After a Contract Marriage with a Cold and Older Person - Chapter 1

Chapter 1: First Meeting

Jinjiang Exclusive. Original Author: Qianshan Yaoyao

2025/9/15

Early September, autumn arrived quietly, and the weather turned cool.

The sky was a hazy gray, with dark clouds clustered like dirty cotton wads embedded in the heavens, pressed against each other.

The air was filled with a damp chill. Fine mist droplets condensed on the office windowpanes—the cotton wads in the sky were about to squeeze out their dirty water.

There were only two people in the office. A middle-aged man in a suit was standing by the window on a phone call.

A handsome young man was lying on the sofa, dressed in ordinary casual clothes. His right leg was encased in a thick plaster cast. He was sucking on a lollipop, which was poking out his cheek, and he was scrolling idly through his phone.

His appearance was utterly frivolous, and his demeanor was completely out of place with the sober atmosphere of the office.

The young man and the middle-aged man shared similar brow shapes, making their relationship easy to guess at a glance.

“I’m going down to meet Song Tingyun. You stay here and don’t even think about running off.” After hanging up the phone, Ji Chenghua turned back and warned the person on the sofa.

Ji Wenxu shifted the lollipop to the other cheek, swinging his good leg that was propped on the coffee table. He responded perfunctorily, “Oh.”

Only then did Ji Chenghua take his suit jacket from the rack and leave the office.

As soon as he heard the office door gently click shut, Ji Wenxu shot up and spat the lollipop into the trash can.

Why wouldn’t he run? Was he really going to stay and wait to meet a stranger to discuss marriage?

Ji Wenxu picked up the medical crutch beside him and prepared to leave the office, but as soon as he opened the door, two thick arms crossed in front of him, one on each side.

“Young Master, the boss said you cannot leave right now.” The two men blocking him were both broad and tall, specially transferred by Ji Chenghua from a Russian veteran group to “protect” Ji Wenxu.

If Ji Wenxu’s leg hadn’t been injured, these two might not have been able to stop him. But now he was a fallen tiger. Faced with the situation, he could only grit his teeth and angrily flop back onto the sofa.

It looked like he had no choice but to meet his sudden arranged fiancé today.

As for how this arrangement came to be.

It was, in fact, his own doing.

It happened the day after he graduated from university. Against his family’s explicit orders, he secretly drove his new sports car to his family’s island to race with friends.

Unexpectedly, he flipped the car. He had brushed against the gates of hell twice before being rescued, staying in the hospital for three months. To this day, his right leg was still in a cast.

His grandfather, Ji Shuyi, was so frightened by the incident that he suffered a sudden heart attack and was hospitalized.

His mother would faint every time she saw his injuries.

The entire family was in chaos.

Just when Ji Wenxu’s injuries had mostly healed, he proactively approached the old man and promised to be obedient and well-behaved after his discharge. Unfortunately, he had made too many promises, and this one surprisingly didn’t work.

Therefore, the old man pondered for half the night and finally decided to find him a spouse to discipline him.

He originally thought they were just joking and trying to scare him. He never expected that shortly after his discharge, before he even had time to remove the cast on his foot, he would be hauled to the company to meet his fiancé.

Feeling agitated, Ji Wenxu simply lay on the sofa, closing his eyes to rest.

Suddenly, there was a noticeable commotion outside, sounding like people were approaching.

Then, the office door was pushed open.

Ji Wenxu heard the sound of high heels. He knew it was his father’s secretary, who walked ahead to open the door, followed by the steady, unhurried pace of leather shoes.

“Mr. Song, please have a seat,” the secretary’s voice rang out.

Ji Wenxu wiggled his leg, then slowly opened his eyes and sat up to look over.

Through the lenses of a pair of gold-rimmed spectacles, his eyes suddenly met a pair of deep pupils that seemed to have a thin layer of ice over them.

