Chapter 6
Xi Shi wasn’t feeling too well right now.
The nerd he had just set his sights on and the fiancé he was supposed to marry were the same person. What should he do now?
Waiting online, urgent.
The waiter served the cappuccino, and Zhong Yuxiao slowly added sugar. “I was a little late because I was preparing a gift for Young Master Xi. I’m sorry, I hope Young Master Xi isn’t angry.”
Many people called him “Young Master Xi,” mostly in a teasing manner, which Xi Shi disliked. However, hearing this address from Zhong Yuxiao, with his gentle tone, wasn’t so unpleasant.
Watching him add two packets of sugar, Xi Shi felt a toothache from the sweetness and quickly took a sip of his Americano. “You’re too kind, Second Young Master Zhong, preparing a gift for our first meeting.”
As long as he wasn’t embarrassed, then the previous incident never happened.
The printed contract was in his pocket, already signed. Once Zhong Yuxiao signed it, their marriage would be a sham.
It was just a pity that he had finally found a new target that suited his taste, but he had to give up.
“It seems Young Master Xi’s memory isn’t very good.”
Xi Shi’s heart skipped a beat.
Shit, shit, shit, was Zhong Er going to bring up their previous encounter?!
“This isn’t our first meeting. When you broke your leg as a child, you clung to me and wouldn’t let go.”
“…”
The past was unbearable to recall. Xi Shi’s eyelids twitched, instinctively feeling that this wasn’t the end.
Zhong Yuxiao took a sip of his sugary, milky cappuccino, the sweet taste spreading across his tongue. He narrowed his eyes, a hint of mischief in his slow tone, ruthlessly shattering Xi Shi’s wishful thinking. “Two days ago, at the gate of Lincheng University, you also gave me a bouquet of flowers.”
What was coming had finally arrived.
“It was all a misunderstanding.”
Xi Shi fidgeted awkwardly, his expression changing repeatedly. Zhong Yuxiao’s mischievousness was satisfied, and he placed the bag of steamed dumplings in front of him.
“This is?”
“A gift, a return gift for the flowers.”
“…”
Xi Shi stared at the words “Shaxian Delicacies” for a full half-minute. He hadn’t eaten pork, but he had seen pigs run. He knew what kind of place Shaxian Delicacies was. “Is your relationship with your brother not very good?”
He suspected You Jiayu was right. Zhong Yuxiao married him to fight for the family fortune.
The esteemed Second Young Master Zhong had been reduced to giving Shaxian Delicacies as a gift.
Zhong Yuxiao didn’t understand. “Huh?”
“Nothing.”
Afraid of touching Zhong Yuxiao’s sore spot, Xi Shi tactfully changed the subject. “Why didn’t you ask for disposable chopsticks?”
What if Zhong Er got angry, refused to sign the contract, and wanted to make the sham marriage real?
Young Master Xi glanced at the man across from him, shook his head, and sighed.
If Zhong Yuxiao used his beauty trap on him, he probably wouldn’t be able to resist.
?
Zhong Yuxiao was puzzled as he watched Xi Shi ask the waiter for a fork, then open the plastic bag and take a bite of a dumpling.
The young master frowned, swallowed, and commented, “Tastes average.”
The disgust in his tone was unconcealed.
Then he took another bite.
There were nine dumplings in a serving, Zhong Yuxiao ate two, and the remaining seven were packed.
Xi Shi chewed slowly, taking five minutes to finish them.
The table was quiet. The two sat face to face, saying nothing. Zhong Yuxiao couldn’t believe he just watched Xi Shi finish those seven dumplings.
High society emphasized children’s education, teaching them table manners from a young age. Even a scoundrel like Xi Shi ate elegantly. The cheap steamed dumplings, probably costing only a few cents each, seemed to have become a delicacy in front of him.
The young master wiped his mouth and commented again, “I take back what I said earlier. It’s not average, it’s not good.”
He didn’t know what the filling was, but it was especially greasy after getting cold.
Zhong Yuxiao felt an urge to laugh and covered his mouth, coughing lightly. “If it’s not good, why did you finish them?”
He seemed to see the young Xi Shi who had yelled about wanting to kill his father. Twenty years had passed, and the young master had put on a civilized facade, but his nature hadn’t changed.
If he hadn’t been against this marriage before, he was now looking forward to it.
“I’m hungry. I didn’t even have breakfast because I was coming to meet you.”
Used to flirting, Xi Shi only realized what he said after the words left his mouth.
Too ambiguous.
Shit, shit, shit, Xi Shi, can you get a grip?!
“Don’t misunderstand, I didn’t mean anything else, I’m just hungry.” Meeting Zhong Yuxiao’s teasing gaze, Xi Shi silently shut his mouth.
Shit, it would have been better if he hadn’t explained.
Zhong Yuxiao rubbed the cup, agreeing understandingly. “I believe you.”
The dumplings were indeed not good. He tried one, then, unwilling to give up, dipped another in chili oil and vinegar, and still almost couldn’t swallow it. The fact that Xi Shi finished the rest meant he was really hungry.
He should have just packed the whole portion without trying it himself.
“How about I order you a cake?” Zhong Yuxiao flipped through the menu. “Is chestnut cake okay?”
No matter how bad the cake was, it couldn’t be worse than the dumplings.
Zhong Yuxiao ordered two slices of chestnut cake.
Xi Shi took a bite and silently put down the spoon. He didn’t like sweet things. Even on his birthday, he couldn’t eat more than two bites of his custom-made cake, let alone desserts meant to be paired with coffee.
Too sweet.
Zhong Yuxiao ate half of his slice and, seeing that Xi Shi barely touched his cake, raised his eyebrows. “Not to your liking?”
“No.” Xi Shi took another symbolic bite and decisively put down the spoon. “I’m full.”
