My Arranged Marriage Partner Has Two Faces 31

Chapter 31

“…”

This wasn’t acting coquettishly, this was clearly courting death.

Xi Shi extended his hand towards him. “Give me your hand, I’ll show you a magic trick.”

Zhong Yuxiao didn’t know what he was up to and gave him his hand. Xi Shi held his hand with one hand and fumbled in his pocket with the other, then placed his closed fist in Zhong Yuxiao’s palm.

“Now is the moment to witness a miracle.”

Zhong Yuxiao’s breath unconsciously hitched. He saw Xi Shi slowly open his hand, and a green holly leaf fell onto his palm.

It was the leaf Xi Shi had plucked from the bushes, the one he had asked Xi Shi to “feed” him.

Zhong Yuxiao’s eyes widened. He didn’t expect Xi Shi to keep the leaf, nor did he expect him to return it. “What do you mean by this?”

Xi Shi had been asking “why” all night, and now it was Zhong Yuxiao’s turn to ask. It was as if their roles had reversed, and Xi Shi was now the one in control, while Zhong Yuxiao was flustered.

“Perhaps I was possessed and wanted to feed the little sheep.”

He must have been possessed, otherwise, how could a pure top like him have such an absurd thought?

Almost as soon as he spoke, Xi Shi regretted it. “I was lying.”

“No.” Zhong Yuxiao clenched the leaf, his eyes darkening, his golden pupils filled with deep desire, as if invisible threads were flowing from his eyes, tightly wrapping around the person in front of him. “What’s given to me is mine, you can’t take it back.”

This leaf, and those words that were almost a confession, all belonged to him.

Unable to contain his excitement, Zhong Yuxiao got on the electric scooter and sped off, twisting the throttle to the maximum.

The scooter sped towards their apartment much faster than a bicycle, the speed causing inevitable bumps. Xi Shi was both amused and exasperated, cursing as he was bounced around on the back seat, while also fearing for his life.

Fuck, he was definitely crazy.

What to do, what to do, what to do, was it too late to jump off?

Before Xi Shi could jump, the speed gradually slowed down until the scooter stopped.

“What’s wrong?” Xi Shi’s eyes lit up with hope. Had Zhong Yuxiao changed his mind?

Zhong Yuxiao twisted the handlebar, his tone shocked and confused. “I think the battery died.”

“…”

They stared at each other, and after a few seconds of silence, both cursed simultaneously, “Fuck.”

Xi Shi felt a sense of relief at having escaped death. He squatted by the roadside and couldn’t help but laugh. “Where did you buy this piece of junk?”

“Xu Linfeng.” Zhong Yuxiao cursed a few times, and after confirming that the battery was dead and the scooter was completely unusable, he squatted beside him dejectedly. “That fucking Xu Linfeng didn’t even give me a charger.”

Now even charging it was a problem.

“Call someone to tow it.”

“Do they tow electric scooters?”

“I guess so.”

Zhong Yuxiao wasn’t sure and called Qin Yun, who asked for their location and said he would be there soon.

Xi Shi went to the convenience store by the roadside to buy water. As he was grabbing a second bottle, he paused, then picked up a carton of sweet milk from another shelf. “Check out.”

There were colorful boxes on the shelf next to the cashier. Xi Shi stared at them for a moment. “Wait, I’ll take a box of these too.”

After paying, Xi Shi returned to the roadside and handed the sweet milk to Zhong Yuxiao.

“Why milk?”

“Don’t you like sweet things?” Xi Shi opened his water and took a sip, a playful smile on his lips. “Or was I wrong? Does Second Young Master Zhong actually not like sweet things, adding milk and two packets of sugar to his coffee just to create a sweet and cute persona?”

“…”

Zhong Yuxiao angrily took a sip of the milk.

Perhaps it was because too many things had happened tonight, or perhaps it was the milk that brought him back to his senses, but the fire in Zhong Yuxiao’s heart subsided considerably. He sighed, his tone weary. “Doing bad things really does have consequences.”

Riding an electric scooter and running out of battery, stranded on the road, unable to go home, unable to eat grass.

“We were serving justice.” Xi Shi corrected him.

Beating up a scumbag couldn’t be considered a bad thing.

“Fine, fine, serving justice.” Zhong Yuxiao clinked his sweet milk carton against Xi Shi’s water bottle, like a celebration ritual for righteous people. “Cheers to the scumbag getting his comeuppance.”

“Cheers.”

Qin Yun arrived quickly and put the electric scooter in the trunk. “Second Young Master, Mr. Xi, Sir and Madam learned about your situation and asked me to ask if you want to stay at home tonight.”

Since they got married, Zhong Yuxiao hadn’t brought Xi Shi home. After all, it was an arranged marriage, without an emotional foundation, and his parents hadn’t pressured them.

He couldn’t say they were out doing bad things, so Zhong Yuxiao gave the excuse that they went for a ride on an electric scooter and ran out of battery. His parents thought, oh, they went for a ride together, their relationship must have progressed significantly.