The man was slender and upright like a pine tree, wearing a well-tailored bespoke suit. His shirt buttons were meticulously fastened, his tie was perfectly knotted, and the blue veins on his fair, slender neck were prominent and full of tension. His face was exceptionally refined, even exquisitely beautiful.

Ji Wenxu’s throat bobbed. He couldn’t help but be drawn to this face.

He had heard his father say that his fiancé was a man several years his senior. He was indeed a man, but the “several years his senior” part wasn’t obvious.

For some reason, he subconsciously straightened his lazy posture.

Only the man entered. Ji Chenghua did not come in with him.

The secretary led the man to the sofa opposite Ji Wenxu, brewed two cups of coffee for them, and then left.

Upon hearing the office door gently close, Ji Wenxu abruptly tore his gaze away from the man.

“Ahem.” Ji Wenxu lightly coughed to cover his awkwardness, then proactively extended his hand and said, “I’m Ji Wenxu.”

Fortunately, the man didn’t put on any airs. He reached out and briefly shook Ji Wenxu’s hand.

The moment their distinctively jointed fingers wrapped around his, Ji Wenxu felt the other person’s hand was unnaturally cold.

“Song Tingyun,” the man parted his lips, his clear, cool voice carrying a hint of polite distance.

This person must truly be my fiancé, Ji Wenxu thought, observing him.

Song Tingyun’s gaze also lingered on Ji Wenxu’s face for a moment.

The young man’s right leg was encased in a thick plaster cast, and his left forearm was wrapped in a circle of white gauze. A square medical cotton patch was stuck on his handsome face.

There were also a few inconspicuous scars on his neck.

Despite this, Ji Wenxu’s good looks were not hidden. Under a fluffy chestnut curl of hair were sharp, sword-like brows and starry eyes. His brow ridge was angular, his eye tails drooped slightly, and his monolid eyes added a touch of wildness.

He truly looked like a recently graduated male college student. His features still held an unvanished youthfulness and a genuine innocence, untouched by the world, that he couldn’t hide.

“Where’s my dad?” Ji Chenghua had set up the meeting, yet he suddenly vanished, leaving Ji Wenxu in an awkward position.

Song Tingyun explained, “Mr. Ji had a sudden phone call.”

“Oh.” Ji Wenxu didn’t find it strange. He bent his left leg, rested his chin on his knee, and stared at Song Tingyun, asking, “Do you know about our arranged marriage?”

Song Tingyun lowered his eyes, his expression calm and his demeanor detached. His tone was level: “I know.”

Hearing Song Tingyun’s cool voice, Ji Wenxu thought that perhaps this arrangement wasn’t the man’s own intention either.

Unexpectedly, Song Tingyun suddenly picked up a document from the adjacent chair and handed it to him, speaking in a tone as flat as a machine carrying out orders:

“These are my personal details, including medical records, financial statements, and family information. If you confirm there are no issues, our two families can discuss the time for the engagement banquet.”

Ji Wenxu: ?

Gay marriage was legalized in this society. While Ji Wenxu didn’t have any prejudice against it, he genuinely had no interest in men—at least for now, Ji Wenxu believed his orientation leaned towards women.

He had originally thought Song Tingyun must also be forced into this marriage by family pressure.

But where did this look like he was being coerced?

“Do you know what you’re saying?” Ji Wenxu pushed the document back, half-suspecting he’d misheard.

Song Tingyun tilted his head to look at him: “I know.”

Ji Wenxu frowned: “Since we’re discussing our marriage, why aren’t your parents here?”

Song Tingyun’s expression was placid, an indifferent attitude: “My parents are deceased.”

“Ahem.” Ji Wenxu coughed remorsefully, having asked an inappropriate question, “I’m sorry.”

Song Tingyun: “It’s alright, you didn’t mean it.”

Ji Wenxu was then confused: “In that case, why are you the one who is marrying me? Did we have this engagement before your parents passed away?”

Song Tingyun shook his head, “The engagement is recent.”

“Then what are your thoughts?”

