After a Contract Marriage with a Cold and Older Person - Chapter 13

Chapter 13: Daily Life

Ning Qingwei followed his thought process. “I don’t know either…”

“It was very sudden… he just seemed to start helping Uncle and Aunt take over the company’s affairs,” Ning Qingwei recalled carefully.

Ji Wenxu let out a discouraged “Oh,” then said, “So you don’t know either?”

“You can ask him later; he’s getting off work soon,” Ning Qingwei smiled gently at him. Ning Qingwei had a distinct mixed heritage look and still had a British accent, but he could speak Chinese fluently.

Ji Wenxu: “True, I’ll ask him then.”

Ning Qingwei looked confused. “Why are you suddenly asking about this?”

“Because I don’t know why everyone wants me to do things I don’t like. Dad, Mom, and Grandpa all want me to inherit the company…” Ji Wenxu lowered his head, his tone subdued.

Ning Qingwei raised his hand and stroked Ji Wenxu’s head like a mature older brother. Although he was a few years older than Ji Wenxu, because of his poor health since childhood, his features looked young, and he wasn’t very tall.

The scene looked like a younger brother comforting an older one.

“So you want to know why your cousin was willing to take over the family business?” Ning Qingwei asked.

Ji Wenxu nodded: “Yes. If it can help me, I think maybe I can also become like my cousin, someone everyone praises and trusts.”

Ning Qingwei looked at him seriously and said, “In my opinion, you’re already amazing. You are a remarkable adult now.”

“Really?” Ji Wenxu’s eyes lit up.

Ning Qingwei nodded emphatically.

Then Ji Wenxu sighed again. Ning Qingwei was always so gentle and kind, praising and comforting everyone. No wonder Pei Zhixian, who used to be so arrogant as a child, liked him so much.

“Alright.”

The two picked up their game controllers again and started a new round.

…

Ji Wenxu stayed there until the afternoon.

At half past five.

Ning Qingwei began instructing the kitchen to prepare dinner. Soon after, the aroma of food wafted from the kitchen.

Ji Wenxu sniffed. “Is Cousin getting off work?”

Ning Qingwei glanced at his watch and stood up from the sofa. “He should be arriving at the gate around this time. Let’s go meet him together.”

Ji Wenxu didn’t move. “You go. I’ll finish this round.”

Ning Qingwei hesitated, then nodded: “Okay, you wait for us here.”

He walked to the entrance, put on his slippers, and left the villa.

Ji Wenxu leaned back on the sofa.

He wondered why he felt a little strange.

It turned out he saw the feeling of “home” in Pei Zhixian and Ning Qingwei.

Two people forming a home together.

How strange.

“Ah Xu came over at noon,” Ning Qingwei gave the arriving Pei Zhixian a light hug, then quickly took a half-step back before Pei Zhixian could lean in for a kiss.

Pei Zhixian froze his movement.

He looked towards the living room.

Ji Wenxu quickly averted his gaze, saying emotionlessly, “I didn’t see anything.”

Pei Zhixian smiled helplessly.

He handed his discarded suit jacket to the housekeeper, took Ning Qingwei’s hand, and walked into the living room. He looked at Ji Wenxu, who was sitting on the sofa playing a game, and said, “What brings you to see me?”

Ji Wenxu didn’t take his eyes off the TV screen, the controller in his hands clicking loudly. “Don’t flatter yourself. I came to see Brother Wei.”

“Yes, yes, Cousin, I’m flattering myself. Then may I ask why you have time to visit your Brother Wei? Your dad is even having me help organize your wedding recently.” Pei Zhixian sat down next to him, picked up the controller on his side, and started controlling the other character in the game.

Ji Wenxu: “Oh, even if I’m getting married, I can come whenever I want, right? Just because you guys formed a home doesn’t mean I’m excluded, does it?”

Pei Zhixian laughed heartily for a moment. “Look at you. When did you get your cast removed?”

Ji Wenxu swung his leg, thinking, you finally noticed. “Today! I came to see you and Brother Wei as soon as the cast was off. Am I not loyal enough?”

“Mm, loyal,” Pei Zhixian nodded.

Ji Wenxu glanced up and down at him with disdain. “Why are you wearing your hair like that to work?”

Pei Zhixian’s hair used to be down, but today it was slicked back into a pompadour. It wasn’t ugly, but it had a mature vibe that didn’t match Ji Wenxu’s playful energy.

