A gust of cold wind blew through after the rain, and no one dared to respond to those words.
Ji Huanlan stared at the feet of the crowd standing on the floor. “Get out.”
Those dozens of pairs of feet retreated one after another within a matter of ten-odd seconds.
In the end, everyone had withdrawn beyond the door, their faces flushed with fury.
Even when Shen Xi was here, they had never been subjected to such humiliation and harassment!
Ji Huanlan set down the tea the housekeeper had brought. “What this household was like before has nothing to do with me. But starting today, if I don’t agree, no one may set foot through this door.”
“Ji Huanlan, you’re going too far. Even if Shen Xi were here, he wouldn’t dare say such a thing.” The elder of the Shen family who had been the first to bow to Ji Huanlan spoke up.
Ji Huanlan sat perfectly upright, her left arm resting on the armrest of her chair. “He is him, and I am me. The man handles external affairs and the woman handles internal ones—everything must follow proper rules. I don’t care how you behave in front of him, but in front of me…”
The woman’s red lips lightly uttered two words: “Not allowed.”
Her presence was overwhelmingly commanding, leaving no room for doubt.
Ji Huanlan was now the chairman of Xinggang Fengtou, enjoying unprecedented prominence at the moment.
If she were a useless fool, that would be one thing—but as it happened, her temper seemed even harder to deal with than Shen Xi’s?
Third floor.
Having witnessed the entire scene, Shen Xi handed the coffee to Guan Qi and said in a low voice, “She didn’t drink the housekeeper’s tea. Switch to a few different kinds and keep them in the house.”
Guan Qi was somewhat surprised by how attentive his boss was being. “Understood.”
Just then, Ji Huanlan in the living room suddenly spoke up: “Shen Xi, have you watched enough of the show?”
Shen Xi lowered his gaze to look down.
Across two floors of distance, their eyes met.
Just as everyone was hoping Shen Xi would give her a good scolding, all they heard was Shen Xi saying, “Everything is up to the madam.”
Everyone: ??
Ji Huanlan smiled, that stunningly beautiful face radiating a soft glow.
“Are you sure?”
Shen Xi: “I’m sure.”
Ji Huanlan’s smile vanished instantly, without a moment’s hesitation: “See the guests out. Close the door.”
The members of the Shen family watched helplessly as the main residence’s door slammed shut with a heavy thud, grinding their teeth in fury!
Having to deal with Shen Xi was already bad enough, and now there was a Ji Huanlan too!
Each one harder to handle than the last!
Ji Huanlan listened quietly to the sound of the indoor elevator descending.
Soon, the wheelchair came to a stop near her.
The servants all withdrew, leaving only the two of them in the living room.
Ji Huanlan was lost in thought, as if pondering something.
It was the bouquet of roses that suddenly appeared at the edge of her vision that snapped her attention back.
Between her and Shen Xi lay a bouquet of roses, along with the diamond ring cradled in Shen Xi’s palm.
Beyond that, she also noticed the ring already worn on the ring finger of Shen Xi’s left hand.
Ji Huanlan froze.
Shen Xi guided the wheelchair closer and gently took her right hand.
Carefully, slowly, he slid the diamond ring from the box onto her ring finger.
“Happy wedding.”
They weren’t familiar with each other—in fact, beyond knowing each other’s names, they knew nothing about one another—and yet they had become husband and wife.
But today, Shen Xi had given her a bouquet of roses and a diamond ring.
As if he were fulfilling his duties as a husband.
Ji Huanlan looked at the diamond ring, which was by no means small, and gave a slight smile. “Thank you. Same to you.”
How unfamiliar and polite.
Shen Xi sat in his pure black wheelchair, his overall bearing sharp and formidable, though his expression was sparse, giving him the air of a gentleman of the green mountains.
“This household, from now on, is yours to command.”
This was his sincerity.
It was also, in a way, an apology to Ji Huanlan—an apology for making her face the Shen family alone.
A hint of mischief suddenly rose in Ji Huanlan’s heart. She leaned forward slightly and deliberately pressed her hand over the man’s.
“And what about you? Do I get to manage you too?”
Shen Xi’s expression didn’t change. No embarrassment, no shyness, no fluster.
He simply nodded. “Alright.”
