Chapter 3 The Nominal Husband Xie Tingsheng

Chapter 3: The Husband in Name Only, Xie Tingsheng

In the elegantly decorated yet luxurious living room,

a tall man, poised like a jade tree, stood in front of the refrigerator. He wore a black button-up shirt with silver patterns, its cuffs loosely rolled up at the wrists. His long, powerful fingers tightly gripped a bottle of ice-cold spring water as he twisted open the cap with his right hand, the blue veins on his hand starkly visible. Even standing still, he exuded an aura of nobility and formidable presence.

Hearing the noise, the man turned his head sharply.

He had strikingly handsome raven-black short hair, skin as pale and flawless as jade, and sharp, sculpted features that radiated an aloof, aristocratic air. Beneath the messy fringe on his forehead, his cool, narrow phoenix eyes flicked over the scene with indifference. His long brows slightly furrowed, and his sharp, dark pupils resembled ice-cold depths—chilling and ruthless—as if deeply displeased by the sudden intrusion.

Yet, Hua Diao, standing at the door, completely missed the icy hostility emanating from him. Instead, her eyes lit up with excitement the moment she saw him.

*What a dreamy man!*

Then, information about his identity quickly surfaced in her mind.

His name was Xie Tingsheng—the husband in name only of the supporting actress Hua Diao.

He was also the second layer of security her father had arranged for her, aside from the shares and assets left behind.

Xie Tingsheng was a phoenix who soared from the slums. Exceptionally intelligent from a young age, he skipped grades and was admitted to the most prestigious university. Now, at only 27, he was already a professor at a renowned institution.

His rise from poverty and relentless success was largely due to the financial support of Hua Diao’s father, Hua Mingsong. Grateful, Xie Tingsheng never forgot his benefactor, sending gifts on holidays and, after Hua Mingsong’s death, even giving up a more promising position at Shengjing University to return to the slightly less prestigious Qingcheng University—where Hua Diao resided—to fulfill his promise of taking care of her.

As for their marital relationship, it was stipulated in Hua Diao’s father’s will. Certain complex assets of the Hua family could only be managed by a family member, so to facilitate Xie Tingsheng’s involvement, they needed a legally recognized marriage.

Hua Diao, infatuated with the male lead, had reluctantly married Xie Tingsheng to honor her father’s wishes but never treated him as a real husband. She kept their relationship a secret, even planning to discard him like a used tool once the family’s assets were settled.

But Xie Tingsheng was a good man. Not only did he endure her tantrums and nitpicking without complaint, but he also genuinely treated her as his wife.

The luxurious duplex apartment they lived in now was bought with Xie Tingsheng’s entire savings as their marital home.

In the novel, he did everything he could for Hua Diao, acting as her devoted shadow and loyal protector. When she attempted suicide by slashing her wrists, it was he who found her and rushed her to the hospital, saving her life.

The next day, when Hua Diao woke up and learned of the male lead’s marriage, she took all her rage out on Xie Tingsheng, even demanding a divorce in a hysterical outburst. Yet, he bore it without resentment, willingly leaving the marriage with nothing—leaving her the apartment and all their assets without taking a single penny.

After the apocalypse began, he returned to the slums due to financial struggles, enduring harsh conditions. Just as he managed to get back on his feet, his leeches for parents reappeared, shamelessly demanding his support—a classic case of handsome, capable, yet tragic.

Later, when he heard Hua Diao was in danger, he rushed to her without hesitation.

But on the way, he encountered a Monster Wave. Despite fighting desperately, he couldn’t survive. His body fell in battle, his eyes stubbornly open, still fixed in the direction of Hua Diao’s neighborhood...

This brilliant man died silently, his potential forever unfulfilled.

Though Xie Tingsheng had limited appearances in the novel, he was an exceptionally striking and tragic character, earning readers’ tears and frustrated curses.

