At Wang Mu Chen's Apartment...
Mu Chen carried Xiao Bo to the dining table made him sit on a chair and took the seat beside him.
He opened the large bowl filled with rice porridge and started scooping it into the small bowl.
Maple was licking her kittens who were all tired from their adventurous exploration of the kitchen and were hungry as they started sucking milk from their mother with closed eyes.
Xiao Bo smiled seeing them living such a peaceful life.
>>>Maybe I can live peacefully too-...
Just then he remembered that the Wang family didn't approve of him. Xiao Bo looked at Mu Chen who was waiting with a spoon of rice porridge in his hand to feed the Younger.
Xiao Bo held Mu Chen's hand lightly and stared at the elder with a troubled expression on his face.
Mu Chen's heart started beating fast at that soft cool touch. He gulped down composing himself.
"What happened, Snowball? Do you want to say something?"
Mu Chen asked with a gentle tone as he put down the spoon and held the Younger's cheek with a concerned look.
Xiao Bo's eyelashes trembled at that gentleness of the elder. He balled his fist tightly,
"...Y-Your family..." He downcasted biting his lips, "Didn't approve of me... I-I..."
"Hush, look at me, Snowball," Mu Chen lifted his face as he caressed the Younger's cheek with his warm hand.
"Didn't I tell you? It doesn't matter if they approve or not. I have decided to get engaged to you and then marry you after our studies. You said you would trust me, didn't you?"
Xiao Bo nodded a little.
Mu Chen smiled as he brushed the Younger's hair,
"Then don't think about all those things. They are for me to solve. You just stay by my side. I will take care of everything."
"But-"
"No Buts." Mu Chen placed his index finger on Xiao Bo's plump soft lips.
"Don't worry. My mother has already approved of you, didn't she? She will take care of my stubborn grandparents and everyone in the home. And I am sure we will visit Wang's mansion in exactly three days and that day everyone will be so friendly and welcome you with open arms."
Mu Chen was so confident and proud of his mother's schemes.
Xiao Bo blinked his eyes in confusion.
Mu Chen curled his lips as he ruffled the Younger's hair,
"Leave about those trivial things, Snowball. Won't you eat my hand-made porridge I especially made for you? It's getting cold and won't taste the same."
Xiao Bo nodded finally relaxing his thoughts.
Mu Chen scooped a spoonful of porridge to feed Xiao Bo but the Younger was a little flabbergasted.
"I-I... can eat."
"It's fine. Let me feed you, you have no strength," Mu Chen insisted.
Xiao Bo's earlobes turned cherry red as he opened his mouth and ate the porridge.
Mu Chen was satisfied as he fed the Younger more and by the time he finished feeding him the entire bowl, Xiao Bo's face was tomato red.
The elder smiled seeing the finished bowl. With satisfaction, he got up to put away the dishes when Xiao Bo held the hem of his sleeve.
Mu Chen's eyebrows rose in a question mark.
"I... will do the dishes," Xiao Bo hesitatingly looked at the elder.
Mu Chen gave him an endearing smile,
"It's okay. I can manage, you are still weak and what will you do if you break them while cleaning?"
"Uh...I..."
Xiao Bo had a nervous look on his face.
"Even if you break them it doesn't matter. But you will feel guilty for doing that, right? I don't want that. So just sit and wait for me, I will be quick, hm."
With that gentle tone, Xiao Bo helplessly nodded and walked towards the couch in the hall.
Maple who put her kittens to sleep jumped onto the couch in one go and cuddled in Xiao Bo's lap.
"Maple," Xiao Bo smiled as he caressed her soft fur.
She purred in return, "Ah, Bobo, that's so nice, nya~. Do it more."
Xiao Bo did as he was asked and rubbed her belly.
After a while, Mu Chen finished washing dishes and brought the medicine and a glass of water with him.
"Here, take the pills."
Xiao Bo looked at the elder puzzled as his arms were occupied by a sleeping Maple.
