As Zhu Ming hesitated over where to place the tie in his hand, he heard Zhu Yingying’s surprised exclamation from behind. “Ai, is that Xiao Xi?”
Seeing the two of them frozen at the doorway, Zhu Yingying asked in confusion, “What’s going on? Why are you both just standing there and not coming in?”
Earlier, it was Zhu Ming who had repeatedly reminded Xi Xianqing not to slip up while acting. However, now that the three of them were actually face-to-face in the living room, it was Zhu Ming himself who was momentarily caught off guard.
Meeting Zhu Yingying’s inquisitive gaze, his lips parted slightly, “We were just…”
Fortunately, Xi Xianqing was quicker to react. He calmly got up and stood by Zhu Ming’s side, “You1Polite form was used in here. must be Aunt Zhu?”
Zhu Ming quickly collected himself, discreetly tucking the tie into Xi Xianqing’s pocket. “Aunt, this is Xianqing. We were just discussing the gift he prepared for you.”
Zhu Yingying grinned from ear to ear. “Aiya, what’s with the gifts ah! Just bringing yourself here is enough. Come in, come in. The food is already ready.”
As soon as Xi Xianqing stepped inside and changed his shoes, he heard Zhu Ming cough lightly.
His steps paused, recalling the rules they had agreed upon earlier. A cough meant…
Sure enough, when he turned around, Zhu Ming had switched into full film emperor mode, pointing at the handles behind his wheelchair. “Xianqing ya.”
Xi Xianqing: “…?”
Xi Xianqing with his questioning eyes, “Isn’t your wheelchair electric?”
Zhu Ming responded with a shy, awkward smile and similarly replied with a look: “Because we’re acting ah.”
In a soft, gentle voice, he reminded, “Push me a little.”
Xi Xianqing took a deep breath and reluctantly placed his hands on the handles, pushing Zhu Ming into the living room.
With his hands freed, Zhu Ming was quite at ease, now giving directions left and right: “The dining room’s over there—yes, yes… push faster, I’m starving.”
Xi Xianqing, his face taut, quickened his pace.
Zhu Yingying watched their interaction intently the entire time. To her, they truly seemed like a bickering couple, which made her suppress a smile. “Quick, sit down and try the bamboo fungus and water chestnut soup I made.”
Once everyone was seated, the servants quietly brought in the dishes.
The dining room was a bit stuffy. Xi Xianqing took off his suit jacket, about to hang it on the back of his chair, when Zhu Ming let out another barely audible cough.
Xi Xianqing’s hand froze. “…”
Looking up, he saw Zhu Ming’s expression remained perfectly normal. Meanwhile, Zhu Yingying, seated across from them, blinked but kept her eyes glued to the pair without saying a word.
A vein throbbed on Xi Xianqing’s forehead.
In the end, he abruptly changed course, hesitantly offering, “Do you… want to put this on?”
Zhu Ming looked up with feigned surprise. “Now that you mention it, it does feel a bit chilly. Sure.”
Exhaling silently, Xi Xianqing dr4p3d the jacket over Zhu Ming’s shoulders.
Zhu Yingying watched them with a beaming smile as if it might overflow at any moment.
After the soup, it was time for the main dishes.
During their first meeting, the young master Xi Xianqing’s shocking declaration of “not dining in outer districts” left a deep impression on Zhu Ming.
Thus, prior to this meal, Zhu Ming had privately messaged Xi Xianqing with a request: “When the time comes, could you at least pretend to eat a little?”
Xi Xianqing replied with full self-assurance: “Food from the outer districts usually doesn’t suit my palate and could pose potential safety risks. That’s just a fact.”
Zhu Ming was at a loss with him. “Alright, how about this: send me a list of the foods you don’t like, and I’ll have my aunt avoid preparing those.”
Five minutes later, Zhu Ming received a huge PDF file.
At this moment, Zhu Yingying placed a piece of glutinous rice lotus root on each of their plates, resting her chin in her hands as she asked, “How did you two meet ya?”
Though they were eating, each bite and scoop was layered with subtle probing.
Thankfully, Zhu Ming and Xi Xianqing had already divided their roles in advance: Zhu Ming will fabricate about how they met and fell in love, while Xi Xianqing will fabricate inquiries about their future plans and wedding.
This question fell under Zhu Ming’s domain. “Didn’t I tell you before? We met during the blind date. Later, he helped me out during the birthday party, and gradually we got closer.”
Xi Xianqing observed the piece of glutinous rice lotus root in his bowl for a moment before gracefully picking it up with his chopsticks and quietly placing it into his mouth.
After a few more questions, Zhu Yingying added a spoonful of crab roe tofu to their plates and asked, “So, how do you… plan to handle the wedding?”
This question was for Xi Xianqing.
They had already agreed on the response, and Xi Xianqing replied flawlessly, “We don’t want to make it too extravagant. We’ve decided to hold a small ceremony and simply invite close family and friends for a meal.”
