"Um," Xia Shule began after gathering his words, "something's come up, so I might have to leave first. Enjoy your meal. I'll see you all in a few days!"
His twenty-first birthday was only a few days away, and everyone would be there then.
Xiang Lin hadn't had enough time with Xia Shule yet. They had finally managed to meet, and he wanted to stay together a little longer. "So soon? We've barely spent any time together~"
"Why don't you stay at my place after my birthday party?" Xiang Lin had often stayed at Xia Shule's house in the past. Back then, half the clothes in Xia Shule's wardrobe had belonged to Xiang Lin.
That cheered Xiang Lin up. He pouted. "Fine, off you go, then~"
After saying goodbye to everyone, Xia Shule officially set off on his quest to stay alive. He had driven himself there, and nearly broke the speed limit on the way over, but still failed to arrive before nine. His little mouth kept muttering curses under his breath.
By the time he parked outside the Yan Residence, it was already ten past nine.
That gardener did nothing but send him running back and forth all day! Then he remembered that he was the one who had approached the man about working together, and swallowed his anger after all.
Apparently, Yan Zhiyi had grown anxious when he still hadn't arrived and called him.
He thought something might have happened to Xia Shule on the way, but what came out was, "You're late."
Hearing that, Xia Shule wanted to throw his phone away. "Late, my spiraling-to-heaven, number-fifty-two Italian-spaghetti family portrait!"
"?" Yan Zhiyi didn't quite understand how kids these days swore, but Big Eyes seemed to be angry.
When he heard no reply from the other end, Xia Shule continued on his own. "Do you know how long it takes to get here from the Garden Estate? It was already eight when you called, and you wanted me here before nine? I practically wore a layer off my tires!"
The other end went quiet for a moment, gradually giving Xia Shule time to calm down.
Then he heard Yan Zhiyi say, almost resignedly, "Sorry. I didn't know you weren't home."
"..." Well...
This was the second time he had apologized to him. He had received two apologies from President Yan.
Once the other man apologized, Xia Shule had no idea what to do. He shook his head. Don't bow your head, or your crown will fall. "You didn't ask, either! By the time I tried to tell you, you'd already hung up..."
Besides, things had sounded chaotic on the other end of the phone. Who knew what the man had been doing?
"Yes. That was my fault."
Seeing that the other man had apologized, the haughty Xia Shule felt too embarrassed to say much more. "Hmph... open the door and wait for me!"
The corners of Yan Zhiyi's mouth lifted slightly. The kid's words always managed to make him happy. Beneath that prickly temper was a soft heart, yet he always insisted on putting up a tough front.
Although outsiders might find such behavior somewhat offensive or rude, and some might think Xia Shule had a bad temper, it simply put Yan Zhiyi in a better mood.
From the first time he had seen those eyes, all of this seemed to have been destined.
Old Zheng, the butler, waited for him at the entrance again and led him through the front corridor just as he had last time, without even changing his posture.
Xia Shule couldn't help grumbling inwardly. I told that damn man to open the door and wait for me, and he sent Old Zheng to fob me off instead?! One grievance followed another, and Xia Shule directed all his anger at Yan Zhiyi.
But before he could vent any of that anger, it was extinguished.
Because... once he passed through the front corridor, Xia Shule discovered that the damn man really was waiting at the door. Standing there, no less.
Yan Zhiyi stood in the doorway. Seeing him arrive, he prepared to take him upstairs. "Come on. Everything's in the study."
Old Zheng quietly withdrew without a sound.
Everything? What was in the study? Xia Shule was a little confused, although he was already used to the man saying only a few words at a time.
The study...
Xia Shule didn't stand on ceremony. As soon as he entered, he plopped down in the chair. He happily spun around once before realizing that there was only one chair in the room...
He was just about to stand up...
"Everything's on the desk. Take a look yourself." Yan Zhiyi stood leaning against the edge of the desk, finding nothing inappropriate about what Xia Shule had just done.
Xia Shule suspected that, as the gardener became President Yan and he grew more familiar with him, his true nature was starting to show. He had always admitted that he was willful.
There was a stack of documents on the desk. Sharp-eyed Xia Shule thought he had spotted a property deed, but wasn't quite sure.
After a meticulous inspection, he confirmed that the stack contained property deeds, a household registration booklet, asset transfers, share transfers, and a prenuptial agreement.
"Wow, you've already prepared all of this? And these, what does all this... mean?" Xia Shule's mouth fell open wide enough to fit a duck egg.
So... he hadn't been considering it all this time, but preparing these things instead? The stack of papers wasn't heavy in his hands, but it weighed heavily on Xia Shule's heart.
They were only entering a contract marriage. Did they really need to make it this real? Had President Yan... actually always been this easy to talk to? Had everyone simply not known?
