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Early in the morning, before six o’clock, Yu Jingxin woke up.
She was thirsty and carefully climbed out of bed, careful not to wake Ji Qingyuan beside her.
The bed was messy, and the bedroom was pitch dark. She couldn’t find her nightgown—she didn’t know where he had tossed it last night.
Ji Qingyuan’s bathrobe was hanging halfway off the edge of the bed, dragging onto the carpet. She pulled it over and slipped it on.
At six in the morning during winter, the sky was still dark.
Yu Jingxin drank half a glass of warm water and stood by the window for a moment.
She rubbed her throat—it still felt uncomfortable even after drinking water.
Yesterday had been her wedding day with Ji Qingyuan. They had returned to their hotel late at night, removed their makeup, showered, and then instinctively rolled into bed together.
Her voice was hoarse from shouting, and despite drinking plenty of water before sleeping, it hadn’t helped much.
All her married friends had told her how exhausting weddings were—they felt like they’d lost half their lives, let alone any excitement. But she didn’t feel that way.
Perhaps it was because, from meeting Ji Qingyuan to holding their wedding, only a month and a half had passed.
In the first week of knowing each other, Ji Qingyuan had already proposed to her.
The next day, they obtained their marriage certificate.
Before meeting Ji Qingyuan, she had never imagined herself entering into a whirlwind marriage.
Yu Jingxin set down her glass and decided to go back to sleep.
Returning to the bedroom, she tiptoed to the bed, but before she could take off the bathrobe, Ji Qingyuan’s phone alarm rang at six o’clock sharp.
Ji Qingyuan turned off the alarm and, turning his head, saw her about to lie down. “Why are you awake so early?”
“To drink some water.” Yu Jingxin gave up trying to remove the bathrobe and settled for lying down as is.
Ji Qingyuan still had to go to the office today. In two days, he would start his honeymoon with Yu Jingxin, and there were things he needed to arrange beforehand. He got up, pulling the blanket aside.
Worried he wouldn’t see clearly, Yu Jingxin turned on the floor lamp, dimming the light.
Ji Qingyuan glanced at her. “Not going back to sleep?”
Yu Jingxin replied, “I’ll sleep a bit more.” Her wedding leave had started yesterday, unlike him, who still had so many things to worry about.
Ji Qingyuan turned on the light on his side and gestured to her, “Turn yours off.”
Only then did he notice that Yu Jingxin was wearing his bathrobe.
He knelt on one knee on the bed and leaned over to pull her toward him from her side.
Yu Jingxin grabbed his shoulders. “What are you doing?”
Ji Qingyuan reminded her, “You’re wearing my bathrobe.”
As he spoke, he untied the robe’s sash.
Instinctively, Yu Jingxin pressed his hand to stop him.
Underneath, she was completely naked. During their intimate moments, they usually kept the lights off, and she wasn’t used to being so exposed in front of him.
Ji Qingyuan leaned down to kiss her, and with the difference in strength, the bathrobe ended up in his hands anyway.
Yu Jingxin later realized this was what people referred to as marital intimacy. He didn’t necessarily need the bathrobe; it was just an excuse to kiss her.
Ji Qingyuan found one of his shirts and draped it over her, covering her up. Then, he took the bathrobe and went into the bathroom.
Yu Jingxin touched her ear—it was burning hot.
She pulled the corner of the blanket, intending to cover herself, but she felt unusually overheated and abandoned the idea. Instead, she pushed the blanket aside, turned over, and tried to sleep again.
Her heart was restless, leaving her wide awake.
When Ji Qingyuan came out of the bathroom, he saw the alluring sight on the bed. Yu Jingxin was facing away from him, almost her entire back exposed, with only the shirt he had casually placed on her waist covering her.
Her pale skin contrasted strikingly against the black shirt.
Holding the bathrobe in his hand, he decided against putting it back on.
Yu Jingxin suddenly shivered as Ji Qingyuan kissed her back.
Wherever his lips touched, it felt both scorching and tingling.
Out of reflex, she wanted to turn over and lie flat, but Ji Qingyuan flipped her back over.
Yu Jingxin lay sideways on the bed, twisting her head to look at him. “Aren’t you going to the office?”
“Yes.”
After that, he said nothing more.
Yu Jingxin couldn’t help but grip the pillow tightly. She barely knew Ji Qingyuan, yet they were doing the most intimate acts between husband and wife.
He especially liked kissing her, leaving no inch of her skin untouched.