Mu Chen shook his head with a smile fed him the pills and made him drink water.
"Snowball, shall we go sleep? Or shall we watch a movie since we have time?"
Xiao Bo's eyes sparkled at the mention of the movie as he never really watched one in his past life.
Well, with everything going on it was a luxury for him to be too relaxed to watch a movie though he used to watch anime secretly from his bodyguards.
Seeing the spark, Mu Chen understood the Younger's heart but still, he waited for his response.
"Watch... movie," Xiao Bo said looking down shyly.
"Alright, movie it is."
Mu Chen with a wide smile plopped beside the Younger taking the remote and turning on the T.V.
"What movie should we watch, Snowball?"
He asked browsing through the list of movies on the screen.
"That one!" Xiao Bo's eyes caught an interesting movie poster.
"Encanto?" Mu Chen queried to confirm.
Xiao Bo nodded in response.
"Alright, let's watch it-Ah, wait! We forgot the most important thing to watch the movie."
Mu Chen stood up suddenly.
Xiao Bo looked at the elder baffled, "What is that?"
"Popcorn!" Mu Chen answered, "Just give me five minutes, I will make and bring some, okay?'
Xiao Bo nodded but when the elder was leaving he tugged on Mu Chen's shirt putting sleeping Maple on the couch.
"Um?"
"I...I want to see it."
Mu Chen had a question mark at first then he understood, "You want to see me cook the popcorn?"
Xiao Bo nodded again, "Can I not?" He asked showing his puppy eyes.
And who was Mu Chen to deny those innocent excited eyes?
>>>CUTE!
Mu Chen pinched the Younger's cheek as he couldn't handle Xiao Bo's cuteness.
Xiao Bo bit his lips, blushing as he looked down at his feet.
"You can watch me. Let me show you how we can pop the corns in five minutes, come with me," Mu Chen took Xiao Bo's hand and dragged him to the kitchen.
...
"Li Fan, this isn't the way to our dorms," Shen Yu looked at him widened eyes seeing the unfamiliar surroundings.
Qi Li Fan was driving the car, unfazed.
"We are not going to the dorms," He stated.
"What? Why? Then where are we going?" Shen Yu got anxious.
"Calm down. We are going to the 'Winstonian' restaurant. It's a public place and I can't do anything to you. If perhaps, you are worried about that."
"Who said I am worried about anything? Anyway, why are we going to the restaurant now?" Shen Yu asked sharply, embarrassed.
"With all the mess that happened back there, I bet you didn't eat anything. The same goes with me. Also don't you think we need to talk? That's why we are going to the restaurant where we can eat and talk to clear up everything."
Li Fan answered all of Shen Yu's questions without looking at him. His eyes were on the road, fully concentrated.
Shen Yu relaxed as he looked out of the window and mumbled under his breath,
"Who said we need to talk? He does everything his way without even asking me...self-centered raccoon!"
Qi Li Fan heard it but didn't bother to respond and drove off to the restaurant.
He got out and opened the door for Shen Yu like a gentleman.
Shen Yu made a face and followed behind Li Fan,
>>>Is he trying to impress me or something?
>>>No matter how much he tries to butter me up, I am not gonna marry you. You self-centered raccoon.
>>>Just wait, I am gonna water down all your plans, humph!
"Hello, sir. Welcome to the Winstonian. Your reservation, sir?" The staff asked.
"Yes. I have a reservation under the name Qi Li Fan."
"Your reservation is confirmed. Thank you, sir. This way please," the staff directed both of them to the rooftop of the restaurant where there was no one.
>>>Did he book the entire rooftop? Is he showing off his wealth and power to me?
>>>I am not impressed at all. Who are you flaunting your wealth before? I am Cao Shen Yu, tsk!
Shen Yu snorted as he walked past Li Fan and sat on the chair looking away.
Li Fan didn't understand what was going on inside Shen Yu's head. He quietly ordered the staff to bring their special dishes and sent them away.
He sat in front of him and cleared his throat.
