[ABO] The Despised One Becomes an Internet Sensation After Marriage - Chapter 29

Chapter 29

In his dream, mist surged as a cruise ship cut through the water, its gears churning slowly. A dull roar echoed, and as Xu Zhimian looked up, a tide of familiar memories rushed back.

Three years ago, on that cruise ship.

“Sir, why is your door lock code the same as your WeChat ID?”

After that night at Victoria, Fu Shiyan had signed a sponsorship agreement with him. They met three times a week—the timing was regular, though the locations varied. This time, it was on a luxury liner.

Outside the balcony, the moonlight was like frost reflecting on the sea. Fu Shiyan, dressed in a white bathrobe, had eyes as dark and pure as the midnight ocean. Hearing Xu Zhimian’s lazy inquiry from behind, the cigarette between his fingers trembled slightly.

Xu Zhimian waited for a long time. Assuming there would be no answer, he turned over to sleep. Suddenly, Fu Shiyan muttered from the window: “…I forgot.”

Xu Zhimian opened his eyes. It had been a casual question; hearing such a perfunctory answer, he assumed Shiyan simply didn’t want to say and didn’t press further. He didn’t know that Fu Shiyan was staring down at those digits, his eyes filled with a profound loneliness and sorrow.

The night passed in silence.

Fu Shiyan kept him on the ship for seven days. During that time, Shiyan didn’t touch him; he simply took him to the deck to watch the sea. Xu Zhimian couldn’t fathom his intentions.

Seagulls skimmed the water, landing in the hands of tourists. As Xu Zhimian watched them, a hand suddenly landed on the back of his neck. Fu Shiyan gave it a light squeeze. “Is it beautiful?”

Xu Zhimian’s soft hair fluttered in the sea breeze. He shrank his neck slightly and lowered his gaze. “It is. I envy the seagulls.”

A hint of interest sparked in Fu Shiyan’s eyes. “Oh? Why envy them?”

Xu Zhimian looked at the shimmering waves. “Their freedom and joy.”

Fu Shiyan looked at him, but his gaze seemed to pass through him, looking at someone else entirely. His dry, warm hand landed on Zhimian’s soft hair, rubbing it gently with a soft laugh. “…My mother used to say the same thing.”

Xu Zhimian knew Fu Shiyan’s mother had died in a shipwreck. His heart skipped a beat. He looked up to see Shiyan’s smile—it was faint, lingering on his lips but never reaching his eyes.

“My mother loved the sea. She loved the seagulls.” Fu Shiyan’s voice was deep, carrying a trace of very faint sadness.

The benefactor is sad. How should a qualified canary comfort him?

Fu Shiyan felt something cool and soft touch his cheek. Xu Zhimian wrapped his arms around the Alpha’s neck, his eyes shining brightly. “…Sir, look at it this way: she is buried in the ocean she loved. In the other world, she must be very happy.”

The two locked eyes. Fu Shiyan froze for a moment before breaking into a laugh. “…I’m not a child. You don’t need to coax me.”

Xu Zhimian snorted, unconvinced. “Who says adults don’t need coaxing!”

Fu Shiyan’s brow arched at the remark, the clouds in his heart dissipating instantly. He pinched Zhimian’s chin. “Is ‘coaxing’ just a few words from your mouth?”

Back then, Xu Zhimian was incredibly green. His face flushed crimson as he stammered, “Then… how does Sir want to be coaxed?”

“Kiss me.”

That kiss was scorching. Fu Shiyan plundered his mouth, dominant and overbearing. Xu Zhimian drowned in the kiss; the sound of the waves, the seagulls, and the cheers of tourists all vanished, leaving only their hot, tangled breath.

Fu Shiyan, realizing he didn’t know how to catch his breath, softened the kiss into light pecks.

“Xu Zhimian, what’s the date today?” “September 7th.” “The anniversary of my mother’s death.” Fu Shiyan let him go, steadying his breath. He wiped a trace of moisture from the corner of Zhimian’s mouth, his voice gentle. “…The code and ID are the same to serve as a constant reminder.”

Fu Shiyan had finally answered yesterday’s question. Zhimian realized the code was 09070413.

…

Xu Zhimian snapped his eyes open. The room was dark. He reached out to flip the bedside switch, revealing a room filled with wooden furniture and unfamiliar decor. He rubbed his temples. Where is Fu Shiyan? Where am I?

The sound of footsteps on the wooden floor approached. Fu Shiyan’s voice came from the door: “…Awake?”

“Where are we?” Xu Zhimian pulled back the covers. His head was heavy, and his steps were shaky. The Alpha stepped forward quickly, supporting his waist and helping him sit on the edge of the bed.

Fu Shiyan: “Drink some tea first.”

