Chapter 23

Chapter 23

Xia Yinxi let out a laugh.

Where did that "too" come from? He's getting way too into the act.

The knife hit the wooden cutting board with a dull thud, and the big kitchen went quiet again.

Xia Yinxi placed the chopped chicory on a plate, glanced at the counter, and didn't see the seasoning he wanted, so he just carried the whole plate of greens over to a small side table.

The red and green dishes were a stark contrast, looking super healthy.

The faucet was running steadily, and beside Ji Yunzhuo lay the already-washed mushrooms, spinach, cordyceps flowers, and baby bok choy. He picked up a round eggplant to wash.

"Slap."

Xia Yinxi reached out and turned off the faucet.

"Don't waste water," he said, a bit exasperated. "If you can't help, don't force it."

Ji Yunzhuo replied, "I can't just sit around watching you work."

Neither of them brought up what happened earlier. After eating, they returned to Ji Yunzhuo's old place.

Before coming, Xia Yinxi had worried it might be like in the Forbidden City—just a tiny cramped room with a narrow bunk bed. Thankfully, Grandpa Ji, for all his old-school taste, wasn't dumb enough to not appreciate some elbow room.

The room was like a little one-bedroom setup. The living room had diamond-shaped lattice windows, while the bedroom had regular glass windows offering a view of the courtyard.

The furniture and decor still had that antique charm. On either side of the entrance stood flower stands, with vases featuring a red gradient. Their texture alone made it clear they were worth a fortune, just sitting out in the open. Xia Yinxi silently edged a little farther away.

He couldn't afford to pay for those.

The bathroom was fully equipped, just like at home. Xia Yinxi took a quick shower and then realized he hadn't brought pajamas or a change of clothes.

Ji Yunzhuo didn't remind him, and he didn't think of it either.

The sound of water in the bathroom had been quiet for a bit. Ji Yunzhuo got up and knocked. "Xia Yinxi?"

"...I didn't bring pajamas."

A quiet laugh came from outside the door. Xia Yinxi ground his teeth. "What's so funny!"

Soon, there was another knock on the bathroom door, and a hand handed in some pajamas. Xia Yinxi looked at the strong arm, took them awkwardly, and grumbled, "Why doesn't your bathroom have a lock?"

"It's a private bathroom. No need for one."

The pajamas were Ji Yunzhuo's. They were too big on Xia Yinxi; the sleeves and pant legs were rolled up, hanging loose on him, which actually fit his usual vibe.

Ji Yunzhuo had to force himself to look away from the wide-open collar before ducking his head and entering the bathroom.

Though it was still July, the mountain night was a bit chilly. Xia Yinxi quickly dried his hair a couple of times, chucked the towel aside, and opened the window to enjoy the cool breeze.

The air here was way better than down the mountain. The strong wind carried bursts of floral fragrance, along with dust swirling around.

Xia Yinxi quietly closed the window.

Looks like it's about to rain. He wondered if the guests coming for the old man's birthday banquet tomorrow would make it up the mountain okay.

As he thought this, a drop of water landed on the glass, quickly trickling down, then more drops came fast, washing away the dust on the window.

His phone buzzed a few times. A message from Song Baichuan: Li Yili said you went to the Ji family? Those two idiots Ji Wenjiang and Ji Wentao didn't give you a hard time, did they?

Xia Yinxi looked at the lines and smiled for no reason. Song Donghai was even more concerned about him than Ms. Meng.

"Xiao Xiliu ya Xiao Xiliu": Nope~ I gave them a good tongue-lashing /kitten chest puff.jpg

"Donghai": Good, but watch out for them stirring trouble behind your back. What about Ji Yunzhuo? He's let those two idiots run wild for years, still pretending not to see?

"Xiao Xiliu ya Xiao Xiliu": Don't know. He had me sign a share transfer contract today.

"Donghai": That 5% stake? They must be livid, right?

Xia Yinxi remembered the twisted faces of those two and found it amusing, sending a string of "hahaha."

"Donghai": Be wary of Ji Yunzhuo too. Don't let love cloud your judgment.

"Xiao Xiliu ya Xiao Xiliu": Got it, got it.

Even if they were married, Ji Yunzhuo's joint assets far outweighed his own; he wouldn't lose much. Song Donghai was worrying over nothing.

Over there, Li Yili was posting nonstop in the group chat, while Cheng Hao sent eight "I'm impressed, awesome" messages in a minute. After a while, Xia Yinxi got an @mention from Li Yili: I overheard them saying the blind date candidate arrives tomorrow. Sister-in-law, get ready.

