Chapter 2: Marriage Certificate, Eight Clauses

“Hello, Shen Qingci.”

As she sat down, Shen Qingci said this lightly, then pulled out the paperwork to start filling it in.

Her long curly hair cascaded down her arm. She wore a plain white blouse, the simplest style, but on her slender waist and figure, it carried an entirely different kind of allure.

Halfway through filling out the form, Shen Qingci suddenly realized the person beside her hadn’t spoken a word. She turned her gaze slightly.

“What’s wrong?”

Xi Xingye was resting his chin on one hand, pen stuck behind his ear, staring at her with a slanted gaze. The corner of his mouth carried a wicked, cold smile.

She immediately understood—this young master was about to cause trouble.

So, she simply tossed her pen aside and looked at him for two seconds.

Then, unhurriedly, she pulled out her phone and dialed a number.

Xi Xingye’s eyes narrowed instantly, just as he heard her say into the receiver:

“Old Master, why didn’t you tell me before getting the marriage certificate that your grandson is mute?”

The phone was instantly snatched from her hand!

Xi Xingye was about to explode when he saw the screen was black—the call hadn’t even gone through.

Across from him, her cold and striking face was half-smiling.

He sneered, tossing the phone aside. “Speaking of Old Master, I really do wonder—how did you manage to trick him so well?”

“Oh? What do you mean?” Shen Qingci asked calmly.

“Keep pretending,” Xi Xingye leaned in close, word by word whispering in her ear, “Or maybe you can call a lawyer right now and start dividing up the family property?”

Lawyer, family property?

Shen Qingci instantly understood.

He had been at the bar last night.

But she showed no guilt at being exposed. Crossing her arms with a smile, she said, “Good thing you overheard. Saves me from having to repeat myself. By the way, you missed one thing—please add it: I’ll need a copy of your last three months’ health checkup, and a certificate of no criminal record.”

Xi Xingye mocked, “Do you also want my credit report?”

“If you can provide it, even better.”

“Oh, should I just write you a résumé too?”

“The pen’s right here. Don’t make it too long, I’m in a hurry.”

“Shen!”

“Yes.”

Her dark eyes lifted, clear and cold, like frozen springs on a winter night.

The atmosphere turned razor-sharp, ready to explode.

Suddenly, she set down the pen and stood up.

Looking down at him from above with a cold gaze, she said:

“Master Xi, this marriage is your grandfather’s idea. I have my own reasons, which I don’t need to tell you. I, Shen Qingci, only do things willingly. Since you’re unwilling, then this engagement is void. As for explaining to your grandfather—that’s your job.”

She picked up her bag and turned to leave.

Just as she reached the door, an impatient voice called from behind: “Wait.”

Half an hour later, Xi Xingye and Shen Qingci walked out of the Civil Affairs Bureau with their marriage certificate.

At the same time, Shen Qingci was holding an extra white contract.

She glanced at Xi Xingye, recalling what he had just said:

“Getting the certificate is fine, but we’re making eight rules.”

“First, after marriage, no physical contact. No holding hands, no linking arms.”
“Second, don’t interfere in my private life.”
“Third, don’t criticize my living habits.”
“Fourth, separate bedrooms. Without permission, don’t enter each other’s private space.”
“Fifth, finances separate. I won’t give you a single cent.”
“Sixth, don’t contact me unless necessary. Handle your own problems.”
“Seventh, no tattling to Grandfather.”
“Eighth, one year later you’ll take the initiative to tell him our relationship has broken down and you want a divorce—leaving with nothing.”

“If you can’t accept these, then go tell Grandfather now you don’t want to marry. I’ll give you hush money, and we’ll never have anything to do with each other again.”

He had come fully prepared—not only had it all printed out, but even the legal seals were in place.

Shen Qingci directly chose to sign.

Pulled back from her memory, Shen Qingci casually tossed the marriage certificate into a toolbox beside her motorcycle.

Inside were also wrenches, motor oil, screwdrivers, and more.

Xi Xingye happened to be driving by. Seeing this scene, he laughed in anger. “Use it and throw it away? Shen, you’re really not even pretending to hide it, huh?”

Shen Qingci ignored him. Another car followed behind.

Xi Xingye leaned out provocatively: “What’s wrong? Wasn’t it you shamelessly clinging to me to get married? If you’re so unwilling, go tell Grandfather to cancel it! I’ve seen plenty of women like you—relying on a decent face, thinking you can sell yourself for a good price, and then… What are you doing?!”

Bang.

The car door opened and shut—Shen Qingci was already in the passenger seat.

“Didn’t you just say I should act more willing so I could fetch a better price?”

With that, she began unbuttoning her blouse.

Xi Xingye’s expression darkened instantly. “Get out!”

Instead, she shrugged it off, tossing the blouse aside.

He was about to explode, but when his gaze fell on her, he froze.

Sunlight streamed through the window, shining on her porcelain-white skin.

Her skin looked even more delicate under the light, with a faint rosy glow. The black camisole clung tightly, accentuating curves that set his blood racing, her neckline alluring…

He jerked his head away, ears reddening. “Shen Qingci, don’t forget! Rule number one—no physical contact!”

