Raised To Be His Wife After Moving In - Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Parking lot was far from the restaurant, so Lin Qiusu obediently followed behind Xie Yu, maintaining a distance of half a meter, occasionally looking up to steal a glance at the other man.

Xie Yu was very tall, about 187cm. His back was straight but not stiff; his entire being carried a perfectly balanced air of casualness, with firm and smooth contours…

And his complexion looked good.

Wicked person. Of course he’s happy now that he got his way.

Lin Qiusu thought to himself, pouting with annoyance.

Meanwhile, having successfully picked up the target, Xie Yu updated Lin Guanqing on the progress, adding a bit of intimidation for good measure.

Xie Yu: How come this younger brother looks nothing like you? He looks pitiful, weak, and helpless.

Xie Yu: If you breach the contract, I can “dispose of the hostage” however I want. I can bully him, exploit him, make him cry…

Lin Guanqing reached his limit: Are you a dog?

Xie Yu immediately threatened: Fine, insulting your boss? It’s your own brother who’ll suffer for it!

He hit send, wondering if he should find an opportunity to show off and prove he wasn’t just big talk.

On the other side, Lin Qiusu, shivering from the airport air conditioning, let out a soft sneeze.

Xie Yu, who was ahead, suddenly stopped. Lin Qiusu didn’t notice and nearly slammed his head into the man’s back. He stopped abruptly, his nose already catching the scent of the other person.

The scent could only be smelled up close; it likely came from a cedar sachet in a wardrobe. It was a clean, woody tone that made Lin Qiusu think of a forest in late winter or early spring.

After his thoughts drifted for a moment, he snapped back to reality and took a few steps back.

Xie Yu turned around, lifting his eyelids to look at Lin Qiusu: “Why do you feel so nervous? You’re acting like you’re attending a blind date with me.”

His voice and breath were very close, crisp and refreshing, with a perfectly measured tone of cynicism.

Lin Qiusu had a vague, ominous premonition and shook his head vigorously in denial.

Xie Yu said: “So, you actually took those rumors the streamers spread to heart?”

Lin Qiusu was confused: “Which ones?”

“Weren’t the rumors quite detailed? Saying I rejected a lot of friend requests.” Xie Yu was quite the grudge-holder. He asked with a half-smile: “Afraid I’m going to find you to be gay with?”

Lin Qiusu froze, his ears turning red: “I’m not afraid!”

…Wait, why did that sound a bit weird?

But not denying it seemed even weirder.

Xie Yu said thoughtfully: “Not this, not that. So is it because you’re shy with strangers and feel awkward with me?”

Lin Qiusu felt that if he didn’t give an answer, Xie Yu wouldn’t let him off, so he admitted it listlessly.

“Just assume I am, then,” he replied with a numb expression.

Afterward, Lin Qiusu’s mind wandered as he pondered the conversation, suddenly catching a key point. He couldn’t suppress his curiosity: “You seem to know a lot about blind dates. Have you been on them?”

Xie Yu paused, then said: “Little Lin, so you like gossip? You get excited the moment we mention this kind of thing.”

The word “excited” was drawled out slowly. Lin Qiusu wanted to say he wasn’t like that, but Xie Yu changed the subject.

“Or do you want to play matchmaker for me? Are you even of legal marriage age yet?”

Lin Qiusu: “…”

Based on how full of himself this man was, he predicted that even a blind date couldn’t save Producer Xie.

However, Xie Yu showed no sign of restraint. Seeing Lin Qiusu’s blank, silent expression, he didn’t shut up, continuing on his own.

“Sorry, I’m not interested in that kind of thing. No matter how much someone thinks about it, they’ll just be left out in the cold.”

Lin Qiusu resisted the urge to roll his eyes, staring at the airport floor tiles in a daze. He thought, Xie Yu looks so glamorous and polished, so how can he be so shameless?

No wonder they say birds of a feather flock together. Anyone who hangs out with Lin Guanqing couldn’t possibly be a “normal” person. Living under the same roof as him… would he get “contaminated”?

As a newcomer, even though Lin Qiusu was independent and lively, he was inevitably timid. He had been in a state of high tension until now. But at this moment, being teased into not knowing whether to laugh or cry, much of his unease had mysteriously vanished.

Under the twilight shadows, his beautiful eyes turned darkly. Lin Qiusu noticed that although Xie Yu was wearing a mask covering half his face, his “turn-back rate” was quite high. Many people passing by would turn their heads in surprise to steal a glance at him.

Initially lagging behind, Lin Qiusu now unconsciously walked beside Xie Yu, glancing at him too.

Then their eyes met—he was caught red-handed!