She had never imagined she would be so lucky—to meet someone she liked through a blind date, and for him to like her back.
He knew exactly where she was sensitive, and every time he kissed there, she couldn’t help but call out his name.
________________________________________
By the time it grew light outside, the room had calmed down.
Yu Jingxin’s throat felt worse, and she had no energy left.
“I’ll be back tonight,” Ji Qingyuan said.
Yu Jingxin nodded and glanced at him. He was already fully dressed, looking immaculate, restrained, and cold—completely unrecognizable from the passionate man she had seen in bed earlier.
Ji Qingyuan picked up his phone, glancing at it as he walked out.
Yu Jingxin had thought he might kiss her goodbye before leaving, but he walked straight out instead.
On second thought, he wasn’t the type to express emotions openly. Since they met, aside from his proposal and wedding vows, he hadn’t spoken any sweet words.
Yu Jingxin wrapped herself in his bathrobe, got up, and began packing for their upcoming trip.
Two days later, they were going on their honeymoon.
In the walk-in closet of their new home, she didn’t have many clothes yet. Before the wedding, she had brought over a few outfits for daily use, but halfway through packing, she decided to return to the Yu family villa—her prettier swimsuits were still at home.
Her phone on the bedside table kept vibrating. She opened it, thinking it was a work group chat, but it wasn’t. It was one of the so-called “socialite groups” within their circle.
After returning to China, a friend had added her to this group. She didn’t enjoy participating in group chats and didn’t have much time for idle chatter, but out of politeness, she hadn’t left.
More than a month had passed since she joined, and she hadn’t said a word.
To her surprise, she saw her own name mentioned in the chat, along with Ji Qingyuan and someone named Leng Wenning.
She had gone abroad in high school and only returned this year. When she occasionally came back, she mostly stayed at home and rarely went out, so she didn’t know who Leng Wenning was.
Because Ji Qingyuan’s name appeared, she began scrolling through the conversation history.
【Oh my god!】
【What happened?】
【Leng Wenning got married yesterday! On the same day as Ji Qingyuan!】
【Wait, no—it’s Ji Qingyuan who got married on the same day as her.】
【Wow, Leng Wenning kept it so secretive. We hadn’t heard anything before. Did she marry her blind date partner?】
【Who else could it be?】
【No matter how secretive she was, Ji Qingyuan still found out and chose the same wedding day. These two are really something.】
【That’s why they say love and hate are intertwined.】
【I always thought a man like Ji Qingyuan wouldn’t care about romance and that marrying Leng Wenning was purely for family interests.】
【Same here.】
【What nonsense are you all talking? If Ji Qingyuan didn’t like Leng Wenning, would he sacrifice himself for family benefits?】
【That makes sense.】
【Leng Wenning’s family connections are just icing on the cake for the Ji family—it doesn’t matter whether they exist or not. Ji Qingyuan must like her; otherwise, why wouldn’t he marry another woman with a prestigious background?】
【I heard Ji Qingyuan pursued Leng Wenning?】
【I’m not sure, but I heard it was actually Leng Wenning who pursued Ji Qingyuan. She’s beautiful and doesn’t care about his money. If I were a man, I’d choose her too.】
【I wonder why they broke up. Neither of them was willing to back down. If I were Leng Wenning, I wouldn’t give Ji Qingyuan up so easily. So what if I had to lower my pride?】
【There’s no helping it—they’re both stubborn. The one being loved has the upper hand.】
【I bet Leng Wenning regrets it by now, maybe she already does.】
【Regret won’t help. She publicly humiliated Ji Qingyuan by going on blind dates so soon after their breakup.】
【Back then, if Leng Wenning had apologized to Ji Qingyuan, maybe they could’ve reconciled. After all, Ji Qingyuan went on a blind date just to spite her.】
【I heard about that too. A few days after Leng Wenning’s blind date, Ji Qingyuan went on one.】
【That was Ji Qingyuan’s first blind date ever. Leng Wenning must hold a special place in his heart.】
【Even the clearest-headed person can lose their mind over love.】
【As for Leng Wenning’s blind date partner... sigh, there’s no comparison to Ji Qingyuan. I’ve seen him once—I don’t know what Leng Wenning was thinking.】
【There’s no helping it. Looks are a scarce resource. Where else can she find someone like Ji Qingyuan—handsome, tall, capable, and rich?】
【Looks like Yu Jingxin got lucky (wink).】
【I don’t think Yu Jingxin got lucky. If she ever finds out why Ji Qingyuan went on a blind date with her, and that he got engaged right after Leng Wenning did...】
【Ji Qingyuan is ruthless. He proposed to Yu Jingxin just a week after meeting her.】
【The worst part is that Ji Qingyuan and Leng Wenning held their weddings on the same day. For Yu Jingxin, it’s a lifetime of hurt. Even if they divorce in the future, it’ll still be disgusting to think about.】
【Who knows how many people will laugh at Yu Jingxin in the future.】
【It’s not worth it. Yu Jingxin could’ve married well based on her looks alone. Plus, she’s highly educated, and her family owns gold mines.】
【Even after marrying Yu Jingxin, Ji Qingyuan is still working on a project with Leng Wenning’s childhood friend—a multibillion-dollar international project. Even though he married Yu Jingxin, he still prioritizes Leng Wenning’s friend.】
【Yeah, I heard their little circle is very close.】
...
