Thank you very much, diabolomenth, for the Ko-fi! :blobaww:

As soon as Xi Hongming said those words, not only were Xi Sen and Zhang Yuan startled, but even Zhu Ming, who was eavesdropping, felt his heart sink.

“Stayed in separate rooms? That’s certainly strange. It’s supposed to be the honeymoon phase of their marriage. How could they be so distant all of a sudden?”

Zhang Yuan was equally astonished. “I thought their sudden flash marriage seemed a bit suspicious at the time. But since Old Master didn’t say anything, we didn’t dare press further. Now that I think about it, it’s really bizarre.”

A few minutes ago, Zhu Ming had dismissed all of this as nothing more than the plot line of a dog-blooded family drama.

After all, for them to conspire loudly in a setting like this only proved that Xi Hongming’s family wasn’t exactly brimming with intelligence.

But by this point, the situation had escalated into something genuinely spine-chilling.

Wasn’t this already crossing the line of legality? Zhu Ming’s thoughts swirled in doubt. What kind of “District Two connections” did Xi Hongming have to uncover such intimate and private details—down to the extent of whether they were sharing a bed?

After a long silence, Xi Sen finally spoke up. “But I still don’t understand. Why would he go through a fake marriage with someone from District Seven? What’s the point of all this?”

“The point? There are plenty of reasons. This Zhu Ming scored full marks on the medical exam and was quite famous locally in District Seven, with exceptional medical skills.”

Xi Hongming’s gaze held an enigmatic glint. “I’m wondering if maybe Xi Xianqing himself has some kind of untreatable condition… so he sought him out?”

“And this District Seven guy is a cripple who hasn’t had any proper job before.”

Xi Hongming lit a cigarette, exhaling a ring of smoke as he mused, “Xi Xianqing probably paid him a hefty sum of hush money and arranged for him to stay close as his private doctor, covering it all up with the guise of marriage.”

Zhu Ming silently tightened his grip on his wheelchair handles.

Because aside from the part about the hush money being somewhat exaggerated—and the fact that the one who was unwell was Xi Xianqing’s spiritual manifestation, not Xi Xianqing himself… the rest of their conjectures were alarmingly close to the truth.

Zhang Yuan was still somewhat skeptical. “But he looks perfectly fine ah. Nothing seems off about him.”

“Looking fine doesn’t mean there’s no problem. He could just be hiding it well—who knows how serious it might be?”

Xi Hongming sneered. “That Zhu Ming is a doctor specializing in neuroscience. Maybe Xi Xianqing has psychological or mental health issues? Or perhaps it’s a brain tumor? Who can say?”

Zhu Ming’s chest tightened at first, then he felt a surge of relief.

It could only be said that, luckily, he had spread out Dish Soap’s tail feathers the last time, allowing Xi Xianqing’s group photo to be taken smoothly.

Otherwise, if there had been any delay in the photo or if Xi Hongming had learned just a bit more about his field of research, he could easily have connected the dots and deduced the real problem with Xi Xianqing.

“No matter the case, during the congratulatory moment later, we should subtly hint to the Old Master—using a tone of care for the younger generation—that this kid’s reasons for marrying aren’t entirely pure.”

Xi Hongming chuckled softly, extinguishing his cigarette. The parrot standing beside him ruffled its feathers triumphantly. “Even if he favors him more, there’s no way he’d let an unhealthy descendant inherit the family legacy.”

Zhang Yuan breathed a sigh of relief and couldn’t help but laugh as she chimed in. “The Old Master has always hated it when the younger generation lies or hides things, especially about something as serious as marriage.”

“It’s getting late,” Xi Sen frowned slightly as she set her phone down, interrupting the two of them in a cold voice. “It seems they’re wrapping up. Let’s go over now.”

Xi Hongming acknowledged her, and their voices faded as they walked away. Through the gaps between the foliage and branches, Zhu Ming peeked out, watching their figures disappear at the end of the corridor.

He leaned his back against the wheelchair and exhaled heavily.

He couldn’t tell if it was the alcohol or something else, but the throbbing pain in his temple became nearly unbearable.

