The next day, as it approached noon, Zhang Yuxi woke up to the sound of Lin Feng on a video call with their babies. It was their eldest and fourth child on the line.

"Mommy's sleeping! Yes, Mommy worked very hard!"

"Are you babies behaving at home?"

"Okay, Daddy and Mommy will be back soon. We'll bring gifts for you, all right?"

"Now, go eat your Fan Fan. Grandma is calling you! Remember to take a nap after you're done, okay?"

"Bye-bye! See you! Love you, sending you hearts!"

Just as Zhang Yuxi was about to speak, Lin Feng had already hung up.

"You're up?" Lin Feng asked, sitting on the edge of the bed. "Should we stay another night?"

Zhang Yuxi yawned. "You decide, honey!"

Lin Feng thought for a moment. "I checked my phone, and there's a large shopping mall near the station with both mid-range and high-end stores. Let's go there to buy New Year's gifts for your parents. If there's enough time, we'll head back afterward. If we're pressed for time, we'll just find a hotel for the night and go back first thing in the morning."

Zhang Yuxi thought the itinerary sounded quite good.

The couple ordered lunch. The buffet wasn't as tasty as food from a proper kitchen. After eating, they went to check out.

The hotel offered a shuttle service, but they had to wait ten minutes to share the ride to the station with another couple. The driver only informed Lin Feng and Zhang Yuxi after they were already in the car, but it was understandable—like a carpool.

The other couple was about the same age as Lin Feng. The man was handsome, and the woman had the face of a typical online celebrity, dressed very fashionably. When they saw Zhang Yuxi and Lin Feng, they both looked amazed and surprised. Neither had expected the other couple to be so attractive, with such impressive auras.

The woman sat next to Lin Feng and couldn't help but size them up. The man in the passenger seat happened to meet Lin Feng's gaze in the rearview mirror.

Once the car was full, the driver pulled away.

The woman tossed her hair and took off her coat, revealing the scant clothing she wore underneath.

Lin Feng wrapped an arm around Zhang Yuxi and whispered, "Do you want to lean on my shoulder and get some sleep?"

Zhang Yuxi shook her head, her attention fixed on the woman beside them. She had to admit, the woman was beautiful. She had sharp features and flawless makeup; clearly a pro. Her figure was excellent, too. A woman's intuition kicked in. With so many other places to sit, why did she have to sit so close to my husband? What are her intentions? She's definitely after him! How can I possibly sleep now?

Sensing Zhang Yuxi's stare, the other woman looked over, still tossing her hair. But she was met with a pair of beautiful eyes that shot out a chilling glare, cold enough to make her shiver. Yikes, his girlfriend's presence is way too intense. I'd better drop the idea.

The man in the passenger seat was the first to speak. "Bro, what did you guys think of the hotel?" he asked with a smile.

"It's nice," Lin Feng replied coolly.

"How many days did you stay?"

"Two."

For the most part, the man in the passenger seat drove the conversation. His female companion would occasionally chime in, but Lin Feng remained largely silent.

The driver smiled and announced, "Shimao Department Store is right up ahead. You're all getting off here."

After they got out of the car, the woman approached Zhang Yuxi. "Excuse me, what brand of perfume are you wearing? Could you recommend it to me?"

Zhang Yuxi was taken aback for a moment. "I'm sorry, I don't wear perfume."

"Oh no, I meant your boyfriend's perfume," the woman quickly clarified. A man who appreciates the finer things in life would wear perfume, too. The scent on him was so unique, so memorable.

Zhang Yuxi had no idea where the scent on Lin Feng came from either. She offered a faint, breathtakingly beautiful smile. "That perfume is a custom blend my boyfriend made himself. It's not sold anywhere."

The woman could still feel the hostility radiating from Zhang Yuxi. She smiled in disappointment. "Oh, I see!"

Just then, Lin Feng came over with the luggage and noticed his wife was no longer her usual cute self. Instead, her aura was off the charts.

Hmm, Lin Feng thought. Actually, where Yuxi couldn't see, this woman had been intentionally or unintentionally flirting with me the whole time. For instance, her body would 'accidentally' touch mine when she spoke. When she tossed her hair, she always did it toward my side of her face. The foot of her crossed leg kept brushing against my leg, too. Not to mention her smiles and the way she just happened to have her WeChat QR code displayed on her phone when she held it up. As a man, how could I not understand all her hints? This woman is a real pro! But my wife is a pro, too. She was just nestled in my arms, seemingly motionless, so I thought she hadn't noticed. Turns out, my wife is one sharp woman! So this must be that famous female intuition!

He wrapped a long arm around his wife, who was still in combat mode, and pulled her into his embrace. "Let's go, honey!" he said warmly. "Once we're done buying gifts, let's hurry back. The babies miss us!"

He didn't spare the other woman a single glance.

The woman was left to sigh with deep regret. Damn it! Such a handsome man, and I couldn't even make a move. It's not that I'm weak; his defense is just too strong. I'm completely outmatched!

Her male companion also cast a regretful look at Zhang Yuxi's retreating back.

"What? Taken a fancy to her?" the woman teased.

"I think you're the one who's taken a fancy to him," the man chuckled.

"No way!" the woman replied coquettishly. "No matter how handsome he is, you're the one I love the most!"

The man just smiled, wrapping his arm around her as they also walked into the mall. "What do you want to buy this time?"

"A bag, I think. You know how much I love LV bags."

Because the New Year was approaching, the mall was fully decorated and had a festive, cheerful atmosphere. Carrying a suitcase around was inconvenient, but after looking for a while, they couldn't find any luggage storage. They ended up temporarily stowing it in a locker at the supermarket on the basement level.

With that taken care of, Lin Feng's hands suddenly felt free.

"Honey, what does your mom like?"

"She likes to buy jade bracelets, even though she doesn't wear them that often. She just likes collecting them, says looking at how clear and beautiful they are is very comforting."

"And what about your dad?"

"Dad's a collector. He likes all sorts of interesting things, but there isn't one thing he particularly favors."

Lin Feng took her hand. "Come on, let's browse around and buy whatever feels right."

The layouts of most malls these days are more or less the same. The couple shopped floor by floor. It was becoming clear that they wouldn't make it back tonight and would have to catch the early bus the next morning.

The top floor housed luxury brands for clothing, shoes, hats, and bags, along with extremely extravagant jewelry. The most advanced security systems were installed here, and the saleswomen were all gorgeous, on par with flight attendants.

Lin Feng led Zhang Yuxi to the second floor and into a women's clothing store. When it came to choosing clothes for his mother-in-law, he was of no help at all. He could only sit on the side, read a magazine, and wait for Zhang Yuxi to make her selections.

Another saleswoman in the store brought him a glass of water. "Here's some water for you, sir."

"Thank you!"

The coffee table was also stocked with snacks like sunflower seeds and chewing gum.

A one-size-fits-all was perfect for Zhao Lizhen. After browsing for a long time, Zhang Yuxi finally picked out two outfits from one of her mother's favorite brands.

Lin Feng paid with his card. He used to pay by scanning a QR code, but the app had recently been updated. Large transactions now required his personal verification, and going through all the steps was far less convenient than simply using a credit card. With a card, a quick swipe and a signature were all it took.

Lin Feng held the shopping bags in one hand and his wife's hand in the other, swinging their joined hands back and forth as they walked.