Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Stepping out of the car, 007, without a moment's hesitation, sprang from Shen Zihe’s lap—where it had been comfortably nestled throughout the ride—and landed squarely on You Nan’s shoulder.

You Nan swayed slightly from the sudden shift in weight.

A large, strong hand reached out from behind him, firmly steadying his back and helping him regain his balance.

You Nan caught a faint, delicate scent of magnolia in the air.

Once he was steady, the man, who had acted so silently, stepped back, maintaining a respectful distance.

Before You Nan could fully register what had happened, he instinctively looked up, meeting Yao Xianqing’s calm gaze.

Meanwhile, both Shen Zihe and his nominal husband were watching him intently.

Both had extended their hands towards him, but Yao Xianqing had clearly reacted more swiftly.

As soon as Yao Xianqing retreated, Qi Yuwen stepped forward, placing a hand on You Nan’s back and gently nudging the cat off his shoulder. "Are you alright?"

You Nan shook his head. "I'm fine."

But then he suddenly stiffened, a realization dawning on him.

The spot where Qi Yuwen was now holding him was precisely where Yao Xianqing had touched him moments before.

Seriously? Even now, this guy is still trying to sneak in some indirect contact with his "cinnabar mole."

You Nan saw right through it and couldn't help but roll his eyes inwardly.

The little cat, unceremoniously dislodged by Qi Yuwen, looked up at the man, baring its teeth in clear displeasure.

The kitten wanted to stay with You Nan!

Qi Yuwen, oblivious to the cat’s indignation, calmly looked up and thanked Yao Xianqing. "Thank you."

Thanks to You Nan, Qi Yuwen met Yao Xianqing’s gaze directly for the first time that day, without looking away.

"Tonight, whatever you want to eat is on me!"

Yao Xianqing offered a slight smile, feigning ignorance. "No need to thank me, it was nothing."

Yao Xianqing’s hand, which had just steadied You Nan’s back, now rested at his side, his fingers twitching almost imperceptibly.

Yao Xianqing rarely had such close physical contact with others.

"In that case, I won’t hold back!"

Shen Zihe still hadn’t picked up on anything.

The four of them entered the private dining room, and You Nan settled into a soft chair.

Yao Xianqing’s earlier supportive gesture felt as though it had subtly peeled back a corner of a hidden truth. While Qi Yuwen and Yao Xianqing appeared unchanged from that morning, You Nan couldn't shake the feeling that an invisible shift had occurred between them.

Not seeing any of You Nan’s family members, Shen Zihe asked, "Has your family not arrived yet?"

Qi Yuwen, who was straightening You Nan’s napkin, replied, "You Nan’s family didn’t come."

"Ah?" Shen Zihe was taken aback. "Weren’t the people in the wedding room your family?"

You Nan’s eyes widened as he denied it. "They were all wedding planning staff."

"I thought the people standing in the room were groomsmen from your side," Shen Zihe said tactfully, muttering only briefly and not pressing further about why You Nan’s family wasn’t there.

You Nan breathed a sigh of relief. He smiled warmly, his eyes crinkling at the corners, and said, "None of my family or friends came."

His tone was soft and gentle, befitting someone who had just gotten married that day.

"Qi Yuwen and I fell deeply in love and wanted to be together as soon as possible, so we had a whirlwind wedding. The arrangements were rushed, and both Qi Yuwen’s and my family situations are... rather complicated. We just wanted to keep things simple and make it official."

"We didn’t want too many people to know, and the date was very sudden, so most might not have been able to make it." You Nan’s voice grew softer as he spoke, and suddenly, a hand resting on his leg grasped his.

You Nan flinched.

It was Qi Yuwen, sitting beside him.

Hearing this, Yao Xianqing and Shen Zihe understood.

Qi Yuwen had never hidden his family situation from his friends. He never considered it something to be ashamed of.

Those who had been close to him for a long time were well aware of his family background.

Shen Zihe nodded upon hearing You Nan’s explanation and didn’t bring it up again.

You Nan offered him a grateful smile.

Shen Zihe met You Nan’s smiling face and pressed his lips together, feeling a touch of awkwardness and embarrassment.

If he had known that You Nan and his friend both had similarly complicated family backgrounds, he wouldn’t have brought it up.

He didn’t want to make anyone uncomfortable.

Yao Xianqing picked up the menu beside him and checked off several dishes that Qi Yuwen and Shen Zihe were known to enjoy.

The group often dined together, so they were all familiar with each other’s culinary preferences.

Yao Xianqing was the only one unsure of You Nan’s tastes.

He passed the menu over to You Nan, his demeanor friendly. "Is there anything you’d like to eat?"

You Nan was flattered by the male lead’s personal attention. Under the soft lighting, his face looked exquisitely beautiful. "Okay, thank you."

You Nan first reviewed the dishes Yao Xianqing had selected—a few of them were indeed his favorites.

He then took the pen, added two more dishes, and then passed the menu to his husband, asking quietly, "Is there anything you’d like to eat?"

Though You Nan spoke softly, the private room was quiet, and everyone could hear him.

