Contractual Love: Mistaken for True

Xia Chen sat on the sofa, frequently glancing at the door. Why hadn’t he heard the sound of it opening yet? Where had Xu Xiaoyou gone, and why wasn’t she back yet? He checked the time; it was already seven in the evening, and the sky was completely dark. It had started raining again outside, and she didn’t take an umbrella with her. Would she come back or not, and how had she not thought to call him to pick her up? Was she still upset about what happened earlier at lunch? He picked up his phone, found Xu Xiaoyou’s number, and dialed. It took a while before Xu Xiaoyou answered, only to say she was handling some matters before hanging up. Handling matters? What could be so important? A sudden realization struck Xia Chen: Xu Xiaoyou mentioned needing to find Shen Mobai, could she have actually gone to see him? This woman, when she gets back, he was going to give her a piece of his mind for not listening to him.

As he grabbed his coat and keys to head out, his phone rang again. Seeing it was Yilin, he guessed it was about the ring. He answered, and Yilin began to report the search results over the phone. Xia Chen’s eyes grew increasingly cold as he listened. How could this be?

Before hanging up, Xia Chen instructed Yilin to find out where Shen Mobai was having dinner and to report back in thirty minutes.

Xiao D, you’re not going to have a good time.

Xu Xiaoyou pulled a document from her bag and handed it to Shen Mobai, explaining that it contained the most popular articles from Acer today, as well as some recently written pieces. Shen Mobai glanced at the folder but did not take it, only asking what it contained. Xu Xiaoyou explained once more.

Shen Mobai picked up his wine glass, took a sip of red wine, savored it, and then asked, “Do you think CHATEAU-LAFITE is better than regular red wine?”

Xu Xiaoyou understood this was Shen Mobai’s way of refusing. Indeed, anything penned by a member of Moding would be well-received by readers. However, that didn’t mean other newspapers lacked highlights. At least if a newspaper could survive in City S, it proved it had its own features and attractions for readers.

“Mr. Shen, can you confidently make such a conclusion without having tried all the red wines?” Xu Xiaoyou retorted.

Shen Mobai chuckled and said, “Are you sure what you’ve shown me could pass the high-level meeting of Moding?”

Xu Xiaoyou thought for a moment and said, “You’ll never know the result if you don’t try, right?”

“Then maybe I should try pursuing you again. Would you give me a chance to start over?” Shen Mobai asked, following Xu Xiaoyou’s line of thought.

Xu Xiaoyou was speechless. How did the conversation drift back to this? Weren’t they discussing the articles? Besides, they were two separate matters and shouldn’t be confused.

“Mr. Shen, I think you misunderstood. What I meant was…”

“I understand what you’re trying to say. You mentioned trying things, so can’t you try to accept my feelings for you?”

“I’m already married, and what’s more, I truly love Xia Chen,” Xu Xiaoyou explained.

“Can you be certain that he loves you as much as you love him?” Shen Mobai pointed out a crucial issue-a concern that had always bothered Xu Xiaoyou.

“I am certain…” a voice came from outside the door, followed by the sound of it opening. Xia Chen walked in from outside.

“A Xia… what are you doing here?” Xu Xiaoyou was surprised. Shen Mobai was not startled at all; he anticipated Xia Chen’s arrival, just not so quickly.

“It’s raining outside; I came to take you home.” Xia Chen glanced at the dishes on the table, all of Xu Xiaoyou’s favorites, realizing that Shen Mobai was really intent on competing with him.

Xu Xiaoyou glanced at Shen Mobai, then at the documents. She couldn’t leave without completing her task.

“Giving your work to me is much more beneficial than giving it to him,” Xia Chen said, coming to Xu Xiaoyou’s side, helping her into her coat. He picked up the documents from the table, took her hand, and said to Shen Mobai, “Although I know you’re discussing business, I would prefer if you didn’t use it as an excuse to flirt with my wife. And as for the matters between Xiaoyou and me, we don’t need an outsider’s involvement.”

With that, Xia Chen led Xu Xiaoyou out of the restaurant. This might have been the first time they held hands like this, Xu Xiaoyou thought.

Xia Chen stopped with Xu Xiaoyou outside the restaurant. It was raining when they came out, but now it was snowing. Xu Xiaoyou saw the ground already turning white, and inexplicably felt a surge of happiness. Growing up in the south, she rarely saw such heavy snow, and in City S, there hadn’t been a snowfall this big in years.

