AAMIBBSBY 15

The atmosphere in the car fell into awkwardness. Gently rubbing the corner of his lips with the pad of his finger, Xia Zhi’s face blushed as red as a cherry.

However, only Xia Zhi alone was embarrassed; the driver held the steering wheel as if nothing had happened. Isn’t it completely normal for a newlywed couple to be sweet and affectionate?

After arriving home, with the support of the driver and Xia Zhi, Shen Shixiao was sent into the bedroom. After covering him properly with the quilt, Xia Zhi glanced at the clock on the wall. It was already ten o’clock at night—it was better not to wake Shen Shixiao up.

After taking a shower, he lay on the soft, large bed in the bedroom and began to count his little stash from the past few days. He had just received a transfer. It should be the production team settling a portion of his appearance fees.

Adding all the miscellaneous bits and pieces together, it wasn’t a small amount.

Hugging his bank cards and checks, Xia Zhi sank into the soft and comfortable pillow, squinting his eyes as he drifted off to sleep.

Another wealthy day!

Having a rare day off, the sun was three poles high before Xia Zhi woke up, and the servants in the dining room had already prepared lunch. Inadvertently catching a glimpse of a servant’s watch, Xia Zhi finally remembered the incident from last time when he broke Shen Shixiao’s watch.

Although it had already been repaired, buying a new one anyway could make his sense of guilt lessen a bit.

The weather was nice today. He chose a thin white down jacket, wrapped himself in a scarf, and prepared to head out. The household had a driver specifically responsible for picking him up and dropping him off. Uncle Wang, seeing that he was about to go out, was already waiting at the door.

Smiling embarrassedly, Xia Zhi said, “Sorry for troubling you.”

Arriving at the bustling commercial district’s SKP, the sales assistant enthusiastically hosted Xia Zhi to choose a watch, and at the end, she smiled and asked, “Are you Xia Zhi?”

Xia Zhi was a little surprised. He adjusted his scarf and said, “Yes, you know me?”

The sales assistant shook her phone. “Best Actor, of course—I follow it every week.”

Being recognized while shopping for the first time, Xia Zhi felt an unprecedented pride and novelty in his heart.

“Are you picking a watch for yourself?”

“No, for my friend.”

This watch store was an internationally renowned luxury brand, and the prices were not cheap. Xia Zhi had bought a few watches before, but he had sold them all when his mother got sick.

In the display counter, a black diamond watch caught his attention. The sales assistant praised, “You have great taste, would you like me to take it out for you to try?”

Xia Zhi nodded gently. “Thank you.”

This black diamond watch was their new product. The dial was made of sapphire crystal material, low-key but without losing its aristocratic elegance.

Shen Shixiao would definitely look good wearing it.

His gaze fell on the price tag. Xia Zhi slightly pursed his lips.

How could the price fit so perfectly?

It was exactly his entire net worth!

After struggling for only a dozen seconds, he held back his tears and said, “Please wrap it up for me.”

Sales assistant: “OK.”

After swiping his card, although Xia Zhi was holding the watch bag, his heart felt completely empty.

Ugh, he had become a pauper again!

Seeing him come out after only an hour, the driver curiously asked, “Were there none you liked?”

Xia Zhi lowered his eyes deeply. “There was. I bought a watch.”

The driver nodded and said, “Mr. Shen called just now and said that after you finished shopping, I should take you to the company.”

Xia Zhi’s heart was bleeding. Without thinking much about it, he gave a listless response.

As the car parked in front of the Shen Group building, Xia Zhi finally woke up as if from a dream. What did Shen Shixiao want him to come to the company for?

It had to be said that the Shen Group high-rise was indeed imposing—not only were the facilities inside complete, but the interior design was also very stylish.

Getting into the elevator, Xia Zhi carried the watch bag and pressed the button for Shen Shixiao’s floor. The driver had told him that this elevator went straight to the president’s office and didn’t require swiping an access card.

The elevator doors opened, and Xia Zhi ran into an acquaintance.

Lin Xiangnan, a friend he grew up with, though when he was kicked out of the Xia family, they stopped contacting each other. Back then, when his mother got sick and he was at a dead end, he made a phone call to Lin Xiangnan wanting to borrow 50,000 yuan. Lin Xiangnan’s words then would be etched in his heart for the rest of his life.

Xia Zhi, we are no longer people of the same circle, let’s not contact each other in the future.

As past events surfaced, Xia Zhi absentmindedly withdrew his gaze, planning to leave directly, but Lin Xiangnan also saw him and unexpectedly called out to stop him.

“Xia Zhi? What are you doing here?”

Xia Zhi gave him a faint glance. “Delivering something.”

Lin Xiangnan’s gaze fell on the watch bag he was carrying. He smiled and took a few steps towards him. “I just returned to the country. I came with my dad today to Shen Group to discuss business. Are you working part-time running errands?”

