Raised To Be His Wife After Moving In - Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Lin Qiusu originally thought he would be murdered and his body dumped on the road to satisfy someone’s grudge.

To his surprise, Xie Yu maintained a basic sense of humanity and allowed him to enter the house safely.

“I really thought it was a fruit candy,” Lin Qiusu murmured.

He stood at the door as if being punished for a mistake, defending himself in utter despair.

Leaning against the dark solid wood entryway, Xie Yu let out a laugh of ambiguous emotion: “Well, it certainly is orange-flavored.”

Lin Qiusu: “…”

He took a deep breath, summoned his courage, and stepped inside to change his shoes.

Xie Yu turned on the living room chandelier, illuminating the room brightly; the marble tiles glowed with a warm luster.

Lin Qiusu looked around; unlike his uncle’s house, this place wasn’t cramped at all, nor did corners need to be stuffed with clutter. It could be described as bright, clean, and transparent.

In such a prime real estate area, large flat-floor luxury apartments were extremely rare—not only expensive but also difficult to qualify for purchase.

Besides being ostentatiously large, the place was exquisitely and meticulously decorated, with a layout full of design flair and a harmonious blend of colors and materials.

Except…

There was virtually no trace of human activity here.

Although Lin Qiusu had prepared himself for a “wasteland” while at the supermarket, seeing it with his own eyes still felt absurd.

The kitchen was so empty it reflected light from every surface, the coffee table held nothing, the sofa looked so brand new it seemed never to have been used, and the floor-to-ceiling curtains were tightly drawn.

Notably, despite the lack of “life” in the house, it was unexpectedly clean; everything was organized with military precision.

Lin Qiusu had just heard Xie Yu mention that a cleaning lady came once a week and the Xie family’s nanny occasionally stopped by to clean, so he didn’t need to help with chores during his stay.

“Should we sort out the things that need refrigeration first? Some might spoil,” Xie Yu asked.

Lin Qiusu said, “Right, it’s better to categorize them so the flavors don’t mix.”

Xie Yu picked up the heavy plastic bags and walked casually toward the kitchen. Lin Qiusu trotted after him, making a move to help carry them.

Although Xie Yu didn’t consider himself a man of great virtue, he wasn’t about to let a boy younger than him carry the heavy lifting.

However, Lin Qiusu was persistent. Seeing how polite he was, Xie Yu reluctantly made a concession.

Each holding one handle, they hauled the full bag into the kitchen.

“Where can I turn on the light?” Lin Qiusu asked.

Xie Yu went out and flipped a switch. They waited, but the overhead bulb didn’t light up.

“If appliances aren’t used for too long, they stop working. The lights in two guest rooms and one bathroom are already dead. I plan to wait until they’re all broken before replacing them together,” he said.

Speaking of this, he looked at the kitchen ceiling, his lazy tone carrying a hint of pride.

He added: “Looks like I haven’t reached the six-month mark yet, but I’m one step closer to calling the repairman.”

Lin Qiusu: “.”

How could this be so ridiculous?

The man before him looked glamorous on the outside, but behind the scenes, he let his lightbulbs burn out until none were left!

Xie Yu didn’t see anything wrong with this. He turned on the light for the side dining counter and used a flashlight; the two of them organized the groceries in the dark.

By the time they were halfway through putting the items away, midnight was approaching. Outside the quiet mansion, even the sound of traffic had faded.

Lin Qiusu still maintained the healthy, disciplined schedule of a high school student. He squinted his eyes and let out a soft yawn.

“Tomorrow is Saturday; no rush to finish this now. Go to sleep,” Xie Yu said flatly.

Lin Qiusu wanted to call out to him, but since he was a junior, calling him by his full name seemed disrespectful.

Calling him something else, like “Xiao Xie,” seemed too intimate—would Xie Yu find it offensive?

Lin Qiusu awkwardly skipped the name and asked, “Are you working overtime tomorrow?”

Xie Yu said, “I’m heading out at noon and will be back in the evening.”

In truth, with the company’s technical capabilities, he could easily work remotely with almost zero server lag.

But he figured Lin Qiusu would feel awkward if he stayed home. Two strangers facing each other wouldn’t know what to talk about.

