-016- I Don't Think We'll Be Incompatible.
Near the Xuan Family Villa, there was a Moon Bay. A French restaurant stood there, nestled against the hills and beside the water. The food was superb and the ambiance pleasant. Before driving away from the Xuan Family Villa, Zhou Dang had Shen Li contact the restaurant and arrange a candlelit dinner.
Xuan Yang hadn't brought her phone and was wearing casual home clothes, with no makeup and her long hair loose. She sat in the passenger seat, lost in thought. Arms crossed, head slightly tilted against the headrest, she watched the scenery recede outside the window, involuntarily recalling the 'intense' forced marriage scene from earlier. Now she had successfully called off the engagement with Chen Xingyue, but in doing so, she had completely fallen out with her adoptive parents. She feared she would never experience the warmth of home in this lifetime.
'Should I find a place for you to change clothes?' Zhou Dang asked considerately. Although he thought Xuan Yang had a different kind of beauty in her casual style, he was still concerned she might mind. After all, they were headed to a fairly upscale French restaurant.
Xuan Yang snapped back to reality, glanced at him, and shook her head. 'No need.' She didn't even feel like eating.
But Zhou Dang was worried she might be hungry. 'Alright, we'll go straight to the restaurant.' He pressed down on the accelerator, speeding up a bit.
Xuan Yang rested her hand on the window frame, propped her head up, and continued to brood.
Zhou Dang glanced at her from the corner of his eye, then remembered something. 'I didn't know about Chen Xingyue returning to the country beforehand,' he said. 'I'm sorry. I didn't handle it properly.' Otherwise, Xuan Yang wouldn't have had to face that situation alone tonight. He paused, then added, 'Next time you encounter something like this, don't shoulder it alone. Remember to contact me immediately.'
Xuan Yang didn't care; she didn't even turn her head. 'You also faced your family elders alone,' she said.
Zhou Dang was at a loss for words, wanting to say that Xuan Yang didn't need to worry about him like that. But Xuan Yang didn't intend to argue. She continued, 'Anyway, I owe you for tonight.' Thinking about how she had been forcibly labeled a liar by her own family, Xuan Yang gave a self-deprecating smile. 'Otherwise, I, the "liar," would have been beyond any justification.' She really hadn't expected to have so little trust in her adoptive parents' eyes. They had lived together for over a decade—how could they not even believe in her character? Or was it that they simply couldn't accept the fact that she could marry Zhou Dang?
Zhou Dang frowned, thinking about her situation in the Xuan family. He felt slightly uncomfortable and his voice deepened. 'Would you consider moving out of the Xuan house?' Zhou Dang had wanted to ask this question for a while. He had been brewing it since the moment they got their marriage certificate. Zhou Dang wanted to take the opportunity to live together, after all, they were now legally married. But Xuan Yang was like a block of wood—a block of wood with its own thoughts—and didn't get his meaning at all. 'I do plan to move out. I've already found a place,' she said.
Zhou Dang: '...'
Xuan Yang continued, 'I've also finalized my job. I'll go through the onboarding process in a couple of days and will likely be very busy.' After a moment, she discussed with Zhou Dang, 'As for the wedding, I think we should keep it simple. What do you think?' Xuan Yang felt that weddings were quite tiring, and since she and Zhou Dang didn't have a foundation of feelings, there seemed no need to care too much about that conventional process.
Zhou Dang frowned, about to veto, but then Xuan Yang added, 'I think the most important thing in marriage is for the two of us to live well together. Those flashy but impractical and tedious procedures aren't that important.' Zhou Dang's heart was suddenly tugged by her words without warning. The phrase 'for the two of us to live well together' melted like a sugar cube in his heart. He almost started thinking of baby names.
After stating her opinion, Xuan Yang turned to look at the man in the driver's seat, wanting to hear his thoughts. But Zhou Dang showed no reaction and made no move to speak. Afraid of disturbing his driving, Xuan Yang didn't press further.
They remained silent all the way to the restaurant. Only when the restaurant manager enthusiastically led them to the pre-booked private room did Zhou Dang belatedly pick up their previous topic.
'The matter of the wedding might not be something you or I can decide,' Zhou Dang said. He took off his jacket and handed it to the nearby waiter. Then he personally pulled out a dining chair for Xuan Yang and invited her to sit. Xuan Yang accommodated his chivalry. Zhou Dang lightly curled his lips. 'If it's too simple, I'm afraid the old man might lose face.' Xuan Yang understood and felt a bit troubled. But she also knew this was something she couldn't control.
After a moment, she glanced at the waiter standing nearby, hesitated to speak. Zhou Dang sensed she had something to say but couldn't speak in front of outsiders, so he asked the person to leave. The private room was left with only Xuan Yang and him.
The dining table was by the window, offering a romantic and hazy night view of Moon Bay. Xuan Yang's slender figure was reflected on the glass. She finally gathered the courage to speak. 'There's one more thing...' Zhou Dang listened, his narrow eyes fixed on her.
Xuan Yang said, 'Regarding marital duties after marriage... I suggest we build our feelings first. To avoid disharmony... that might affect our relationship.' For Xuan Yang, this was still a bit embarrassing to say, so her voice was very low. Fortunately, the room was quiet, so Zhou Dang could hear her clearly. When it came to marital duties, Zhou Dang almost instantly understood. But he remained expressionless, stayed silent for a moment, then deliberately hummed, his tone slightly rising with a hint of confusion: 'What marital duties?'
