#MarriageLife #SweetRomance #HappyEnding #ModernTimes #Romance
Qiao Xiaotu was startled awake by the sound of the door unlocking at the entrance.
The light seeping through the gap in the curtains indicated that it was already late in the day, and she had no idea where her phone had ended up.
The living room carpet was littered with beer cans, cake plates, playing cards... and several equally unconscious "bodies."
Her brain lagged for a full three seconds before she could recall what had happened the previous night.
Yesterday was her birthday. That evening, her three roommates had brought over a cake to celebrate, and they spent the night drinking, playing cards, and having fun until two or three in the morning.
In the end, everyone got drunk and fell asleep directly on the living room carpet.
Despite the hangover fogging her mind, Qiao Xiaotu knew she had something more important to face.
As the door clicked shut, a tall figure in a black coat finally walked into the living room.
Their eyes met. She swallowed and barely managed to find her voice, saying, "Hi—"
The man in front of her looked just like she remembered.
He had narrow, deep eyes, sharply defined brows, and his expressionless face always gave off a fierce and indifferent vibe. Beside him stood a black suitcase, its luggage tag still attached.
Qiao Xiaotu suddenly remembered that he had sent her his flight information yesterday, and she had confidently promised to pick him up at the airport, even though he had only replied with two cold words: "No need."
Now, in this situation, Qiao Xiaotu felt like she was the scumbag in a TV drama who had abandoned his wife and child for a life of debauchery.
Her roommates also woke up, and their reaction to the man in the living room was unanimous: after a sharp intake of breath, they turned to Qiao Xiaotu with looks of disbelief, their eyes screaming, "Who is this guy?"
"You handle this yourself." He left a brief comment before heading upstairs on his own.
Qiao Xiaotu shivered, almost wondering if his words were telling her to handle the mess or to deal with herself.
The moment his tall figure disappeared up the stairs, she jumped up, frantically waking everyone up. Ignoring their mumbled complaints, she herded them out the door, called a cab, and shoved them all into it.
Watching the taxi drive off, she finally let out a sigh of relief and turned back inside.
The living room was silent. She climbed the stairs and carefully pushed open the door to the master bedroom. He turned and looked at her, and their eyes met again.
He was unpacking, putting some clothes into the master bedroom's walk-in closet.
Her clothes were also in there, often in a messy heap because she didn't like the housekeeper organizing them. Seeing him glance at the mess, she quickly moved to help organize them.
But as soon as he looked at her, she froze, not daring to move.
He was patient, finishing his own clothes before neatly folding hers as well.
The room was too quiet. Qiao Xiaotu couldn't help but find something to say, "I... I called the housekeeper. She'll be here soon to clean the living room."
"Mm."
"Are you tired? Do you want to take a nap, maybe to adjust to the time zone or something?"
"I'm fine."
"Do you want some water? I can get you some!" She said, already planning her escape.
But before she could turn away, he spoke, "Come here."
She obediently walked over. He took out a small box from his suitcase and handed it to her. "For you," he said.
She took the box, stunned, before hearing him say, "Happy birthday."
How did he know? A shadow crossed her vision, and she stood there, dumbfounded, as if a soft cloud had gently brushed her forehead, leaving behind a touch of warmth.
Her mind went blank, and a warm flush crept up her cheeks.
In a low voice, he said, "It's been a while, Qiao Xiaotu."
Actually, there was something Qiao Xiaotu had never told her friends, who always mocked her as being "committed to staying single throughout college." The truth was, Qiao Xiaotu, who hadn't even graduated from university yet, was already a married woman.
Back in the summer after the college entrance exams, she had hurriedly married Han Jing in her rural hometown while he was there for a family ancestor worship ceremony.
The wedding was organized by Qiao Xiaotu's aunt. Due to the rushed nature of the event, it was rather simple, and even her wedding dress was borrowed in haste from a photo studio in town.
Her still-developing figure couldn't fill out the heavy, oversized wedding dress, so they had to pin the back with several layers of safety pins.
The very afternoon after the wedding, Qiao Xiaotu packed her bags and followed Han Jing to City A.
Qiao Xiaotu had been married to Han Jing for four years now.
But truth be told, she hadn't seen him any more often than she saw the security guards in their neighborhood.
Because right after their wedding that summer, he went abroad for work, and since then, Qiao Xiaotu had only seen him during his brief visits home during holidays.
