Chapter 2

Chapter 2

My wedding to Song Qingyun was set for five months later.

Both our families had agreed on it while our parents were still alive.

For our marital home, we had specifically chosen the penthouse Song Qingyun was currently living in.

First, because his health was poor, and the quiet, open space at the top floor was good for his body and mind. Second, because it was closer to my company.

The apartment had been well maintained. It was just that Song Qingyun lived simply, so it lacked many daily necessities and amenities. For most of the past half year, I had often come over to make small changes to the place.

Hanging a few paintings, adding some greenery and little ornaments, switching out the curtains for brighter ones…

Whenever I did these things, Song Qingyun would sit quietly off to the side, reading, playing chess, or watching the stock market.

He let me do whatever I wanted.

After that, for a while,

I was busy preparing for the wedding on one hand, and on the other, my company happened to be launching a new project. I was truly swamped.

So much so that when I came to the apartment again,

I realized it had changed completely.

First of all, the door code had been changed.

Song Qingyun and I shared the same birthday. Back then, we had deliberately used that date as the passcode mainly because it was easy for me to remember. After all, he rarely went out.

But this time, I was stopped outside the door.

Because the passcode was wrong.

I called Song Qingyun, but he didn’t answer.

Then I knocked, but no one opened the door.

Ten minutes later, Song Qingyun called me back. He said he had been in a meeting in the study and had put his phone on silent. When he learned I was outside, he immediately came out to open the door for me.

When I walked in, Zhou Yin emerged from the service balcony wearing a pair of gloves covered in suds. She nudged the loose strands of hair on her forehead with her elbow and calmly apologized to me.

“I’m sorry, Miss Shen. I was washing Mr. Song’s clothes on the balcony just now. The apartment is too large, so I didn’t hear you knocking. I’ll pay attention next time.”

I asked Song Qingyun, “Why was the passcode changed?”

He paused slightly. “Was it changed?”

Before I could continue, Zhou Yin suddenly cut in.

“I changed the passcode. Since the original code was Mr. Song’s birthday, I thought it was very unsafe. Anyone with ulterior motives could easily guess it and get in, so I changed it to a new passcode that’s both secure and easy to remember. I did tell Mr. Song about this.”

Song Qingyun tilted his head and thought for a moment. “I think you did tell me. Sorry, Ah Lan. I forgot to tell you.”

As he spoke, he indulgently patted me on the head.

Seeing this, Zhou Yin turned her head and looked out the window, as if expressing that she would politely avert her eyes from other people’s intimacy.

I was displeased, but I didn’t say anything.

Unexpectedly, next, I discovered quite a few changes throughout the apartment.

The little greenery corner I had carefully arranged on the balcony had originally been made up of potted plants of varying heights placed together. Now, the dozen or so pots had been lined up at equal intervals along the balcony, like a welcoming walkway.

The few paintings I had bought from renowned artists had been deliberately and casually placed on top of the cabinets. At that moment, they had been nailed to the wall with thick screws.

Almost every ornament had been moved.

And when I walked into the master bedroom and found that the original mint-green curtains had been replaced with heavy burgundy velvet ones,

I could no longer suppress the anger rising in my chest.

With a dark expression, I walked into the living room.

Zhou Yin was half-kneeling beside the tea table, wiping down its legs. The loose strands of hair on her forehead swayed with her movements, making her look extremely hardworking.

Song Qingyun said gently, “Zhou Yin, you don’t need to work so hard. This table really doesn’t need to be wiped every day…”

“I have a thing about cleanliness. If I don’t wipe it, I feel uncomfortable.”

Zhou Yin looked up and gave him an open, natural smile before going back to work earnestly.

I walked over.

When Song Qingyun saw me, he smiled. “Why do you look so upset? Who made our Eldest Miss Shen unhappy?”

“Why were the curtains changed?”

I asked directly.

He looked blank. “Which room?”

Zhou Yin stood up and slowly said,

“Mr. Song hasn’t been sleeping well these past two days. I thought about it and moved the curtains from the media room to the master bedroom. They block out the light better.”

“You thought about it?”

I looked at her coldly.

“Are you the mistress of this apartment?”