My Arranged Marriage Partner Has Two Faces 21

Chapter 21

Zhong Yuxiao helped Xi Chongyang out the door and saw Xi Shi perched in a tree from afar. The branch was higher than the courtyard wall, and from outside the villa, he could jump onto the wall from the branch.

The housekeeper and the servants stood below, each holding large pruning shears.

“Seriously, Grandpa, this is too much. I’m your grandson.”

The shears clicked ominously, gleaming with a chilling sharpness. Xi Shi felt a chill down his spine, his legs weakening, and he quickly hugged the branch tighter.

Xi Chongyang snorted and glared at him. “I’m already showing consideration for our relationship by not having you knocked down.”

It was autumn, and most of the leaves had fallen. Xi Shi’s green head was particularly conspicuous in the tree, looking like a large fruit hanging from a branch.

Zhong Yuxiao couldn’t help but chuckle. “Hold on tight, don’t fall.”

“…”

Throwing tantrums in front of Xi Chongyang was commonplace; he had lost face countless times since he was young. However, with Zhong Yuxiao standing next to Xi Chongyang, the situation was different.

Xi Shi suddenly developed a sense of shame, his face alternating between red and white, and he turned his head silently.

Fuck, why did he think climbing a tree was a good idea?!

His image was completely ruined!

If Zhong Yuxiao knew what he was thinking, he would definitely tell him not to mind. It wasn’t like his image hadn’t been ruined before. In front of him, Xi Shi had no image to speak of.

“It would be good if he fell. He could go to the hospital and have a legitimate reason to skip work.”

Frankly speaking, Xi Shi had actually considered this. Xi Chongyang saw through his little scheme. If he fell now, it would seem both stupid and fake.

So after a few minutes of stalemate, the young master slid down the tree trunk on his own.

From across the wall, Xi Chongyang taunted, “It’s a good thing we blocked the dog hole in the back door, otherwise he wouldn’t be climbing trees today.”

Xi Shi: “…”

Could you not badmouth me in front of other people?

Zhong Yuxiao imagined Xi Shi crawling through a dog hole and couldn’t help but smile. “I don’t think he’s that kind of person.”

The young master cared about his image.

“He is that kind of person!” Xi Chongyang mercilessly exposed his grandson’s past. “When he was little, he was short, with short arms and legs, so he would sneak through the dog hole. Now he’s gotten more capable, climbing trees.”

“Old man, can you stop talking?!”

Xi Shi was exasperated and kicked the wall a couple of times.

Across the wall, his nominal partner was listening to his grandfather tell embarrassing stories about him. He watched helplessly, unable to stop it, only able to be the butt of the joke.

Was this a loss of morals or a distortion of human nature?

Xi Chongyang stopped talking. He wasn’t even calling him “Grandpa” anymore, seemingly embarrassed and angry.

He whispered, “Xiaoyao, I’m going to take a nap. You go back and rest. We’ll play chess another day.”

He then beckoned to the housekeeper, who helped him back to the villa at a brisk pace, leaving Zhong Yuxiao alone to listen to the grumbling from beyond the wall.

Xi Shi’s cursing wasn’t just cursing; it was a mix of sarcasm and exasperation, without any vulgar words, like listening to a stand-up comedy routine.

“You said you have a bad memory, it happened so long ago, and you’re still bringing it up. What senile dementia? I think you’re just faking it, you’re trying to extort me!”

“Oh, so you didn’t even show your face, and just dumped all the work on me? You’re really bold, not afraid that I’ll squander everything. I’ve never seen you trust me so much before.”

“Old fox, you’re just an old fox! Even tigers don’t eat their cubs, but you’re so cunning you even tricked your own grandson!”

…

He continued his rant, and Zhong Yuxiao’s smile deepened.

So, this was what the young master looked like when he was completely enraged.

Even Xi Chongyang temporarily retreated. The rumors about Xi Shi’s bad temper weren’t baseless. It seemed that the young master had indeed been very gentle with him before.

Xi Shi used all the vocabulary he had learned in his life to denounce Xi Chongyang. After he finished his rant, Zhong Yuxiao slowly said, “Grandpa went to take a nap.”

“…”

“He ran away as soon as you told him to stop talking.”

“…”

Zhong Yuxiao chuckled. “You’re scolding the wrong person.”

The person being scolded ran away quickly, leaving him to hear the entire rant.

Zhong Yuxiao leaned against the wall. The shadow of the branches stretched over the wall, dappled on the ground. He stared at the shadows, imagining a green head popping out from among the branches.

Xi Shi had good looks, even his skull was well-proportioned. As people online would say, he had a perfect head shape.

He wanted to ruffle his hair.

Green was a color full of vitality and hope, and after deepening it a few times, it gained a sense of life’s depth.

Zhong Yuxiao curled his fingertips. “Xi Shi, I’m innocent. You scolded me for no reason, you should compensate me.”

Separated by a wall, unable to see each other’s expressions, the voice carried by the wind revealed no emotion.

Xi Shi paused. “What kind of compensation do you want?”

“I want to see you climb over the wall.”

“…”

“I’m not mocking you.” The corners of Zhong Yuxiao’s mouth curved upwards. Despite his words, his tone was clearly laced with amusement. “I really want to see you climb over the wall.”

“Heh.”

Compensate my ass!

He wouldn’t do something so stupid, he wasn’t an idiot—

“I think people who can climb walls are cool, just as cool as racing.”