Below that was Song Baichuan's tired refrain: Stop calling him that.

Li Yili replied to that: Got it, @Xiao Xiliu ya Xiao Xiliu Sister-in-law Bro, get ready.

Song Baichuan sent a bunch of punching emojis.

Xia Yinxi found it funny and directly called a group voice chat. "What blind date candidate? Your brother's already married—how can it be a blind date?"

Li Yili: "I don't know. I heard them say they're sending someone to meet my brother tomorrow."

Song Baichuan: "Heh."

"Who is it? Would the girl even agree to that?"

Song Baichuan: "Heh."

Xia Yinxi: "Donghai, quiet down."

Li Yili knew nothing: "I heard the surname is Meng. Meng... something."

"Meng Jing."

Ji Yunzhuo's voice came from behind. Xia Yinxi jumped, and the phone went silent instantly—either muted or scared to death.

"How do you know?" Xia Yinxi looked at him suspiciously. "Met her before?"

The man stared at him, silent for a long moment, then suddenly raised a hand and pointed a finger at his own head. "Last time you fell in the water, did you hit your head here?"

"?"

Xia Yinxi laughed in disbelief. "What are you..."

"Isn't that your sister!" Song Baichuan whispered sharply. "What's wrong with you!"

Xia Yinxi: "..."

The original wasn't an only child.

"Huh, where'd a sister come from?"

"Your uncle's daughter."

So there was an uncle after all.

"I might have actually hit my head," Xia Yinxi said without changing his expression, snapping the phone shut. "I'm going to sleep now."

Ji Yunzhuo looked down at him. "Does Meng Jing know you're married?"

"I dunno if my mom told her, but we didn't have a ceremony, and I told my parents to keep it on the down low."

As he spoke, he buried himself in the soft blanket, letting out a contented sigh, then scooted over to the edge of the bed. "You take that side."

Ji Yunzhuo watched the shifting blanket, then suddenly sat on the bed and reached out and patted it.

He didn't know what he'd hit, but even through the blanket, he could feel something soft there.

Xia Yinxi: "?!"

"What are you doing?!" Xia Yinxi shot up, still wrapped in the blanket, his eyes wide and hair sticking up like a cat whose tail got stepped on.

Ji Yunzhuo rubbed his fingers together. "Sorry, I was just trying to get your attention."

"Am I deaf or what?!"

All you had to do was call my name! And he—he slapped my ass!

Asshole!!

Ji Yunzhuo smirked. "Sorry."

Xia Yinxi was busy burrowing back into the blanket, so he didn't catch Ji Yunzhuo's barely suppressed grin. He asked, voice muffled, "What do you want?"

"Your sister's not here for a blind date. There's a project in the west of the city she wants to collaborate on with Ming Ji, and she hasn't had time until now. She's meeting tomorrow to talk it over first."

He paused, then continued, "But she does know I'm married, though."

Xia Yinxi: "But she doesn't know it's me?"

Ji Yunzhuo nodded.

"Just tell her tomorrow."

Didn't have to slap me awake for that.

Another awkward silence. Xia Yinxi turned and met Ji Yunzhuo's eyes. After a few seconds of staring, Ji Yunzhuo looked away first.

"What are you trying to say, really?" Xia Yinxi asked, puzzled. "I'll definitely play the loving husband tomorrow. Anything else?"

"No."

"?"

Xia Yinxi was confused. What's with him suddenly being in a bad mood?

The night was dark, and half the bed was taken. Xia Yinxi wasn't used to having someone next to him in bed, but since it was someone else's place, making the host crash on the floor wasn't cool, and he didn't want to sleep on the floor himself, so he'd just have to deal with it.

Last time, Ji Yunzhuo sat by his bed watching over Little Orange all night, and even then, having someone in the room felt awkward. Now that person was lying right next to him, the awkwardness was even worse, and he couldn't fall asleep at all.

Ji Yunzhuo slept very still, with light breathing, barely there, but Xia Yinxi somehow felt the room was too hot. He stared at the ceiling, spacing out.

After a while, a low voice came from the pillow next to him. "Can't sleep?"

Xia Yinxi: "...How did you know."

Ji Yunzhuo chuckled. "Your eyes are glowing."

Xia Yinxi couldn't be bothered with his nonsense. He closed his eyes, faking sleep, but the stare next to him felt almost physical, and even with his eyes shut, he could sense being watched.

"..."

Better to keep faking it. He didn't know what this guy's deal was, but making eye contact felt dangerous.

