The Marriage Partner Is The Villain Boss Chapter 1

Chapter 1

The plane taxied slowly on the runway, the engines’ massive roar humming in her ears.

Xu Zhiyi took off her U-shaped travel pillow and rested her chin on her hand, tilting her head to observe the completely unfamiliar terminal before her.

Six years.

From the moment she rejected her family’s arrangements and stubbornly went abroad to pursue her dreams until now, a full six years had passed.

It wasn’t exactly a long time, but it wasn’t short either. If her mentor hadn’t recommended her to a domestic research institute to continue working on a new project, she likely wouldn’t have chosen to return so easily.

Coming back… what was the point?

Xu Zhiyi blinked her dry eyes as the past flashed before her like a revolving lantern.

Growing up, her life had been smooth sailing without any major setbacks. She even had a fiancé she had grown up with as childhood sweethearts, and they had treated each other with mutual respect. Unfortunately, at the wedding, he had abandoned her without a hint of regret to elope with his boyfriend, leaving a room full of guests to whisper amongst themselves.

That public cancellation of the wedding triggered an impact within the family no less than a tsunami. In an instant, the rumors surrounding her became increasingly outrageous. Even though it was the fault of her scumbag fiancé, she was the one who ended up being discussed the most.

Xu Zhiyi, exhausted from dealing with the finger-pointing, decided to go abroad to escape the storm. Of course, there was one other person who truly pushed her to make the final decision to leave.

Beep beep!

As soon as she turned on her phone, a flood of messages poured in.

She first sent messages to her friends across the ocean to let them know she had arrived safely, and only then did she open the family group chat.

Unsurprisingly, there were only a few brief sentences telling her to go straight home after she arrived.

“…Still the same as ever.”

Xu Zhiyi gave a self-deprecating smile and locked her phone screen. To some extent, this place felt more like a foreign land where she had no kin.

Fortunately, she was used to it. After drifting for years, she was no longer that little girl whose heart would freeze over her family’s snobbery.

She pulled up the phone number for the pickup driver. While asking if he had arrived, she followed the crowd toward the exit.

After a sixteen-hour flight, she was so tired she only wanted to find a place to get a good night’s sleep.

…

“One Americano, please.”

Taking off her sunglasses, Xu Zhiyi took the coffee and took a small sip.

Bitterness quickly occupied her taste buds. Her expression remained indifferent as she kept walking toward the exit without stopping.

The sunlight cast countless reflections on the floor, dazzling yet blurred.

She shouldn’t have held any expectations, but when she saw that familiar tall figure, Xu Zhiyi felt as if something had suddenly exploded in her mind.

Her body stiffened, and she could only watch as the other woman walked toward her step by step.

“You’re back.” The woman made no effort to hide the surprise in her eyes. She took the initiative to grab Xu Zhiyi’s small suitcase and asked in a low voice, “Is this all?”

“Yes.”

Xu Zhiyi lowered her gaze and took her luggage back. “I don’t have much. There’s no need for President Pei to trouble herself.”

Her refusal was firm and her attitude cold, which was like pouring a bucket of cold water over Pei Qingyan. However, no matter how cold it was, it was instantly evaporated by the woman’s passion.

“Let me give you a ride,” the woman said, softening her tone. “I took the afternoon off, and I’ve already spoken to your parents…”

“No need.”

Xu Zhiyi bit her lip and took a step back, deliberately distancing herself. “I’ve already booked a car.”

Even though six years had passed, Xu Zhiyi still felt a sense of powerlessness when facing her again. This feeling seemed to reach deep into her bones, stirring up memories she didn’t want to recall.

“Then cancel it. I’ll pay for the fee.”

Pei Qingyan stood before her relentlessly, her phoenix eyes full of earnestness, as if she wouldn’t stop until she achieved her goal.

“…”

After six years, this person’s temperament was exactly the same.

Xu Zhiyi sighed softly and lifted her eyes slightly, meeting those eyes that were shining brightly because of her.

“It’s not necessary, thank you.”

She deliberately ignored the hand the other woman tried to wrap around her arm, bypassed the woman whose expression had changed drastically, and walked toward the parking lot.

—What should be broken should have been cut clean long ago.

If possible, Xu Zhiyi would rather have never known her in the first place, so she wouldn’t have been dragged into all the subsequent drama.

But she still underestimated the other woman’s determination.

Just as she sat in the car, the woman followed her in and said to the driver with a natural expression, “Master, go to No. 26, XX District.”

Hearing the familiar address, Xu Zhiyi’s desire to kick her out of the car faded. She hadn’t planned on going straight home anyway; other than a hotel, her only place to stay was the place where she grew up.

Of course, Pei Qingyan had also grown up in that same compound.

To be precise, they used to be friends who shared everything. That deep friendship had lasted until the night her fiancé called off the wedding.

“This is a gift to celebrate your return.”

The woman’s gentle, low voice sounded in her ear, interrupting her dazed memories.

“Thank you, but I didn’t prepare a gift for you.”

Clutching the beautifully packaged small box in her palm, Xu Zhiyi sighed in her heart. The other woman had calculated perfectly that she wouldn’t reject her outright in public.

Pei Qingyan knew her, just as she knew Pei Qingyan.

Six years ago, there were no secrets between them—or perhaps, that was just her wishful thinking. If she had discovered Pei Qingyan’s feelings for her earlier…

Xu Zhiyi looked out the window, not hearing clearly what the woman said next.

“I’m tired.”

She closed her eyes, refusing to converse further.

She felt the gentle weight of a blanket on her knees and heard a whispered instruction to the driver to turn down the air conditioning. For some reason, Xu Zhiyi felt a tearing pain in her heart.

Six years ago, she had abandoned everything just to barely escape, but now, after just one meeting, she already felt exhausted and powerless.

Click.

The gift box dropped into her handbag. The ring inside made a crisp sound, which was drowned out a second later by the rising cacophony of car horns outside.