Picked Up a White Cut Black Wife - Chapter 22

“Shen Qiao, you—”

“I won’t leave unless my wife agrees!”

Shen Zhao’s face flushed crimson with anger. Gritting her teeth, she finally forced out a single word: “Fine.”

“Hehe!” Shen Qiao grinned, hopped into the car, and waved cheerfully. “Goodbye, Wife!”

Shen Zhao watched the car drive away, her expression blank, feeling utterly drained.

At least I finally got rid of her, she thought. If anyone had seen us, I wouldn’t know how to explain.

Just as she turned around, she noticed a row of colleagues standing nearby: one, two, three, four…

Dozens of eyes fixed on her. The air went silent, and a flock of crows seemed to fly overhead in unison.

Shen Zhao clenched her fists, forcing herself to act as if nothing had happened as she walked forward. “Why haven’t you all gone to lunch yet?”

“We were just about to,” Yu Xiaoxiao replied, her gaze and the others’ shifting to the lunchbox in Shen Zhao’s hand.

Suddenly, Shen Zhao felt like she was holding a hot potato.

“Who was delivering lunch just now?” the Deputy Director asked casually, her hands clasped behind her back.

The others pretended to be nonchalant, but secretly perked up their ears.

Shen Zhao hesitated. “Uh, a distant relative’s child. They’re staying with us temporarily.”

The group responded with a collective “Oh~”

“Ahem, weren’t you all going to eat?” Feeling the weight of several pairs of eyes on her, Shen Zhao experienced her first-ever urge to flee. “I’ll head back then.”

“Go ahead, go ahead.”

But before Shen Zhao could get far, someone called out from behind:

“Wait, I just remembered something I forgot to grab.”

“Oof, my stomach hurts. I’ll go back and sit down for a bit.”

“I’m suddenly not that hungry. Let’s eat later.”

“I’ll join you all.”

Shen Zhao: “……”

Perhaps the monotony of artifact restoration work had made these people adept at finding amusement. Before today, Shen Zhao had been considered even more boring than the artifacts themselves. Never had they imagined they could find entertainment in her. Now, thrilled by this rare opportunity, they weren’t about to let it slip away.

Shen Zhao braced herself and carried the lunchbox toward the break room, a group of people trailing behind at a respectful distance, craning their necks as if they wanted to peer into the container.

She hurried into the break room and was about to close the door when someone stuck their head in. “A bit thirsty, benefactor. May I have a drink of water here?”

Clinging to the doorframe, Shen Zhao nodded slowly and deliberately, then gradually moved aside, opening the door wide.

“I want some water too!”

“Me too!”

Within a minute, the small room was packed with people, each holding a cup of hot water as they sat in a row around Shen Zhao, their gazes fixed on the lunchbox on the table.

“Xiao Zhao, don’t mind us. Go ahead and eat.”

For the first time, Shen Zhao understood the meaning of “wanting to cry but having no tears.” These bored-to-madness people were determined not to leave without some entertainment.

Resigned, she steeled herself and opened the lunchbox, clinging to the faint hope that Shen Qiao hadn’t packed anything too outrageous.

Hope dashed!

The moment Shen Zhao saw the contents, her vision blurred, and she nearly fainted.

This week’s bento theme had ditched the flashy hearts and focused on straightforwardness.

On the purple rice ball, a simple, cartoonish drawing of two figures embracing was rendered in mayonnaise, accompanied by the words: “I miss my wife so much! I want to sleep with my wife~”

The initials of their names were written below, separated by a tomato slice cut into a heart shape.

Without a second thought, Shen Zhao slammed the lid shut.

Another deathly silence descended.

After a long pause, someone nodded. “Hmm, quite pretty.”

Another agreed, “Hmm, quite virtuous.”

A third mused, “Hmm, quite lively.”

Shen Zhao: Shen Qiao!!!

Having drunk their fill of hot water and enjoyed the spectacle, the crowd departed, their faces beaming with satisfaction.

As they reached the door, the Deputy Director suddenly remarked, “Oh, right! On such a cold day, don’t kick people out next time.”

There won’t be a next time! Absolutely no next time!!

Shen Zhao stubbornly maintained her composure. “It’s against the rules.”

“What’s against the rules?” The Deputy Director clapped her hands. “We’re all family here, and it’s just the break room. What’s the harm?”

Gritting her teeth, Shen Zhao nodded. “Fine.”

As the crowd dispersed from the break room, their suppressed excitement finally burst forth. The usually serious and focused individuals who worked at their workstations couldn’t help but chatter animatedly.

“I never imagined Engineer Shen would be into this type!”

“Xiao Zhao’s face is truly irresistible to women. Ah, someone’s about to get their heart broken.”

“Looks like chasing someone like Engineer Shen requires relentless persistence. It’s a shame Xiao Gao has been pining for her for so many years.”

“Alright, let’s keep this between us. No need to spread rumors.”

In the break room, Shen Zhao took a deep breath and opened her lunchbox with a heart as cold as ashes.

Now, her relationship with that woman was utterly beyond explanation!

After a grueling afternoon and evening at work, Shen Zhao spent the hour-long drive home mentally cataloging every ancient torture method. Only by tearing Shen Qiao into a thousand pieces could she quench the burning hatred in her heart.

Yet the moment she opened the door, she was greeted by a trail of bl00d—small, scattered puddles leading from the sofa to the bathroom.

Shen Zhao’s breath hitched, a flurry of worst-case scenarios flashing through her mind. Her face drained of color as she rushed inside without even changing her shoes, calling out urgently, “Shen Qiao, what’s wrong? Shen Qiao?”

She hurried to the bathroom, where a weak voice echoed from within, “Wife, it hurts so much.”

“What happened?” Panic momentarily robbed Shen Zhao of her ability to think clearly. She shoved the door open to find Shen Qiao sitting on the toilet, listlessly leaning against the sink, her face pale and forehead slick with cold sweat.

Thank goodness it wasn’t the worst-case scenario.

Shen Zhao exhaled slightly in relief, but her voice remained sharp as she demanded, “What exactly happened? Where does it hurt?”

“I think my period started,” Shen Qiao groaned in discomfort. “Wife, it hurts.”

Whoosh—

Shen Zhao closed her eyes, her body going limp as she leaned against the door. Only then did she realize her hands were trembling violently, her back soaked with sweat.

“Wife?” Shen Qiao asked, puzzled. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” Shen Zhao replied, opening her eyes. She retrieved clean clothes and sanitary pads from outside and handed them to Shen Qiao. “Put these on and come out.”

Shen Qiao held the sanitary pad in her hand, examining it with puzzled eyes for a long time. “Wife, I don’t…”

“There’s no way around it!” Shen Zhao interrupted fiercely. “What did you use before?”

“Cloth,” Shen Qiao replied.

An ancient method indeed.

Shen Zhao eyed Shen Qiao suspiciously. Where on earth did this woman come from?

“There are instructions on the back. Figure it out yourself,” Shen Zhao said, turning away.

A rustling sound came from behind. After a moment, Shen Qiao announced, “Wife, I’m done.”

Shen Zhao turned to see Shen Qiao clutching her abdomen and leaning against the wall. She rushed over to support her. “Still in a lot of pain?”

“Mm, Wife, it really hurts,” Shen Qiao murmured weakly, half-leaning against Shen Zhao.

“Alright, don’t talk anymore.”

Shen Zhao helped her out of the bathroom, intending to take her back to her room to lie down. But Shen Qiao stopped at the doorway of her bedroom, refusing to move. “Didn’t Wife say we’d sleep together tonight?”