Forced Into Marriage with My Childhood Sweetheart - Chapter 4

Twenty minutes later, Yan Huaijin arrived, his mind a complete blur, at a newly developed villa district. He stepped out of the car in the underground garage of one of the villas.

Jiang Yunkai had prepared the wedding house. He had visited more than once before they registered their marriage and was quite familiar with the place, moving through it with effortless ease. Yan Huaijin, visiting for the first time, could only follow closely behind him, like a small animal in a new home.

After leaving the garage and turning a few corners, Jiang Yunkai stopped in front of a door.

He didn’t unlock it immediately. First, he entered the correct code, then stepped aside to let Yan Huaijin stand before the door lock. “Press here to register your fingerprint. I’ll send the passcode to your phone.”

“Alright.” Yan Huaijin leaned forward slightly, bending his waist to follow the lock’s voice prompts. He adjusted the angle of his thumb on the sensor several times to complete the registration. While he was occupied, Jiang Yunkai took out his phone and sent the numeric passcode to Yan Huaijin.

Once the fingerprint was registered, they pushed the door open and entered. Jiang Yunkai took two pairs of slippers from the shoe rack, and he and Yan Huaijin each took off their shoes and slipped them on.

Yan Huaijin instinctively scanned the apartment’s decor, furniture, and ornaments. Jiang Yunkai trailed half a step behind, watching Yan Huaijin survey the home he had personally supervised every inch of, from the walls to the floors.

“It really does look move-in ready,” Yan Huaijin remarked, his fingers brushing the smooth surface of the bar counter. His gaze drifted to the wine cabinet that occupied half a wall, and he looked genuinely surprised. “You even have a dedicated area for drinks? Do you enjoy drinking too?”

“Not particularly. I rarely drink outside of business engagements,” Jiang Yunkai denied.

“You don’t like it, yet you installed a bar and a wine cabinet in advance? What a coincidence. I actually enjoy mixing drinks for fun. With me hanging out at the bar, this setup won’t go to waste after all.” Yan Huaijin stepped behind the counter and casually picked up a few bottles to examine.

As an Omega, he always worried about causing trouble or accidents during crew dinners on set, so he never dared to drink much. At home, Yan Rulan and the others kept him under strict surveillance, expressly forbidding excessive drinking. The only times he’d ever truly let loose with alcohol were during all-nighters at Ye Chi’s place.

Looks like I have another spot to drink now.

Marriage does have its perks. Being left alone is so much more liberating and comfortable.

“I got it just for you. I’m glad you like it.” Jiang Yunkai offered a modest, understated smile, clearly pleased to see Yan Huaijin’s obvious satisfaction.

But pride always leaves a trail. Yan Huaijin set the bottle back in its place, his eyes narrowing with suspicion. “You knew I liked drinking? Who told you?”

Before the age of eighteen, Yan Huaijin had been the picture of a perfect child. A popular Omega with a pretty face and a sweet disposition, he had been so well-behaved he never touched a drop of alcohol. As far as he remembered, his taste for it had only developed after he’d come of age, long before he ever crossed paths with Jiang Yunkai.

Jiang Yunkai clenched his fist, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he forced out two words: “Your brother.”

“My brother? That doesn’t sound like something he’d do,” Yan Huaijin said. “Did you talk about it when you were in the North District?”

Yan Zhixing had just returned from the North District a few days ago, but the marriage between Yan Huaijin and Jiang Yunkai had been arranged half a month ago. If Yan Zhixing had mentioned his brother’s fondness for alcohol to Jiang Yunkai after the engagement, it would have made sense.

Jiang Yunkai pressed his lips together, his knuckles white from clenching his fist. Yet his expression remained strangely calm as he simply agreed with Yan Huaijin’s guess.

“Alright, my brother really is a bigmouth,” he grumbled half-heartedly, stepping out from behind the bar and heading up the stairs to the second floor.

Jiang Yunkai let out a breath of relief and followed.

As they reached the top step, Yan Huaijin stopped in the middle of the hallway, glancing left and right.

“The bedroom is this way,” Jiang Yunkai said, stepping forward and moving slightly ahead of him to lead the way.

They entered the third room on the left. It was a spacious area with a bed about two and a half meters wide, more than enough for two grown men to sleep comfortably.

Yan Huaijin took a brief look around the room, his expression unreadable.

Jiang Yunkai’s gaze swept past the large double bed without lingering for a moment. “…If you don’t want to share a room with me, the bedroom next door—”

“When did I ever say I didn’t want to stay with you?” Yan Huaijin interrupted him. He reached out, his fingers deftly plucking the marriage certificate from Jiang Yunkai’s shirt pocket.

Tapping the thick booklet twice with his index finger, Yan Huaijin smiled. “We’re married, aren’t we?”

Jiang Yunkai froze for a moment, then a faint smile touched his lips. He took the marriage certificate from Yan Huaijin’s hand and put it away. “Sorry. I just… I noticed you hadn’t said anything since you came in. I misunderstood.”

“Ah, that.” Yan Huaijin chuckled helplessly. “I was just thinking about what I’d need to bring over if I’m staying here starting tonight.”

He wasn’t picky about beds or pillows, but having a few familiar things around always helped him settle into a new environment more easily.

After a moment’s thought, Yan Huaijin came up with a compromise.

“Here’s what I’m thinking. Since we got married today, it’s a day worth celebrating, and my parents will definitely want to have a meal with you. So, how about we go to my parents’ place first? We’ll have lunch and dinner there. That’ll give me enough time to pack my things and get everything ready. After dinner, I’ll bring my luggage and move in here with you. Does that sound good?”

He spoke with an air of fairness, as if trying to be democratic. But to Jiang Yunkai, Yan Huaijin didn’t seem democratic at all. From his expression to his tone, he practically radiated self-satisfaction and pride over his “perfect” suggestion.

