Not registering the marriage—that is a clever idea!
Just as the thought was about to leave Wen Ruan's lips, it was interrupted by He Yanxi's cold voice. "Save those little tricks of yours. Do you think, with the power of either of our families, that your schemes can escape their notice?"
"…" Wen Ruan, realizing the truth in his words, understood that this idea wouldn't work. "Then do you have a better plan?" she asked, certain that He Yanxi didn't genuinely want to marry her.
"We'll talk about it later," He Yanxi replied, his brow furrowing, his voice tinged with a hint of irritation.
Later, then.
Seeing that He Yanxi was unwilling to elaborate further, Wen Ruan decided not to press the matter.
The atmosphere was awkward between them when the manager of the hotel lobby approached and greeted He Yanxi.
He Yanxi exchanged a few brief words with him before leaving.
Wen Ruan stood in place, watching his retreating figure.
She sighed, feeling somewhat foolish.
Just hours ago, she had despised He Yanxi for sacrificing his marriage for the sake of business, and now, she found herself in the same situation.
He Yanxi had planned everything in advance. The hotel room was warm and cozy.
The humidifier and air purifier were carefully adjusted, and everything in the room had been arranged with Wen Ruan's health in mind.
Even the magazines and books were chosen according to her preferences.
As she flipped through a few pages, the doorbell rang, followed by the greeting of the hotel manager.
Wen Ruan opened the door to find the manager holding a small tray. On it was a glass bowl containing a boiled egg, and in his other hand was a bag from a luxury brand.
The manager handed both to Wen Ruan. "Miss Wen, Mr. He asked me to bring this for you. He said the egg will help ease the discomfort in your eyes."
Wen Ruan hadn't expected such thoughtful attention from He Yanxi. She was slightly taken aback. "Thank you."
"You're welcome, Miss Wen. If you need anything, feel free to call," the manager said with a smile.
Wen Ruan set the items down and, after pausing briefly, decided to add He Yanxi on WeChat rather than making a call.
His friend request was approved almost immediately.
She took a photo of the egg and sent it to him.
He Yanxi: [Apply it sooner, the egg won't work if it's cold.]
Wen Ruan: [Oh, thanks~]
He Yanxi didn't reply after that.
Wen Ruan opened the garment bag. Inside was a form-fitting dress and matching shoes, but the most eye-catching items were a thick down coat and a pair of knee-high socks in the same color.
"…"
Wen Ruan slept soundly and didn't wake until 10 a.m.
Glancing at her phone and seeing no new messages, she let out a sigh of relief. After quickly freshening up, she headed to the hospital.
Grandfather Wen had not yet regained consciousness and was still in intensive care.
Her parents were in his former hospital room, and Wen Ruan could hear Min Qing's voice before even entering.
"Yanxi, thank you for staying up all night here."
Before He Yanxi could respond, Grandpa He, seated on the sofa beside him, spoke first. "What do you mean, thank you? We're almost family. It's only right for him to honor his elders! Don't be so polite with him."
"You're right, Grandpa." He Yanxi responded solemnly and politely. "Aunt Min, there's no need to be so formal."
Min Qing had always been very pleased with He Yanxi. Ever since he expressed his intention to marry Wen Ruan, she had been delighted, and the worries that had weighed on her for days had lightened considerably.
Wen Ruan was surprised to learn that He Yanxi had spent the night at the hospital. She peered through the half-open door and saw him sitting in a chair near the entrance. The angle of the light made his posture even more dignified, his shirt slightly wrinkled and his hair a bit tousled. Though these details were hardly noticeable, they did nothing to diminish his aristocratic bearing.
He Yanxi's parents were also present, and Wen Ruan greeted everyone as she entered.
He Yanxi offered her his seat on the sofa, choosing to sit on the armrest instead.
"Ruan Ruan, did you sleep well last night?" Grandpa He asked with a bright smile.
"Thank you, Grandpa He, I slept very well," Wen Ruan answered softly, sitting up straight on the sofa, obedient and charming.