Even though they were as close as two people could be, there was still a subtle sense of unfamiliarity between them.
This subtle unfamiliarity led to a moment the next morning when Qiao Xiaotu, groggily waking up and stumbling around, caught sight of the man who had just emerged from the bathroom, and instinctively let out a scream.
Their eyes met, and her foggy brain quickly cleared. Qiao Xiaotu awkwardly averted her gaze.
He had just finished washing up and was fresh and clean.
When he saw her barefoot on the floor, he frowned slightly and said, "Go wash up. You're going to be late."
Qiao Xiaotu muttered an "oh" and was about to slip away, but then he added, "Put on your shoes."
One command, one action—Qiao Xiaotu suddenly felt like a little kid being told to get up by her dad. Shaking off this strange thought, she quickly darted into the bathroom.
After breakfast, Han Jing drove her to school.
The car ride was silent, and for the first time, Qiao Xiaotu felt that the road to school was so long.
When the car stopped at the school gate, she finally let out a sigh of relief.
He asked, "What time does your class end this afternoon?"
Not understanding his intent, Qiao Xiaotu obediently replied, "Four o'clock."
He nodded, unbuckled his seatbelt, and leaned over. The sudden closeness brought his fresh, masculine scent swirling around her, making Qiao Xiaotu hold her breath in nervousness, her heart pounding uncontrollably.
With a soft "click," he unbuckled her seatbelt, then leaned back and said, "Wait for me this afternoon."
"Huh?" Qiao Xiaotu was still in a daze when he reminded her, "You really are going to be late."
Qiao Xiaotu nodded and hurriedly got out of the car. It wasn't until she was almost at the teaching building that she suddenly realized—why was she, a carefree senior, rushing like an elementary school student afraid of being marked late for morning study?
When she arrived at the classroom, the bell had just rung, and someone came to announce that the morning class was canceled, and everyone was to go to the large lecture hall for a seminar.
Qiao Xiaotu found a seat in the back row of the large classroom. Two of her roommates, who still vividly remembered the scene that morning after the birthday party, quickly sat down beside her. They immediately started "interrogating" her.
"Three questions, no dodging: Who? What does he do? What's your relationship?"
"Well..." Qiao Xiaotu swallowed nervously, wondering whether to tell the truth or try to bluff her way through.
"Spit it out!"
"His name is Han Jing. He's a teacher."
Gathering her courage, she closed her eyes and decided to just go for it. "He's my hus—"
Before she could finish the word, her roommate patted her on the shoulder and asked, "Wait, doesn't that guy look familiar?"
Following her roommate's line of sight, Qiao Xiaotu saw the tall figure on the podium adjusting the projector. Wasn't that her husband, whom she had just parted ways with less than half an hour ago?
"Han Jing? The new visiting professor hired by the school? Does that count as being a teacher?" Both roommates turned to her, full of suspicion. "You just said he was your what?"
At that moment, Qiao Xiaotu displayed a certain calmness that only comes from sheer despair and said, "He's my... second cousin from my father's side."
Qiao Xiaotu was completely distracted throughout the entire lecture.
She didn't know much about Han Jing, other than that he was a law professor who had been invited to teach at a university abroad for four years. During that time, he also gave occasional reports or lectures at other universities, but she never imagined she would encounter him at her own school.
No wonder he had asked her when her classes ended and told her to wait for him.
For some inexplicable reason, Qiao Xiaotu felt a little angry.
After class in the afternoon, her roommates suggested going shopping together and asked if she wanted to join. Without thinking, she agreed.
She wasn't sure what she was feeling, but she took out her phone and sent him a message: "I'm going out with friends. You can go home by yourself."
A moment later, his reply came: just a simple "OK."
Qiao Xiaotu suddenly felt even more frustrated.
She spent the afternoon shopping absentmindedly, and then they went to a hot pot restaurant near the school for dinner. By the time they finished, it was already dark.
As they noisily discussed where to go next, Qiao Xiaotu continued to zone out. Just then, one of her roommates suddenly tugged at her and said, "Hey, Xiaotu, isn't that your second cousin?"
Qiao Xiaotu was momentarily stunned before she realized who she was talking about.
Looking up, she saw a group of well-dressed people emerging from a restaurant across the street. She recognized a few of them as school administrators. Han Jing was there too, his tall and slender figure standing out among the crowd.