Zhu Yingying had no objections. “That’s good, that’s good.”
After eating a couple more bites, Zhu Yingying couldn’t hold back her curiosity any longer. “What about the future? Where do you plan to live ah?”
This sort of question fell into the “future plans” category and was supposed to be handled by Xi Xianqing.
But before he could speak, Zhu Ming jumped in with an answer, “Most of my work is done online, so it’s quite flexible. Unless something unexpected happens, we’ll likely move to District Six.”
Xi Xianqing: “…?”
Zhu Ming reached under the table and tapped on Xi Xianqing’s thigh, signaling that he would explain to him later.
Of course, Zhu Ming had no intention of actually living with Xi Xianqing. The main objective of their contract marriage was to provide him with a legitimate excuse to leave Zhu Yingying’s household.
Zhu Yingying’s expression became a mixture of emotions, caught somewhere between sadness and relief.
She pursed her lips and asked, “By the way, Xiao Xi, I read in the news that the assessment for the next representative of District Six is about to begin. Will your position… require you to travel frequently to other districts?”
Xi Xianqing put down his chopsticks and looked at Zhu Yingying: “Yes.”
Zhu Yingying: “When will it start? To which districts?”
Xi Xianqing replied, “It starts in a month. My grandfather has arranged for me to undergo inter-district assessments, starting with District Two, followed by District Four, and then District Seven, spending about two months in each.”
This time it was Zhu Ming’s turn to be completely at a loss: “…?”
Zhu Yingying sighed. “Aiya, that sounds exhausting. So… will you two be traveling together?”
Zhu Ming whipped his head around to look at Xi Xianqing, but the latter simply picked up his cup of warm tea and took a calm sip.
The next moment, Zhu Ming felt a gentle tap on the back of his hand under the table from Xi Xianqing, indicating that he would provide a reasonable explanation later.
Zhu Ming had long stopped keeping up with current affairs, and he was too lazy to read news of his own district, let alone news from a district as distant as District Six.
What assessments? What inter-district travel? Was he, as Xi Xianqing’s personal doctor, now expected to accompany him to every district? At this rate, his wheelchair might as well catch fire from overuse.
Then he heard Xi Xianqing’s calm response, “Yes, the Xi Family has a private jet, so inter-district travel won’t be too taxing. Everything will be arranged smoothly, please rest assured.”
“Good, good. “It’s your decision, and traveling to other districts will broaden your horizons. It’s definitely a good thing.”
Zhu Yingying’s expression became both wistful and sentimental as her thoughts drifted. “The position of a representative isn’t easy to secure ah. It’s always the most outstanding individuals from each district who fight tooth and nail for it. Back in the day, this brat Zhu Ming, in a district as competitive as District Seven, this kind of genius—”
“Aunt,” Zhu Ming interrupted gently, “I’m craving something sweet. Didn’t you say you made lotus seed soup today?”
“Oh, right, right. I’ll go get it.” Zhu Yingying snapped back to the present, offering them a smile before heading toward the kitchen. “I’ll be right back.”
The dining room fell into sudden silence. Xi Xianqing turned his head to glance at Zhu Ming.
“This glutinous rice lotus root is a bit too greasy. I think they added too much sugar.”
Zhu Ming didn’t respond verbally. He simply lowered his head, took another bite of the lotus root, and stuck out his tongue. “In a while, I’ll definitely need that lotus seed soup to balance out the sweetness.”
The lotus seed soup was light and refreshing. Zhu Ming finished his bowl in a few quick gulps and then sweetly asked for a second serving.
Xi Xianqing found it hard to put down his spoon after just two sips.
At Xi Family banquets, meals were served on long tables, meticulously prepared with exquisite dishes, and a lot of attention to detail. Given Xi Xianqing’s picky palate, he often finished such meals with an empty, cold stomach.
But today, something was different. Despite the simplicity of the home-cooked dishes on the table, he felt a strange, comforting warmth spreading through his chest as he ate.
For someone as restrained as Xi Xianqing when it came to food, it was surprising that today, without realizing it… he had eaten his fill.
After the meal, Zhu Yingying said, “The table will be cleaned up by someone. The moonlight is beautiful tonight. Why don’t you take Xiao Xi to the garden and show him the roses and climbing roses I planted?”
On the way to the garden, there was a small incline.
Having spent the entire evening in character, Xi Xianqing’s actions had become almost automatic. Without thinking, he placed his hands on Zhu Ming’s wheelchair handles and pushed him down the slope.
When he looked up, he saw Zhu Ming’s eyes curved into a smile, gazing at him warmly.
“Aiya, your conscience has been found la, Xianqing.” Zhu Ming teased.
“…” Xi Xianqing released his grip expressionlessly. “I see you’ve regained your strength after eating. You can handle yourself now.”