Xie Yu said: “Looking again will cost a fee.”

Young Lin was still in his adolescence; being caught made him feel very embarrassed. He replied: “I was just looking around randomly, I wasn’t looking at you!”

From then on, he refused to even give Xie Yu a sidelong glance, while Xie Yu didn’t seem discouraged at all, casually playing with his car keys.

Fifteen minutes later, the two wandered to the parking lot.

Xie Yu’s car was very recognizable. One could spot it from a distance; its presence was as high as its owner’s. A few passersby specifically stopped to take photos, and Lin Qiusu even heard a man lamenting.

“The big city really has a lot of rich people. Dammit, did the person who bought this car get two buildings in a demolition settlement?”

The man’s voice was loud; Lin Qiusu was sure Xie Yu heard it too. But Xie Yu had no reaction to the external envy or misconceptions. Having likely been treated as a “chosen one” since childhood, he was long accustomed to flowers and applause and didn’t care to address misunderstandings.

Xie Yu said: “Give me the bag, I’ll put it in the trunk.”

Lin Qiusu obediently handed over his backpack but didn’t rush into the car, standing still on the side. Accustomed to being cautious, he carefully considered which seat to choose. The first meeting was awkward enough; it would be better to keep his distance. Out of sight, out of mind.

So he asked: “Can I sit in the back?”

“Lin Guanqing asked me to temporarily act as your brother, not to start a job as your chauffeur,” Xie Yu rejected.

Lin Qiusu was silent for half a second, then obediently opened the front door and somewhat clumsily fastened his seatbelt.

This AMG GT 63s was entirely black, known in car circles as a “thug in a suit.” The luxury car, with a starting price of over two million, had a very sophisticated interior. In Xie Yu’s hands, it was kept in its original state—no hanging decorations, no snacks or candies. There was only one wireless charger, and a lone basketball lay in the back seat; the place reeked of “single bachelor.”

“What do you want for dinner?” Xie Yu asked. As he spoke, he took off his mask, revealing the handsome lower half of his face.

Previously, the streamers had frequently marveled at Island’s youthfulness. Lin Qiusu hadn’t felt much then, but now he was equally surprised. This “youthfulness” didn’t stem from being young in years, but from a spirited, sharp, and fierce energy, tempered like fire.

Lin Qiusu said: “Anything is fine, I’m not a picky eater.”

Xie Yu was always casual and self-centered. Hearing Lin Qiusu say this, he stopped asking. He planned the return route, skillfully driving onto the city highway toward the city center.

The rest of the drive was silent. Xie Yu didn’t consider himself gentle or approachable, and he certainly wasn’t smooth or attentive; he truly couldn’t handle the task of hosting guests. It wasn’t just his personality—in fact, a large circle of people in the company were like this: sharp-tongued and mischievous…

Who in the game industry was actually “honest”?

Xie Yu was considered relatively reliable. When Lin Guanqing approached him, he said he had looked around and only Xie Yu was suitable. Most of those other friends had limited energy—working like crazy during the day and having private matters to handle after work, they were too tired to care about anything else.

A few others were free enough, but Lin Guanqing felt they radiated a “mating aura” at all times. His younger brother was pure and cute; wouldn’t it be dangerous to leave him with them? After thinking it over, Xie Yu was the safest choice.

Lin Guanqing’s exact words were: “Among all these despicable old bastards around me, Xie Yu is the most destined to be single for life. He’s so safe that I should worry about whether Xie Yu will be disliked by Lin Qiusu.”

Xie Yu felt this endorsement sounded like an insult, but since he was already here, he didn’t bother to argue and didn’t think about how to drop the burden.

After dinner, Xie Yu took Lin Qiusu to a large supermarket next to the restaurant.

“I usually live alone, so I don’t have many daily necessities. We need to buy everything now,” Xie Yu said. “Think about what you need to prepare.”

The sky was dark now, and under the night sky, the city was shrouded in shadows. Streetlights on both sides of the road were lit, and luxury advertisements played on the mall’s outdoor screens; the scenery was full of modern glamour.

Lin Qiusu was pleasantly surprised, finally feeling the reality of leaving his small town. The fatigue from the journey vanished. He looked up and blinked, then nodded to Xie Yu, his mood visibly much brighter.

“Thank you,” Lin Qiusu said. “I don’t take up much space and won’t make much noise… but I’m troubling you during this time.”

Xie Yu smiled, seemingly at the youth’s greenness. He said: “It’s not like raising a small pet where I have to stop you from running or shouting. Just be yourself.”

The supermarket was huge, with a dazzling array of goods spanning three floors. Because it was a day off, many people were wandering around, so they had to stay extremely close to avoid getting lost. In the crowded aisles, their shoulders would occasionally bump, and they would both quickly pull away.

