After a Contract Marriage with a Cold and Older Person - Chapter 6

Chapter 6: Picking Up and Dropping Off

Ji Wenxu quickly moved past it and replied: 【Forget it, whatever】

【Song Tingyun: There’s one more thing. Your grandpa invited me to your house for dinner tomorrow】

【Ji Wenxu: Mm, got it】

Song Tingyun stared at the phone screen, thought for a moment, and typed: 【Did you tell your grandpa about that thing?】

【Ji Wenxu: Yes】

【Song Tingyun: What did you say?】

【Ji Wenxu: I just said we regretted not meeting sooner and decided to get engaged early next month】

Song Tingyun couldn’t help but smile, slowly typing: 【Oh?】

【Song Tingyun: You said that?】

【Ji Wenxu: Yes, is there a problem?】

【Song Tingyun: No problem, none at all. Just remember the ‘regret not meeting sooner’ part in front of your grandpa tomorrow ^_^】

Ji Wenxu was immediately stunned. Damn it, he hadn’t thought about that catch.

【Ji Wenxu: What should I do?】

【Song Tingyun: I don’t know】

After sending the message, Song Tingyun picked up the glasses on the desk and put them on, leaning back in the chair, watching the other party’s WeChat status remain on ‘The other party is typing…’

After several minutes, Ji Wenxu’s long-edited ‘strategy’ finally came through, 【Sigh, whatever】

Song Tingyun chuckled, 【Okay, I won’t give the game away】

【Ji Wenxu: Got it!】

Well, those three words seemed to be full of anger.

Ji Wenxu lay back on the bed, pulled the quilt over himself, and decided to temporarily cut himself off from the world.

【Ji Wenxu: I’m sleeping】

Song Tingyun glanced at the time. It was indeed a little late, but he thought Ji Wenxu was a young person who liked to stay up late. 【Mm, the time is a bit late】

【Ji Wenxu: Hmph, my leg injury makes it inconvenient. Normally, if I don’t have anything to do, I’ll prepare for sleep by 9:30 PM】

Song Tingyun didn’t doubt it: 【That early?】

【Song Tingyun: Of course】

【Song Tingyun: Alright, then I won’t disturb your sleep】

Ji Wenxu didn’t reply anymore.

He silenced his phone and placed it on the bedside table, turned off the lamp, closed his eyes, and started to court sleep.

The morning breeze rustled.

The tranquility of the early morning was broken by a piercing bird call.

Aunt Zhang prepared breakfast and went upstairs to knock on Ji Wenxu’s room door. “Young Master, breakfast is ready.”

There was no sound from inside.

She found it slightly strange, as Ji Wenxu never slept in. Before his leg was injured, they didn’t even need to go upstairs to call him for breakfast. They just had to estimate the time to finish breakfast and wait for Ji Wenxu to return from his morning run.

Ji Wenxu hadn’t gone for a morning run these days due to his leg injury.

That was why Aunt Zhang went upstairs to call him for breakfast.

She knocked on the door again, raising her voice: “Young Master, are you awake?”

“I’m awake, I’ll be down after I wash up,” Ji Wenxu replied.

But the voice didn’t come from the bedroom; it came from the gym next door.

Aunt Zhang’s expression changed, and she quickly rushed to the gym.

She saw Ji Wenxu gripping the pull-up bar, doing pull-ups.

Aunt Zhang’s face turned pale. She rushed over to Ji Wenxu. “Young Master, Young Master, you have a leg injury, how can you do such a dangerous movement?”

Ji Wenxu actually hadn’t done many. He hadn’t slept well last night and woke up early today.

Thinking he had been lying in the hospital for so long and his body had been out of shape, he specially came to the gym to try it out. As a result, his arm strength wasn’t what it used to be.

“Aunt Zhang, you don’t need to worry about me. Pull-ups don’t use my feet,” Ji Wenxu said, doing three more pull-ups.

Aunt Zhang’s face was terrified. “Young Master, if you accidentally slip and fall, won’t your leg be even worse? Young Master, please stop.”

She stepped forward and carefully held onto the hem of Ji Wenxu’s shirt.

Ji Wenxu sighed and hopped down to the floor on one leg.

Aunt Zhang quickly supported him.

“I won’t do it anymore, don’t worry,” Ji Wenxu was about to bend down to pick up his crutch, but Aunt Zhang immediately picked it up and handed it to him.

She said, “After your cast is off in a few days, let’s ask the doctor if you can do these exercises. It’s too dangerous right now.”

“Fine.” Ji Wenxu knew Aunt Zhang was worried about him. After all, she had watched him grow up, and in Aunt Zhang’s heart, he was probably like a half-son to her.

While eating, Ji Wenxu bent his arm and looked at the muscles on it. Compared to three months ago, they were indeed lackluster now.

Once his leg injury healed, he would have to put in effort to exercise.

Halfway through the meal, Ji Wenxu suddenly received a call from his grandpa.

“Xiaoxu, you don’t need to come pick me up when I’m discharged today,” Ji Shuyi said.

Ji Wenxu thought his mother had said something, as his grandpa had agreed to it yesterday. “My leg injury is fine. Besides, I’m only sitting in the car, I won’t be walking much.”

Ji Shuyi said, “I haven’t finished yet, listen to me.”

“This afternoon, you take the car to pick up Song Tingyun at his company and bring him to our house.”

Ji Wenxu: “Why? Can’t I just give him the address? Is he going to get lost or something?”

“You boy, didn’t you say you regretted not meeting him sooner? Aren’t you happy to go pick him up?” Ji Shuyi asked.

Ji Wenxu sighed deeply. “But I also want to pick you up.”

“Your parents, your uncle, your aunt and uncle-in-law, oh, and your cousin is back too. He and Xiaowei are also coming. That’s quite a lot of people coming to pick me up, so you don’t need to come.” The old man counted on his fingers.

