“I wish you a bad night’s sleep.”
After using one of He Xihuan’s cars to drive the two Xu brothers home, Xu Yiwen took another spin around the city.
Back at the Xu residence, he had feigned conveying He Xihuan’s intentions, informing Xu Xiangchuan that investment was possible. However, Xu Xiangchuan did not give him a pleasant expression, all because of the quiet and uneventful evening.
When he proposed taking Qiu Yao back to their home to stay for a few days, Xu Xiangchuan rejected him on the grounds that Qiu Yao’s health was poor and she could not handle being tossed about.
The two or three steps he had taken into the Xu family courtyard were completely driven right back out by the cold wind.
Every one of He Xihuan’s cars was stocked with cigarettes. Xu Yiwen found a cigarette case and lit one using the car’s cigarette lighter.
After taking a puff, it was still difficult to accept.
With the car parked in a slot, he stepped out, crushed the cigarette, tossed it into a trash can, and walked on foot up the pedestrian overpass on Tanhu Avenue.
At a little past nine in the evening, the cold winter wind made his face sting.
Unlike the hurried passersby, Xu Yiwen walked very slowly on the bridge.
The myriad lights of the residential area in the distance reflected in Xu Yiwen’s pupils, turning into distant, unreachable specks of starlight.
Descending the bridge and walking onto the opposite street, Xu Yiwen watched the glowing neon signage of various storefronts flash past his eyes before pausing in front of one shop.
This was a barbecue restaurant, and there were so many customers that tables and benches had been set up outside.
The serving staff moved with lightning speed, so busy they barely had a moment to breathe, and no one noticed Xu Yiwen standing by the doorway like a telephone pole.
Instead, the diners outside were drawn by his striking appearance and detached aura, casting glances his way.
A young man biting on a skewer he had just finished eating was practically drooling.
“Mister,” he wiped the corner of his mouth, discarded the skewer, stood up, and waved at Xu Yiwen. “Over here! Want some skewers? The boss is busy, and we won’t finish all this anyway. Why don’t you come join our table? It’s our treat.”
The other three young men at his table smiled and chimed in with invitations.
Xu Yiwen looked at them in confusion. Confirming that they were indeed talking to him, he shook his head and declined, “No need, thank you for the kind offer.”
Having eaten two meals that evening, he hadn’t driven over here just to grab another midnight snack.
His gaze shifted to the glowing sign that read “Uncle BBQ”.
Then, with heavy footsteps, he stepped inside.
“Right away, right away, your beer.” Boss Li Chao caught sight of the sudden face appearing before him, and the bottles of beer in his hands almost slipped. “Xiao Wen.”
“Uncle Li, long time no see.” Xu Yiwen took the beer from Li Chao’s hands and helped place it on a customer’s table.
Li Chao’s eyes, already sore and irritated from years of smoke and grilling, grew even more watery.
He wiped his black, calloused palms, roughened by years of smoke and fire, on his apron, stretched his hand out toward Xu Yiwen, and spoke in an excited tone, “Xiao Wen, Uncle will open up a private table just for you.”
“Uncle Li, I’ve already eaten. I came to see you today for something else.” Xu Yiwen grasped Li Chao’s hand, lowered his voice, and motioned for Uncle Li to go somewhere they could talk.
Uncle Li understood Xu Yiwen’s look and led him into a small storage room off to the side.
About five minutes later, Uncle Li walked out of the small storage room.
Another five minutes later, Aunt Li walked in carrying a down jacket.
Shortly after, Xu Yiwen emerged carrying a red takeout bag featuring a beckoning cat design, and shook hands with Aunt Li in farewell. “No need to see me out, Aunt Li.”
Aunt Li nodded in response, shaking Xu Yiwen’s hand while her eyes, staring at Xu Yiwen’s, couldn’t help but well up with tears.
Acting as calmly as if he had just picked up a takeout order, Xu Yiwen walked out of the shop and returned the way he came.
Back inside the car, his gaze lingered on the takeout bag for a few seconds. Without opening it, he placed it on the passenger seat and drove home.
When he arrived home, the lights in the living room were still on.
As Xu Yiwen changed his shoes, he guessed that Head Housekeeper Chang was waiting up for him.
After a glance around the dining room and living room, no one was there.
Only then did Xu Yiwen let out a breath of exhaustion, heading upstairs and taking the bag, which he had concealed beneath the coat draped over his wrist, into the study.
Taking out the documents inside, Xu Yiwen walked over to the bookcase and placed them alongside the printed test reports.
When he walked out of the study, it was already past eleven in the evening.
Being over an hour past curfew meant that He Xihuan indeed wasn’t coming back tonight.
Xu Yiwen headed straight to his guest room, preparing to wash up and go to sleep.
Tomorrow was Monday, and he had classes both morning and afternoon.
Even though it was self-study and exam preparation for the students, he couldn’t afford to be late as a teacher.
He needed to rest immediately and simply didn’t have the mental capacity to think about where He Xihuan was spending the night.
Punching in the passcode to open the door, he stretched and flipped on the room light, bringing his raised hands together above his head in a single mock-celebratory clap.
The applause sounded like a knock against the bed. He Xihuan, lying across the mattress, turned over, propped his head up with one hand, and looked at Xu Yiwen, who was frozen in place.
“Why are you here?”
“Do you even remember curfew?”
