The Marriage Partner Is The Villain Boss Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Xu Zhiyi habitually woke up at six-thirty.

Her jet lag hadn’t fully worn off yet; her head felt heavy and a slight throbbing pain pulsed in her temples, so much so that she nearly forgot her umbrella when she left.

A fine, dense drizzle cast a haze over the sky. The clouds were tinged with gray edges, sinking into darkness in an instant.

“I’m downstairs at your place.”

Pei Qingyan had woken up even earlier than her; the message had been sent at six o’clock.

Xu Zhiyi stared blankly at the dimming screen for a moment. By some strange impulse, she poured a few more coffee beans into the machine, letting the rather old-looking coffee maker brew a second cup.

—She wondered if Pei Qingyan had eaten breakfast yet.

As she walked down the stairs, memories of their student days surfaced in her mind—how the two of them would wait expectantly for the hot soy milk to cool down just enough to sneak in an extra spoonful of sugar.

But she didn’t know when a cup of bitter coffee had become enough.

Screech—

A black sedan pulled up in front of her. It wasn’t a prohibitively expensive luxury car, but rather an economical model commonly seen on the streets.

Xu Zhiyi’s lips curved slightly as she opened the rear door. Sure enough, the woman was already waiting there. The driver sat upright and professional, remaining silent to give them space to talk.

“Here, this is for you.”

She took a moment to avoid getting lost in the other woman’s gaze, which was cool yet held a hint of warmth. When Pei Qingyan wasn’t smiling, she always carried the decisive, ruthless air of the business world, making her seem unapproachable. It was for this very reason that her moments of softness were so striking.

“Thanks, I happen to be a bit thirsty.”

The cup was accepted without ceremony. Seeing that the other woman was about to gulp it down, Xu Zhiyi couldn’t help but tug at her sleeve to stop her. “It’s still hot.”

“…Mm.”

Pei Qingyan seemed to daze for a moment, staring restlessly at the rising steam. After a moment, she took a tentative sip and immediately gave her feedback: “It’s delicious.”

“It’s because the beans you bought are good.” Xu Zhiyi looked away, but she couldn’t retract the natural smile that had reached her eyes.

The keys to the old house had been delivered under Aunt Fang’s name, but in reality, Pei Qingyan had handled everything. The woman knew full well that if she had used her own name, Xu Zhiyi would never have accepted them.

But it was undeniable that the renovation and furnishings were satisfying and thoughtfully done. Especially that rabbit plushie—it perfectly filled the void left by her insomnia at night.

“What time do you get off work?”

“Six o’clock.” Unlike her previous evasiveness, Xu Zhiyi didn’t hesitate for long and gave a precise answer.

She knew the other woman was always skilled at keeping things organized.

Like a master hunter, she would silently set trap after trap without disturbing a single blade of grass. By the time the prey realized something was wrong, there would be no room left to escape.

Then there was that agreement to “try getting along for a month.”

During a red light, her peripheral vision wavered before inevitably landing on the woman beside her. When Pei Qingyan wasn’t smiling, she appeared very cold, possessing the unique pressure of someone in a high position. That invisible aura of dominance was even stronger than it had been six years ago.

Inadvertently, Xu Zhiyi caught sight of the coffee cup in the woman’s hand, which was now empty. In an instant, her wandering thoughts snapped back. She bit her lip, suppressing the turbulent emotions in her heart.

“We’re here.”

A low, gentle voice sounded in her ear, unhurried. “Could you spare a bit more time for me tonight?”

Xu Zhiyi looked up, meeting the woman’s eyes which were calm yet held a hidden heat, like tiny sparks flickering intensely where she couldn’t see. For a moment, her blood flow quickened. Her lips moved, but she couldn’t find a proper response that suited their current relationship.

“It seems I can’t park here for too long.” Pei Qingyan didn’t seem intent on forcing an answer from her. She skillfully saw her off and watched her walk away, just like countless other partings before.