Zayne vs. Xavier

Jiang Miao winked at Xavier. "What is it? Who are you to Xiao Yan? Come on, tell us!"

Xavier's cheeks reddened, and he looked to Xiao Yan for help.

Xiao Yan naturally linked arms with Xavier. "We just caught a fugitive together. Of course he's my best partner!"

Partner?

The term left Xavier bewildered for a few seconds, and an inexplicably familiar, warm feeling rose in his heart.

"That's right." His smile grew more pronounced. "We're the best partners."

Oh, after a not-so-perilous fugitive capture, Xiao Yan had managed to reclaim her exclusive nickname from Xavier!

Compared with Xavier calling her that because the game had preset it...

Now that they had a more substantial shared experience, the satisfaction and happiness she felt at being called "partner" again were beyond words!

Several hours of board games later...

Jiang Miao's curiosity about Xavier had been thoroughly satisfied.

Whatever she asked, Xavier obligingly answered.

Tang Qi was the shyest of the girls, but even she couldn't resist asking Xavier, "You seem a little naturally ditzy?"

Xavier's revenge was to eliminate Tang Qi first in the next round.

Xing Xiaowan was practically laughing herself into convulsions. "Hahaha... confirmed, he's a black-bellied one! Tang Qi, I'd advise you not to mess with Xavier so much!"

Xiao Yan happily watched her friends interact with Xavier.

Just then, Xavier gave a little sigh. "Partner, they seem to have a lot of misconceptions about me. How should I explain?"

Was he... was he baiting her?!

Xiao Yan was so excited. If he'd started baiting her, that meant Xavier cared about her!

They'd made such tremendous progress today!

Xiao Yan immediately frowned, putting on a fierce expression. "Who called him naturally ditzy? Who called him black-bellied? Our Little Xavier is an honest man. Don't you dare take the opportunity to bully him! Otherwise, you'll answer to me!"

Jiang Miao pursed her lips. "Tsk, tsk, tsk. A crazed husband protector. So scary~"

Tang Qi said, "Who's bullying him... all right, all right, I won't say it anymore."

Xing Xiaowan said, "Hahahaha, Lady Wife is showing her might! Impressive, impressive!"

Xavier subtly pressed his arm against Xiao Yan's. "Thank you, partner."

She'd called him Little Xavier. What a cute name.

Xavier was quite pleased.

Xiao Yan reached up and stroked Xavier's hair. "Don't be scared. Your wife will back you up!"

"Then I feel very safe." Xavier sneaked a peek at the cards in Xiao Yan's hand.

And then he eliminated Xiao Yan...

Since they'd spent quite a bit on food and drinks, the owner said everyone could have a little gift when they left the board game café.

They could choose their own.

Among the gifts, Xiao Yan spotted a phone strap with a little yellow star charm and chose it without hesitation.

Xavier chose a doughnut phone strap.

They both handed their gifts to each other at the same time.

"Put it on for me." Again, they spoke in unison.

Then they exchanged a smile and swapped phones.

By the time they'd attached each other's phone straps, their photographer Jiang Miao had taken enough pictures of them for a nine-photo grid.

After sending all the photos to Xiao Yan, Jiang Miao generously added, [You're welcome, girl!]

Xiao Yan sent a sticker of someone kneeling and kowtowing.

On the taxi ride home, Xiao Yan sat beside Xavier in the back seat and shared all the photos with him.

Xavier said nothing, quietly posting the nine-photo grid to his Moments.

He placed the photo of their two phones with the straps attached right in the center.

The caption read: [Little Xavier, Little Xavier, what was your biggest gain today?]

Go on, keep baiting me!

Xiao Yan promptly liked it. [A super-amazing partner, of course!]

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Xavier smile beside her, yet he wouldn't speak to her.

He typed a reply. [And the doughnuts I've been looking forward to for days.]

"You really do crave doughnuts." Xiao Yan nudged Xavier's arm with her elbow. "Little Xavier, certified foodie."

