Chapter 4 — The Illusion of Spring Peaches

The trio continued conversing for a short while longer. Before long, Van Tinh gently patted her stomach and murmured, "I am feeling a bit hungry..." "There hardly seems to be anything edible in the house," Young Master Ly remarked, rising to check the refrigerator. At that exact moment, an inspiration struck Van Tinh: "Shall we go out to eat instead? There is a restaurant nearby that I adore." Ham Giang, her brother-in-law, immediately smiled, his gaze brushing lightly over his wife: "Very well, very well. Wherever you choose to go, I shall follow." "Woof!" Tang Vien, resting in its mistress's lap, suddenly scratched wildly with its front paws, trying to secure a firm grip on Van Tinh's arm, its dark eyes brimming with tension. Startled, Van Tinh lowered her head to stroke the pet, soothing it softly: "Be a good girl, Mommy will go eat and be right back..." Seeing this, Young Master Ly interjected: "Perhaps... I should contact the restaurant and have them deliver the food directly here?" Upon hearing this, Ham Giang paused for a fraction of a second, his lips curving into a faint smile as though he had just devised something: "Ah, that works as well. Call the manager straight away, it will be faster." "Then I shall leave it to you," Young Master Ly nodded.

A few minutes later, the doorbell chimed. The restaurant had not merely dispatched food; the establishment's manager had arrived in person, accompanied by two waiters, and laid out an opulent banquet. The livestream chat instantly erupted into a frenzy: 【What the hell?! Truly a tycoon! Even ordering delivery requires the manager to deliver it personally!】 【Good heavens, this is not merely "ordering food," this is hosting a mini banquet right at home!】 【Young Master Ly... can the three of you possibly finish this entire spread? Might there be room for me? I can help eat!】 The table was fully set, and the rich aromas diffused throughout the entire room. Young Master Ly and Ham Giang sat opposite one another, eating and conversing in a rather relaxed atmosphere. Only Van Tinh sat off to one side, barely touching her chopsticks, picking idly at a couple of mouthfuls of greens with a vacant gaze. The two men exchanged glances, then simultaneously laid down their utensils and turned to ask, "Van Tinh, why are you not eating?" Van Tinh set down her chopsticks and gently shook her head: "Nothing here suits my palate..." Ham Giang stiffened slightly, the corners of his mouth twitching, though his tone remained gentle: "Not to your liking? But this is the very restaurant you selected. I ordered the food precisely according to your wishes." In that fleeting moment, a flash of irritation flickered across Van Tinh's eyes. Yet a heartbeat later, she lowered her head in silence and continued poking at her greens, uttering not another word. The atmosphere in the room instantly congealed, and an invisible pall of heavy smoke seemed to weave through the air. Even Young Master Ly, who had been laughing and chatting moments before, now ate his meal in a low-toned hush, not daring to intrude. Everyone could feel the invisible weight pressing down upon the room. In the livestream chat, fierce arguments broke out: 【Good grief... this woman has such an unbearable temperament...】 【Indeed, the restaurant was chosen by her, the dishes decided by her, and she insisted on staying home for the sake of a dog... yet now she sits there with a frozen face... what on earth does she want?】 【From the very beginning, the brother-in-law has behaved so well, so gallantly and gently, while the wife remains so sullen... how very strange, is it not?】

I watched the entire scene unfold through the screen, my eyes narrowing slightly. The sense of foreboding grew steadily stronger. The atmosphere within this household... something was profoundly wrong. The comment section of the livestream was now embroiled in a heated debate: 【She is exactly like my mother, knowing only how to ruin the mood!】 【So plump as she is, if not for her family's wealth, a handsome brother-in-law like him would certainly never have glanced her way!】 【Even her dog is grating upon my sight; who knows, perhaps the hound relies on its owner's backing to bully the brother-in-law!】 I gazed at the screen, reading every single comment, my expression gradually growing dark. Meanwhile, the atmosphere in the living room was strung as tight as a bowstring. Perhaps attempting to dissipate the oppressive gloom, Young Master Ly abruptly spoke up, striving to steer the conversation elsewhere: "Next month is Father's birthday; has everyone decided upon a gift yet? There are only a few things he truly enjoys, so let us discuss it beforehand to avoid any duplication." Mentioning this topic immediately rekindled Van Tinh's interest: "We were thinking of gifting Father a purple clay teapot, which should suit his tastes nicely. What do you plan to give, Younger Brother?" "I shall present a pair of Spring Breeze Auspicious Jade goblets, which will complement your teapot splendidly," Young Master Ly replied. "Ah, that is excellent," Van Tinh nodded, then, recalling something else, turned with a smile: "Oh, by the way, for Father's birthday, I intend to order a custom-made new dress. On that day, I shall take you to be fitted for a new suit; the two of us siblings must look our absolute best so we appear pristine when greeting Father." Seeing his sister finally return to her cheerful state, Young Master Ly released a soft sigh of relief. Ham Giang also offered a faint smile, chiming in with a gentle tone: "A custom dress sounds delightful. The dress you wore last year... no longer fits you properly, anyway. This time, having one tailored to your exact silhouette will ensure you look nothing short of a swan when you wear it." "Crack!" The sharp sound of chopsticks slamming against the table rang out, causing the entire living room to freeze. Van Tinh abruptly smashed the table and lurched to her feet, her face flushed crimson, her eyes blazing with fury: "What do you mean by that?! Are you mocking me for being fat?! Why must you always press upon my sorest spots?! You ordered a table full of food I dislike, and now you claim my old dresses no longer fit... Ham Giang, are you deliberately trying to make me miserable?!" A dead silence fell over the room. On the sofa, Ham Giang merely lowered his head, the corners of his mouth twitching into a faint, helpless-looking smile, though a hard-to-read glint flashed through his eyes. The living room remained entirely hushed, save for the ragged, heavy breathing of Van Tinh. The livestream exploded with commentary: 【Oh damn, this woman is so vicious, living with her must be absolute torment for the brother-in-law!】 【To be honest... she is rather heavy. Why grow angry when someone speaks the bare truth?】 【Quite right, she ought to look in a mirror; if not for her money, why would such a handsome brother-in-law ever marry her!】 【Such a gentle, well-behaved brother-in-law—being his wife should make one weep with gratitude!】 【Wait... hold on a moment... Does no one else find this wife rather familiar?】 【Familiar my foot! In any case, she is putting on such an act, the brother-in-law merely spoke a few words and she flies off the handle!】

