The story of Rose starts with being a brother

Chapter 459 Head-on Confrontation (Part 2)

"The purpose of marriage is naturally to find a partner. In this life, your parents will get old before you, your children will start new families, and the only person who can truly accompany you for the rest of your life and spend the longest time with you is your partner."

Inside the restaurant, amidst the energetic rock music of the resident band, Zhuge Dasheng, standing by the window, answered Wen Sheng's question.

Looking at Attorney Zhuge, whose eyes softened when the topic was discussed, Wen Sheng nodded and smiled, saying, "So, Sister Sheng, have you decided to get married and find a husband to spend the rest of your life with?"

"..."

Zhuge Dasheng was silent for a moment, rubbing the glass of juice in one hand. After a few seconds, he looked at Wen Sheng and said, "It was just that the question you raised earlier that gave me this idea."

"As for whether you've thought it through..." Zhuge Dasheng smiled, "It's still a bit too early to say."

Is it early?

Wen Sheng smiled and ate two more bites of food.

Seeing his expression, Zhuge Liang looked somewhat awkward after speaking, and then a hint of embarrassment and annoyance appeared on his face.

I'm in my thirties and my daughter is already ten, why do you say it's too early?

"Sister Sheng, don't overthink it. Someone as beautiful and charming as you naturally has no shortage of men pursuing you."

Seeing this, Wen Sheng smiled and said, "Whether it's your image, temperament, or personality, you won't have to worry about this kind of thing even in ten years."

At least in the original series, when Dali was twenty years old, Zhuge Dasheng was still as charming as ever.

Hearing this, Attorney Zhuge's face became even more unnatural, and he said irritably, "What are you saying? It sounds like..."

Do I really need it?
Seeing the other party's grinning face, Zhuge Dasheng composed himself and then said in a deep voice, "What personality and inner qualities? You sound like you know me very well?"

"Of course I wouldn't dare say I understand, but in my impression, Sister Sheng, you are just that charming."

"..."

Although they are not particularly close, having known each other for so long, they have long since moved beyond the polite and courteous way of interacting. Sometimes, when chatting in Attorney Zhuge's study, they even talk about emotional topics.

After all, they can't always be there discussing legal provisions in a serious tone. The two aren't that far apart in age, and Attorney Zhuge sometimes complains about the incredible cases he's encountered.

Especially in a relaxing environment like home, two young men and women who are at least physically attractive, no matter how much they try to restrain themselves, will occasionally encounter a sensitive and awkward situation while chatting.

However, those sensitive and awkward moments didn't seem to have reached the point where Wen Sheng was being so direct.

Zhuge Dasheng frowned slightly, suddenly realizing that he hadn't actually planned to talk about these things when he invited the other person over today.

However, just as she was thinking about how to correct it, Wen Sheng laughed again before she could speak: "Sister Sheng, have you considered going on a blind date?"

"..."

The topic of that scoundrel of a man shifted so quickly that Zhuge Dasheng was a little caught off guard.

"Blind date?"

"Yes, as you just said, you will find a husband to spend the rest of your life with. But it seems that you spend all your time taking care of Dali except for work. Unless you meet a suitable person at work, you will have to go through the path of blind dates in the future."

"..."

Zhuge Dasheng's face froze; he hadn't expected this guy to bring up this topic.

"I haven't considered working in the same field, and as for blind dates..." she said with a sour expression, "It's none of your business, you don't need to say these things."

After a slight pause, Attorney Zhuge rolled her eyes at him and said, "You should take care of yourself first."

……

"Traditional Chinese medicine treatment?"

Inside the L'Oréal store, Nolan, who was lying on a massage bed with a face mask on, let out a soft "hmm" upon hearing this.

"I've heard of it, but is it really that useful?"

"Of course, this is a secret formula that I figured out myself based on L'Oréal products."

Qin Yumo, who was above Nuolan's head, looked down at her and said.

"Could you tell me about it? I'm also very interested in traditional Chinese medicine, but if it involves your company's secrets, then forget it."

"It's alright. I've already said it's my secret recipe, and I added a lot of Chinese herbs when I made it." Qin Yumo smiled and looked at the other person's closed eyes, and said, "Moreover, this secret recipe has different effects on different people. For example, this motherwort can regulate menstruation and promote blood circulation. If you use it, Nuolan, your complexion will look more composed."

"Motherwort?" Nolan's tone was strange. "Is it effective?"

"Whether it works or not depends on the specific person. This motherwort has the effect of regulating menstruation and beautifying the complexion, making women look radiant." Qin Yumo chuckled. "It's just that some women feel that this sounds like a life of hard work and doesn't show their charm. After all, men like a confidante, not an 'old mother'."

"..."

Nuolan, with her eyes closed, frowned slightly. Something seemed off.
"Besides motherwort, what else is there?"

"Of course, there are quite a few Chinese herbs in my secret recipe, but some of them don't sound very appealing." After this initial attack, Qin Yumo smiled and said, "For example, there's Patrinia scabiosifolia, which clears heat and detoxifies; and donkey-hide gelatin, which nourishes blood and improves complexion, but the best quality is from Dong'e. You can try these."