Xavier tacitly accepted that, turning his eyes toward Xiao Yan and tilting his head with a smile. "Strawberry-flavored, right?"

"Strawberry, chocolate, matcha, cherry... there are lots of flavors."

"Then, could I have a cup of milk tea with them?"

"Of course you can~" Xiao Yan replied cheerfully.

Xavier nodded and slid down a little in his seat, settling into a more relaxed posture. "I got up too early this morning. I'm a little sleepy. Could I..."

Xiao Yan sat up a little straighter and patted her shoulder. "Come on."

Xavier had only meant to get comfortable and doze for a while.

Seeing Xiao Yan so generously volunteer to be his pillow, he lowered his eyes and smiled. "Then I'll take you up on that."

Resting his head on Xiao Yan's shoulder, Xavier gave a small yawn and closed his eyes, letting himself relax.

Just after Xavier fell asleep, Zayne sent Xiao Yan a message. [I'm off work. Are you still shopping? Shall I pick you up?]

[I'm already on my way home.] Xiao Yan kept her movements small as she typed, then thought for a moment and added, [With Xavier.]

Zayne had just changed into his regular clothes. He paused when he saw the message.

A subtle awkwardness stirred in his heart, but after a few breaths, he adjusted. [Then I'll see you at home.]

Xiao Yan had been the first person he contacted.

Only afterward, as he was leaving the hospital, did he hear from a few nurses that Xiao Yan and another husband had worked together to catch a fugitive at the mall that day.

There were also several versions of videos filmed at the scene from different angles, posted online by bystanders.

Seeing Xiao Yan snatch the gun bare-handed and subdue the fugitive made Zayne break into a cold sweat.

But it also helped him understand why Xiao Yan had ended up with Xavier.

They hadn't arranged it beforehand, but had run into each other and even... become friends who'd faced life and death together?

Zayne shook his head slightly, sighed, got into the driver's seat, and started the car.

On his way home, he recalled his encounter with Xavier at the husband-selection banquet.

He had seemed gentle and harmless, very different from Caleb.

Compared with the little pang of jealousy Xiao Yan's contact with other husbands brought Zayne...

Whether Xavier could make Xiao Yan happy mattered more.

After all, Zayne had already learned a little about how many plans Xiao Yan had made to win Xavier's favor.

No well-intentioned effort toward something good should go unrewarded.

He hoped they... got along well.

So, arriving home a little later, Zayne put on a smile a few pixels wide in advance to express his goodwill.

Xiao Yan and Xavier were sitting on the living room sofa, playing with the Meow Meow photo printer and working on a journal.

Hearing footsteps, Xiao Yan sprang up. "Zayne, you're back!"

Zayne nodded. "Yes. Were you waiting to have dinner with me?"

"We weren't that hungry anyway, so we were working on the journal and waiting while we were at it." Xiao Yan skirted the coffee table and jogged over to Zayne. "Thanks for all your hard work with the overtime, Dr. Zayne!"

She threw herself straight into a hug.

Zayne immediately looked up at Xavier.

Xavier presumably already knew he would run into Zayne tonight. His expression was calm, and he even smiled at Zayne.

That's good.

Only then did Zayne gently hug Xiao Yan back. "I haven't apologized to you yet. I promised I'd spend time with you, but the unexpected overtime disrupted our plans."

"It's fine. You're a doctor. One more surgery means you can save one more life." Xiao Yan patted Zayne's back twice. "Do you want to go to your room and shower first? We just need to add a few decorations to finish this journal page. That'll take about ten minutes too."

She was telling Zayne that taking a shower wouldn't hold anyone up.

Little Jasmine really was so considerate.

Zayne couldn't help lowering his head to kiss the crown of Xiao Yan's head. "All right. I'll take a quick shower. You two carry on."

When he looked up again, Zayne noticed a slight furrow between Xavier's brows.

Had merely kissing the crown of her head offended him?

Zayne revised some of his opinions of Xavier. This man wasn't as uncompetitive and unassertive as he appeared.

His possessiveness was, unexpectedly, very strong.