Pei Zhixian scoffed. “What do you know? If I don’t dress maturely, the people under me won’t respect me.”

“I don’t understand,” Ji Wenxu said.

Pei Zhixian chuckled again, and the ‘Victory’ icon popped up on the game screen.

“Alright, wash your hands and get ready for dinner. I don’t have time to play games all night with you today,” Pei Zhixian stood up and patted his shoulder.

Ji Wenxu sighed, “I wasn’t planning on staying all night either. I’ll go back after dinner.”

“Deal. I’ll have someone drive you back,” Pei Zhixian said.

The two sat down at the dining table, with Pei Zhixian and Ning Qingwei sitting opposite Ji Wenxu, side by side.

The dinner table wasn’t the best place for serious questions.

Ji Wenxu saved his questions for after dinner, asking them on the way out as Pei Zhixian walked him to the car.

“Cousin, is your work tiring?”

Pei Zhixian thought, what kind of question is that, but he still answered honestly: “Of course. Where is work not tiring?”

Ji Wenxu frowned: “But Aunt and Uncle said you decided to go to the company to help on your own.”

“That’s right.” Pei Zhixian nodded. He finally realized what this kid was trying to ask him. “So you want to know why I decided to accept something I disliked so much in the past?”

As a child, Pei Zhixian was not only averse to studying, but his disregard for the family business was no less than Ji Wenxu’s is now.

But the current Pei Zhixian had long become an adult capable of handling things on his own.

“Yes.” Ji Wenxu felt that only his cousin could immediately know what he was thinking.

Pei Zhixian smiled and said, “Actually, it’s not as complicated as you think.”

“I did all this for Brother Wei.”

“Once you have someone you deeply care about, you’ll fight your way to the top because you’ll feel that what you currently have is completely unworthy of them. You want them to be well, to be happy, so you have to put in the effort.”

“I still feel that what I’m doing is far from enough. Brother Wei deserves better.” When he mentioned Ning Qingwei, Pei Zhixian’s eyes shimmered with a certain light.

Ji Wenxu, however, felt embarrassed. “Isn’t that a bit dramatic?”

“You little punk.” Pei Zhixian wasn’t angry. He lightly bumped Ji Wenxu’s shoulder with his own and said, “The fact that you don’t understand means you haven’t met the person who motivates you yet.”

“Alright, that’s all I can tell you. As for you…” Pei Zhixian paused, then said, “Don’t believe everything Song Tingyun says too much. I told you, for him to be able to build that shell company up at eighteen, his capabilities are definitely more than what you see.”

He helped Ji Wenxu open the back car door, giving the reminder as Ji Wenxu got in.

Ji Wenxu was tempted to tell Pei Zhixian about the agreement between him and Song Tingyun, but he suddenly remembered the confidentiality clause in the agreement. So, he just said, “I know, don’t worry.”

“Fine.” Pei Zhixian closed the car door, took half a step back, and gave the driver and car a safe distance.

The car quickly drove away.

Pei Zhixian turned his head, watching the receding car shadow. His eyes darkened slightly, and he sighed with lowered lids before turning and walking back into the villa.

Ji Wenxu looked down at the time on his phone; it was already past nine in the evening.

If he hadn’t considered the relationship between Pei Zhixian and Ning Qingwei, Ji Wenxu might have stayed overnight here.

But actually, he didn’t need to overthink it.

After some consideration, Ji Wenxu realized the main reason he was going home was because he had promised Song Tingyun he would return tonight.

However, at this hour, Song Tingyun was probably busy in the study.

He was determined to finish the ‘work’ he hadn’t completed last night once he got back.

Ji Wenxu’s thoughts drifted the entire drive home.

One moment he thought about Pei Zhixian’s words and his final mysterious remark, the next he thought about Song Tingyun.

He didn’t think there was anything particularly wrong with Song Tingyun.

It was just that interacting with Song Tingyun didn’t feel stressful or uncomfortable. He had read in a book once that:

If you feel very comfortable around a person, it might be because that person is constantly accommodating you.

Ji Wenxu didn’t think of himself as someone without flaws or a bad temper, so it wasn’t impossible that Song Tingyun was accommodating his shortcomings…

Lost in thought.

The car slowly stopped outside the apartment building.

Ji Wenxu shook his head, throwing out all the messy thoughts.

Ultimately, he didn’t need to overthink things.