“Do you really like snow?” Xia Chen could tell from Xu Xiaoyou’s expression.

Xu Xiaoyou nodded and looked at Xia Chen, saying, “A Xia, let’s walk back, okay? I want to walk in the snow.”

Xia Chen looked at the falling snow, realizing it probably wouldn’t stop soon. Walking back in this would surely lead to a cold by tomorrow, so he firmly said no and led Xu Xiaoyou to the car. Once inside, they noticed someone in the back seat.

Yilin greeted them with a “Mrs. Xia,” and Xu Xiaoyou smiled back in acknowledgment, though she didn’t particularly like being called “Mrs. Xia.” It always felt like a title for a wealthy lady, which didn’t quite suit her proletarian background.

The car hadn’t been driving for long before they hit traffic. The snow was getting heavier, and although there weren’t many cars, it was unclear how long they would be stuck. Luckily, the heater in the car kept them warm.

Yilin looked at the accumulating snow and said to Xia Chen, “With snow this heavy, we probably won’t be able to travel tomorrow!”

Xu Xiaoyou turned her head and asked, “Are you going on a business trip again?”

Xia Chen nodded and said, “I need to make a trip to the UK.”

“But the day after tomorrow is Christmas. Aren’t you going to spend it with me?” Xu Xiaoyou asked sadly. It was their first holiday together, and he was going to be away.

“That’s a Western holiday, we only celebrate New Year’s Eve,” Xia Chen replied, maneuvering the steering wheel.

“But you’re doing business with the British, so why can’t I celebrate Christmas?” Xu Xiaoyou retorted, a bit pouting.

Listening to their conversation from the back, Yilin found it amusing. It seemed Mrs. Xia didn’t know the real purpose of Mr. Xia’s trip to the UK, so he decided to keep quiet to avoid accidentally revealing anything.

Xia Chen felt a little helpless looking at Xu Xiaoyou. Should he tell her the reason for his business trip?

Feeling embarrassed under Xia Chen’s gaze, Xu Xiaoyou turned to look out the window and said, “I know I’m pretty, but you don’t have to stare at me like that.”

Xia Chen burst into laughter at her vanity, then averted his eyes to focus on the road.

Xia Chen stopped the car at a certain spot, and Xu Xiaoyou looked outside, realizing it wasn’t their residential area. She turned her head towards Xia Chen, curious about what he was planning.

Xia Chen got out of the car, walked around to Xu Xiaoyou’s side, opened the car door, and said, “Let’s go!”

“Go where?” Xu Xiaoyou hesitated to step out of the car. The moment the door opened, the cold wind rushed in, making her reluctant to leave the warmth.

“Didn’t you say you wanted to walk back? The snow has lightened a bit, so we can walk now.”

Xu Xiaoyou still didn’t want to get out. It was really cold outside.

“A Xia, let’s just drive back,” she said, holding onto a sliver of hope.

“No way, Yilin isn’t heading in the same direction as us, so we’ll have to walk the rest of the way.” Xia Chen pulled Xu Xiaoyou out of the car and grabbed a coat from the back seat, draping it over her shoulders. He told Yilin, who was already seated in the driver’s seat, to pick him up the following afternoon.

Yilin nodded and drove away.

“Let’s go,” Xia Chen said, gently taking Xu Xiaoyou’s hand and walking forward. As Xia Chen held her hand, warmth spread through her fingers and into her heart.

Xia Chen glanced at Xu Xiaoyou, whose face was flushed from the cold, and asked with amusement, “Weren’t you the one who wanted to walk earlier? How come you’re already finding it unbearable?”

“I’m not… finding it unbearable,” Xu Xiaoyou puffed out her breath as she spoke.

Xia Chen clasped her hands, bringing them to his mouth and breathing warmth onto them, only releasing them when they were warm.

Xu Xiaoyou put her hands in her pockets, lowered her head, and asked, “A Xia, when will you come back from this trip?”

Xia Chen thought for a moment and said, “I’m not sure. It could be as quick as three to five days, or as long as ten days to two weeks.”

“That long?” Xu Xiaoyou raised her head and asked, “Does that mean I have to eat alone every day? That sounds so boring!”

