Chapter 16
This banquet wasn’t just to introduce Zhong Yuxiao’s identity, but also to formally announce the marriage between the Zhong and Xi families. Xi Shi had to attend as well, so Xi Chongyang sent the housekeeper early in the morning to take Xi Shi and Zhong Yuxiao to the tailor.
The owner of the tailor shop was a famous old tailor in Lincheng, specializing in suits and formal wear. Many wealthy families were his regular customers, and most of Zhong Yuxiao’s clothes, from childhood to adulthood, were custom-made here.
Xi Shi’s measurements were sent over by Xi Chongyang. To match Zhong Yuxiao’s attire, his suit was also made in white.
The suit and accessories were a set. A golden Shakyamuni knot was pinned to the buttonhole, and a lapel chain hung on his chest. The young master, raised in luxury, even with his wild behavior, still possessed an innate nobility. With a little dressing up, he could easily attract attention.
“Handsome!”
The tailor’s granddaughter rested her chin on her hands, her eyes shining. “You’re so beautiful.”
Xi Shi brushed his hair back and gave her an approving look. “You have good taste.”
“Are you and Gege Zhong Er lovers?”
Zhong Yuxiao often came here, so the tailor’s granddaughter knew him.
“I saw the suit Grandpa made for Gege Zhong Er, it’s the same as yours, and the accessories on your clothes are also a pair.” The little girl gave her serious assessment. “I think you two are a good match.”
Xi Shi raised his eyebrows. “Little girl, do you even know what ‘a good match’ means?”
“Of course I do, I’m three years old!” The little girl puffed out her cheeks, saying angrily, “Gege Zhong Er is handsome, and you’re beautiful, so you’re a good match together.”
Handsome and beautiful were two adjectives with different connotations. The former was mostly used to describe men, and the latter was more often used for women. There was no sexism intended, both were compliments, but they gave slightly different impressions.
“You mean I’m not handsome?”
“You’re beautiful!”
“I don’t want to be beautiful, I want to be handsome.”
“What do you mean you want to be handsome?” The little girl tilted her head and thought for a few seconds, then said cheerfully, “I understand! Gege Zhong Er is handsome, so you want Gege Zhong Er to kiss you!”
Xi Shi: “…”
“Don’t call me beautiful, call me handsome!” Xi Shi waved his fist, threatening, “Or I’ll beat you up.”
“Stop bullying the child.” Zhong Yuxiao, who had heard the whole conversation, looked at Xi Shi with amusement, his eyes twinkling. “You are quite beautiful.”
…Beautiful my ass!
Xi Shi glared at him. White was too pure, not suitable for him. Xi Shi went back into the fitting room, changed into the leopard print V-neck shirt he had arrived in, and put the suit jacket back on.
That’s more like it.
The intricate gold and black pattern wasn’t something ordinary people could pull off, but Young Master Xi, with hundreds of floral shirts in his wardrobe, was clearly not ordinary. Xi Shi unbuttoned the top two buttons, the collar opening to his chest, revealing his healthy, tanned skin.
A wave of unrestrained energy washed over them.
“Your taste is truly unique.”
First green hair, then floral shirts, now leopard print.
Xi Shi looked up, meeting Zhong Yuxiao’s gaze in the mirror. “You don’t understand. Only handsome people dare to wear this.”
He was always confident in his looks.
“Has Second Young Master Zhong broken his hand, that he doesn’t even know how to knock?”
His tone was unpleasant.
Zhong Yuxiao looked around, feigning surprise. “The door was open. I thought you were inviting me to watch you change.”
Xi Shi choked. “Do you think that’s possible?”
“Why not?” Zhong Yuxiao said confidently. “There are rumors that Young Master Xi is generous. You watched me change last time, maybe this time you want me to return the favor.”
What did that have to do with being generous?
The nerd’s thought process was different from theirs. Xi Shi lifted his chin, the open collar revealing a graceful curve. “Men shouldn’t touch each other casually. What if you see my beautiful body and become sexually aroused? Wouldn’t I be in danger then?”
“Don’t you think so, Gege Zhong Er?”
He deliberately tried to disgust Zhong Yuxiao, emphasizing the address, like a mischievous child.
His red tongue darted across his lips, and Zhong Yuxiao’s gaze lingered on those moist lips.
His words were annoying, but his lips looked very kissable.
