Chapter 23: What to Do When Your Wife Prioritizes Her Best Friend Over You?

No wonder she only ate half a bowl of rice at dinner.

Jing Zhuo had assumed it was because people from Suzhou had small appetites, like little birds. As it turned out, she had been saving room to go out for that so-called late-night hot pot with Zhang Hening.

Jing Zhuo’s mood was a complex mix of emotions. Despite his many reservations about Zhang Hening, he still let her go.

"Come back early, and take some digestive tablets. Eating hot pot at night puts a strain on your stomach."

"Got it, bye~"

Song Xi waved at him, quickly changed into her shoes, grabbed her bag, and left. Her retreating figure looked exceptionally cheerful. Watching the door slam shut with a "bang," Jing Zhuo withdrew his gaze and sank into the sofa.

He pulled out his phone, opened a search bar, and typed a few words: "What should you do if your wife ignores you to hang out with her best friend?"

Within a few minutes, there were a scattering of replies.

"Big Boss’s Alpha": "If she’s ignoring you and you don’t reflect on yourself, it just proves your wife doesn't need you in her emotional life anymore. You’re just a tool."

"Sexy Bad Boy Online Gaming Buddy": "Her best friend is more fun than you; why would she want to hang out with you?"

"Pain is Right": "Everyone come and laugh at him, his wife doesn't want him anymore~"

Jing Zhuo closed the page after a few glances, feeling even more stifled. He had never been in a relationship before, and this was his first marriage. He didn't know enough about women, and he certainly couldn't lecture Song Xi the way he lectured his younger sister; if he scared her, she would immediately ask for a divorce.

He reflected for a few seconds and decided to seek advice from someone with experience. He reopened WeChat, clicked into his group chat with childhood friends, and typed: "Anyone want to drink?"

The group was silent for a few seconds before messages started popping up.

Friend A: "Don't ask me to drink next time~"
Friend B: "The boss at home isn't happy about it~~"
Friend C: "Are you hinting at me?~~~"

Jing Zhuo: "..."

Song Xi felt like a master of time management. She balanced her best friend and her husband perfectly, keeping the scales of her affection perfectly level. She first took a taxi to the He residence, devoured a few bites of lamb leg, and then drove with Hening to a hot pot restaurant near her place.

The owner had been running the shop for many years; it had a good reputation, and most of the customers were regulars. Song Xi was from Suzhou and preferred a milder palate. Zhang Hening specifically ordered a yin-yang pot—spicy beef tallow on one side and mushroom broth on the other—with each best friend claiming half the territory.

The owner, a southerner, had received a shipment of wild mushrooms from his hometown over the past two days. He said they were exceptionally fresh and added some to their pot to enhance the flavor. It was indeed delicious; Song Xi was amazed after the very first bite.

"How is it? Is it good?" Zhang Hening asked, blinking her eyes.

"Let it boil a little longer, it'll be even fresher." Song Xi turned up the heat.

There were few people around at this hour, so Zhang Hening chatted with her while swirling meat in the pot.

"You two still haven't slept together?"

Song Xi: "?"

What a direct opening. She felt a bit embarrassed and shy. "It’s only my second day living with him, is it appropriate for you to ask that?"

Zhang Hening took it for granted. "My second brother said yesterday that a man doesn't just need money; the most important thing is that his performance in that department is up to par. You have to verify him early to prove he’s a normal man."

Song Xi thought back to the memory of that night at the bar, and her earlobes turned red. "I think he’s fine in that department, perfectly normal."

"What can you verify in one night? Even experiments require multiple trials," Zhang Hening said. "I’m only doing this for your own good. Look at how young you are; if you pick someone who’s a dud, what will you do about your needs in the future?"

"By the time you go looking for a male model, he’ll want a divorce, and you’ll have to leave with nothing—you won't even get a penny."

Song Xi hadn't expected her to consider things from every angle. Her mouth twitched, and she said quietly, "My needs aren't that high..."

"That’s because his technique is bad." Zhang Hening analyzed it expertly. "There isn't a woman who doesn't like this stuff; there are only men with poor technique. That means you should be training him even more!"

Zhang Hening opened her phone, swiped through, and sent her several links. "These are my prized treasures. Study them first. Note: read every word, savor the details."

Song Xi curiously picked up her phone and opened the links—the screen was filled with dense text. She scanned a few lines and immediately closed it.

What kind of erotic novel was this! It was too shameful! Was Zhang Hening actually asking her to use a novel to train her husband!? Was this even something you could train!?

"This is a novel by my favorite author. Certain parts couldn't pass the censors, so you have to read between the lines, but you get what I mean, right?" Zhang Hening leaned in to give examples: "Face to face, back to front, mirrors, bathrooms, floor-to-ceiling windows..."

"You understand, right?"

Song Xi’s face turned completely red. Hearing those suggestive words, her face was even redder than the tomato icon on the novel app.

"You should read less of this and more positive stuff."

"I read literature, I'm proud, and I'm contributing to the birth rate!"

Song Xi cut off the erotic drivel in her head and picked up the sauce bottle nearby. "Do you want sesame paste?"

"Yes."

"How about cilantro?"

"Yes, that too."

The mushroom broth was so fresh that Song Xi drank several bowls. By the time they finished, she was stuffed. Too lazy to call a taxi, she hopped into the little BMW and had Zhang Hening drive her back.

Zhang Hening parked the car at the entrance of the residential complex and muttered, "Beijing is really too small."

She added, "Your husband actually lives in the same complex as my older brother. I remember he has a property here too. No wonder they seem so close, always with their arms around each other's shoulders. He’s practically breaking his heart over his friend’s family affairs."

Song Xi was a bit surprised. "Which building does your brother live in? Surely they aren't neighbors on the same floor?"

If that were the case, she would have to find an opportunity to meet Hening’s brother; after all, they would be "family" from now on.

Zhang Hening thought for a moment, but forgot. "Why would I waste my time remembering his properties? He has so many." She waved her hand. "Alright, get inside. I'm going home."

"Be careful on the road. Watch the road, don't play on your phone, don't look at handsome men, and don't scroll through short videos," Song Xi warned her.

"Got it, got it."

Zhang Hening turned the car around, stepped on the gas, and drove off in her little BMW.

Song Xi watched her car leave safely before scanning her face at the entrance. With a "beep," the gate opened. Jing Zhuo had helped her register it the very first day she moved in. The complex had strict security; outsiders weren't allowed in, food deliveries had to be registered, and even residents had to scan their faces to enter.

When she walked downstairs, she saw a slender, tall figure leaning against the ginkgo tree by the entrance from a distance. The man was in casual clothes, leaning against the trunk and smoking. A faint spark flickered in the darkness. Under the streetlamp, he lowered his head and exhaled a puff of smoke.

Relaxed and languid.

Jing Zhuo?

Song Xi recognized him at a glance. She quickened her pace toward him. The man, with the cigarette in his mouth, saw her walking over from afar. He raised a hand to wave away the smoke before stubbing the cigarette out and tossing it into the trash can.

"It’s so late, why are you here?" Song Xi ran over and asked.

"Went for a night run, saw you come in, and waited to walk home with you," Jing Zhuo replied with absolute naturalness.

A night run?

Song Xi pressed her phone to check the time.

It was 11:30 PM. Running in the middle of the night? He was certainly disciplined. No wonder his figure was so good.

With a physique that good and such a love for exercise, surely his performance wouldn't be a problem, right?