He was slightly bent over, saying something to someone with a faint smile on his face.
But under the bright lights, Qiao Xiaotu suddenly felt that he seemed distant and aloof.
As if sensing something, he looked up, his gaze crossing the street and landing directly on her.
Qiao Xiaotu bit her lip and met his gaze. After a moment, he frowned slightly and looked away.
One of her roommates asked, "Your second cousin is really handsome. Does he have a girlfriend?"
"No," Qiao Xiaotu replied, but in her heart, she added, "But he does have a wife."
She lowered her head, feeling a bit gloomy, even though she was a wife with very little presence.
After watching the group get into their cars and leave, her roommates finally agreed to go to a nightclub. They turned to her and asked, "Xiaotu, are you coming?"
Knowing that Xiaotu usually avoided such "colorful" activities, they expected her to decline. But to their surprise, Qiao Xiaotu nodded and said, "Yes."
However, it soon became clear that this kind of place was not suitable for her.
The dizzying lights, deafening music, and the throng of men and women packed together on the dance floor were overwhelming.
Qiao Xiaotu sat alone in a booth, sulking while sipping on her drink.
By the time her roommates realized something was wrong, she had already downed an entire glass of Long Island Iced Tea. Her face was flushed red, and she was hiccupping, curled up on the sofa.
When Han Jing received the call and arrived, Qiao Xiaotu had already fallen asleep on the sofa.
He usually preferred quiet environments, so the loud music was making his ears ache. He couldn't imagine how she had managed to fall asleep in such a place.
The girls who answered his call stood nearby, looking guilty.
Han Jing thanked them and bent down to pick her up. Just as he was about to leave, someone behind him suddenly asked, "Professor Han, are you really her second cousin?"
He hesitated for a moment, then nodded without expression.
Qiao Xiaotu remained fast asleep in the back seat of the car during the entire ride home.
When they arrived, Han Jing placed her on the sofa in the living room. She started to regain consciousness, opening her eyes to glance at him before frowning and mumbling something incoherent.
He paused, leaning closer to listen.
The proximity allowed him to catch a faint scent of alcohol on her breath, warm and alluring, causing his heartbeat to falter.
Just as he was about to pull away, she suddenly reached up, wrapped her arms around his neck, and pulled him down, pressing her lips against his.
The unexpected kiss left him momentarily stunned.
Her lips were soft and warm, with a sweet hint of alcohol, like a tempting dream she was unaware of.
Without thinking, he instinctively wrapped his arm around her waist, feeling the smoothness of her skin through the thin fabric.
It was only the timely ring of his phone that stopped him from going further.
Han Jing pushed her away and stood up. Even as he walked to the window to answer the call, his breath was still uneven.
What he didn't notice was that the moment he turned away, Qiao Xiaotu, who had seemed to be unconscious from the alcohol, pulled the sofa blanket over her face in embarrassment.
...How humiliating.
Qiao Xiaotu still couldn't figure out why Han Jing had married her.
After her parents passed away, she moved to the countryside to live with her aunt's family. They treated her very well, providing for her needs and education without ever letting her want for anything.
But when she received her acceptance letter from University A after the college entrance exams, her aunt hesitated and told her, somewhat awkwardly, that the family was struggling and suggested that maybe she shouldn't go to college after all.
She understood the difficulties, so after a brief pause, she simply nodded and agreed as if it were no big deal.
That afternoon, she went swimming alone in the river outside the village.
She knew how to swim and could easily float on the river's surface with the help of the current.
Just as she was floating under a bridge, someone suddenly jumped off and plunged into the water right beside her.
The splash of water caught her off guard, and she ended up inhaling some, causing her to choke.
In her panic, her leg cramped, and her body began to sink uncontrollably.
Through her blurred vision, she felt someone grab her, and she instinctively clung to them as they brought her back to the surface.
Later, Qiao Xiaotu found out that he had jumped in because he thought she was drowning.
She took him back home and found some of her uncle's clothes for him to change into.
After she took care of herself in her room, she came out to find him sitting in the living room, chatting with her aunt.
When he noticed her, he glanced up at her briefly, causing her heart to skip a beat. She quickly looked away and hurriedly turned to leave.
Later, her aunt subtly asked her about her thoughts, saying that he was a good person and asking if she would consider marrying him.