“Oh, but we’re already married…”

She swung a leg over and sat on him. “If I don’t follow the rules, what can you do about it?”

“Are you insane?!”

Xi Xingye grabbed her hands, veins popping.

Their eyes locked, and Shen Qingci smirked. “Sharp observation, Young Master Xi.”

Then she ripped his jacket open with a single pull!

Damn!

Xi Xingye was shaken.

This woman was crazier than him!

Her hand slipped downward, her long hair brushing against his arm, her breath grazing his neck.

He got distracted for just a second, and nearly lost his pants too.

Veins bulging, he yanked at his belt, then bundled her up and tossed her straight out of the car.

Along with her blouse.

Knock, knock.

Shen Qingci rapped on the window, staring at his furious face and the hand frantically zipping up his pants.

She smiled faintly.

“Mr. Xi, since you’re my new husband, it’s only fair I let you know about me too.”

Calmly putting her blouse back on, she said: “I, Shen Qingci, have a bad temper, don’t reason, like peace and quiet, and hate nagging noise. As for my requirements for a husband, I don’t have eight rules—only three.”

“One, you’re not allowed to stay out all night.”
“Two, you’re not allowed to smoke in front of me.”
“Three, you’re not allowed to have other women outside.”

“As long as these three are met, I won’t cause trouble. Otherwise…”

Xi Xingye sneered, “Otherwise what?”

Shen Qingci glanced meaningfully at his crotch.

Xi Xingye: !!!

“You’d better go check yourself into the ER!”

He slammed the accelerator, leaving her behind in a cloud of dust.

Shen Qingci watched his car disappear, then her phone buzzed.

It was a WeChat from Su Yingying: Why aren’t you at the Italian restaurant yet?

She put on her helmet and sped off.

Italian Restaurant.

“What?! You got married?!” Su Yingying’s shout turned all heads in the restaurant.

Shen Qingci calmly sipped her tea and nodded. “Mm.”

She casually handed over a crumpled marriage certificate.

Su Yingying took it and screamed again.

“Who?! Xi Xingye?! The Xi Xingye I know?! The notorious one every kid in the capital is scared of—that Xi! Xing! Ye?!”

“Mm.”

Su Yingying gasped hard, clutching her chest, pinching her philtrum.

Then she sprang up, staring at Shen Qingci. “Is this because of Song Qi?”

Shen Qingci’s hand paused on her teacup.

“I know it hurt you when Song Qi decided to get married. But you can’t marry such a playboy just to get back at him! Even if you married a dog, at least it could guard the house. But Xi Xingye—does he even recognize all the letters in his own name?!”

“It’s not because of him.”

Her eyes lowered, emotion unreadable. “What happened with him is long over.”

“You nearly died for him, and you expect me to believe you’re over it?!” Su Yingying scolded, but her eyes were full of concern.

She and Shen Qingci had met because of the famous bank hostage crisis three years ago.

Back then, Su Yingying was a journalist. She’d rushed to the city center when she heard everyone inside the National Bank was being held hostage. Song Qi was among them. She had seen with her own eyes when Shen Qingci volunteered to exchange herself for him.

Later, Shen Qingci did switch places, then shot the kidnapper and saved everyone.

“It’s because of my mother’s company,” Shen Qingci said lightly. “The company was merged into the Xi family’s. Old Master Xi promised me that if I married his grandson, the company would return to me. Whether my mother’s death was connected to that company, I have to find out.”

She checked her watch. “I need to go to the hospital to pick up a seal. Leaving now.”

Elsewhere.

Inside the luxurious racing club, filled with the smell of oil and noise, Xi Xingye had just finished eighteen laps. He destroyed a race car before finally getting out, still seething.

A few of his buddies sat in the booth, not daring to speak.

Finally, Xu Zijie plucked up courage, handed him a lighter, and asked: “So you really got married?”

Smoke curled around as Xi Xingye narrowed his eyes, his face dark as thunder. “My old man pulled the whole crying, hanging, and coffin-buying act. If I didn’t get the certificate, next time he’d probably already have the funeral plot picked.”

“It really was that girl from the bar? The old man’s not afraid she’ll clean the Xi family out? She even consulted a lawyer beforehand.”

That only made Xi Xingye angrier. “We signed a prenuptial. Tell me, what’s this woman after? Is she crazy?”

Xu Zijie eyed his torn clothes. “She did this too?”

“Yeah, tried to rip my jacket.”

He didn’t mention the rest. Too humiliating.

Someday, he’d get his revenge!

“I get it now!” Xu Zijie suddenly clapped his hands.

A second later he yelped, butt shoved forward by Xi Xingye’s kick.

“Talk like a normal person! Stop acting like you’ve seen a ghost!”

Clutching his backside, Xu Zijie grimaced. “Tch… I was just excited! I figured out why she married you!”

“Why?” Xi Xingye took a swig of alcohol.

“She likes you.”

“Pff—!”

He spat all his drink out.