Chapter 9

Editor: SleepyMango123

Proofreader: Lore

“Since Han Cheng and Xia Tian get along really well, you can rest assured now.”

After the meal, everyone chatted in various groups. A relative who was well acquainted with Zhou Yun whispered to her, “In the beginning I thought that this marriage arrangement may not be suitable as the age gap was so wide. But now that I look at it, it’s pretty good. It seems like though older, the more stable and considerate the other party is.”

Zhou Yun recalled the situation on the table just now. With mixed feelings in her heart, she forcefully smiled and nodded, “Yes, Han Cheng does take care of him.”

Not far away, Han Cheng, who “will take care of him,” stood by Xia Tian. He took a sip of water and said, “In another 25 minutes, I will head over and bid goodbye to Chairman Yan and your mother.”

Being watched by everyone from time to time, either intentionally or unintentionally, with gazes kind or inquiring, Xia Tian had long ago wanted to leave as he was feeling uncomfortable by everyone’s stares. He nodded and replied, “Okay.”

Han Cheng looked at Xia Tian’s expression carefully and asked with a smile, “Such a short answer, are you angry?”

“Huh?” Xia Tian raised his head and in confusion, spoke, “What can I be angry about?”

Han Cheng smiled and said, “Grab some food.”

“You…” Xia Tian wanted to cry. He had just stopped thinking about it, and when Han Cheng mentioned it, his mind started to replay the scene of picking food during dinner. Xia Tian’s face turned red in shame. Rubbing his face, he said uncomfortably, “That’s not the case. I don’t get angry easily.”

“If you are angry, tell me.” Han Cheng thought about it. Truthfully, it was a bit inappropriate to display such intimacy in front of Zhou Yun. He whispered, “Next time… If next time you don’t want to cooperate, you can just tell me.”

Xia Tian looked at Han Cheng distrustfully while Han Cheng smiled helplessly. “I’m just teasing you. If you are not happy, do you really think that I’ll force you?”

Xia Tia looked away and murmured, “Even if you don’t use force… You might get angry and tell my mother that I copied your signature. Anyway… My life is in your hands. How could I not be obedient?”

Han Cheng was stunned. He had never expected Xia Tian to still remember the incident of forging his signature.

Han Cheng didn’t think he was harsh or terrifying when he talked to Xia Tian that day. He thought it was just a friendly exchange; a caring conversation after their marriage. Unexpectedly, Xia Tian was still quite stubborn, enough to harp on it.

Han Cheng restrained his laughter and asked, “You think that I’ll report to your mother whenever I feel your actions are unsatisfactory?”

Xia Tian looked at Han Cheng uncertainly, obviously thinking that such a thing might happen.

Han Cheng sighed softly in his heart, it’s good to be so young. It’s cute to be so innocent.

“Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone about the forgery.” Han Cheng didn’t want Xia Tian to stay on his toes all the time just because of that incident, and promised, “No matter what you do.”

Xia Tian’s eyes lit up. “You promise?”

“I promise.” Han Cheng smiled. “Although I don’t know why you think I would do such troublesome things, I really don’t have the bad habit of bringing up old scores.”

Xia Tian breathed a sigh of relief.

Only god knows how many days he had been in fear!

Han Cheng was amused when he saw Xia Tia’s relaxed look and said, “Stay here for a while, I’ll go and say goodbye to your grandmother.”

Han Cheng paused and continued, “Today, I was in the wrong. I’ll buy you a gift later.”

After he finished speaking, Han Cheng went to find Yan Lihua. Not far away, Zhou Yun, who had been watching the two of them, came over and asked, “Are you heading back now?”

Xia Tian replied “En” and with a smile spoke, “Why don’t I head to your place today? There aren’t any classes tomorrow anyway.”

“I still have to head to the company this afternoon. It is not convenient.” Zhou Yun rejected him and smiled softly. “How about next week? I will adjust my timing in advance.”

Xia Tian nodded. “Please pay attention to your health. Don’t overwork yourself.”

“There’s nothing to be tired of. Instead it’s you…” Zhou Yun said softly, “I heard that your schedule is pretty tight now?”

“Yes.” Xia Tian grinned and complained, “In school, the rules are very strict. I must never be late, and there are much more classes to attend now. Fortunately, Uncle Han was a school alumni and he greeted the teachers when I first entered the school. So, they took care of me. The homework they now assign is easier to understand compared to others. Recently, I have learned quite a lot.”

“Just don’t exhaust yourself.” Zhou Yun straightened the neckline for Xia Tian. Her eyes swept across Xia Tian’s white neck, continuing to chat as usual, “Won’t you affect Han Cheng if you go to class early?”

Xia Tian shook his head, “I don’t think it affected him? I get up for a run at 6 am and he usually gets up at 6:30 am… Anyway, he usually heads downstairs before 7 am, so it’s just in time for us to have breakfast together.”

Zhou Yun nodded thoughtfully and asked, “What do you usually do after school? Do you go home directly?”

“Sometimes I hang out with my friends, but not too late.” Xia Tian thought Zhou Yun was worried about him being playful, and laughed. “Don’t worry, Uncle Han’s assistant keeps me on a leash that’s tighter than yours. Whenever I have plans to eat out, I’ll have to tell him where I am. If I were to head out in the evening, he will definitely call me as soon as it is past 10 pm to come and pick me up.”

Zhou Yun smiled in surprise. “So dedicated?”

“Yes… But it doesn’t happen that often since I don’t go out that much.” Xia Tian smiled. “At night, I usually stay at home and read.”

Zhou Yun smiled with satisfaction. “That’s good, just don’t tire yourself out.”

