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"Have you thought it through?"

The man on the other end of the phone fell silent.

Ning Yuxuan's group exchanged bewildered glances.

Tao You opened her eyes wide.

Tao You hadn't taken it seriously when she saw men in the group saying that Ning Yuxuan was married. She thought it was just something Ning Yuxuan made up to avoid harassment.

Tao You was shocked to see Ning Yuxuan calling him "husband" so casually this time.

The others were even more dumbfounded, unsure of what Ning Yuxuan meant.

Logically speaking, given the habits of young people today, boyfriends and girlfriends often address each other as "husband" and "wife," so a single term of address doesn't necessarily mean anything.

However, Ning Yuxuan had previously told Shen Chipeng that she was married, and now she deliberately used that title when answering the phone in front of them. It's hard not to think that she is intentionally emphasizing her married status.

Shen Chipeng was the most shocked. He stared at Ning Yuxuan without moving, waiting to see her next reaction.

Despite the gazes of everyone, Ning Yuxuan remained completely calm.

These people couldn't hear what Xie Zhiyan was saying anyway. It would be good if Xie Zhiyan cooperated with her, but even if he didn't, it would be enough for her to just perform her own monologue well.

In just a few seconds, Ning Yuxuan had already figured out the next part of the script.

The man on the phone seemed to finally come to his senses.

"Xuanxuan?" Xie Zhiyan's voice sounded somewhat serious. "Have you encountered any danger?"

Ning Yuxuan: "..."

Unexpectedly, Xie Zhiyan is quite aware of potential crises. Indeed, if someone you know suddenly calls and says something strange, you should first consider whether they are in a dangerous situation.

It seems that in Xie Zhiyan's eyes, her calling him "husband" had become so strange that it resembled a distress signal.

While understanding his line of thinking, Ning Yuxuan also found it somewhat amusing.

They've already registered their marriage, is this title really that scary?

To avoid Xie Zhiyan misunderstanding and needing to call the police for her later, Ning Yuxuan quickly said, "No, honey, Tao You and I just finished dinner at Silverer. We're calling to ask you something—"

There was a moment of silence on the phone, then a deep male voice came through: "What is it?"

Ning Yuxuan's voice was a shade gentler than usual: "I heard there's a huge new shopping mall that opened up up north, and we'd like to go check it out. But we can't get a taxi right now. Could you drive us there?"

To make it seem more real, Ning Yuxuan paused, then added in a coquettish tone, "Is it okay, honey?"

Although she had other ways to resolve the current situation even if Xie Zhiyan didn't come, it would be better if he could come.

Letting those people over there see her being picked up by her husband will be more effective in dissuading them from leaving and will also prevent them from harassing her again in the future.

Two seconds later, Xie Zhiyan replied, "I'm leaving now, and I'll arrive in ten minutes at the latest."

Ning Yuxuan's eyes immediately curved into crescent moons with laughter: "Okay, I'll be waiting for you, my husband."

After hanging up the phone, Ning Yuxuan said to Tao You, "Let's go downstairs, my husband will be here to pick us up soon."

They had already discussed it while eating, and afterwards they would go shopping at a nearby mall.

The original plan was to go to the department store next door, but now the location has simply been changed.

Tao You was now full of doubts, with countless questions she wanted to ask Ning Yuxuan.

However, she also knew that this was not the time to ask these questions; the most important thing was to get rid of those three annoying guys next to her.

Tao You nodded: "Okay, let's go."

Just as I turned around, two male voices rang out behind me at the same time: "Wait—"

Ning Yuxuan and Tao You rolled their eyes at the same time.

I knew these people wouldn't let this go.

Shen Chipeng and Chu Bowen exchanged a glance, seeing disgust in each other's eyes, yet inexplicably feeling a sense of shared misfortune.

Ning Yuxuan's tone was flat and slightly impatient when she spoke to them earlier, but she seemed like a completely different person when she made the phone call.

Shen Chipeng felt burning with jealousy.

Years ago, when he was studying at University A, he would send Ning Yuxuan good morning and good night messages every day, but he never received a reply.

This sense of frustration has returned, and is even more intense now.