Marriages like this were quite common in the village, and her aunt said a lot about it. When she mentioned that he could help her continue her studies at University A, Qiao Xiaotu bit her lip, thought for a moment, and finally nodded.
What followed was a hastily arranged wedding that felt almost like playing house.
The day after the wedding, she followed him back to City A.
When she thought about it, she realized that the time they had spent together had really only been that one short month in City A after their wedding.
As a newlywed wife, Qiao Xiaotu didn't really know what she was supposed to do.
But she had seen a few TV dramas, so she tried to take care of him the way she had seen on TV.
However, she couldn't cook and almost burned down half the kitchen trying to make noodles. She was also careless, throwing his phone into the washing machine along with his clothes.
The phone was making a loud noise as it spun around in the washing machine, and it was he who noticed it first and took it out.
Qiao Xiaotu stood by, knowing she had messed up, not daring to say a word.
He looked at the phone, which was beyond saving, and after a long pause, he just sighed helplessly and told her to go play in the living room.
After that, a housekeeper started coming daily to take care of all the chores.
Han Jing was actually very good to her. Although he was quiet and reserved, he was also gentle and attentive.
But Qiao Xiaotu always felt something was off, as if, instead of being close like lovers, his attitude towards her was more like he was taking care of a helpless little child.
Thinking about this, Qiao Xiaotu couldn't help but feel a bit insecure.
Qiao Xiaotu didn't wake up until noon the next day. There was no one in the bedroom, so she got up, washed up, and went downstairs to find Han Jing sitting in the living room reading a book.
When he saw her come down, he glanced at her and said, "There's porridge in the kitchen. Have some, and then we'll go out to eat."
He spoke so calmly, as if nothing had happened the night before.
Qiao Xiaotu nodded but felt a little dissatisfied. After thinking for a moment, she hesitantly asked, "I was drunk last night... I didn't do anything, did I?"
There was a brief silence, and then the man on the sofa, without even looking up, calmly replied, "No. Don't drink next time."
Qiao Xiaotu nodded, but for some reason, she felt very frustrated.
In the afternoon, Qiao Xiaotu went back to school to submit a report, and Han Jing had something to pick up as well, so they went to the school together.
Qiao Xiaotu had just finished submitting the report at the department office and was coming down from the teaching building when she saw a large crowd gathered on the open space in front of the steps.
She craned her neck to see what the commotion was about, but her phone suddenly rang. She answered it, and her roommate Aman's anxious voice came through, "Xiaotu, did you go back to school to submit the report today?"
"Yes, I just came out of Building C. What's up?" As she squeezed into the crowd, Qiao Xiaotu finally saw that it seemed to be a confession scene.
On the ground, someone had used candles and roses to form a huge heart, and in the middle appeared to be a girl's name, but she couldn't see it clearly from her angle, so she moved forward to get a better look.
Aman's voice continued in her ear, "Then you better get out of there quickly. Jinyang is there, getting ready to confess to you."
At the same time, she finally managed to get to the front and saw the name spelled out in roses—Qiao Xiaotu.
Qiao Xiaotu finally realized what was happening and was about to turn and leave, but Jinyang spotted her immediately and called out, "Xiaotu! Qiao Xiaotu!"
Jinyang was a year younger than her, a typical playboy.
He had somehow taken it as a challenge to pursue her after learning of her vow to stay single throughout her four years of university.
Qiao Xiaotu knew she couldn't escape this situation, so she resigned herself and turned back.
With a wave of his hand, the music Jinyang had prepared in advance began to play. He stood in the middle, gazing at Qiao Xiaotu with deep affection, and said, "Xiaotu, I like you. Be with me!"
Qiao Xiaotu covered her face with her hands, feeling utterly embarrassed and wishing she could dig a hole and disappear.
Before she could say anything, she suddenly felt a chill behind her.
She sneaked a glance back and saw Han Jing standing on the steps of the teaching building, looking coldly in her direction.
If there was ever a situation where one was caught between a rock and a hard place, this was it.
"Come on, Jin Gongzi," she whispered, not wanting to make a scene in front of so many people, "Stop making trouble, okay?"
The onlookers, eager for more drama, started chanting "Be together!" after someone in the crowd initiated it.
Jinyang became even more smug, grinning at her as he said, "Xiaotu, you see, just agree. Otherwise, I'll lose face."