"So, Shen Yu-"
"Stop!" Shen Yu cut him off, "Let's eat first. I don't think I can ingest food if we talk before, also where did they go without taking the order?"
"I have already ordered."
"Without asking for my opinion? Do you know what I like? Why are you doing everything as you please?" Shen Yu snapped.
"Cao Shen Yu," Li Fan's voice was low and grim sending chills down Shen Yu's spine.
"I know you are upset about the sudden marriage announcement and all but stop throwing tantrums at me. I am not the one who proposed the idea to marry you. Just like you were told that you would be marrying me, one day I was informed about that, and for your information I am not pleased with it just like you."
Shen Yu slammed the table and got up, "Then what's there to talk about? Tell your parents that you won't marry me and end this all."
Qi Li Fan looked at Shen Yu indifferently.
"Everything is not as easy as you speak, Shen Yu. And I am telling you for the last time, stop yelling in front of me and sit down."
Li Fan sounded dark and dangerous at his last words.
Gulping down his saliva Shen Yu sat down obediently as he felt that if he didn't do as Li Fan said he would regret the consequences.
Li Fan sighed calming down himself,
"Look, Shen Yu. I understand your frustrations. But it is wrong to direct them towards me, right?"
Shen Yu bit his lower lips and nodded, "I am sorry."
"Leave it. About the order, I have asked them to bring their specials which are trademarks of their restaurant. Try them, if you don't like then we can always order something else, okay?"
Shen Yu nodded again feeling a little embarrassed that like a kid he exploded on Li Fan only to be scolded by him.
"Okay, so if everything is sorted out and you have calmed down, shall we talk about our marriage?" Li Fan questioned.
"Hm," Shen Yu hummed.
"Honestly, I don't want this marriage to happen. I have my dreams and this marriage would become a hurdle for me."
>>>So, I was just imagining that he was trying to impress me to get a nod from me for the wedding like a delulu when he isn't even slightly interested in me?
Shen Yu wanted to bury himself ten feet underground for assuming everything on his own.
"In that case...what are you planning to do? My parents won't go against Elder Wangs' words and nor does your parents. What should we do to stop this wedding?" Shen Yu questioned.
"We can't stop the wedding," Li Fan stated.
"Then what are we going to do?" Shen Yu asked, befuddled.
"We will get married."
"Huh?" Shen Yu was shocked, "If we are going to get married then what's the point of all this talk about not wanting to be married? Li Fan, just what are you implying?"
"No matter how much we rack our brains to plan something to stop our wedding it's not going to happen cause our marriage is fixed by elder Wangs and going against them is an impossible task."
Li Fan paused as he looked at Shen Yu's confused expression.
"We will marry and then live our lives as we wish. Anyway, we don't like each other and we both have our own dreams to chase after so let's get married and stay as strangers in the relationship. After achieving our dreams if we find someone we love we will go our separate ways then."
Even though Shen Yu was sure he didn't want to get married to Li Fan when he heard him say about finding the one they love and going separate ways, somehow it left a better aftertaste on his heart.
"So you want us to get married now as we can't go against our elders and then after some years we will get divorced?" Shen Yu asked to confirm.
"Precisely. And to be sure of it why not we also make a contract just like Mu Chen Gege did?" Li Fan suggested.
Shen Yu fell into a deep thought as he heard it.
>>>He just wants a contract marriage as he is not powerful enough to refuse our elders... Isn't it also good for me?
>>>If I don't marry Li Fan my parents will definitely find another person and who knows what that person would be like?
>>>Isn't it better for me to go with this self-centered raccoon's plan to live the life I want?
"I agree. Let's do this. Let's write down the marriage contract and live our lives without disturbing each other."
Shen Yu extended his hand to shake, and Li Fan smiled and shook his hand in agreement.
"Glad that we are on the same boat. I am acquainted with a lawyer, I will talk with him. You think of the conditions you want to put in the contract and on Sunday let's meet up with the lawyer and draft the contract."
Shen Yu agreed.
*****