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Xu Zhiyi was busy packing her bags to go home when the man knocked and entered her bedroom. Lately, he had been visiting her every morning and night; the bedroom door was always unlocked, and she would wake up to see him first thing in the morning, while he would only leave after she had fallen asleep.
“Aren’t you supposed to have a dinner meeting tonight?” She glanced at him while continuing to fold her sleepwear, carefully packing her favorite pajamas that she took with her wherever she went.
“It wrapped up early,” Jiang Sixun replied, rushing back after a social gathering. His eyes landed on her suitcase. “Are you going home tomorrow?”
“Yeah, I miss my parents and want to check in on them.” Xu Zhiyi placed the last of her nightgowns into the suitcase.
Jiang Sixun frowned slightly. “If you go back first, we’ll be apart for four days. Aren’t you going to wait for me to leave together?”
“It’s only four days! I’ll see you again on my birthday,” she replied with a playful smirk.
Jiang Sixun watched as she finished packing, kneeling slightly to help her close the suitcase and fastening it shut. He looked up at her and said, “Four days feels like an eternity to me.”
Xu Zhiyi placed her hands on the suitcase that lay between them, leaning in to plant a soft kiss on his lips. “I’ll go home to see my parents first, and then I’ll come to pick you up.”
Jiang Sixun’s expression turned serious. “In a few days, I won’t be here; I need to go to Hong Kong for a business matter. Zhou Mingqian has a private event that I’ve been invited to.”
“Do you want me to come with you?” he asked.
Xu Zhiyi felt a flutter in her heart. For the past few years, she had only interacted with Zhou Mingqian online and had never had the chance to meet him in person.
Without much hesitation, she replied, “I still want to be with my parents for a few days. Besides, the branch of Yuanwei in Hong Kong is now set up, so I’ll have plenty of opportunities to meet Zhou Mingqian later.”
Realizing further persuasion would be futile, Jiang Sixun decided to drop the subject.
He reported back to the family group chat: [Zhiyi wants to spend time with her parents and isn’t willing to go to Hong Kong with me. There’s no way to convince her otherwise.]
He Yi’an felt a mixture of warmth and bitterness in her heart. The house was currently in disarray, filled with clutter across the lawn and living room, and there were no surprises to be had without a proper setup.
[I’ll have Uncle Xu call her and say we need to go on a business trip.]
An hour later, Xu Zhiyi received a call from her father. He started with small talk before mentioning that an old friend from Su City had invited them over for crab. The friend’s chef could prepare over ten different crab dishes.
“…You’re inviting me and Mom just to eat crabs?” she asked, incredulously.
“It’s not just about the crabs; we’ll also discuss a charity collaboration,” he clarified.
He then asked her, “Are you coming? You don’t want to miss the crabs!”
Xu Zhiyi thought for a moment. “Never mind, I won’t go. I don’t want to disrupt your discussions. I’ll stay with Jiang Sixun in Hong Kong and maybe get to meet Zhou Mingqian.”
Xu Xiangyi felt a pang of longing for his daughter but knew the house was a mess. “Alright, just make sure to come back soon.”
After hanging up, Xu Zhiyi found that Jiang Sixun had already taken her suitcase out of the closet.
“Stay at my place tonight, and we’ll head straight to the airport in the morning,” he said, his tone brooking no argument.
Xu Zhiyi quickly changed clothes and got into his car.
She had visited his home more than once, but she had never set foot in his room upstairs.
With the housekeeper gone to Manhattan to accompany Jiang Yue Ru, the villa felt empty, leaving just the two of them to enjoy a sense of freedom.
His bedroom was similar to his place in Hong Kong—decorated in cool tones, with matching bed linens.
Xu Zhiyi glanced around, commenting, “You don’t have much stuff.”
Jiang Sixun opened her suitcase. “It’s scattered across several homes; I have the most in Shanghai.”
“Don’t you have any journals or anything?” She scanned his bookshelf.
“Nope. Who even writes journals anymore?”
“I do! I’ve filled several notebooks.”
“Show them to me after we get married,” he said casually.
Xu Zhiyi chuckled. “No way! If too much time passes, I’ll forget what I wrote. What if I noted a crush on some cute guy from school?”
“Now I’m even more curious,” Jiang Sixun said, handing her a nightgown. “You should wash up first.”
In the bathroom, she made do with his shower gel and shampoo.