Xia Zhi didn’t answer, coldly asking, “Is there anything else?”

Lin Xiangnan’s lips curled.”To think you would see a day like this, but getting stuck with a dad like that makes your life miserable enough. You probably don’t contact any of your other friends either, right.”

Xia Zhi didn’t want to waste any more breath on him. Just as he was about to leave, the office door ahead suddenly opened, and Shen Shixiao walked out from inside.

He had just moved his mouth to speak, but was beaten to it by the excited Lin Xiangnan and his father.

“President Shen, we have been waiting here for you for a long time!”

Shen Shixiao looked distantly at the two people coming forward to greet him. His gaze shifted away in an instant, and bypassing them, he walked quickly towards Xia Zhi.

“You’re here.”

Xia Zhi nodded gently. “Yeah, the driver brought me here.”

Today’s down jacket was a new piece of clothing from the closet that Shen Shixiao had personally selected for him. It suited Xia Zhi very well—especially in the winter, he looked like a soft little rice cake.

It seemed that Xia Zhi wearing this jacket put Shen Shixiao in a very good mood. He said in a brisk tone, “Let’s go to my office.”

Before the two left, they passed by Lin Xiangnan and his father, and Shen Shixiao only threw down one brief sentence:

“Shen Group currently has no intention of cooperating.”

Lin Xiangnan looked at their retreating backs. While feeling regret in his heart, he couldn’t help but be extremely astonished.

When did Xia Zhi hook up with Shen Shixiao?

His father furrowed his brows. “Are you still in contact with Xia Zhi right now?”

Lin Xiangnan hemmed and hawed¹An idiom describing someone faltering, stammering, or being evasive in their speech because they are lying, embarrassed, or hiding something., “…Yeah, I am.”

Shen Shixiao’s office was very large. Xia Zhi followed him to the desk, lifted the bag, and said, “For you.”

Shen Shixiao: “A gift for me?”

Xia Zhi: “Yeah, I bought you another watch.”

Shen Shixiao took the bag and looked at it for a long while, a touch of gentleness reaching his eyes. “Thank you, Zhizhi.”

Xia Zhi scratched his head. “It’s nothing, just compensating you for the broken one.”

Shen Shixiao’s hand movements when opening it were very light, as if unwrapping a treasure cherished for many years. Opening the watch box, a ripple surged in his ink-black eyes. He softly said, “Can you help me put it on?”

Xia Zhi was taken aback, and said in a small voice, “I can.”

Xia Zhi was very focused while putting on the watch. His slender and thick eyelashes fluttered gently, and his brow bone was exquisite but not effeminate.

The room was very quiet, so quiet that Xia Zhi could hear each other’s heartbeats.

Finally putting it on properly, he let out a soft breath. “Done.”

Shen Shixiao’s eyes moved slightly. “Does it look good?”

“Looks good!”

How could it not look good? It’s all made of money²Literally translates to “It’s all silver!” In colloquial Chinese, “silver” is often used as a direct stand-in for money or hard-earned cash.!

The financially embarrassed Xia Zhi screamed from the bottom of his heart.

Shen Shixiao: “I want to take you to a dinner party tonight. Could you wait for me to finish a meeting first?”

Xia Zhi: “I can.”

Shen Shixiao: “My assistant is right here. If you want to eat or drink anything, just call him directly.”

Seeing the assistant smiling at him, Xia Zhi couldn’t help but feel embarrassed.

I know, I know, I’m not a child.

The atmosphere in the conference room today was exceptionally relaxed, and the senior executives could clearly perceive that Shen Shixiao was in a good mood. They secretly breathed a sigh of relief; it seemed they wouldn’t get a scolding today.

The public relations department was currently reporting their summary for this quarter. Shen Shixiao leaned his elbow on the conference table, his right hand gently propping up his head, his gaze falling on that watch.

The senior executives were all shrewd people, and quickly noticed that watch.

However, they found it strange. It was just an ordinary watch, so why was it worth the chairman looking at it like this?

However, shrewd people are shrewd people for a reason. During a gap in organizing the reports, a senior executive asked, “Where did President Shen buy his watch? It matches today’s suit very well.”

Shen Shixiao raised his head, and coughed lightly. “My lover bought it for me. He said I look very good wearing it.”

The group of senior executives immediately understood implicitly, and hurriedly chimed in.

“Your lover has really good taste!”

“So considerate, President Shen is very blessed.”

Shen Shixiao quietly looked at the wristwatch. “Yes, his taste is very good.”

On this side, Xia Zhi sat in the office scrolling through Weibo. In just one short night, his followers skyrocketed by 3 million, and there were many comments under his posts from passersby turning into fans. Clicking into the #XiaZhi# Super Topic³A specific feature on Sina Weibo (China’s equivalent of Twitter). It’s essentially a dedicated subreddit or forum-like tag for a specific celebrity, movie, or topic where super-fans gather to post updates, photos, and boost engagement metrics., he smiled contentedly.