After all, his relationship with Song Tingyun was only a contractual marriage.

Looking at his reflection in the elevator mirror.

Ji Wenxu suddenly found himself quite amusing.

He claimed not to care about Song Tingyun’s opinion of him, yet he specifically asked Pei Zhixian to find him a decent outfit to wear home.

He casually placed the cake he brought back on the table.

Following the light spilling from the study, Ji Wenxu pushed the door open quietly. He originally expected Song Tingyun to be sitting at the desk looking at documents, just like last night.

But what he saw after opening the door was a different scene.

Song Tingyun was actually resting, his head propped up by one hand, his eyes closed, asleep!

He was wearing a navy blue silk pajama set. The top button of the collar was undone, and he was slightly bent over. Ji Wenxu immediately saw a large expanse of exquisite, pale collarbone.

Asleep?

This was completely unexpected for Ji Wenxu.

He stood by the door, scrutinizing Song Tingyun intently.

Now that he was asleep, the usual coldness in his eyes and brow was completely gone, replaced by a rare softness.

Ji Wenxu blinked.

He took two steps forward.

When he’s not being argumentative, he really does have a beautiful face?!

“How long are you going to stare?” Just as he was getting into the moment, the person who had been lightly dozing suddenly opened his mouth. The abrupt question startled Ji Wenxu.

He took a half-step back, hitting the door.

Song Tingyun slowly opened his eyes.

Their eyes met.

The eyes that had seemed somewhat gentle were now tinged with a cold sharpness, emitting a chill that warned people to keep their distance.

Ji Wenxu: …

“You weren’t asleep?” Caught snooping, Ji Wenxu showed no embarrassment. He walked over and plopped down in the chair opposite Song Tingyun.

Song Tingyun lowered his gaze. The hand that had been resting on his temple slowly moved to the center, rubbing his forehead. “I thought you weren’t coming back tonight.”

“Didn’t I say I would come back and finish the ‘work’ I didn’t do last night?” Ji Wenxu took the documents that were pressed under a book and spread them out in front of him.

Song Tingyun softly “Mm”ed. “Then take your time looking at it.”

“I’m going to sleep now,” he said, pushing against the desk to stand up.

Ji Wenxu hurriedly stopped him: “Don’t go, Song Tingyun.”

“You have to stay with me. I don’t have the patience alone.”

It was like writing homework in elementary school; if his friends weren’t there to keep him company, he couldn’t write.

Song Tingyun finally opened his eyes to look at him. He raised his eyelids, looking at him calmly, and asked, “Are you in elementary school?”

“If you say so, as long as you stay with me.”

Since Ji Wenxu was willing to say that, Song Tingyun seemed to find no reason to refuse.

He sighed.

He sat back down in the chair.

“One hour at most. Then I have to go to sleep.”

“I know. I must go to sleep before eleven,” Ji Wenxu’s cast was off now, and he could do simple exercises, so he had to strictly follow his previous routine.

Even if he couldn’t finish the ‘work’ in the end, he could take an hour to do it tomorrow morning after his workout.

Song Tingyun said nothing more.

He reopened the document he was half-way through reading.

Both people fell silent.

Staring at the dense text, Ji Wenxu’s thoughts slowly drifted. He raised his eyes to look at Song Tingyun: “Song Tingyun, can I go to your company the day after tomorrow?”

Ji Wenxu bringing up this topic suddenly reminded Song Tingyun of what he had intended to say. “Wait until after we get married to come.”

“If you come to our company now, your family might find out and potentially guess our arrangement.”

“After we’re married, you’ll have a justifiable reason in their eyes to come to my company.”

Ji Wenxu generally didn’t doubt Song Tingyun’s words too much because, for now, Song Tingyun was clearly on his side.

He cupped his face with one hand, using his right thumb to roll up the corner of the document page, wrinkling it. “Fine, I don’t care.”

“Anyway, it will take some time for the leg injury to fully heal.”

Song Tingyun glanced down. Although his angle couldn’t see Ji Wenxu’s legs, Ji Wenxu knew he wanted to look at his leg injury. So, he very generously scooted his chair back a little.

He lifted his leg and rested it on the desk.

He rolled up his trouser leg. “See? It really is recovering well. The doctor said it will fully recover in a little while.”

The leg looked much whiter than the other one because it hadn’t been used for a long time, and it had a long scar.