“You’ve really got quite the temper.” Zhu Ming chuckled, then added, “Alright la, let’s take a stroll in the garden.”
Under the clear, beautiful moonlight, the pink roses were in full bloom, their fragrance perfuming the air. Zhu Ming closed his eyes, taking a brief rest, his breaths slow and light as if he might drift off to sleep.
After Xi Xianqing had enjoyed the flowers for a while, he turned around and saw such a scene.
He paused, then quickly averted his gaze, searching for a topic to break the silence. “Earlier, I saw a rabbit in a cage in your living room.”
Zhu Ming kept his eyes closed. “The one in the cage in the living room? That’s my mom.”
Xi Xianqing: “…?”
“Well, to be precise, it’s a substitute for my mom’s spiritual manifestation.”
Zhu Ming explained, anticipating Xi Xianqing’s confusion. “My mom passed away early on. Both her and my aunt’s spirit guides were rabbits, so my aunt raised this one as a sort of keepsake.”
“Thinking about it, it’s not so bad to have a common spiritual manifestation, even if it means it looks like everyone else’s.” He added this with a playful tone.
Xi Xianqing was silent for a long time, “You clearly care deeply for your aunt. Why go through all the trouble of a contract marriage… just to leave her?”
“Because I love her and she loves me, so I know that the current me will only hold her back.”
Zhu Ming said, “That’s why I have to leave her.”
At first glance, his reasoning seemed illogical. Normally, loved ones would want to stay close and connected, but here Zhu Ming was determined to distance himself.
Yet, recalling Zhu Yingying who was busy at the dinner table, Xi Xianqing instantly understood the meaning behind Zhu Ming’s words.
A moment of silence settled, Xi Xianqing’s gaze drifted beyond the rose bushes. After a pause, he muttered, “Your aunt… she seems to be peeking at us.”
Zhu Ming was stunned and glanced up.
Sure enough, Zhu Yingying could be seen through the large floor-to-ceiling windows separating the living room from the garden. She was half-heartedly feeding the rabbit, all the while stealing glances in their direction, pretending to be casual about it.
“You see, she can’t let go at all.” Zhu Ming sighed with a bittersweet smile.
“Though I’ve troubled you enough for one day,” Zhu Ming straightened up his posture and exhaled in resignation, “But if you can, please do me one last favor.”
Xi Xianqing: “…What?”
Before he could react, he felt a sudden tug at his collar, and his body was pulled forward uncontrollably. “You—”
This wasn’t the first time today that Zhu Ming had grabbed him by the collar.
But Zhu Ming’s hand didn’t stop at his collar–it slid up to rest on Xi Xianqing’s Adam’s apple, tracing it slowly upward. His fingers gently mapped the sharp contour of Xi Xianqing’s jawline, finally coming to rest tenderly against his ear. With a soft touch, Zhu Ming cupped his face.
Then Zhu Ming lowered his eyes and pressed his face over.
From a distance, they appeared like lovers locked in an intimate, tender kiss. But only Xi Xianqing knew the truth: Zhu Ming’s lips hovered so close, almost touching yet maintaining just the faintest sliver of restraint.
Xi Xianqing’s entire body tensed up. Realizing this was merely an act for Zhu Yingying, he suppressed his instincts and refrained from pushing Zhu Ming away, though his jaw clenched tight. “…Zhu Ming.”
“En?”
“Do you have any sense of boundaries at all?”
“I really don’t.”
“Do you know that in District Six…”
“Unruly, uneducated, impolite, will be scolded, I know.”
“…I’m only going to act with you just this once.”
“Fine.”
“I’m adding it to the agreement. If there’s ever a next time, you have to give me advance notice.”
“Fine, I’ll listen to you. Let’s just stay like this for a little longer.”
Zhu Ming’s voice was extremely soft, and with each word, his warm breath brushed against Xi Xianqing’s cheek. “No one kisses this stiffly. Try to be a bit more convincing.”
Zhu Ming only wanted to enhance the realism of their act, unaware that his words were merely fanning the flames.
The handsome young man, whose expression was already far from pleasant, suddenly seemed to be holding something back. His breaths grew heavier. Without warning, he grabbed Zhu Ming’s wrist and, with a swift motion, pushed the wheelchair-bound man back forcefully—
Zhu Ming’s pupils trembled.
His back slammed against the wheelchair’s backrest, the fabric of his clothes rustling. The tips of their noses brushed together, and Zhu Ming felt a sharp pain along his jaw as Xi Xianqing’s hand seized his face, forcefully pulling him closer.
–The dominant party of this kissing scene changed in an instant.
“…You’re no better than me.”
His brows furrowed coldly, his demeanor commanding and condescending. But after staring at Zhu Ming for a moment, his jaw tightened as he slightly turned his face away. “Kisses don’t have to look the same every time. If we’re going to put on a show, at least make it somewhat believable.”
Author’s Notes:
The cunning fox who took things too far, and the furious peac0ck.
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