Feeling refreshed, she sprawled across his bed, teasing him, “Since I’m taking over your bed tonight, you’ll have to sleep on the floor.”
Jiang Sixun replied, “We can discuss who owns the bed later.”
Xu Zhiyi stretched out her arms, grabbing one of his pillows and resting her chin on it.
Nestled in the soft comforter, the scent of cedar filled the air, and her eyelids grew heavy.
Just as she was about to drift off, a sudden weight pressed down on her, bringing with it the familiar coldness of his presence.
She found herself enveloped, her body pinned beneath his.
Xu Zhiyi turned her head to see his deep-set eyes gazing back at her.
“I wanted to talk to you,” she said softly.
“Sure,” Jiang Sixun replied, sliding his left arm beneath the covers and around her waist.
“What do you want to talk about?” he prompted.
Xu Zhiyi rolled back, resting her chin on the pillow, contemplating before finally asking, “How old were you when you first fell in love?”
“Twenty-six doesn’t count as early love,” he replied, holding her hand firmly.
Xu Zhiyi turned back. “I was twenty, so that’s not early either.”
Before she could say more, he captured her lips with his.
Her back pressed against his chest, their position remained unchanged.
Xu Zhiyi had always thought sitting in his lap brought her closer to him, but tonight, feeling his warmth against her back was just as intimate.
She felt the full weight of him resting on her.
Time passed, and it felt like they had been lost in this moment long enough for a flight from Beijing to Hong Kong to cover half the journey, yet he showed no signs of stopping.
The warmth of his sweat brushed against her shoulder blades.
“Zhiyi,” he murmured, leaning down to kiss her back. His voice was husky and laced with temptation. “Call me.”
Xu Zhiyi understood exactly what he wanted her to say—the endearing term she had promised to use a hundred and eighty times once they were married.
At the edge of her patience, she realized that it was he who was finally surrendering.
They reached a peak together, and Jiang Sixun whispered in her ear, “Wife.”
Her heart raced, trembling uncontrollably beneath the weight of his words. It was far sweeter than calling her by her name, and she drew his hand under her cheek.
He pressed another kiss to her, not pulling away, still nestled deep within her.
He draped a bathrobe around their waists, pulling her even closer.
As they settled down, Jiang Sixun held Xu Zhiyi in his arms for another fifteen minutes, savoring the moment.
After their shared joy, Xu Zhiyi found comfort in snuggling against him. It was rare for both of them to have the next morning free from work, with an afternoon flight to Hong Kong ahead.
Before sleeping, she turned off the alarm. When she opened her eyes the next morning, she found herself nestled in Jiang Sixun’s embrace.
Glancing at him, she noticed his breathing wasn’t even—he must have woken up earlier.
“Can you stay with me until noon?” she asked, recalling the last time she’d enjoyed a leisurely sleep-in was far too long ago.
“Sure,” he replied, eyes still closed.
Xu Zhiyi buried her face back into his chest, her fingers tracing his toned waist and moving to his back. His muscles were solid, not an ounce of excess fat, and she held him close.
“In the past, when I thought we had no chance, I had some ridiculous ideas,” she confessed.
Jiang Sixun caressed her delicate back, intrigued. “What kind of ridiculous ideas?”
“I thought, since you weren’t into relationships, you must have needs. And I didn’t want to marry either—I just wanted to focus on my career. So, I thought about finding you for a no-strings-attached arrangement; just fulfilling each other’s needs without any romance or public declarations.”
Jiang Sixun opened his eyes and looked down at her, “So why didn’t you look for me?”
“Didn’t I just say? It was a fleeting, ridiculous thought,” Xu Zhiyi admitted, a hint of vulnerability in her voice. “I was worried that if I said it out loud, you’d think I was crazy.”
“I wouldn’t. If you called me, I’d come back. I might hesitate, but it wouldn’t be for long.”
Xu Zhiyi tightened her grip around him. “Don’t just say things to make me happy.”
“I’m not. Didn’t I tell you before that I don’t care about labels?”
She took his hand, intertwining her fingers with his long ones.
In a swift motion, Jiang Sixun rolled over, pinning her beneath him.
“We have to complete our morning run,” he said with a playful smirk.
As the blackout curtains automatically drew open, soft morning light flooded the room, filtered through sheer white curtains that barely shielded them from the bright dawn.
The bedroom lit up suddenly, and Xu Zhiyi raised her hand to block his view, not wanting him to stare so openly at her.