Ji Huanlan: …
On the first night at the Shen residence, Ji Huanlan had to face the issue of cohabiting with Shen Xi.
They barely knew each other. How could they live together?
But if the Shen family found out they were sleeping in separate rooms, there would likely be even more trouble.
Xinggang Fengtou was currently suppressed under her control on the surface, but that was only temporary.
The second and third branches of the Ji family were stirring restlessly, and she badly needed the Shen family’s support. So even if it was somewhat awkward, she had to do it.
As her mind wandered, a voice came through—
“Guan Qi will help me with washing up. All your daily necessities have been prepared in the room. You don’t need to worry about anything.”
Ji Huanlan’s first instinct was to focus on his first sentence, and she turned her head.
Guan Qi was pushing Shen Xi through the door.
The man’s legs were disabled, and he indeed needed someone to take care of him at all times.
Perhaps eating and drinking he could manage on his own, but what about the rest?
As someone who had been through hardship herself, Ji Huanlan knew very well how difficult it must have been for Shen Xi to reach where he was today. The pity that had long settled quietly in her heart unexpectedly squeezed out a little at this moment.
That even surprised her.
After Shen Xi finished speaking, he didn’t look at her. Guan Qi silently prepared to push him into the bathroom.
“Wait.”
Both men turned to look at her in unison.
Shen Xi’s gaze shifted slightly, growing a little darker.
He thought, no woman should be able to accept a husband with disabled legs.
She was probably uncomfortable with sharing a bathroom with him.
Shen Xi’s tone didn’t change: “Take me to the next room instead.”
Guan Qi had no objection and was about to turn around.
“Are there any precautions for taking care of him? Write them down for me.”
When the paper and pen were handed over, even Guan Qi was stunned.
Let alone Shen Xi.
Seeing that neither of them reacted, Ji Huanlan teased, “Then I’ll just… do as I please?”
“I’ll write them!”
Guan Qi swore.
He had been a secretary for nearly eight years, and he had never written so fast in his life!
In just one minute, Guan Qi had written down that many precautions.
Ji Huanlan had an excellent memory. After just one look, she casually picked up the cover of the candle on the wall and used the flickering, dancing flame inside to set the paper alight.
As the ashes fell to the ground, Ji Huanlan turned around.
Taking Guan Qi’s place, she pushed Shen Xi into the bathroom.
Before closing the door, she said, “Have someone clean up the ashes.”
With a click, the bathroom door closed.
Ji Huanlan went to adjust the water temperature without changing her expression.
Shen Xi needed to soak in the bath and have his legs massaged to stimulate the nerves in his legs.
This was essential, so Guan Qi had written it as the first item.
While the water was running, Ji Huanlan looked at the shower gels lined up along half the wall and felt a bit speechless. “Do you usually change your shower gel this often?”
“They were prepared for you.”
They weren’t familiar with each other, so Shen Xi didn’t know what scent of shower gel Ji Huanlan liked. He could only have someone buy back all the common, best-selling ones.
Ji Huanlan’s movements paused.
In just one second, she pulled out the only bottle that had been opened.
It was a men’s one—the one he probably used. It had a fir wood scent, very subtle yet pleasant.
The bathroom fell into silence.
Ji Huanlan was doing this for the first time as well. She had stayed by her father’s side for many years, and even though her academic workload and the many other things she had to learn were heavy, her father had never let her suffer.
Taking care of someone—this was only the second time.
The first time was when she returned home to care for her dying father.
To prevent Tang Lan from using her as a tool, her father had strictly forbidden her from returning to the country, so it was only the day before her father’s death that Ji Huanlan finally came back.
The water was ready.
Ji Huanlan turned around, not even looking at Shen Xi’s face, and made a move as if to undress him.
But a pair of slightly warm palms stopped her.
The woman lifted her misty, watery eyes.
She had wanted to say it earlier—Shen Xi’s eyes were even more beautiful than hers, like black stones in a bamboo grove washed clean by rain, bright yet deep.
“You don’t have to force yourself to take care of me. That’s not within your responsibility. Let Guan Qi do it.”
Ji Huanlan suddenly threw a straight pitch: “Are you planning to divorce me at some point?”
The question was so abrupt that it inexplicably made his heart sink.