He was now also someone with a Super Topic.

At this moment, Shen Shixiao’s assistant knocked on the door and walked in holding a white shirt. Xia Zhi looked up and asked, “Is this his clothes?”

The assistant nodded. “Yes, President Shen is going to wear it tonight. I’m ironing it for him in advance.”

Seeing that he didn’t have much to do by himself, Xia Zhi took the initiative to say, “How about I do it, you go busy yourself.”

The assistant nodded, happily agreeing.

Skillfully picking up the ironing tools, Xia Zhi’s fingers rubbed the fabric of the shirt.

The quality is actually quite good, but this is a style from a few years ago.

With the tools in place, he picked up the iron and carefully ironed flat the wrinkled parts of the shirt.

Shen Shixiao’s figure was good, and he always looked very stylish wearing white shirts.

Suddenly, sparks shot out from the plug of the iron machine, and the heat of the handle sharply rose.

Before Xia Zhi had time to check the wiring, the shirt under the iron, due to being subjected to intense heat in a short period of time, had already turned slightly black in color.

Xia Zhi hurriedly unplugged the plug, but it was already too late.

The assistant smelled a strange odor, thought something happened inside, and hurriedly rushed in. When he saw that shirt, his face suddenly turned deathly pale.

This was the boss’s favorite shirt, supposedly given to him by his first love. It was maintained very well and he would only wear it on important occasions.

He’s a goner!

Seeing the assistant’s expression, a bad premonition surged in Xia Zhi’s heart.

No way, no way?

This style, this fabric, could it be given by that bai yueguang again?

Does the bai yueguang like to give things this much? Wuwuwu!

The assistant was sweating profusely from anxiety, but hesitated to speak. He couldn’t possibly tell the boss’s wife that this shirt was very precious because it was given by the first love, right?

Xia Zhi saw his dilemma and said with difficulty, “This shirt… was it given by his first love?”

The assistant nodded with a long face.

By sheer coincidence, Shen Shixiao came out of the conference room with a group of senior executives, and as he walked into the office, he called out, “Zhizhi, we should—”

Xia Zhi held the shirt, feeling extremely guilty like a thief.

Looking out the window with a face full of bitter pain, he looked like he had nothing left to live for. “Shen Shixiao, promise me—don’t commit domestic violence in front of outsiders, okay?”

Shen Shixiao caught a glimpse of the blackened corner of the shirt and glanced doubtfully at the assistant.

This single glance almost scared the assistant to death.

The office was terrifyingly quiet, and Shen Shixiao suddenly smiled.

Xia Zhi: Wuwuwu, look! He’s been angered by me to this point!

“Zhizhi can just buy me another one. We will go pick one out in a bit.”

Xia Zhi’s legs felt a bit weak, and he looked up in surprise, as if trying to confirm something. After a long time, he replied in a low voice, “Okay.”

Watching the two leave, the assistant worried faintly. “Is he really going to commit domestic violence?”

There was still some time before the important dinner party tonight, so Shen Shixiao had the driver drive to a nearby mall.

Xia Zhi shrank in the corner, almost on the verge of crying.

Doesn’t he look especially like a vicious cannon fodder⁴A huge trope in Chinese web novels. It refers to a minor character whose sole purpose in the plot is to be humiliated, defeated, or killed to make the main characters look better. male supporting character right now?

He had let down the bai yueguang! And let down Shen Shixiao even more!

Ruining two tokens of love⁵A romantic item given between lovers to confirm their relationship or engagement. in a row, he really didn’t do it on purpose.

The most important thing is, he is already penniless! Where does he have the money to buy one, wuwu.

Holding back his grievance, Xia Zhi’s eyes suddenly felt sore.

At this moment, a bank card was handed in front of Xia Zhi’s eyes.

He mumbled softly, “What is this?”

Shen Shixiao: “My salary card, for you.”

• 1
  An idiom describing someone faltering, stammering, or being evasive in their speech because they are lying, embarrassed, or hiding something.
• 2
  Literally translates to “It’s all silver!” In colloquial Chinese, “silver” is often used as a direct stand-in for money or hard-earned cash.
• 3
  A specific feature on Sina Weibo (China’s equivalent of Twitter). It’s essentially a dedicated subreddit or forum-like tag for a specific celebrity, movie, or topic where super-fans gather to post updates, photos, and boost engagement metrics.
• 4
  A huge trope in Chinese web novels. It refers to a minor character whose sole purpose in the plot is to be humiliated, defeated, or killed to make the main characters look better.
• 5
  A romantic item given between lovers to confirm their relationship or engagement.