Jiang Sixun chuckled, brushing her hand away. “That’s just self-deception; it’s not like I haven’t kissed you before.” He pressed his lips to her earlobe, teasingly whispering, “Tell me, where haven’t I kissed you?”
“……”
“I’m going to take a shower,” Xu Zhiyi announced, escaping from the teasing.
After their exhausting night, she had fallen asleep almost immediately.
“I’ll shower with you,” Jiang Sixun said, following her.
However, he found himself slower than her as she swiftly locked the bathroom door behind her. He stood outside, knocking lightly, and couldn’t help but chuckle at her antics.
“Zhiyi.”
The only response was the sound of running water from the shower.
Feigning ignorance was her specialty.
Jiang Sixun retreated to the adjacent bathroom to wash up. After he finished and poured himself a glass of warm water, he returned to the bedroom, only to find Xu Zhiyi finally emerging from the bathroom.
As she moved to close the blackout curtains, he hugged her from behind. “No need to close them; you’ll get used to it.”
They sank back into the soft, warm blankets.
In the morning light, Xu Zhiyi wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him gently.
After their showers, the lingering coolness of their skin enveloped them, heightening the intimacy of the moment.
His tongue explored all the places he had loved before.
From her delicate collarbone to the lush landscape below, every inch was an adventure.
It felt as if a clear spring flowed through the forest, the sound of trickling water echoing softly.
He captured it, savoring it completely.
From the bed to the couch by the floor-to-ceiling windows, Xu Zhiyi’s nightgown had slipped beneath the sheets or the cushions. She hastily threw on a robe and tied the belt snugly.
Jiang Sixun, freshly washed and dressed in loungewear, still looked sharp.
He settled onto the couch, and Xu Zhiyi perched on his lap, gazing down at him as her fingers began to undo the buttons of his shirt, one by one.
Once the last button was freed, her hands traveled lower.
His breath caught as he felt her gentle touch.
She leaned down to place a soft kiss on his lips.
That single kiss sent a rush of warmth through Jiang Sixun’s body, causing him to lose all sense of control.
In the next heartbeat, he had her in his arms, straddling him, holding her by the back of her head as he deepened their kiss.
He descended into the clear spring below.
Morning sunlight streamed through the gaps in the sheer white curtains, casting soft, warm beams onto the floor.
By 7 PM, they arrived in Hong Kong.
Jiang Sixun was wearing a black shirt, the buttons fastened by Xu Zhiyi’s nimble fingers.
After dropping off their luggage at the apartment and changing into suitable clothes, the two set off to find a meal.
“Where should we eat?” Xu Zhiyi asked, linking her arm through his.
Jiang Sixun pressed the elevator button to go down, replying, “I’ll take you to an authentic Sichuan restaurant, a private kitchen that’s been around for many years. I used to go there when I was a kid.”
“The atmosphere isn’t great,” he added.
Xu Zhiyi smiled, “That’s okay; as long as the food is good. Those little stir-fry places I recommended weren’t exactly fancy either, but they’re unforgettable.”
Today, Jiang Sixun was driving, with Xu Zhiyi in the passenger seat.
Once they hit the main road, he didn’t turn on the GPS right away. Xu Zhiyi reminded him, “Use the navigation, don’t get lost.”
“I remember the way, no need for navigation,” he replied confidently.
“Do you come here often?” she asked.
“Yeah.”
“By yourself?”
“Most of the time. I came here once with Xu Hang, but he was so overwhelmed by the spice that he had to buy stomach medicine the next day.”
Xu Zhiyi couldn’t help but laugh, “He’s really something. If he can’t handle spicy food, why push it?”
She turned to face him. “You used to struggle with spicy food too.”
“Not anymore. I got used to it,” he said, now enjoying both Sichuan cuisine and seafood.
After a forty-minute drive, they finally arrived at the Sichuan restaurant.
Jiang Sixun parked the car and took Xu Zhiyi’s hand as they walked toward the entrance.
Xu Zhiyi glanced around, noting how hard it was to find this place. “How did you discover this restaurant?” she asked, curious. “Did you read about it online?”
“I asked Uncle Zhuang. He recommended it to me,” he replied.
In the past, he’d come here alone, ordering a couple of dishes and a soup, along with a serving of sweet glutinous rice cake. After many visits, the owner recognized him.
“Looks like you’ve been busy lately. I haven’t seen you in a while,” the owner said.
Jiang Sixun chuckled, “Yeah, I’ve been in a relationship.”