At that time, Shen Chipeng heard that Ning Yuxuan had someone she liked, a rich second-generation from a wealthy family, which is why she didn't even glance at them, her suitors.

But Shen Chipeng hadn't actually witnessed how Ning Yuxuan liked that rich second-generation. He only saw that Ning Yuxuan was indifferent to everyone else at school, so he didn't feel unbalanced.

Witnessing Ning Yuxuan flirting with another man firsthand, his sense of frustration and jealousy surged simultaneously.

Shen Chipeng almost clenched his fists to pieces.

He may not have liked Ning Yuxuan that much, but the desire to conquer her that had been aroused made him unwilling to give up so easily.

He didn't want to retreat without a fight; he at least wanted to see who he had lost to.

Chu Bowen's thoughts were similar to Shen Chipeng's.

He thought that he hadn't caught Ning Yuxuan's eye before, perhaps because he wasn't rich enough. But now he owned a house and a car, and had seven-figure savings. Did he still not have the chance to pursue Ning Yuxuan?

He was unconvinced and wanted to see what kind of person Ning Yuxuan's so-called "husband" really was.

Driven by similar thoughts, the two men who had just been sabotaging each other temporarily united on the same side.

Shen Chipeng forced a smile: "Yu Xuan, your husband should be coming downstairs to pick you up, right? We'll take you downstairs."

Chu Bowen nodded: "Yes, yes, the evening rush hour isn't completely over yet, and the roads are a bit congested. It'll probably take him a while to get here. Yuxuan, Taotao, would you like something to drink? I'll buy it for you."

Shen Chipeng glanced at him and replied, "Yes, Bowen, why don't you go buy some drinks for Yuxuan and the others? I remember there's a beverage shop on the third floor."

Chu Bowen realized, "Hehe, if we're going to buy it, we should go together, otherwise I won't know what kind of drinks Yu Xuan likes."

Watching the two men play mind games with each other, Tao You was so angry she laughed.

These two people are really not presentable; she's embarrassed to admit that she graduated from the same department at the same university as them.

Tao You: "Neither of us—"

Ning Yuxuan nudged Tao You's arm.

Tao You looked over in confusion.

Ning Yuxuan smiled and said, "Sure, Tao You and I are a bit thirsty and would like to try the new products at that shop on the third floor. But I heard—"

She frowned, feigning distress: "Their new product seems to be very popular, so it can only be ordered on-site, and there's a limit of one drink per person. Tao You and I both want to try it, what should we do?"

Tao You understood Ning Yuxuan's meaning and chimed in, "Yes, Xuanxuan and I both want to try the new product!"

If we get rid of these people, they'll have some peace and quiet.

Chu Bowen and Shen Chipeng exchanged a glance.

There are three men here. If they want to buy two drinks—

The two men simultaneously turned their gaze to Chen Jie, who hadn't said much.

If he could persuade Chen Jie to go with the other person, he could stay and see Ning Yuxuan downstairs.

Chen Jie: "..."

Heaven knows, he came along just to watch the show, and also out of a bit of curiosity: what is the most popular girl in the department like now?

Now that his curiosity had been satisfied and he had seen enough of the excitement, he didn't want to become a tool in the struggle between these two guys.

Chen Jie has always been opportunistic and quick to take advantage of others' misfortunes, but he has no interest in helping others achieve their goals.

Chen Jie grinned, revealing his teeth, and said in a slick, oily tone, "Oh dear, I'm just here to make up the numbers. How could I possibly take such a good job serving two beautiful ladies from you two?"

...

After making excuses, no one actually went to buy it.

Shen Chipeng and Chu Bowen, shamelessly escorted Ning Yuxuan and Tao You to the entrance on the first floor.

Chen Jie, with a "let's see what happens" attitude, followed behind the group.

On the way, Shen Chipeng probed again: "Yu Xuan, it's only 7 pm now, and your husband has time to pick you up? He must not be too busy with work, right?"

Ning Yuxuan smiled slightly: "Maybe. I don't care much about his work situation, as long as his monthly allowance of several million yuan arrives on time."

Shen Chipeng: "..."

Ning Yuxuan spoke so casually that if he hadn't heard the word "millions," he would have almost believed her.

