Pei Xi drove away with He Chuzhou. He’d thought he would be able to have a peaceful night, but not long after tidying up and lying down, he couldn’t get used to it.

Since when had he gotten accustomed to someone hugging him from behind in bed every night?

But he couldn’t let He Chuzhou know this, not because he feared it would feed his ego, but because he feared he wouldn’t be able to get rid of him the next time he made trouble.

Drizzle fell onto the windshield and was wiped away by the wipers. The night was covered in a watercolor filter, with layers of gorgeous, entwined halos of light.

He Chuzhou tilted the passenger seat back a little on the way back and lay there with his eyes closed, talking to himself illogically.

“Aiya, they envy me.”

“That bunch of single guys are jealous of me for having a wife. My wife is gentle and kind, and cares about me…..”

“Actually, he’s not my wife, he’s my boyfriend.”

“But that’s not a big problem. One day, he’ll have that title.”

“I’ve looked into the marriage certificates of many countries, and they’re all unique. I don’t know which one my baby will like best. Might as well try to get all of them and make a collection……”

Pei Xi: “……”

Taking advantage of a red light, Pei Xi lay He Chuzhou’s cast-off jacket across his legs: “Dimwit, what an idea. Stop thinking about it.”

When he arrived home and got out of the car, He Chuzhou was no longer drowsy, but couldn’t be considered sober.

With a word from Pei Xi, he obediently waited outside with an umbrella like a big dog who was ordered by his owner to wait outside the supermarket.

He waited for Pei Xi to get out of the car and lock the door, then took a couple steps toward the garage and tilted the umbrella completely toward Pei Xi: “What a cool way to reverse into a parking space! You didn’t even need to confirm the position. You deserve to be called my wife.”

There was no wind at this time, and the raindrops fell vertically to the ground.

Pei Xi held He Chuzhou’s hand and tilted the umbrella upright, covering his shoulders that were already moist: “There’s no need to praise me.”

He Chuzhou retorted at once: “Why not? There are so many things I could praise you for that I could talk three days and three nights without stopping. Do you want to hear it? Wait for me to find the perfect place to start—”

Pei Xi directly switched off his microphone by pinching his mouth shut: “Be quiet, Gege. Don’t make me regret bringing you back.”

He Chuzhou obediently shut up and kissed Pei Xi’s fingertips as he withdrew his hand.

His drunken eyes were unfocused, but his heart was full of contentment.

From the garage to the door, one had to walk across a short section of pavement. He Chuzhou opened his mouth again after two steps: “Someone asked me about the riverside land just now.”

Pei Xi could accept a work-related topic: “Really? What did they say?”

He Chuzhou: “They asked me if I wanted to snatch it from you, and I said there was no need, because you’ve already given it to me.”

Pei Xi: “It was a business transaction, not a gift.”

He Chuzhou was persistent: “It was too a gift. You’re my wife, not a foreign mob boss. What business transaction could I have with you?”

Pei Xi: “……”

Pei Xi: “Okay, I gave it to you. Then what did they say?”

He Chuzhou: “They asked me what I was going to build.”

Pei Xi: “What will you build?”

He Chuzhou: “What do you think I should build?”

Pei Xi gave it serious thought: “Building a shopping mall in that area would maximize the benefits. The favorable environment and air quality are good enough to build a high-end residential area, but Wancheng has no shortage of those, so it wouldn’t be a good idea to oversaturate.”

He Chuzhou: “My wife is so amazing!”

Pei Xi: “……Stop praising me. So you really plan to build a shopping mall?”

He Chuzhou: “No, ah. I’m not gonna build a shopping mall. I’ve already made up my mind. I’m going to build…..that.”

Pei Xi: “Hm? That what?”

He Chuzhou lowered his head and remained silent. After a moment, he said in a mysterious voice: “It’s a secret. I’ll tell you later.”

Pei Xi’s eyebrows twitched, and he sent him a mild glance: “Another secret. Whose secret is it this time?”

He Chuzhou hummed: “Mine.”

It wasn’t just humans who saw improved sleep quality on a rainy day. Cats and dogs did too.

When they opened the door, the excited He Xingxing was laying in his doghouse with his tongue out, wagging his tail at them. But considering that Xiao Yueliang was still sleeping on his stomach, he didn’t get up to greet them.

He Chuzhou gave him a thumbs up and praised him for being a good dog. If you knew how to love your wife, the future was limitless.

Pei Xi led him toward the bedroom: “Stop talking nonsense. Your hands are so cold, go take a shower.”