It was time to bring him home.

“Do you want to?” Zhong Yuxiao looked at Xi Shi.

He hadn’t thought much about it, it depended on Xi Shi’s wishes. If the young master didn’t want to go, then they wouldn’t—

“Yes!”

???

Zhong Yuxiao was surprised. Xi Shi rarely even went back to the old residence, yet he agreed to stay at his home.

Xi Shi’s inner thoughts: Yay! I don’t have to feed the little sheep if I go home!

Qin Yun opened the car door. “Mr. Xi, please.”

Polite but distant, formal but cold. Qin Yun still felt that Xi Shi wasn’t worthy of his Second Young Master.

They sat in the back seat, and after driving for a while, Xi Shi suddenly said, “I haven’t bought anything.”

“Buy what?”

“It’s not good to visit empty-handed for the first time.” The young master frowned, looking out the window. It was already dark, and most stores were closed. There was nowhere to buy a gift in the middle of the night.

Could he just go to a 24-hour convenience store and buy two cartons of milk?

Zhong Yuxiao wanted to say there was no need to be so polite, but after thinking about it, he asked the driver to stop by the roadside. “I remember there’s a flower shop nearby, let’s buy a bouquet.”

Buying flowers was good, he loved buying flowers.

Xi Shi declined his offer to accompany him and went to the flower shop alone. Zhong Yuxiao watched him choosing flowers, his voice gentle. “Uncle Qin, do you think one bouquet is enough?”

Qin Yun didn’t understand what he meant, thought for a moment, and said truthfully, “As a first-time visit gift, it’s not very appropriate.”

The implication was, not enough, not suitable.

“I also think it’s not very suitable.” Xi Shi came out holding two bouquets, one pink and one green. Zhong Yuxiao’s eyes lit up. Undoubtedly, one of them was for him. “But I like flowers very much, so I think this is enough.”

Qin Yun was puzzled and was about to ask when he started liking flowers, then suddenly realized.

The “flowers” he was referring to weren’t just flowers.

Qin Yun sighed. “I understand, Second Young Master.”

Xi Shi got into the car and handed the green bouquet to Zhong Yuxiao. “It was a gift from the shop, for you.”

Qin Yun saw it through the rearview mirror and couldn’t help but complain inwardly. He had never heard of buying an ordinary bouquet and receiving green glow roses as a gift. The latter’s price could probably buy several bouquets. The young master was a terrible liar.

However, Zhong Yuxiao seemed to believe him, holding the flowers and complaining, “Leftover breakfast, free flowers, CEO Xi, when will you give me something valuable? Everyone says Young Master Xi is very generous, spending money lavishly, why are you so stingy with me?”

“…”

Stingy???

Xi Shi was so angry his nose was crooked. He had finally persuaded the owner to sell him this bouquet of green glow roses, which was originally reserved for someone else. He even paid several times the price. He was stingy?

Heh.

He was incredibly generous!

“Sigh.” Zhong Yuxiao pretended to sigh. “Uncle Qin, do you think feelings fade over time?”

Qin Yun: “…”

He wanted to escape. He shouldn’t be in the car, he should be under the car.

Xi Shi took out his wallet, pulled out all his bank cards, and stuffed them into Zhong Yuxiao’s hands. “Is this enough?”

He didn’t expect him to do this. Zhong Yuxiao was stunned for a second, and Xi Shi shrugged. “If it’s not enough, come to the company tomorrow, and I’ll write you a check. Fill in the amount yourself.”

The young master was determined to prove that he wasn’t stingy.

Zhong Yuxiao didn’t speak, and Xi Shi also turned his gaze to Qin Yun. “Mr. Housekeeper, do you think I’m stingy?”

Qin Yun: “…”

Thank you, I don’t really want to be involved in your little couple’s play.

As soon as the car stopped, Qin Yun immediately made his escape. “I’ll go charge the electric scooter.”

He had figured it out, his Second Young Master and Young Master Xi were a match made in heaven, two peas in a pod.

“You scared Uncle Qin away.” Zhong Yuxiao held the flowers in his left hand and the bank cards in his right, feeling like he had struck gold.

Xi Shi didn’t care and carefully adjusted the bouquet in his arms. “Giving flowers tonight as a prelude, and having someone bring the real gift tomorrow morning, do you think that’s feasible?”

“Just the flowers are enough.”

“Not enough.”

Zhong Yuxiao had prepared many gifts when he first visited the old residence. He couldn’t lose.

Xi Shi took out his phone to make a call, but Zhong Yuxiao stopped him. “Every new wife has to meet her in-laws, don’t be nervous.”

“…Thank you for the comfort, but I’m the new son-in-law visiting my parents-in-law.”

Xi Shi coldly pulled his hand back and sent a message to his assistant, asking him to prepare gifts.

Zhong Yuxiao was amused. “It’s not like it’s the first time we’ve met. At the banquet last time, you even held your mother-in-law’s hand and complained, remember?”

