The one who used to be a firm believer in spinsterhood, today shockingly tied the knot in a fit of impulse, lured by a man's good looks, disregarding his family background and status.
Looking at the man's handsome face, Shen Lan couldn't help but smirk with ineffable satisfaction, "As long as you behave, I promise that I won't shortchange you!"
Cheng Yanqing: ...
He felt as though he had married a trashy woman. Is that it?
Cheng Yanqing calmly unfolded the marriage certificate. After making sure everything was in order, he put it away in his pocket.
Subsequently, he gazed meaningfully into her eyes, uttering slowly, "Relax, I'm fit and healthy. I'll certainly be obedient."
Shen Lan was taken aback, and her fair face instantly turned rosy red. This man, why did he make it sound like she was keeping him as a gigolo!?
"Ahem, ahem, good, as long as you don't regret it. I have something else to do, so I won't see you off." Shen Lan made her getaway in high heels.
Watching her graceful figure receding into the distance, Cheng Yanqing was left standing alone in the disheveled street.
She's gone?
Just like that?!
Does she think getting a marriage certificate is child's play, and run off once it's done?!
Cheng Yanqing had a captivating face to begin with; add to that his towering height of more than 1.8 meters and the calmly aloof aura he emitted. Even the girls he passed by couldn't help but glance at him a couple more times.
And now, he is standing outside the civil affairs bureau with an indifferent expression, clutching a marriage certificate that's nearly crumpled.
The passing pedestrians assumed he had been divorced and abandoned. They sighed, 'Even a handsome man like this can get divorced,' gave him a sympathetic look, and hurriedly left.
Cheng Yanqing felt like murdering someone.
Shen Lan, well done.
In a short while, a limited-edition black sports car zoomed in, its tires screeching against the ground as it halted beside Cheng Yanqing.
The co-driver's window rolled down and a man in a floral shirt, looking brattish, stuck his head out.
"Brother Cheng, I thought we were meeting at the cafe. How did you end up in such a remote place?"
The speaker was the sole heir of the Xu Family, one of the four major families of Kyoto, Xu Tingfeng. Since his childhood, he lived unbridled, shielded by his family's spoiling. He was known as the young master of Kyoto.
No one in the entire Kyoto dared to offend him, but he had a soft spot for Cheng Yanqing and would run errands obediently for him.
As Xu Tingfeng was speaking, Cheng Yanqing climbed into the car, his long legs making the car cabin suddenly seem cramped.
"Came here to take care of some business."
"Business?" Xu Tingfeng was surprised. What work could possibly require his highness to personally attend to?
Before he could even ask, Cheng Yanqing pulls out a small red book from his pocket and gently straightens the corners that were creased.
Xu Tingfeng looked as if he had seen a ghost. Pointing at the three large characters on it, he stuttered, "This...this...this…"
"Brother Cheng, this is... a marriage certificate?!"
Cheng Yanqing gave him a cold sidelong glance, his eyes full of contempt, "Didn't you bring your glasses?"
Can't you see these three big words, 'marriage certificate'?
Xu Tingfeng: ...
It was his mistake; he shouldn't have asked.
Xu Tingfeng stared straight ahead, while his curious eyes clandestinely measured Cheng Yanqing.
"But Brother Cheng, as far as I recall, you didn't even have a girlfriend. Now, in the blink of an eye, I have a sister-in-law? Who in the world could have tamed the unfathomably cool Cheng Yanqing, who always kept women at arm's length?"
It's more than just keeping women at a distance; he didn't even deign to give them a second glance.
Because of this, Xu Tingfeng had bet with his peers in Kyoto, wagering on whether Cheng Yanqing was gay…
At his side, Cheng Yanqing's knuckles drummed lightly on the armrest. Upon hearing Xu Tingfeng's query, he fell silent for a moment.
Who was she?
Only then did he realize he didn't even have contact information for his newlywed wife.
"A good question. Could you do me a favor and look up a 'Shen Lan'? Send me all her information before tomorrow."
Xu Tingfeng: !!?
So, the illustrious Brother Cheng didn't even bother to scrutinize before marrying his wife?
"Brother Cheng, are you kidding…?"
Looking at Xu Tingfeng's stunned reaction, Cheng Yanqing smirked, "Do I look like I'm joking to you?"
Mother of God!
Xu Tingfeng was successfully spooked by Cheng Yanqing's "gentle" smile. He didn't dare to take another look at the domineering man beside him and was near tears.
What sins had he committed to deserve this?
…...
Only halfway did Shen Lan remember that she forgot to ask her bargain husband if he needed a lift. However, when she returned, he was nowhere to be found.
Looking at her empty phone book on her mobile, she couldn't help but laugh. Neither of them even had each other's contact information.
The marital bond was indeed a sham.
Shen Lan strutted into the Shen residence with the little red book. As soon as she entered, a pillow from the couch was heartily thrown her way.
Seeing her mother's angry face, Shen Lan picked up the cushion, a puzzled look on her face.
"Mom, what happened? Why are you so mad in broad daylight?"
On hearing this, Mother Shen's anger surged even more.
"Mom, my foot! I'm not your mother! Aunt Chen kindly arranged a matchmaking date for you, and you dare to stand him up! You've got the nerve to come back!"
"No way, Mom, your information is totally wrong!"
Shen Lan put the pillow back on the couch cheerfully, pulled out the little red book from her back, "I was going to stand him up, but then I went anyway. Look, what's this?"
"A marriage certificate?"
Mother Shen stood up abruptly, taken aback. Holding the little red book, she examined it from left to right.
Wasn't she supposed to be attending a matchmaking date? How did she end up with a marriage certificate?!