As though he could tell what Xia Shule was thinking, Yan Zhiyi tapped the asset transfer documents on the desk.
"Our marriage has to be convincing enough. Old Yan will check all of this, so not a single part of it can be fake." Yan Zhiyi's voice carried an unquestionable authority.
That authority made Xia Shule temporarily suppress his doubts, but... would Grandpa Yan really check things like assets and shares? If these were given to him before the marriage, wouldn't they belong to him outright?
Looking at Yan Zhiyi's utterly serious face, Xia Shule swallowed, taking his questions down with it.
Forget it, forget it. He must have his reasons for doing this.
Although he didn't want to admit it, ever since the man's identity had changed to President Yan, there had been a faint sense of pressure about him. Perhaps it was all in Xia Shule's head.
Xia Shule examined everything on the desk and opened the asset document. Several large words immediately greeted him: Shengshi Entertainment Transfer Agreement.
Shengshi Entertainment?
Shengshi Entertainment!
Was it the Shengshi Entertainment he knew?!
The entertainment company with the best reputation and the most elite resources in the industry, which had single-handedly created countless superstars-the Shengshi Entertainment that countless newcomers fought tooth and nail to join.
Yet despite Shengshi Entertainment's enormous reputation, it was merely a small company under Yan Zhiyi.
"Shengshi Entertainment?!" Xia Shule was so startled that his voice cracked a little.
His already large eyes widened into perfect circles, concealing none of his emotions.
Yan Zhiyi nodded. These were the things he wanted to give him, so that if they ever divorced one day, Xia Shule would have something to fall back on. Even if he found someone he liked... he would have the means to stand tall.
Sometimes he laughed at himself for thinking so much about it. Xia Shule was the young master of the Xia family. Even without him, he probably couldn't spend all that money in a lifetime.
"Why?" Xia Shule felt as though his voice were floating. Even if their marriage were real, there was no reason to casually hand him a company, much less when theirs was fake. "You're giving it to me? Why? Don't tell me... you're going to sell me off to Northern Myanmar!?"
Xia Shule felt he was closing in on the truth!
Yan Zhiyi: "..."
A trace of speechlessness appeared on Yan Zhiyi's normally unshakable face, though he also found it rather funny. "I'm not selling you. With this, you'll have something of your own to rely on."
/(ㄒoㄒ)/~~ This damn gardener, this damn man, this damn President Yan-why did he have to be so touching~~
Damn it, I think I'm falling for him a little.
Mist clouded Xia Shule's eyes. He had said this would be something of his own to rely on. If-he meant if-one day he could no longer rely on Yan Zhiyi, he would still have Shengshi Entertainment. If the Xia family went bankrupt again, he would still have Shengshi Entertainment.
How had this damn man thought everything through so carefully? Was heaven trying to make up for his miserable past life? Was that why it had let him meet such a good person this time?
Clearly, the two of them had different ideas of what "something to rely on" meant.
"Yan Zhiyi, why are you so good to me? Are you this good to everyone?"
"Don't you know whether I'm this good to everyone?"
Xia Shule's gaze wandered. Yan Zhiyi was famous throughout Jingjiang. Who didn't know his temperament? That question really had been a little stupid.
Perhaps it was because he had stood up for him twice when he was still the gardener... and that was why he treated him so well.
Unable to stop his lips from pouting, Xia Shule raised a hand and wiped his eyes. The slightly aggrieved note in his voice softened the heart of anyone who heard it. "Thank you. For now, you're the second person besides my parents to treat me this well!"
Yan Zhiyi stepped closer, bent down, and raised a hand to brush Xia Shule's eyes. They were damp. Those big eyes shouldn't shed tears. He wanted to say something, but in the end, his Adam's apple merely bobbed as he swallowed his words and straightened up.
Secretly delighted, Xia Shule hugged the documents. "When are we getting married?"
Preferably before my birthday.
"Tomorrow."
"Huh?!?!?!?!?"
Once again, Xia Shule couldn't believe his ears. He frowned and stared at Yan Zhiyi in confusion.
Come on, man. You're kidding, right?!
"Quit messing around. Why the rush?" Even Xia Shule, who was trying to save his own life, wasn't as impatient as the man before him.
Besides, they had only met Grandpa Yan yesterday, and it had been obvious that the two of them barely knew each other. He hadn't even known that the man sitting in the tearoom was Yan Zhiyi. Wouldn't Grandpa Yan become suspicious if they suddenly rushed into marriage?
Yan Zhiyi took the household registration booklet from the desk and placed it on top of the stack. In fact, he had asked someone to choose an auspicious date. Tomorrow was a good day, favorable for a long and harmonious marriage. "We'll register our marriage tomorrow. The wedding will be held in four days."