Marriage Agreement - Chapter 4

Han Cheng took Xia Tian’s hand firmly. “If that is all, we’ll be taking our leave.”

Xia Sisi was so mortified she couldn’t lift her head. She shook it vigorously, her voice barely a whisper. “No… no, it’s nothing.”

“Good.” Han Cheng turned, leading Xia Tian away, then paused as if struck by a second thought. “It’s only natural for an aunt to be concerned for her nephew, but let’s leave the intimate details where they belong. Xia Tian is still young, and you are yet to be married. Even my mother-in-law hasn’t overstepped to this degree, yet you…”

Sisi gripped her clutch until her knuckles turned white, nodding in frantic embarrassment. She understood exactly what he was saying: she was meddling in affairs that were none of her business.

Han Cheng didn’t linger to twist the knife. He simply led Xia Tian out of the hall.

“Uncle Han…” Xia Tian whispered once they were a safe distance away. “I… I hope I didn’t blow our cover. I’m sorry, back there I just…”

“It wasn’t your fault.” Han Cheng released his hand, a slight frown touching his features. “Besides, there was no cover to blow. I don’t know that actor, and I’ve certainly never been in bed with him. He was just trying to rattle you.”

Xia Tian bit his lip, uncertainty clouding his eyes. “You… you really don’t know him?”

Is it because there have been too many to remember? Xia Tian wondered privately.

Han Cheng let out a short, frustrated laugh. “Don’t believe everything you hear. I’m not nearly bored enough to sleep with everyone who crosses my path.”

“I’m sorry,” Xia Tian apologized awkwardly. “Anyway… why are you back? I thought you weren’t supposed to be home until the weekend.”

“The work was finished ahead of schedule. I checked the time, saw it was still early, and decided to come by and see if I could catch you.” Han Cheng smiled. “Luckily, I wasn’t too late. Happy birthday.”

“Thank you.” Xia Tian hesitated, then added, “I saw the gifts. They’re… they’re too much. You really didn’t need to spend so much. But thank you.”

Han Cheng blinked, deciding not to throw his mother under the bus for the excessive spending. He simply nodded. “As long as you like them.”

He glanced at his watch. “Do you want to stay and play, or should we head home?”

Terrified of another encounter like the one with Ya Xin, Xia Tian blurted out, “Home. Let’s go home.”

Han Cheng nodded. “Good. I’m looking forward to getting some rest myself. We can head back together.”

Xia Tian froze. “!”

“Did you forget our agreement?” Han Cheng looked at him with an amused glint. “I’m back now. It wouldn’t look right to the outside world if you were still living on your own.”

It finally clicked: the co-habitation was starting now.

Noticing Xia Tian’s apprehension, Han Cheng chuckled. “Relax. Your room is already prepared. It’s across the hall and down a separate corridor from mine. You can bolt the door at night if you’re worried. If you’re really worried, I can even have an alarm system installed for you.”

“No, no! That’s not necessary.” Xia Tian’s ears turned pink. He scrambled for a distraction. “Does… does the rest of your family know about our arrangement?”

“It’s fine. There isn’t really anyone at the house. My mother lives separately. Aside from me, there’s just a housekeeper, a driver, and my assistant stays over occasionally. You don’t have to worry about them.” Han Cheng’s voice turned serious for a moment. “However, if we have guests, we’ll need to put on a show. Understood?”

Xia Tian nodded. “I get it.”

“We’ll have to visit my mother occasionally,” Han Cheng added. “Her place is a bit of a rumor mill. When we’re there, we’ll need to be especially affectionate.”

Xia Tian recalled his mother mentioning that Ruan Sihe still lived in the old Han family estate. He had been worried about moving into a house full of relatives; living alone with just Han Cheng sounded much more manageable.

“Should we go now? I should probably tell my mom.”

“I’ll come with you.”

****

Ruan Sihe and Zhou Yun were surprised to see Han Cheng, but when he announced he was taking Xia Tian home, Zhou Yun’s momentary frown was quickly replaced by a gentle smile. “Alright.”