Xu Zhiyi shook his arm playfully, whispering, “Aren’t you too old to be announcing your love life everywhere?”
He pulled out a chair for her, and she draped her coat over the back before responding, “It’s precisely because I’m not getting any younger that it’s hard to find love. If I were younger, I might have kept it a secret.”
“……”
He sat beside her and continued, “If I were twenty-six and dating you, I wouldn’t tell anyone. I’d probably have to hide it, worried that Uncle Xu would come after me.”
Xu Zhiyi laughed. “My brother would definitely come after you too.”
Jiang Sixun perused the menu, deciding to order a few extra dishes since it was just the two of them.
Xu Zhiyi rested her chin on her hand, watching him with interest.
She imagined him dining alone in this restaurant, eating dishes he once disliked while contemplating something deep.
“Do you think of random things when you eat alone?” she asked.
Jiang Sixun lowered his gaze to the menu, replying, “At first, yes.”
But gradually, his mind became a blank slate.
After a hurried meal, he would return to work, much like when he was in that jazz bar in London, ordering drinks and listening to the performance, occasionally drifting off in thought before heading back to his tasks.
Yet sometimes, he’d be caught off guard, suddenly missing her fiercely.
The dishes arrived, and Xu Zhiyi took a bite of the cold beef, savoring the authentic taste of the spicy red oil.
“The twice-cooked pork here is also amazing. You should try it,” Jiang Sixun suggested, sliding the plate closer to her. He had chosen several dishes he had previously enjoyed.
He handed her a few napkins to wipe the red oil from the corners of her mouth.
During the half-year she acted as his assistant, whenever they dined out, he could only place a napkin beside her; he could never help her directly.
“What do you want to do after dinner?” he asked.
“Night tour of Victoria Harbor?” After glancing at the time, she frowned, “It’s too late for that tonight. We’ll have to save it for next time.” She added, “I was so excited the first time I took a yacht tour of Victoria Harbor as a child. It’s a pity you weren’t there to see how thrilled I was.”
“If you hadn’t been switched at birth, I would have definitely been there,” Jiang Sixun decided to fulfill her wish this time. “No need to wait for next time. Tomorrow night, Zhou Mingqian’s private party will be on a yacht.”
Xu Zhiyi frowned. “I thought the dinner was at the hotel terrace. Did they change the venue?”
Jiang Sixun nodded, “Yeah, they changed it.”
It had only just been changed.
As he went to settle the bill, he sent a message to Zhou Mingqian: [The party is moved to the yacht for tomorrow night.]
Zhou Mingqian replied: [……]
He had just informed his friends of the party’s location, only to change it at the last minute.
[Are you out of your mind?]
Jiang Sixun: [Haven’t you ever gone crazy?]
Zhou Mingqian: [I’ll let it slide this time because you just started dating.]
He reluctantly notified his friends again, stating that the weather would be nice, and the party would now be on the yacht.
Ning Yun: [What’s with the sudden changes?]
Zhou Mingqian: [Someone has money to burn and wants to throw a luxurious party for me.]
Ning Yun couldn’t guess: [Who is it?]
Zhou Mingqian: [The richest person on the island, who else?]
Ning Yun: “!”
[Why is Jiang Sixun throwing you a party?]
Zhou Mingqian: [Xu Zhiyi likes my movies.]
Ning Yun was left speechless for a moment, [I need to tell Yu Rui that this guy not only knows how to lower his pride but also knows how to curry favor.]
Zhou Mingqian: [……]
[Are you and Yu Rui ever going to stop competing?]
From childhood, they had always been in competition, and now it continued.
At that moment, another message came in from Shang Yin, asking him the same question: [Why the change in venue?] This party was hastily arranged, and the location had changed multiple times; he had never encountered such unreliable arrangements before.
Their company had collaborated with Zhou Mingqian for many years, and they had developed a good friendship. Recently, since he was in Hong Kong, Zhou Mingqian had invited him.
Zhou Mingqian replied: [A party at sea is so romantic.]
Shang Yin asked: [Are there people I know?]
Zhou Mingqian: [Yes, plenty.]
Shang Yin: [Is Jiang Sixun going?]
Zhou Mingqian: [Are you close with him?]
Shang Yin: [More than you know.]
He practically wanted to build a life with him, one abroad and one at home.
The next evening, at 7:30 PM, Shang Yin boarded the yacht punctually. After exchanging pleasantries with the party host, Zhou Mingqian, he took a glass of red wine and headed to the second deck, leaning over the railing to look down.
