Chapter 57

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Shu Shiran hadn’t expected Ji Xi to make such a request. Yet… it was quite easy to coax him.

“Haven’t I called before?” Shu Shiran asked.

Ji Xi gently stroked her jaw. “Your husband has never heard you call me. Who were you calling?”

Shu Shiran: “…”

Who else could it be?

She softly called out, “Husband.”

After saying it, her face flushed uncontrollably.

Ji Xi looked at her, his eyes deepening, a smirk playing on his lips. “I didn’t catch that, Ranran.”

“…”

Clearly, he heard it perfectly.

Shu Shiran hesitated for a moment, then averted her gaze and whispered, “So, do you want to kiss me?”

Ji Xi lifted her chin higher, leaned down, and gently sucked her lower lip.

Shu Shiran’s breath grew heavier from the kiss; she turned her head slightly to evade him and asked, “Didn’t you say you didn’t hear me?”

Ji Xi’s fingertip brushed her lips, low and teasing, “That one I heard. Open your mouth.”

Shu Shiran shot him a glance but still parted her lips slightly.

His fingertip slid in unintentionally.

Her tongue tip, unguarded, accidentally touched his finger; she recoiled sharply and tried to pull away.

Ji Xi chuckled, leaned in, and kissed her deeply, searching for her tongue.

After the intense kiss, both were slightly breathless.

Ji Xi’s nose brushed her cheek as he kissed the corner of her mouth. “Shu Shiran, when did—”

“Hmm?” Shu Shiran only managed a breathy sound.

Ji Xi sighed, releasing her. “Get some rest early.”

Shu Shiran responded with a soft “Mm,” then said, “Good night.”

After entering the house, Shu Shiran went to pour herself a glass of water.

After a few sips, she set the glass down, her face still flushed.

She recalled the look in Ji Xi’s eyes after their kiss—the lust barely concealed—and vaguely understood the question he had wanted to ask.

Actually, it wasn’t entirely impossible.

**

The next day, Shu Shiran found a moment to post a few photos on her social media.

In recent days, besides afternoon tea, Ji Xi had been sending her a bouquet of yellow roses every couple of days.

Her office and home were filled daily with blooming yellow roses.

She posted photos of the bouquets, as usual shielding them from clients.

After posting, she returned to work, but later noticed messages from Xue Fu.

-Xue Fu: Sis, sis!

-Xue Fu: Are the flowers on your feed really grown by your husband specially for you?!

Shu Shiran’s “Discover” section on social media had dozens of notifications.

Under that post, many likes and comments poured in.

Many asked if the flowers were from Ji Xi; she replied to some.

Xue Fu and Luke had the most comments.

Xue Fu: All from hubby, right!

Luke: Jaziel’s flowers never grow in vain.

Xue Fu replied Luke: ?? What do you mean, are these flowers grown by my brother-in-law?

Luke replied Xue Fu: Yeah, your gardener brother-in-law.

After scrolling through the comments, Shu Shiran exited and replied to Xue Fu.

-Shu Shiran: Yes.

-Xue Fu: Hubby is amazing!

-Xue Fu: So romantic!

-Xue Fu: Sis, why did you only post today? I would’ve already shamelessly shown off so everyone knows.

Shu Shiran rarely posted on social media, mostly just browsed others’ posts and hadn’t thought to share.

But after last night, she felt she should post something so no one would think she was hiding the relationship.

After chatting briefly with Xue Fu, Shu Shiran closed the chat and noticed another red notification dot on her feed.

She clicked in.

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It was Ji Xi who had just liked her post, with a comment.

Ji Xi: Sharon.

**

Mid-April brought an important occasion.

Madam Shu’s birthday was coming up, the same month as Ji Xi’s.

Last year, only six months after Shu Shiran’s grandfather passed, Madam Shu wasn’t in the mood to celebrate.

This year, relatives from Gangcheng were coming, saying they wanted to visit Madam Shu.

After all, there weren’t many elders of this generation left.

Madam Shu’s birthday was on the 20th, conveniently a Saturday.

Following Madam Shu’s wishes, the celebration was to be low-key—just a banquet at the villa in Lubei, a family dinner.

On Saturday morning, Shu Shiran and Ji Xi returned to Lubei.

Madam Shu looked well and lively, clearly happy.

“Nan Nan, have you eaten breakfast?”

Shu Shiran and Ji Xi had gotten up and freshened up but hadn’t eaten.

Hearing this, Madam Shu said, “How can you skip breakfast? Let Hui Ping prepare something for you.”

So Shu Shiran and Ji Xi were sent to eat breakfast.

After breakfast, they accompanied Madam Shu to the garden to enjoy the sun.

Aunt Hui brewed each of them a cup of tea.

Shu Shiran drank tea from the Shu family’s own tea garden; Ji Xi drank tea that had been gifted.

Watching Ji Xi lift his cup and take a sip, she asked, “Is yours good?”

Ji Xi: “Not bad.”

Madam Shu asked, “Nan Nan, do you want Hui Ping to brew another cup?”

Shu Shiran: “No, I just wanted to try some.”

Ji Xi hadn’t put down his cup and noticed her gaze; he brought the cup up to her lips.

