I'm Done with the Elite Marriage - Chapter 57

Fu Xunzhou found himself drenched in a creamy beverage, a sight that couldn’t be more embarrassing. The drink was a milkshake, not just any juice that would simply soak into clothes. Now, his black pants bore a conspicuous white stain, right in the most awkward spot imaginable.

Spilling a drink on himself was not something Fu Xunzhou had anticipated, yet because it was her, he felt oddly pleased. He feigned a slight frown, looking at the “culprit,” Zhou Youling, with a face that clearly asked: What now?

Perhaps it was because it was Fu Xunzhou standing before her, but Zhou Youling, usually composed, suddenly found herself flustered. She hurriedly grabbed a stack of napkins from the box, attempting to clean the mess on Fu Xunzhou’s clothes, but clearly underestimated the task.

The two stood close, their breaths mingling in the familiar air between them. The sweet scent of the drink began to spread, and Zhou Youling’s ears turned noticeably warm.

Fu Xunzhou had no intention of intervening; he kept his hands slightly apart, allowing Zhou Youling to carefully tend to the stain. From a distance, it looked as though he was about to embrace her.

Against the backdrop of the tall man, the woman appeared especially delicate and endearing. In truth, Fu Xunzhou had always enjoyed holding Zhou Youling’s petite frame. Her body seemed to possess a magical allure, soft and irresistible. He had always thought she was a bit too thin, but recently noticed a slight fullness in her cheeks.

It seemed she might truly be happier since leaving him.

Fu Xunzhou looked up at her, unable to see her eyes but catching sight of her tousled hair ends. Zhou Youling leaned slightly forward, strands of hair rebelliously falling onto her cheeks, too flustered to care.

She wore a black and red chef uniform, her long hair neatly pinned up, her refined features flawless from every angle.

Naturally, he first noticed Zhou Youling’s reddened ears, watched her bite her lip, and his smile grew even wider. Fu Xunzhou recalled how, shortly after they married, her ears would turn red so easily. He discovered that whenever he got close, she would become flustered, yet she was proud enough to bite her lip and avoid meeting his gaze even when shy.

Fu Xunzhou gently grasped Zhou Youling’s hand, and as she looked up in surprise, he met her eyes and said, “That’s enough.”

From her angle, Zhou Youling could clearly see Fu Xunzhou’s Adam’s apple move slightly, and she involuntarily swallowed.

She remembered how she once stole a kiss on his Adam’s apple while he slept.

Zhou Youling dared not move further, realizing her actions were inappropriate. Her hand was now resting on Fu Xunzhou’s waist.

Due to his regular workouts, Fu Xunzhou’s physique was impeccable, especially his alluring V-line.

Even through his clothes, Zhou Youling could vividly imagine his bare form.

They had once been husband and wife, sharing the closest of bonds.

Zhou Youling’s heart suddenly raced uncontrollably. She awkwardly withdrew her hand from his, biting her lip as she said, “Sorry, I was careless.”

Fu Xunzhou stood up, his tall frame casting a shadow over Zhou Youling. He asked, “What should we do now?”

He was pretending to seek her opinion, even though he knew the simplest way to handle the situation.

A few waiters came over, alerted by the commotion, and exchanged bewildered glances at the scene before them.

It wasn’t unheard of for a clumsy waiter to spill a drink on a guest. If the guest was good-natured, they might let it slide, but if not, the waiter would get a tongue-lashing, and the manager would have to step in to resolve the issue.

Seeing the stern-faced man before them, the waiters felt relieved they weren’t the ones at fault, yet deeply concerned for Boss Zhou. Unfortunately, the manager, who was usually adept at handling such incidents, was not around.

Zhou Youling looked up at Fu Xunzhou with a hint of unease, noticing his calm demeanor, which made her a bit nervous. After all, she felt she was in the wrong, lacking confidence.

“I’ll buy you a new one,” Zhou Youling suggested, thinking it was the best solution.

Fu Xunzhou glanced at his disheveled state and then looked at Zhou Youling. “What bothers me more is how I’m supposed to go out looking like this.”