It seemed like the truth about his agreement to marry Xi Xianqing… was about to come to light.

His mind was in utter chaos, but Zhu Ming forced himself to calm down and think of a feasible plan.

First, he had to find Xi Xianqing.

Operating his wheelchair, Zhu Ming followed the direction the others had taken and soon found the path back to the banquet hall. Meanwhile, his brain worked tirelessly.

Even if he managed to find Xi Xianqing now, what if Xi Hongming got to the Old Master first and started talking? Or worse, presented evidence about them living in separate rooms—how would they respond to that?

If it was merely verbal accusations, they might still have room to maneuver or deny.

But if Xi Hongming’s so-called “connections” had some solid evidence, how could he and Xi Xianqing explain themselves?

Because during the District Two assessment… They had been living in separate rooms. Their marriage wasn’t built on any emotional foundation.

Was there any way to preemptively counter Xi Hongming? To make them believe—especially to make the Old Master Xi believe—that he and Xi Xianqing were truly in love while also providing a plausible explanation for living separately… How could he silence that damned parrot before it had a chance to squawk?

Sleeping in separate rooms…

Truly love each other…

Chaotic thoughts accompanied Zhu Ming all the way back to the banquet hall. Navigating through the crowd, he passed by the champagne tower. His hand, controlling the wheelchair, paused for a moment.

His fingertips brushed past a glass of mild champagne. After a moment’s hesitation, he reached directly for a glass of red wine further back, took a deep breath, and downed it.

The slightly bitter liquid slid down his throat, igniting a faint burning sensation in his stomach. The discomfort made Zhu Ming frown slightly, but an absurd plan began taking shape in his mind.

Staring at the remnants of the deep red liquid at the bottom of his glass, he gritted his teeth.

He picked up another glass of amber-colored unknown foreign liquor nearby, tilted his head back, and drank it all in one go.

In the quiet private room, behind a golden magnolia-engraved screen, a cloisonné tripod incense burner wafted streams of delicate green smoke, which rose and dissolved gradually into the air.

“The District Two representative contacted me a few days ago. They gave you exceptionally high praise for your assessment.”

Xi Jianfeng set down his tea, his expression calm and reserved, while the white crane stood silently by his side. “I also took a look at the group photo and your work. Your skills and foundation have indeed improved significantly over the past two years.”

Xi Xianqing replied steadily, “Miss Shen flattered me. With the tight schedule of the assessment, there were still many details I didn’t handle as thoroughly as I would have liked.”

“You’re still young and always hold yourself to a high standard. But there’s no need to be overly critical of yourself. There’s still time before you leave for District Four—allow yourself to relax a bit occasionally.”

Xi Jianfeng paused and asked, “How is Mufei? She didn’t come today either?”

“Everything is fine with my sister. She caught a slight chill recently, so I didn’t want to force her to come.”

Xi Xianqing lowered his gaze and gestured to the gift box in front of him, his tone even. “But she specially prepared this gift for you and asked me to bring it.”

Xi Jianfeng narrowed his eyes slightly, glanced at the luxurious brocade box, and shook his head with a faint smile. The lines on his face carried a hint of helplessness. “You ya, don’t need to do this for her anymore to fool me.”

“It’s not her fault. The two of you… you’ve both suffered too much since you were young. In the end, it’s my debt to you siblings.”

Xi Jianfeng murmured, “Forget it. Let her stay just as she is now—happy and carefree.”

Xi Xianqing said nothing more.

Wisps of light smoke curled from the floral-patterned openings of the incense burner. Xi Jianfeng, appearing somewhat fatigued, rubbed his temples. After a moment, as if recalling something, he asked, “That child from District Seven, did he come today?”

Xi Xianqing paused. “He’s here, outside.”

Xi Jianfeng hummed lightly. “There are too many people and prying eyes for now. After the banquet ends, bring him over and let me meet him.”

Xi Xianqing nodded and was about to speak when the door to the private room was abruptly pushed open from the outside.

Among District Six’s people—more precisely, the Xi Family—rules and etiquette were paramount.

The waiters at such an event had been meticulously trained. Behaviors like entering without knocking or seeking permission weren’t only extremely rude but utterly inconceivable in this setting.

