Chapter 40: If He Has Spare Time, He’ll Use It to Court His Wife

Because Tu Shanju was quite decisive, it took less than an hour for her to pick out two to three different styles of clothing for Xie Shiyu.

The overall styles were a sharp contrast from what he usually wore.

After they finished shopping, she also picked out a few accessories to match her new outfits.

Once that was done, the two of them went to the movies.

The film lasted about two hours. On their way out of the theater, they passed an arcade filled with blaring music. Tu Shanju only glanced curiously inside for a moment before Xie Shiyu took her hand and pulled her in.

Although Xie Shiyu had graduated college at eighteen and taken over the Xie Group at twenty, he hadn’t been a total bookworm in school. He understood the importance of balance between work and play.

So arcades were not unfamiliar territory to him.

Tu Shanju wasn’t new to them either. In fact, she was probably more skilled at gaming than Xie Shiyu.

Her curiosity had simply been about whether the arcades in Nancheng differed from those in Yun City. She hadn’t expected to be pulled in so suddenly.

Inside, the music was loud. Xie Shiyu leaned down close to her ear and said, “Wait here like a good girl. I’ll go get a card for us.”

It felt like he was coaxing a little kid, but Tu Shanju didn’t say anything. She just nodded lightly.

After he left, she looked around the space.

Maybe because it was a Sunday, the theater and arcade were both bustling. She had been standing near the entrance and took a few steps back to make room.

Seeing there were still two people ahead of Xie Shiyu in the line for game card registration, she sat down in the nearby rest area and pulled out her phone to scroll through videos.

Suddenly, a girl in her early teens—maybe fourteen or fifteen—with a high ponytail, standing near the wall, shouted into her phone:

“I don’t need you to control me! I’m so sick of this! She’s been dead for two years, and you’re still obsessed! What about me? Am I not your daughter? Why does that last piece of durian pastry always have to be saved for her?”

“She’s dead! I’m alive! I’m the one at your side, not her!”

The girl grew more and more agitated. Whatever was said on the other end pushed her over the edge—she suddenly stood up, tears streaming down her face.

“Mom, you’d cut ties with me over a dead person?!”

“Fine! Go ahead! Just sit in front of her memorial tablet for the rest of your life. See if she ever comes back to take care of you!”

Furious, she slung her backpack over her shoulder and stormed toward the exit. The call hadn’t even ended. Her face was flushed with rage.

“I’m not going home! That’s not my home—it’s the home of your perfect little family of three! I’m going back to Grandpa’s! Don’t try to pick me up, I’m not going with you!”

In her fury, the girl—named Shang Xue—wasn’t watching where she was going and stepped on Tu Shanju’s foot.

Realizing it, Shang Xue quickly ended the call and apologized sincerely, “I’m so sorry, sis! I was on the phone and didn’t see you. Are you okay? Did I hurt you? Your shoes are dirty—I’ll pay for the cleaning.”

Tu Shanju’s foot had a faint shoe print on it now, but she didn’t mind.

Instead, she glanced at something behind Shang Xue—a face that looked exactly like hers.

Perhaps Tu Shanju’s gaze was too sharp, because Shang Xue subconsciously turned around, but saw nothing. She asked curiously, “What is it, sis? What are you looking at?”

Tu Shanju withdrew her gaze and shook her head. “I’m fine. You can go.”

Still feeling apologetic, Shang Xue ran to the milk tea shop next door and bought Tu Shanju a drink to say sorry before finally leaving.

Tu Shanju looked at the milk tea in her hand, quietly stabbed in the straw—but didn’t take a sip.

Instead, she walked over to the spot where Shang Xue had been standing, placing the milk tea on a nearby wall shelf—only about 1.4 meters high.

She pulled a yellow talisman paper from her pocket, brought her index and middle fingers together, and drew a few strokes. A visible golden light shimmered into the paper.

She then pressed the finished talisman onto the milk tea cup and turned to the girl hiding in the corner.

“I’m not here to collect you. Don’t be afraid. Have a few sips—it’s your favorite flavor. Your sister bought it for you.”

With that, Tu Shanju turned and walked away, leaving the stunned girl frozen in place.

Xie Shiyu returned just in time to see her placing the talisman on the milk tea.

Although he didn’t know what had just happened, he didn’t disturb her and simply stood there waiting for her to finish.

He glanced at the cup of milk tea and called over a janitor nearby.

He said a few words to the cleaning lady, then transferred her 500 yuan on his phone.

Tu Shanju happened to walk over just as this was happening. She heard Xie Shiyu tell the janitor to keep an eye on the milk tea—don’t let anyone else touch it, and not to touch it herself either. They’d be back for it later.

Naturally, the janitor was happy to accept. She was in charge of keeping the rest area clean anyway, and it wouldn’t interfere with her duties—plus, she got a nice tip. Why not?

Xie Shiyu then took Tu Shanju around the arcade, playing every kind of game.

Tu Shanju fully relaxed. Whenever she won, she high-fived him; when she lost, she’d purse her lips in frustration but quickly go for the next round.

Xie Shiyu couldn’t help but be amazed at how strong she actually was.

Even though she clearly held back, his palm still tingled from her high-fives.

By the time they left the arcade, it was already 6:30 PM.

He casually tossed out the milk tea—which was still full but had long lost its sweet scent—and they returned to the car.

Once seated, the two of them spoke at the same time:

“I’m hungry. Let’s go eat.”

“You must be hungry. Let’s go get dinner.”

They both paused and then smiled at each other.

Xie Shiyu had also done his homework for dinner.

But this time, he hadn’t asked his secretaries.

He asked his experienced friend Lu Zeyuan—who was all the way in Country F.

But that single question led to Lu Zeyuan deciding to fly home early. He said he had to meet this mysterious future sister-in-law in person.

Xie Shiyu didn’t mind at all. In fact, he was eager for the world to know his fiancée had arrived.

At that thought, a sharp gleam flashed through his eyes.

Everyone who had attended yesterday’s party—aside from the Wang family and a few others who had taken the Xie family’s side—were probably scrambling now.

In the past, minor spats among wealthy kids could be dismissed as harmless youthful antics. The elite circle was its own little society, after all.

But they had crossed the line—by targeting Tu Shanju.

He hadn’t known they were gossiping about his fiancée behind his back.

After all, he and they had never truly been in the same league or circle.

But now that he knew, he intended to show them what should and should not be said, who could and could not be provoked.

The Chen family had been scheming against the Xie family for years—sometimes openly, sometimes in secret. They tried to rally other families to recreate the events of the past and dethrone the Xies from their spot as the wealthiest in the city. Did they really think he was unaware?

Well, this incident would be the perfect chance to remind everyone of the Xie family’s power.

He wasn’t as idle as before.

If he had free time now, he’d use it to court his wife.

---