Still too sweet.
Had Zhong Er lost his sense of taste?
“I also have something for you.”
“Another return gift?” Zhong Yuxiao put down his spoon.
It all started because Xi Shi gave him flowers, and he returned the favor with a half-eaten portion of steamed dumplings. If Xi Shi gave him another gift, it would be like a never-ending cycle of revenge.
Xi Shi paused. “No.”
But it was a big gift nonetheless.
He took out the prepared contract. “Take a look at this. You can make any requests you want.”
Zhong Yuxiao raised his eyebrows. “What’s this?”
“Three rules.”
Xi Shi sat up straight. “I believe you don’t have any feelings for me either. This contract is in duplicate. After we get married, we’ll be…cough, partners sharing a bed, helping each other, and maximizing our mutual benefits.”
“What position does Young Master Xi hold at Chenxi International?”
Xi Shi didn’t know why he asked and answered truthfully, “No specific position, just a shareholder.”
Was Zhong Er trying to assess his value as a partner?
“A shareholder? Then it seems you won’t be involved in the company’s business in your daily life.” Zhong Yuxiao tapped the paper with his finger. “Most people wouldn’t call someone they share a bed with a ‘partner.'”
Nor would they negotiate with a contract that had no legal effect.
Were they playing house?
Seeing the long list of content after the P.S., Zhong Yuxiao almost burst out laughing.
Whoever tattles is a dog. Should they also pinky swear and hang themselves for a hundred years if they break the promise?
The young master was so childish.
“You don’t want to be partners with me?”
Did that mean he wanted to make the sham marriage real?
Xi Shi took a sip of coffee and unconsciously straightened his back. See, no one could resist his charm, hmph.
Zhong Yuxiao was noncommittal. “Can’t the Xi family afford a second bed? Then I’ll buy a new one after we get married.”
Zhong Yuxiao asked the waiter for a pen and signed his name stylishly, then added two lines above it and handed a copy to Xi Shi.
Their signatures were next to each other, equally prominent. Zhong Yuxiao’s signature was bold and flowing, the ballpoint pen creating a forceful and sharp stroke. Xi Shi thought his own signature was flamboyant enough, but Zhong Yuxiao’s was even more so.
The most eye-catching part was the top of the contract, where the titles “Party A” and “Party B” were crossed out.
Zhong Yuxiao explained, “Our relationship isn’t one where either of us is asking a favor from the other.”
That was true.
Signing the contract was easier than he expected. Zhong Yuxiao didn’t even make any requests, so naturally, he wasn’t “Party B.”
Xi Shi put away the paper. Everything went so smoothly that it was unbelievable. Something wasn’t right. Zhong Yuxiao’s reaction seemed too normal. “Shouldn’t we say ‘Happy cooperation’ now?”
Zhong Yuxiao glanced at him and casually put the contract in his pocket. “Happy wedding’ might be more appropriate.”
Xi Shi froze, his heart skipping a beat.
The seasoned flirt, Young Master Xi, had been unexpectedly charmed by his fiancé’s casual words.
He was going to marry this man in front of him, and they would live together for the rest of their lives.
No, for a year.
A year was very short compared to a lifetime, but for Young Master Xi, who changed bed partners and lovers more than ten times a month, a year was very long.
Xi Shi had never thought about establishing a long-term relationship with anyone. He agreed to the marriage only to appease Xi Chongyang, but at this moment, he suddenly wasn’t so against it anymore.
Probably captivated by the man’s beauty.
The young master said casually, “Fine, then happy wedding.”
The blind date ended smoothly. The big fight Zhong Zhili expected didn’t happen. Perhaps they were kindred spirits. Zhong Yuxiao and Xi Shi hit it off and quickly got their marriage certificate.
Coming out of the Civil Affairs Bureau, Xi Shi let Zhong Yuxiao get in the car first. “Wait for me, I’ll go buy something.”
He had picked up Zhong Yuxiao from the Zhong residence this morning, bringing his luggage along. After getting married, they would go directly to the marital home prepared by Xi Chongyang.
Cohabitation.
Legal.
Zhong Yuxiao was taking pictures of the marriage certificate. His mother asked him for photos, and he caught a glimpse of a colorful bouquet of flowers in his peripheral vision.
Xi Shi had just bought flowers from a street vendor.
Unlike the exquisitely wrapped bouquets from flower shops, this one was a mix of various flowers: sunflowers, daisies, baby’s breath, and a few roses.
“New target?”
It had been more than ten days since the incident with Miao Yuan. Given Xi Shi’s nature, he should have a new lover by now.
Zhong Yuxiao took another look at the bouquet. Tsk, Young Master Xi had bad taste in lovers and even worse taste in flowers.
The next second, the bouquet was handed to him.
Zhong Yuxiao was stunned and looked up.
“Happy wedding.”
Large sunglasses hid his expression. Xi Shi started the car, his face calm. “A gift to celebrate our temporary partnership. You can also consider it a return gift.”
This was really…
The flowers from the street vendor weren’t properly trimmed. Zhong Yuxiao fiddled with the thorns on the stems, his fingertips feeling a slight sting, pulling him out of his newfound emotions. “Let’s go to the furniture store first.”
Not missing Zhong Yuxiao’s momentary daze, Xi Shi held the steering wheel with one hand, feeling smug. “Everything is prepared, is there anything else you want to buy?”
Hmph, see, no one could resist his charm.
How could he lose to a nerd in flirting? He had finally won back the “happy wedding” round.
Zhong Yuxiao hummed in agreement. “There’s one more thing.”
He propped his head on his hand, the wind blowing in from the window, softening his casual tone with the warmth of the sun, sounding almost intimate and alluring.
“To buy a bed.”
