Chapter 15 "Since you’re particular about where you sleep, you might as well get used to mine."-Minha amiga disse que o grandalhão é bravo, mas à noite ele me chama de bebê(Bandeira de ouro)

Jing Zhuo’s footsteps faltered, a flicker of imperceptible melancholy flashing in the depths of his eyes.

"I suppose... we don't know each other."

Song Xi nodded thoughtfully. That was exactly what she thought; in all her memories, she had never met anyone like Jing Zhuo, nor had she ever heard his name. Aside from a vague sense of familiarity in his features, she had no impression of him whatsoever.

Her aunt once said that when a person meets their destined partner, it feels like encountering an old friend you haven't seen in years—a sense of familiarity, a feeling that there is no end to the things you could talk about. Perhaps, she mused, Jing Zhuo was her destiny.

It was already dark when they returned to the luxury apartment. Having eaten dinner out, the atmosphere between them was slightly awkward, with little left to say. After all, they weren't particularly familiar with each other, whether in bed or out of it.

"I'll take the guest room, shall I?" Song Xi offered, breaking the silence, eager to find a room to hole up in.

"No, you sleep in the master bedroom."

Jing Zhuo pointed to a large, south-facing bedroom and opened the door for her. The room was decorated in a monochrome, cool color scheme—light gray sheets and duvet covers, dark curtains, and a few thick books on the nightstand with French titles that Song Xi couldn't read. It was clearly the room he lived in every day.

Song Xi was a bit dazed. Weren't they supposed to sleep separately?

"You sleep here, I’ll take the guest room," Jing Zhuo said slowly. "Since you are sensitive to new beds, you might as well get used to mine first. Once you're accustomed to it, it will be more convenient when I move back in later."

Get used to his bed...

The remark sounded incredibly suggestive. She hadn't expected him to be thinking so far ahead; it was only their first day living together, and he was already planning for them to share a bed.

Song Xi’s heart thumped wildly. She felt a nameless sensation—nervous, bittersweet, and intense, as if they were about to tumble into bed together that very moment.

"Oh... alright then."

She nodded like a cat in a sticker pack.

Jing Zhuo patiently instructed her: "You can use anything in the bathroom." He pulled open the wardrobe, which was lined with men's pajamas. "I was in a rush coming back today and didn't prepare any clothes for you. These are my pajamas—they’ve been washed and are clean. Feel free to take your pick; make do for tonight, is that alright?"

Everything in sight belonged to him, each item permeated with his scent.

Song Xi nodded. "That's fine."

Jing Zhuo walked around the bed to pull the curtains for her, then stood at the doorway, looking down at her with lowered eyes.

"Well then, goodnight."

"Mm, goodnight."

After Jing Zhuo left, he pulled the door shut. Song Xi paced the room for a moment, then relaxed and began to undress. She had been running around all afternoon and was covered in sweat.

She took a shower in his bathroom, using his shampoo and body wash. Afterward, she rummaged through his closet for a long time before finding a white cotton T-shirt, which she pulled on. The shirt was huge, loose, and long enough to reach her thighs—she didn't even need pants.

Wrapped in that white T-shirt, Song Xi felt as though her entire being—from head to toe, down to the tip of her nose and every breath she took—was saturated with a foreign yet assertive scent that held her firmly in its grip. It felt like a slow, heavy anticipation, waiting for her to get used to it and accept it.

The feeling was... both mysterious and overbearing. It was very much like his behavior in bed that night—unheeding, relentless. Holding, embracing, pinning her down, kissing... he had done it all, leaving nothing out.

Song Xi shook her head, trying to cast those scandalous memories away. *Stop it! Don't think about it anymore!*

*Buzz-buzz.*

Her phone vibrated twice with a video call request. Song Xi returned to the bed and saw it was Zhang Hening. She tapped to accept, and the two best friends began their usual marathon phone chat.

"Sleeping in separate rooms?" Zhang Hening scoffed on the other end. "Pfft, you’ve already slept together, what is that guy pretending to be so high and mighty for!"

Song Xi explained awkwardly, "Is it possible that I’m the one who wants to sleep in separate rooms, and I’m the one pretending to be high and mighty?"

"Oh, well then you’re right to pretend!"

Zhang Hening’s values shifted to match her best friend’s. "My second brother once said that most men these days aren't clean, their sexual orientations are all over the place, and they often trick young girls into marriage just to have a 'facade wife,' or they have hidden diseases—it’s terrifying!"

"You absolutely must make him get a pre-marital checkup to see if he has any illnesses or anything. Also, bring him to see me tomorrow. I’ll call my parents and brothers, and we’ll all vet him together. Do you hear me?"

Song Xi felt a belated sense of realization; she had been far too rash in getting a marriage certificate with someone. In novels, people usually know everything about each other before a whirlwind marriage—they were childhood friends, went to the same school, or were family friends.

What was this? She had been way too reckless.

"Alright, I'll take him to the He residence tomorrow!" Song Xi decided. She was going to put Jing Zhuo through his paces.

"No problem."

Zhang Hening was busy digging into a piece of cake as she spoke. This successfully caught Song Xi’s attention. "What are you eating that looks so good?"

"A green grape cake. My eldest brother brought it back; there were two pieces, and my mom saved one for you, but since you didn't come back, I’m devouring both myself."

Song Xi: "Ծ‸Ծ!"

She wanted to go back to the He family home to eat cake.

The next day, Song Xi woke up early. Because she wasn't used to the bed, her sleep had been restless; all night long, she had been enveloped by that cedarwood scent, as if she had been tangled in the sheets with someone the entire time.

At this rate, she would get used to Jing Zhuo faster than she would get used to the bed.

After washing up in the bathroom and throwing on yesterday’s clothes, she pushed open the bedroom door. A rich, fragrant aroma of breakfast drifted into her nose.

"You're up? Come over and have breakfast."

The man by the dining table was setting out food. He wore a crisp white shirt paired with black dress trousers, his sleeves rolled up to reveal a section of his forearm, a silver wristwatch, and the wedding band on the ring finger of his right hand.

Song Xi recognized it; the style was a matching pair with the everyday wedding band on her own hand. When he bought the rings, he had bought the men's version for himself and had even put it on voluntarily.

What a sensible married man.

She walked to the table and sat down opposite Jing Zhuo.

"I will be staying in the capital for the near future," Jing Zhuo said casually while eating.

"Oh."

"You remember the door code, right?"

"I remember."

"Do you need me to find someone to help you move your luggage?" he asked.

Song Xi understood; he wanted her to move out of her friend's place and into this apartment. She thought for a moment and said, "If it's just moving luggage, I don't have much, so I don't need your help."

Before Jing Zhuo could reply, she added: "However, can you come with me to the He residence today? As my husband, my best friend, her parents, and her brother all want to meet you."