Zhou Youling couldn’t imagine Fu Xunzhou stepping out in such a state.

In her memory, he was always impeccably dressed, even in the early morning light, he appeared perfect to her.

Such a perfect man would never allow himself to go out wearing pants with a stain in such an embarrassing spot.

Zhou Youling sighed softly, her tone tentative as she asked, “There’s a men’s store not far from here. Can I go buy you a pair of pants?”

Fu Xunzhou didn’t immediately respond, seemingly pondering something.

His sharp features, when expressionless, often gave off an intimidating vibe.

Zhou Youling blinked her large eyes at him, and after a few seconds, she finally saw him nod slightly.

He agreed.

Zhou Youling quickly put down the napkins and was about to head out. But before she could take more than a couple of steps, Fu Xunzhou caught her by the wrist.

“Do you still remember my size?” Fu Xunzhou asked.

He was merely asking out of curiosity, given that they hadn’t spent time together for several months.

Zhou Youling instinctively glanced at Fu Xunzhou’s waist upon hearing this.

But her gaze inadvertently swept lower.

“I should know your size,” Zhou Youling replied.

As soon as she said it, something dawned on her, and her face turned crimson.

Shortly after they got married, whenever Zhou Youling went out with Bai Lingxue, she would be teased about their married life. Naturally, some intimate details were brought up.

Despite appearing carefree in front of Bai Lingxue, Zhou Youling was as innocent as a blank slate when it came to matters between men and women. It was only through Bai Lingxue’s casual remarks that Zhou Youling learned that Fu Xunzhou’s size was apparently quite impressive…

Fu Xunzhou noticed Zhou Youling’s blush, lowered his head slightly, and asked in a husky voice, “Why are you blushing?”

What should have been a teasing remark was delivered with an earnest tone, as if Fu Xunzhou was genuinely concerned about why Zhou Youling’s face had suddenly turned red.

Indeed, Fu Xunzhou was truly worried about Zhou Youling’s flushed face, which seemed to be burning unusually bright. Yet, he couldn’t deny that her rosy cheeks made her look quite appealing.

Zhou Youling awkwardly shook her head, trying to steady her breath, and said, “Maybe it’s because the restaurant’s heating is turned up too high…”

She even felt a sheen of sweat forming on her back.

Moreover, she couldn’t bring herself to face Fu Xunzhou. Zhou Youling was utterly confused about her own feelings, perhaps due to Ji Yangwen’s unexpected confession at noon, which kept bringing Fu Xunzhou’s image to her mind.

“Is that so?” Fu Xunzhou remarked as he took Zhou Youling’s wrist and led her outside.

He had changed his mind, suggesting to Zhou Youling, “Perhaps it’s better if I try it on myself.”

His words were genuinely considerate, not wanting to trouble her too much. He wasn’t concerned about the cost, but he didn’t want to miss the chance to spend time with her.

It was Fu Hexu, the master of romance, who had advised Fu Xunzhou: “Seize every opportunity to spend time with her; that’s how feelings grow over time.”

Fu Xunzhou had once scoffed at Fu Hexu’s advice, but now he found it surprisingly true.

Zhou Youling was completely bewildered, as if she had been enchanted, and only realized after crossing a street with Fu Xunzhou holding her hand that he had mentioned being concerned about going out in his current state.

Upon reaching a boutique men’s clothing store, Fu Xunzhou finally released Zhou Youling’s wrist, even explaining his actions: “You seemed distracted while crossing the street, which was dangerous.”

He didn’t want her to misunderstand, but he had genuinely noticed her distraction and feared for her safety.

Zhou Youling couldn’t argue against it.

She sensed that Fu Xunzhou seemed a bit different today, yet somehow unchanged. He was still his usual cold self, speaking with such seriousness that left no room for criticism.

Once inside the men’s store, a salesperson immediately approached to introduce the styles.

The male salesperson was flamboyantly dressed and even wore makeup, clearly a trendy individual. The store specialized in fashionable styles, quite different from Fu Xunzhou’s usual attire.

