After a Contract Marriage with a Cold and Older Person - Chapter 9

Chapter 9: Cooking

Song Tingyun hummed, “No connection. I just mean that I won’t become friends with an ex-partner or ex-husband.”

“Then you must have very few friends,” Ji Wenxu concluded.

Song Tingyun didn’t deny it: “Mm.”

Ji Wenxu, finding no further response, withdrew his gaze from Song Tingyun. He leaned back, closed his eyes, and started to sleep.

He didn’t know if it was his imagination, but Ji Wenxu suddenly felt the car slow down significantly. He opened his eyes and glanced at the speedometer in the driver’s seat; the speed had indeed dropped.

It seemed Song Tingyun’s people were quite perceptive.

…

The distance from the city villa to home wasn’t short, but perhaps because he was in Song Tingyun’s car, Ji Wenxu didn’t fall into a deep sleep. He opened his eyes when the car stopped.

Ji Wenxu instinctively glanced at Song Tingyun. Song Tingyun was still busy with something on his computer and didn’t speak to him. However, the driver turned around and said, “Mr. Ji, I’ll get your luggage for you.”

Ji Wenxu declined: “No need. Just let Uncle Chen take them out. I need to take care of something first.”

The driver then got out and opened the car door for Ji Wenxu.

After Ji Wenxu got out and walked into the villa, the person in the back seat, who had been working with his head down, suddenly looked up and gazed into the distance.

The driver saw this in the rearview mirror and wisely kept silent.

In less than ten minutes, Ji Wenxu walked out of the villa.

Behind him, a man dressed as a butler was dragging two suitcases.

After the butler loaded the suitcases into the car’s trunk, Ji Wenxu leaned into the window and said to him, “You can go back. Remember what I told you.”

“Yes, Young Master.” The butler stepped back to make way for the car.

The driver turned the steering wheel and drove the car out of the villa area.

Song Tingyun had put away his computer, seemingly finished with his work. Ji Wenxu suddenly asked curiously, “By the way, where is your home? In the main city center?”

Song Tingyun: “Mm, not far from your grandpa’s place.”

“Oh,” Ji Wenxu replied, then asked, “Do you live alone?”

“Mm.”

“Living alone is pretty good, at least you have freedom. The reason I moved out was that I didn’t want anyone at home bossing me around.”

Song Tingyun glanced at his leg and asked, “When can your cast be removed?”

“About a week?” Ji Wenxu wasn’t entirely sure himself; he would have to wait for the doctor’s notice.

Song Tingyun: “Around that time.”

“Around what time?” Ji Wenxu was confused.

“In about a week, we’ll need to start preparing for the wedding: fitting clothes, preparing invitations, contacting friends.”

“That quick?”

Song Tingyun nodded: “Mm, we agreed to get married early next month.”

“Alright.” Since it was already set in stone, Ji Wenxu couldn’t do anything even if he was unwilling. He nodded, “I will cooperate with you well, and I will cover for you with your relatives.”

“No need,” Song Tingyun’s expression was cold.

Ji Wenxu just thought he was reluctant and said, “I’m serious, I won’t mess things up.”

Song Tingyun lowered his long eyelashes and said flatly, “I know you won’t mess up. It’s just that I don’t have many relatives, and even if I did, you don’t have to be overly polite to them.”

Ji Wenxu was taken aback, slightly confused. He was curious but knew it wasn’t appropriate to pry, so he pursed his lips and nodded, “Oh, okay.”

The car weaved through the tree-lined road, the shadows of the trees shifting. At this point, the sun was hanging low on the horizon, about to set. The orange-golden light spread across the ground, tinting the city gold.

Ji Wenxu didn’t know when he fell asleep.

But when he became slightly conscious.

Besides hearing someone call his name, he sniffed and caught a light fragrance of perfume. It wasn’t strong, but he thought it smelled a bit like women’s perfume.

Hmm?

Woman?

Ji Wenxu abruptly opened his eyes.

He suddenly met a pair of cold and deep pupils. Song Tingyun backed away slightly. He adjusted his glasses, looking strangely uneasy. “I saw you were asleep…”

“Are we there?” Ji Wenxu frowned and looked out the window.

Song Tingyun opened the car door and got out. “Come on down, we’re home.”

Ji Wenxu quickly opened the car door and got out. He curiously surveyed the surroundings.

Song Tingyun lived in an apartment complex. There were over a dozen buildings close together. Their car was parked below the apartment building, and the area was quite pleasant.

“You live here?”

Song Tingyun: “Mm.”

He turned and told the driver, “Take the car to the basement first, then bring his luggage up.”

“Yes.” The driver drove the car away again.

Ji Wenxu looked up at the building. “Which floor do you live on?”

“Thirteen.” Song Tingyun used a key card to open the door and walked in.

Ji Wenxu quickly followed and stepped into the elevator with him. “I didn’t expect you to live here.”

“What’s wrong?”

The elevator door was a mirror. The difference in height between the two standing together was obvious. Although Ji Wenxu had poor posture and an injury, he was still a little shorter than the impeccably postured Song Tingyun.