“I have no thoughts.” Song Tingyun picked up his coffee and took a sip. “Your grandfather contacted me a month ago and discussed the matter of our arranged marriage…”

Before he could finish, Ji Wenxu eagerly interrupted: “So you agreed just like that?”

“Yes,” Song Tingyun nodded.

Since his parents were no longer around, the marriage was Song Tingyun’s own decision.

And Song Tingyun didn’t look like an ordinary businessman without any leverage, so it was unlikely he was forced by his family’s methods. Logically, it could only mean he was willing. Ji Wenxu asked, “Why did you agree?”

Song Tingyun was amused, a sudden curl to his lips. He then countered: “Why shouldn’t I agree?”

“You… like me?” Ji Wenxu was stunned before he asked the question with a lack of confidence. After all, he and the person in front of him were strangers, and he wasn’t so narcissistic as to think everyone liked him.

Song Tingyun neither flat-out denied nor admitted it. He simply said, “Sometimes, marriage isn’t necessarily because of love.”

“Years ago, your grandfather helped me through a difficult time. I’m doing this to repay his kindness.” Song Tingyun pushed up his spectacles and added, “Besides, it’s just an arranged marriage, it’s not a big deal.”

Ji Wenxu was speechless with frustration.

“Song Tingyun, it’s not ancient times anymore. You don’t have to pledge yourself to someone for a small favor, do you?”

“I’m not marrying your grandfather, am I?” Song Tingyun raised an eyebrow at him.

“Ptooey!” Ji Wenxu spat out his mouthful of coffee, his expression one of disbelief. “What nonsense are you talking about?”

“Years ago when your grandfather helped me, I promised that I would grant any request he made in the future, as long as it didn’t involve breaking the law.” Song Tingyun’s original intention was just to tease him. Seeing his expression, he curved his lips, his smile cold. With his eyes slightly narrowed behind the thin lenses, he looked exactly like a smiling fox.

“Including such a hasty engagement with a man?” Ji Wenxu spread his hands.

Song Tingyun countered, “Gay marriage isn’t illegal, is it?”

“No, gay marriage isn’t illegal,” Ji Wenxu nodded. “But couldn’t you have refused?”

“Young Master Ji, haven’t I made myself clear? I agreed to marry you out of gratitude. Ultimately, shouldn’t I be the one at a disadvantage?” Song Tingyun lightly rubbed his thumb and index finger together, and a flicker of obscure light passed under his lens.

Ji Wenxu was puzzled, “Why?”

Song Tingyun began to fabricate a story: “Because you didn’t listen to your family, went racing with friends on Qiji Island, and ended up in an accident. Because of this, your family decided to find someone to keep an eye on you and discipline you, and I am that person.”

“I was originally just an honest businessman, quietly guarding the modest family assets my parents left me in Beijing. But one day, Old Mr. Ji suddenly came to me and proposed the arrangement for me to marry you. I am a person who remembers kindness, so of course, I wouldn’t refuse.” Song Tingyun’s tone gradually deepened and elongated. “So, I was dragged into this because of you.”

Song Tingyun sighed, looking helpless.

Ji Wenxu’s face immediately lost its previous arrogance and was slowly replaced by an expression of guilt.

Was he truly the one who implicated Song Tingyun?

Song Tingyun’s smile was almost impossible to contain as he watched the dramatic change in his expression.

“So, you actually don’t want this arranged marriage with me?” Ji Wenxu asked cautiously.

Song Tingyun slowly nodded.

“I dragged you into this!” Ji Wenxu looked astonished.

Song Tingyun’s eye tails curved with a hint of a smile, and he continued to nod without changing his expression.

Ji Wenxu felt even more guilty. He regretted his impatient attitude towards Song Tingyun just now. “I’m sorry, I didn’t realize I’d implicate you.”

Unexpectedly receiving an apology from Ji Wenxu, Song Tingyun paused his gaze on his face for another moment. Then, he briefly curved his lips and adopted a magnanimous air, “It’s alright.”