After Qin Yumo finished speaking, Nuolan slowly opened her eyes and looked at the woman above her who was smiling with her eyes narrowed. She was not sure whether the other party was really sharing a Chinese medicine recipe or had ulterior motives in her words.

If it's the former, then it's fine; if it's the latter...

Qin Yumo used three Chinese herbal medicines to scold her for being like an old woman, a failed marriage, and a stubborn mule who was still clinging to men even after getting divorced...

But Nuolan felt that the other party had only briefly mentioned traditional Chinese medicine, and didn't seem to elaborate on the topic much.
"What's wrong? It's not time to take this face mask off yet!"

Qin Yumo looked down into Nuolan's eyes and smiled, but unlike her outward appearance, her heart was pounding wildly inside her chest.

She didn't know if Nuolan had noticed, but she only mentioned the name and its effects, without saying much about marriage and relationships like she had when she faced Tina.

Although she wasn't going to back down like a coward this time, she still hoped to leave room for maneuver before things escalated to a complete breakdown.

Anyway, as long as you know in your heart that you've insulted the other person, that's enough.

The "spiritual victory method" may be laughable, but it makes you feel good!

"It's nothing." Nuolan closed her eyes again, and after a moment of contemplation, she spoke again, "By the way, Yumo, you're a senior beauty consultant. I'm sure there are quite a few divorced women among the people who come to you. What do you usually recommend to them?"

Upon hearing this, Qin Yumo's breath hitched. Had the other party figured it out? Or was it just a test?

Should we make the insults a little more obvious?
If I'm just pretending to talk about someone else, she probably won't take it personally, right?
"Of course there are," Qin Yumo sighed softly. "Alas, some divorced women come for beauty treatments with the sole purpose of trying to win back their divorced husbands. But just like the plum blossom I recommended, which has blood-activating properties, no matter how beautifully it blooms, it will eventually wither and fall into the mud."

"Moreover, some of them, after hearing about traditional Chinese medicine for health maintenance, always think about using some kind of 'resurrection herb,' claiming it's just to stop bleeding and promote tissue regeneration, but who knows what they're actually trying to salvage?"

"..."

After speaking, Qin Yumo glanced down nervously. These words were much more meaningful than before. She wondered how the other party would react.
"Haha, Nuolan, don't worry about it. You're so beautiful and have such great skin. You don't need any Chinese medicine treatment at all. You're different from those other customers."

Seeing that the other party didn't react, Qin Yumo couldn't help but add a layer of embellishment. After all, the two of them were still friends on the surface before, so it was best not to break off relations if possible.

After all, it was the other party who insisted on asking about "divorced women".

"Yu Mo, if you were to use the secret formula on yourself, what medicine would you use?"

After a period of silence, Nuolan, who had been lying in bed with her eyes closed as if asleep, finally spoke.

Upon hearing this, Qin Yumo paused for a moment, then smiled and said, "Houfengteng can dispel wind and dampness."

"Is it effective?" Nuolan asked calmly, then chuckled softly. "After listening to you talk so much, I suddenly remembered that my skincare secret also contains Chinese herbal ingredients."

"Hmm? What kind of Chinese medicine?"

"Angelica sinensis." ...

"Sister Sheng, I'm sorry, I was too talkative."

Wen Sheng chuckled and patted his mouth, then said, "I brought up blind dates because it brings us back to the question I asked at the beginning: why do people get married? You just mentioned that you're thinking of finding a husband later..."

Wen Sheng paused here, looked into Zhuge Dasheng's eyes and smiled: "My good brother Meng Yun and his blind date, Lawyer Liu, have discussed this issue in depth. For example, he said, 'What's the difference between simply getting married and dating for a lifetime?'"

Zhuge Dasheng held the juice cup to his lips, but stopped when he heard Wen Sheng's words.

After glancing at the man in front of her a few times, she put down her cup and replied, "Of course there's a difference. Marriage is protected by law, but dating isn't!"

"Can the law protect love?"

"..."

Wen Sheng's words made Zhuge Dasheng fall silent for a moment. After thinking for a while, she didn't answer directly, but asked, "What did that lawyer Liu answer?"

"She thought it was okay. Marriage can turn empty words into a written promise. This promise is a pledge of love between two people, and it is also a constraint. With this promise, the marriage will be more solid when it encounters risks and crises than it is without one. After all, there are consequences for breaking a promise."

Wen Sheng's voice rang out calmly, and Attorney Zhuge listened quietly while eating her food.

The answer had just crossed her mind, but it quickly faded away.

If it were ten years ago, she would have firmly said that the law can protect love, but now that she has been through marriage and her daughter is already ten years old, how can she still give that answer?
After a long silence, Zhuge Dasheng replied softly, "Many marriages can indeed be maintained by paying a price."

"But can a price be paid to sustain love?" Wen Sheng countered. "Or rather, can love sustained by a price still be called love?"

"..."

