Thank you very much, diabolomenth & MoonSun, for the ko-fi!!! :blobaww:

Zhu Ming made an unprecedented breakthrough in his recovery at the rehabilitation center in District Seven.

He had been coming more frequently lately and had responded exceptionally well to the new medication. This time, after removing the exoskeleton device, with the support of his therapist and the handrails, he managed to walk a few paces—albeit with great difficulty and staggering steps.

Though he wobbled precariously and barely made it two steps before losing balance and sinking back into his wheelchair… he had, in fact, walked.

The entire rehabilitation center erupted in applause. Even Dr. Wu’s eyes turned slightly red—she had been Zhu Ming’s attending physician when he had his car accident, and more than anyone else present, she understood just how much this moment meant to him.

Everyone was sincerely happy for him.

Naturally, Zhu Ming felt the same. Overjoyed, he instinctively turned around, wanting to share this moment with the person who was always standing behind him—only to see the empty far end of the hospital corridor.

He froze for a moment before remembering that he had come alone today.

It was a long time before he turned back around and, with the help of his therapist, sat down on the hospital bed again.

He fumbled for his phone in his pocket, eager to share the news with Xi Xianqing. After a brief hesitation, he took a photo of the exoskeleton device and sent it over.

Caption: “Mission accomplished~”

The corners of Zhu Ming’s mouth lifted slightly.

He decided to hold onto this surprise for a bit longer. While he was home for the next couple of days, he would secretly practice walking a little more—perhaps he could make his steps look steadier, more natural.

That way, the next time Xi Xianqing accompanied him to rehab, Zhu Ming could walk confidently in front of him, recreating today’s moment of surprise.

Seeing Zhu Ming’s progress, Dr. Wu slightly increased his medication dosage. Zhu Ming took another picture—this time of the IV bag—and sent it over as proof that he was diligently following his treatment.

Xi Xianqing still hadn’t replied.

Zhu Ming yawned and curled up on the hospital bed with the white fox, zoning out for a while.

As the medication slowly spread through his bloodstream, he closed his eyes slightly and drifted off to sleep.

When he woke up, there was still about half a bag of medicine left to be infused. Looking out the window, he saw that dusk had fallen. The dried branches and leaves of the trees were framed within a small square of glass.

For a brief moment, an indescribable sense of loneliness washed over him.

Xi Xianqing had never been a talkative person. Whenever he accompanied Zhu Ming for his IV treatments, he would simply sit quietly beside him, reading a book, or occasionally stand up to check the drip rate and progress.

Zhu Ming had repeatedly told Xi Xianqing that he didn’t need to come with him, thinking it was pointless for him to just sit there and wait.

Yet, without realizing it, he had grown accustomed to that silent companionship. Now that Xi Xianqing hadn’t come this time, the one who felt unsettled… turned out to be Zhu Ming himself.

After leaving the rehabilitation center, he took a taxi to Xi Xianqing’s home in District Six.

Before Xi Xianqing officially began his District Seven assessment, he had given Zhu Ming a key, firmly insisting that every Monday and Tuesday, Zhu Ming had to stay in District Six for two days.

According to Xi Xianqing at that time, the purpose of these two days was mainly to: discuss the District Seven assessment, fulfill his duties as Zhu Ming’s attending physician, and test medications.

The moment Zhu Ming opened the door, a wave of burnt odor hit him, making his vision go dark for a second.

At the kitchen island, Xi Mufei stood wearing oven mitts, a white peac0ck at her feet, staring at an unidentifiable blackened object on a plate with a deep frown.

The servants looked as if they wanted to say something but held back, quietly opening windows to air out the room.

As soon as Xi Mufei saw Zhu Ming, she flinched slightly, hastily trying to hide the mysterious black lump behind her.

But Zhu Ming, sharp-eyed, had already locked onto the plate in her hands. With a thoughtful expression, he mouthed: “What is that?”

