TL: snaggletooth

Chu Yi owns a house in City A, which can be considered as a bachelor apartment.

Two years after his studio opened, he already lived a life free of financial worries in terms of food and clothes. After another year, he bought a house. Another year later, he bought a car. He seemed to be the one doing the best out of the graduates from his year.

In regards to relationships, just like his mom, there appears to be many friends who want to introduce a partner for him because of how sociable he is.

As soon as they thought of someone suitable, they would first think of Chu Yi.

When making friends, it has always gone well for Chu Yi. However, when it came to dating and marriage, for some reason, he would always find something about the other that he isn’t satisfied with.

Even after just chatting, there would only be a few he found suitable to proceed with. Not to mention after a date, the strange vibe he felt from everyone could only leave him laughing awkwardly.

His mom said his standards are too high, especially after each blind date. The other always seemed to be pretty satisfied with him, the one that isn’t satisfied is Chu Yi. This makes his mom quite anxious.

So after every blind date, he has to welcome a scolding from his mom.

Sometimes, he also reflects on himself, is it really that his standard is too high?

To be honest, he’s not in a hurry to marry, and it’s not to the extent that he really wants to marry. But the environment around him doesn’t allow him to not be in a hurry, his mom is urging, his grandma^[1]from his mom’s side is urging, his classmates are setting off red firecrackers^[2]red firecrackers are set off at weddings, and some of his friend’s kids were already about to enter kindergarten.

They made it seem like he made some big mistake.

Some years ago, a few days after the same sex marriage law has been passed, he came out to his family. He said he has no interest in girls and there was no need to introduce any more girls to him.

After that, he thought the blind dates would stop. But what he didn’t expect was that after his mom agonized for a few days, she suddenly accepted it and immediately started setting him up with men.

The story is, she found quite a handful of them, almost as if they came from catching up with the trend. During that period, Chu Yi went on so many blind dates that he wanted to puke.

So the fact is, when Chu Yi decided to marry Qin Yiheng, it was a bit impulsive.

And a bit because he wanted to turn in the homework to his family.

He’s not sure how or what Qin Yiheng checked up about him.

But he doesn’t understand Qin Yiheng, not even a tiny bit. He only knows the two-paged resume from earlier today that didn’t really say much.

After the meal, Chu Yi told Qin Yiheng that he brought his car and there was no need to call the driver over.

The two walked together to the parking lot and arrived next to Chu Yi’s car.

After Chu Yi unlocked his car, his eyes flowed over and took a glance at Qin Yiheng.

Since Qin Yiheng drives such a good car, Chu Yi didn’t know if he would dislike this one.

But very considerably, Qin Yiheng didn’t, he had no change of expression.

Chu Yi opened the door of the driver’s seat, and before he got in, he remembered the image of Qin Yiheng’s driver opening the door of the car for Qin Yiheng. Chu Yi immediately stood up properly and was thinking about whether he should open the door for Qin Yiheng.

But Qin Yiheng already walked over by himself and opened the door of the back seat. But he didn’t sit inside, instead, he paused for a bit and then closed the door.

Chu Yi saw with his own eyes that Qin Yiheng’s long legs walked up, opened the passenger seat, and sat in.

Chu Yi’s heart was suddenly moved.

Although Qin Yiheng seemed to be cold, he actually has very good manners.

Based on only the fact that he didn’t sit in the back seat and treated him like a driver, it can already score some points.

Then, Chu Yi thought about all the conversations he had with Qin Yiheng today.

Never mind, he definitely is cold. But none of Qin Yiheng’s words made Chu Yi feel uncomfortable nor did they make him feel inferior.

So just like this, he put a the future’s probably nice and easy label on himself.

“I need to go home first, I have to grab a few things before we head to your place, is that okay?” Chu Yi fastened the seat belt and sought Qin Yiheng’s opinion.

Qin Yiheng said, “Okay.”

And then he said again, “Our place.”

Chu Yi awkwardly said, “Ah, my apologies, right, our place.”

OK, Chu Yi tells himself, gotta get used to Qin Yiheng’s serious attitude towards marriage.

Qin Yiheng is quite big, Chu Yi has driven many people before but no one was quite like Qin Yiheng. When he sat down, the space became very small.

No wonder Qin Yiheng’s car was so big, he probably can’t get comfortable in Chu Yi’s passenger seat.

Chu Yi felt uncomfortable just by looking at him.

Next time, it’ll be better to call his driver.

Very soon, the car arrived at Chu Yi’s residential area. He got off, and Qin Yiheng followed.

The two took the elevator up.

Chu Yi already felt that he was getting sort of used to these kinds of awkward states of silence.

The 16th floor arrived quickly, Chu Yi let Qin Yiheng exit the elevator first then quickly followed.

The voice-activated lights turned on. Only the sound of two people’s leather shoes could be heard from the corridor. Chu Yi took out his keys, opened the door, and went inside.