Yao Xianqing’s ears twitched, taking in every word You Nan said.

Qi Yuwen leaned closer to You Nan, their bodies in close proximity, suggesting intimacy, yet a subtle space remained between them—a hint of the distance in their "married" relationship.

They were far from truly being in love.

Qi Yuwen scanned the menu in You Nan’s hand. "This is fine, no need for anything more."

You Nan then handed the menu to the waiter who had been patiently waiting nearby.

When the dishes were served, Yao Xianqing’s gaze swept across the table, immediately spotting two dishes he hadn’t ordered. He instinctively connected these two dishes to You Nan and committed them to memory.

All four of them were quiet eaters, so the table remained peaceful.

Of course, the little kitten was an exception.

Qi Yuwen had chosen an excellent restaurant, and as soon as the food arrived, the tiny creature began to "meow, meow, meow" excitedly.

Shen Zihe managed to catch the little rascal before it could leap onto the table, but 007’s paws flailed wildly, and its hind legs were surprisingly strong, kicking Shen Zihe’s abs several times.

The cats at Shen Zihe’s home were nowhere near as energetic as 007. Caught off guard, he took a few kitten swats.

The kitten, staring at the delicious food it could see but not reach, grew increasingly frantic.

It finally remembered its partner at the same table, You Nan, and cried out desperately, "Quick! Save me!"

"I want that little yellow croaker—save one for me!" The kitten’s voice was choked up, terrified that if You Nan moved too slowly, it would miss out.

You Nan suppressed a laugh, used his chopsticks to pick up a few small yellow croakers, placed them on a plate, and handed it over.

Shen Zihe noticed, wrapped the fish in a clean napkin, and waved it tantalizingly in front of 007.

Wherever his hand moved, 007’s round little head followed.

Instead of tears welling up in its clear, bright eyes, they found another outlet, dripping straight from its unclosed mouth.

Shen Zihe: "..."

Shen Zihe understood immediately and couldn’t help but burst out laughing. "Hahaha, this is hilarious."

"Bring another plate of small yellow croakers!" Shen Zihe turned and told the waiter.

The kitten immediately calmed down considerably.

It even regarded Shen Zihe with a slightly more favorable gaze.

As soon as the fish arrived, Shen Zihe set 007 down, and its round little head immediately buried itself in the bowl, chowing down eagerly.

It smelled absolutely delicious.

It didn’t even react when Shen Zihe playfully poked its chubby little butt.

After the meal, the four humans and one cat felt a noticeable increase in their camaraderie.

Shen Zihe leaned over and whispered to Qi Yuwen, making sure You Nan, who was engrossed in his phone, didn’t overhear: "Should we add You Nan to our group chat?"

Qi Yuwen replied, "Not right now."

Shen Zihe immediately gave a look that said, "I understand."

Got yourself a wife—and such a good one at that—you’ve got to keep her all to yourself.

Yao Xianqing overheard and let out a meaningful, low chuckle.

Qi Yuwen’s gaze shifted to him, and Yao Xianqing stopped laughing.

Yao Xianqing stood up. "I’ll head back first. There’s still some work to handle at the company."

Shen Zihe would have liked to discuss romance tips with Qi Yuwen, but he knew better than to linger. Since Yao Xianqing was leaving, he decided not to be a third wheel.

Qi Yuwen acknowledged him with a nod, then rested his hand on the back of You Nan’s chair. "Who are you chatting with? Let’s go."

You Nan was scrolling through the original body's WeChat, looking at work-related messages. He had never done this kind of work before and was feeling a bit overwhelmed.

But hearing it was time to leave, he immediately stood up, his eyes lighting up. "Yeah, yeah."

The four went their separate ways at the entrance, and Qi Yuwen took You Nan home.

With two fewer people in the car, You Nan felt the atmosphere grow tense.

It was oppressively quiet, and Qi Yuwen’s face was utterly expressionless.

You Nan didn’t want to provoke him, so he simply closed his eyes and pretended to be tired.

Though they were newlyweds, the car felt like an icebox, with not a single word exchanged between them.

You Nan carried 007 back to the room he had stayed in that morning.

This room would be his from now on. Qi Yuwen wouldn’t be sharing it with him, which came as a huge relief.

If he had to share a room with Qi Yuwen, it would be awkward beyond words—awkwardness piled on awkwardness.

You Nan’s room had been tidied up; the messy confetti and streamers from earlier were all cleaned away by the housekeeper.

As soon as 007 entered the room, it started wriggling in You Nan’s arms, demanding to be let down. You Nan didn’t have Shen Zihe’s strength and couldn’t hold onto the energetic little "cannonball."

You Nan set it down and closed the door behind him.

The little cannonball immediately dashed to the freshly cleaned litter box, lowered its body, raised its tail, and pushed with obvious effort.

You Nan had never owned a cat before. He followed 007, crouched down, and watched its every little movement.

Perhaps he’d been bewitched today, but to You Nan, everything about this kitten was adorable—even its bathroom routine was a delight to behold.

In any case, it was way better to look at than the male lead, Qi Yuwen.

That’s what You Nan thought.