Contractual Love: Mistaken for True

Just before the clock struck, Xia Chen made a phone call. Xu Xiaoyou had just fallen asleep. Hearing her hoarse voice warmed Xia Chen’s heart. Although he couldn’t be there with her, Xiaoyou was so considerate and didn’t complain.

At some point, while Xu Xiaoyou was dozing off, the room door was opened, and she fell into a familiar embrace. Tentatively, she whispered, “Ah Xia.” Xia Chen replied with a soft “Hmm,” tightening his hold on her.

Xu Xiaoyou fully woke up, turned around, and looked at Xia Chen, trying to confirm whether this was a dream. Didn’t he say it would take a few days for him to come back? How could he return today after leaving yesterday?

Xia Chen held Xu Xiaoyou close and kissed her eyelids, asking, “What are you doing with your eyes wide open? If you don’t want to sleep, then… shall we do something else?” His words had a double meaning.

Xu Xiaoyou lightly punched Xia Chen’s chest with her fists resting on his waist as she hugged him, saying, “I didn’t expect you to come back at this time. I’m a bit surprised and can’t quite believe it.”

On Christmas, the two snuggled at home without going anywhere. The weather had been perfectly fine yesterday, but it unexpectedly started snowing at night. When they woke up in the morning, they found a thick blanket of snow outside. They decided not to go anywhere since there was food in the fridge, so they wouldn’t worry about going hungry.

Xu Xiaoyou asked Xia Chen about the person living on the fifth floor. After thinking for a moment, Xia Chen replied that he didn’t know, as he hadn’t seen any other residents when he moved in. Xu Xiaoyou felt a bit disappointed, realizing she would have to ask the security guard. Xia Chen found it a bit strange; they had been living together for a while, and this was the first time Xu Xiaoyou had asked about the other residents. Curious, he listened as she recounted the situation with Wang Jie.

Jingjing was busy packing and called Xu Xiaoyou from the airport, excited that this was her first time flying home after working away for so long. She mentioned how everything felt different and credited Xu Xiaoyou for it. After hanging up, Xu Xiaoyou suddenly remembered that she hadn’t asked Xia Chen what was going on with all this.

Xia Chen smiled and stayed silent, thinking that she would understand everything once she went back to work next year.

In the following days, Mom Xu kept calling Xu Xiaoyou, asking when she would have a break and return home for the New Year, mentioning that Xia Chen should come along. After things were settled, Xu Xiaoyou took the opportunity to ask Xia Chen for his thoughts.

Xia Chen raised an eyebrow and said, “I don’t have any objections, but it’s hard to say on my mom’s side. Every year during the New Year, it’s me who keeps her company, and this year, with a daughter-in-law, she wants to take you back to the Xia Family to meet the elders. If we go to your home for the New Year, then we would have to wait until next year to do ancestral worship.”

“What should we do then? My mom sounds like you’re already her son-in-law,” Xu Xiaoyou sighed.

Xia Chen pulled Xu Xiaoyou onto his lap and asked, “Am I not her son-in-law now, hmm?”

Xu Xiaoyou tilted her head and replied, “No, at least not yet.”

Xia Chen’s grip tightened slowly, and Xu Xiaoyou inhaled sharply. Why was he being so serious about this? She pleaded, “You are, you are…”

“What am I?” Xia Chen insisted that Xu Xiaoyou say the words.

“You’re my mom’s son-in-law, okay? Now let me go, you’re squeezing me a bit too tight,” Xu Xiaoyou said softly, lowering her voice.

Xia Chen couldn’t resist when Xu Xiaoyou pleaded like that; her gentle tone stirred something deep within him, and he couldn’t help but kiss her lips tenderly.

Xu Xiaoyou responded slowly. In this aspect, she certainly didn’t have as much experience as Xia Chen, but this time, for some reason, she felt like being a bit more proactive. Xia Chen noticed the change in her demeanor; she used to be shy, but now she was starting to reciprocate his feelings, and he immediately understood what she wanted.

Releasing Xu Xiaoyou, Xia Chen picked her up and said hoarsely, “Let’s go back to the room.”

Xu Xiaoyou, her cheeks flushed, nodded shyly.

Xu Xiaoyou’s innocence sparked something in Xia Chen. He wanted nothing more than to take her beneath him and passionately love her, but he didn’t want to squander such a perfect moment. Xu Xiaoyou kissed Xia Chen lightly, her little hands exploring. She looked up at him, noticing his restrained expression, and asked, “Is it hard for you?”

