Chapter 356 - Exhausted Every Effort

Chapter 356: Chapter 363 Exhausted Every Effort"Didn’t you see I’m cooking?" Li Yifei directly refused Xu Shanshan’s tempting proposal.

Xu Shanshan grabbed Li Yifei’s arm, pouting as she pleaded, "Just for a little while? It won’t interfere with your cooking. Besides, my sister said she’d be back in half an hour, but with her workaholic tendencies, who knows if she can even make it back in that time. Come on, brother-in-law, just give me a little massage. I’ve helped you and my sister so much; this is like leaving the matchmaker behind after entering the bridal chamber!"

Li Yifei found it both amusing and annoying, saying, "I’m your brother-in-law. How would it look if I massaged your feet?"

Xu Shanshan straightened her neck, tilting her head up, "Then why did you rub my foot with yours when we played mahjong?"

Li Yifei’s face instantly flushed; they had already done that numerous times, and each time, Xu Shanshan acted as if it was nothing. Mentioning it suddenly now put Li Yifei in an awkward spot.

"Dear brother-in-law, I’m not going to hold it against you. I just want a massage. I’ve been teaching kids to dance all day, barely sat down, and my feet are sore and tired. Don’t you feel any pity?" Xu Shanshan shook Li Yifei’s arm, speaking softly and sweetly.

Li Yifei had really been worn down by Xu Shanshan. He could only put down the vegetables in his hand, saying, "Alright, let’s do it for a while. I still need to cook afterward."

"Alright, just for a little while." Xu Shanshan immediately dragged Li Yifei towards the living room but let go halfway, giggling as she said, "I’ll wash my feet first, so you can’t say they stink."

Li Yifei was amused by Xu Shanshan’s playful demeanor, and his previously awkward feelings eased.

Xu Shanshan quickly washed her feet and sat on the sofa, placing her two soft, pale feet on Li Yifei’s lap with a grin, "I even used scented soap specially; take a sniff, it shouldn’t smell."

Li Yifei leaned in for a sniff, keeping a straight face as he said, "How can it not smell? The scent is quite strong."

"Ah! There’s still a smell?" Xu Shanshan immediately sat up, grabbed her foot, and sniffed closely, "There’s no smell?"

Li Yifei chuckled, saying, "I meant the fragrance, not a bad smell."

Xu Shanshan burst out laughing, "Brother-in-law, you’re so mean, teasing me on purpose." Then she lay back on the sofa, placing her feet back on Li Yifei’s lap.

Li Yifei laughed heartily, taking Xu Shanshan’s left foot in both hands. Her freshly washed foot was still a bit cool, soft and silky, feeling remarkably exquisite in his hands, as if it could slip away like fine silk if he wasn’t careful.

Li Yifei didn’t have a foot fetish, but he had to admit he really liked Xu Shanshan’s feet. Kicking them under the mahjong table numerous times, but holding them in his hands only initially met Xu Shanshan because she sprained her ankle.

The sensation of touching with hands differed entirely from using feet. Feet weren’t as sensitive as hands, and while touching Xu Shanshan’s feet with his, his eyes couldn’t see. Holding and looking at them now made the impact strong.

"Brother-in-law, what are you doing? I didn’t ask you to hold; give me a massage." Xu Shanshan’s foot gave a gentle twist in Li Yifei’s hand.

Li Yifei quickly began to massage seriously. He was quite skilled, having practiced in the army. As he worked, he felt Xu Shanshan’s feet were genuinely tired, with tense muscles, undoubtedly uncomfortable, making him realize she wasn’t trying to seduce him and take it even more seriously.

Xu Shanshan squinted, placing a dish of cherries on her stomach, picking one up and putting it in her mouth. "Mmm, brother-in-law, your massage feels so good. Can you massage my feet every day?"

"It’s no problem massaging your feet, but if your sister sees, she might get upset."

"Why would she get mad at you massaging my feet...oh right, any wife would be miffed if her husband massaged another woman’s feet." Xu Shanshan spit out a cherry pit with a giggle, "It’s no biggie, we can do it secretly. She’s always busy and comes home late. Just massage them when she’s not around."

"Alright, as long as your sister doesn’t see, I’ll do it." Li Yifei really didn’t have any other thoughts at this point. He got along well with Xu Shanshan, this sister-in-law. As long as she wasn’t deliberately tempting him, he didn’t mind pampering this cute sister-in-law a bit.

