Grandfather Yu's 90th birthday celebration was a harmonious gathering. The old man was very happy because he received the best news. In the second half of the event, a few elders got in high spirits and started drinking. Yu Jiyan couldn't drink as he had to drive, but Xu Zi pretended and had a few sips.
When they left, it was already past nine o'clock, and it was drizzling outside. The rain fell diagonally, forming a dense curtain, landing on the eaves and rippling in the water puddles. The night seemed shrouded in a layer of cold mist.
After Xu Zi stood up, her head was a bit dizzy, and the alcohol had flushed her face, making it slightly warm. She wanted to get her coat but noticed someone in front of her, holding her coat and gently draping it over her shoulders.
With a hint of drunkenness, the light and shadows in front of her appeared hazy. She saw those attractive hands again, fastening her buttons. When she raised her gaze slightly, she saw a handsome face. Lowering it a bit, she noticed the contours of a well-built chest beneath the knitted sweater.
"Jiyan, I heard there will be strong winds later. You should take Zi Zi home quickly," Yu's mother's voice said.
This made Xu Zi sober up. She rubbed her forehead, took a deep breath, and, perhaps due to being half-drunk and half-awake, she found herself glaring at the man in front of her. "You're really ugly."
Yu Jiyan: "..."
Yu's mother heard but thought it was just a playful exchange between the couple. She gently touched her daughter-in-law's cheek and felt sorry for her. "Look at your uncle, he can't even spare you when he's had a drink."
Just like an affectionate couple, Yu Jiyan put his arm around Xu Zi's shoulder and bid his mother goodbye. "Alright, you should go home soon too."
A waitress in a cheongsam handed Yu Jiyan a black umbrella. He opened it first and then embraced Xu Zi. However, when she noticed that the elders had already left, she forcefully removed his hand from her shoulder.
Yu Jiyan withdrew his hand.
From the courtyard to inside the car, they didn't exchange any words. The silence was so profound that the only sound was the raindrops pattering on the umbrella.
After closing the car door, Yu Jiyan turned on the heater. When he lowered his head, there was a trace of unease in his peripheral vision. He raised his gaze and saw Xu Zi using disinfectant wipes to vigorously clean her right shoulder, the exact place he had touched.
This was her habitual action.
Yu Jiyan didn't pay much attention and turned back to start the engine.
The Mercedes-Benz drove through the drizzling rain curtain, smoothly cruising on the road.
Xu Zi, weakened by the alcohol, leaned against the genuine leather seat, appearing as if she were falling asleep. Her body sank softly, her head tilting toward the car window. She couldn't remember how long had passed, but she slowly opened her eyes, realizing that she was lying down.
It turned out that this crafty fox had adjusted the seat.
When she saw that the car was already parked in the underground parking lot of the Yuetting Mansion, Xu Zi straightened up. She didn't forget her manners. "Thank you."
Yu Jiyan didn't respond immediately. "What?"
Xu Zi pointed to the seat. "You adjusted the seat for me."
"Oh, you're welcome," Yu Jiyan replied lightly, with a hint of detachment in his tone. "Because you kept leaning on me, I had no choice but to let you lie down."
Xu Zi: "..."
What did he mean by her constantly leaning on him? Did this mean he was helpless? She laughed at her own foolishness. Someone as selfish as him wouldn't consider others.
Yuetting Mansion was one of the most exclusive communities in Chengzhou.
This was the marital residence that Yu Jiyan had specifically chosen, or more precisely, it was a pre-marital asset. The floor was not very high, but the area was spacious. The greenery in the community was as good as a park. He had deliberately purchased a mid-level unit because, from every window, you could see tall, towering trees.
Perhaps the most satisfying aspect of this marriage for Xu Zi was this marital residence. She admitted that Yu Jiyan had excellent taste. Unlike most businessmen, his style leaned more towards the artistic.
However, there was something Xu Zi had always been curious about, and today, perhaps due to the lingering effects of the alcohol, she finally mustered the courage to ask, "Yu Jiyan, can I ask you something?"
Yu Jiyan had just changed into his slippers. He shook his coat, which was still icy, then hung it on a solid wood coat rack. "Go ahead."