The shopping cart gradually filled with a toothbrush, a mouthwash cup, laundry detergent…

“Do we need to buy soy sauce too?” Lin Qiusu was shocked. “This is used very slowly. Rice too—one bag lasts a long time.”

Xie Yu said: “There isn’t a single grain of rice in my kitchen. Only two unused pots and a rice cooker. A mouse couldn’t even survive in my house.”

Lin Qiusu: “.”

He imagined Xie Yu’s home. Yeah, probably a wasteland.

Xie Yu paid for the groceries. Lin Qiusu glanced at the bill and wanted to go to a nearby self-service counter to transfer the money.

Looking at Lin Qiusu’s phone, Xie Yu found it unbelievable: “You’re an adult and still can’t go online? Lin Guanqing must be abusing you.”

Lin Qiusu said: “I feel it’s unnecessary myself. Changing phones might distract me from studying. As long as I can be contacted, it’s fine.”

Quite obedient, Xie Yu thought. His own grades had always been good, yet that never stopped him from being rebellious and causing headaches for everyone. Clearly, Lin Qiusu was the kind of good student teachers loved and elders doted on—they were from two different worlds.

“Do you like black or white? Or blue, green, or pink?” Xie Yu asked.

Outside the checkout was a row of shops, one of which was a home furnishing store. They stood side-by-side in front of a display of cups.

Lin Qiusu picked for a while and said: “Blue!”

He took a blue water cup with a lid, a portable style that could be used at home or outside.

Recently, the supermarket was holding a summer event; spending over a certain amount allowed for a lucky draw. After shopping, they didn’t leave immediately, taking their receipt to the prize counter.

The queue was long. Xie Yu waited impatiently, while Lin Qiusu was quite interested, occasionally tiptoeing to look at the prize table. Some children behind them were getting noisier, and Xie Yu’s patience finally ran out.

After exchanging numbers with Lin Qiusu, he let the boy happily continue waiting in line while he went to a quiet corner to deal with a backlog of work messages. Having been offline for a few hours, his internal network “OC” had hundreds of message notifications.

People pulling him into groups for discussions, people wanting him to finalize planning documents, marketing operations people wanting him to implement details… and friends chatting with him. Now that Lin Guanqing was gone, it felt like a funeral.

Clear’s departure is so tragic!! Clear-zi, how will our game survive without you! Dammit, he still has over a hundred work orders unfinished in the backend!

By the way, are you picking up his brother? How is he? Handsome? Does he look like Clear?

Xie Yu, who had taken over Lin Guanqing’s backend work: Thanks to Clear, my workload has exploded. Who has time to care what his brother looks like?

Besides, he wasn’t gay. He felt it was strange and inappropriate to care if a boy was good-looking or cute.

The other side didn’t quite believe him: You, a lonely bachelor, welcoming a roommate—lucky you. Are you secretly keeping a little hottie all to yourself?

Xie Yu replied speechlessly: Screw off.

…

At the front desk, Lin Qiusu handed over the shopping receipt and spun the wheel with anticipation. The needle landed on [Surprise Third Prize], which was a decent result.

“Many of the prizes are gone now. Go pick two things yourself,” the staff member said. “They’re all in that box.”

Lin Qiusu found the corresponding red box. There really wasn’t much left—mostly items that others had rejected. Weird-flavored bubble gum and Pepsi, and a few packages that looked like imported candy.

With many customers waiting behind him, he ignored the strange carbonated drinks and hurriedly grabbed the other two items. Since Xie Yu was the one who paid, Lin Qiusu turned back and sensibly handed the prizes to him.

“They’re all things that can be used somehow.” Lin Qiusu was a bit excited after the fun, with a face that looked like it wanted to be praised.

Xie Yu took a look and called out his full name: “Lin Qiusu.”

Lin Qiusu fastened his seatbelt and turned innocently: “What’s wrong?”

Xie Yu gripped the box, his molars grinding with restraint.

“First of all, I am single, and I don’t have a habit of being promiscuous,” he said, articulating every word clearly.

Lin Qiusu didn’t know why this man was suddenly explaining his relationship status; he actually didn’t really want to probe into such privacy. He asked confusedly: “Uh, and then?”

Xie Yu nearly laughed: “Secondly, what do you mean by ‘can be used somehow’? This insulting size must be for cleaning ears, right?”

Lin Qiusu looked closely at the box packaging. It was colorful, no different from a candy box, and had no obvious markings.

But at the bottom, it said in English: condom, sex.

Condom, 29MM, XS.

Just about big enough to fit a pinky finger.