He Chuzhou hooked his fingers: “Together?”

Pei Xi released him and stuffed clean clothes into his arms: “I already washed before picking you up.”

He Chuzhou: “It was so cold outside, ah. Shower again to get rid of the cold.”

Pei Xi pushed away the head nuzzling against him as he spoke, giving him a half-smile: “Do you think I don’t know what you want to do? Don’t even think about it. It’s not happening.”

He now had psychological trauma from bathing with He Chuzhou. It wouldn’t be forever, but at least for a while, it was impossible for him to step into the bathroom with He Chuzhou again.

Because once he went in, there was no turning back. Every place and every object inside it would become a tool for someone to unleash his beastly nature, which was simply his nightmare.

He Chuzhou raised his right hand and pledged: “I won’t do anything but shower. Just shower.”

Pei Xi: “No way. Go by yourself.”

He Chuzhou: “I can’t scrub my back.”

Pei Xi raised an eyebrow: “Are your hands so short?”

He Chuzhou: “…….”

He Chuzhou embraced Pei Xi and buried his head in his shoulder, acting like a hooligan: “I’m drunk. What if I fall when you leave me all alone?”

“I’ll wait until you fall, then go in.”

Pei Xi mercilessly pushed his head away: “Go shower quickly. Don’t get the smell of alcohol on me.”

He Chuzhou wilted, entering the bathroom dejectedly.

Pei Xi gazed at the closed bathroom door. After a second or two of thought, he turned and walked to the bedside, where he opened a drawer to find two letters of guarantee inside.

He kept the one with He Chuzhou’s name on it and put the other back, intending to add a line of words to it.

But He Chuzhou’s handwriting was so flamboyant that all the blank space was filled up, and there was no way to squeeze in any more.

He could only turn to the blank page on the back and write down two lines while thinking.

The drunk in the bathroom was restless even while showering, and his messy voice rang out from time to time:

“Wife, Wife, are you asleep?”

“Wife, don’t go to sleep. I’m already thawed. Wait for me to come out and warm your bed.”

“Hiss – how come this water is hotter than my love for my wife? Are you trying to cook me, Brother?”

“Wife! Wife! It’s too hot!”

Pei Xi finished writing and covered his ears, then put down the pen and went to the bathroom.

When he pushed open the door, He Chuzhou was half-dressed with one leg in his pants.

Just as he was about to put his right leg in, he saw Pei Xi coming in and immediately took out his left leg as well. He pointed at the reddened skin on his chest and said aggrievedly: “Look.”

Pei Xi: “……”

Pei Xi: “Why did you take off your pants for me to see your chest? Put them on.”

He Chuzhou obediently put on his pants.

Pei Xi took the hair dryer from the closet and told him to come over and lower his head. He helped him blow dry it until it was half dry, then set the device down and said, “Come out first.”

He Chuzhou liked this kind of activity where he followed his wife’s instructions without thinking. He happily followed Pei Xi back to the bedroom, and saw him bend down to pick up a piece of paper and a pen from the bedside for him: “Sign your name.”

“Huh? What’s this? My slave certificate?”

He Chuzhou shook the paper. Just as he was about to take a closer look, Pei Xi covered his eyes, hooked his neck, and kissed him: “Don’t worry about what it is, just sign it. Don’t worry, Gege, I won’t sell you.”

He deliberately lowered his voice with the intent to deceive. This drunkard already had a faulty brain, and couldn’t endure such a thing. He was immediately enchanted, and carelessly signed his name before hastening to pick Pei Xi up and press him down on the bed.

This dog had no sense of propriety.

However, Pei Xi endured. He let him take off his clothes and do as he liked to him.

He would finally let this hungry wolf with an alcohol-numbed brain run wild for a night, then teach him a good lesson tomorrow.

But when he fell asleep from exhaustion, he couldn’t help but wonder if this man was actually drunk.

Wasn’t it said that drunk people couldn’t get it up? Then why……

After a full night of deep sleep, he opened his eyes drowsily at a time he usually wouldn’t wake up, and saw He Chuzhou sitting on the bed with his back to him, doing who knows what. Pei Xi was too tired to even raise a hand: “What are you doing?”

He Chuzhou turned around and waved the note in his hand at him: “I promise not to do it more than three times per week, and for no more than an hour each time. Honey, is this what you tricked me into signing?”

Pei Xi lifted his eyelids to take a look, then closed them with a smile: “So what? Once you sign it, you must abide by it.”

