One week later, outside the Civil Affairs Bureau.
“The marriage registration is complete. If there’s nothing else, I’ll head back first.”
Wen Shushu slipped their marriage certificate into her handbag, her voice was soft and gentle.
Fu Yan lowered his gaze to look at her. His Adam’s apple moved slightly.
“When are you moving in?”
Wen Shushu froze.
She swallowed nervously before answering.
“Does it have to be so soon?”
She hadn’t prepared herself to live under the same roof as a man who was practically a stranger.
“What do you think?”
Fu Yan watched the tips of her ears turn pink.
Suddenly, he leaned down, bringing his lips close to her ear.
His voice was low and husky.
“We’ve already registered our marriage. It’s a little late to change your mind now.”
Startled, Wen Shushu abruptly raised her head.
Her soft lips accidentally brushed against the corner of his mouth.
The contact lasted only an instant.
Yet she reacted like a frightened rabbit, stumbling backward two steps.
“I, I’m sorry… I didn’t mean to…”
Fu Yan raised his fingers to the corner of his lips, lightly touching the place where she had kissed him.
His tongue flicked across it.
Soft.
Fragrant.
Sweet.
The fleeting sensation stirred an unexpected restlessness in his chest.
He cleared his throat and glanced down at the front of his trousers.
Then he gave a quiet, irritated snort.
So this was what happened after a man had his first taste of intimacy.
One accidental brush of her lips, and his body was already reacting.
How embarrassing.
He really had no experience dealing with this sort of thing.
Without another word, Fu Yan strode toward his car, opened the door, and slid into the driver’s seat.
He lowered the window.
“If we want those old-fashioned elders to stop nagging, you’d better move in soon. I’ll send you the address and the entry code.”
With that, he stepped on the accelerator.
The car shot forward and disappeared down the road.
Wen Shushu stood where she was, watching the black vehicle vanish into the distance.
She sighed.
What a heartless man.
He had left her there without even offering her a ride.
They were legally husband and wife now, weren’t they?
Even if there was no affection between them, surely basic courtesy wasn’t too much to ask.
Then again, perhaps this was simply what a marriage without love looked like.
Two plants forcibly transplanted into the same flowerpot, separated by a handful of soil, yet destined to spend the rest of their lives entangled within the same cramped space.
But she had already made her choice.
Whatever lay ahead, she would have to walk this path herself.
Wen Shushu took out her phone, opened a ride-hailing app, and arranged a ride to Yunshang.
Yunshang was the Wen family’s ancestral exhibition hall dedicated to the traditional art of qipao craftsmanship.
It occupied a secluded, three-story mansion with French-inspired architecture, tucked away in a quiet corner of the bustling capital.
A century-old magnolia tree stood in the courtyard, while tall parasol trees cast generous patches of shade across the grounds.
The moment one stepped through the entrance, the noise and commotion of the outside world seemed to disappear.
Within the courtyard, everything was peaceful and serene.
Yunshang specialized exclusively in privately commissioned qipao and exquisite Hanfu garments made using traditional techniques passed down through generations.
The first floor served as an exhibition gallery, where clients could admire finished pieces, examine fabric samples, and place private commissions.
Every detail reflected elegance and meticulous craftsmanship.
Prices for finished garments started at over one million yuan.
Naturally, Yunshang catered only to a small circle of exceptionally wealthy and distinguished clients.
Jiang Ye had heard that Wen Shushu was registering her marriage that day and had already been waiting for her in the second-floor office.
As soon as Wen Shushu entered, Jiang Ye greeted her with a playful smile.
“Congratulations on your marriage, little Shushu!”
Wen Shushu placed her handbag on the desk and sank wearily into her chair.
“What am I supposed to do, Brother Ye? He wants me to move in with him, but we barely know each other. Just thinking about living together is so awkward.”
She covered her face with both hands, looking utterly distressed.
Jiang Ye responded without hesitation.
“Sleep together a few more times, and you’ll get familiar with each other.”
“Oh, stop it! I’m already worried sick, and you’re still making fun of me!”
“I’m serious. You’re legally married now. Don’t tell me you’re planning to live like two unmarried strangers under the same roof.”
Wen Shushu buried her face deeper in her hands.
Her muffled voice drifted through her fingers.
“Actually… that’s exactly what I’d prefer.”
Jiang Ye laughed.
“You think he’ll leave a delicate little white flower like you untouched? With you right in front of him, do you honestly believe he’ll be able to resist?”
Wen Shushu shot her an annoyed look.
Instead of answering, she reached for the design sketches scattered across the desk.
Picking up her brush, she began working while changing the subject.
“Can you withdraw me from this weekend’s race? I have to move, and there are still so many things I haven’t sorted out. I’ll participate in the next one.”
“I didn’t schedule you for any races this week anyway.”
Wen Shushu immediately brightened.
“As expected, Brother Ye understands me best! Love you!”
She smiled and formed a tiny heart with her fingers.
Seeing her behave so playfully, Jiang Ye finally felt relieved.
The truth was, Wen Shushu tended to keep far too much bottled up inside.
She was the sort of person who carried every worry silently, rarely allowing anyone to glimpse her true feelings.
Only in front of Jiang Ye would she reveal even a little of her real personality.
To outsiders, Wen Shushu was forever gentle, quiet, and obedient.
She seemed utterly harmless, without the slightest trace of aggression.
But Jiang Ye knew the spirited young woman hiding beneath that carefully cultivated exterior.
Wen Shushu’s brush paused against the paper.
