xiaoqin had been sent on an assignment—it really hit a raw nerve to speak like that. If the jabs continued, Pei Yu would be terribly upset.

"Yeah," Pei Yu obviously pleased with her words, no longer dwelt on the mess of Qin Fang’s words, and reiterated, "It should have been done long ago."

If only he had been luckier and not waited until he was twenty-eight to marry her.

After sitting with Pei Yu for a while so he could sober up, Secretary Qin drove them back to Huating.

The ride was long, and under the influence of alcohol, Pei Yu fell asleep, resting on Shen Zhiyi’s leg and wrapping an arm around her waist, unwilling to let go even in sleep.

Secretary Qin kept his gaze steady on the road but still caught a glimpse in the rearview mirror of the scene in the back seat—Shen Zhiyi gazing down as she smoothed Pei Yu’s hair.

Even without saying a word, one could perceive the affection she held for the person in her embrace.

Suddenly, Secretary Qin recalled the last time he came to Nanyuan, remembering the expression on Pei Yu’s face when he had brought Shen Zhiyi out. At that time, Shen Zhiyi still bore the title of "Huo Heng’s girlfriend." With Pei Yu stepping in, he had been utterly baffled, not understanding what was so good about Shen Zhiyi that she had caught Pei Yu’s interest.

Now, it seemed he had been wrong from the start. Shen Zhiyi didn’t need to have something good about her because Pei Yu loved her—the love was not for her appearance or figure but for the curve of her eyebrows, the gaze she cast, every frown and smile were reasons for Pei Yu to love her.

Conversely, Shen Zhiyi loved Pei Yu, loving the most real and bare Pei Yu.