Xu Zhimian vaguely remembered drinking a lot of rice wine, but nothing after that. The tea was fragrant but incredibly bitter. He downed a gulp and stuck out his tongue. “Ugh, so bitter!”

“Open up.” Suddenly, something cool and long slipped into his mouth. Candy? Where did Fu Shiyan get candy?

Xu Zhimian’s tongue swirled around it; a rich, sweet milky flavor washed away the bitterness. He forgot his question about the candy and asked instead, “What time is it?”

Fu Shiyan withdrew his hand, his fingers curling slightly. “Nine o’clock.”

“That late?! What did you guys record this afternoon?”

“Assigning rooms and drawing straws for tomorrow’s task.” Fu Shiyan found his wide-eyed expression cute and couldn’t help pinching his cheek.

“What did we draw?” “Learning Miao embroidery.”

…

The Next Day

“Miao embroidery is an ancient folk craft, a unique carrier of Miao history and culture…”

The elderly woman teaching them spoke in slightly broken Mandarin, her face stern as she explained the craft. “Today, we will learn the ‘cross-stitch’ technique…”

Before she could finish, Jiang Xiaocheng let out a loud “Wow!” from the side. “I’m so excited! I’ve heard so much about this. I never thought I’d get to learn it in person!”

The others: “…” The old woman gave him a cold look for interrupting and continued, “Watch me demonstrate.”

The woman’s hands moved with incredible speed and precision. Jiang Xiaocheng chimed in again: “Wow, that’s amazing!”

The woman finished and instructed them: “The stitches must be fine and tight. Don’t rush. Show me your work when you’re finished.”

Only the three of them remained in the room. Xu Zhimian moved his chair as close to Fu Shiyan as possible, putting as much distance between himself and Jiang Xiaocheng as the room allowed.

Jiang Xiaocheng gave a helpless smile to the camera. “Sigh, another day of being isolated as a single dog.”

[Live Comments]:

You’re not a single dog, you’re just being shunned. Look at what you’ve done.

Let’s stay neutral until the results are out. Xu Zhimian doesn’t look like he can sing, but Jiang Xiaocheng has won awards. That’s proof of talent.

Lmao, Jiang Xiaocheng didn’t even draw this task. He insisted on swapping into the embroidery group himself.

Poor Xiaocheng. His own song gets claimed by someone else, and now he has to film with them. So tragic.

So “green tea” (manipulative).

You plagiarize someone’s work and then have the gall to follow them onto a show? They’re being merciful just by rolling their eyes.

Jiang Xiaocheng’s antics had landed him on the trending list once again. He had awards but lacked personal fame; people knew the songs but not the face. This show was finally putting him in the spotlight.

Suddenly, Jiang Xiaocheng pricked his finger. He let out a sharp cry: “Sss… ow, ow, ow!”

He caught a glimpse of the comments—words like “fake,” “pretentious,” and “drama queen” flooded the screen. His thoughts twisted: Infamy is still fame. Xu Zhimian had climbed up from being hated, too. As long as there was buzz, there was traffic. Once he turned the tables, he wouldn’t let Xu Zhimian off.

Hearing Jiang Xiaocheng’s constant noise, Xu Zhimian frowned. Before he could speak, Fu Shiyan beat him to it, warning Jiang Xiaocheng coldly: “…Shut up!”

Stunned by the Alpha’s authority, Jiang Xiaocheng stammered, “I… I’m just a little scared.”

[Live Comments]:

He swapped into this task himself and now says he’s scared. So fake.

Why is Fu Shiyan yelling? Everyone has fears. Xiaocheng has a phobia of sharp objects!

Bullying a newcomer just because you’re a veteran?

Your “idol” stole the man’s work—did you expect the husband to be nice?

Fu Shiyan ignored him. Xu Zhimian was surprisingly agile with his hands, but Fu Shiyan struggled. A needle pricked his finger, and a bead of blood surged out. He didn’t even flinch.

“You hurt yourself?” Xu Zhimian grabbed his hand, his face full of worry. He instinctively licked away the bead of blood. “Does it hurt?”

Fu Shiyan let out a “hiss.” He said expressionlessly, “A little. It’s fine.”

Xu Zhimian took the half-finished piece from him. “Sir, I’ll do it. You rest.”

Fu Shiyan said quietly, “No need.”

Fu Shiyan’s hands clearly weren’t meant for such delicate work. The thought of those hands covered in needle pricks made Xu Zhimian shudder. He said with absolute determination: “I am your wife! Are you not going to listen to me?!”

Xu Zhimian froze. Wait, what did I just say?!

Fortunately, they were legally married, so the remark wasn’t entirely out of place.

“…” Fu Shiyan was stunned. He savored the words “I am your wife” for a moment, and a smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. “Fine. I’ll listen to my wife.”

He put a heavy emphasis on the word “wife.” Xu Zhimian’s hand trembled slightly. That was totally cheating.