Xu Zi took a few steps closer, glanced around, and wasn't sure if her question was crossing a line. "Have you never thought about marrying someone you truly love? Marrying someone you don't love, can you really spend your whole life like that?"
Yu Jiyan didn't hesitate much before answering, "No."
Xu Zi was surprised.
He walked into the open-plan kitchen to get a drink. He picked up a transparent glass from the white marble countertop, and while pouring water, he glanced at the super cute porcelain cup on the tray.
"Why not?" Xu Zi asked, and she wanted to understand better. "Do you believe you can spend your entire life with someone you don't love?"
Yu Jiyan took a sip of water, and when he looked up, the collar slid down, revealing his sharp and sexy Adam's apple. He placed the glass back on the tray and replied, "I've never been interested in romantic love, so I trust my elders' judgment."
Xu Zi became more urgent, "So, do you like me?"
"I don't dislike you," Yu Jiyan answered.
Xu Zi was puzzled. "So, you're willing to have children with me?"
Yu Jiyan nodded. "Yes."
In court, Yu Jiyan was known for his eloquence, but in front of this cunning fox, Xu Zi always seemed clumsy. Whenever they confronted each other, she never won.
Yu Jiyan raised his left hand, and on his fair wrist was a platinum Patek Philippe Calatrava series watch, simple and precious. He noticed that it was almost half-past ten, put the glass back on the tray, and then returned to his room.
Since their wedding day, they had slept separately and didn't have the habit of saying goodnight before bed.
Seeing him go to his room, Xu Zi also dragged her tired body to her room. The marital residence was spacious enough that they could coexist under the same roof without crossing paths.
After entering her room, Xu Zi first turned on the humidifier. The room was filled with moisture, and she had added cedar-scented essential oil, which had a gentle sleep-inducing effect.
She took a brown hair tie from the drawer, gathered her long hair into a high ponytail, and her slender neck looked as smooth as velvet.
However, just as her fingers were about to reach the zipper at her back, she remembered that Yu Jiyan was leaving for a business trip to Hong Kong tomorrow, and she needed to find some time to discuss the company relocation with him.
Yu Jiyan's bedroom was at the end of the opposite corridor. Xu Zi walked through the living room and stood in front of his bedroom door. The white European-style wooden door was tightly closed, and she politely knocked three times. After a moment, a deep voice came from inside, "Come in."
In the past year, Xu Zi had entered this room only twice, once before marriage when she came with her elders to inspect the house and once on their wedding day. She had almost forgotten what the room looked like. With her hand on the metallic doorknob, she gently turned it and pushed the door open.
As the door swung open, Xu Zi was almost taken aback, her delicate eyelashes trembling. The scene before her gradually clouded her mind. Yu Jiyan seemed like he was about to take a shower, with no clothes covering his body. His arms, waist, and abdomen displayed firm and graceful muscle lines. Of course, even his most intimate part was prominently on display, even in a relaxed state, it appeared robust and powerful.
Seeing her stiffen by the door, Yu Jiyan grabbed a towel and wrapped it around his waist, then smiled somewhat indifferently, "Didn't you have relationships with two men before? Why are you still so shy?"
Xu Zi was momentarily stunned, her hand dropping from the doorknob. Those two previous relationships were lies she had concocted to save face. At the time, she thought, since this marriage would eventually end, a little lie wouldn't hurt. What she didn't want Yu Jiyan to know was that, at the age of 25, she was still a virgin with zero sexual experience. After all, he appeared to be a man with plenty of experience.
The room smelled of a pleasant aroma, a faint scent of grass. Xu Zi placed her hands behind her back to ease her nervousness, saying, "I'm not shy. It's just that you let me in, should you not be dressed and acting decently, instead of being a pervert?"
But Yu Jiyan simply retorted, "We are legally married," leaving her momentarily speechless.
With a flight to catch early the next day, Yu Jiyan got straight to the point, "What do you need from me?"
Xu Zi didn't want to waste time either, "I don't want to move. Can you change to another floor?"
