Chapter 14: The Man Who Listens Well!

This is a nearly 300-square-meter sprawling flat.

Song Xi stood by the entrance, surveying the entire layout. Floor-to-ceiling panoramic windows, an interior decorated in a clean and bright style with predominantly cool tones.

In a city like the capital, a property like this would cost at least twenty million yuan as a baseline.

“This place is really huge,” Song Xi remarked.

“You haven’t been back before?” Jing Zhuo tilted his head and looked at her. He opened the shoe cabinet by the entrance and found a pair of large men’s slippers for her.

“This is marital property. On the day we registered our marriage, I gave you the password. You can manage it however you want,” he added.

Song Xi slipped her feet into his oversized slippers and replied, “Oh, I’ve been staying at a friend’s place these past few days and didn’t have time to come see this.”

In truth, compared to feeling uneasy living at his place, she definitely preferred staying with Zhang Hening.

After all, she was accustomed to living at the He residence.

“Why don’t you move in here?” Jing Zhuo said. “Your friend might be moving soon as well.”

“Ah?”

Jing Zhuo smiled but said nothing.

The company was 16 kilometers from the He residence. Judging by Zhang Hening’s habits, it was unlikely she’d get up early for work.

There was a single apartment across the river; he could leave that to her as a place to stay.

He bent down, picked up the shoes Song Xi had taken off, and neatly placed them back in the shoe cabinet.

Inside the spacious cabinet were a pair of leather shoes and a pair of canvas shoes—one large, one small—harmoniously arranged and pleasing to the eye.

Jing Zhuo lingered for a few more seconds before closing the cabinet door. Facing his newlywed wife, he offered a gentle smile, careful not to appear cold.

“This is your home. Sit wherever you like.”

They had only slept together once and met twice—strangers in every sense.

Song Xi certainly couldn’t treat this place as her own just yet. She sat somewhat reservedly on the sofa.

She watched Jing Zhuo press a few buttons on the water dispenser, pour a cup of warm water, then take a slice of freeze-dried lemon from the fridge, drop it into the cup, and hand it to her.

She had a habit of drinking lemon water.

Surprisingly, Jing Zhuo did too!?

A flicker of surprise stirred in Song Xi’s heart. She took the cup and sipped; the temperature was just as she preferred, as if nothing had changed from the He residence.

“Thank you,” she said sincerely.

Jing Zhuo sat opposite her, watching her sip gently, then suddenly spoke:

“Mrs. Jing, I want to set three ground rules with you.”

“What?”

Song Xi looked up, confused and momentarily unsure how to respond.

“As a married man, I don’t want our marriage to be merely polite, distant, or cold. I prefer a marriage of mutual support and love. So... we need to cultivate our relationship.”

Cultivate... relationship?

Song Xi held the cup, feeling a bit numb.

She was entering into a contractual marriage, and this man wanted to play the game of love-after-marriage?

How pure-hearted this man was.

“Ho-how do we cultivate it?” Song Xi blurted out.

Jing Zhuo refilled her cup with warm water, his tone serious and earnest.

“Based on the marriage goals I mentioned, I did some research and drafted a few rules for our marriage.”

“First, we share a bed. Second, a private date once every weekend. Third, at least one intimate encounter a week.”

“What do you think?”

Song Xi: “...”

Help!

How could he discuss intimate matters with such seriousness and professionalism?

Like he was negotiating a business deal.

Recalling the fragmented memories of that night, she had pleaded several times, yet he still hadn’t been very cooperative in bed.

Song Xi’s ears flushed deeply.

“The first is impossible,” she said. “We’re not familiar with each other yet. I’m used to my own bed and often can’t sleep with someone else.”

“Second doesn’t work either. As photographers, we don’t have fixed weekends. When busy, working overtime for half a month straight is common.”

“The third is out too... such things require natural development. If forced, it’s no different from a casual fling.”

Besides... it’s too painful.

That night, he actually went more than once.

He was inexperienced.

She felt uncomfortable and developed a psychological aversion to the whole thing.

Seeing him present his conditions only to have them all rejected one by one, Song Xi began to feel uneasy.

Maybe... they should just get a divorce.

“Fine, I agree,” Jing Zhuo suddenly said.

Song Xi: “?”

“As long as we’re married, everything will follow your pace. No rush on sharing the bed, nothing else rushed either. How about that?”

So much for three ground rules—it ended up as a promise to nothing.

Song Xi suddenly found him quite easy to talk to.

Though he appeared cold and spoke with the commanding tone of a domineering CEO,

Whenever she refused, he accepted everything without hesitation.

Such an obedient man.

Song Xi nodded repeatedly. “That sounds wonderful.”

“So, do you have time this afternoon?”

“Hm?”

“I’ve made an appointment at the property transaction center to add your name to this house.”

“Th-this quickly?” Song Xi was still a little dazed.

Suddenly owning an extra luxurious flat felt like a dream.

“It needs to be fast,” the man said softly. “Only when your name is on the deed will you feel comfortable moving back.”

“And I have no intention of living apart from my wife during our marriage.”

What else could Song Xi say?

She simply agreed.

...

The two spent the entire afternoon gathering the necessary documents and adding Song Xi’s name to the property.

Coming out of the property office, Song Xi hesitated.

She still owned a small apartment in the southern district—should she add his name to that too?

After all, it was technically joint property now.

She thought for a moment and finally said, “Actually, I have a small apartment as well...”

Before she could finish, Jing Zhuo interrupted.

“No need.”

He lowered his gaze and looked at her seriously.

“Even though we’re married, I won’t covet any of your property. What’s yours remains yours, whether it’s real estate or savings. You don’t have to disclose the details to me. It’s not easy for a woman to save money, so keep it for yourself.”

Song Xi was puzzled. “You... won’t lose out?”

They had only known each other briefly, had just slept together once, and yet he had already bought a diamond ring and split the property’s ownership. What man would be such a sucker?

In the sunset’s glow, Jing Zhuo smiled—a rare sight—his eyes softening completely.

“Marrying you is my gain.”

Song Xi couldn’t tell if it was just her imagination, but she felt as if he had secretly admired her for many years.

But... she was pretty sure she didn’t know him before.

Song Xi thought for a moment and couldn’t help but ask, “Jing Zhuo, did we know each other before?”