-010- I am more suitable for your marriage alliance than He Shen...
-010-
Xuan Yang had never met anyone like Zhou Dang. When he boasted about himself, his face didn't even flush. Seeing his serious and earnest expression, Xuan Yang relaxed her body and, for a moment, was no longer in a hurry to leave. "President Zhou, are you recommending yourself?" His words just now would make anyone think that.
Xuan Yang didn't want to beat around the bush and waste time, so she asked directly, "But don't you already have a marriage alliance partner?" This time, Zhou Dang was stunned. His hand gripping her arm froze, and he finally loosened his hold. He frowned, his gloomy expression not obvious in the dim light, but his tone was cold and low. "How come I don't know I have one? Who told you that nonsense?" Xuan Yang also frowned, looking confused. "Aren't you and Huo Yuntang going to form a marriage alliance?"
Zhou Dang: "..."
Xuan Yang continued, "On the night of He Chen's birthday, you went to the airport to pick her up and were photographed by paparazzi. The next morning, the two of you were on the trending list. Don't you know about this?" She didn't believe he didn't know, since it had made the trending list. But Zhou Dang really didn't know. His attention had been on Xuan Yang these past two days; how could he care about trending topics? Besides, no one around him had mentioned it.
Zhou Dang frowned and released her arm, pulling out his phone to check Weibo. "I really didn't know about the trending list." But now he understood why Xuan Yang's attitude had suddenly changed that day. Xuan Yang was skeptical. "Then what about you and Huo Yuntang?" Zhou Dang couldn't find the historical trending list, suppressed his annoyance, and looked back at Xuan Yang. "There's nothing between us. We're nothing." His tone was cold and firm, with a strange persuasiveness.
Xuan Yang believed him and nodded. "Okay." Zhou Dang put away his phone, his chiseled face taut in the shadows, unusually serious. "So, are you still going to find He Shen now?" Xuan Yang was caught off guard. The bouquet in her arms felt like a hot potato; she couldn't make up her mind. Zhou Dang grabbed her again, his long fingers encircling her fair and delicate wrist. "What He Shen can give you, I can give you. What He Shen can't give you, I can also give you. Xuan Yang, I am more suitable for your marriage alliance than He Shen." His magnetic, deep voice had a granulated texture—pleasant and seductive.
Xuan Yang wavered. Zhou Dang had been her first choice from the beginning. Now that she knew he had no intention of forming a marriage alliance with Huo Yuntang, she had no more concerns. She was silent for a moment, then became serious. "President Zhou's proposal is very tempting to me, but I still want to ask, what is your reason for choosing me?" That Zhou Dang would proactively propose a marriage alliance surprised her a little—it would save her a lot of unnecessary trouble. But beyond the surprise, she still needed to ask what he was thinking. Since it was a marriage alliance, it must have nothing to do with love, only interests. There were many benefits to marrying Zhou Dang, so she was happy to choose him. But there seemed to be few benefits for Zhou Dang in choosing her. Not to mention that their families were not well-matched; their relationship, although not hostile due to past grudges, was not exactly friendly either. Compared to her, Zhou Dang should have other, more suitable choices. Xuan Yang pondered, feeling uneasy.
Zhou Dang seemed stumped, silent for two seconds, then cleared his throat with a gulp of his Adam's apple. "...You are smart, beautiful, talented, and the top socialite of Jingbei, just the type the elders like." Xuan Yang was taken aback, a little surprised. Was Zhou Dang complimenting her? After a moment, she seemed to understand. "So I also fit your standards for a marriage alliance partner, right?" Zhou Dang's lower lip was full; it moved, but in the end, he only hummed deeply. "Very fitting."
Xuan Yang: "I understand."
Zhou Dang: "What's your answer?" On stage, the host had begun the school anniversary celebration. The first performance, a dance, started. All the lights in the venue went out, and a beam focused on the lead dancer at the center of the stage. Xuan Yang's vision dimmed with the light, and for a moment she couldn't see Zhou Dang's expression, nor could she discern anything from his light, steady tone. After a moment of silence, she answered him. "As long as you're willing, I have no objections." Zhou Dang's suspended heart fell back into place, and he breathed a sigh of relief. "Then it's settled."
Before Xuan Yang could respond, he added, "Are you free at noon? Let's find a place to eat and talk, discuss the follow-up in detail?" Xuan Yang liked his fast pace and nodded. "Sure." The two were in agreement. Zhou Dang took out his phone to message his assistant, asking him to book a restaurant. As soon as the message was sent, the lights in the auditorium brightened a little, a soft glow enveloping the first few rows of the audience. Dry ice smoke and soap bubbles spread across the stage, instantly filling the atmosphere.
It was then that Xuan Yang handed the bouquet to Zhou Dang. "This flower is for you. Happy cooperation." The man froze for a moment, knowing full well that this was the bouquet Xuan Yang had intended to give to He Shen, but his heart still twitched. He accepted it gladly. "We'll make it work."