She raised her head.
“Brother Ye, remember to have Xiao Wu send me the racetrack data.”
“I want to focus on the racing lines through turns three and seven. If the nighttime lighting angles are too low, I’ll need to adjust my braking points beforehand.”
“Got it.”
Jiang Ye studied her for a moment before continuing.
“But now that you’re married, are you sure you don’t want to tell your husband about the racing?”
“Motorsport isn’t exactly risk-free. And whether you like it or not, that man is legally your husband now.”
Wen Shushu’s hand stilled around her brush.
After a brief silence, she shook her head.
“I’d rather not.”
Then she added quietly, “Same rules as always. Tell everyone to keep it a secret for me. If anyone lets it slip, I’m cutting ties with them.”
“I know, I know,” Jiang Ye replied.
She leaned back with a helpless sigh.
“Your double life is more exhausting than that of a secret agent.”
“You have to hide everything from your parents, and now you’ve got a husband to keep in the dark too.”
“How long are you planning to live like this?”
“Can’t you just be yourself openly for once?”
Wen Shushu lowered her gaze.
“What else can I do? You know how strongly my parents oppose my racing.”
“As for that husband of mine…”
She hesitated.
“We barely know each other. I have no idea what our relationship will become in the future.”
“So I’ll just take things one step at a time.”
Jiang Ye sighed.
“Fine. We’ll do it your way, Your Highness.”
Then she shook her head with exaggerated regret.
“I really need to tell Old Han that we should never pick up random people from the roadside again.”
Wen Shushu rolled her eyes.
“Oh, shut up!”
Jiang Ye chuckled before remembering something.
“By the way, Old Han readjusted the suspension on your Porsche. The body-roll control is much more stable now. It should suit your driving style better.”
Wen Shushu nodded.
“Mm, all right. Tell him I’ll come see him in a few days.”
“Why don’t you tell him yourself? I’m not your personal messenger.”
Jiang Ye settled back against the sofa.
Wen Shushu gave her a helpless look.
“You know he’s still angry with me.”
“Oh, so you do realize that?”
Jiang Ye raised an eyebrow.
“Getting married is a huge event, and you went ahead with it just like that. Old Han practically raised you like his own daughter. Of course he’s upset.”
Wen Shushu sighed.
“What else was I supposed to do? Refuse the marriage?”
She tilted her head and looked at Jiang Ye with a faint smile.
“Would you all have taken me away and eloped with me?”
“As long as you agreed, we’d have whisked you away in an instant.”
Jiang Ye’s answer came without the slightest hesitation.
Wen Shushu fell silent for a moment.
Then she smiled gently.
“Well, we only get one life. How many things can truly go exactly the way we want?”
“I have responsibilities of my own to shoulder.”
“And honestly, I’m already more than satisfied.”
“At least I still have all of you beside me. Whenever I find a little spare time, I can do something I genuinely love.”
“For me, that’s already more than enough.”
Jiang Ye looked at her with a mixture of affection and exasperation.
“Such a tiny little thing, yet you talk like some world-weary old scholar.”
“You’re the old one!”
Wen Shushu retorted before lowering her head and returning to her design.
Her brush moved carefully across the paper, tracing the delicate patterns she had envisioned.
But halfway through, her expression suddenly collapsed.
She set the brush down and slumped dramatically into her chair.
“I can’t do this anymore, Brother Ye!”
“There are seriously too many orders!”
She turned toward Jiang Ye with an accusing look.
“Speaking of which, you’re supposed to be running a racing club. Is it really appropriate for you to spend all day selling qipao for me?”
“If I keep drawing at this rate, my hands are going to be completely ruined!”
She raised her slender, fair hands and held them beneath the light, turning them from side to side.
“Look at these poor hands!”
“During the day, they have to hold a brush. At night, they have to grip a steering wheel.”
“By the end of the day, they’re so sore I can barely lift them!”
She looked at Jiang Ye pitifully.
“Don’t you feel even the slightest bit sorry for me?”
Jiang Ye burst into laughter at her shameless complaining.
This was the Wen Shushu she knew.
Not the quiet, obedient young lady everyone else saw, but a lively girl who could pout, complain, and act spoiled whenever she pleased.
“All right, all right. I know our little Shushu works very hard.”
“Then why do you keep trying to sell my qipao to everyone you meet?”
Wen Shushu puffed out her cheeks.
“I don’t care anymore!”
“From now on, you’re only allowed to accept three commissions for me each month.”
“Three! That’s the limit!”
“If you take more than three, this young master refuses to make them!”
Jiang Ye shook her head, both amused and helpless.
“Fine, fine. I was only trying to bring in more commissions so your family’s old-fashioned elders wouldn’t make things difficult for you.”
Her tone softened indulgently.
“From now on, I’ll strictly control the number of orders.”
“I’ll make sure you have enough time and energy left to go racing and play the handsome young master. Happy now?”
Only then did Wen Shushu’s eyes curve into a satisfied smile.
She picked up her brush again, though she couldn’t resist rubbing her aching wrist.
Having such a powerful and capable best friend really was wonderful.
Ever since Wen Shushu had taken over Yunshang, Brother Ye had practically become her most successful sales representative.
Whenever she met someone wealthy enough to appreciate fine craftsmanship, she would enthusiastically recommend Wen Shushu’s qipao.
As a result, Yunshang never had to worry about a shortage of commissions.
If anything, Wen Shushu’s biggest problem was that her dear Brother Ye was far too good at bringing in business.