“I won’t be tired at all. Uncle Han urges me to go to bed before 10 pm every day.” Xia Tian heartlessly said, “Even though he sometimes works late, he still doesn’t let me sleep later.”

Zhou Yun had just calmed her heart down but it started to race again. She frowned and asked, “Are you always with him when you study?”

“Yes. I can ask him whenever I encounter anything that I don’t understand.” Xia Tian whispered, “Uncle Han is particularly scary… He knows everything.”

Zhou Yun looked down and said in a low voice, “Don’t always trouble people…”

After saying goodbye to Yan Lihua, Han Cheng walked over and nodded at Zhou Yun, “I have something to do this afternoon so it’s not convenient for us to stay for a long time.”

Zhou Yun smiled mildly at Han Cheng. “Business matters are important. I just heard Xia Tian say that he has troubled you too much recently… Xia Tian has been spoiled by me and is too clingy. You are usually busy, so you don’t have to bother too much about him.”

Xia Tian said embarrassingly, “Since when am I clingy…”

Yan Lihua, who was beside Han Cheng, joked, “What’s the matter with clinginess? Isn’t Han Cheng willing to let Xia Tian stick to him all the time?”

Han Cheng was startled but calmly said, “Of course I am.”

Han Cheng said to Zhou Yun, “You are exaggerating. Xia Tian is very sensible. Xia Tian, shall we go?”

Xia Tian nodded hurriedly. Zhou Yun smiled, and without saying anything, sent them out together with Yan Lihua.

On the way back to Han Cheng’s house, Xia Tian endured for awhile but finally couldn’t hold back. He explained in a low voice, “I didn’t talk nonsense to my mother, and I don’t know why she would think that… I am very clingy towards you… ”

“It’s okay.” Of course, Han Cheng knew that Xia Tian wouldn’t talk nonsense to others. He looked down at the newsletter and said casually, “It’s okay to say anything you’d like as I’d told you a long time ago. Regarding the matter between you and me, whatever you say, I will admit to it.”

Although it was not the first time Xia Tian heard Han Cheng say this, his heart still raced twice as fast and he quickly changed the subject. “You… By the way, why did you suddenly…”

Xia Tian stopped talking. Han Cheng put down his phone and understood in a moment. “You wanted to ask, why am I expressing such intimacy towards you?”

Xia Tian nodded.

“It’s nothing, I realised that others don’t think we are very affectionate. It is different from our original arrangement, so I want to emphasise it.” Han Cheng lightly mocked, “I only didn’t have a wedding with you. What other things should I do to make them believe I like you?”

Xia Tian laughed. “It’s fine. It’s okay if they don’t believe it. Besides, in this kind of marriage, it’s normal for them to think we have an emotionless marriage.”

“It’s not the same.” Han Cheng said lightly, “If they think I love you very much, they will respect you more.”

“At least they wouldn’t say things like ‘teaching you will be difficult’ right to your face.”

Xia Tian was dumbfounded. “You still remember?”

Han Cheng smiled, “I haven’t heard these kinds of comments in many years. It’s very fresh, so it left an impression.”

Xia Tian chuckled. Han Cheng smiled and continued, “What’s the matter? Haven’t you seen such a caring man?”

“No.” Xia Tian smiled gratefully, knowing that Han Cheng was venting for him.

“Your grandmother…”

Although they had lived together for a month, Han Cheng had always kept a sufficient distance from Xia Tian. Han Cheng was a person that one could be acquainted with but not have heart-to-heart conversations. He rarely talked about household issues with Xia Tian, but today he could not stand it anymore. Han Cheng phrased his words carefully, before saying, “Does your grandmother always treat you like this?”

Han Cheng didn’t believe that it was Zhou Yun who discredited her son in front of outsiders all day long. If it wasn’t her… it could only be Yan Lihua and Xia Sisi.

Xia Sisi was a mindless person and couldn’t make waves¹More like a snowball where it starts small and as it rolls, it grows. To make waves is usually used to express the idea “to stir things up”, or to shake things up. , but Yan Lihua was different. If she didn’t like Xia Tian, she could have used various disgusting ways to torture Zhou Yun and Xia Tian.

Xia Tian did not speak and acquiesced.

Han Cheng said lightly, “It’s cruel enough.”

Xia Tian nodded and sighed, “Otherwise, she wouldn’t have let me marry you.”

Han Cheng: “…”

Xia Tian realised that he had said the wrong thing, and in an instant, quickly tried to remedy it but instead accurately stepped on the second minefield. “No, no, no, my grandmother originally wanted me to marry your cousin and it almost happened, but Mom didn’t agree…”

Speaking of his turbulent cousin, the smile on Han Cheng’s face faded completely. He loosened his tie and said, “I remember saying not to mention anything about you and Han Ming. Have you forgotten?”

In an instant, the temperature in the car dropped a few degrees. Xia Tian covered his face with his hands, full of regret, and just wanted to open the car window and throw himself out.

Fortunately, Han Cheng’s cell phone rang in time. Han Cheng glanced at the cell phone and warned Xia Tian in a low voice, “Don’t repeat this mistake again.”

Xia Tian received an amnesty and quickly nodded, saying that he would never mention it again. Upon seeing how sincere he was, Han Cheng answered the phone.

Han Cheng began to discuss business issues while Xia Tian was leaning on the side with lingering fears thumping in his chest… You’ve spoken too much, You’ve spoken too much, You’ve spoken too much…

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  More like a snowball where it starts small and as it rolls, it grows. To make waves is usually used to express the idea “to stir things up”, or to shake things up.  ↩︎