As the door swung open, Xi Xianqing first spotted Xi Hongming and his family standing at the entrance.

Xi Hongming looked slightly surprised, seemingly not expecting an uninvited guest to precede him by barging in. “Ai? What kind of manners is this?”

The astonishment wasn’t confined to Xi Hongming. Xi Xianqing’s body tensed slightly, his gaze fixed on the figure in the wheelchair who had pushed open the door.

He walked quickly to Zhu Ming and hesitated. “Why are you—”

“Xi Xianqing.”

Zhu Ming grabbed Xi Xianqing’s hand and stared at his face for a few moments before softly asking, his tone languid, “Where… where did you go just now?”

Xi Xianqing: “…?”

The person before him murmured softly, “I’ve been looking for you… searched for you for so so long and couldn’t find you at all oh.”

His tone carried a hazy intoxication, the tail-end of his words lingering lazily in the air. His reddened eyes and lightly flushed face framed his unwavering gaze on Xi Xianqing.

Xi Xianqing was in a trance for a moment, only snapping back to attention when he realized something wasn’t right.

Zhu Ming should’ve known he was in the private room meeting Xi Jianfeng. What was all this talk about “where did you go” and “searched for so so long”?

Xi Xianqing’s brows furrowed slightly. His first thought was that Zhu Ming might’ve had too much to drink and was simply spouting drunken nonsense.

But as he examined Zhu Ming’s flushed cheeks and the shimmering mist in his clear eyes, a subtle voice in Xi Xianqing’s mind warned him that this situation wasn’t as simple as it seemed.

Whether it was instinct or intuition, Xi Xianqing couldn’t shake the feeling that… Zhu Ming was pretending to be drunk.

He was deliberately uttering this nonsense.

“I was just here to congratulate Grandfather.”

Although he had no idea what Zhu Ming was trying to achieve. Xi Xianqing was silent for a long time, trying to maintain composure as he played along. “It just so happen that Grandfather wants to meet—”

Zhu Ming wrinkled his nose and directly interrupted, “I-I don’t believe your bull***t.”

Xi Xianqing: “…?”

As if he didn’t see Xi Jianfeng sitting in front as well as the onlookers behind him, Zhu Ming clung to Xi Xianqing’s arm and tilted his head slightly upward, his gaze filled with an almost overwhelming sincerity, as if his entire world revolved around Xi Xianqing alone.

“So you’re still mad at me, aren’t you?”

His flushed face and watery eyes stared pitifully at Xi Xianqing. “It’s because back in District Two… you were always busy with your designs, never taking me out on vacation. We fought over it.”

“And after that… you’ve been angry ever since. We were in a cold war, ignoring me… even insisting we sleep in separate rooms.”

He turned his face away, letting out a nearly imperceptible hiccup, murmuring, “During the entire assessment period… you didn’t come close to me. But we had just gotten married back then ah…”

Xi Xianqing strangely froze in place.

“…I know your status is extraordinary. Before we got married, I knew life with you would be like this. But even so, I chose you without hesitation.”

As if aggrieved, his eyelashes lightly quivered, he softly questioned, “And I even apologized to you back then. Didn’t you say… didn’t you say you weren’t angry anymore?”

“Or did I do something wrong again today and upset you?”

Zhu Ming seemed to pause in deep sorrow, his voice slow and trembling as he asked, “Why did you leave me all alone in a place full of strangers and hide from me again?”

Xi Xianqing was already completely speechless.

Indignant and emotional, Zhu Ming’s words carried such a raw intensity that even the onlookers, let alone Xi Xianqing, began to feel the weight of his accusations.

At this point, Xi Xianqing had no idea what kind of script Zhu Ming was performing.

Being accused of such ridiculous things in front of everyone left him wanting to retort instinctively, but the words were stuck in his throat. Ultimately, he swallowed them back down.

Because not knowing whether it was his illusion, there was a faint shock on the faces of Xi Hongming and his family at the door when Zhu Ming mentioned “sleeping in separate rooms” just now.

As if Zhu Ming’s words… had disrupted some prior assumption of theirs.

