Three Meals a Day

Xia Jiao is a socially anxious young woman working in the public relations department of a luxury cosmetics brand in Beijing. Despite her successful career, she feels exhausted by the constant interpersonal interactions required by her job and struggles with severe social phobia, often avoiding eye contact and dreading face-to-face conversations. Her personal life is equally strained by relentless pressure from her family to marry, leading to a series of awkward and unpleasant blind dates with unsuitable candidates. Her close friend, Jiang Wanju, who recently returned from a promotion in Paris, notices Xia Jiao’s distress and decides to intervene by arranging a blind date with a man she believes is highly compatible.

The man introduced is Wen Chongyue, a mature and handsome IT executive who is eight years older than Xia Jiao. The reunion is unexpected for Xia Jiao, as Wen Chongyue was her English tutor during a summer program when she was a teenager. Back then, he had shown her kindness by driving her home when she missed her bus, offering words of encouragement that she had long remembered. Now, Wen Chongyue is direct and pragmatic about his intentions. He explicitly states that he is looking for a marriage partner to avoid further arrangements by his elders and outlines his conditions clearly: he will share household chores, cook, and maintain loyalty, while also expressing his need for frequent intimacy. Xia Jiao, finding his straightforwardness refreshing compared to the vague and manipulative men she has encountered, agrees to the arrangement.

The relationship progresses with unusual speed. After their initial meeting, Wen Chongyue visits Xia Jiao when she is sick, bringing homemade nutritious meals and demonstrating his capability and care. Within twenty-four hours of their reunion, the couple obtains their marriage certificate. Xia Jiao informs her parents, who are initially shocked but are quickly pacified after a video call with Wen Chongyue. She then spends the Spring Festival at Wen Chongyue’s family home, where she bonds with his father, a retired mathematics professor, and experiences a sense of belonging she has never felt before. The marriage is consummated, though Xia Jiao’s anxiety and inexperience cause her significant distress during their first night, leading Wen Chongyue to pause and reassure her that he will respect her pace.

As they begin living together, Xia Jiao moves into Wen Chongyue’s apartment. Their daily life is harmonious and comfortable; Wen Chongyue cooks elaborate meals, tends to plants, and supports Xia Jiao’s hobbies. However, Xia Jiao continues to struggle with her job, facing harsh criticism from her director and difficult clients. During a work dinner, she is forced to drink excessively and becomes ill, leading to a chance encounter in the restroom where she bumps into Wen Chongyue, who had returned early from a business trip to check on her. This incident highlights the contrast between her professional misery and the stability she finds in her marriage. Despite the practical compatibility and mutual care, Xia Jiao remains aware that their union is built on necessity rather than romantic love, yet she finds comfort in the companionship and security Wen Chongyue provides, slowly beginning to heal from her social anxieties within the safety of their new life together.