Chapter 76: Extra – Married Life
The hot pot restaurant was filled with steam.
“So you two actually got together?!” Lu Mingxi took a large bite of boiled beef from the clear broth side of the hot pot, his face contorting in a grimace.
He had anticipated something happening between them eventually, but he hadn’t expected it to happen so quickly.
“Yes, and we’re going on our honeymoon next week.” Xia Wansheng replied, nodding.
Enjoying a winter hot pot outing with friends, Xia Wansheng seemed to be in a good mood.
“So sudden, I hadn’t heard anything about it.” Lu Mingxi reached for some vegetables, taking a bite of boiled cucumber with a resigned look.
“You were busy working on your new project, I was afraid this news would cause your adrenaline to spike and send you to the hospital.” Xia Wansheng chuckled, his hand casually brushing against the ring on his left ring finger.
He still wasn’t used to wearing a ring, it felt strange.
He had considered taking it off and turning it into a necklace, even choosing a design, but in the end, he hadn’t done it.
The ring was like a sweet burden, a constant reminder of his drastically changed life. Even if he could go back in time and tell his high school self about waking up in a huge villa every morning, he would just think it was some new type of scam.
“And Old Man Feng is back, he invited me to his latest vocal training program, he’s suddenly become very interested in the internet.” Xia Wansheng thought about his upcoming schedule.
He didn’t know what had triggered Old Man Feng’s interest in becoming an internet celebrity. Upon hearing about his experiences in the entertainment industry, he insisted Xia Wansheng help him.
Xia Wansheng had to explain his current situation, stating his honeymoon trip was planned long ago, “I won’t be available, I’m going to enjoy life.”
Enjoy life.
Xia Wansheng realized he could actually say these words now.
Unexpectedly, Old Man Feng, after pondering for a long time, slammed his hand on the table and declared: “Changing the schedule isn’t a problem! You must come, as my last disciple!”
Xia Wansheng had already resigned himself to missing the training program, but he couldn’t refuse Old Man Feng’s enthusiasm.
“I’m telling you, you should pick up your music again, it’s a good career for you.” Lu Mingxi was busy with his new music project.
His previous project was a success, earning him recognition in the industry, his career thriving.
Everything was going well.
“It’s a hobby, I don’t want to turn it into a job.” Xia Wansheng had become much more open-minded, “I’ve worked so hard for so long, I should enjoy life a little.”
But before that, he had another matter to settle.
Returning to the psychology clinic, Xia Wansheng felt much more relaxed.
But the system in his mind seemed a bit down.
[Host, since everything’s settled for you, I’ll also be leaving soon], the system said in its newly reinstalled cutesy voice.
It had thought it could have a long vacation, but the main system, upon receiving the signal of its temporary deactivation, had immediately taken over the world mission.
Now it was just acting as a customer service bot.
“I’ll miss you too,” Xia Wansheng said sincerely,
“I was all alone when I first arrived here, you were my first friend in this world.”
If it weren’t for the system’s efforts and the five million carrot, he would probably have returned to his life as a corporate drone.
[Host!! I knew you were the best! I’ll come back and visit you when I’m on vacation!] The system’s sadness was replaced by anticipation, already planning future visits.
Entering the consultation room, Xia Wansheng still felt a hint of anxiety and unconsciously touched the ring on his finger, as if seeking reassurance.
“You look much better,” the therapist said as she sat down across from him, “Everything settled?”
“We haven’t had the wedding yet.” Xia Wansheng replied.
He realized now how risky that plan had been, it could have easily backfired.
But thankfully, they were lucky.
“I won’t be giving you a wedding gift, returning you is my gift,” the therapist said, tapping her temple,
“The main system asked me to tell you, do you remember being here as a child?”
As a child?
Xia Wansheng searched his childhood memories, only finding vague images, nothing concrete.
[There was a time-space distortion caused by the amusement park’s location, you were brought here then. We had intended to keep you, but you missed your friends, so we sent you back and erased your memories, but we also left a path for you to return,] the main system revealed this old story,
[Your identity was meant to be a replacement for someone else, for maximum compatibility, we even tracked your physical data, unfortunately, an unscrupulous strategy doll took your place later.]
[Thankfully, you chose to stay, now the timeline has been corrected, and we’ll be leaving soon.]
Xia Wansheng’s few remaining memories were just blurry images and the wings of a paper crane.
“It’s a shame I don’t remember…” he sighed.
It felt like an important memory, but he knew nothing about it.
[Just focus on the present.] The main system said before leaving.
As long as you live long enough, theoretically anything is possible.
The wedding was a significant event for both of them, requiring careful consideration.
This was understandable, neither of them had any experience.
But they couldn’t postpone it forever. As time passed, Xia Wansheng could sense the increasing importance of this matter for Yu Congyan. They discussed it endlessly, unable to reach a decision, almost pulling several all-nighters.
Xia Wansheng, waking up the next day, looked at the ceiling with a resigned sigh, his back aching as he turned over with difficulty, thinking, if they couldn’t reach a decision soon, his back would be the first casualty.
It was in bed that he truly understood his partner’s unusual thought process:
Whenever he showed any resistance, physical or emotional, Yu Congyan, despite their passionate moment, would immediately stop, making him feel even more frustrated.
And it was surprisingly effective. Every time they discussed wedding-related topics, things would escalate uncontrollably.
Xia Wansheng even suspected Yu Congyan wasn’t truly interested in marriage itself, but simply using this as an excuse to initiate their nightly activities.
“Why did you take off your ring…” Yu Congyan noticed the missing ring on his finger as he reached out to hold his hand.
“Oh, I’m not used to wearing it all the time.” Xia Wansheng explained.
He had tried, but it still felt strange, so he decided to place it beside his pillow before sleeping, so he could see it first thing in the morning.
But this explanation clearly wasn’t enough. Seeing Yu Congyan’s darkening expression, Xia Wansheng thought, seriously, could this even lead to a bad ending?
Yu Congyan was already imagining a clichéd drama titled “You Never Loved Me”…
“Wait a minute,” Xia Wansheng pinched his cheek, pulling it slightly, “Why do I feel like you’re insecure? Are you planning to lock me up in a little dark room someday?”
Although he wouldn’t mind being locked up in a small courtyard with a garden, barbecue facilities, Wi-Fi, and gourmet food, Yu Congyan’s thoughts were indeed a bit strange.
Although the wedding was still some time away, they were already acting like a married couple, there was no need to be like this.
“Do you… prefer the rebellious type?” Yu Congyan asked, seeing his glare, then quickly corrected himself, “I won’t do that, I’m just a bit worried about our relationship.”
He leaned in closer and asked seriously, “Can’t you be slightly interested in my money?”
Since he gave him that card, Xia Wansheng hadn’t even looked at it. Yu Congyan hadn’t received a single black card transaction notification.
The only exception was when Xia Wansheng went to buy crab roe soup dumplings and, with no internet connection, had to use the card to pay 18.8 yuan.
“Why don’t you ask whether I love your money or you?” Xia Wansheng asked with a smile, his finger tracing Yu Congyan’s collarbone.
“I wish you loved my money… wait, what do you mean?” Yu Congyan finally understood.
“When someone has other advantages, you can’t help but doubt yourself,” Xia Wansheng picked up the ring from beside his pillow, kissing it gently, “Of course it’s because I love you.”
Fireworks exploded in his heart, illuminating the night sky.