Qiao Xiaotu lowered her head, not daring to look at Han Jing behind her, and only wanted to drag this person in front of her into a secluded corner and give him a good beating.
Jinyang, thinking she was just being shy, emboldened by the crowd's encouragement, stepped forward and suddenly pulled her into a hug.
Qiao Xiaotu was stunned and before she could push him away, she saw Jinyang being yanked away by the back of his collar.
Qiao Xiaotu's eyes widened, and she looked up to see Han Jing standing there, his expression so cold that it was like a warning for strangers to stay away.
Jinyang wasn't short—about 1.75 meters—but Han Jing was taller, and the way he lifted Jinyang was as effortless as lifting a bag of rice.
"Who are you?" Jinyang, feeling humiliated, stiffened his neck and asked.
Han Jing gave him a faint glance. Thanks to his excellent memory, he quickly recognized this face from the student roster and said, "Jinyang from the Finance Department? You have an elective course with me next semester, so I guess I'm your teacher."
Though he didn't particularly want to teach students like this.
Jinyang pouted, still feeling defiant, "So what if you're a teacher? You can't stop me from dating in college, can you?"
Qiao Xiaotu looked up just in time to see Han Jing glance down at her. She quickly shook her head, indicating that she had absolutely no intention of cheating on him.
"I can't stop you from dating," he said, casually kicking at the candles on the ground. "But I can certainly intervene if you're disrupting the school's normal order and harassing your fellow students. Plus, I have serious doubts about whether you'll pass my course next semester if you keep this up."
Just then, a school staff member rushed over with a fire extinguisher and doused all the candles on the ground in a few swift moves.
The crowd dispersed like birds and beasts, and Jinyang's face turned red with embarrassment. Han Jing, however, didn't bother with him any further. He looked down at Qiao Xiaotu and asked quietly, "Don't you want to leave?"
"Huh?" Qiao Xiaotu was momentarily confused.
Han Jing had already turned and started walking away.
Qiao Xiaotu hurried after him.
His legs were long, and he took big strides, so Qiao Xiaotu had to jog to keep up.
As they walked along the path by the artificial lake on campus, he suddenly stopped, and Qiao Xiaotu, unable to stop in time, bumped right into his back.
Her nose hurt from the impact, and she reached up to rub it. When she looked up, she found him turning around to face her, his dark eyes staring at her. After a moment, he said angrily, "Qiao Xiaotu, I really misjudged you."
"The underlying meaning of 'I really misjudged you' was probably 'I'm very disappointed in you,'" Qiao Xiaotu thought, feeling a bit down.
Could it be that he was already disappointed in her? And did disappointment mean that he was on the verge of starting to dislike her?
Unlike before, this time Han Jing had stayed in City A for over half a month, seemingly intending to remain there.
But even so, their relationship still hadn't made any progress.
Amidst this predicament, Qiao Xiaotu began her internship.
She was studying journalism, and her internship was at the local TV station.
Interns had no rights, constantly being ordered around by their seniors at the station.
Maybe it was the exhaustion, but the usually strong and healthy Qiao Xiaotu caught a bit of a cold.
In the morning, Han Jing drove her to the TV station. She huddled in the passenger seat and sneezed at least ten times. Han Jing frowned as he looked at her, then parked the car outside the station and said, "Take the day off, don't go in."
Qiao Xiaotu, covering her nose, spoke in a muffled voice, "No, I just started work. It wouldn't look good to take leave already."
He wanted to say more, but Qiao Xiaotu glanced at the time, hurriedly pushed open the door, and got out, saying, "It's fine, I'm running late. I'll go first."
Once at the TV station, she was busy again. By noon, she didn't even have time to eat lunch before a senior from the program team asked her to help buy coffee.
She was carrying several dozen cups of coffee and had just jogged into the studio to distribute them when someone walked toward her. Not paying attention, she spilled the coffee on the person.
She watched helplessly as dark coffee stains spread across the person's well-made suit.
Before she could apologize, her senior Linda exclaimed, "Xiaotu, what are you doing?"
"Sorry, sorry..." Qiao Xiaotu lowered her head and repeatedly apologized, pulling out tissues from her bag to wipe the stains.
But just as she extended her hand, the person grasped it. She froze, looked up, and met a pair of deep, dark eyes.
It was him.
