Let the bullets fly

Even the cup in her hand was flung away by the movement.

Warm water splashed onto their clothes.

Xavier continued, "Originally, I thought our marriage was a coincidence, or perhaps fate. But if you had other intentions behind it, you'd better tell me now."

Xavier was intelligent and perceptive.

Just a few knowing glances between Xiao Yan and Zayne had put Xavier on alert and set him thinking.

He disliked being made the target of someone else's careful calculations.

Nor did he like becoming a little animal that had stumbled into a hunter's carefully laid trap, oblivious to its own predicament.

In the past, some young ladies from prominent families had invited Xavier to gatherings to select husbands.

They had also made it clear that they had studied him beforehand, tailoring their attempts to win him over or please him to his preferences.

But they hadn't known that Xavier considered that so-called "research" an offense.

Only today had he noticed similar signs in Xiao Yan.

For instance, how she handled his aloofness and slow-to-warm nature while he assessed her.

Xiao Yan seemed remarkably patient. She was only eighteen; how could she move so steadily?

She was clearly interested in him, so how had she resisted taking the initiative with bold overtures and advances?

For instance, deep down, Xavier held the rules of this wife-led world in utter contempt.

Xiao Yan was generous, respectful, and treated him as an equal. She even acted cute in ways that hit Xavier's kinks.

How could someone who didn't understand him manage that? Were they really a match made in heaven?

Catching the fugitive had been their most pivotal encounter.

It had stirred Xavier's unease, protectiveness, and respect, and had even touched on his reverence for the strong.

Personal items featuring all sorts of star motifs-all things Xavier liked.

And the exclusive nickname "partner" had almost made Xavier fall for her on the spot.

It was too strange.

It was like a whole, meticulously plotted strategy was rapidly taking effect on Xavier.

"Don't want to talk?" Xavier tightened his grip.

His hold hurt Xiao Yan's wrist a little. She could tell he was genuinely angry, but she truly had no way to explain.

How could she make Xavier understand that her knowledge of him needed no ulterior intentions to support it?

Nor had it ever required any painstaking preparations beforehand.

She simply knew him.

"Then contact me when you feel like talking." Xavier abruptly let go of Xiao Yan.

He placed the unsharpened longsword on the weapon rack, turned, and left. "Don't worry. I won't go looking for a medal of merit to dissolve our relationship just because I suspect you. But if you want to have a proper conversation with me again, you'd better show some sincerity."

Xavier's abrupt turn to coldness stung Xiao Yan.

She had never imagined she would stumble over "knowing him."

And fall so hard at that.

She gritted her teeth, steeled herself, chased after him, and seized his hand tightly.

Though Xavier stopped, he didn't look back.

He merely turned slightly, lowered his gaze to his captured hand, and said coldly, "Holding my hand so tightly-are you trying to make me stop being angry?"

Those were actually words he'd said in the game?!

An ache welled in Xiao Yan's heart. She shifted her hold, wrapped her arms around Xavier's waist from behind, and pressed her face against his back.

"Hugging me? What does that mean?" His voice only grew colder.

Over the past two days, Xiao Yan had grown used to the deliberately soft, gentle, and tantalizing tone Xavier used with her.

Hearing him lower his voice like this, devoid of all feeling, was truly...

Too frightening.

"I've never schemed against you. I really haven't." Her voice trembled involuntarily.

Xavier said, "Oh. If there's nothing else, I'm leaving."

"I... I can explain. It's just a long story. Could you... not be like this?" Xiao Yan shook her head. "It scares me."

Xavier fell silent for a few seconds. "Is that an order from my wife?"

"Of course not!" Xiao Yan said.

"Then, if I insist on leaving, how do you intend to punish me physically? Make me kneel in the courtyard, or bring out a whip..."

Xiao Yan didn't wait for Xavier to finish those hurtful words.

She abruptly released him and gave him a push from behind. "If that's all you want to say, then you... should just go."

Xavier said, "..."

He really did walk away without looking back.

Zayne knew nothing of what had happened in the gym and was still organizing the library.

In that enormous room, aside from the various workout areas and equipment, only Xiao Yan remained.

She steadied herself, sat on a sofa nearby, and stared at the overturned cup on the floor.

Look on the bright side. Xavier was only thinking about questions he hadn't considered before.

That meant he had progressed from enjoying their interactions to seeking their essence.

He cared more about her, which was why he'd started thinking along these lines, wasn't it?

This was progress-obvious, heartening progress.

Whew... it was just that, after focusing his attention on Xiao Yan, he'd noticed all the incongruities since they'd met and wanted a reasonable explanation.

That was fine. There was nothing wrong with that.

Only someone serious and meticulous about feelings would struggle like this today.

Xavier had never been as innocent and docile as he appeared.

He had always been the type to sulk a little, and someone whose face would turn cold the instant he grew fierce, exuding an overwhelming pressure.

It was fine. Everything was fine.

How could she be the wife of these five men if she couldn't withstand even this much pressure!

Xiao Yan stood again and gave herself a pep talk. "It's fine. It's fine, Xiao Yan. You can handle this. Don't feel bad. Let the bullets fly for a while..."

Before long, both Uncle Sang and Zayne received reports from the servants.

They said Xavier had suddenly come out of the gym, returned to his room in a terrible mood to change, then asked a bodyguard to drive him to the subway station at the foot of the mountain.

Zayne only cared about where Xiao Yan was.

A servant said she had already returned to her room to bathe.

Zayne hurried to Xiao Yan's room and waited until she finished bathing and came out drying her hair.

Zayne stepped forward, took the towel, and led Xiao Yan to sit on the sofa. As he dried her hair, he asked, "Did you two... have a fight?"

"We were practicing swordplay. It's inevitable we'd poke each other. I was a sore loser and argued with him a little, so he ran off." Xiao Yan grinned. "It's fine. Don't worry."

Zayne was doubtful, but he couldn't spot anything suspicious on Xiao Yan's face. Helplessly, he said, "Even that was enough to make him storm off? Then you must have said some truly nasty things to him."

"Super nasty!" Xiao Yan launched straight into a string of insults.

Zayne was stunned. "I hope you'll never use those words on me."

"That depends on whether you make me angry." Xiao Yan smugly swung her legs.

Unable to get anything out of her, Zayne could only smile. "Will staying away from the gym keep me from making you angry? That should be easy enough."

Xiao Yan chuckled again, tilted her head, and leaned into Zayne's arms.

That broad, warm chest could give him a reassuring sense of strength.

While the bullets were in flight, amid all the relationships still hanging in the balance, thankfully, there was Zayne, who would stay by her side unconditionally.

At noon, she shared a sweet lunch with Zayne.

Xiao Yan spent the entire afternoon curled up in the library with Zayne.

Zayne had some objections to the various manga Xiao Yan collected, but seeing how much she liked them and how reluctant she was to donate them, he simply set aside a large manga collection area.

They had only just finished organizing that area when Sylus sent Xiao Yan a message.

[I'm still not coming back for dinner, lest that great artist lose his appetite. Go ahead and eat. No need to prepare my share.]