Chapter 277: Wanting to be a Real Husband and Wife with Her

Trust between people generally begins with sharing secrets.

Xiao Qing had been Zhu Yiwen's secret lover for three years, and he dared not tell a single soul!

Now that he could speak of it openly, it was something he never dared to dream of before, but he was very happy.

He did not hide anything from Jian Yining, telling him directly the cause and effect of his arrival in the United States.

He told Jian Yining everything: how he sought revenge for Zhu Yiwen because Sheng Hanyu had injured him, how he had failed twice in his attempts to harm Sheng Hanyu, and how he was subsequently kicked out of the country by Zhu Yiwen.

However, he did not mention his suspicion that Zhu Yiwen had "had a change of heart" and "fallen in love" with Sheng Hanyu.

Telling such things to an outsider would be too embarrassing.

He knew Jian Yining because when he was with Zhu Yiwen, many contracts involving Jian Yining had passed through his hands.

They often mentioned Jian Yining during their casual chats, and Xiao Qing knew that he was a fellow townsman of Lady Zhu and that they had a very good relationship... so his mention of Shi Youxuan this time happened to hit the mark by accident.

Xiao Qing had intended to return immediately after being sent to the United States, but he discovered he could not go back.

Thus, he thought of Jian Yining.

He felt that Jian Yining should have a way to take him back.

Zhu Yiwen still had feelings for Xiao Qing; he did not send him to a remote place, but had him sent to the United States, specifically to the most developed state, hoping his life would be better in the future.

But man proposes, God disposes; Zhu Yiwen could never have imagined that he would find Jian Yining and use Shi Youxuan to try to return to L Country.

He had found the right person.

Jian Yining was just about to arrange a way to smuggle himself into L Country, so he could conveniently take Xiao Qing along.

Zhu Family Mansion.

Shi Youxuan was holding a watering can, watering the flowers at twelve o'clock noon.

The gardener was worried but dared not speak up; who waters flowers at high noon? Wouldn't they be watered to death?

But the person watering was none other than the mistress.

No matter how worried he was, he dared not offer an opinion.

In the past few days, Shi Youxuan had suddenly become "virtuous."

She began to wash her hands and make soup; of course, others couldn't eat it, as it was made specifically for the Head of the Family.

She had the servants serve it to Zhu Yiwen three times a day, and she had to watch him finish it, because Shi Youxuan would inspect the bowls when they were returned; if he missed a meal, she would make Zhu Yiwen give up that idea!

Not long after she left the Study that day, Zhu Yiwen came to her room and told her very seriously that he had already sent Xiao Qing away, that he would not look for anyone else outside in the future, and that he wanted to return to the family and be a real husband and wife with her!

Shi Youxuan stared at him as if she were looking at a ghost, telling Zhu Yiwen not to joke; weren't they doing just fine as they were? There was no need to change such a relationship; they should just continue as is.

Zhu Yiwen's mind was made up, but he knew this decision was too sudden for her, so he gave her time to buffer and adapt.

And so, she began to "adapt."

Shi Youxuan was adapting quite well, but Zhu Yiwen seemed unable to adapt.

It was too awful to eat.

He never knew someone could turn squab soup into roasted squab; if the heat was too high and it burned, one should just throw it away, but not Shi Youxuan—she would sprinkle cumin and barbecue seasoning on the burnt parts, calling it "changing the flavor for the Head of the Family!"

"Ugh, ugh!"

Zhu Yiwen vomited at the sight of it.

People from L Country were not used to eating barbecue, and the problem was that her presentation was truly unsightly.

But this was not enough; Shi Youxuan was also "jealous."

She demanded that Zhu Yiwen write down all the information about Xiao Qing, whom he had associated with before, and hand it over to her, and that Xiao Qing, who still lived within a radius of five hundred miles, must move away.

Phone monitoring, Twitter passwords handed over.

If anyone sent him a message that was even slightly ambiguous, Shi Youxuan would immediately scold them back to assert her sovereignty!