"What are you doing being so careless? Professor Han is about to go on camera, and you've gotten his clothes dirty..." Linda's voice continued to chatter in her ear, but Qiao Xiaotu's mind was elsewhere.
The man looked at her with deep, unreadable eyes. She instinctively shrank back, and after a while, stammered, "Why...why are you here?"
He didn't answer. Instead, he reached out to feel her forehead, frowning as he said, "Didn't you say you were fine? You have a fever."
Linda, sensing something was off between the two, glanced back and forth between them and asked, "Do you two know each other?"
Qiao Xiaotu lowered her head and didn't speak. In this situation, she couldn't bring herself to say, "He's my husband."
Since she didn't answer, Linda's gaze grew more suspicious. Qiao Xiaotu struggled to find the right words, but before she could say anything, she heard his voice above her, calm and indifferent, "Yes, she's a student from my school."
Qiao Xiaotu couldn't quite describe how she felt at that moment. Even though she heard the most appropriate answer for the situation, she couldn't help but feel a small sense of loss slowly creeping up from the depths of her heart.
She nodded and quietly replied, "Mm," and said nothing more.
"Oh, I see... But Professor Han, you truly have students everywhere," Linda said with a sweet smile at Han Jing.
Qiao Xiaotu, feeling that the situation no longer involved her, turned to leave, but he stopped her.
In a low voice, he said, "Wait for me in the back room."
Qiao Xiaotu nodded. He glanced at her before letting go.
A makeup artist came over to deal with the coffee stains on his suit, and other people, whom Qiao Xiaotu didn't recognize, approached him, talking about something.
Qiao Xiaotu retreated to the side of the set, watching from a distance for a while, feeling a bit stifled. After a long moment, she turned and left.
Qiao Xiaotu arrived at the lounge Han Jing had mentioned. Remembering that she had some cold medicine in her bag, she poured a cup of hot water and took the medicine.
The studio wasn't far from the lounge, and she could hear distant voices. She recalled that today they were recording a legal education program. Qiao Xiaotu listened for a while, but soon felt bored.
The cold medicine made her drowsy, so she simply rested her head on the table and fell asleep.
When Han Jing finished recording the show and returned to the lounge, he saw this scene—a sick Qiao Xiaotu fast asleep on the table.
He frowned, leaned down, and felt her forehead. As expected, her fever had worsened.
This fool.
He took off his coat, wrapped it around her, and carried her out of the lounge.
She was in a deep sleep, and even the movement didn't wake her.
As they walked through the corridor, they encountered the noisy producer again.
"Professor Han!" Linda spotted him and quickly approached with a smile. "Finally found you. The show's over, let's grab a meal together."
God knows how much effort it took to get this professor on the show—countless phone calls and kind words, all to no avail. Yet today, he suddenly called her, saying he'd agreed to come.
Though she didn't know why, she understood that opportunities like this shouldn't be missed.
But then she noticed the person in his arms and paused, asking, "Who is this?"
His coat was draped over Qiao Xiaotu, so even Linda didn't recognize her.
"Sorry, I have something to take care of, so I won't be able to join you," he said coldly, without any intention of introducing her. He took a few steps, then turned back as if remembering something, and added, "Oh, and Ms. Linda, please refrain from bullying my students too much in the future."
Huh? Students? What students? Linda was completely baffled as she watched him walk away.
Qiao Xiaotu had a very uncomfortable sleep, feeling alternately cold and hot, with her head throbbing in a daze.
When she woke up, she found herself at home, with a bandage on the back of her hand where an IV had been administered—likely by the family doctor.
She touched her forehead, feeling that her fever had subsided a bit.
Just as she sat up in bed, Han Jing opened the door and walked in.
"Awake?" He placed a cup and some pills on the bedside table and said, "Take your medicine."
Qiao Xiaotu wasn't sure what had gotten into her; she just didn't want to be so obedient. In a hoarse voice, she said, "I don't want to."
"Don't be unreasonable." He frowned, not understanding why she was suddenly acting like a child.
Qiao Xiaotu sniffled, perhaps made more fragile by the cold.
The words he had said in the studio earlier still echoed in her mind. She thought she could pretend that nothing had happened, but now she realized she wasn't as unaffected as she had believed.
"Han... Han Jing." She stammered, calling his name, trying to appear more composed, but her trembling voice made her sound like she was on the verge of tears. "You... you don't actually like me, do you?"
