The Position of Principal Husband
Fortunately, Zayne understood the situation well enough.
After the hot sugar water and lavish breakfast were served, Zayne pulled up a chair and sat beside Xiao Yan.
He fed Xiao Yan a little of the drink, one spoonful at a time.
He was also waiting for her to settle her emotions herself, until she could handle things calmly.
Once Xiao Yan's expression returned to normal, Zayne smiled at her. "Looks like you're feeling better?"
The other men were all handsomely and impeccably dressed. Only Zayne was still wearing dark gray loungewear because he had made breakfast for Xiao Yan himself.
Having him sitting beside her like this made Xiao Yan feel reassured and safe.
"Much better." She gave Zayne a faint smile. "Sweet Pear, we have a chef at home, and I'm not a picky eater. You don't have to get up so early to cook for me every time you come back. I want you to sleep a little longer and get more rest."
"When I feel tired, I won't push myself. Don't worry." Zayne took Xiao Yan's hand from her lap and gave it a firm squeeze. "I want to say the same to you. Don't push yourself. Relax."
The other four men sat facing one another.
Every one of them watched Xiao Yan and Zayne interact.
Xavier had seen plenty of it by now and was somewhat used to it.
Without a word, he buttered the toast and added slices of cheese, ham, and tomato, along with shredded lettuce.
He held out the assembled sandwich. "Partner."
Xiao Yan accepted it and gave Xavier a grateful look.
Xavier answered with a gentle smile.
"You three... work pretty well together." Rafayel held a finger against his temple.
His iridescent blue-violet eyes moved between Zayne, Xiao Yan, and Xavier. "No, should I say, cozy?"
"Pointing it out on purpose to embarrass them?" Sylus glanced at Rafayel. "Since Little Tabby is all right now, why don't we talk while we eat?"
"Let's eat." Xiao Yan took a bite of her sandwich.
Zayne remained beside her.
He deftly used his knife and fork to remove the bone from a chicken leg and cut the meat into bite-sized pieces.
Once the milk in the glass was no longer so hot, he picked it up and placed it in Xiao Yan's hand.
Silence lasted for three or four minutes at the table, broken only by the occasional faint clink of cutlery against plates.
Xiao Yan had already planned to announce that matter once all five men were together.
"Since all of you intend to stay married to me, we still need to choose a principal husband to manage the household."
She tried to keep her voice even. "Otherwise, before long, the main family will lose patience and force their way into the matter. None of us will have an easy time then."
Zayne was still cutting up a lamb chop for Xiao Yan and showed no particular reaction.
Xavier kept eating and gave a hum of agreement. "You can decide, partner. I have no objections, whoever you choose. But I imagine none of you think I'm suited to being the principal husband."
Rafayel followed with, "I hate trouble. Don't choose me. I can't manage such a big household. Especially once you inherit the family business-won't the principal husband have to accompany you to business engagements? I'm not interested."
Sylus swallowed his food. "If you choose me, the Xiao Family will have a hard time explaining it to the public. I'm better suited to being a secondary husband who doesn't attract attention."
That left only the two who had said nothing.
But by any reasonable measure, and from what each of them had observed, they all believed Zayne was unquestionably the best choice.
Even in their current seating arrangement, Zayne was the closest to Xiao Yan.
Zayne was the one who cared for his wife with practiced ease.
When their eyes met, Zayne's gaze was also the most tender and affectionate.
Zayne had a respectable social standing, and his personality, looks, and bearing could not have been more suitable.
Yet Xiao Yan looked at Caleb. "Brother."
Caleb was speechless. Why was she calling me that again? In front of everyone, no less.
"Brother?" Rafayel froze. "Since when did he become your brother?"
Xavier also stopped eating and looked up at Caleb, his face full of incomprehension.
Zayne's grip on his cutlery tightened. He lowered his eyes and fell silent for several seconds.
Sylus's lips curved with amusement. "A rather unusual... kink?"
"I still think Zayne is better suited than I am to helping you manage this household." Caleb looked at Xiao Yan with a somewhat grave expression. "I hope you won't let your emotions rule you. This is your home. If anything goes wrong, you'll be the first to suffer."
Zayne picked up his napkin and wiped the corner of his mouth, then suddenly turned a cold gaze on Caleb. "What exactly are you planning to have go wrong in this household? Why don't you tell me?"
"Holy shit," Rafayel muttered, then dared not interrupt again.
It was Xavier's first time seeing Zayne snap back so icily. His eyes widened a little as he stared at Zayne in surprise.
Sylus kept his lips curved, eating unhurriedly as he watched the show.
"There's no need to be so confrontational with me." Caleb's expression grew colder too. "Since you're willing to worry about everything, go ahead. Why insist on making me a puppet?"
"Why would you want to be a puppet instead of a rightful principal husband who lives up to the title?" Zayne gave a cold sneer. "You only want to use this household and this kindhearted wife to clear away all the risks and difficulties society's rules bring you, without taking on any responsibility?"
That single remark did more than expose Caleb's selfishness.
It struck Sylus and Rafayel as well.
Rafayel glanced at Sylus and saw that even his smile had vanished.
This Zayne really isn't afraid of offending people. He's got a head of iron, Rafayel thought.
Caleb gritted his teeth and let out a heavy breath. "Zayne, don't you think you've already put yourself in the principal husband's place? Otherwise, in what capacity are you saying all this?"
"As a husband. As family," Zayne answered without hesitation. "As someone who doesn't want to see her caught in the middle, who doesn't want her constantly sacrificing her own feelings to indulge other people's whims."
"Oh?" Caleb suddenly smiled, a sinister smile that could only be called pathological. "You make yourself sound so noble and righteous. Since when did your surname become Xiao?"
"The night of the husband-selection banquet, the moment we registered our marriages, every one of us took her surname before our own." Zayne gave a cold smile as well. "Does becoming a fleet commander affect your memory? Come to Central Hospital for a checkup when you have time. I know plenty of brain specialists."
"..." Caleb glared fiercely at Zayne. "Will you be happy if I become the principal husband?"
"No." Zayne rolled his eyes at Caleb in return. "But this isn't a matter of whether I'm happy. If you're going to do it, do it properly. If you step out of line in any way, I won't stand by and do nothing."
"Then why put yourself through this?" Caleb was truly speechless. "Why don't you just take the position-"
"Caleb." Xiao Yan interrupted their endless argument. "You'll be the principal husband. This isn't up for discussion."
She had not eaten her fill, but she really could not eat any more.
Zayne knew she and Caleb had slept together and probably understood that she had a certain unusual fixation on Caleb.
Xavier felt that, having just made a mistake, he could not refuse outright, so he had tactfully expressed his reluctance.
The others refused to become the principal husband because they feared the trouble and did not want the responsibility.
But if they truly loved Xiao Yan, they would probably fight tooth and nail for the position of principal husband.
This breakfast had truly made a complete mockery of her.
Xiao Yan wiped her mouth, stood up, and prepared to leave.
Zayne rose with her. "Change into something for going out. I'll go with you for a walk along the food street at the foot of the mountain, and we can get something else you like to eat."
Xiao Yan nodded.
After another frowning glance at Caleb, Zayne put his arm around Xiao Yan's shoulders and left the dining room with her.