Ji Yunzhuo didn't change his position, just turned his head to look at Xia Yinxi. The curtains were only drawn with the innermost white gauze, and in the soft moonlight, the face on the pillow was bathed in a soft glow. Those sparkling eyes were gently shut, with long, fine lashes casting soft shadows.

Xia Yinxi was wearing Ji Yunzhuo's pajama top. When he'd been standing earlier, the too-narrow shoulders left a lot of his chest exposed. Now lying down, half his shoulder was bare, his porcelain-white skin hazy in the moonlight.

He was six feet tall, so why did he always seem so small?

Ji Yunzhuo's gaze swept from top to bottom. Xia Yinxi's lips were thin but looked soft.

His hair was fluffy and looked soft too.

They'd held hands today, and that was soft as well.

...He'd hugged his waist too, and that was soft too.

An inexplicable urge nearly filled his heart, the overflowing heat surging downward. Ji Yunzhuo took a very, very light deep breath, lowered his eyes, closed them, and slowly exhaled.

He was done for.

-

The next morning, when Xia Yinxi woke up, Ji Yunzhuo was no longer in bed. The faint sound of water came from the bathroom. He sat up to shake off the drowsiness, then went to the toilet with his hair sticking up.

The bathroom and toilet were separate. Half-asleep, Xia Yinxi heard some noise from the other side—someone talking, or maybe panting, muffled by the water.

"Ji Yunzhuo?" Xia Yinxi's voice was still lazy and hoarse from sleep. "Why are you showering so early?"

The noise in the bathroom paused, followed by a clatter. Xia Yinxi knocked on the door. "What was that sound? You okay?"

It took a moment for a reply to come. "...I'm fine."

Xia Yinxi washed up with half-open eyes. In the mirror, he saw several small red spots on his neck and collarbone. They didn't itch until he touched them, then they stung and itched—probably bug bites.

The mountain had lots of trees, grass, and bugs. Even though the servants burned insect repellent three times a day, Xia Yinxi's mosquito-attracting constitution still got hit.

The weather was bad today. Even past eight, it was still gloomy, with strong winds outside rustling the branches, a sign of an impending storm.

Xia Yinxi leaned by the window to enjoy the view and couldn't help scratching his collarbone.

A startling red mark quickly appeared on his pale neck. Suddenly, a large, well-defined hand reached from behind, grabbing his wrist and pulling it away. Then a somewhat cold voice sounded by his ear. "Don't move."

Xia Yinxi rubbed against it. "It itches."

"Bitten by bugs and all you do is scratch—don't you know to apply medicine?" Ji Yunzhuo frowned deeply. Xia Yinxi's skin was too pale; even a small bump would bruise easily, and now, after he'd scratched hard, almost bloody marks were visible.

Xia Yinxi tried to pull his hand back but couldn't, so he just stood still and tilted his head up to make it easier for Ji Yunzhuo to apply the medicine. "My jacket has a stand-up collar. The medicine would just rub off."

He was still wearing the oversized pajamas, the wide collar making it easy to apply the medicine. As he spoke, his Adam's apple moved up and down. Ji Yunzhuo lowered his eyes, pressing a finger coated with ointment onto it, feeling a slight vibration.

"The guests aren't coming until tonight."

Xia Yinxi went, "Oh," and asked, "So we don't gotta eat breakfast or lunch with the old man?"

Ji Yunzhuo's fingers hesitated for a second, then he had Xia Yinxi turn and lower his head, continuing to apply the medicine as if nothing had happened. "I told Grandpa you were wiped out from last night."

"Oh."

The room was quiet for a while before Xia Yinxi suddenly caught on, whipping his head up. "?"

"What the hell do you mean I was too tired last night?!"

Ji Yunzhuo held him in place, not letting him turn, his tone carrying a hint of guilt. "Grandpa won't be too hard on Uncle. He'll make you shake hands and bury the hatchet today. I figured you wouldn't want that."

So he just made up an excuse to skip the meal, leaving Grandpa no chance to mediate.

Xia Yinxi retorted, "Couldn't you think of a better excuse?"

Ji Yunzhuo remained unflustered. "I couldn't think of one at the moment. Besides, doesn't this do a better job of 'selling' our lovey-dovey act?"

Xia Yinxi was momentarily speechless, too annoyed to bother with him. He sat down on the sofa, randomly turned on a TV show, and waited for the medicine on his neck to absorb.

The wind outside grew louder, almost turning into a howl, making the windows and doors tremble.

"Is it going to rain?" Xia Yinxi turned to look at the tree shadows outside the window. "Can the guests still make it?"

Ji Yunzhuo also turned his head, as if looking at something else. "They'll come."