Han Jing didn't speak, his dark eyes staring deeply at her. His reaction only made Qiao Xiaotu more certain of what she feared.
With that realization, she could no longer hold back her tears.
She lowered her head and wiped her tears with her sleeve, trying to act as if nothing was wrong. "It's really nothing. I... I may not know why you married me, but if you want a divorce, I'll agree."
Divorce? He looked up and frowned at her, as if she had just told an unfunny joke. "Why would I want a divorce?"
She sniffled and said, "Because you don't even like me."
"I never said that."
"But that's how you act!" Even though she was heartbroken, she couldn't focus on crying because he was arguing with her about this. Qiao Xiaotu said, "You don't tell me anything. You went to give a lecture at my school, and I had no idea."
"I didn't know that lecture was for your class."
"You even told others that I'm just a student from your school." Thinking about what happened at the studio made her feel even more wronged.
Crying so hard, she suddenly started hiccupping. Feeling embarrassed, Qiao Xiaotu lowered her head and refused to look at him.
"But you also said I'm your second cousin once removed." He half-embraced her, gently patting her back to soothe her, and said nonchalantly, "I didn't even know I had such a niece."
Qiao Xiaotu choked on her breath, coughing violently, her face turning bright red—whether from the coughing or something else, she wasn't sure.
"Xiaotu." After she finished coughing, he called her softly.
He rarely called her that. Normally, he always used her full name, Qiao Xiaotu.
Qiao Xiaotu responded with a quiet "Mm." Being so close to him, she was enveloped by his cool scent, which made her involuntarily calm down.
His voice came low from above her head, "I'm certain that you're what I want, but what about you? Am I what you want?"
When Han Jing first met Qiao Xiaotu, he hadn't thought about marrying her, even though she was indeed the type he would like.
That day, when he jumped into the river to save her, it wasn't because he thought she was drowning. It was because the girl floating on her back in the river, staring blankly at the sky, had a deeply sorrowful expression in her eyes. What he worried about was that—she might be trying to end her life.
He saved her and took her back to her home.
While she was changing clothes, the woman she called her aunt kept talking to him about her, in a way that felt like she was eagerly trying to sell off merchandise, which made him instinctively dislike her.
Midway through the conversation, she came out of her room, glancing at him anxiously. It was that look that made him abandon any thoughts of explaining everything. As if going with the flow, he married her.
He had always been more rational than emotional and had no particular attachment to marriage, viewing it as nothing more than a legally binding piece of paper.
His decision to marry her wasn't so much out of love but rather from a man's bored sense of heroism—wanting to save her from that world.
After settling her in City A, he accepted a job offer from the U.S. and naturally went to live and work there.
Every time he came back to China for holidays, he would see her in the house in City A.
One year, two years, three years, four years passed, and gradually, he found himself looking forward to returning to China. He knew why that was.
But another voice began to emerge in his mind, a voice that questioned him: Han Jing, are you sure that's what she wants?
He couldn't answer that because, from the beginning, this decision to "save" her had been nothing more than his one-sided wish.
The room fell silent. A jumble of thoughts flashed through Qiao Xiaotu's mind, but in the end, it all became a blank.
She stared at Han Jing in a daze, suddenly realizing what he meant, almost jumping up in shock.
He said that she was what he wanted, so that means he likes her, right? But what kind of question was he asking now?! Of course... of course she likes him!
"I... I, of course—" She sat up straight, about to blurt out her response in a hurry, but he stopped her.
"You can think about it carefully. There's no need to answer me so quickly." He gave a faint smile, then nodded towards the pills on the bedside table. "Now, can you take your medicine?"
For some reason, Qiao Xiaotu was captivated by that smile and, after a moment, nodded her head.
It was just a cold, but Qiao Xiaotu stayed home curled up for almost a week.
At first, she felt very uneasy about taking leave until Han Jing made a call to Linda on her behalf. On the other end, her leave was approved almost immediately, and Linda eagerly asked when Professor Han would be available to come in for another show.
It was then that Qiao Xiaotu had to admit that, compared to her diligently fetching coffee and takeout, the producer would probably be happier if her husband made a trip to the TV station instead.
But as soon as she recovered from the cold, Qiao Xiaotu quickly returned to work.
In June, during graduation season, Qiao Xiaotu took leave to attend her graduation ceremony.