"I knew my brother-in-law was the best. It was worth the effort to persuade you to marry my sister," Xu Shanshan said, leaning forward to hand a cherry to Li Yifei’s mouth.

Li Yifei smiled and opened his mouth, while Xu Shanshan playfully touched his lips with her fingers before placing the cherry inside.

An action like this should feel intimate, causing ripples between a new or less familiar pair, but Li Yifei and Xu Shanshan were well accustomed, making them rather comfortable without checking each other’s thoughts.

So Li Yifei gave Xu Shanshan a foot massage while she occasionally fed him cherries, creating a harmonious atmosphere between them.

"Alright, it’s been over ten minutes. Your sister will be back soon; I need to get back to cooking." Li Yifei patted Xu Shanshan’s calf, moving her feet off his lap.

Xu Shanshan retracted her feet, shaking her adorable toes, "Not bad, really comfortable. They don’t feel sore or tired anymore. Having a brother-in-law like you is great."

Li Yifei laughed, "You’re the only one who would bully me. I haven’t even given your sister a foot massage yet."

"Just go ahead and massage her; you’re a couple. Anything you do is normal." Saying this, Xu Shanshan’s face lit up with a sly grin, as if she had thought of something particularly amusing.

Li Yifei looked at Xu Shanshan, puzzled, "Why are you so excited about me and your sister being together?"

"Because I have a good brother-in-law," Xu Shanshan sat up, placing the cherry dish on the coffee table, "Watching TV with you here, it’s really comfy."

Li Yifei didn’t buy this explanation, but since Xu Shanshan didn’t want to say more, he didn’t press. Everyone has privacy, especially a young woman’s.

By the time Li Yifei finished cooking, Xu Yingying returned home. Before coming back, she felt quite uneasy. She had spoken with He Fangqing today and knew about the conversation between Li Yifei and He Fangqing from the day before. She understood that Li Yifei intended to spend his days with her but still held onto Su Yiyi and Ye Yunzhu.

Regarding Li Yifei wanting to spend his days with her, Xu Yingying couldn’t pinpoint her feelings. After being with Li Yifei for this long, she admitted she liked him too, but if Li Yifei was with her merely out of responsibility, she would insist on a separation. Xu Yingying had her pride, and she didn’t want to bind Li Yifei with such ties.

However, since Li Yifei was this determined, she felt he wasn’t acting purely out of obligation. So, she decided to live well with Li Yifei.

Concerning Su Yiyi and Ye Yunzhu, surprisingly, Xu Yingying wasn’t angry. If Li Yifei were heartless, she would look down on him. Since Li Yifei couldn’t let go of Su Yiyi and Ye Yunzhu, once their relationship deepened, she believed he would treat her well.

As for how Li Yifei would handle Su Yiyi and Ye Yunzhu in the future, Xu Yingying had her considerations. She didn’t doubt her own ability to hold Li Yifei’s heart. If they lived well together, naturally, his bonds with them would fade. Moreover, they knew Li Yifei was married; surely they wouldn’t cling to him forever.

So when Xu Yingying returned home, she felt relaxed, even a little excited. Unlike the pretend boyfriend act of the past, this was a real marriage; something she had never experienced, naturally full of longing and anticipation.

Walking in, smelling the aroma of food, Xu Yingying felt an indescribable happiness, heading directly to the kitchen. Hearing footsteps, Li Yifei turned to glance at her, "Go wash your hands, the food’s almost ready."

Xu Yingying nodded and turned to leave, finding the feeling quite nice. Li Yifei’s attitude was markedly different from the day before.

She quickly washed up and changed into pajamas. When she returned, Li Yifei had already prepared the meal and was sitting with Xu Shanshan, waiting for her.

"Sis, hurry up! I’m starving. I wanted to start, but brother-in-law insisted on waiting for you," Xu Shanshan pouted, complaining to Xu Yingying while grabbing a piece of braised pork rib with her chopsticks.

Naturally, Li Yifei had never said such a thing, but Xu Shanshan’s vivid reenactment made Xu Yingying believe it, looking gratefully at Li Yifei, "Yifei, in the future, once the food is ready, you can start without waiting for me."

Since Xu Yingying said so, Li Yifei saw no need to clarify he hadn’t said that, simply smiling, "We’re a family; dining together brings the sense of home."

Xu Yingying paused, then broke into a radiant smile. Indeed, this place had gained the essence of a home.