Ji Wenxu shook his head with some pride and quietly moved closer to Song Tingyun. “Nothing, I just thought a person like you wouldn’t be used to having people living around.”

After all, just standing there, he exuded a ‘do not disturb’ aura.

Song Tingyun lowered his head and sighed. He raised a hand and rubbed his brow. Ji Wenxu’s subtle actions weren’t lost on him; he sighed precisely because he noticed them.

He was as childish as a little puppy.

“Mm, that’s true,” Song Tingyun didn’t argue. “So I bought the floors above and below, and I’m the only person living on the thirteenth floor of these three floors.”

Ji Wenxu: …

“Ha ha, ha.” Ji Wenxu gave a dry laugh.

Song Tingyun, however, felt like laughing.

The elevator chimed, announcing their floor.

Song Tingyun stepped out, and Ji Wenxu followed behind him.

Song Tingyun: “I’ve already had an auntie organize your room. You can go take a look. If anything is unsuitable, I will arrange for someone to come and fix it.”

Ji Wenxu countered, “It’s just a place to sleep. Anything is fine. Even if there’s no extra bed, I can sleep on the sofa or the floor.”

Despite being spoiled by his elders while growing up, he didn’t have an excessively delicate or overbearing personality. Aside from being childish, rebellious, and impatient, he had no major flaws.

“It won’t come to that.” Song Tingyun opened the door, bent down, and retrieved two pairs of slippers from the shoe cabinet. He placed the slightly larger pair by Ji Wenxu’s feet and said, “These are your slippers, newly bought. If they don’t fit, you can buy a new pair yourself.”

Ji Wenxu “Oh”ed, kicked off his shoes, and slipped his feet into the slippers. They fit perfectly—not too big, not too small. He wiggled his feet, “Don’t say it, they fit quite well.”

Song Tingyun said nothing.

Walking in from the entrance, they entered a spacious living room. The layout was simple, with no unnecessary furniture or ornaments. The sofas were placed squarely, and the tea set on the coffee table was meticulously arranged, indicating that the owner paid great attention to life’s details.

A black plush rug covered the floor in the sofa area. The color palette of the entire living room was monotonous, similar to the black and white scheme of his office.

Surely his room wouldn’t have the same color scheme, would it?

He followed Song Tingyun to his room. Upon opening the door, the black and white color scheme immediately greeted his eyes. The bed was white, and the curtains were black.

There were no extra decorations.

It was empty, waiting for him to fill it.

Ji Wenxu’s lips twitched. He looked at Song Tingyun and said, “Why do you like this color scheme?”

“Why?”

Ji Wenxu: “Black and white is too monotonous. And wouldn’t you feel cold and lonely staying in such an environment for a long time?”

Song Tingyun: “No.”

“I don’t want to live in a room like this. Will you allow me to buy furniture?” Just to be safe, Ji Wenxu asked the extra question.

Song Tingyun nodded: “Be my guest.”

“Great!” Ji Wenxu suddenly became excited. “From now on, we are brothers in adversity!”

Song Tingyun glanced at him with a strangely odd look, then left the room without looking back, leaving Ji Wenxu confused in his wake.

The driver quickly brought Ji Wenxu’s luggage upstairs.

The sky was getting darker. After the driver brought up the luggage, he left.

Song Tingyun stayed in his room and didn’t come out again.

Ji Wenxu hopped back and forth between the living room and the bedroom alone.

His crutch clacked loudly on the floor. It was then that Ji Wenxu appreciated Song Tingyun’s foresight.

He hadn’t brought many clothes. The other suitcase contained his most prized figurines and Legos.

He carefully placed them on the desk and bookshelf in the bedroom.

His clothes were hung up neatly.

This wasn’t supposed to be strenuous work.

However, since Ji Wenxu’s leg was inconvenient, it took him over an hour of bustling around before he settled down.

By the time he was completely finished and had washed up, it was the time Ji Wenxu usually went to bed.

Looking in the mirror, he saw the faintly reddened scratch on his neck. He hesitated, then turned and walked to Song Tingyun’s bedroom door.

He suddenly reached out and opened the door.

“Song Tingyun, where is your home’s first aid kit…” Ji Wenxu only saw a bright flash of white light before his eyes. When he focused again, Song Tingyun was already turned away from him.

Song Tingyun was wearing a loose, navy blue pajama top. It was obvious Ji Wenxu had walked in at the wrong time.

“Ji Wenxu, I thought you at least knew the basic courtesy of knocking before entering someone’s room.” Song Tingyun’s voice was excessively cold and sounded as if he was genuinely angry about Ji Wenxu’s sudden intrusion.

Ji Wenxu felt he was in the wrong. He stepped back and closed the door.

Knock, knock, knock. The door was knocked on seriously.

Ji Wenxu’s voice drifted through the gap under the door: “Song Tingyun, do you have a first aid kit at home?”

Song Tingyun sighed. He quickly buttoned up his pajamas, then took the first aid kit from the room and walked to open the door. He didn’t speak, only handed the first aid kit out.

Ji Wenxu took it with both hands. “Thanks.”