This was the first time Zhong Yuxiao complimented someone, and it sounded awkward, as calm as if he was saying “the weather is nice today,” without much emotion.

He laughed after he said it.

He originally wanted to lure out the angry cat with a delicious fried fish, but the fish wasn’t fried well and was burnt.

Zhong, the chef, sighed inwardly. The cat definitely wouldn’t fall for it.

“Hey.”

A reluctant voice suddenly came from above, the drawn-out tone carrying a hint of youthful petulance.

Zhong Yuxiao’s fingertips trembled, his gaze fixed on the shadow in front of him. A round head emerged from among the branches.

He mentally added several layers of green to the head, imagining a face that was more delicate than bright.

“You can’t even climb a wall, you really are a nerd.”

Zhong Yuxiao looked up and saw Xi Shi standing on the branch, the corner of his shirt lifted by the wind, his fastened belt exuding the mature charm unique to men.

He should have been composed, but he had the unrestrained exuberance of a teenager.

Xi Shi carefully moved along the branch and climbed onto the wall. Zhong Yuxiao’s eyes widened slightly, the sunlight above blocked by Xi Shi’s figure. Xi Shi’s lively features met his gaze.

He climbed over the wall and smiled at him, flamboyant and proud, smug and adorable.

With just this one action, spring bloomed everywhere, deep green vines spreading across the sea of his heart, taking root in Zhong Yuxiao’s barren emotional desert.

“Should gege teach you how to climb walls?”

Xi Shi extended his hand, his upper body leaning forward.

Zhong Yuxiao’s throat bobbed. He reached past the outstretched hand and touched Xi Shi’s head.

He touched it.

Slightly cool hair brushed against his palm, spreading along his fingerprints to his limbs and bones.

Zhong Yuxiao gently ruffled his hair. “Xi Shi, you climbed over yourself.”

Towering mountains, vast seas, the high wall built by black and white words, all crumbled at this moment.

The contract was void.

Zhong Yuxiao clearly realized this. Whether it was interest or possessiveness, whether it was infatuation or a fleeting whim, at this moment, he suddenly had the urge to claim this person in front of him as his own.

“How is it my fault? It was you who asked for compensation.” The young master was unhappy and turned his head away. “You can’t just touch a man’s head, haven’t you heard?”

“I’ve heard it now.”

Zhong Yuxiao quickly grabbed his retracting hand. The foolish cat was attracted by the burnt dried fish, and the hunter wouldn’t miss this golden opportunity.

He wouldn’t let the cat escape, he would catch Xi Shi.

He wanted this person.

“Teach me how to climb the wall.” Zhong Yuxiao squeezed his hand, then let go. “Gege Xi.”

Although his tone was gentle, it was a clear command.

Xi Shi: “!!!”

“Are you crazy?!”

Xi Shi’s mind was filled with the word “gege.” He had deliberately teased Zhong Yuxiao, calling him “Gege Zhong Er,” and unexpectedly, Zhong Yuxiao called him “gege” in return.

This feeling…

Fuck, why did this feel even better than sex?!

“Hmm?” Zhong Yuxiao raised an eyebrow.

“I’ll, I’ll teach you.”

Xi Shi was so overwhelmed by being called “gege” that he even forgot about Zhong Yuxiao touching his head, quickly jumping down from the wall.

To teach someone how to climb a wall, he needed to have his feet firmly on the ground.

Xi Shi looked around and took Zhong Yuxiao to the garden. “You can step on the edge of the flower bed, it’s suitable for beginners. After you stand on it, hold onto the wall, lift your leg, and you can climb over.”

He was seriously teaching him how to climb a wall.

Zhong Yuxiao didn’t know what expression to make for a moment, and he was urged to step onto the flower bed.

“Don’t be afraid, even if you fall, gege will catch you.”

The edge of the flower bed was narrow, only enough for one person. Zhong Yuxiao glanced back, and Xi Shi winked at him, grinning mischievously. “I’ll cover all your medical expenses if you get injured, so you don’t have to worry.”

With Xi Shi’s build, if he really fell, he would break his bones.

Zhong Yuxiao calculated in his mind, held onto the wall, exerted force with his hands, lifted his leg, and climbed over.

“Not bad, you look quite skilled, not like it’s your first time climbing a wall.” Xi Shi was surprised.

Of course, it wasn’t his first time.

Zhong Yuxiao remained expressionless, changing the subject. “Why don’t you want to go to work at the company?”

Xi Chongyang had arranged everything perfectly. Going to the company wasn’t like what Xi Shi said, that he would squander the family fortune. But he had tried every trick, even climbing a tree and losing face, just to avoid going to work.

Zhong Yuxiao couldn’t understand. “Chenxi International is the Xi family’s company. Since you don’t like Shi Fengsheng, you should go to the company.”

For so many years, Xi Shi had ignored the company, letting Shi Fengsheng do as he pleased. Based on his understanding of Xi Shi, the young master should be trying every means to drive Shi Fengsheng out of the company.

“I’m like you, not interested in business.”

“You’re not like me.” Zhong Yuxiao directly exposed his excuse. “I have an older brother, so I can stay out of it. If you don’t fight for it, Chenxi International will eventually fall into the hands of Shi Fengsheng and Shi Chengze.”

“Impossible, I’ll never let that happen.”

Chenxi International belonged to the Xi family and would never change its name, it had nothing to do with the Shi family.

Zhong Yuxiao spread his hands. “So what’s the reason you don’t want to go to the company? Gege Xi, what are you afraid of?”