He Chuzhou suppressed his laughter: “How fierce, coercing me into a deal, ah.”

Pei Xi: “En, I dealt with you.”

“Oho, so domineering.” He Chuzhou: “Three times is too few, and one hour is too short for anyone to have their fill. Tsk, tsk. Fortunately, Xiao He still had some brains left and didn’t sign his name.”

Didn’t sign his name?

Pei Xi opened his eyes at once: “What did you say?”

He Chuzhou smiled and showed him the note: “Here. He Chuzhou with the 州 character instead of 洲. Do you know this person? I sure don’t. When my mom gave birth to me, a Taoist priest said my destiny lacked water, and it would be unlucky not to have a water radical in my name.”

Pei Xi: “…..”

Pei Xi: “…….”

He ground his back molars hard, propped up his torso, and smashed a pillow into He Chuzhou’s head.

*

*

Pei Xi didn’t experience an altered state of mind for many days in a row.

The two of them picked a day with good weather to go to the hospital. The doctor said this was a good sign, and that his sequelae would soon be completely healed.

When they got back, He Chuzhou received a call from Mrs. Chu. Pei Xi didn’t hear what was said on the phone, because as he was standing at the entrance of the yard, he spied from afar Mr. Zhang, his wife, and their dog approaching from the other side.

What a coincidence.

Mr. Zhang had previously been abroad, and the original plan had been to discuss the land project after his return to China. Who could have expected that the situation would change so drastically in the meantime?

Mr. Zhang was back now, and there was no need to fight for the land. Pei Group had long expressed their willingness to withdraw from the competition, and He Group successfully bought the property and was already making development plans.

He Chuzhou also saw them and put his phone away, grasping Pei Xi’s hand: “Let’s go and say hello?”

Pei Xi nodded.

The two walked forward side by side. He Chuzhou spoke first: “Long time no see. Mr. Zhang lives here too?”

“My father-in-law does. We came to visit him.”

Mr. Zhang saw their tightly entwined hands, and his cheerful eyes gained a hint of surprise: “The two of you…..”

He Chuzhou nodded with poise: “As you can see, you are actually our matchmaker.”

“Ah, is that so?” Mr. Zhang smiled even more brightly. “Then you must prepare a big red envelope for me at the wedding.”

He Chuzhou: “Absolutely.”

Mr. Zhang: “By the way, I hear you plan to use that piece of land to build an aquarium, right? Very good. The upstream water source is clean and the area is quiet. There’s only one aquarium in such a big city, and it’s located in the remote western district. One really isn’t enough.”

The secret he had wanted to surprise his wife with was abruptly revealed. He Chuzhou was silent for a long moment before giving a helpless smile: “Yes, that is indeed the plan. Mr. Zhang is well-informed.”

“I’m not well-informed, my assistants are.”

Mr. Zhang said with a smile: “Those young people know more. They said you intend to build an aquarium for your wife. I was surprised when I first heard it, and asked when you’d gotten married.”

He Chuzhou: “…….”

Sensing a gaze from beside him, He Chuzhou could only smile bitterly: “You’ve really dug up all my secrets.”

Mr. Zhang’s expression was innocent: “Huh?”

Mrs. Zhang to the side immediately understood: “Why did you say it right in front of them when it was a surprise prepared for his loved one?”

Only then did Mr. Zhang realize his mistake and apologize repeatedly.

What could He Chuzhou say other than that it was fine? They exchanged a few more pleasantries and then said their farewells.

When he turned around, Pei Xi was giving him an unreadable look: “So what you were being all vague about last night was an aquarium?”

He Chuzhou touched his nose and shamelessly kissed his wife again: “Aiya, a surprise revealed is still a surprise. Do you like it?”

Pei Xi didn’t answer, and He Chuzhou didn’t ask further: “Mom asked us to come home for dinner. She also has gifts for us. Should we go in and change our clothes, then leave?”

Pei Xi: “Gifts? Is today a special occasion?”

“No,” He Chuzhou said, “She just wants to give gifts. Why not pick today?”

He unlocked the fingerprint lock and led Pei Xi into the courtyard: “There will be more during the New Year.”

“Let’s do the math, ah. There’s New Year’s Eve, New Years Day, and the Lantern Festival. There might be gifts on more than one day.”

“Mrs. Chu’s sense of tradition is engraved in her bones. Classmate Pei, remember to mentally prepare yourself, and be sure to take an empty suitcase when we go.”

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Chapter 69 << Table of Contents >> Chapter 71