Xiushui Villa.
The clock pointed to eight o'clock.
Jiang Mian shifted her palm, carefully placing the dried fish, who was sleeping soundly with its head tilted, back into its bed.
The entire living room was eerily silent.
Jiang Mian clicked on the music, and a song, "Nothing on You," poured out.
Then, shuffling in her slippers, she opened Ji Zhixiu's treasured wine cabinet. "Mmm," she pondered for a moment, then opened her phone to search.
"Which year's red wine is the most expensive?"
"Are you looking for the world's most expensive red wine? Here, the editor has prepared five of the world's most expensive red wines. Which five are they? Let's take a look with the editor! First is the 17xx Château Margaux dry red wine."
Jiang Mian mused, her fingertips tracing the labels in the wine cabinet until she found the bottle of red wine.
Then, without hesitation, she opened it, took out a wine glass from the cabinet, and sat at the bar, pouring herself a drink.
Initially, the taste was sweet, and with a second sip, the aftertaste was sweet, mellow, and rich, with a fragrant sweetness coating her tongue.
Jiang Mian snapped a photo and posted it on Weibo.
Jiang Mian v: "Good wine~"
Along with a picture.
Marshmallow Crispy Bobo: "Holy crap, wife, you're so rich, you can afford this wine!"
Cotton Ball: "[Shocked] Sister, is this to celebrate the box office of your new movie?"
Guanshan Nanyue: "Drinking alcohol for no reason, could it be a breakup?"
Jiang Mian leaned on the counter, swirling her wine glass. The bright red liquid shimmered hazily under the light. "Expensive wine is truly extraordinary, it's delicious! Another glass!"
When Ji Zhixiu returned to Xiushui Villa, Jiang Mian was still leaning on the bar, with three wine bottles haphazardly strewn around her.
The man stood tall and elegant, his face ashen. He rubbed his temples and said, word by word, "Jiang, Mian."
Jiang Mian slowly lifted her head, her eyes hazy, "Who's calling me?"
"You're drunk," the man stated the fact in a deep tone.
Jiang Mian pursed her lips, a little unhappy. Her eyebrows drooped, like a stubborn little beast, and she retorted, "I'm not drunk!"
"Why did you drink so much?"
Mentioning alcohol, a hint of clarity appeared in Jiang Mian's eyes, then it became hazy again.
She clung to Ji Zhixiu's shoulder, leaning her entire body on him, and blew out a breath, then proudly declared, "I drank up the most expensive wine in your wine cabinet! This bottle is worth fifty thousand US dollars!"
After speaking, she giggled twice, then stared at Ji Zhixiu with her innocent, wide eyes. "Mr. Ji won't be angry, right?"
Ji Zhixiu didn't know whether to be glad that she still recognized him.
"Hey? Why aren't you talking!" Not receiving a response, Jiang Mian pouted. She poked the man's cheek with her index finger. "Mr. Ji is so aloof!"
Ji Zhixiu impassively pulled her hand away, his large palm embracing her soft waist, his brow radiating a chill. "Does anything feel uncomfortable?"
Jiang Mian sniffled and nodded blankly, "Yes."
Her voice carried a hint of a sob, indicating she was indeed feeling unwell. Her curled eyelashes were damp, and she suddenly appeared melancholic.
Ji Zhixiu's heart trembled, and he immediately asked, "Where does it feel uncomfortable?"
Jiang Mian clutched his hand and placed it on her chest. "Here, my chest hurts... it's uncomfortable..."
Ji Zhixiu's movements froze. "Why does your chest hurt?"
After a long while, Jiang Mian lowered her head, no longer speaking.
Ji Zhixiu seemed to sense something. He pinched her chin, forcing her to lift her face.
As he expected, the young girl's face was streaked with tears, her teeth gently biting her lips, and her peach blossom eyes were filled with sorrow.
Ji Zhixiu had never seen Jiang Mian like this before.
His heart felt constricted, and he suddenly felt suffocated. The tip of his finger gently wiped away the pearls under her eyes and he said softly, "What are you crying about? Who bullied you?"
Jiang Mian still shook her head, her tears flowing even more fiercely.
"You bullied me," she mumbled after a pause.
Perhaps it was the alcohol, or perhaps her vision was blurred by tears, but Jiang Mian could no longer see Ji Zhixiu's expression clearly.
She only felt the sound in her ears was indistinct, as if it were both close and far away.
But instinctively, she poured out her grievances. She was truly heartbroken.
Ji Zhixiu lowered his gaze, his voice impossibly soft. "When did I bully you?"
Jiang Mian sobbed, "I saw... you going out to dinner with her, and I went to bring you soup..."
"I was like... like a little wife who married into a wealthy family but couldn't be seen..."
"So when I was sad, I drank your prized wine..."
Ji Zhixiu closed his eyes, finally understanding why she was in a bad mood and had been drinking for so many years.
He sighed softly, his voice lingering and tender. "Don't drink so much next time. Compared to your hidden collection, you are more precious."
Jiang Mian hiccuped, tears still glistening on her beautiful face. "Huh? What did you say...?"
"I said, now you should take a bath and then go to sleep."
Jiang Mian shook her head. "I don't want to take a bath, and I don't want to sleep. I want to sing!"
Thinking of the song Jiang Mian sang when she was drunk last time, a twitch ran through Ji Zhixiu's temple. He refused without mercy. "Absolutely not."