The two of them fired questions almost simultaneously, and after speaking, both wore identical expressions of displeasure.
“Did Head Housekeeper Chang give you the passcode?” Xu Yiwen had already lowered his hands, saying impatiently, “Get back to your own room right now.”
He Xihuan made a wide, deliberate movement to shift back into a flat, lying position. Completely ignoring Xu Yiwen’s words, he stared at the ceiling and continued his interrogation, “Taking someone back to the Xu family took you this late?”
Xu Yiwen took a few quick strides, stopping beside the bed. Treating He Xihuan’s words as sheer air, he urged, “Get up right now and go back to your own room.”
“I’ll sleep wherever I damn well please.” He Xihuan threw a childish tantrum and shut his eyes directly.
If they kept arguing like this, who knew what time they would actually get to sleep.
Xu Yiwen bent down, picked up the other pillow from the bed, and smashed it straight onto He Xihuan’s feigned-sleep face. He brushed his hands together and turned to leave. “I wish you a bad night’s sleep.”
He was truly too exhausted to keep pretending with He Xihuan.
Since He Xihuan refused to explain precisely how he resembled He Xihuan’s white moonlight, he might as well just let go and act as he pleased.
Struck with a grimace, He Xihuan grabbed the pillow, threw it to the floor, and roared, “Stop right there!”
Seeing that Xu Yiwen continued walking out and pushed the bedroom door open, he immediately got off the bed and spoke at an accelerated pace. “Without me, no matter how many times you go back to the Xu family, you’re never bringing Grandma back.”
Xu Yiwen’s steps hitched, and his grip on the doorknob loosened.
Pressing his advantage, He Xihuan steadied his tone and said, “Around nine o’clock tonight, your dad sent me a message saying Grandma’s health isn’t good, and since she’ll decline our kindness, she won’t be coming along to Chuncheng.”
Xu Yiwen turned around, lowering his gaze to mentally calculate the timeline.
When He Xihuan received that message, he had just departed from the Xu family gates.
He Xihuan strolled leisurely over to stand right in front of Xu Yiwen. “I haven’t replied yet.”
“Xu Yiwen, you know what you need to do.” His arm brushed past Xu Yiwen’s ear as he pushed the door shut.
Xu Yiwen bit down hard on his lip, barely resisting the urge to spit right in He Xihuan’s face.
It seemed this bastard was dead set on treating him as a substitute today, determined to finish whatever had been interrupted by the sound of the glass shattering on the second floor earlier.
Xu Yiwen averted his gaze, dodging He Xihuan’s naked, burning stare. He kept silent for a few seconds before lifting his eyes to meet He Xihuan’s. “Tomorrow afternoon after my classes finish, accompany me to pick up Grandma.”
He took a step forward, his breath brushing against He Xihuan’s lips. “On Wednesday night, I’ll accompany you to the charity gala.”
The corners of He Xihuan’s mouth lifted in an ambiguous, dark smirk as he calmly closed the distance by another step. “Is this your bargaining chip for a deal with me?”
Xu Yiwen’s expression remained completely unchanged. “I have never missed a single event the He family required me to attend.”
“Mom mentioned,” Xu Yiwen slid his palm across He Xihuan’s chest, pressing it firmly against his shoulder, “that for this charity gala, reporters have scheduled an interview with our He family.”
“If I recall correctly, it’s a couple’s interview.” Xu Yiwen stepped back a few paces with a victor’s composure, his gaze piercing and unyielding. “He Xihuan, I have never maliciously damaged the He Group’s image, nor do I have any reason to make things difficult for you.”
“To be frank with you, this marriage has lost all meaning for both of you and me.”
“The divorce agreement was something you wanted a year ago. A year ago when I wouldn’t sign it, you threw tantrums.”
“Now that I’ve signed the divorce agreement, you’re still throwing tantrums.”
“He Xihuan, President He, do me the favor of putting on that corporate face you wear at the office and properly calculate whether ending things like this is the best outcome for us.”
“I won’t deny that in this marriage, the He family took a hit while the Xu family reaped the benefits, which is why I agreed to let you revise the agreement.”
“Whatever compensation is required, and however much needs to be paid, feel free to have your lawyers write it into the agreement, and I will make up for it.”
“I only hope that we can part ways with dignity.”
The moment Xu Yiwen finished speaking and turned around, He Xihuan, his expression sullen, stole the path ahead of him, yanked the door open, and stalked out.
Inside the master bedroom, the warm yellow nightlight was on, failing to mask the red object in He Xihuan’s hand.
He Xihuan held the marriage certificate in both hands, his gaze fixed on that photo where they looked so deeply affectionate and happy.
In the picture, both of their mouths curled into distinct smiles.
His fingertips shifted to the photo. Even though He Xihuan could touch Xu Yiwen so easily, even though Xu Yiwen appeared before his eyes every single day, he still couldn’t see through Xu Yiwen at all.
What exactly was draped over Xu Yiwen… wolf skin, or sheep’s wool?
Putting the marriage certificate down, He Xihuan sent Xu Yiwen a message.
When Xu Yiwen finished showering and saw the notification, he felt as though his entire speech from moments ago had gone to waste.
He Xihuan’s text message clearly showed he was still throwing a fit.
He only stated that he would go to the Xu family to bring Qiu Yao back, but made no mention whatsoever of the divorce agreement.