They addressed each other according to their own perceived seniority, secretly competing, each treating the other as the “bottom.”

The past was unbearable to recall. Xi Shi pursed his lips and muttered, “It’s different now.”

The current Zhong Yuxiao wasn’t just his sham marriage partner, he was his…

Suddenly remembering something, Xi Shi looked up. “Where’s my ring?”

Zhong Yuxiao hadn’t returned the ring after they beat up Shi Fengsheng.

Zhong Yuxiao took out the ring. “Do you need me to put it on for you?”

They hadn’t had a wedding, nor a ring exchange ceremony. The ring was originally a gift for winning the race, given to him by Zhong Yuxiao.

Xi Shi’s heart fluttered, but he still acted tough. “Why are you suddenly so cheesy? Don’t tell me you’ve fallen for me?”

Zhong Yuxiao froze. Fallen for him?

Their relationship had progressed rapidly, but neither of them had said the word “like.”

Xi Shi’s eyes dimmed, and he waved his hand. “I’m just kidding, don’t take it seriously.”

Zhong Yuxiao watched him put the ring in his pocket without wearing it and frowned. “Xi Shi, I—”

“Xiaoyao! What are you doing standing in the yard? Come in!” Zhong Mu had been waiting for a long time and came out to greet them. “Xi Shi, long time no see.”

Xi Shi smiled and handed her the flowers. “Mother, sorry to disturb you. I came in a hurry and didn’t have time to prepare a gift, please forgive me.”

“Oh, I love flowers, thank you.” Zhong Mu smiled and took his hand. “We’ve already talked about changing your form of address, why are you still calling me ‘Mother’?”

“I’m used to it.”

They walked ahead, and Zhong Yuxiao silently followed. Entering the house, Zhong Fu saw the items in his hand and asked, puzzled, “Why are you holding so many bank cards?”

“This is—”

Xi Shi interrupted him. “My wallet is broken, he’s holding them for me.”

Zhong Yuxiao gave him a meaningful look.

Zhong Mu and Zhong Fu exchanged a look, sensing something was wrong.

“Your wallet is broken? We have some unused ones at home, I’ll get you one.”

“No trouble, please.”

“It’s no trouble at all, sit down and have some tea.”

“Yes, yes, have some tea.” Zhong Fu poured the tea. “I just brewed this, try it and see how it tastes.”

Xi Shi took the tea and tasted it. “It’s very good.”

It was a harmonious scene, but the more Zhong Yuxiao looked, the more displeased he felt. He was displeased with Xi Shi’s smile, displeased with him frowning while drinking the tea but saying it was good, displeased with his politeness.

It all started when Xi Shi asked that question.

Zhong Mu took out a wallet, wanting to help put the bank cards inside, but Zhong Yuxiao refused.

“His wallet isn’t broken, his brain is.”

“…”

Xi Shi’s eyelids twitched, the teacup in his hand suddenly feeling hot. He glared at Zhong Yuxiao, his eyes warning: Don’t say anything!

Zhong Yuxiao ignored him and held up the flowers. “He bought these for me.”

Then he held up the bank cards. “He gave me these too.”

“Xiaoyao, what’s going on?”

Zhong Yuxiao looked at Xi Shi, his tone slightly aggrieved. “He thinks I don’t like him, so he’s throwing a tantrum, he’s not even wearing his ring.”

Xi Shi: “…”

Was it okay to say such things?

Zhong Yuxiao must be crazy.

Xi Shi quickly said, “That’s not true, I was afraid of losing the ring, so I put it away. I’ll put it on now.”

After he put on the ring, Zhong Yuxiao silently extended his hand. “You haven’t put a ring on me yet.”

“…You’re already wearing your ring.”

“You didn’t put it on me, so it doesn’t count.”

Xi Shi was exasperated, wondering what had gotten into Zhong Yuxiao.

Zhong Yuxiao persisted. “You’re not putting a ring on me, do you want a divorce?”

Xi Shi immediately panicked, he couldn’t bear such an accusation. “Don’t talk nonsense.”

In front of Zhong Fu and Zhong Mu, Xi Shi silently swallowed his curses. He took Zhong Yuxiao’s hand, took off the ring, and coaxed him like a child. “I’ll put it on you again, are you happy now?”

Zhong Yuxiao was noncommittal. After the ring was back on his finger, he held Xi Shi’s hand and pulled him closer. “Dad, Mom, we’re a bit tired, let’s call it a night.”

Zhong Fu and Zhong Mu, who had been silently watching the drama, snapped back to their senses and waved their hands cheerfully. “Alright, go and rest, we’re going to bed too.”

It was clear they had something to settle privately. Zhong Mu glanced at their intertwined hands and smiled. “Tomorrow is Saturday, do you need us to wake you up for breakfast?”

“No, I’ll take him out to eat.”

Entering the bedroom, Zhong Yuxiao hugged Xi Shi and buried his head in his shoulder. “I was acting coquettishly just now, I didn’t do it very well, please forgive me, Gege Xi.”