Xi Mufei stuck out her tongue at him, took off her gloves, and picked up the light screen to write: “I’m practicing making a birthday cake. Next week, I’ll make one for you to eat >_<～”

“Birthday cake?”

Zhu Ming was momentarily stunned before remembering that Zhu Yingying had indeed mentioned throwing him a birthday party. He hadn’t expected her to be this efficient in sending out invitations.

He took the electronic pen and replied: “No need to go through all this trouble. We can just buy one from a shop when the time comes.”

Xi Mufei shook her head and continued writing: “A homemade one is more reassuring to eat, plus it carries my thoughts and blessings. You have to wait until I master it~”

She patted her chest confidently and looked at Zhu Ming with a proud expression.

Zhu Ming stared at the words for a long time without speaking.

After a while, he lifted his eyes, picked up the pen, and smiled as he wrote: “I’ll make it with you.”

Unlike her brother, Xi Mufei had the classic free-spirited artist temperament—she was an absolute disaster in the kitchen, tossing flour and cream into the mix purely by intuition.

Zhu Ming had the distinct feeling that if she had been born in District Seven and attempted basic experiments, she might have blown up an entire research institute. He had to constantly be next to her and salvage the situation, barely managing to produce a bowl of cake batter that looked somewhat normal.

Once the batter was in the oven, they began cleaning up the kitchen. It was then that Xi Xianqing returned home.

Perhaps it was because it was already dark, or perhaps it was just Zhu Ming’s imagination, but the moment the door opened, Xi Xianqing and Ye Lu stood side by side at the entrance, an inexplicable heaviness lingering between them.

Especially Ye Lu—when she saw Zhu Ming, a complicated expression flashed across her face. But she quickly lowered her gaze and looked away.

Xi Xianqing’s face remained expressionless. He simply took off his coat and used sign language to ask Xi Mufei something, which was likely just a routine conversation.

After receiving Xi Mufei’s answer, Xi Xianqing nodded.

Watching Xi Mufei eagerly return to the kitchen to check the oven temperature, Xi Xianqing shifted his gaze and met Zhu Ming’s eyes.

Zhu Ming smiled. “You’re back?”

Xi Xianqing gave a quiet “Mm” and glanced at the flour on Zhu Ming’s cheek, raising a hand to point at it.

He asked, “What are you two doing?”

“A cake. It’ll be ready soon, you should try some later.”

Zhu Ming lowered his head, blindly rubbing at his face with his hand. He asked as he wiped, “Did I wipe it off?”

Xi Xianqing didn’t say anything for a long time.

When Zhu Ming looked up again, he found Xi Xianqing standing in the shadows of the living room, his expression dark and deep—gaze fixed on him yet somewhat absent, as if lost in thought. Thus, he didn’t respond after a long time.

Zhu Ming hesitated. “What’s wrong?”

Xi Xianqing remained silent.

The next moment, Zhu Ming felt something dry brush against his cheek.

—It was Xi Xianqing who raised his hand and gently helped him wipe off the flour on his cheeks.

Then, he lowered his hand and looked away. “I’m going back to the study to work on some sketches.”

The warmth from his fingertips still lingered on Zhu Ming’s cheek. After a long moment, Zhu Ming came back to his senses and responded, “Okay.”

The test cake was a success—golden and fluffy, its texture mouthwatering. Overjoyed, Xi Mufei cut two slices and urged Zhu Ming to bring some to Xi Xianqing in the study.

Balancing the plate on his lap, Zhu Ming carefully maneuvered his wheelchair into the room. Xi Xianqing was sitting at his desk, his gaze lowered, staring blankly at the empty sheet of draft paper in front of him.

He didn’t even notice Zhu Ming entering the study until the porcelain plate with the cake was placed on the table with a crisp “clink”—only then did he belatedly lift his gaze.

Zhu Ming set a fork beside the plate and casually asked, “What did the old man want from you?”