Xia Chen adjusted her coat and held her in his arms, saying, “You won’t be bored. I’ll call you every day!”

Xu Xiaoyou peeked out from Xia Chen’s embrace and said, “Bring me a gift when you come back!”

“Alright,” Xia Chen replied, leaning down to kiss Xu Xiaoyou.

After what seemed like a long time, they finally pulled apart. Xu Xiaoyou blushed and buried her face in Xia Chen’s chest, murmuring, “A Xia, we can’t be doing things like this on the street.”

“So what? We’re doing our own thing; what does it matter to others?” Xia Chen whispered in her ear, “Actually, I want to…”

Xu Xiaoyou pushed Xia Chen away, glaring at him. She thought, men are all the same!

Xia Chen took her hand and tucked it into his pocket, saying, “Let’s go home!”

By the time they reached home, Xu Xiaoyou no longer felt cold. Despite the chilly weather outside, being with Xia Chen kept her warm, and they had playfully bantered the whole way back.

Xia Chen went to the bathroom to run some hot water, encouraging Xu Xiaoyou to take a shower, as lingering in the cold too long could lead to a cold. He planned to prepare a cup of cold medicine for her afterward.

Xu Xiaoyou obediently went to shower. Meanwhile, Xia Chen picked up Xu Xiaoyou’s files and headed to the study. The contents were actually quite intriguing; it seemed there were indeed hidden talents within Acer that Moding hadn’t yet discovered.

After her shower, Xu Xiaoyou realized she had forgotten to bring clothes with her. Putting on her previous clothes would mean wearing something damp. She recalled Xia Chen going to the study and hadn’t heard the door since, so she wrapped herself in a towel and dashed out. Just as she picked up her clothes and turned back towards the bathroom, the door opened. Xia Chen came in, quickly wrapped Xu Xiaoyou in a blanket, and said, “You should have called me if you forgot your clothes. Running out like this, you might catch a cold, and if I’m not home, who’s going to take care of you? You’re a grown-up now; you should take better care of yourself.”

Clutching the blanket, Xu Xiaoyou felt her face heat up. For a brief moment, when Xia Chen held her, she thought he wanted to… but it was just his concern for her. She realized she had misinterpreted his intentions again.

“What’s wrong? Your face is really red. Could it be a cold?” Xia Chen placed his hand on her forehead. “You’re not running a fever, so why is your face red? The heating isn’t even that high in here. Xiaoyou, are you feeling unwell?”

Xu Xiaoyou shook her head, “I’m fine, you should go shower, and I need to change clothes.”

As Xia Chen got up to shower, Xu Xiaoyou quickly changed into her pajamas. She kept glancing towards the bathroom, fearing that Xia Chen might surprise her. Although they were familiar with each other’s bodies by now, she still felt shy under bright lights.

When Xia Chen came out, Xu Xiaoyou was already lying in bed. He slid under the covers, wrapped his arms around her from behind, and she instinctively moved closer to the warmth, finding a comfortable spot to settle in.

After a long silence, Xu Xiaoyou finally spoke, “A Xia, did you mean everything you said at the restaurant today?”

Xia Chen replied with a simple “Mm.”

Xu Xiaoyou wasn’t sure what that “Mm” meant-whether it was about his love for her or his promise to help with her manuscript.

Sensing her silence, Xia Chen turned her around to face him and asked, “Do you not believe me?”

Xu Xiaoyou shook her head and said, “I just don’t know what your ‘Mm’ means.”

“Every word I said at the restaurant was true, including when I said I love you. That’s true as well. Do you really not trust your husband?” Xia Chen said, resting his forehead against hers. “Although we didn’t have any feelings for each other when we first got married, over the past few months, I’ve found that I’ve truly fallen in love with you.”

Xu Xiaoyou looked into Xia Chen’s eyes and asked, “Really?”

Xia Chen gently bumped his forehead against hers, “Really, truer than pearls.” This girl, why does she find it so hard to believe him?

“A Xia, it’s almost surreal to me. Was that your way of confessing to me?” Xu Xiaoyou said with a laugh.

“Yes, yes, I was confessing to you,” Xia Chen replied, holding her close. Reflecting on the past few months, he realized how he had unknowingly fallen for her. Love indeed works in mysterious ways.