Zhong Yuxiao had never kissed anyone before. When the little girl mentioned kissing, he immediately imagined Xi Shi asking for a kiss. If Xi Shi really called him “gege” and asked for a kiss, could he refuse?
All the way to the banquet hall, Zhong Yuxiao couldn’t come up with an answer. But he remembered why he had come to find Xi Shi. “Who added you to our family group chat?”
“Group chat?” Xi Shi checked his phone and realized he had been added to the Zhong family’s group chat. “How would I know? You weren’t the one who added me…Holy shit, it was your brother who added me.”
He didn’t know when he and Zhong Zhili became friends. Maybe at some banquet? He had too many friends, even two phone numbers weren’t enough to keep track of them all.
Zhong Yuxiao sighed inwardly. He should have known. Zhong Zhili had even asked him to carve a radish into a concentric lock. The one who opposed the marriage the most was Zhong Zhili, and he was also the one who changed his mind the fastest.
“Just leave the group chat.”
“Why should I leave?” Xi Shi glanced behind him and suddenly raised his voice accusingly. “I know you don’t like me, but we’re married now, we’re family. I’m sincere towards you, but you want to kick me out of your family group chat… Zhong Yuxiao, you’re so heartless!”
Zhong Yuxiao: “?”
What was this act now?
“Xiaoyao, what are you two arguing about?”
Zhong Mu’s voice came from behind. Zhong Yuxiao’s heart sank. Just as he was about to explain, Xi Shi rushed over. “Auntie! You have to help me!”
He dramatically grabbed Zhong Mu’s hand and started complaining, his voice sounding as if he had been greatly wronged.
Zhong Yuxiao thought of a phrase – a large bird acting like a delicate woman.
As expected of Young Master Xi, with lovers everywhere, he was skilled at coaxing people. In no time, he had his mother beaming, arm in arm, even his father was left behind.
The Zhong father and son trailed behind, and Zhong Fu said carefully, “I heard from your brother that Xi Shi is very good to you. He seems to have settled down. You, you…even if you don’t like him, don’t bully him.”
Zhong Yuxiao: “…”
He was more wronged than Dou E.
“I didn’t bully him.”
“So you didn’t ask him to leave the group chat?”
Zhong Yuxiao choked. He did ask Xi Shi to leave the group chat, but there was a reason.
Zhong Fu knew the answer just by looking at his expression and said earnestly, “If you didn’t like him from the beginning, then it would be fine if the marriage didn’t happen. But since you’ve gotten the certificate, you should take responsibility.”
It was Xi Shi who proposed the sham marriage, why was it now his fault for not being responsible?
Zhong Yuxiao couldn’t voice his grievances.
Zhong Fu changed the subject. “If you really don’t like him, just delay it, wait until things have calmed down before getting a divorce, otherwise, it’s not just Xi Shi who will be the laughingstock.”
Xi Shi’s reputation wasn’t good. If they divorced immediately after getting married, the focus of public discussion would definitely be on Zhong Yuxiao. If they separated after a few months, they could say it was due to incompatibility, and the impact wouldn’t be as great.
After same-sex marriage became legal, quick marriages and divorces were common, not a big deal.
Zhong Yuxiao understood what he meant. Xi Shi setting the duration of their sham marriage to one year was obviously for this reason.
“I don’t dislike him that much.”
Zhong Fu looked surprised.
Zhong Yuxiao had always been emotionally detached, handling everything with ease, but he never showed much interest in anything, just fleeting whims. Frankly speaking, they never thought Zhong Yuxiao would get married, and they couldn’t imagine him forming a family with someone else.
The marriage with Xi Shi was a test, but Zhong Yuxiao not only agreed, but his attitude was quite positive.
If it was just a whim, it should have faded by now, so when he heard Xi Shi complaining, his first reaction was that Zhong Yuxiao had lost interest.
“He’s quite interesting.” Zhong Yuxiao smiled faintly. “Continuing like this doesn’t seem so bad.”
He could always find something interesting about Xi Shi, even his distorted complaints were amusing.
He should have been angry.
But he wasn’t.
“So you’ve fallen for him?” Zhong Fu was shocked. He knew his own son. Although Zhong Yuxiao appeared calm on the surface, there was clearly amusement in his eyes.
Had he really fallen for him?
Zhong Yuxiao was momentarily stunned.
