Chapter 33

Chapter 33

Xi Wenlun's words and actions were like a resounding slap across the faces of Mr. Ji and Ji Shaoting.

Had he just gone ahead and publicly acknowledged this random person’s identity? Was he out of his mind?

The guests hadn’t expected him to be so ruthless, and they instinctively turned their gazes toward Patriarch Xi.

To their surprise, Patriarch Xi actually wore an oddly approving look—he even let out a laugh.

"Young people’s affairs—we’re too old for this. Let them handle it themselves," Patriarch Xi said as he took Mr. Ji’s hand to console him, though it was clear to everyone that he was backing Fu Xie and cleaning up the mess for his grandson while maintaining face-saving decorum.

With Patriarch Xi’s approval, the matter was set in stone.

His son—Xi Wenlun’s father—asked in disbelief, “Father, have you lost your mind?”

Patriarch Xi shot him a glare. “And you still dare call me ‘Father’!”

Ji Shaoting, meanwhile, stared in shock at the two holding hands at the center of attention, looking as if he might pass out any second.

From the moment Xi Wenlun approached him, Fu Xie’s brain had completely blue-screened, leaving him incapable of any reaction.

He was overwhelmed by a flood of information, unable to process anything, and simply moved on autopilot as Xi Wenlun guided him.

The villain had gone public with their relationship? How was that possible?

And since when were they even dating? Nobody had told him about this!

Ji Shaoting seemed to be teetering on the edge of consciousness. After being helped to calm down, he regained some composure and grasped at one last straw: “Brother Wenlun, I know you’re just trying to provoke me, but don’t joke about your own happiness. Whatever about me bothers you, I can change it all!”

Xi Wenlun frowned, surprised that even after such an explicit rejection, the man was still clinging to delusions. He replied in a polite but distant tone, “Mr. Ji, please don’t misunderstand. I’ve never expressed any affection for you from the start. I hope you’ll find someone truly meant for you.”

“Impossible!” Ji Shaoting’s eyes widened. “Have you forgotten everything from before?”

Xi Wenlun fell into rare silence for a moment, and Fu Xie sensed something off in the air.

“That’s all in the past,” Xi Wenlun finally replied.

This seemed to be the final straw for Ji Shaoting. Two silent tears rolled down as he muttered a few incoherent words before slumping into unconsciousness.

Mr. Ji hurriedly caught his son, while Patriarch Xi urgently summoned the medical team.

What was supposed to be a dignified birthday banquet had turned into a circus.

Fu Xie felt completely humiliated—he had never encountered an out-of-left-field situation like this in his life.

His mind kept replaying Xi Wenlun’s earlier words. The villain claimed him as his partner? Hah? How?

And to do it in such a public setting—it felt more like a strategic play to achieve some goal.

Fu Xie chewed on the idea and found it lined up exactly with this theory.

Logically, if Xi Wenlun truly liked him, why wouldn’t he say so privately at home instead of putting on this public spectacle?

After much deliberation, Fu Xie decided the most likely explanation was that Xi Wenlun was staking his claim.

If not for Ji Shaoting’s outburst, Xi Wenlun probably wouldn’t have dragged him into this charade.

The purpose? Naturally, to mark his territory—keeping the seat warm for the future main bottom.

Ji Shaoting's family had practically backed him into a corner earlier, so it was understandable that Xi Wenlun used him as a quick fix in the heat of the moment.

Moreover, Xi Wenlun seemed to have some history with Ji Shaoting. Since he was supposedly interested in Lin Yubin now, of course he'd want to ditch his old flame beforehand.

Fu Xie felt like an absolute genius for connecting the dots. Now, when it was time to bail, he could bolt faster than anyone else.

His dream was to live a carefree, laid-back life—doing things he enjoyed intermittently, playing games, going out, and the like.

He absolutely refused to get tangled up in this messy love triangle! Way too much drama!

By the time Fu Xie snapped back to reality, he realized he was already seated in the car on the way home.

He glanced around and saw Xi Wenlun watching the night scenery whizzing by outside the window. Sensing Fu Xie’s gaze, Xi Wenlun turned his head instantly.

Their eyes met unexpectedly.

For some reason, Fu Xie looked away.

Xi Wenlun reached out to tuck a strand of hair from Fu Xie’s forehead. "What’s wrong? Still feeling unwell?"

"No," Fu Xie murmured, staring down at his feet.

Xi Wenlun had just put his feelings out there publicly, but Fu Xie had spaced out ever since they left. Xi Wenlun couldn’t help but feel uneasy.

Everything had happened so suddenly—he had no idea what Fu Xie was thinking.

Fu Xie suddenly looked back at him, as if carefully choosing his words. "Mr. Xi, I know you—"

Xi Wenlun abruptly cut him off. "I’m sorry for not discussing it with you beforehand. I truly didn’t expect things to blow up like that."

He was about to explain further, but Fu Xie decided to finish what he wanted to say first.

"Mm, it’s fine." Fu Xie quirked his lips slightly, his eyes curving like peach blossoms. "Just having your acknowledgment is enough for me. So, it’s okay if things stay like this."

"I hope to stay by your side a little longer. Beyond that, I don’t need anything else."

Fu Xie considered the role he was playing, slowly organizing his words.

"Because I like you, Mr. Xi. You can do whatever you want."

As he spoke, Fu Xie inexplicably felt a quick pang in his chest. But this was the first time he’d ever sincerely confessed his feelings to someone, and a light blush spread across his cheeks.

His words were so earnest, as if they truly came from the depths of his heart.

Xi Wenlun was stunned by the sudden confession, his phoenix eyes widening slightly. The sight of his beloved blushing while muttering sweet words sent his pulse racing.