This was all Lin Guanqing’s fault.

Xie Yu figured it would be better to stay at the office; besides, the campus provided three meals a day even on weekends. They could both breathe easier.

Lin Qiusu said, “Then how about tomato and egg noodles for lunch? I can make two dishes and a soup for dinner. It’s best to eat the fresh vegetables within the next few days.”

Even though he felt the same awkwardness about being alone as Xie Yu did.

However, since he was receiving help, he didn’t want to take the kindness for granted and was trying his best to contribute.

As he planned tomorrow’s menu, he poked the brand-new rice cooker with his fingertip, looking quite serious.

Xie Yu hadn’t planned on eating at home. Hearing Lin Qiusu’s muttering, he was about to decline.

But seeing the other’s stiff yet well-behaved expression, the refusal was stuck in his throat.

“Okay,” Xie Yu heard himself agree.

After that, he took Lin Qiusu to the master bedroom, showed him the fresh sheets, quilt, and pillows, indicating that this was where he would sleep.

Lin Guanqing had left in such a hurry that Xie Yu didn’t have time to prepare. Although the other bedrooms were renovated, he lived alone and hadn’t moved in any large furniture.

In other words, in the entire house, this was the only bed fit for sleeping.

“The new bed will arrive in a few days. You can stay here for now,” Xie Yu said.

Lin Qiusu was confused: “Where will you sleep?”

Xie Yu said nonchalantly, “The sofa.”

Lin Qiusu felt bad about this. Staying there was already an intrusion; how could he let the owner suffer?

He took the initiative: “I’ll sleep outside. I did that at my uncle’s house too. I’m actually not used to switching beds suddenly.”

Xie Yu frowned slightly, his narrow eyes glancing at him.

“Your brother said he entrusted your relatives to take care of you, and they claimed to be so hardworking and worried every time they called. Is that how they ‘took care’ of you?”

Lin Qiusu suddenly realized he had spoken too quickly and let a secret slip. He bit his lip nervously, meeting Xie Yu’s gaze with innocent eyes.

After a short stalemate, he murmured: “…Don’t tell my brother.”

Xie Yu had no interest in meddling in other people’s family affairs. Since Lin Qiusu said so, being overly serious would seem like prying.

However, he was good at negotiating and immediately seized the weakness.

Crossing his arms, he asked, “Cooperation is mutual, right? I can keep my mouth shut, but can you cooperate with me?”

Lin Qiusu had no courage to resist and cleverly took the offered exit: “Goodnight, and thank you for the bed.”

Today had been a rollercoaster. He pulled up the soft quilt, thinking he would have insomnia.

To his surprise, the moment his head hit the pillow, he sank into a deep, exhausted sleep.

The bed used a silicone mattress, and the sheets and quilt were soft and skin-friendly—it was incredibly comfortable.

He finally didn’t have to endure the noise of an old air conditioner, the roar of traffic outside, or the sounds of neighbors arguing. He could flip over and stretch freely.

Upon waking, Lin Qiusu grabbed the corner of the quilt and stared blankly at the new environment for thirty seconds before reacting.

He looked at the clock—it was only 6:30 AM. He groaned a bit and changed positions to start a “return-to-sleep” nap.

Xie Yu’s situation was the opposite; he hadn’t slept a wink.

A true young master born with a silver spoon, he had never even sat in economy class in his life. Even if he worked late at the office, the campus had an internal hotel providing him with a private suite at any time.

Spending the night on a sofa for the first time was a painful experience; he was tall with long legs and couldn’t even stretch out.

By dawn, he had managed a few hours of light sleep, interrupted by the sound of footsteps being intentionally muffled.

When he opened his eyes again, the entire house was filled with the aroma of tomato broth.

Xie Yu couldn’t help but sniff the air. Then, he heard the dull thud of metal objects clashing in the kitchen, followed by Lin Qiusu’s distressed exclamation of surprise.

“What’s going on?” He tossed aside the blanket and wandered over.

Lin Qiusu was pale, holding the handle of a kitchen knife. The handle was still in his hand, but the blade had shattered into pieces on the cutting board.

Originally, he had planned to “smack” two cucumbers, but the knife was all show and no substance—it shattered on impact.

