Chapter 10: Slap Him

Xi Xingye walked over, his hand lightly brushing the carved door panel.

The craftsmanship on this door was extremely intricate. After it had been accidentally damaged last time, he had spent a long time trying to find someone to repair it.

But such craftsmanship had already been lost to time, and he had never found a suitable artisan.

He never expected that Shen Qingci would…

His chest felt stuffed with cotton, a strange feeling he couldn’t quite place.

He hadn’t expected Shen Qingci to go to such lengths. Now he was completely convinced—she really did like him!

“No need to thank me.” Shen Qingci casually tidied up some tools, indifferent. “Just so no one ends up crying in front of a door in the middle of the night.”

Xi Xingye, about to thank her, suddenly held it back.

The surge of emotion immediately slammed on the brakes and turned into embarrassment-tinged anger.

“Shen! Qing! Ci! Who’s crying! Explain yourself!”

Sister Zhang only heard a roar from inside the storage room, and two black shadows flashed past her eyes.

She widened her eyes in shock.

The young madam running ahead, the young master chasing after her?!

What on earth was happening?!

After running a loop, Shen Qingci paused when she saw the wedding dress in Sister Zhang’s hands.

Xi Xingye, chasing behind, didn’t notice in time and was about to collide—but Shen Qingci stopped him with the palm of her hand.

“Smack.”

Xi Xingye’s high nose collided with Shen Qingci’s palm.

His nose ached terribly, and his eyes instantly watered.

“Shen Qingci!” Xi Xingye shouted, clutching his nose in anger.

“Shut up. You’re noisier than eight hundred ducks.” Shen Qingci shot him a cold glance, then turned to the wedding dress.

Sister Zhang sized them up and said, “Young Madam, why not try on the wedding dress?”

“No need. This is for a special day.” Shen Qingci narrowed her eyes.

This was her battle attire for the grand opening of the stage play.

The surroundings were unusually quiet. Shen Qingci noticed that the loud man from earlier had suddenly gone silent.

She turned her head, frowning. “Why is your face red?”

“I’m not blushing! Stop spreading rumors!” Xi Xingye strode toward the door, paused, and then looked back. “Even if you helped me fix the door, it wouldn’t matter. Don’t get so sappy. I’m not a man you can easily win over.”

With that, he left.

Inside, it was quiet. Shen Qingci asked Sister Zhang, “Has he always been this crazy?”

“Yes… um, the young master, he just has a… unique personality. Haha.” Sister Zhang forced a laugh and quickly ran off.

Xi Xingye got into his car immediately.

Soon everyone would know he was married.

Before being fully labeled as a married man, he wanted to indulge himself—a single man’s party!

Thinking this, he began calling his friends one by one.

But—

“Brother Xi, my sow’s about to give birth. I have to help. Gotta hang up!”

“Brother Xi, my dad opened a mine. I’m digging coal in the mountains. Hey, Brother Xi, the signal—uh, I gotta hang up…”

By the time he reached the entertainment city, not a single friend had shown up.

Xi Xingye’s face darkened as he walked in, grabbing a waiter along the way.

“Where to?”

The waiter’s legs went weak; he leaned against the wall, trembling. “N-no, Young Master Xi, I just… had to pee…”

“Pee?” Xi Xingye grabbed him by the collar and threw him forward. “Where are they? Take me to them.”

“Y-yes, Young Master Xi.” The waiter almost cried but dared not disobey, slowly leading the way, only to get kicked in the butt by Xi Xingye.

“Hurry up.”

Finally reaching the private room, the waiter ran off.

Xi Xingye pushed the door open and saw Xu Zijie alone, passionately singing into a microphone.

When the song ended, applause came from behind him. He looked around but saw no one else.

Turning, he saw Xi Xingye standing at the door, smiling and clapping.

Xu Zijie flinched, dropping the microphone, which made the speakers emit a loud screech.

“Brother Xi…” Xu Zijie swallowed nervously and instinctively moved back. “Wh-why are you here?”

Damn it!

He inwardly cursed his friends for being dishonorable, avoiding Xi Xingye’s gaze, and muttered, “Brother Xi, I have to go home… I need to read novels to my grandma.”

The next moment, Xi Xingye’s fist was already coming down.

“Ahhh! Brother Xi, I’m sorry!” Xu Zijie raised his hands, begging loudly. “Brother Xi, Brother Xi! Please spare me! If my sister-in-law finds out, I won’t get away with it!”

The fist never landed.

Xu Zijie peeked up to see Xi Xingye staring at him menacingly.

He closed his eyes and yelled as if throwing caution to the wind, “Brother Xi, I really don’t dare to keep you here! My sister-in-law would kill me!”

Pissing off Xi Xingye might keep him home for three days.

But pissing off Shen Qingci? He’d be lucky to keep both himself and his belongings intact!

Xi Xingye kicked over a chair nearby, frustrated. Just then, Sister Zhang’s call came through.

“Young Master.”

Sister Zhang carefully glanced at Shen Qingci and whispered, “It’s already 11:30. Please go home and don’t make the Young Madam angry.”

“No! I’m not going! Never!” Xi Xingye hung up, full of pent-up anger.

Just as he sat down, his phone rang again.

It was Steward Liang.

—Young Master, it’s already 11:37. The Madam’s curfew is in 23 minutes. Please hurry back, or she’ll be angry.

Xi Xingye’s face darkened further.

These people are all crazy. Seriously bribed by that woman?

The phone rang again.

Xi Xingye impatiently opened it.

It was a video from Sister Zhang.

In the video, Shen Qingci held a half-meter-long broadsword, practicing her moves.

The wooden post was almost stripped down to bark!

“Damn!” Xi Xingye cursed and stood up.

He took a few long strides forward. Xu Zijie, expecting another beating, quickly covered his face.

But nothing happened for a long while.

Peeking through his fingers, Xu Zijie realized Xi Xingye was just deep in thought.

After a while, he gritted his teeth. “You really think I’m afraid of her? Let me tell you, I just don’t hit women. Otherwise, could she even be my match? And you expect me to go home on time? Hah!”

He glanced at the time and briskly left the entertainment city.

At 11:37:19, Xi Xingye reluctantly stepped into the house.

He hummed as he walked.

Although he, the young master, had returned…

He had arrived just in time!

Passing the living room sofa, he caught sight of someone lying down and froze.

“What a rustic village woman… even sleeps on the sofa.” He snorted and bent closer, his glassy eyes locking on Shen Qingci’s face.

Her small face was framed by dark strands of hair, with a delicate nose and pink lips.

Sleeping, Shen Qingci seemed like a calm porcelain doll—so obedient… bullshit!

Xi Xingye withdrew his gaze, straightened up, and suddenly noticed the catnip in the planter. A mischievous idea struck.

He plucked a stalk and grinned, crouching to poke her soft skin.

Tickle you! You’re so tough, huh? So proud? Let’s see! Locking me out, huh?

The catnip went straight up Shen Qingci’s nose.

The next second, her cold eyes snapped open.

An ambush?!

“Smack!”

A heavy slap sent Xi Xingye spinning 720 degrees, crashing into the planter and hitting the ground with a thud.

Xi Xingye propped himself up, mouth agape, hands trembling as he pointed at Shen Qingci through the air.

“You, y-you you you…”