Faced with her roommates, who lamented that she had indeed remained single throughout her four years of college, Qiao Xiaotu finally couldn't hold back and carefully revealed that she was married.
But the gasps of surprise she expected didn't come. Instead, the three of them said in unison, "We already guessed it. What's so strange about that?"
Now it was Qiao Xiaotu's turn to be surprised. She asked, "How did you guess?"
"Just from the way you two looked at each other when we ran into you on the street. It was obvious at a glance... Yet you were still trying to cover it up."
"Was... was it that obvious?" Qiao Xiaotu was skeptical, and then she received six eye-rolls from her three roommates.
After the graduation dinner, Qiao Xiaotu said goodbye to the three and stood outside the hotel, about to call a car to go back.
At that moment, she was surprised to see Han Jing's car parked outside the hotel where they had had dinner.
But that morning, when Han Jing dropped her off, he clearly told her that he had something to do in the afternoon and wouldn't be able to come. He had said she should head back on her own after the dinner.
She looked up and saw a familiar figure standing in the hotel lobby.
Qiao Xiaotu wasn't sure what was going through her mind at that moment, but she put down her phone and quietly followed him into the hotel.
From a distance, she saw him meet a woman, and the two of them picked up a key at the front desk and took the elevator upstairs.
Qiao Xiaotu stood still, biting her lip. After determining which floor they were on, she took another elevator up as well.
But once she got off the elevator and saw the long corridor with all the closed doors, she was completely at a loss.
There were so many rooms—was she supposed to knock on each door?
Having no idea what to do, she simply squatted down by the elevator and stared blankly at the carpet. Her mind was a chaotic mess.
She didn't know how long she had been there when a familiar voice sounded above her, "What are you doing here?"
Qiao Xiaotu suddenly looked up—sure enough, it was him! And the woman standing beside him was the one from the lobby.
That woman looked at her, her gaze turning playful with interest.
Qiao Xiaotu bit her lip, but before she could say anything, her eyes involuntarily reddened. After a long pause, she shakily squeezed out one word: "Liar!"
All that talk about liking her, asking her if she wanted him! It was all lies! If he didn't like her anymore, they could just get divorced!
He hadn't said anything yet, but the woman beside him chuckled first, "Wow, someone's little vinegar jar has tipped over."
"Chen Man," Han Jing called the woman's name calmly, and she shrugged, "Got it. Can't even tease a little, huh? So stingy, and after I helped you rush through all that work."
Qiao Xiaotu was at a loss as the two exchanged words, feeling even more wronged.
She sniffed, turned around to leave, but he grabbed her and said softly, "Don't make a scene."
"Fine, I'll leave. Don't you go, I will." The woman smiled, then slipped away just as the elevator doors opened.
The hotel corridor suddenly became very quiet, leaving only the two of them. Qiao Xiaotu kept her head down, not wanting to speak, but Han Jing spoke first. He sighed helplessly and said, "Well, I didn't want you to see this so soon."
What was he talking about? Qiao Xiaotu didn't understand as he pulled her forward. She stared blankly as he used a room card to open a door and led her into a suite.
Her gaze swept across the living room and suddenly froze.
By the window stood a snow-white wedding dress with a trailing hem. The layers of sheer fabric at the bottom were as soft and ethereal as mist, with delicate lace details. The overall look was elegant and dreamlike.
He asked softly, "Do you like it?"
Qiao Xiaotu nodded dumbly.
"I had planned to show you everything after it was all ready in a few days. Now... consider it an early graduation gift."
"Everything?" Qiao Xiaotu rarely grasped the key point in his words.
"Yes, everything." He smiled faintly.
He wanted to give her another wedding—not like the hasty and indifferent one in that small village, where she didn't even have a proper wedding dress—but a real wedding.
A finely crafted dress, a beautifully decorated venue, the blessings of family and friends—he wanted to give her everything beautiful that he could offer.
Qiao Xiaotu sniffled and looked at Han Jing in front of her, speaking softly, "As for your earlier question, I've thought about my answer. Do you want to hear it now?"
"And that is, I want you. I always have."
He had appeared in her life and, with one-sided determination, "saved" her. At that time, she thought she only saw him as a lifeline, which was why she agreed to marry him.
But as time passed, she gradually realized that the feelings she had at their first meeting were actually what people call love.