Xia Chen nodded, pulling her down gently. Xu Xiaoyou closed her eyes shyly, yet she savored this unique sensation: it was tingly and electrifying, making her crave more.

“Try moving a bit…” Xia Chen guided her. Obediently, Xu Xiaoyou began to move, and it felt like all her cells were getting fresh air, buzzing with energy. A fire within her, indescribable, urged her to move faster.

“Ah…” Xu Xiaoyou couldn’t help but let out a sound, quickly covering her mouth with her hand, embarrassed that she had let herself moan so loudly.

Xia Chen removed her hand, saying, “Baby, let it out; I love hearing your voice.” Then he thrust again…

When Xu Xiaoyou finally woke up, the sky was completely dark, and Xia Chen was no longer there. Instead, she could smell a delicious aroma coming from the kitchen. She got up, dressed quickly, and went downstairs to find Xia Chen in loungewear and an apron, carrying a pot of soup.

Xu Xiaoyou hurried down the stairs and walked up to Xia Chen, asking, “What did you make?”

Xia Chen turned around and pecked her on the lips, saying, “It’s all your favorites. Go wash up; dinner’s ready soon.”

Xu Xiaoyou nodded and turned to head to the kitchen.

After dinner, Xia Chen took Xu Xiaoyou out, saying he wanted to give her a Christmas gift. As they strolled through the mall, it was Xu Xiaoyou’s first time in such a high-end store, and she found everything too extravagant to touch, so she kept pulling Xia Chen along. He didn’t mind being led by her; even without buying anything, they both felt comfortable.

Eventually, they stopped in front of a flagship store. Xia Chen glanced at the brand, trying to recall where he had seen it before. He rarely visited malls, as Yilin usually picked out his clothes, and Mom Xia would also buy him new things, so he wasn’t particularly familiar with these flagship boutiques.

Xia Chen held Xu Xiaoyou’s hand and pushed the door open. The manager approached them immediately. Despite their casual attire, she recognized Xia Chen’s uniqueness and suspected he was a big client.

“Which one do you like?” Xia Chen asked, looking down at her.

Xu Xiaoyou looked back at him, her eyes sparkling with excitement. “How about we get matching outfits?”

Xia Chen frowned as he scanned the selection she pointed out. “I don’t want that,” he said dismissively.

Xu Xiaoyou pouted. “You can’t say no without even trying it on. Come on, it’ll be fun!” She shook his arm, urging him.

Xia Chen shook his head. He felt that the youthful styles were not suited for him, but he thought the outfit would look great on Xu Xiaoyou.

The manager approached them, asking if they needed assistance. Xu Xiaoyou pointed to the matching outfits and asked to try them on. The manager called over a staff member to fetch the clothes.

Xu Xiaoyou took the outfits to the fitting room, while Xia Chen sat on a sofa and flipped through a magazine. The cover caught his attention painfully.

“Supermodel Murong Qing wins an award in the UK; she will soon return to City S for a family visit.”

Xia Chen noted the magazine’s issue date – it was from yesterday. He had been in the UK as well and hadn’t heard Yilin mention it. Maybe he hadn’t been supposed to know. Was she really coming back? Did she remember to come home for a visit?

“Ah Xia… Ah Xia…” Xu Xiaoyou nudged him, pulling him out of his thoughts. When he focused back on her, she asked, “What were you thinking so deeply about?”

“Nothing…” Xia Chen set the magazine down and stood up, taking a few moments to look Xu Xiaoyou over. He nodded in approval. “It looks good on you.”

With a smile, Xu Xiaoyou handed him the men’s jacket, saying, “You should try it on too. Please?”

Xia Chen glanced at the jacket, hesitated for a moment, and then took it, heading toward the fitting room.

When he emerged from the fitting room, Xu Xiaoyou’s eyes lit up. Ah Xia really looked good in any outfit.

Xia Chen looked at himself in the mirror, feeling slightly out of place. How could the proud CEO of Tianchen dress like this? If reporters saw him, he couldn’t imagine how they would write about it. Then a clever idea flashed through his mind.

“Xu Xiaoyou, let’s buy this outfit,” Xia Chen said, turning to Xu Xiaoyou, who was admiring herself.

For a moment, Xu Xiaoyou couldn’t believe her ears. Buy it? Hadn’t he just vehemently expressed his dislike for it? Wondering what had changed his mind, she quickly nodded, worried that Xia Chen might change his mind again. She called over the sales associate to ring up their purchase. The staff member happily went to the cash register to prepare the receipt, while Xu Xiaoyou headed to the fitting room to change back. But Xia Chen grabbed her hand and said, “Let’s wear it out as is, okay?”