Fu Xunzhou glanced around with a slight frown, offering no comment.

Zhou Youling knew that Fu Xunzhou probably disapproved of such a roadside shop. He had been raised in luxury, and even his casual clothes were worth five figures.

But today was the third day of the Chinese New Year, and finding an open clothing store nearby was already a challenge.

Zhou Youling turned to Fu Xunzhou for his opinion, “Do you think it’s okay?”

Fu Xunzhou nodded lightly.

A reluctant agreement.

Only then did Zhou Youling muster the courage to tell the salesperson Fu Xunzhou’s clothing size.

The salesperson, with a cheerful smile, said to Zhou Youling, “Your boyfriend’s physique is just perfect for modeling. With a body like that, any style you choose will look great.”

Zhou Youling was about to clarify her relationship with Fu Xunzhou when she heard him politely thank the salesperson, “Thank you for the compliment.”

The salesperson quickly replied, “No, no, I’m just stating the truth.”

Fu Xunzhou didn’t engage in further conversation with the salesperson. Instead, he leisurely wandered around the men’s clothing store, seemingly searching for the right style.

It had been about three years since Fu Xunzhou last shopped in person. In fact, he rarely managed his own daily life; his mother used to handle everything for him. Yu Wanrong had many taboos and never allowed Fu Xunzhou to dress inappropriately. After he took over the company, his wardrobe mainly consisted of formal attire.

In recent years, Zhou Youling had been responsible for most aspects of Fu Xunzhou’s daily life, including his clothing choices. Zhou Youling used to select his outfits from a few luxury menswear stores. Over time, whenever these stores had new arrivals, they would always let Zhou Youling pick first.

When Fu Xunzhou paused in front of a set of casual, trendy menswear, Zhou Youling couldn’t help but ask, “Do you want to try it on?”

She had never seen him in such trendy attire and was genuinely curious.

Fu Xunzhou turned his head and asked Zhou Youling, “Can I try it?”

Seeing his cautious inquiry, Zhou Youling couldn’t help but smile, “Of course you can.”

The salesperson quickly approached, handing the clothes to Fu Xunzhou, “This outfit is the most popular style from Dongdaemun right now. I guarantee it’s exclusive to my store; you won’t find anyone else wearing it! Plus, we only have this one set, and most people wouldn’t fit into it.”

Fu Xunzhou was gently ushered into the changing room.

Zhou Youling waited outside, idly browsing through various men’s outfits.

The clothes in this store were quite appealing, with seemingly simple designs but well-crafted details. Zhou Youling passed by this store almost every day on her way to the restaurant, always glancing at it, intentionally or not.

Perhaps due to her past experience in selecting clothes for Fu Xunzhou, Zhou Youling had considered buying him trendy outfits like these. However, she always dismissed the idea, thinking he wouldn’t wear them regularly or even like them.

At this time, the store was empty except for Zhou Youling and the salesperson.

The salesperson, while ironing clothes, turned to Zhou Youling, “You and your boyfriend really match well, like a handsome couple. Are you models?”

Zhou Youling shook her head, wanting to clarify her relationship with Fu Xunzhou, but the quick-talking salesperson exclaimed, “You aren’t actors, are you?”

What a wild guess!

“We’re just ordinary people,” Zhou Youling replied.

The salesperson continued, “You should really consider modeling or acting. Let me tell you, my friend hired a male model for a photoshoot, and the pay was unbelievably high.”

Then, the salesperson earnestly looked at Zhou Youling, “You look so familiar to me. Are you sure you’re not an actress?”

Zhou Youling shook her head.

Calming down, Zhou Youling reviewed the events that had just transpired, finding the coincidences rather remarkable.

Just then, the changing room door opened, and Fu Xunzhou slowly emerged.

Zhou Youling lifted her gaze, meeting Fu Xunzhou’s eyes.

She had always known he was handsome, but today Fu Xunzhou seemed like a completely different person, leaving her momentarily unable to look away.