She told Zhu Yiwen: "This is a normal husband-and-wife relationship; are you willing?"

She even "kindly" advised him: "Let's just keep things as they were; why bother with all this fuss!"

But Zhu Yiwen nodded and agreed: "I am willing." He was truly willing.

Zhu Yiwen discovered that he liked watching her be jealous and watching her be unreasonable.

Having lived under the same roof for five years, he only now discovered that she was so full of vitality and whimsical.

Shi Youxuan was dumbfounded.

She thought he was just saying it casually, but that same evening, Zhu Yiwen brought his pillow to her room to rest.

"Mistress, why aren't you sleeping?"

"I'm not sleepy."

Shi Youxuan was not only not sleepy, but she was also incredibly awkward.

She sat on the sofa holding a cushion, while Zhu Yiwen lay on the bed reading a book.

As he read, he suddenly blurted out: "You don't have any physiological problems, do you?"

"Hmm?"

Shi Youxuan muttered: "No problems."

Zhu Yiwen volunteered: "I have no physical problems at all; if you have any needs... I don't mind."

"I mind!"

Shi Youxuan stood up from the sofa with a "whoosh"; this conversation could not continue, and she could not stay in this room any longer, so she pushed open the door and left the room in a huff.

She found a random guest room to go in and rest.

She locked the door, but thinking it wasn't enough, she dragged a table over to brace the door, then lay on the bed, tossing and turning, unable to sleep.

She was disgusted by Zhu Yiwen.

Or perhaps not disgusted, but in any case, as long as she thought about the two of them having an intimate relationship, she felt guilty!

Having not slept all night, she walked out of the guest room the next day with two dark circles under her eyes; her toiletries were all in her own room, and she still had clothes to change into, which were also in her own room, so she still had to go back.

Shi Youxuan paced in front of her room door, wondering whether to go in or not.

She did not want to see Zhu Yiwen in the room; it was awkward.

She had no other feelings, just awkwardness; the mere thought of sharing a room with him made her feel uncomfortable all over.

A servant walked over from the other end of the corridor: "Madam, the Head of the Family asks that you go to the Study after you wake up, and he also said to please not make soup today."

"Alright, I understand."

Shi Youxuan felt relieved and pushed the door open to return to her room.

Upon returning, she saw that Zhu Yiwen was indeed not there, and she instantly felt at ease.

She washed up and put on makeup; though she didn't usually wear much, today she applied a thick layer of concealer to her face to cover the dark circles.

She also wanted to have a good talk with Zhu Yiwen, a serious talk.

This kind of thing requires mutual consent and mutual affection; she and Zhu Yiwen could not develop love, and this kind of thing cannot be forced.

Shi Youxuan had originally thought it would take a lot of persuasion, but when she arrived at the Study, Zhu Yiwen took the initiative to tell her that he had moved back out, letting her rest assured to live in her room.

He even said he would never force her and that one day he would make her fall in love with him!

Sheng Hanyu and Zhu Yiwen had officially started a war.

The two of them were fighting in the business world with great intensity, and they were basically evenly matched.

This time, Zhu Yiwen did not let Shi Youxuan help; even when she offered to help drive Sheng Hanyu out of the business world in L Country, he did not agree.

Zhu Yiwen said this was a matter between men, and it should be resolved by men themselves.

Shi Youxuan thought to herself, it's fine for you to resolve it yourselves, but don't drag me into it.

However, what she said didn't count in this matter; even her strong opposition didn't count.

There was an agreement between Sheng Hanyu and Zhu Yiwen; the two set a one-year term, and whoever lost within the year would withdraw.

Of course, the winner might not necessarily be able to win the beauty's heart; the beauty still had to be pursued!

But the loser would not even have the right to pursue Shi Youxuan.

Shi Youxuan had never imagined that she would be treated as a wager by two men; she was furious but helpless, so she simply ignored both of them.

Let them fight; it would be best if they beat each other's brains out.

While smoke of war filled the front lines, Jian Yining had quietly arrived in L Country.