He hopped over to the sofa, sat down, and then opened his phone’s front camera, clumsily starting to disinfect the scratch on his neck.

Song Tingyun stood at the bedroom door for a while, but ultimately couldn’t help himself. He walked over, took the cotton swab from Ji Wenxu’s hand, dipped it in a little fresh povidone-iodine, and carefully applied it to his wound.

Ji Wenxu looked up at him.

Song Tingyun must have just showered. His hair wasn’t completely dry, hanging half-damp over his head. With his hair down, he looked much younger, and you couldn’t tell he was three or four years older than Ji Wenxu.

“Song Tingyun, doesn’t your hair look good down? Why bother with styling? It looks so much better naturally.”

“…” Song Tingyun lowered his eyes and glanced at him, ignoring him.

Ji Wenxu tilted his head to make it easier for him to apply the medicine, then rambled, “I’m really sorry just now. I live alone at home too, and the aunties live downstairs, so I’m used to walking in without knocking.”

“Mm,” Song Tingyun finally responded, “It’s fine.”

Ji Wenxu’s gaze swept over his smooth, slender neck. Recalling the fleeting glance in his panic, Song Tingyun’s back seemed as white as his neck?

He asked curiously, “Song Tingyun. Is that a tattoo on your shoulder?”

Upon hearing this, Song Tingyun’s hand suddenly jerked. The cotton swab poked the scratch on Ji Wenxu’s neck, making Ji Wenxu yelp in pain, covering his neck. “Whoa, whoa, I won’t ask, why are you being so vindictive?”

The medicine was mostly applied. Song Tingyun discarded the remaining cotton swab and turned back to his room.

Then, the sound of the door being locked came from the room.

Ji Wenxu chuckled. He hadn’t expected there to be a day when he could leave Song Tingyun speechless.

He quickly cleaned up the mess on the table, casually placed the first aid kit under the coffee table, and then walked back to Song Tingyun’s bedroom door.

“Song Tingyun, it’s just the two of us living here, right? So there’s no cook or nanny?”

“No,” Song Tingyun threw out this single word.

Ji Wenxu crossed his arms and leaned against the door, asking again, “Then how do you usually eat breakfast?”

“I don’t.”

He doesn’t eat? Ji Wenxu slowly hopped back to his room. If Song Tingyun didn’t eat, fine, but he couldn’t go without eating.

Ji Wenxu lay back on the bed.

He wasn’t bothered by sleeping in a new place. He could sleep well anywhere. Moreover, the bed in his room was neither too soft nor too firm—just perfect for him.

Perhaps too much had happened during the day.

Ji Wenxu curled up in his quilt and fell asleep a few minutes after getting into bed.

…

The chirping of birds drifted in from the balcony.

The bedside alarm clock went off.

Song Tingyun reached out and turned off the alarm.

There was a faint sound from the living room, and a light fragrance of food wafted into the room.

He opened his eyes and sat up.

He put on his slippers and walked out of the room.

Ji Wenxu, wearing an apron, was just carrying a plate of sandwiches toward the dining table.

Song Tingyun glanced at the dining table, which was already full of breakfast.

“What are you doing?” Song Tingyun asked.

Ji Wenxu plopped down at the dining table. “Making breakfast. I’m someone who absolutely has to eat breakfast every day.”

“I thought it wouldn’t be right to only make it for myself, so I made some for you too. Hurry up and wash up and come eat.” Ji Wenxu picked up the hot porridge and took a sip.

Song Tingyun resignedly turned and went back to his room to wash up.

In a short while, he was done and sat down at the dining table.

“When did you get up to make this?”

“Seven o’clock,” Ji Wenxu replied, taking a bite of his sandwich.

Song Tingyun: “I recall there weren’t any of these ingredients at home.”

Ji Wenxu quickly chewed and swallowed the sandwich in his mouth, saying, “Speaking of which, I have to complain. Forget that the fridge had no vegetables, how come your house doesn’t even have rice?”

“I told you I don’t eat at home,” Song Tingyun said, looking at the large table of breakfast, a hint of warmth spreading from his chest.

Ji Wenxu: “Okay, okay. But I’ve already bought cooking ingredients. You can just eat at home from now on.”

“You can cook?”

“Ah, do I not look like someone who can cook?” Ji Wenxu felt Song Tingyun was looking at him with the same disbelief as if a panda could sing and dance.

“They didn’t…” Song Tingyun suddenly stopped. “Nothing.”

“What?” Ji Wenxu grew impatient again. “Why do you always talk in half-sentences?”

“Your grandpa and the others didn’t mention that you can cook,” Song Tingyun said.

Ji Wenxu immediately looked at him with a triumphant expression: “What’s so difficult about it? I just look at the recipe twice, and I can do it. You’re the first person to taste my cooking.”

Song Tingyun’s lips slowly curled up, and an unobtrusive joy slowly crept into his eyes beneath his glasses. “It seems I’m honored.”

“You are. If you like it, I’ll make a portion for you every time I make breakfast,” Ji Wenxu said, scooping a bowl of porridge and placing it in front of Song Tingyun.