Chapter 22: Isn't It Sexy?

Yun Chuxia finished briefing Si Yuchuan on the general situation at Jiutian. Seeing that he offered no objection, she boldly put forward another request:

"I think, perhaps we shouldn't make the news of our marriage public just yet."

Si Yuchuan arched an eyebrow: "Do you find me embarrassing?"

"Of course not," Yun Chuxia immediately denied. "Didn't you say I shouldn't be defined by anyone else's label? I want to see if I can stand firm in the workplace through my own efforts."

She left the second half of her thought unsaid: When we part ways in a year, if I go abroad with neither money nor experience, I might not be able to survive at all.

Si Yuchuan could see through her thoughts clearly; in fact, placing her with Lu Yao had been based on the same reasoning. His old classmate was, all things considered, a decent person, but he wouldn't go out of his way to grant him favors—it was the perfect environment for Yun Chuxia to experience the independence she had always craved. Since he had encouraged her to make her own choices, he should respect them now that she had made them. After all, they were already married, and there was still a year left.

Seeing that he remained silent for a long time, Yun Chuxia grabbed his arm and gave it a gentle shake: "Is that okay?"

Si Yuchuan’s heart stirred. He suddenly recalled a young girl from his memories who also loved to look at him with wide, expectant eyes, clinging to his arm and swaying back and forth: "Brother Yuchuan, won't you take me out to play?"

That day at the hospital, she had clearly wanted to comfort him, but he had been in such agony and, not knowing how to vent his pain, had roared at her instead. By the time he regained his composure and wanted to apologize, she had already vanished. That had turned out to be the last time they ever saw each other.

For all these years, whenever he thought of it, he wished he could punch himself twice. Yun Chuxia possessed a pair of equally beautiful eyes, so when she came to provoke him, he found himself unable to refuse, as if by some divine intervention. He even harbored the thought of keeping her locked by his side forever. Yet he knew she didn't want that; she wanted to leave.

"Go ahead," he heard himself say.

Yun Chuxia became visibly jubilant. It was truly only those who had never worked who were so eager to do so.

Si Yuchuan stood up, lest he succumb to the urge to embrace her. "I’m going to shower."

Yun Chuxia’s smile stiffened. How could she have forgotten about this? Did tonight count as their "wedding night"? She had kept her agreement with Si Yuchuan in mind: he provided her with shelter, and she would accompany him whenever he wished. Her gaze drifted to the ring on her finger; such a precious item was likely something he used casually to coax people.

When Si Yuchuan looked at her, he would sometimes drift into a daze. Perhaps she wouldn't have understood it in the past, but having been a stand-in once before, she understood all too well. Si Yuchuan had someone else in his heart. It seemed that in this life, she was destined to never escape the fate of being a stand-in supporting character.

Forget it, she thought, suppressing the fine, dense ache in her heart. As long as she didn't meet a miserable end, it would be fine. She walked into the bedroom, where Si Yuchuan was changing.

His upper body was bare, his muscles firm and well-defined, with a clear V-taper at his waist, the lines tightening as they disappeared into his ink-black trousers... Yun Chuxia forgot to look away.

Si Yuchuan said quite candidly: "Want to help?"

He really was a flamboyant flirt. Yun Chuxia gave a dry, awkward laugh and scurried away. There were few clothes in her small suitcase, so she picked out a pair of pajamas at random and ducked into the other bathroom.

When Si Yuchuan stepped out with a dark blue bath towel wrapped around his waist, he saw Yun Chuxia in her red Mickey Mouse plush pajamas, and the corner of his mouth couldn't help but twitch. She certainly knew how to extinguish a fire. At times, he truly felt like he was committing a crime.

"Are you really an adult?"

With her hair still damp, Yun Chuxia rested her chin in her hands and watched him: "I'm twenty-two."

Si Yuchuan put on his bathrobe and tossed a black card in front of her: "Go buy some clothes tomorrow."

Yun Chuxia rubbed the Mickey Mouse hood: "Isn't it sexy?" It even had ears and a tail.