Dozens of people were flooding the chat.
By the time Yu Jingxin finished reading, her fingertips were ice-cold. Her legs felt like lead, unable to take a single step.
The group admin finally spoke up: 【Are you all full and bored today?】
After finishing, Yu Jingxin sighed deeply.
Words could bring trouble—she didn’t know if they were intentional or not.
She sent a reminder: 【Yu Jingxin is in this group.】
Suddenly, the chat fell silent.
But it was too late—the messages couldn’t be retracted.
Many people didn’t know Yu Jingxin was in the group. New members often joined, and they didn’t all recognize each other.
Soon, Yu Jingxin received notifications that she had been removed from the group—not just her, everyone else was kicked out too. The admin had disbanded the group.
Leaning against the doorframe, Yu Jingxin took a long moment to process everything. Her mind was still in chaos. The marriage she had eagerly anticipated, the small family she had always hoped for—it was nothing more than a consolation prize after someone else’s spat.
She wasn’t sure how much of what they said was true, but her heart resisted accepting it as fact.
Even now, she was still deceiving herself.
Closing the bedroom door, Yu Jingxin called Qin Moling. She didn’t know many people well, but the Qin family and Yu family were longtime friends. Qin Moling was one of the few people she trusted.
“Congratulations on your wedding.”
Yu Jingxin: “I can’t feel happy.” She cut straight to the chase. “Were Ji Qingyuan and Leng Wenning in a romantic relationship before?”
Qin Moling: “Yes.” There was no hiding it—everyone in their circle knew.
Yu Jingxin pressed her chest. “Can you do me a favor? Confirm the dates when Ji Qingyuan and Leng Wenning went on blind dates, got engaged, and held their weddings.”
She remembered something else. “Also, the date when Ji Qingyuan recently decided to collaborate on a project with Leng Wenning’s childhood friend.”
Qin Moling: “Jingxin, what have you heard?”
“Nothing. I don’t want to talk about it right now. Will you help me or not?” Yu Jingxin added, “I’m calling you because I trust you not to lie to me. And keep this a secret—even from my brother. You and I have known each other since we were kids.”
Her words were jumbled.
Qin Moling understood what she meant. They had grown up together, and their bond was strong enough for him to help. “Alright, I’ll get back to you as soon as possible.”
After hanging up, Yu Jingxin changed her clothes and went out. Afraid she might lose focus while driving, she asked her driver to accompany her.
The driver asked where she wanted to go.
Yu Jingxin: “Just drive around Beijing. I don’t have anything to do today.” She tried her best to appear relaxed, not wanting those around her to sense her sadness.
Within half an hour, Yu Jingxin received a message from Qin Moling—a list of dates that made everything crystal clear and sent her spiraling into despair.
After Leng Wenning went on a blind date, Ji Qingyuan followed suit. On the day Leng Wenning got engaged, Ji Qingyuan proposed to her that same night.
Their weddings—on the same day.
The project decision was made two weeks ago.
By then, she and Ji Qingyuan were already engaged.
________________________________________
After sending the message to Yu Jingxin, Qin Moling hesitated before calling Ji Qingyuan. He should honor his promise of secrecy, but this didn’t feel like something he should keep quiet about.
Yu Jingxin’s personality was such that she tended to dwell on things unnecessarily.
He could keep her secret from others, but Ji Qingyuan needed to know.
Ji Qingyuan was in a meeting. Qin Moling rarely called during work hours unless it was important, so Ji Qingyuan answered quietly. “What’s wrong?”