Undeniably, his interest in Xi Shi was much greater than at the beginning. Like a treasure hunt, he kept digging around Xi Shi, discovering more things that interested him. His desire to explore kept his anticipation for Xi Shi strong and vibrant.
“I don’t know.”
He didn’t know if he had fallen for him, or if interest could be considered love, but he was quite satisfied with his current life.
Zhong Yuxiao casually said, “Maybe a little.”
Xi Shi accompanied Zhong Mu into the banquet hall, his attentive service confirming the rumors. As soon as Zhong Yuxiao appeared, he attracted countless gazes. Even Zhong Zhili said he was skilled at managing his husband, telling him to be content and not always bully Xi Shi.
He was truly wronged.
After Zhong Zhili’s lecture, Zhong Mu started hers. Xi Shi, with his pearly white teeth, echoed her words, like a eunuch gossiping next to the emperor, acting arrogant, showing no sign of being wronged.
Zhong Mu: “Xiaoyao, you and Xi Shi should live a good life together, don’t always bully him.”
Xi Shi: “Yes, yes, yes.”
Zhong Mu: “You two should be more tolerant of each other. Even if Xi Shi does something wrong, you can’t kick him out of the house.”
Xi Shi: “That’s right.”
Zhong Mu: “You’re married now, so Xi Shi is also our Zhong family’s son. You can’t kick him out of the group chat.”
Xi Shi: “Exactly, I’m also a member of the family now.”
Zhong Yuxiao: “…”
Besides being kicked out of the group chat, which accusation had anything to do with him?
“Auntie, don’t be angry. I don’t blame Xiaoyao, after all, he’s younger.”
“…”
“I wish my mother were still alive. I’ve always dreamed of having a younger brother. Xiaoyao is two years younger than me, I’m willing to be his older brother.” Xi Shi hinted subtly.
Making Zhong Yuxiao call him “gege” had almost become his obsession.
Zhong Yuxiao gave a strained smile. “How about we get a divorce first, and then become sworn brothers?”
“Don’t talk nonsense.” Zhong Mu chided. “Since you’re married, live a good life together.”
Zhong Mu gave them a long lecture, and the two nodded repeatedly. As soon as she left, Xi Shi immediately changed his expression, saying gloatingly, “Gege Zhong Er, are you happy being the center of attention?”
“Hurting the enemy one thousand and yourself eight hundred, are you happy?”
After tonight, what happened would spread throughout Lincheng. Everyone would know that the playboy Young Master Xi had turned over a new leaf and fallen for Second Young Master Zhong.
“Of course I’m happy.” The prank was successful, and Xi Shi was overjoyed. “My reputation isn’t good, I can always go back to my old ways, but you’re different, Gege Zhong Er. You’re a virtuous gentleman, if you can’t control me, you’ll be the laughingstock.”
He listed the possibilities on his fingers. “They’ll say your charm has diminished, that you can’t hold my heart, they’ll pity you, think you’ve been abandoned by me.”
That’s how rumors were. Truth didn’t matter, as long as it was sensational. Outsiders loved to watch a good show. Even if Zhong Yuxiao did nothing, they would make up stories to fit the narrative they wanted.
No one liked being the subject of gossip, and Zhong Yuxiao was no exception.
With Xi Shi’s instigation, Zhong Yuxiao could already imagine how outrageous the rumors would be. “Xi Shi, you really need to be taught a lesson.”
“Thank you for the compliment, you’re not the first to say that.”
He had a smug “you can’t stand me but you can’t do anything about it” attitude.
Zhong Yuxiao’s eyes flickered, and he reached out, gripping Xi Shi’s chin. This posture was extremely ambiguous, from behind, it looked like they were kissing.
Even Xi Shi was stunned for two seconds, but Zhong Yuxiao didn’t kiss him, just rubbed his lips with his thumb, his golden eyes flickering like a volcano about to erupt, magma churning beneath the calm surface.
“Don’t provoke me.”
His voice was low and husky, full of warning.
“What if I provoke you? Bite me if you’re not happy.” Xi Shi responded to gentleness, not force, looking at him provocatively. “Oh, I forgot, Gege Zhong Er is a virtuous gentleman, he won’t bite—”
He stopped abruptly, his eyes widening in disbelief.
Zhong Yuxiao patted his face, where a fresh bite mark now appeared. “Call me ‘Gege Zhong Er’ again, and I’ll make sure you can’t get out of bed.”