He received a few pick-up lines from random partygoers, but he could barely muster the energy to respond.
At 7:45, the person he had been waiting for finally arrived.
Dressed in a deep V-neck blush pink gown, with her hair elegantly styled, she walked toward him, a vision of grace and charm that outshone the dazzling nightscape of Victoria Harbor.
Jiang Sixun walked ahead, holding her hand.
“What a coincidence,” she said.
“Coincidence? You must know how long I’ve been waiting for you,” Jiang Sixun replied with a hint of mischief.
Shang Yin interjected, laughing, “I’ve been waiting from dawn until dusk, and my stubble is practically ready to harvest.”
After chatting for a bit, Jiang Sixun took Xu Zhiyi inside to find Zhou Mingqian.
Inside, the atmosphere was lively and chaotic, filled with laughter and playful banter.
Suddenly, someone called out, “Oh look, our Lu family’s decision-maker has arrived!”
This prompted a wave of cheers.
Xu Zhiyi tried to pull her hand away from Jiang Sixun, but he wouldn’t let go.
Zhou Mingqian handed his cards to someone else and got up to greet them, primarily to welcome Xu Zhiyi, whom he had known online for six years.
“Finally meeting you in person! Ning Yun was right; you’re a hundred times more beautiful than in photos.”
Xu Zhiyi smiled. “Director Zhou, you flatter me.”
After exchanging pleasantries, Jiang Sixun pulled Xu Zhiyi closer, introducing her to everyone. “This is my fiancée, Xu Zhiyi.”
Zhou Mingqian teased, “Did Zhiyi even agree to your proposal? You can’t just call yourself her fiancé.”
Jiang Sixun looked down at the woman in his arms with a light smile. “Whatever title I hold is up to her to decide.”
Xu Zhiyi chimed in, “A recently single guy in his late twenties.”
Laughter erupted in the cabin.
Among them, Ning Yun’s laughter was the loudest as she waved to the people on the steps. “Zhiyi, come over here and sit with me!”
Ning Yun’s tone still held the innocence from when they first met six years ago, treating Xu Zhiyi like a little girl.
“Okay!” Xu Zhiyi responded.
Jiang Sixun chuckled, releasing the person in his arms. “You enjoy yourself here; I’ll go find someone for a drink.”
He grabbed a glass of red wine from a tray and headed up to the second deck.
Shang Yun raised his glass to clink with Jiang Sixun’s. “I thought you wouldn’t come out.”
Jiang Sixun took a sip of wine. “I didn’t want you to get too lonely. So, what’s the special occasion that you’ve been waiting for me?”
Shang Yun swirled the wine in his glass. “You should be getting married in the next year or two, right? Have you found a best man? All your close friends have already gotten married; none can be your best man.”
Jiang Sixun remained silent, casting a sideways glance at him.
His eyes seemed to say, What are you getting at?
“I’ll be your best man.”
“…You want to be more than just the best man, don’t you?”
Shang Yun laughed. “If I can, I don’t want to just be the best man.” He encouraged, “Jiang, you’re already the decision-maker of the Lu family; it’s time to think bigger.”
Jiang Sixun lowered his glass and clinked it with Shang Yun’s. “Thinking big and losing one’s mind are two different things.”
Shang Yun laughed heartily, taking another sip. “The wedding stage is so big; it wouldn’t hurt to have one more person.”
Jiang Sixun raised an eyebrow. “Aren’t you afraid your mom will break your legs?”
“Not at all! I’ll bring my brother along, and we’ll both be your best men.”
“…”
Jiang Sixun downed the rest of his wine. “Zhiyi’s birthday is the day after tomorrow. I’ll treat you to some cake, but seriously, think twice about being a best man. I don’t want us both crying at the wedding.”
Shang Yun was left speechless, almost choking on his drink.
The next morning, on the 26th, Jiang Sixun and Xu Zhiyi returned to Shanghai.
By around 2 PM, they arrived in the city.
To their surprise, there was traffic at the entrance of the villa area, with cars lined up to get in, while others were continuously leaving.
Xu Zhiyi had never encountered such a scene before. She leaned out of the window to take a look. “Is someone getting married in the neighborhood today? There are so many luxury cars!”
They were all there for her birthday party, and since there was no place to park so many cars, the drivers immediately drove away after letting their passengers out. Jiang Sixun casually replied, “Probably.”