She patted Xia Tian’s shoulder. “Listen to your Uncle Han. Don’t be a nuisance.”

Ruan Sihe pulled Han Cheng aside for a quick word before turning back to ensure Xia Tian’s gifts were being packed. She fussed over the boy, telling him repeatedly that if there was anything he didn’t like or anywhere he didn’t feel comfortable at the new house, he must tell her immediately.

By the time Xia Tian was sitting in the back of Han Cheng’s car, his brain was a chaotic mess.

“Auntie Ruan…” Xia Tian said, trying to break the heavy silence as his nerves about the “move-in” mounted. “She’s really good to me.”

Han Cheng was focused on his laptop, multitasking even now. “Of course she is…”

Xia Tian looked at him, confused. Han Cheng smiled, closing his screen slightly. “I’ll tell you a little secret, but you have to keep it between us.”

Everyone loves a bit of gossip. Xia Tian’s eyes lit up. “I promise.”

“A few years ago,” Han Cheng began casually, “I almost got married.”

Xia Tian’s eyes widened.

“It was a similar situation to ours. No feelings involved, just a mutually beneficial alliance. We both knew the score. However…” Han Cheng paused, choosing his words carefully. “My mother despised the person and their family’s behavior. After a month, she gave me an ultimatum: I absolutely will not marry someone like that for the sake of the Han name.”

Xia Tian hadn’t expected the warm, motherly Ruan Sihe to have such a fierce side. “So you listened to her and called it off?”

“Not exactly.” Han Cheng smiled. “I was younger then, and my temper was worse. I was focused on crushing my competitors and didn’t care much for the ‘optics.’ I was planning to go through with it regardless, but…”

“I had a friend abroad do a deep dive into the person’s history from when they were a student. It turned out they had a history of bullying, drug use, and even a hit-and-run they’d covered up.” Han Cheng’s brow furrowed slightly. “They’d hidden it well. If it hadn’t been for my mother’s fierce opposition, I probably wouldn’t have bothered to look so closely.”

Xia Tian shivered. If Han Cheng had married that person, he wouldn’t be sitting here today.

“Even for a business arrangement, that was a bridge too far. I’m not eating a cake that has a rat in it,” Han Cheng said, typing a few more words. “Looking back, I was too impulsive then. My judgment wasn’t as sharp as I thought.”

“That matter was handled quietly, but ever since then, Mrs. Ruan has been… hyper-vigilant about my romantic life. She wanted me to find ‘the one,’ but none of the people I dated after that ever sparked anything real.” Han Cheng looked at Xia Tian and smiled. “She was terrified I’d bring home another monster. When she realized we could form an alliance with you, she was overjoyed. She genuinely likes you… So don’t feel pressured. She doesn’t expect much; she just wants me to settle down and stay on the right path.”

Xia Tian understood now. He hesitated, then whispered, “That person from before…”

“Don’t worry, they won’t be coming after you,” Han Cheng said dismissively, not looking up from his screen. “After I broke things off, he was married to someone else within three months. His current wife is incredibly controlling and quite a firebrand. He wouldn’t dare mention our history to anyone; she’d have his head.”

Xia Tian breathed a quiet sigh of relief.

They still had a long drive ahead of them. Xia Tian had been on edge all day and was starting to crash. Just as he was about to close his eyes, Han Cheng spoke again in that same calm, detached tone.

“By the way, if any of my former flings or anyone like that man today tries to give you trouble, don’t be afraid. You are my legal spouse. Your standing is higher than anyone’s. If someone provokes you, hit back with everything you’ve got. Whatever lies you feel you need to tell about our relationship, tell them. I will back you up.”

Xia Tian was hit by a sudden, violent coughing fit.

Han Cheng looked at him, confused, and patted his shoulder. “Don’t worry. Even if your lies contradict mine, I can smooth it over. I’m quite a bit better at lying than you are.”

Xia Tian’s ears turned a vivid red. He gave a strained laugh, nodded his thanks, and then turned his head to stare out the window, his heart screaming: What is happening?! What is happening?!

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