He looked at the brand name engraved on the handle, wondering what brand could be so useless…

Wait, why was it in Italian?

A knife that can’t smack a cucumber is an incomplete knife—just imported junk meant for cutting steaks!

Frightened by the snap, Lin Qiusu took a moment to recover before slowly explaining that he had wanted to make a refreshing side dish.

Xie Yu said, “Your finger is bleeding.”

Reminded, Lin Qiusu noticed a tiny scrape on his thumb, likely from a stray shard.

The wound was so minor it would have healed in minutes, so he didn’t care much.

In response, Xie Yu took out a medical kit and handed him a band-aid.

The house didn’t have much, but the medicine kit was well-stocked; Lin Qiusu noticed there were even three bottles of heart-saver pills.

“Put it on, then go to the counter and wait for breakfast. I’ll dish these out,” Xie Yu said. “Does the cut hurt?”

Lin Qiusu shook his head, though he seemed a bit discouraged. He sat dejectedly at the dining counter.

He quietly turned his head, watching Xie Yu’s clumsy movements as he served the noodles and cleaned up the mess on the cutting board.

While throwing away the shards, Xie Yu seemed to find the incident absurd—it didn’t fit the image of a thin, elegant boy at all.

So Xie Yu glanced at him intentionally or otherwise and couldn’t help but let out a laugh. His deep, pleasant voice made Lin Qiusu’s ears twitch.

Lin Qiusu: ?

He felt like he was being mocked!

So what if a knife broke? That was the knife’s fault!

Two bowls of noodles were served. Lin Qiusu didn’t say a word, obediently gripping his chopsticks and burying his face in his noodles.

“It’s good. Do you cook often?” Xie Yu spoke up.

Lin Qiusu looked up awkwardly. Worried this man would immediately spill the beans to Lin Guanqing, he was very cautious with his words.

He replied: “I’m just naturally gifted.”

Being praised for his cooking was a happy thing. Seeing that Xie Yu was satisfied, his mood gradually recovered.

In the afternoon, while Xie Yu was at work, Lin Qiusu wandered nearby and bought a new kitchen knife.

The shops around high-end residential areas weren’t cheap, and the prices reflected that, but Lin Qiusu didn’t hesitate to pay.

After all, he had broken someone’s furniture; it was only right to replace it.

At the bulletin board by the side gate’s security booth, various owner requests were posted—some looking for nannies, some for drivers, and some asking for introductions to “pretty wives.”

Lin Qiusu lingered there, looking at the matchmaking ads with great interest for a while, before noticing a driving school advertisement in the bottom left corner.

Get your license in 45 days. Sign up now and drive yourself to school.

Lin Guanqing had mentioned this before. Between all the chaos of the last two days, Lin Qiusu had almost forgotten he should use his free time to learn to drive.

He dialed the contact number on the ad, and the person on the other end patiently answered his questions.

“Where do you live? We have a lot of college students signing up lately; you can learn and test together.”

Lin Qiusu looked at the text on the board and said, “Wangjiang Mansion.”

Upon hearing the name of that development, the person’s tone became even more eager, meticulously explaining the advantages of their school.

Lin Qiusu picked out the key points. Driving schools were usually in the suburbs, but there were instructors who could pick him up along the way. If they coordinated the schedule, it wouldn’t be too much trouble.

Lin Guanqing had sent him a sum of money a while ago, which he had been saving. He could use it for the tuition now.

That same day, he went to see the facility in person and completed the paperwork.

“You can start logging your study hours now. Just scan this code to download the app. If you have questions, add me on WeChat,” the woman at the registration desk said rapidly.

Hearing about downloading an app, Lin Qiusu was stunned and let out a “mhm.”

“What’s wrong?” the woman asked.

Lin Qiusu asked, “Can I use a computer for the hours?”

His phone didn’t even have internet. Xie Yu seemed to have a spare computer; he would ask to borrow it later.

The woman replied, “You can, but if your phone isn’t convenient, registering for the exams will be a hassle. Of course, we can help you make appointments here too.”

In a big city today, everything was designed to be as convenient as possible; not having internet was a major handicap.