Shen Chipeng suddenly felt confident. It seemed that Ning Yuxuan's "husband" was probably just an ordinary office worker like them.

They're not exactly the type to be highly valued by their superiors; otherwise, most high-paid workers would probably still be working overtime or socializing at 7 p.m.

However, this is a good opportunity to ridicule the competitors.

Shen Chipeng coughed twice and looked at Chu Bowen sarcastically: "Bowen, listen to this, the monthly allowance that Yu Xuan's husband gives her is almost equivalent to all of your demolition compensation."

Chu Bowen's expression stiffened for a moment, but he quickly retorted, "Hehe, Chi Peng, you're joking. At least I have several million in demolition compensation, while you only have that little salary every month. You must be working very hard to earn it, right?"

A snicker came from the air; it was Tao You who couldn't help but laugh out loud.

It has to be said that the way these two men were attacking each other was quite comical.

Upon hearing the laughter, Shen Chipeng and Chu Bowen immediately snapped out of their daze, their expressions instantly turning even more grim.

Their bickering here would probably sound like a joke to Ning Yuxuan.

After finally reaching the entrance on the first floor, Shen Chipeng and Chu Bowen looked outside.

Shen Chipeng asked, "Yu Xuan, what kind of car does your husband drive? Look at that car with its hazard lights on by the roadside, isn't that his car?"

He was referring to a white car parked at the entrance, which looked like it hadn't been washed in a while and was an older model; it probably cost a little over 100,000 yuan when it was bought.

He asked this question partly to test Ning Yuxuan's reaction.

Ning Yuxuan glanced at Shen Chipeng indifferently: "No."

Chu Bowen took the opportunity to show off: "I recently bought an Audi, it must have cost several hundred thousand yuan. You don't know until you drive it, and once you do, you're shocked! You get what you pay for; the feel of pressing the accelerator in an expensive car is completely different—"

As he spoke, Chu Bowen suddenly paused.

For no other reason than a black Rolls-Royce Phantom was driving this way and stopped in front of the barrier.

Just as he was talking about his new car, this top-of-the-line luxury car arrived, leaving Chu Bowen completely dumbfounded.

It was as if God was deliberately working against him, slapping him hard in the face when he was riding high.

Chu Bowen couldn't continue speaking. He glanced at Ning Yuxuan and thought to himself that she, as a woman, probably didn't know much about cars.

If Ning Yuxuan didn't know how much the car cost, then he wouldn't be ashamed.

However, he forgot that Shen Chipeng would never let this opportunity slip by.

Shen Chipeng was also gloating when he saw the Rolls-Royce.

However, he still cautiously glanced at Ning Yuxuan first, and when he found that she didn't react, he knew in his heart that this car definitely didn't belong to her husband.

Once it was confirmed, Shen Chipeng felt relieved and started mocking Chu Bowen: "Oh, you're all bragging about buying a car worth a few hundred thousand? If you were driving someone's Rolls-Royce, I bet it would be hard for us old classmates to even see you, right?"

Chu Bowen retorted angrily, "You talk as if this car is yours. What are you so smug about?"

The two were arguing so heatedly that they didn't notice that the car they were talking about had already passed the gate and slowly stopped in front of them.

Sensing the car lights shining on them, Shen Chipeng and Chu Bowen abruptly stopped arguing and turned to look at each other.

The car door opened, and a man in a suit with an extraordinary aura got out and walked up to Ning Yuxuan.

"Xuanxuan." The man called Ning Yuxuan's name gently and naturally took the bag from her hand.

The man then looked at the girl next to Ning Yuxuan and nodded slightly.

Tao You stood there blankly, completely unaware of the situation.

Xie Zhiyan asked gently, "Xuanxuan's roommate, Tao You?"

Tao You hadn't fully recovered from the shock and said blankly, "Yes, yes... that's me."

Ning Yuxuan muttered softly to herself, "Why does my mom tell you everything? It's one thing to tell you where I eat, but she even tells you who I'm with."

Xie Zhiyan smiled faintly and remained silent.

When he drove over, he already saw several men standing next to Ning Yuxuan and Tao You.

Especially the two men, who squeezed on either side of Ning Yuxuan, like two door gods.