Jiang Yunkai’s gaze grew increasingly tender and adoring as he agreed.

With their schedule settled, they left the bedroom and prepared to depart from the villa. Just as Yan Huaijin was about to step onto the stairs, Jiang Yunkai announced he needed to put away their marriage certificate and asked Yan Huaijin to head downstairs first.

Yan Huaijin was about to suggest that Jiang Yunkai take his certificate as well, but then remembered he had stuffed it into his backpack. The bag wasn’t even with him, sitting alone on the car seat. He abandoned the idea and went downstairs alone, changing into his shoes in the foyer to wait for Jiang Yunkai.

After only a few minutes, Jiang Yunkai returned from putting away the certificate, quickly changed his shoes, and joined Yan Huaijin in the underground garage. They drove away from the villa complex.

On the way back, Yan Huaijin checked the navigation and realized the house they’d bought was not far from the Yan family home, reachable within a thirty-minute drive.

By the time the car came to a stop in the Yan family’s underground garage under Yan Huaijin’s direction, it was just past eleven thirty.

Yan Huaijin had informed Yan Rulan in advance that he and Jiang Yunkai would be coming home for lunch. As they walked through the door, the meal had just been prepared. The servants were still bringing out the exquisitely plated dishes, one by one, and placing them on the table.

Everyone took their seats in the dining room. With the joyous occasion of a wedding on the horizon, the atmosphere was festive and the conversation lively. Sang Zhenyi opened several bottles of fine liquor, inviting his eldest son, Yan Zhixing, and his son-in-law, Jiang Yunkai, to drink heartily.

Savoring the aroma wafting from the table, Yan Huaijin took advantage of their conversation to sneakily pour himself half a glass.

“Drinking again? You’ve almost filled the glass. This liquor is quite strong, you know,” Yan Rulan chided gently after catching his discreet movements. “Just wait until Xiao Jiang sees you drunk. Won’t you be embarrassed?”

Marriage really does change things, Yan Huaijin thought. Now my mother has someone else to cite whenever she scolds me.

The dinner party was in full swing. Yan Huaijin enjoyed himself immensely, pairing each bite of food with a sip of liquor. Their conversation flowed naturally, with no mention of dowries, gifts, or financial arrangements.

There was simply no need. Although their marriage registration had been a hasty affair, they had hired a lawyer to finalize all pre- and post-marital property agreements within the first two days of their engagement. All necessary transfers of company shares had already been completed. Bringing up such trivialities now would be both redundant and a slight to their relationship.

The lunch stretched on for an hour and a half before finally coming to an end.

Jiang Yunkai claimed he didn’t like drinking, yet he seemed to have a higher tolerance than anyone else. Despite the high-proof liquor, Sang Zhenyi and Yan Zhixing were already showing signs of intoxication. Jiang Yunkai, on the other hand, remained perfectly sober, his only tell being a slight flush on his neck.

Yan Huaijin, who had secretly downed two glasses, sat motionless, his eyes blinking at a glacial pace. An inevitable crimson flush had spread across his cheeks, giving his pale skin the glossy glow of a ripe red apple.

Jiang Yunkai’s attention gradually drifted from the conversation. He kept turning to glance at Yan Huaijin, who sat dazed and blushing in his seat.

Yan Rulan noticed his gaze but merely smiled without a word.

Before long, the heavily intoxicated Sang Zhenyi declared he couldn’t drink any more and asked the aunt to bring some hangover soup.

After watching the men drink the soup, Yan Rulan urged them to go upstairs and rest. Seeing that Jiang Yunkai was the most sober, she informed him that the second bedroom on the right on the second floor belonged to Yan Huaijin. She asked Jiang Yunkai to help Yan Huaijin to his room to sleep off the alcohol, then she and her husband retired to their own bedroom.

Having looked after his younger brother for over twenty years, Yan Zhixing instinctively reached out to help the alcohol-loving but easily intoxicated Yan Huaijin to his feet. Just before his hand touched him, he overheard Yan Rulan’s words to Jiang Yunkai. His sluggish mind finally processed the fact, half a beat late, that Yan Huaijin had gotten married today.

Married. From now on, Yan Zhixing would no longer be the first person Yan Huaijin relied on. Even when drunk, he would no longer need his brother’s support.

Yan Zhixing’s head throbbed from the alcohol. He discreetly withdrew his hand, pretending nothing had happened, and hid his inexplicable disappointment. Rubbing his temples, he headed upstairs to his room.

Meanwhile, Jiang Yunkai, having received his mother-in-law’s instructions, nodded and helped the semi-conscious Yan Huaijin up the stairs. Fortunately, Yan Huaijin was only dizzy and disoriented, not completely passed out like a drunkard sprawled on the street. He was easy to support.

Halfway up the stairs, Yan Huaijin turned his head slightly to look at him and muttered, “You’re drunk.”

Jiang Yunkai steadied him and said patiently, “You’re the one who’s drunk.”

“No,” Yan Huaijin slowly shook his head, taking a long moment before adding, “I’m helping you walk. I’m not drunk.”

“Alright, you’re right about everything,” Jiang Yunkai said with a smile. He pushed open the second door on the right side of the hallway and led Yan Huaijin to the bed.

Before Jiang Yunkai could do anything else, Yan Huaijin, like a pre-programmed doll, kicked off his slippers and lay down on the bed. He pulled the quilt up to his chin, his long eyelashes resting against his lower eyelids as he closed his eyes and obediently fell asleep.

The entire process was smooth and natural.

Jiang Yunkai chuckled softly, tucked the corner of the quilt around him, and whispered in a voice so low it was barely audible, “You’re just as cute when you’re drunk as you were when you were little.”

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