After paying with cash a few times here, Lin Qiusu already felt it was cumbersome, and now he felt even more conflicted.

He walked out, dropping two coins into a vending machine while thinking—maybe the internet would be more useful after school starts, and it wasn’t good to keep borrowing things from Xie Yu…

Should he find a cheap smartphone when he had time?

As he was pondering, a bottle of cold mineral water rolled out of the machine. The sound of the bottle hitting the bin pulled Lin Qiusu back from his wandering thoughts.

“Hey, you got the last bottle? It says ‘out of stock’ now that it’s my turn.”

The boy behind him laughed and sized Lin Qiusu up.

Lin Qiusu was carrying the knife set in a plastic bag. Seeing this, the boy momentarily thought he had offended someone and the other side had sent a “honey trap” to take his head.

But Lin Qiusu didn’t look like he was going to make a move. He just pursed his lips shyly, likely not knowing how to respond.

The boy whistled and said, “Forget it, I’ll have a Fanta.”

While the boy was scanning the code, Lin Qiusu sipped his cold water. Out of the corner of his eye, he peeked at the boy’s phone and thought it looked quite nice.

No young person is uninterested in new things. If he knew about electronics, he might have used terms like “high-tech” or “bezel-less screen.”

But right now, all he could think was “so pretty,” and the cameras on the back looked like a stove top.

He seemed to have seen it on a billboard yesterday—was it the latest model?

“Where do you live? Did you just finish driving practice here too?” the boy struck up a conversation.

Lin Qiusu didn’t give the name of the mansion directly but gave a general direction.

The boy thought it was a coincidence; the two were going to the same area.

“We live quite close. My instructor is heading back soon. Want a lift?”

The boy asked sincerely and warmly. Five minutes later, Lin Qiusu found himself sitting in a daze inside a driving school car.

On the way, they exchanged names. The boy was named Liang Feng, also a high school graduate this year, and had been accepted into F University.

However, they were in different departments. Liang Feng was in an international cooperation program—two years in China, then two years abroad.

Liang Feng said, “Let’s add each other on WeChat? We can look out for each other. I want to cling to the legs of a genius from the Computer Science department.”

Lin Qiusu lowered his eyelashes and took out his “stupid” phone.

“But I don’t have WeChat,” he said bluntly, explaining it to Liang Feng seriously without feeling embarrassed.

Lin Qiusu sat upright and naturally. His profile was beautiful, and his long, slender fingers gripped the phone—he looked soft and graceful.

Liang Feng joked: “Is that thing a family heirloom? The battery must have a patina by now.”

With an exquisite face, Lin Qiusu said seriously: “What does it matter if I don’t have WeChat? This is the secret to becoming a genius.”

He followed up: “How much was yours?”

After learning it cost over ten thousand, his fair ears turned a slight, unnoticeable red, but he didn’t say anything more.

As the sun began to set, Lin Qiusu declined Liang Feng’s invitation to the arcade and rushed back to prepare dinner.

He quickly entered the code and pushed open the door, only to see Xie Yu already sitting at the dining table.

Xie Yu was tinkering with something. Hearing the noise, he glanced over briefly and asked lazily, “Out playing this afternoon?”

Lin Qiusu mentioned the driver’s license and gave him a heads-up that he might be out often lately.

“What are you doing?” he asked curiously.

The task at hand for Xie Yu looked difficult. For once, he was wearing wire-frame glasses on his high nose, looking quite focused.

The sharp edge of his temperament was softened, replaced by a scholarly air. The lenses were thin, suggesting his prescription was low.

He looked no different from a college student. He kept his head down, repeatedly using a card to scrape an electronic screen.

After repeating this three times, Xie Yu finally stopped.

He checked the phone for a moment, then placed it on the table. He leaned his head on one hand nonchalantly and looked up at Lin Qiusu.

“Doing some handicraft—applying a tempered glass screen protector,” Xie Yu explained. “Come take a look.”

Confused, Lin Qiusu stepped forward. He realized it wasn’t Xie Yu’s phone.

It was brand new, the packaging having just been removed nearby. The screen protector was perfectly aligned, and when he flipped it over, the color of the back panel was…

The deep azure blue that he had mentioned liking when picking out cups at the supermarket.