Based on Ning Yuxuan's tone on the phone, Xie Zhiyan quickly guessed the whole story.

Xie Zhiyan ignored the others and asked Ning Yuxuan, "Shall we set off immediately?"

Ning Yuxuan didn't hesitate: "Let's set off now."

At first, she had the leisure to watch the two men undermine each other, just for fun.

But during the time she had been waiting at the door after coming downstairs, the two men had been making so much noise that her ears hurt, and now she couldn't wait to get away from them.

Ning Yuxuan patted Tao You on the back to bring her back to her senses: "Come on, let's both sit in the back seat, you get in first."

Tao You: "...Oh, okay!"

After Tao You got in first, Ning Yuxuan straightened her skirt and prepared to get in the car as well.

Shen Chipeng: "Taro—"

A cold, piercing gaze fell upon them.

Even though it was late at night and people's expressions were hard to see clearly, Shen Chipeng felt a chill inexplicably and didn't even dare to finish calling Ning Yuxuan's name.

For some reason, he had a feeling that if he continued to try to keep Ning Yuxuan, this man would make things difficult for him tomorrow.

Chu Bowen looked ashen-faced.

The sense of superiority he had painstakingly gained from the demolition compensation has now been shattered by the car in front of him.

He couldn't help but wonder what kind of mocking attitude Ning Yuxuan had towards him when he was showing off his new car and watch.

...

The car started and slowly drove away from the square.

Tao You and Ning Yuxuan sat together in the back seat, curiously observing the interior of the car.

After getting into the car, Tao You had just as many questions in her mind as before, but because of the person in the driver's seat, she didn't dare to ask them immediately.

Ning Yuxuan asked the question she had wanted to ask earlier: "You changed your car? I didn't even recognize it as your car at first."

Xie Zhiyan used to drive that bronze Bentley, and Ning Yuxuan subconsciously went to look for that car this time, but she didn't expect him to have changed to another one.

Xie Zhiyan's voice came from the driver's seat: "When it's for business entertainment, the driver usually drives this car."

Ning Yuxuan remembered: "Oh, I haven't asked you yet. When I called you, didn't you say you were talking about work?"

Therefore, she didn't have high hopes that Xie Zhiyan would come to pick her up immediately, and she was prepared to deal with those men a few more times.

I didn't expect him to arrive so quickly.

Xie Zhiyan's tone remained calm: "It was originally at a dinner party."

Ning Yuxuan: "So you just came over like that?"

Listening to the two chatting like this, Tao You seemed to be sitting quietly and indifferently, but in reality, her eyes were darting around and her ears were already perked up.

No way, could Xuanxuan's husband be one of those domineering CEOs who would spend a fortune and abandon a multi-million dollar project to be a hero and save his wife?

Xie Zhiyan said calmly, "I wasn't the main person at that dinner party; I was just there to show my support. Besides—"

The man paused, then glanced at Ning Yuxuan through the rearview mirror in the car.

He said meaningfully, "It's rare for you to invite me so sincerely, I can't refuse."

Ning Yuxuan's cheeks felt slightly warm.

She knew he was referring to that unexpected "husband".

She felt no pressure calling him over the phone, but now that the man was bringing it up to her face with such implications, she still felt a little uncomfortable.

Tao You overheard their conversation, and her gossip-loving heart burned brightly—

So it wasn't out of a fit of rage for a woman that he abandoned his important work to pick her up.

But is this really Xuanxuan's husband? It sounds like their relationship isn't so simple.

As Tao You was thinking, she suddenly heard Ning Yuxuan call her name, and she jumped up: "Huh? I'm here! What's up?"

Ning Yuxuan found it somewhat amusing: "As I just said, I haven't had a chance to introduce you yet. This is my boyfriend, his surname is Xie."

As soon as she finished speaking, she immediately felt the man glance at her again through the rearview mirror.

Ning Yuxuan remained unmoved.

She hadn't even told her mother about their marriage, so it was already quite good that she could give Tao You the title of "boyfriend."

After Ning Yuxuan finished speaking, Tao You blinked and greeted her politely, "Hello, Mr. Xie! I am Xuanxuan's former roommate and also her best friend, Tao You."