Shu Shiran’s eyelashes fluttered, she tucked the hair behind her ear, and, guided by his hand, took a sip.

“Be careful, it’s hot,” Ji Xi warned.

She tasted it and found both teas had distinct flavors, but both were quite good.

She looked up and met Ji Xi’s thoughtful gaze.

Ji Xi: “Want more?”

Shu Shiran: “No more.”

With her grandmother watching nearby, she felt a bit shy.

Soon after, it was time for Madam Shu’s medication. Madam Shu went inside, leaving Shu Shiran and Ji Xi alone in the garden.

Ji Xi squeezed Shu Shiran’s fingers and asked, “What’s going on with you today?”

Shu Shiran blinked. “What do you mean?”

Ji Xi leaned close, their breaths mingling. “Still not going to try?”

Not just with tea, but at breakfast too.

She who was usually so composed in front of elders.

Afraid of being seen by her grandmother or Aunt Hui, Shu Shiran quickly pressed against his shoulder and pushed him slightly away.

She tidied her hair and said, “When I came back during Qingming, Grandma thought we had quarreled because I looked unhappy.”

She left out the part where Grandma hinted that if she were truly unhappy, divorce was an option.

This time, she wanted to help him salvage the impression.

Shu Shiran: “I just want Grandma to see that we’re fine.”

**

Near noon, Shu Shiran’s father, Shu Yingshan, and Shu Shi’an’s mother, Song Qin, arrived.

Shortly before lunch, Shu Shi’an arrived as well.

They all had lunch together.

After lunch, relatives from Gangcheng gradually arrived.

They were mostly distant uncles and elder cousins of Shu Shiran, along with some peers.

Shu Shiran hadn’t been to Gangcheng often and wasn’t very familiar with those relatives, mostly quietly staying by Madam Shu’s side, listening to her converse.

The evening meal was catered by a hotel team, who also prepared afternoon snacks and fruit platters.

While listening to the elders chatting and eating fruit, Shu Shiran suddenly bit into a very sour mulberry.

The sourness made her frown, and she quickly grabbed two napkins to spit it out.

Her movement was probably too conspicuous; after she finished, everyone stopped talking and stared at her.

Shu Shiran felt a bit embarrassed.

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One aunt smiled and asked, “Ranran, do you have some good news you haven’t told us?”

Shu Shiran was puzzled. “What?”

She didn’t think she had any good news recently.

Noticing two other elders smiling knowingly and their gazes lingering on her belly, she suddenly realized.

“…”

“No,” she said.

Aunt: “Is it really no news, or just not telling us yet?”

“... Really no news.”

Shu Shiran explained awkwardly, “We’re not planning to have a child for now.”

Madam Shu quickly came to her rescue.

“If Nan Nan had news, she’d definitely tell me.”

Aunt: “Yes, she definitely would.”

They chatted briefly about children.

After the little misunderstanding, Shu Shiran felt a bit embarrassed.

After sitting a while longer, she found an excuse to leave and went to find Ji Xi.

It was Ji Xi’s first time meeting the Shu family members from Gangcheng, and everyone was curious about him.

When news of Shu Shiran’s marriage reached Gangcheng, it came as a surprise, completely unexpected.

They had done a rough check on Ji Xi.

When Shu Shiran found him, he was talking stocks and trades with her younger cousin who had just joined the family business.

It was clear her cousin was the one holding the conversation, asking questions with a Gangcheng accent.

Her cousin seemed clueless, treating Ji Xi like a teacher.

Ji Xi appeared patient, but whether he truly was, no one knew.

Soon, he noticed Shu Shiran approaching, her expression indifferent, and raised an eyebrow.

Shu Shiran then walked over.

Ji Xi took her hand, gently stroking it.

“Ranran.”

Shu Shiran greeted her cousin.

After a few words, she found an excuse to take Ji Xi away.

They strolled in the garden.

Not long after, Ji Xi’s phone rang.

Shu Shiran glanced and saw it was a voice call from Luke.

Ji Xi answered.

Without saying a word, his gaze landed on her, and question flickered in her eyes.

Ji Xi turned on the speakerphone, amused. “Luke’s asking if I’m going to be a dad.”

Shu Shiran: “…”

Luke’s voice: “Yeah, I just heard someone call Jaziel ‘husband’ and ask if he’s going to be a dad.”

Shu Shiran: “... No.”

Luke: “Sharon, really no?”

Shu Shiran: “Really no, it’s a misunderstanding.”

Luke sounded disappointed: “I thought I was about to be a godfather. Jaziel, you—”

Ji Xi cut him off: “Gotta hang up first.”

He ended the call decisively, before Luke could finish.

When her cousin came over, Ji Xi was on the phone with Luke, and the cousin immediately asked if he was going to be a father.

Ji Xi instantly knew there was some misunderstanding.

After hanging up with Luke, he learned from the cousin that he had overheard something near Shu Shiran.

Shu Shiran explained the earlier mix-up to Ji Xi.

She hadn’t expected her cousin to overhear.

That’s how rumors started.

Ji Xi smirked. “I said, if I were becoming a dad, how come I didn’t know about it?”

Under his teasing gaze—especially since they hadn’t done anything besides kissing—Shu Shiran’s face flushed.

“Anyway, it’s just a misunderstanding.”