Chapter 21: I Am His Legal Partner

**Chapter 21: I Am His Legal Partner**

The day of the marriage registration arrived quickly. That night, Jian Ye felt no nervousness at all and slept soundly.

Early in the morning, Yi Siyu sent a WeChat message.

"Yu": Are you up? I'll come pick you up.

Jian Ye had just finished washing up when he saw the message.

"It's Yì, not Zhuài": Didn't we already confirm the exact time yesterday? I can go by myself.

The reply came instantly.

"Yu": Changed my mind—I want us to go together.

Jian Ye thought to himself, *It's not that I don't want a ride, but pulling up to the dorm in that car yesterday was way too showy.*

Ever since returning to the dorm, people had been knocking on their door every now and then, trying to get a look at the student who got out of that limited-run Maybach.

Jian Ye had no choice but to make up an excuse, saying the car was rented through some connections by a friend, and he was just catching a ride—he didn't even know the owner.

Even so, people from other dorms were fawning over him, saying how impressive it was that his friend could rent such a car.

For now, Jian Ye didn't want to become the center of attention. Otherwise, news of his arranged marriage with the Yi family would spread across the entire school in no time.

How could he ever have a normal school life after that?

"It's Yì, not Zhuài": How about this, Brother Siyu—just park the car at the traffic light intersection about a hundred meters from our school, and I'll meet you there.

"Yu": Okay.

—

Shuixie Xuanting—the Yi family estate.

When Yi Siyu saw the words "Brother Siyu," his heart fluttered as if nudged by a puppy's paw. It was a strange, subtle sensation. People had called him that before, but it had never evoked such a peculiar feeling.

Just seeing the words alone conjured up the image of the boy's voice and expression when saying it—sweet and gentle.

He could guess what the boy was thinking; the boy was probably embarrassed by yesterday's extravagance.

In truth, the car had already been returned to Xie Fei, and Yi Siyu had no intention of making a big deal out of their marriage registration. Today, he was driving a black Lexus.

As he was about to leave, he bumped into his eldest brother returning from his morning jog.

"Xiao Yu, you're up early—what's the occasion? There shouldn't be anything at the company lately that has you rushing out at dawn, right?"

As the pillar of the corporate headquarters, Yi Sizhe shouldered most of the responsibilities. He knew exactly how busy his younger brother's company was—honestly, it was more of a ceremonial role. Still, his brother took it seriously.

Yi Siyu didn't hide anything, his voice flat. "Not going to the company. Picking someone up."

Yi Sizhe didn't think much of it, assuming his brother was meeting a friend. "Alright, drive safe."

"Mm." Just as Yi Siyu finished changing his shoes and pushed the door open, he added, "After picking them up, we're going to the marriage registry. I won't be back for dinner—tell Mom and Dad."

Before his eldest brother could question him, the door closed.

Inside, Yi Sizhe stood there stunned, eyes wide, still staring at the door in disbelief.

What?! The civil affairs bureau?!

...

The man climbed into the car, practically glowing with good mood. He chose to drive himself this time instead of summoning Xiao Dong.

After last time's near-miss, the driver had developed a bit of PTSD. Yi Siyu generously gave him a few days off to recover emotionally.

Everything went smoothly today. As planned, he arrived at a red-light intersection on time and picked up the person who'd been occupying his thoughts.

"Mornin', Brother Siyu," the boy mumbled sleepily.

At that moment, Yi Siyu was certain—he loved how the boy called him in that sweet, soft voice.

His lips quirked almost imperceptibly. "Mhm, have you had breakfast?"

"I just had some bread in the dorm. What about you?" Jian Ye replied obediently.

"I haven't eaten yet. After we get our license, will you join me for breakfast?" Yi Siyu pushed the conversation forward with transparent intent.

All he wanted was the boy's company.

Jian Ye didn't think twice about it and nodded in agreement.

It suddenly hit him—his first street food after arriving in this world.

He eagerly suggested, "I know a great place, Brother Siyu! Let me take you there!"

A flush of excitement colored his cheeks. Yi Siyu, seated in the driver’s seat, could clearly see the boy’s rosy face and the slight bounce of his wavy hair.

Like a puppy getting a treat.

They got there early—the civil affairs bureau had just opened, with only a handful of couples ahead of them.

Though not crowded, when they walked in, they turned every head in the place.

No mystery why—their looks were simply too striking. One was tall and cold-faced yet elegant in posture, the other petite with delicate features but perfect proportions.

Either could be leading man material in the entertainment industry. Now both stood together inside the civil affairs bureau.

Nearby girls couldn’t help but gasp and whisper.

Oh my god! The dominant and submissive one are both so hot! So dashing and so cute—it’s everything!

Are they models from some agency secretly eloping or something? So adorable!

In his previous life, Jian Ye’s looks always turned heads, so he was used to getting stared at. Neither he nor Yi Siyu paid much attention to the surrounding gazes.

When their turn came to get married, even the staff were stunned by their appearances.

During the photo session, the photographer waved them closer together.

Just acting, Jian Ye understood.

He leaned right against the man, their arms pressed tightly together. He didn’t notice the brief stiffness from the person beside him.

The scene lingers in the morning light.

The boy's smile is radiant, while the man rarely smiles—yet the curve of his lips carries a subtle warmth he himself doesn't notice.