Overwhelmed by immense satisfaction, he impulsively pulled Fu Xie into a tight embrace, cradling the back of his head as he pressed their lips together in a forceful kiss.

Fu Xie, who was no stranger to intimacy, ignited at the first touch.

They lost themselves in the kiss, the car filling with the sound of heavy, wet sounds.

Fu Xie found himself straddling Xi Wenlun’s lap, and Xi Wenlun’s hands even slipped beneath his shirt.

When they finally parted, Fu Xie rested his head against Xi Wenlun’s shoulder, his eyes hazy and shiny with emotion.

Xi Wenlun gave him a dazzling smile—one Fu Xie had never seen before. He looked so happy, like sunlight cracking through ice outside the window.

The feeling of being adored and clung to by his lover was absolutely perfect. Basking in the thrill of control, Xi Wenlun said with a hint of pride, "Then you’d better hold on tight."

Huh? Isn't that a given?

Fu Xie gazed at his face with infatuation, answering softly, "I definitely will."

A canary's gotta act the part!

To sell the act, he actively sought out Xi Wenlun's lips.

The backseat was soundproof—no matter how loud they got, the driver upfront wouldn't hear a thing.

Even knowing this, Fu Xie was still too worked up, so he held himself back, only letting out quiet whimpers.

The more he restrained himself, the more Xi Wenlun wanted to tease him, kneading the soft flesh of his thighs, savoring their plush texture while wandering boldly wherever he pleased.

"Mmm!" Fu Xie let out a stifled moan, his pretty eyes turning red as he pleaded with Xi Wenlun.

He couldn’t help trembling, his pale pink hair swaying and gathering a light sheen of sweat.

The hair Xi Wenlun had just tidied was already messy again.

Fu Xie was at his limit, gripping his arm and begging, "Not here… please, let’s just go home…"

His pupils then constricted sharply, his body shuddering as tears he’d been holding finally spilled over.

He'd been bullied to tears again—so humiliating.

And out in the open, too.

Fu Xie was about to lose it completely, but thankfully they soon arrived at the villa.

Getting out of the car, he nearly collapsed, a mess as Xi Wenlun scooped him up and carried him to the room.

*

By the time Fu Xie woke up the next morning, Xi Wenlun had already left for work.

He yawned as he got up. Aside from some initial discomfort, he had adjusted well recently.

After all, they hadn’t actually done it.

If things had gotten serious, he would’ve freaked out.

Xi Wenlun was intense even when asleep—he didn’t dare imagine how completely wrecked he’d end up if they really went all the way.

Yesterday’s plan had failed, leaving Fu Xie pretty bummed out. He’d been hoping to fish for some information, but ended up accomplishing nothing!

Still, it wasn’t a complete waste—he met Ji Shaoting and even swapped numbers with Ji Ruisi during their conversation.

Ji Ruisi might know something, right?

Fu Xie thought about just asking him directly. After all, he couldn’t think of a better approach.

He was just some lazy deadweight—nobody should count on him being smart.

Fu Xie: Can I ask you something? About Mr. Xi.

Ji Ruisi replied instantly: Fire away.

Thinking it over, Fu Xie realized asking straight up about his social anxiety might seem off-topic and also reveal that he’d eavesdropped on their conversation. He decided to just beat around the bush a little.

Fu Xie: Thanks. If possible, I’d like to keep this from Mr. Xi.

Fu Xie: You know Ji Shaoting, right?

Ji Ruisi: Of course. Our families have been close for generations—his, mine, and the Xi family.

Ji Ruisi: Want to know what happened between them back then?

Fu Xie hadn't expected Ji Ruisi to ask that himself—it saved Fu from having to come up with an excuse.

Fu Xie: Is it okay if I ask?

Ji Ruisi: Honestly, I don’t really know all the details either. They did grow up together, though, and actually, it was Ji Shaoting who introduced me to him in the first place.

Ji Ruisi: Back then, Xi Wenlun was as quiet as a clam—getting one reply out of ten sentences was already lucky. Only Ji Shaoting kept trying with him, and even then, Xi Wenlun only warmed up to him slightly.

Ji Ruisi: Plus, Xi Wenlun’s mother passed away early on. To be honest, it caused quite an uproar.

Fu Xie: So is that why Mr. Xi stopped talking—because his mother died?

Ji Ruisi: Kind of. The Xi family kept things under wraps. Publicly, they claimed she died of illness, but apparently, she was hounded to death by his stepmother.

Fu Xie suddenly remembered the ages of Xi Wenlun and Xi Jinggen. Xi Jinggen's mother came later, yet he was somehow the older brother?

There had to be some juicy family drama behind that.

And judging just by looks, Xi Wenlun was way better-looking than Xi Jinggen. His mother must’ve been just as beautiful as he was.

It was impossible to imagine what their father was thinking.

Fu Xie: Hounded to death? But is it really okay to tell me something like that?

Ji Ruisi: Ha, you’re his boyfriend, aren’t you? It doesn’t matter.

Ji Ruisi was about to type more when a shadow fell over him.

“What are you two talking about?” Xi Wenlun had appeared silently behind him without a sound.

Ji Ruisi instinctively turned his phone face-down and grabbed his chest. “Tch, Xi man, how do you walk so quietly? You nearly gave me a heart attack.”

Xi Wenlun twitched at being called “old.” Since getting together with Fu Xie—and that forever-young pretty face of his—he’d become increasingly sensitive to the word.

“Feeling guilty?” Xi raised his voice. “What are you keeping from me?”

Author’s Note:

Right now it’s like: He doesn’t know whether he knows that he doesn’t know (word salad).