-
At noon, Xuan Yang and Zhou Dang found a private kitchen restaurant with good privacy and chatted over their meal. After discussion, Xuan Yang believed that this matter should first start with the Zhou family. "President Zhou should be clear about my situation in the Xuan family. To convince my adoptive parents, you may need to play along with a 'can't live without me' act," Xuan Yang said succinctly and bluntly, looking indifferent. But Zhou Dang still caught a trace of discomfort in her eyes when she said the words "can't live without me." He looked down and took a sip of tea, his lips curving into a faint smile.
Xuan Yang steeled herself and continued. "I know... it might be a bit difficult for you to act this out, but it's the only way for my adoptive parents to weigh the pros and cons and give up on the Chen family." After all, the Chen family's prestige and status in Jingbei were far inferior to the Zhou family. Even if her adoptive mother cherished her kinship with the Chen family, her adoptive father wouldn't let her be stubborn and offend the Zhou family. This was the most straightforward method Xuan Yang could think of. But before that, she first needed the Zhou family elders to approve of her.
Zhou Dang set down his teacup, his light-colored eyes deep as he looked at her. "How do you want to act?" Xuan Yang stared back at him, momentarily stunned. It took her a while to realize he meant he agreed. She was a little surprised at his readiness. "You don't mind?"
"Mind what?"
"After this act, everyone will think you're madly in love with me, and they might even gossip behind your back about poaching your good brother's 'crush.'" Xuan Yang explained seriously, afraid he didn't understand the implications. But Zhou Dang was dismissive. "You and Chen Xingyue aren't engaged, so it's not poaching."
Xuan Yang: "..." She suddenly felt she needed to thicken her skin like Zhou Dang.
Zhou Dang naturally picked up some food for her. "Things aren't as complicated as you think. Don't worry too much. After this meal, go back and relax. Give me two days, and I'll arrange everything." Xuan Yang's gaze fell on his well-defined hands, a little dazed. Zhou Dang's voice was slow and deep, his lowered tone full of magnetism, so pleasant that it made her feel at ease. Her restless heart felt soothed by an invisible hand. She nodded. "Thank you for your trouble, President Zhou. If there's anything I need to coordinate, just let me know." After a pause, Xuan Yang added, "I won't be idle these days either. I'll try to draft the prenuptial and postnuptial agreements and send them for your review." Such a marriage of convenience required everything written in black and white to be reassuring. After all, Zhou Dang was immensely wealthy and must have many concerns.
Zhou Dang looked at her for a moment, seemed to want to say something, but swallowed it back, only raising a simple condition. "Since we're going to cooperate, shouldn't you change how you address me first?" Xuan Yang nodded. "Then call you by name, Zhou Dang?" She had never been in a relationship, so her question was sincere. Zhou Dang's heartstrings were plucked by her clear gaze, his ears tingling. He didn't respond. Xuan Yang thought he disapproved, so she continued to test. "Or... A Dang?" Zhou Dang's eyes darkened, and he picked up his teacup for a sip, his Adam's apple bobbing urgently. He cleared his throat lightly. "...Just call me by my name." That "A Dang" made his heart flutter. Xuan Yang breathed a sigh of relief. "Okay."
After the meal, Zhou Dang drove Xuan Yang back to the Xuan Family Villa. This time, he didn't drive inside, only saying goodbye to Xuan Yang outside the villa. Before parting, Zhou Dang stopped her. "There's something I want to confirm with you." Xuan Yang stood by the car door, holding it, looking at him calmly. "Go ahead."
Zhou Dang said, "After we get married, how do you plan to live?" Xuan Yang hadn't expected him to ask that, nor had she thought that far ahead. Clearly, Zhou Dang had thought about it, and from his expression, it didn't seem like he was treating marriage as a joke. Faced with such a serious question, Xuan Yang's heartbeat quickened. She asked back, "How do you want to live?"
Zhou Dang rested his hands on the steering wheel, staring fixedly at her, his voice deep and earnest. "Live well." Just three words, but complex and profound. Xuan Yang understood his meaning and smiled. "Then we'll live well." With that, her expression softened a little, and she instructed him, "Drive safely on the way back."
Zhou Dang was still caught up in her casual reply, as if he couldn't believe she had agreed so easily. It wasn't until Xuan Yang gently closed the passenger door, took a few steps back, and waved goodbye to him through the car window that his heartbeat suddenly became wild, leaping and racing, blood rushing, hard to calm for a long time.
-
Watching Zhou Dang's car leave, Xuan Yang turned and walked back into the villa, her mood indescribably complex. Having resolved the marriage alliance, the heavy stone pressing on her heart had been lifted. But how to get along with Zhou Dang after marriage became a new challenge she was about to face. Saying "live well" was easy, but doing it... Xuan Yang had no experience and didn't know how. Moreover, now that Zhou Dang had brought it up, she had no idea how to draft the prenuptial and postnuptial agreements. She had originally planned to live separately with Zhou Dang after marriage, maintaining the illusion of a happy marriage and harmonious couple in public. But now, she couldn't gauge the extent of Zhou Dang's "live well." Especially regarding marital intimacy, Xuan Yang was troubled. After all, they had no emotional foundation, and she feared she might be repulsed or feel nothing during sex, which would be too awkward.
Author's note:
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President Zhou: I want to live well with you. [Kiss]
Yangyang: If we're doing it, we'll do it. [Shrug]