Against the red background, their features are even more striking, and the photo radiates a celebratory vibe.

Two photos are pasted onto their marriage certificates, crisp and vibrant.

What Jian Ye doesn’t know is that Yi Siyu later asked the photographer for the negatives and extra prints.

One extra copy he tucked into his wallet.

...

Stepping out of the marriage registry office, holding the red certificates, Jian Ye can’t help but feel a peculiar sensation.

Even though this is all part of the story’s world, and everything is fictional, tying the knot with someone is still a first-time experience.

“Brother Siyu, the place I mentioned isn’t far from here. Let me walk you there.”

“Yeah.”

Noticing the boy’s unexpected enthusiasm, Yi Siyu feels even better than when he left home earlier that morning.

When led to the shop’s entrance, Yi Siyu pauses briefly.

The familiar street view and storefront yank him back to the moment he first saw Jian Ye.

A mental image flashes—of a pathetic-looking “stray dog” crouching at the door, devouring his meal like it was his last.

“Auntie, I brought someone to patronize your shop!” Jian Ye’s bright voice rings out inside.

The owner instantly recognizes him.

This kid is far too handsome, and on that rainy day, he seemed so mistreated—it’s hard not to remember.

“Oh, you brought a friend? Come in, come in! Auntie will make you two deluxe cheung fun!”

“Brother Siyu, this cheung fun shop is really tasty. I don’t know if you’ll like it,” Jian Ye says, thinking someone like Yi Siyu—a rich kid—probably wouldn’t touch street food. This is the perfect chance to introduce him to everyday eats.

Yi Siyu gives a soft laugh. “Yeah, I know.”

Jian Ye: “?”

“What’s that supposed to mean? Know what exactly?”

Yi Siyu seems to read his expression. “I know it tastes amazing.”

Otherwise, that scene wouldn’t have happened—him eating like it was his last meal.

Even Yi Siyu, who never touches street food, felt his mouth water at the sight.

Jian Ye’s eyes crinkle with amusement. “Brother Siyu, have you eaten here before?”

Yi Siyu: “No.”

Jian Ye: “?”

Yi Siyu: “I’ll trust your judgment.”

...

Soon, two steaming plates of cheung fun were brought to the table, covered in rich sauce that fully released their aroma.

Even the system inside Jian Ye’s mind couldn’t help but exclaim, “Wow!”

“System 748: Please enjoy your meal, Host!”

“Jian Ye: Heh, I won’t eat, so you won’t get to experience the taste.”

“System 748: Host, come on~”

“Jian Ye: Don’t be annoying, and stop with the baby voice!”

The shop owner smiled and said, “Let me know if you need more sauce later.”

Yi Siyu politely nodded, “Thank you for your trouble.”

The owner glanced at Jian Ye, who had already started eating the cheung fun, but still addressed Yi Siyu, “Ah, no trouble at all. Last time, this child was sitting alone pitifully outside our shop.”

“This time he came with someone, so I’m happy to treat you both well.”

As soon as she finished speaking, Yi Siyu calmly corrected her, “I’m not his friend.”

The woman was taken aback, worried she had said something wrong, and looked flustered.

Without hesitation, the man pulled out the red booklet they had just received, placing it openly on the table. His tone softened slightly, “I’m his legal partner.”

“Huh—” Jian Ye nearly spat out his food and quickly covered his mouth.

The man remained completely calm, pulling out a clean tissue to hand over, then openly flipping open the red booklet.

Seeing Yi Siyu didn’t mind, the shop owner curiously leaned in to take a closer look at the couple's marriage certificate.

In the photo, the two men looked incredibly handsome, smiling brightly with obvious happiness.

For some reason, the shop owner felt unexpectedly touched.

Good… This child has found a home. From now on, he probably won’t be bullied anymore.

This world allowed same-sex marriage, and people generally accepted it well. The shop owner sincerely wished Jian Ye happiness.

Jian Ye kept thanking her, caught completely off guard by Yi Siyu’s bold move.

This time, the shop owner finally learned Jian Ye’s name—and also met his “legal partner.”

Jian Ye: “….”

All the way out of the store, Jian Ye kept venting to the system.

“Jian Ye: Why did he do that?”

“System 748: Probably showing off ╮(╯▽╰)╭”

“Jian Ye: Nonsense! He doesn’t even like me—why would he show off?”

“System 748: Then I don’t know. Why don’t you ask him?”

“Jian Ye: Like hell I will! Maybe it’s some leading male character syndrome—some kind of macho pride. Even if it’s fake, as long as the relationship hasn’t ended, he wants everyone to know. If he’s going to act the part completely, then fine. I won’t lose either.”

The system remarked that its host really has a strong competitive streak—no one was even competing with him.

Thinking this, the system took out its little notebook again to jot down the host's daily antics.

"Author's Note"

System 748’s Daily Log—

The host's spouse showed off their marriage certificate to other humans. The host swears up and down they’d never do something like that, but I ran it by an emotion-analysis whiz in the system group to verify...

System 142 (Group Expert): Ran the numbers—that human’s bragging meter maxed out at 520.

Er Tong: Got it, thanks boss! Gonna log this and rub it in the host’s face later.

——————

Third Young Master Yi: Oh? Please. Try 5.2 billion. ^_^