I observed the entire spectacle on the screen, my gaze sharpening. What concerned me was not Van Tinh's anger, but Ham Giang's demeanor as he was berated—it was far too calm. It was as though he cared not at all... Or perhaps... he was desperately trying to suppress a smile. The air in the living room was so stifling it bordered on suffocation. After a prolonged silence, Ham Giang let out a gentle sigh, his voice dropping into a low, helpless register: "Van Tinh... I truly do not know how else to appease you. Today's banquet was booked at the very restaurant you adore, and ordered entirely to your preference. Perhaps... I selected the wrong dishes and failed to suit your palate. The fault lies entirely with me... I have been overly consumed by my work lately, leaving you alone at home without paying proper attention to what you truly wish to eat." "Enough, Ham Giang!" "Stop your wretched play-acting! Shut your mouth this instant!" Van Tinh suddenly screamed, her sharp voice tearing through the atmosphere. With that, she buried her face in her hands and collapsed back into her chair, bursting into wretched, trembling sobs. Ham Giang sat motionless in his seat, his head bowed, his back held straight, his hands tightly intertwined. He uttered not a single word, resembling a sponge—silently soaking up every ounce of negative emotion she hurled at him. Young Master Ly sat between the two of them, his face taut, utterly at a loss for what to do. He glanced at his sister, then toward his brother-in-law, his eyes darting back and forth, his hand still gripping his chopsticks without the strength to pick up a single morsel. "Woof! Woof, woof, woof!" Suddenly, Tang Vien bounded up inside its cage, scratching wildly at the iron bars in a frenzy, barking incessantly and hoarsely as if warning of impending danger. Its tiny, bead-like eyes locked onto Ham Giang with an unprecedented, ferocious glare, baring its small white teeth in a menacing snarl. I stared through the screen, my expression darkening completely. Intuition whispered to me—Tang Vien was aware of something. The livestream commentary erupted like a volcanic mountain: 【Good god... how on earth does the brother-in-law endure living with this woman, it is utterly miserable!】 【Indeed, what kind of woman shrieks and weeps all day long, it is simply exhausting to watch!】 【Did you all see that? The brother-in-law's hand is bandaged; he was clearly bitten by that dog!】 【This entire household is dreadful: the wife picks fights, the dog runs amok, and the brother-in-law serves as a punching bag for the whole family to vent their stress!】 Van Tinh lifted her tear-stained face, her eyes red-rimmed and swollen, staring fixedly at her husband as she spoke in a quivering voice: "Ham Giang... Why must you treat me this way? What... what have I ever done wrong... for you to treat me thus?" Ham Giang maintained his posture, his broad shoulders steady, offering no reply. His frame trembled slightly, but his face remained concealed in shadow, hidden from everyone's view. From beginning to end, he bore it all in silence, swallowing every reproach deep into his heart. The livestream comments split once more into two distinct factions: 【The brother-in-law is already this good, what more could she possibly want?!】 【This woman is utterly ungrateful!】 【Aaaaaa I can bear this no longer! I want to charge into the livestream and slap her twice just to snap her out of it!】 【Yet... wait a minute... do you people not find this brother-in-law... somewhat peculiar?】 【Peculiar in what way? Such a wonderful brother-in-law who cooks for his wife, mops the floors, and yields in every matter... How fortunate that this woman managed to secure such a decent man!】