Song Tingyun glanced at his leg, then said, “Then listen to the doctor’s advice and don’t overuse that leg.”

“Oh.” Ji Wenxu swung his leg, took it down, and then dragged his chair forward again. He rolled up his sleeves and said, “Don’t talk to me anymore. I’m going to work seriously now.”

Song Tingyun: ?

He wanted to ask who started the conversation in the first place.

But seeing Ji Wenxu regain his focus, he closed his mouth and said nothing.

Time ticked by.

Song Tingyun was extremely quiet, even when turning the pages of his document.

He didn’t know how much time had passed.

Before the eleven o’clock alarm went off, the first sound came from Ji Wenxu slamming his hand on the desk. The desktop let out a loud thump. Ji Wenxu stood up, turned his computer screen toward Song Tingyun, and said, “I’ve organized it.”

“All the capital movements and various fund transfer procedures of this hotel management company… are these correct?” His tone was quite proud.

Song Tingyun first looked at him, feeling momentarily blinded by the confidence in his brow, then he lowered his gaze to the report Ji Wenxu had prepared on the computer.

Ji Wenxu was likely dealing with this kind of work for the first time. The data in the report was detailed and complex, not simplified, but Song Tingyun wasn’t one to discourage effort. He pursed his lips and said, “To produce a report like this on your first try is very impressive.”

He paused, then added, “I will send you some reference materials later, and you can refine it again.”

“So, that means it’s not good enough?” Ji Wenxu caught the subtle meaning in Song Tingyun’s tone.

Song Tingyun didn’t want to coddle him. He said, “I didn’t say you did a bad job. I’m saying you can do better.”

“Is that so?”

The sense of grievance Ji Wenxu had secretly held immediately vanished. He cleared his throat, crossed his arms, and said, “Fine, send it to me.”

“I’ll do it again tomorrow.”

“Going to sleep now.” With that, Ji Wenxu pushed back his chair and left the study without looking back.

Song Tingyun lowered his gaze again to Ji Wenxu’s computer screen.

He didn’t know what he was thinking about.

A faint smile slowly spread across his lips.

…

After taking a shower, it was almost eleven o’clock.

Ji Wenxu’s biological clock was protesting wildly.

He quickly locked his room door and lay down on the bed. Just as he was about to pull the blanket up and close his eyes, his phone vibrated several times.

Ji Wenxu rolled over and grabbed his phone.

He saw that his friends in the group chat were frantically tagging him.

There were five of them in total.

Ji Wenxu was their “leader.”

When Ji Wenxu was injured, the remaining four were either grounded or lectured… they all took their share of scolding and criticism.

Originally, they were supposed to reunite and hang out after Ji Wenxu was discharged.

However, the news of Ji Wenxu’s impending marriage to Song Tingyun was relayed to them by their respective parents.

They were explicitly told not to see him before the wedding.

As a result, they hadn’t met or eaten together even after Ji Wenxu had been out of the hospital for so long.

【Wei Zhang: @JiWenxu Let’s meet up and grab dinner tomorrow!】

【Xu Chengran: @JiWenxu Yeah, yeah! We were grounded while you were in the hospital and couldn’t visit. Now that you’re discharged, we have to see you, right?】

Ji Wenxu half-closed his eyes and slowly typed: 【Didn’t they say you couldn’t meet me until after I got married?】

【Chen Yilan: @JiWenxu They don’t want us to meet because they’re afraid we’ll do dangerous things again. But we’re just meeting for dinner, what could happen?】

【Ding Sheng: Exactly! We’re also worried about your leg injury. It’s partly our fault you got hurt in the first place】

Ji Wenxu was deeply touched. He typed: 【It’s not your fault. Didn’t I instigate you guys to race?】

【Ji Wenxu: Alright, where are we meeting tomorrow?】

【Xu Chengran: [Address] Here, at the new restaurant Ding’s family opened】

【Ji Wenxu: Okay, what time?】

【Chen Yilan: Evening, around six o’clock】

Ji Wenxu yawned. His biological clock was taking effect. 【Alright, got it. I’m going to sleep now. See you tomorrow】

【Chen Yilan: Good night, Bro Xu】

【Xu Chengran: Good night, Bro Xu!!】

…

Ji Wenxu assumed they were simply feeling guilty about his injury and hospitalization.

He closed his eyes, thinking that he would clear things up with them tomorrow and tell them not to overthink things.

No one was to blame for what happened.