Grandpa He was thoroughly pleased with Wen Ruan. "Stop calling me Grandpa He, just call me Grandpa." He gestured to He Yanxi, sitting beside her, and added with a more serious tone, "I was worried that this young man hadn't arranged for you to rest properly last night. He does care for his wife after all."
Wife?
The word unsettled her.
Wen Ruan's gaze shifted elsewhere, unintentionally meeting He Yanxi's eyes. She quickly looked away.
She was still holding the garment bag that contained He Yanxi's coat.
The weather in Kyoto was unpredictable, so she handed the bag to him. "You should put this on." Then she added, "It's been washed. The hotel did it."
"It's fine, no need for all this formality." He Yanxi shrugged and quickly slipped into the coat.
As he adjusted his sleeves, his eyes unintentionally fell on Wen Ruan's legs, which were crossed with her pale calves exposed. She wasn't wearing socks. He frowned, his voice low. "Why aren't you wearing socks?"
Wen Ruan was momentarily stunned, then responded softly, "Have you ever seen someone wear open-toed heels with thick cotton socks? Not to mention they wouldn't fit, it would look awful."
He Yanxi was baffled. "You didn't wear socks?"
Wen Ruan's voice was low and teasing, "Of course, I'm wearing no-show socks."
"What?" He Yanxi looked confused, unsure what that meant.
"Forget it, you wouldn't understand," Wen Ruan said with a soft laugh, her eyes glinting with warmth.
Their quiet exchange, about something as trivial as socks, did not go unnoticed by the other members of the family, who were observing them in silence.
To them, the two appeared to be indulging in playful banter.
It certainly seemed that way.
He Yanxi sat casually with one leg over the armrest of her chair, while Wen Ruan spoke softly. He leaned in slightly, trying to catch her words, his handsome face occasionally showing signs of confusion. She, in contrast, smiled softly, the warmth of the moment lingering between them.
Grandpa He, unable to contain his amusement, chuckled heartily. "Look at them, look at them! You all were worried they wouldn't get along, that they'd have nothing to say to each other. I see this young couple gets along just fine! Hahaha, this old fellow is satisfied for now!"
His loud laughter interrupted their quiet conversation about socks, and the family looked at them with amused, almost affectionate, eyes.
Wen Ruan blushed, feeling embarrassed. She lowered her head, nervously playing with the strands of hair around her face.
He Yanxi showed no sign of discomfort, his face remaining cool and collected.
In the afternoon, when Grandpa Wen woke, his mind was clear, and Grandpa He immediately shared the news about Wen Ruan and He Yanxi's upcoming wedding with him.
Hearing the news, Grandpa Wen's spirits improved greatly.
The doctors reported that his health was slowly improving, though he still needed to rest. However, there were no issues with attending the wedding.
Grandpa He often commented on how short life is and seemed content spending time at the hospital with his old friends.
During this time, the two grandfathers spent days flipping through the old almanacs, eventually settling on a date for the wedding—New Year's Day, two months from now.
Perhaps because of the upcoming wedding, Min Qing was more lenient with Wen Ruan's movements. As long as she informed them where she was going, she no longer needed a bodyguard or driver following her around.
Wen Ruan was enjoying a carefree and relaxed time. During the day, she would visit the hospital to play cards and chess with the two elderly men, or play the guzheng for them. At night, she would return home to work on her writing, living a peaceful and content life.
Whenever He Yanxi had time, he would visit Grandpa Wen at the hospital, then send Wen Ruan back to the Wen family.
Though Grandpa Wen appreciated He Yanxi's visits, he knew how busy he was and didn't approve of him running back and forth.
As the wedding drew nearer, He Yanxi became even busier.
Wen Ruan insisted on having a small wedding, and after discussing it, both families agreed to invite only close friends and relatives.
Wen Ruan understood how busy He Yanxi was and would often leave the hospital early so as not to cause him to make an extra trip to pick her up.
However, it seemed that He Yanxi always managed to arrive just as she was leaving. On several occasions, Wen Ruan would exit the hospital only to see He Yanxi's car driving through the gates.
This evening, as Wen Ruan was heading home from the hospital, Min Qing, who was applying a face mask in the living room, called out to her.