Qin Moling: “Jingxin knows about you and Leng Wenning. I don’t know who told her, but I checked the dates of your respective engagements and weddings—it’s hard not to misunderstand.”
Ji Qingyuan stood up and stepped out of the meeting room. He knew their wedding dates coincided, and he had confirmed with Leng Wenning’s childhood friend that it was the groom’s family who chose the date.
Frowning, he asked, “The engagement dates were the same too?”
Qin Moling: “…You didn’t know?”
Ji Qingyuan: “No, I don’t have time to keep track of everyone’s wedding and engagement dates.”
Qin Moling didn’t doubt him—he hadn’t heard about it either.
Leng Wenning and her husband’s families were part of the same social circle but kept a low profile. Their wedding invitations were limited to immediate family and close relatives, without even inviting friends.
“Regardless, you should go home and explain things to Jingxin. Anyone would feel uneasy about this.”
Ji Qingyuan nodded. “Thanks.”
He had a dinner appointment that evening, but he messaged his assistant: 【Cancel my dinner plans—you go instead.】
He couldn’t understand why people had nothing better to do than gossip behind others’ backs.
________________________________________
Yu Jingxin wandered around aimlessly all day, feeling dazed.
When she returned home, the house was empty and cold. Ji Qingyuan hadn’t come back yet. She poured herself a glass of red wine and took it upstairs. Earlier that day, Zhou Siyuan had messaged her, asking if she was planning to get a divorce.
It seemed like concern, but she knew Zhou Siyuan was waiting to see her humiliation.
Back in the bedroom, Yu Jingxin sat cross-legged by the floor-to-ceiling window, barefoot. This wasn’t a high-rise apartment, so there was no nighttime view to admire.
She took a sip of wine and stared blankly out the window.
She didn’t know how to move forward with this marriage.
Because of yesterday’s grand wedding, the stock prices of both Jiashi Group and Yu Bank had soared since the announcement of their engagement.
If they divorced, it would be impossible to clean up the mess.
She had to admit, beyond corporate interests, there was also a part of her that felt unwilling to give up.
Lost in thought, the bedroom door opened. Ji Qingyuan was back.
Yu Jingxin hadn’t figured out what to do yet, so she maintained a facade of peace. “You’re back.”
Ji Qingyuan nodded, glancing at the wine glass in front of her, and sat down on the couch opposite her.
Yu Jingxin looked at him, and he gazed steadily at her.
Feeling uncertain, she asked, “Is something wrong?”
Ji Qingyuan spoke frankly: “Leng Wenning was my ex-girlfriend. We were together for two years…”
Yu Jingxin interrupted him. “You don’t need to tell me all that. I’m not interested in your past. It’s not like we’re teenagers anymore—everyone has a past.”
She couldn’t bear hearing the details of his relationship with Leng Wenning. The wound was already deep enough; adding salt would be unbearable.
Ji Qingyuan assumed she truly didn’t care and felt inexplicably relieved.
Yu Jingxin held her wine glass. “I’ve heard some things about you and your ex-girlfriend, including the dates of your blind dates and weddings. To be honest, it makes me feel lighter. Before, I felt guilty about you. I went on a blind date with you out of necessity—I had someone I liked, but my family disapproved. We broke up just before I returned to China.”
Ji Qingyuan’s heart skipped a beat. He had no idea about this emotional history of hers. He had assumed she had feelings for him. At the wedding, when she shed tears, he thought it was because she was happy to marry him.
Afraid he wouldn’t believe her, Yu Jingxin fabricated more details. “We shared common interests—we both loved the violin. We often attended concerts together. But due to family reasons, we couldn’t make it work. I argued with them repeatedly, but I won’t go into specifics. So you don’t need to feel guilty about Leng Wenning. Our situations are similar. Let’s treat this as a marriage of convenience. It’ll be fine living together as partners.”
Ji Qingyuan’s voice was hoarse as he asked, “Do you still love him?”
Yu Jingxin bit her lip. “Yes.”
After what felt like an eternity, Ji Qingyuan nodded.
He asked, “Then… should we cancel the honeymoon trip?”
Yu Jingxin drained the rest of her wine. “It’s up to you. Go if you want—it’s just for show to please the family.”
Ji Qingyuan stood up. “Then let’s not go. I have a business trip abroad to negotiate a project. If you’re bored at home, find somewhere to travel on your own.”
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