It was a very simple, clean and tidy two-bedroom, one-living-room apartment. After Qin Yiheng came in, Chu Yi searched for a pair of slippers from the shoe cabinet.

But Qin Yiheng glanced at the shoe cabinet, after he saw many pairs of slippers, he slightly frowned.

Chu Yi didn’t understand what that meant.

“You go get your things, I’ll wait for you here.” Qin Yiheng told him.

Chu Yi, “Oh.”

Even though he felt that leaving the guest at the door is impolite, he thought that Qin Yiheng probably didn’t want to wear slippers that other people have worn.

Chu Yi could not find any new slippers at the moment so he didn’t force it on him. He could only hurry into the bedroom, tidy everything he needed for the night, and put it into his bag.

Chu Yi jogged out, “All done, let’s leave.”

Qin Yiheng nodded, “Mn.”

Qin Yiheng got back into Chu Yi’s car.

Chu Yi asked, “Where’s your place?”

After Qin Yiheng heard, “My place?”

Chu Yi, “Ah.” He now understood the meaning behind Qin Yiheng’s words, “Our place.”

Qin Yiheng, “Zhen Jing.”

Chu Yi nodded expressionlessly but in his heart.

High-end residential area yo, high-end residential area.

Following the navigation in his head, Chu Yi quickly drove to the gates of the residential area. This place is far from the city center so it’s not noisy.

Since the car was unfamiliar, it was stopped by the security guard outside the gates. Chu Yi turned his head to look at Qin Yiheng, then Qin Yiheng lowered the car windows.

“Oh, Mr. Qin.” The security immediately opened the gates and smiled, “Please come in.”

Qin Yiheng didn’t immediately close the windows, instead, he said to the security guard, “This car is from my family.”

When these words fell, Chu Yi’s hands on the steering wheels paused for a bit.

Crap.

It’s the feeling of being shot in the heart.

Qin Yiheng closed the windows only after the security guard sensibly said got it.

Chu Yi licked his lips, calmed his mind, and asked, “Where do I go from here?”

Qin Yiheng, “Turn left.”

Chu Yi, “Mn.”

Qin Yiheng, “Turn right.”

Qin Yiheng, “Go straight.”

Qin Yiheng, “We’re here. It’s that white one in front.”

Following Qin Yiheng’s instructions, Chu Yi drove the car into the garage of Qin Yiheng’s house.

The two exited the car together, Chu Yi put the key back into his bag and followed Qin Yiheng to the door.

Passing through an unlocked iron gate and a path of stone, came the door to the house.

Since it was nighttime and the lights here shine only for looks, other than the road beneath their feet, nothing else was visible. Adding the fact that Qin Yiheng was right beside him, Chu Yi didn’t have the nerves to look around at the decorations outside the house and could only walk in silence.

Very soon, the two stopped outside the door.

“The password is 100409,” Qin Yiheng slightly moved to the side and showed him the password lock in his hands, “Remember it.”

Chu Yi nodded, said okay, then silently repeated 100409 in his head many times.

After the door opened and they walked in, Chu Yi asked, “Does this string of numbers have any meaning?”

Qin Yiheng said, “The number of strokes in my name^[3]qin(秦) has 10, yi(以) has 4, heng(恒) has 9.”

Chu Yi nodded.

Now that Qin Yiheng told Chu Yi the password of the door, Chu Yi felt like he should do something as well.

He thought for a bit, then took out the keys to his house from his bag.

“This is the key to my house. ” After saying this, Chu Yi felt that it was a bit dry. He thought for a moment, then added, “Since you told me the password, this is the return gift.”

Qin Yiheng turned around to look at Chu Yi.

The moment their eyes met, Chu Yi suddenly felt that there was something ambiguous in the air.

His heart also started beating quicker.

Qin Yiheng didn’t take it immediately, instead, he asked, “If you give me the keys, what about you? How will you go home?”

Chu Yi thought he might be blushing so he moved a little and walked slowly towards an area that isn’t so bright, said, “I have a spare at my mom’s, I can go back to get it, and since you’re going on a business trip tomorrow.”

After Qin Yiheng comes back from his business trip, this return gift will obviously, slightly, seem less meaningful.

After speaking, he passed the keys over once again.

As if there was a ripple in his mind, he was indulging in the little romance of newlyweds he constructed himself while waiting for Qin Yiheng to take his key, but then Qin Yiheng spoke.

Qin Yiheng, “Thank you, but I don’t need it.”

This very calm voice immediately dragged Chu Yi back.

Qin Yiheng continued to drag him, “I don’t need to go to that house of yours.”

Which… made complete sense.

Chu Yi, “…”

Chu Yi came back under the light, and put the keys back, “Okay.”

Jeez, he only gave you the password for convenience, what are you fantasizing about by yourself.

Chu Yi changed into the new slippers Qin Yiheng gave him and laughed as he thought about this.