Ning Yuxuan smiled and said, "She's still my best friend now."

Tao You chuckled.

Tao You was a little intimidated by the man's imposing aura just now.

However, Ning Yuxuan's presence eased her tension considerably, and the fact that she couldn't see the man's face made her feel much more relaxed.

After thinking for a moment, Tao You whispered in Ning Yuxuan's ear, "So you two are just boyfriend and girlfriend, not married yet?"

Ning Yuxuan: "We haven't had the wedding yet."

That's not a lie.

However, in Tao You's view, Ning Yuxuan and this Mr. Xie had already reached the point of discussing marriage, their relationship was very deep, and all that was missing was to hold a formal wedding banquet.

Tao You: "You should have said so earlier! Maybe our wedding dates would be around the same time! So, do you have any ideas now? When would you like to have the wedding? Where would you like to hold it?"

Overwhelmed with excitement, Tao You lost control of her voice. When she realized the man in front of her could hear her, she belatedly felt embarrassed.

Ning Yuxuan thought to herself that she had no intention of having a wedding at all.

She cleared her throat: "My boyfriend is quite busy with work, right?"

Xie Zhiyan replied casually, "I am busy, but we still have time to hold the wedding. The specific date will depend on Xuanxuan's wishes."

Ning Yuxuan: "..."

It sounds so real.

Ning Yuxuan glared silently in Xie Zhiyan's direction, but the man didn't look at her again, so she had no way to convey her dissatisfaction.

The newly opened shopping mall isn't far from where I'm eating; it's only a ten-minute drive away.

The car stopped at the entrance of the mall, and Ning Yuxuan and Tao You got out.

Xie Zhiyan also got out of the driver's seat and called out to Ning Yuxuan: "Xuanxuan."

Seeing this, Tao You immediately said tactfully before Ning Yuxuan could speak, "You two talk first! I'm a little thirsty, I'll go to the mall and buy two cups of milk tea!"

He then quickly slipped away.

Ning Yuxuan watched Tao You's fast-running figure and remained silent for a second.

In the past, whenever she encountered undesirable suitors at school, Tao You was always the first to stand in front of her, refusing to leave even when told to.

Things have really changed now.

Xie Zhiyan walked over: "Xuanxuan."

Ning Yuxuan glanced at him: "What are you doing?"

She was still angry about the time he made inappropriate remarks in the car.

Ning Yuxuan said with dissatisfaction, "When Tao You asked earlier, you just went along with what I said and said that you were too busy with work, so we weren't planning to have a wedding."

Xie Zhiyan looked at her silently.

Ning Yuxuan looked up: "Why aren't you saying anything?"

Located in the city center, the colorful neon lights shone on the man, but did not affect his cool and aloof demeanor in the slightest.

However, Xie Zhiyan's expression was much gentler than usual at this moment: "You really don't want to have a wedding?"

Ning Yuxuan was slightly taken aback.

Xie Zhiyan looked into her eyes: "After we tell our families about our marriage, we can have a grand wedding if you want. It can be in any country, city, or time you like."

The man spoke slowly and in a calm voice.

For some reason, Ning Yuxuan could detect a hint of seriousness in his tone.

It was as if he was making a promise to her.

As if in response to Xie Zhiyan's words, the red and green sign that had been flashing in the distance suddenly changed color to a soft, warm yellow, making the man's expression appear even gentler.

Ning Yuxuan felt something throbbing inside her chest.

From the moment she agreed to marry Xie Zhiyan, she was prepared to never have a wedding for the rest of her life.

When Ning Yuxuan was a child, she once found a videotape of her mother's wedding and played it on TV.

In my memory, my mother looked absolutely stunning in her wedding dress, her smile radiant, and she was glowing with happiness.

The father was also handsome and dashing; anyone who saw them would think the two were a perfect match.

But this did not prevent her mother and father's marriage from lasting less than ten years.

Perhaps for this reason, Ning Yuxuan never looked forward to her wedding.

But at this moment, looking at the man gazing intently at her, Ning Yuxuan hesitated.

Perhaps sensing her complicated feelings, Xie Zhiyan took another step closer.

"So, Xuanxuan," he asked her, "have you made up your mind?"