Jiang Mian leaned out of his arms, grabbed her phone playing music on the bar counter, and looked up at him, "Don't be so fierce."
Ji Zhixiu was silent for a moment. "Okay, I'm sorry."
Jiang Mian unlocked her phone, her flushed face tinged with a bit of drunkenness.
She blinked her eyes, still finding her vision blurry. Feeling a little disheartened, she compromised. "Then I won't sing. Can you sing for me?"
Ji Zhixiu looked down. On Jiang Mian's phone, a female voice was covering an English sweet song, which hadn't stopped playing since he entered.
He raised an eyebrow, with a hint of seductiveness in his voice. "If I sing for you, can you promise to take a bath obediently?"
Jiang Mian met his gaze. The tenderness in the man's eyes seemed like it could drown her. She tilted her head and thought for a moment. This seemed like a good deal. She nodded. "Okay."
She really wanted to hear Ji Zhixiu sing this song.
Ji Zhixiu's eyes moved, fixing on her face. His thin lips parted. "Alright."
He patted Jiang Mian, who was in his arms, with one hand, and took a wet wipe with the other, diligently cleaning her cheeks.
"Beautiful girls all over the world.
I could be chasing but my time will be wasted.
They got nothin' on you baby.
Nothin' on you baby.
They might say hi and I might say hey.
But you should n't worry about what they say.
Coz they got nothin' on you baby.
Nothin' on you baby"
His voice, compared to the sweet female voice, had an added layer of allure. It was as if he was boldly and passionately expressing his love to the young girl.
Jiang Mian was sure she was drunk, otherwise, why would hearing "baby" from him make her blush and her heart race?
Drunk, it must be.
The man's voice was clear and magnetic, extremely pleasant to listen to, like the collision of clear jade, melodious and delightful.
Jiang Mian cupped her face, gazing at him foolishly.
By the time the little girl was cleaned up and coaxed to sleep, it was already one in the morning.
Ji Zhixiu pinched his brow and stood by the window.
The bright moon hung high, adorned with a few stars.
Ji Zhixiu, uncharacteristically, began to ponder if the secret marriage from the beginning was a mistake.
He took out his phone, his gaze fixed on his mother's number.
"Ah Xiu..."
The person on the bed stirred and murmured in her sleep.
Ji Zhixiu turned his head and put away his phone.
With a large hand, he lifted the quilt and got into bed, embracing the young girl. "I'm here," he said in a deep voice.
......
The next day.
Jiang Mian sat up, her head still aching from the hangover.
The memories of last night, fragmented, pieced together in Jiang Mian's mind. She gasped.
When she was taking a bath last night, she had even accidentally thrown up...
What was Ji Zhixiu's expression like at that time?
Jiang Mian turned her eyes and could already imagine the scene.
While she was brooding, Ji Zhixiu opened the bedroom door and said lightly, "Awake?"
Jiang Mian looked at him, but before she could speak, she heard the man say, "Get dressed. It's snowing outside, wear a couple more layers. I'll take you out."
Jiang Mian pursed her lips, displeased by his nonchalant demeanor. "Where are we going?"
"To meet someone."
An hour later.
At the entrance of the Ji residence, Jiang Mian sat in the passenger seat, her head buried in her high-necked sweater, and mumbled sulkily, "Where is this?"
"My home."
"Your home? Your home?!" Jiang Mian was shocked. "Cough, cough... Why are you bringing me to your home?"
Ji Zhixiu raised an eyebrow, his deep, dark eyes fixed on her. "Of course, to meet the family."
"Meet... meet the family?" Jiang Mian stiffly turned her head. "Is it what I think it is?"
"Didn't you see me going out to dinner with Miss Jing? This is the blind date my mother arranged for me. Although it's just to appease her, it's better to settle it once and for all by telling her I'm already married. It's better to make her give up on this idea."
If he could have said it, he would have long ago, right? Why wait until now?
Jiang Mian sniffled. "You... you don't be impulsive."
Ji Zhixiu was both touched and amused by the young girl's concern for him at this moment. "I'm not impulsive."
This was the result of his careful consideration last night.
"Are you scared?" he asked. "Don't be afraid, just stay behind me."
"Who, who's scared?" Jiang Mian's face flushed. "I just think it's too fast. I... I didn't even bring a gift!"
Ji Zhixiu chuckled. "It's all superficial courtesies. Grandpa will probably like you. It's okay if he doesn't, as long as I like you."
Jiang Mian eyed him suspiciously. "Are... are you okay?"
Goodness, this man had never been so direct.
What was happening today?
"I'm fine. I just don't want to see you cry anymore," the man said in a low voice.
Jiang Mian's nose suddenly stung, and she said with a nasal tone, "Actually, if you didn't say it, you must have your reasons. It's probably because you're worried your family won't accept me, right?"
Ji Zhixiu sighed helplessly. "Many reasons, hard to explain in a while. This is just one of them."
Jiang Mian threw herself into his arms. "Ah Xiu, I..."
She suddenly didn't know what to say. It turned out that whatever she wanted, he would give it to her.
"Trust me, okay? I'll handle everything," the man's voice was gentle, like her most steadfast support.
Old Master Ji was surprised to see his grandson bring a girl home.
After all, he had seen greater storms in life. After a moment of surprise, he said kindly, "It's rare for you to be back, please sit down."