Upon hearing this, Zhuge Dasheng put down his chopsticks, wiped his mouth, and seemed to have almost finished eating.

She leaned back slightly in her chair, looked straight at Wen Sheng, and shook her head, saying, "I don't know."

She paused, then asked, "What are you trying to say by all this?"

"It's nothing, just chatting!" Wen Sheng smiled. "I just suddenly thought of this when you mentioned wanting to find a stepfather for Dali."

"Really?" Attorney Zhuge's lips suddenly curled into a smile as she looked at Wen Sheng with a playful expression. "You seem to care a lot about this?"

Why shouldn't I care?

Wen Sheng also put down his chopsticks, looked into her eyes without any hesitation, and laughed: "Dali and I are friends, we have a good relationship. If she suddenly gets a stepfather, wouldn't I worry that the stepfather will treat her badly, or that the stepfather won't let her play with me anymore?"

"..."

Zhuge Dasheng's eyelids twitched; this scoundrel's words truly left her speechless.

But that wasn't all. Wen Sheng's gaze remained unmoved, but the smile on his face faded slightly as he said, "As for the other reason, it's simply because of you, Sister Sheng."

"Me?" Attorney Zhuge's expression shifted slightly, vaguely guessing what he was about to say.

"Of course, although we're not that close yet, I'm still a little sad to know you'll be finding a new husband in the future. After all, once you have a husband, I'll really have to go to a law firm to consult you on legal matters. So naturally, I care about this, and I'm concerned about which lucky man will be the one to marry you..."

"you shut up!"

Zhuge Dasheng glared at the scoundrel and interrupted him.

What nonsense are you talking about?

Upon seeing this, Wen Sheng quickly shut his mouth, but soon opened his mouth again to "explain": "I'm sorry, I was a little excited just now. I may have fallen into the common male possessiveness trap. I felt a little reluctant when I heard that a beautiful woman was going to marry someone else."

"..."

The man who claimed to be emotional was now calm, while Attorney Zhuge's shirt underneath her suit jacket was heaving nervously, perhaps from anger...

Seeing this, Wen Sheng shut up for a few seconds and then waved to the waiter. After the waiter came over, he ordered three more dishes and asked them to be packed up.

After the waiter left, he said to Zhuge Dasheng, "Take this back to Dali, then you won't have to cook dinner anymore."

Hearing him say that, the look that had been flashing in Zhuge Dasheng's eyes gradually calmed down. Looking at the leftover food on the table, he said calmly, "You and Dali are friends, but you said those things to her mother. Is that appropriate?"

What's wrong with it?
Wandering through other people's gardens, picking other people's melons, teasing other people's children and making other people's mothers drool – this is the legacy of Cao Cao!

Wen Sheng smiled and said, "Then why did you care about whether my ex-wife and I were about to get back together in the first place?"

"..."

"Dingling bell~"

Just as Wen Sheng finished speaking, his phone rang.

"I'll take a call first."

After saying this, Wen Sheng did not leave his seat and answered the phone in front of Zhuge Dasheng.

"Hey? Guan Gu, what's up?"

Guan Gu's voice on the other end of the phone was hesitant: "Wen-san, there's something I need to tell you."

Wen Sheng raised an eyebrow, glanced at the lawyer Zhuge who was issuing the certificate, and smiled as he spoke into his phone, "What's on your mind?"

“Wen Sang, yesterday…yesterday at the bar, Nuolan asked me…asked me about you and Youyou, and I…I…I told her about Yu Mo and you.”

After stammering out those words on the other end of the phone, Guan Gu Shenqi slumped into a chair. He had been tormented by this matter for almost a day, and if he didn't speak up soon, he really would commit seppuku.

He closed his eyes, bracing himself for Wen Sheng's wrath.

"Oh, so what if you said it? It's no big deal."

To Guan Gu's disbelief, Wen Sheng wasn't angry at all, and simply tossed out this sentence to him in a nonchalant manner.

He exclaimed in surprise, "Really? Is it really alright? Wen-san, I know this might be difficult for you..."

"Don't worry, it's alright, it's nothing serious. Don't you trust us?"

"I believe you! Of course I believe in your relationship with Nuolan! Haha, I knew you two were a loving couple. I wish you a long and happy life together!"

Upon hearing Guan Gu's voice on the phone, Wen Sheng laughed and said, "Okay, that's settled then. I have other things to do here."

After hanging up the phone, Wen Sheng held his phone in silence, his eyes somewhat dazed.

Zhuge Dasheng, who had been quietly watching him make the call without saying a word, then asked, "What's wrong?"

"It's nothing. Some expected things happened as planned, but I'm a little unsure about the outcome."

……

"Angelica..."

Upon hearing those two words, Qin Yumo felt as if she had been struck by an electric current, and her entire body froze from the inside out.

She had used those two words before when facing Tina.

At that time, she still believed that she was the undisputed first wife.

"Oh right, there's also Angelica pubescens."

Nuolan, who was wearing a face mask, opened her eyes and looked at Qin Yumo quietly.

(End of this chapter)