Ji Wenxu immediately asked, “Cousin and Brother Xiaowei are back?”

“Mm.”

“When did that happen? Why didn’t my cousin tell me?” Ji Wenxu’s excitement was palpable in his tone.

Ji Shuyi: “They arrived this morning by plane. They’re resting at home now and will come pick me up in the afternoon.”

“Oh, alright then, I’ll go pick up Song Tingyun.” Ji Wenxu reluctantly agreed.

“Mm, remember to dress smartly,” Ji Shuyi reminded him.

Ji Wenxu scoffed: “I’m not going on a blind date, why should I dress so nicely?”

“You boy, haven’t you been in love before, or don’t you listen to advice? It’s most important to always stay handsome in front of your loved one.”

“If some scoundrel easily charms the person you like away, then you’ll have something to cry about, kid.”

Ji Wenxu’s lips twitched. He knew his grandpa and grandma were very affectionate. Ji Shuyi put in a lot of effort to court his grandma when he was young, and even in his old age, Ji Shuyi still insisted on getting up every day to wax his hair and apply skincare products to his face every night.

But that was because they were in love.

He and Song Tingyun were not in love.

“No way. Who acts like a peacock showing off every day when dating now? If he’s easily charmed away by someone else, it just means he didn’t love me enough, right?”

“Haha, if you say so.” Fortunately, Ji Shuyi didn’t press the issue and only said, “It’s appropriate to pick him up around 4:00 PM. We can have dinner together when you get home.”

“Okay,” Ji Wenxu said.

“Oh, I haven’t told Tingyun about this yet. Remember to tell him.”

“Got it, don’t worry about me.”

The two exchanged a few brief words and hung up the phone.

Ji Wenxu messaged Song Tingyun about the matter.

Song Tingyun didn’t reply for a long time.

He didn’t know if he saw it or not.

Ji Wenxu didn’t bother to care.

After waking up from his nap, Song Tingyun finally replied, 【Okay, I’ll send you the address in a bit】

Ji Wenxu replied with an ‘OK’.

Then he got up to dress and wash.

He had also messaged Pei Zhixian this morning, but Pei Zhixian was probably catching up on sleep then and didn’t reply until the afternoon.

【Pei Zhixian: I was sleeping this morning】

【Pei Zhixian: Xiaowei made a last-minute decision to come back, the tickets were booked spontaneously, so I didn’t have time to tell you】

【Ji Wenxu: Have you rested well? How is Brother Xiaowei’s health?】

【Pei Zhixian: Much better. The doctor said he just needs to rest and recover now】

【Ji Wenxu: That’s good then】

【Pei Zhixian: Then see you this afternoon. Xiaowei specially brought you a wedding gift from abroad】

【Ji Wenxu: …】

Pei Zhixian sent a few laughing emojis, and Ji Wenxu simply turned off his phone to put his mind at ease.

But it was getting late now; it was almost time to go to the company to pick up Song Tingyun.

He casually pulled out a set of casual clothes from the closet. Just as he was about to change, he remembered meeting Song Tingyun yesterday. The other party was wearing a well-tailored suit, and it really wouldn’t look right if he wore a windbreaker and jeans.

He thought for a moment.

Ji Wenxu took out a decent set of everyday clothes instead.

He changed quickly and went downstairs.

The driver had been waiting at the door for a long time.

After getting into the car, he sent Song Tingyun’s company address to the driver and didn’t pay any more attention.

He leaned against the car window, staring at the constantly changing scenery outside.

The car slowly moved from the suburbs into the bustling city center, finally stopping steadily below a large corporate building.

The weather was excellent today, too.

Golden sunlight filtered through the gaps in the roadside trees, casting mottled broken shadows onto Ji Wenxu.

He messaged Song Tingyun, then comfortably closed his eyes, crossed his arms, and started to bask in the sun.

After about five or six minutes, two message notification tones interrupted the peaceful afternoon.

“Buzz-buzz”

Ji Wenxu frowned. The messages were from Song Tingyun.

【Song Tingyun: Is it convenient for you to come upstairs?】

Ji Wenxu was not happy: 【Why should I come up?】

【Song Tingyun: The agreement we discussed yesterday has been drafted. Come up and sign it】

Ji Wenxu tsked: 【Bring it down. We can sign it in the car】

【Song Tingyun: Is that appropriate? Aren’t you riding in your family’s car?】

Ji Wenxu paused. That was true. The driver was still here, and if they discussed this in front of him, the news might reach the Old Man’s ears tomorrow.

But he still didn’t want to go upstairs to meet the other party, so he said: 【Then we’ll sign it another day when we’re free】

【Song Tingyun: Lawyer Xu has a business trip another day】

Ji Wenxu was speechless. This person was practically unassailable.

He had no choice but to message: 【Tell the front desk, I’m coming now】

【Song Tingyun: I’ll have someone come down to get you ^_^】

Ji Wenxu finally understood. Nothing good ever happened when Song Tingyun sent that smiling emoticon.

After he walked into the company, a woman clearly dressed as a secretary immediately came forward and asked gently, “Hello, are you Mr. Ji Wenxu?”

Ji Wenxu nodded slightly. The secretary quickly made a welcoming gesture: 【The boss asked me to come get you. Please follow me】

“Why did he ask you to pick me up?”

Generally, the CEO’s secretary is the CEO’s representative, and having the secretary personally greet someone would certainly draw the attention of company employees.

So, Ji Wenxu couldn’t help but suspect that Song Tingyun had intentionally arranged it.

The secretary smiled: “I am the boss’s secretary. It is my duty to welcome guests.”

Even the secretary’s answer was faultless.

Ji Wenxu snorted.