After a long time, Xi Xianqing replied, “Just some matters regarding the assessment.”

Zhu Ming was slightly taken aback. “Just the assessment? Then why did he call you away so urgently?”

Xi Xianqing fell silent for a moment, “While completing my work for District Four, I collaborated with a designer from a prestigious watchmaking family. To ensure the fairness of the assessment, my Grandfather wanted to confirm the specifics of the design process and determine how much of the work I completed independently.”

The logic was sound, and his gaze didn’t waver.

The only problem was that his response was too smooth—so polished that it felt like he had rehearsed it countless times, down to the precise moments where he paused for breath.

This instead caused Zhu Ming to be stunned for a moment.

He stared at Xi Xianqing’s face for a moment, “I see.”

Xi Xianqing nodded, as if naturally steering the conversation elsewhere. “What made you decide to bake a cake all of a sudden?”

Zhu Ming was silent for a moment before smiling slightly and going along with the change of topic. “It’s my birthday next week. My aunt wants to throw a party in the garden—she’s probably already told you about it.”

Remembering something, Zhu Ming added, “But if you’re too busy with the assessment, you don’t necessarily have to come—”

“I’ll be there.” Xi Xianqing interrupted him.

Zhu Ming’s eyes curved slightly. “Alright.”

The air grew quiet. Zhu Ming hesitated, debating whether to ask about his meeting with the District Seven Chief today. He suddenly heard the person in front of him call his name. “Zhu Ming.”

Lifting his gaze, Xi Xianqing’s lips moved slightly, and the emerald hue in his eyes darkened, as if he were suppressing some emotion.

Zhu Ming asked, “What’s wrong?”

“…Nothing.”

After a brief pause, Xi Xianqing spoke. “Tomorrow, Grandfather wants me and Xi Sen to attend a banquet. Many of the attendees are his old friends and trusted associates, so I might be back very late.”

“Busy man ah.”

Zhu Ming teased, “Ribbon-cutting ceremonies, banquets; the old man seems especially fond of you lately. That representative position is practically within reach.”

Xi Xianqing, however, remained silent for a long time.

Zhu Ming’s brow twitched slightly. Realizing that his half-joking remark might not have been appropriate, he cleared his throat. “Uh, you’ve had a long day. Get some rest.”

A moment later, he heard Xi Xianqing give a “mm” and said, “Goodnight.”

Tan Yu had once said something—perhaps a bit of a stereotype, but not entirely without truth.

That was: People from District Six aren’t good at lying.

Zhu Ming vaguely felt that something was wrong.

He could tell that Xi Xianqing was hiding something from him. Maybe the District Seven assessment meeting hadn’t gone well, or maybe something had happened during his conversation with Old Master Xi that afternoon.

But he hadn’t pressed the issue just now.

First, because Xi Xianqing had been running around all day—there was no urgency to sort this out tonight. Second, because he knew Xi Xianqing well. If pushed too hard, he wouldn’t say anything at all. But when he truly needed to talk, he would open up on his own.

What Zhu Ming hadn’t expected was that, in the days to come, Xi Xianqing would become so busy that he wouldn’t be able to spare even a moment.

This was only the first week of the District Seven assessment, yet almost every day, Xi Xianqing had different events, banquets, and dinners to attend, often returning home late at night.

Zhu Ming knew that his current schedule was probably just the beginning. If he successfully secured the representative position after the assessment, he would only be facing even more relentless engagements.

Zhu Ming has rarely had such a free time.

Rehabilitation alone, live broadcasting medical consultations, taking care of his own daily life—he seemed to have returned to his previous routine. It was calm and repetitive, neither particularly bad nor particularly interesting.

The night before his birthday, he streamed until the early hours.

When he woke up the next morning, his phone screen was flooded with messages from Zhou Zhou, all sent at midnight.

Just as he was wondering what had gotten into the kid, a knock came at the door. Immediately after, Zhu Yingying pushed it open slightly and poked her head in. “You’re awake?”