Xu Xiaoyou looked at him, trying to gauge whether he was serious or just a bit confused. Regardless, she couldn’t be happier. The idea of going out together like this meant everyone would know that Xia Chen was hers.

As they walked down the street, it was clear they were turning heads. Xia Chen’s striking looks always attracted attention, and wearing matching outfits with Xu Xiaoyou only made them more noticeable.

Not far away, in a café, a pretty girl with exquisite makeup had been watching Xia Chen intently. From the moment they left the flagship store, she had taken notice. She hadn’t expected him to be out shopping with someone else, holding the girl’s hand, laughing and chatting. Seeing the happiness on Xu Xiaoyou’s face only fueled her frustration. Xia Chen, it had been four years since they last met, and you’ve changed.

She dropped some money on the table, grabbed her bag, and stood up to leave the café.

Xia Chen checked his watch and realized they still had time. He pulled Xu Xiaoyou into the car and drove to pick up the ring.

After emerging from the jewelry store, Xu Xiaoyou looked at the newly polished ring on her finger, feeling a bit overwhelmed. Xia Chen noticed the change in her demeanor; ever since they discussed getting the ring, she had been a little distracted and now seemed to be staring into space.

“What’s wrong?” Xia Chen gently placed his hand over hers, concerned.

“Nothing…” Xu Xiaoyou instinctively shook her head, not wanting him to worry.

The more she insisted, the more Xia Chen began to suspect something was off. Shouldn’t she be happy about getting the ring?

“What’s really going on?” Xia Chen pulled over to the side of the road and turned her to face him.

“Ah Xia, don’t you think that since we’ve been married for a while now, we should go take some wedding photos?” Xu Xiaoyou asked. They had been married for some time, but they hadn’t even hung a wedding photo at home. Her mom had asked several times, and she didn’t know how to respond.

Xia Chen smiled. So that was what this was about. He had thought something serious was bothering her. As he ran his fingers through Xu Xiaoyou’s hair, he said, “I’ve already thought about that. After the New Year, when it gets warmer, we can go take photos. It’s too cold now, and I know you wouldn’t want to wear those beautiful dresses in this weather.”

Xu Xiaoyou looked up at Xia Chen, wanting to confirm if he was joking. He had thought everything through already? She had assumed he didn’t care, but it turned out he remembered too.

“I actually have something I want to ask you,” Xia Chen said, looking at Xu Xiaoyou. “When can we have our wedding? With our relationship being the way it is, it’s awkward when others ask about us, and I don’t know how to respond.”

Xu Xiaoyou lowered her head, realizing that she hadn’t thought about this at all. Although their relationship felt as genuine as a married couple, the contract lingered in her mind like an unresolved issue. Moreover, she was still young and didn’t want everyone to know she was married so soon; it would take away so much of the fun.

“Ah Xia, about that… can we talk about it later? I just… don’t want to think about it right now,” Xu Xiaoyou said, her voice growing smaller.

When Xia Chen heard her response, he let go of her hand and started the car. The entire drive passed in silence. Xu Xiaoyou glanced at Xia Chen’s dark expression, feeling unsettled herself. She understood how difficult it must be for a prominent CEO like him to be married yet keeping it secret. However, she really didn’t want to make their relationship public so soon.

After parking the car, Xia Chen stepped out first and ignored Xu Xiaoyou, who trailed behind him. When she tried to catch up to walk beside him, he sped up intentionally.

“Ouch…” Xu Xiaoyou’s pained voice came from behind. Xia Chen turned around, concerned, and saw her cradling her ankle, likely twisted.

“What’s wrong? Did you hurt yourself?” Xia Chen hurried over to her, squatting beside her.

Xu Xiaoyou wrapped her arms around Xia Chen’s waist and buried her face in his chest, mumbling, “Ah Xia, I’m sorry…”

Xia Chen was both amused and exasperated; she always had a knack for this kind of thing. He picked her up effortlessly and said, “That ‘I’m sorry’ doesn’t really cut it. I can’t just accept it like that. You need to offer me something more tangible…”

Xu Xiaoyou quickly covered his mouth, fully aware of what he wanted. Why was this man always so insatiable?

Xia Chen raised an eyebrow, waiting for her response.

Xu Xiaoyou blushed and nodded, burying her head in his embrace.

No one should see this. How could she agree? How could she…? Xu Xiaoyou silently protested in her heart.