Chapter 446 You're treating me like a gigolo?
After wiping the table, Zhou Mubin straightened up and casually tossed the rag into a basin by the kitchen door. When he turned around, his face showed a hint of composure at being exposed, along with a subtle smugness.
"What do you mean by 'take it down'? We're going in both directions."
"Pfft..." Xu Chenghao had just picked up the water glass on the table and taken a sip when he heard this, so he spat it out and quickly grabbed a tissue to wipe his mouth. "Seriously, Brother Zhou, when did you become so mushy?"
He turned to look at Cui Xiao, trying to find the answer on her face, "Cui Xiao, tell me, is what he said true or false?"
Cui Xiao's cheeks flushed instantly, and the water glass in her hand wobbled slightly, splashing a few drops of warm water onto the back of her hand.
She glared at Zhou Mubin, but her tone was cold, "You believe him just because he's talking nonsense?"
Zhou Mubin walked to her side, his eyes affectionate, and said, "I didn't just say it casually."
After saying that, he looked at Xu Chenghao with possessive eyes, "From now on, Cui Xiao will be my fiancée. We will be having a wedding soon, and I must give her a big red envelope."
Xu Chenghao's gaze swept between the two of them, finally settling on Zhou Mubin. "Then I wish you both a long and happy marriage."
Xu Chenghao tilted his head back and drank the warm water in his glass in one gulp. After putting down the glass, he tactfully patted Zhou Mubin on the shoulder, his eyes darting between the two of them. "Alright, I won't disturb you two's time together. I'll be going now."
Xu Chenghao walked briskly towards the entrance, turning back to wave as he opened the door. The sound of the door closing was as light as a feather falling to the ground, leaving the living room entirely to the two of them.
As soon as the door closed, Zhou Mubin's smile never faded, and even his eyes shimmered with a subtle light, like they were filled with the warm sunshine of spring.
He didn't rush to speak. He first went to the window and pulled the half-open curtains closer to avoid the glaring sunlight shining directly on Cui Xiao before tiptoeing to the sofa.
He half-squatted in front of Cui Xiao, maintaining a distance that wouldn't make her feel pressured. His outstretched hand paused in mid-air before he cautiously reached out to take her hand, his tone unusually gentle and ingratiating, "Xu Chenghao was here just now, so I didn't dare to ask too much. Does it still hurt?"
His breath was light and gentle as he spoke, carrying a faint scent of tobacco, but it wasn't pungent.
Cui Xiao, however, seemed to have been burned, and subtly moved to the inside of the sofa to avoid his touch.
She instinctively hugged the pillow in her arms even tighter. The pillow still retained the warmth of the sun, but it couldn't warm her slightly cool fingertips.
Her tone was indifferent, as if she were answering a trivial question, "It's much better now."
After speaking, she fixed her gaze on the water glass on the coffee table. The water in the white porcelain glass was still steaming, and fine water droplets were condensed on the glass. She didn't even lift her eyelids, deliberately avoiding his overly intense gaze.
The joy in his eyes was so intense that it made her feel somewhat at a loss.
Zhou Mubin's smile faded slightly, but the light in his eyes didn't go out; instead, it seemed as if he had found a new topic to discuss.
Undeterred, he sat down on the soft carpet, leaned forward slightly, looked up at her, his eyes filled with undisguised anticipation. "Since you didn't deny our relationship just now, I'll take that as a yes."
He chuckled to himself, his fingertips unconsciously drawing circles on the carpet as he began to plan for the future. "By the way, what kind of wedding do you like? Western or Chinese? I think a beach wedding would be nice. Find a private beach, decorate it with white gauze and seashells, and exchange vows in the evening breeze, with the sunset and waves as the backdrop. How romantic!"
He became more and more engrossed in his speech, his tone filled with a sweet anticipation: "We'll invite our close friends over then. It doesn't have to be too lively, just a cozy atmosphere."
“Zhou Mubin.” Cui Xiao finally turned to look at him, but her eyes were devoid of any warmth, like a frozen lake in winter, and even her voice was as cold as ice shards, “I will not marry you.”
These words were spoken clearly and decisively, without the slightest hesitation, as if announcing a fact that had already been decided.
The air in the living room froze instantly, and even the occasional birdsong from outside the window disappeared, leaving only the ticking of the wall clock, which made people feel heavy-hearted.
Zhou Mubin's smile froze instantly, as if someone had poured a bucket of ice water over his head, and even the light in his eyes was extinguished.
He remained frozen, head held high, for a full three seconds before slowly coming to his senses. The smile on his lips gradually faded, and his tone was filled with disbelief, urgency, and a hint of barely perceptible panic. "What did you say?"
He leaned closer, trying to find a trace of joking on her face. "When Xu Chenghao asked you just now, you didn't deny it, so I thought... I thought you were willing."
His voice grew softer and softer, the last few words sounding like a sigh.
"You think I'm agreeing?"
Cui Xiao interrupted him without hesitation, a faint sneer curling at the corner of her lips. The sneer wasn't directed at him, but rather at her own momentary wavering. "I'm just too lazy to explain to Xu Chenghao. With his personality, the more you explain, the more complicated it gets. I don't want him to think there's some unspeakable entanglement between us."
She paused, took a deep breath, and met Zhou Mubin's hurt gaze.
The disappointment in her eyes was like needles pricking her, but she hardened her heart and her tone remained unyielding, "Zhou Mubin, I never said I wanted to be your girlfriend, let alone think about marrying you. What happened between us was just an interlude caused by last night's accident, so don't overthink it."
Zhou Mubin's face gradually darkened, his initial disappointment turning into an indescribable solemnity. The joy and anticipation he had felt earlier vanished, leaving only a heart full of absurdity and bitterness.
He stared at Cui Xiao's cold profile, remained silent for a long time, his Adam's apple bobbing several times before he finally spoke with difficulty, his voice hoarse and suppressed.
"In your eyes, our relationship was just an insignificant accident?"
Cui Xiao remained calm and clear-headed. "Otherwise what? Zhou Mubin, we are both adults. There's no need to trap each other because of an accident."
Zhou Mubin curled the corners of his mouth, but the smile didn't reach his eyes; his expression was chillingly cold.
Suddenly, he sprang up and pinned Cui Xiao to the sofa, staring intently at her. "You think I'd let you get away with this for free? Don't I have any dignity?"
The veins on the back of Zhou Mubin's hands were bulging, but he still suppressed the rage in his blood and tried his best to calm himself down.
Cui Xiao leaned back on the sofa, looked up and met his dark eyes, and said, word by word, "I won't take advantage of you for free. Lawyer Zhou, name your price, and I'll pay."
Zhou Mubin was so angry he almost laughed. "Ha, you think I'm a gigolo?"
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