Zhu Ming hummed in response. She hesitated for a moment before asking, “You’ve been staying home a lot lately. Aren’t you and Xiao Xi supposed to be on your honeymoon?”

Zhu Ming couldn’t help but laugh. “Come on, you can’t be on a honeymoon every day. Can’t I spend some time at home with you?”

“…Well, that’s true.”

Zhu Yingying’s mouth opened slightly, but then, out of nowhere, she asked, “You and Xiao Xi… are you two doing okay lately?”

Zhu Ming was puzzled. “Why?”

At her feet, the little rabbit’s ears drooped slightly. After a long pause, she blurted out an awkward, “Oh, nothing. Just asking. So… so for your birthday today, he and his sister are still coming over to celebrate with us, right?”

Zhu Ming was momentarily stunned. “Yes ya, he already promised he’d be here.”

Zhu Yingying studied his face for a moment, then suddenly grinned. “Oh, oh, I just… just wanted to confirm the number of guests so the kitchen can prepare accordingly.”

Yet at her feet, the little rabbit’s ears remained drooped, listless and dispirited.

Zhu Yingying turned around and quietly shut the door.

Zhu Ming sat on the bed in a daze for a while before reopening his phone and clicking on Zhou Zhou’s messages. His fingers suddenly froze.

He had never been one to follow the news. Most of the time, it was only thanks to Zhou Zhou forwarding him a few trending headlines that he could barely keep up with what was happening in the world.

“The Young Master of the Xi Family and the Talented Heiress of the Lu Family from District Six Spotted in an Intimate Balcony Meeting at a Hotel. The Newlywed Genius Husband of District Seven—Does The Two Seemed To Be In Harmony But Have Underlying Disagreement?”

Despite the dramatic headline about a hotel rendezvous, the accompanying photo was actually from a banquet. Amidst the clinking of glasses, the camera had captured a moment on the balcony of the two people.

A young woman, elegant and dressed in a soft yellow chiffon gown, held a wine glass in her delicate, fair hand, smiling as she talked about something. Beside her stood a tall and strikingly handsome young man, his sharp profile partially veiled by shadows, his eyes downcast as he listened in quiet contemplation.

It was a perfectly ordinary exchange, but framed by the camera, the backdrop of the night sky, and the warm glow of the banquet lights, the image had an unmistakably intimate feel—two beautiful people standing side by side, exuding a sense of quiet connection.

Even though the young man’s face was partially obscured by the dim lighting, Zhu Ming recognized Xi Xianqing’s face at a glance.

In District Six, Ye Lu stood in the study, methodically organizing the raw gemstones in the safe.

After a moment, she turned around and glanced at the drafting table. The sketches on the paper were sparse and chaotic—just a few hastily scribbled lines, revealing the distracted state of mind of the person who had drawn them.

Ye Lu sighed silently

But when she looked up, she was met with an unexpected sight. Outside the door, seated in a wheelchair, was someone she had never expected to see.

“Xiao Zhu…?”

Ye Lu swiftly adjusted her expression, hiding disorderly sketches behind her. She put on a polite smile. “You’re here so early today? Xianqing is still asleep—”

“No.” Zhu Ming gently interrupted him, “I came to see you, Aunt Ye.”

Ye Lu was stunned.

Zhu Ming said nothing. He simply unlocked his phone, placed it on the table, and pushed it toward Ye Lu.

Ye Lu focused on the screen for a moment, and her expression suddenly changed. “It’s not like that. I was there that night too—I can vouch for Xianqing. He didn’t—”

“I know.”

Zhu Ming shook his head. “All the banquets and social events this past week were arranged for him by Old Master Xi. Just normal pleasantries and negotiations. Of course, I’m well aware that nothing happened between them.”

“But I also know that on the afternoon he was summoned by Old Master Xi for questioning, something else must have happened.”

He looked straight into Ye Lu’s eyes, “Right?”