When it came to business matters, Yu Jiyan became colder and more serious, "Regarding the office leasing issue, I've assigned it to my assistant, Wen Er, for you to communicate with him and Hengying."
When Xu Zi's temper flared, she would show a bit of a spoiled attitude, "It's because I couldn't communicate with him that I came to you."
Yu Jiyan took a couple of steps forward, "Why do you think I would agree? Or is it because you just called me 'husband,' you think I'll become more accommodating?"
"I..." Xu Zi couldn't argue back and blushed even more. Her fair skin made even the slightest blush very noticeable. The alcohol still had a subtle influence on her, clouding her thoughts.
Suddenly, she heard words that were even more offensive in her ears, seemingly coming from Yu Jiyan for the first time in a playful tone, "If you fulfill your wifely duties, I might consider it."
This struck a nerve with Xu Zi, and she shouted, letting go of all her decorum, "Pah! Yu Jiyan, forget it! You'll never touch me in your life."
Perhaps she unilaterally believed that he was a womanizer who fooled around with many women.
She added with a low growl, "You're disgusting."
...
The tension in the room grew even more palpable. Yu Jiyan's slender legs took a step forward, his bare upper body, not overly muscular but defined in all the right places, and his pale, almost translucent skin, all combined to create an oppressive presence for Xu Zi. She was forced to retreat to the door.
However, Yu Jiyan didn't do anything except to intimidate his "wife" who loved to talk. He inwardly chuckled at her; she was bold but timid when it came down to it.
Yu Jiyan lowered his eyelids slightly, watching Xu Zi under him. "At the beginning of the month, your grandfather called me and said your law firm has been struggling financially for the past two months. With your current capability, you wouldn't be able to afford Hengying's rent if not for your family's support."
Xu Zi didn't like being lectured, especially by the person she despised the most. She furrowed her brows and retorted, "My grandfather doesn't know our true relationship. Don't think you're my husband. How I manage my company is my business, even if it's incurring losses. It's none of your concern."
Yu Jiyan continued to gaze at her, his displeasure apparent on his handsome face due to her provocation.
For a while, neither of them spoke.
Wrapped in his strong and fiery aura, Xu Zi felt uncomfortable. She lifted her head, frustration causing her features to contort, "Yu Jiyan, how can you be so detestable? I've never hated anyone as much as I hate you, from childhood until now. You're the exception."
Her tone grew more urgent and harsh.
However, Yu Jiyan, four years her senior, didn't engage in this childish squabble. He walked back to his chair and spoke with a calm tone, "Regarding Hengying, talk to Wen Er. Whatever he conveys to you is my decision."
Xu Zi hesitated, "..."
Before entering, Xu Zi had intended to have a serious conversation with Yu Jiyan, but for some reason, it always turned into a confrontation, filling the room with tension.
Both of them were stubborn and sought to dominate the other.
But such things didn't anger Yu Jiyan.
He stood by the chair, his profile quite striking, his bone structure impeccable, the only flaw being the lack of gentleness in his appearance. As he picked up his pajamas and headed to the bathroom, he stopped her before she could leave.
Xu Zi, feeling weary, turned back, "What is it?"
Yu Jiyan locked his gaze on her, raising an eyebrow, "I can't keep up with this endless bickering."
Xu Zi was somewhat nervous, "What do you mean?"
When discussing serious matters, Yu Jiyan adopted an imposing and stern demeanor, "I'll give you six months. If, within six months, you can't find any dirt on me, convince your family and mine to agree to a divorce, then you must fulfill your wifely duties, live with me as a real wife, and bear children."
"That's impossible," Xu Zi was shocked, her heart trembling, but she wouldn't back down, "I won't live a normal married life with you, and I won't bear children with a person like you."
Yu Jiyan disliked unnecessary talk, "Then you better get to work."
Xu Zi's voice rose, using fierceness as her shield, "What if I don't agree?"
Yu Jiyan wasn't afraid of such fierceness. As he picked up his pajamas and walked towards the bathroom, he glanced at her with indifference, "I'll repeat it once more. Either you convince both our families and me to divorce, or you become my true wife."
Xu Zi: ...