The novel’s comment section once piled up thousands of posts lamenting his fate, even overshadowing discussions about the male lead in popularity.

When Hua Diao read the novel, she too had raged in the comments, condemning the author and the supporting actress who shared her name.

*Why chase after that trash male lead when you have a devoted, devastatingly handsome man like Xie Tingsheng?!*

From the fragmented memories she inherited, the male lead, Chu Chengling, wasn’t fit to lick his boots compared to the man before her now—not even one-tenth as attractive.

*Hmph, that blind idiot Hua Diao!!!*

Hua Diao mentally cursed the original character again before eagerly eyeing the man in front of her—from his breathtakingly handsome face to his long, perfectly sculpted legs.

She thought, *What a prime specimen of a man!*

In her past life, she’d worked in the entertainment industry and seen plenty of good-looking men, but even the most famous heartthrob actors paled in comparison to Xie Tingsheng. Every extra glance at him felt like a win.

Xie Tingsheng narrowed his eyes, silently observing her in return.

*She didn’t die?*

The thought flickered in his mind, but when his gaze landed on her familiar infatuated expression, his brows furrowed. An uncontrollable surge of irritation rose in his chest, and a flash of murderous glint flickered in his cold, deep-set eyes.

Yet, Hua Diao remained oblivious to the danger and the strangeness in his demeanor. After a brief daze, she quickly wiped her drool and came bouncing over cheerfully.

"Let me handle it! I’ll do it—I’ll make breakfast today. You can try my cooking for once!"

Her voice was honeyed and warm, soothing like morning dew, inexplicably calming the irritation in his heart. The rising agitation was suppressed once more.

Xie Tingsheng was surprised. His indifferent gaze lingered on the cheerful girl running toward him, now tinged with curiosity and contemplation.

When she squeezed past him to rummage through the fridge, he even generously twisted the cap back on his water bottle and stepped aside, his dark, profound eyes lowering to watch the top of her fluffy head.

Noticing his stare, Hua Diao turned and beamed at him, speaking familiarly, "Old Xie, what would you like to eat?"

Xie Tingsheng paused, his elegantly tapered brows lifting slightly. After scanning the fridge’s contents, his rich, resonant voice finally responded, "Xiaolongbao, dumplings, shumai, and a glass of milk."

Hua Diao blinked, looking between him and the frozen store-bought dumplings and shumai in the fridge.

*Ah, what a considerate guardian—picking instant food to spare me the embarrassment of failing at cooking.*

She had originally wanted to flex her culinary chops for this heartbreakingly gorgeous fake husband, but he didn’t give her the chance.

The original Hua Diao couldn’t cook, but she could! In her past life, her cursed luck meant delivery guys often got delayed or never arrived due to accidents, forcing her to cook for herself. She’d gotten pretty good at it—too bad Old Xie was missing out!

But she didn’t insist. Grabbing the frozen xiaolongbao, dumplings, and shumai, she headed to the kitchen, deftly washing the pot, boiling water, setting up the steamer, and arranging the food inside before covering it.

*This works too—no-fuss. I’ve got shopping to do anyway. I’ll treat Old Xie to a proper meal another time.*

As for divorcing him like the original Hua Diao did? No way. The apartment they lived in, Brocade Blossoms Estate, would become one of the first designated residential zones after the game merged with reality and established the main city. Original residents with property deeds would receive a system-assigned residence—safe and free. Only a fool would walk away.

She also wasn’t cold-hearted enough to kick Xie Tingsheng out penniless like the original did, making him miss out on the sanctuary. Staying married and living together as roommates was a much better deal.

Besides, a single woman living alone here wouldn’t be safe. After the apocalypse, morality would crumble, and she’d likely become a target—just as the original Hua Diao had. The original had survived by brazenly leeching off the male and female leads living downstairs, using their influence to ward off creeps.

But Hua Diao wanted nothing to do with those two. Having Old Xie—a trustworthy man—around would save her a lot of trouble.