His dark eyes were calm and gentle, yet they held a clarity and sharpness that seemed to see through everything.

In her younger years, Ye Lu had followed and assisted Xi Jianfeng, meeting many influential figures in both business and politics. It was rare for her to feel so exposed under the gaze of someone from a younger generation.

She realized that she couldn’t hide it from him at all.

“I don’t know the specifics, because the Old Master didn’t let me sit in that day.”

Ye Lu shook her head and gave a bitter smile. “It’s just that I… have never seen him that angry before.”

Zhu Ming’s body tensed slightly. “Did he—”

Ye Lu looked at Zhu Ming’s face for a long time before sighing and nodding her head.

“Yes,” she said. “He found out about Xianqing’s spiritual manifestation problem and he also knows… about your marriage agreement.”

Zhu Ming’s hands silently tightened around the wheelchair’s armrests. “…How is that possible?”

“Xi Xianqing’s past medical consultation records from District Seven Hospital were retrieved by Xi Hongming through various means.”

Ye Lu took a deep breath. “Xi Hongming also studied your previous research topics and discovered they happened to focus on spiritual manifestation abnormalities. Adding to that, someone from District Two testified that you and Xi Xianqing had been sleeping in separate rooms since your wedding, and your marriage itself was rushed… The Old Master is no fool.”

“The Old Master values honesty and integrity in his descendants above all else. In the past, the family had members involved in academic fraud and plagiarism scandals, and he has always been extremely fed up by such things.”

Ye Lu shook her head. “Let alone something as significant as marriage… when it comes to Xiangqing.”

Zhu Ming’s fingertips gradually turned cold, and his breath became subtly unsteady.

“We both know what this position and this condition mean for Xianqing,” she said. “But in the Old Master’s eyes, it only seems like he is obsessively ambitious about becoming the representative and willing to go to any lengths to hide his physical shortcomings.”

“It’s reasonable to say that it’s even possible for him to be disqualified from the assessment outright.” Ye Lu gave a bitter smile, raising a hand to rub her temples.

Zhu Ming took a deep breath, trying to maintain a clear train of thought. “But if the Old Master was truly furious, why would he still be giving Xianqing opportunities to expand his connections these past two days, taking him to attend all these events so frequently?”

“I don’t know. Xianqing didn’t tell me much after he came out that day either.”

Ye Lu’s expression carried a trace of confusion. “Maybe he still sees Xianqing as different from those other spoiled and morally corrupt children. The only fortunate thing is that he kept his eligibility for the assessment, but…”

She looked at Zhu Ming as if she couldn’t bear it. Her lips parted slightly, as if the words she was about to say were too difficult to speak.

Zhu Ming already had a vague idea of what was coming.

He calmly met Ye Lu’s eyes and said, “Aunt Ye, please go ahead.”

Ye Lu let out a quiet breath.

At the time, Ye Lu had been standing outside the door, faintly hearing Xi Jianfeng’s furious reprimands from within the room, her heart hanging in suspense.

Not long after, the sound of something shattering came from inside, followed by several heavy thuds. The servants outside exchanged uncertain glances, realizing that Xi Jianfeng had truly lost his temper this time.

Xi Xianqing was stubborn and proud. Fearing that something irreversible might happen, Ye Lu decided that even at the risk of being scolded, she had to go in and take a look.

With her hand attached to the door, Ye Lu pushed open a tiny crack.

She vaguely saw Xi Xianqing standing with his head slightly lowered, his back to her, making it difficult to discern his expression.

Xi Jianfeng sat behind his desk, his brows tightly furrowed as he rubbing the agarwood prayer beads in his hand. After a long silence, he let out a heavy sigh.

“…Xianqing.”

She heard Xi Jianfeng say in a deep voice, “If you still want to compete for the position of representative, then before this assessment ends, divorce that child from District Seven as soon as possible.”

Author’s Notes:

(>﹏<)