Xuan Yang: '...'
She looked at the man, couldn't help but suspect he was doing it on purpose. But meeting Zhou Dang's candid and calm gaze, Xuan Yang dismissed the suspicion, and forced herself to speak: 'It's... that.'
'Which?'
'...'
Xuan Yang held her breath, but finally let it out. She thought, forget it, I'll bring it up later. She poured Zhou Dang a glass of lemon water, awkwardly ending the topic: 'Have some water.'
Zhou Dang didn't expose her. A faint, imperceptible curve appeared on his thin lips as he took the glass. 'Thanks, wifey.'
Xuan Yang: '...'
She really wanted to ask him how he managed to be so thick-skinned.
Xuan Yang also poured herself a cup of warm lemon water, took a sip, and moved on to the next topic: 'About us acting first and informing later, what did your family say?' Actually, Xuan Yang was more worried about the Zhou family. After all, she and Zhou Dang were of different statuses, and the Zhou family was a prominent clan in the capital—there was no way to confront them directly.
Zhou Dang said, 'We'll know in a couple of days.'
Xuan Yang: '?'
Zhou Dang looked at her and explained calmly, 'Originally, I planned to deal with the old man first, then take down the others one by one. But with tonight's scene at the Xuan house, my big-mouthed third aunt already knows about it. I'm sure that by tonight, news of our marriage will spread throughout the Zhou family. Then we'll naturally find out what they have to say.' Zhou Dang smiled reassuringly at Xuan Yang. 'Don't worry. The certificate is already ours. No matter what they say, we're husband and wife. Legally protected.'
Xuan Yang envied his mindset. But since Zhou Dang had said that, she didn't want to keep worrying. She nodded. 'Mm, just don't shoulder things alone.'
Soon, the door to the private room was knocked, and the manager led the waitstaff to serve the dishes. French restaurant dishes are typically delicate and elegant, emphasizing ingredient pairing and cooking techniques. The most classic signature dish was foie gras. But Xuan Yang didn't like it.
After the dishes were served, the lights in the room were dimmed. Candle flames flickered, and a light fragrance filled the air. In no time, the room was enveloped in a dreamy, romantic atmosphere. Outside the window, the night was gentle. The glass reflected the silhouettes of Xuan Yang and Zhou Dang sitting across from each other. Affected by the ambiance, the scene carried a hint of lingering ambiguity.
Belatedly, Xuan Yang felt uneasy. Her eyes remained fixed on the dishes, unsure how to face Zhou Dang. Although they had gotten the certificate, before today, their relationship was at most that of high school alumni. This was the first time Xuan Yang had dinner with Zhou Dang, and she hadn't expected it to be a full-on romantic candlelit dinner. She really didn't know how to act.
'Try this French escargot. The texture is very delicate,' Zhou Dang said as he served her. His cold, hard features were softened by a gentle veil of flickering candlelight. When Xuan Yang looked up, she was momentarily stunned by the rippling charm in his eyes, her thoughts pausing for a beat.
Zhou Dang pushed the French mushroom soup closer to her. His voice seemed draped in a gentle moonlight, cool and moist, pleasant to the ear. 'You mentioned earlier that you've already found an apartment and a job?'
The topic was a bit abrupt, but Xuan Yang, captivated by the candlelit filter on his handsome face, found nothing amiss. 'Yes. To settle in Jingbei, these are essential.'
Zhou Dang: 'What area is the apartment in? Is it far from your workplace?' His tone was casual, as if he was just asking.
Xuan Yang had no intention of hiding it from him. 'It's Jinse Tianlan on the South Second Ring Road—an old residential complex. It's very close to my workplace, Junda Law Firm. You know it, right?'
Xuan Yang liked the French mushroom soup; it was smooth and creamy, with a rich texture and a delicious aroma of mushrooms. Perhaps the warm soup warmed her stomach, she felt her mood and state quickly improve. She opened up more and chatted with Zhou Dang about many things. The atmosphere between them gradually shifted from restrained and tense to natural and comfortable. At least that was how Xuan Yang felt. And whether it was by coincidence or not, the entire table of French dishes suited her taste. The pan-fried halibut was delicious, the roasted squab crispy, and even the vanilla soufflé dessert perfectly matched her preferences.
'Junda Law Firm—I know it,' Zhou Dang said as he cut her steak. 'It's quite famous.'
Xuan Yang nodded, her professional habits kicking in. 'After I start, if the Zhou Group has any commercial litigation cases, CEO Zhou can contact me anytime.'
Zhou Dang: '...'
He'd better avoid talking about work with her in the future. This feeling of being close and distant was too tormenting.
Xuan Yang had no idea what Zhou Dang was thinking. She was just a bit excited thinking about how big the Zhou Group was—it must have a huge volume of business. She hadn't even officially started yet, and already she had identified a potential major client. She couldn't help but feel happy.
Zhou Dang saw her eyes light up. He found it both helpless and amusing. His voice, low and gentle, carried a hint of indulgence as he teased her: 'Mrs. Zhou, talking about work on our wedding night isn't appropriate, is it? How about we discuss 'marital duties' instead?'
Xuan Yang's smile froze. She quickly placed a piece of halibut in his mouth to shut him up. 'Eat, eat.'
Zhou Dang let out a low laugh, propping his long, slender hand under his chin. 'I don't think we'll be incompatible.'
Xuan Yang: '...'