Though Xi Xianqing refrained from rebuttal, this play was about to be completely impossible to catch on his own.

“I’m not hiding from you.”

He could only steady the person in front of him with one hand, keeping his voice calm as he said in a low voice, “…You’ve had too much to drink. Don’t lose composure in front of Grandfather. I’ll take you out first.”

“Grandfather, my apologies.”

Xi Xianqing exhaled a breath and turned back to explain with difficulty, “It’s his first time attending such an occasion. He doesn’t know many people here, and it seems he drank a bit too much. Let me take him out to clear his head.”

Xi Jianfeng, stroking the rim of his teacup, regarded them for a moment before responding mildly, “Go ahead.”

“But Xianqing, while your assessments are important, you should pay more attention to family in your daily life,” he said.

Xi Xianqing had a hard time speaking for a moment, and could only grit his teeth and respond, “I understand.”

He took a deep breath, lowering his gaze to the person in front of him, unsure whether he was truly drunk or just pretending. His throat felt dry. “Alright, let’s go for now.”

But Zhu Ming grabbed his sleeve, refusing to let it go. “Then… have you forgiven me?”

Xi Xianqing’s Adam’s apple bobbed slightly, and he had no choice but to go along with him. “I’ve forgiven you.”

“Really not angry?”

“…. Really.”

“Are we still going to sleep in separate rooms in the future?”

Xi Xianqing suppressed his breathing. “Not anymore.”

Zhu Ming stared at his face intently. After a long pause, he gave a soft “Hmm.”

With a drunken tilt of his head, Zhu Ming beckoned him over, speaking haltingly. “Then you… come a little closer now.”

Xi Xianqing, puzzled, saw his gesture and thought he wanted to whisper something like before. After a moment of hesitation, he leaned down slightly.

But to his surprise, Zhu Ming found the distance completely insufficient. He reached out, hooked his finger around Xi Xianqing’s tie, and abruptly pulled—

The distance between them shortened. Xi Xianqing caught a glimpse of Zhu Ming unnoticeable tilt of his head to the door in the direction of Xi Hongming.

Immediately after, Zhu Ming paused for a moment and closed his eyes briefly.

—It was as if, in that fleeting moment, he had silently made some kind of decision.

When he opened his eyes again, his gaze was once more filled with the hazy, misty drunkenness from before.

The fingers Zhu Ming had on Xi Xianqing’s tie loosened slightly, then lifted upward, finally cupping his face gently with both hands.

Xi Xianqing sensed something was off. “You—”

However, Zhu Ming didn’t give him any more time to think.

—In the next moment, he slightly tilted his face up and pressed a gentle, lingering kiss to Xi Xianqing’s lips.

Their heated breaths intertwined. Zhu Ming’s soft, cool lips, carrying a faint scent of alcohol, covered Xi Xianqing’s dry and burning lower lip. At first, the kiss was slightly stiff, lingering for a brief moment.

As if he was thinking of what to do, he hooked his arm around Xi Xianqing’s neck, lifted his face a bit more, and deepened the kiss with a light, lingering suck. Lips and teeth pressed together, as if he were trying to smooth over the initial awkwardness of the kiss.

It was actually a very short kiss.

But perhaps the surroundings were too quiet-or maybe because the kiss was so intense and heartfelt, when their lips finally parted, a loud, crisp “pop” echoed in the air, clear enough for everyone nearby to hear.

The lingering wetness on his lips felt all too real. Xi Xianqing’s mind went blank in an instant.

As for the one who caused all this, however, seemed like he was fine, drunkenly staying quiet for a while. Then, in his drunken daze, he stumbled forward—

And wrapped his arms around Xi Xianqing’s waist, resting his cheek against Xi Xianqing’s abdomen. Like a small, affectionate animal, he nuzzled gently.

“…It’s good that you’ve forgiven me.”

Xi Xianqing heard the person in his arms murmur vaguely, “Then now… hurry up and take me home.”

Author’s notes:

ψ(｀∇´)ψ The drunken, seductive little fox putting on a grand performance everywhere; forcefully kissing the pure campus belle, big peac0ck!