Unmatched Chapter 17
by—Xie Qi was surprisingly busy.
Zhao Shuyi stayed in his office all morning and personally witnessed him continuously processing documents. When he finally had a moment to rest, his secretary immediately called him away for a meeting.
Bored, Zhao Shuyi picked a magazine from the bookshelf to pass the time. But his attention was scattered; he couldn’t focus on the text, and after flipping a few pages, his mind wandered.
In truth, regarding Xie Qi’s past, it wasn’t that Zhao Shuyi “didn’t remember this or that,” but rather that the memories were numerous, messy, fragmented, and trivial:
For example, he and Xie Qi were once desk mates. They drew a boundary line on the desk, but Xie Qi deliberately crossed it every day and refused to admit it;
For example, he once wore the same shirt as Xie Qi, and when classmates teased them about wearing “couple jackets,” Xie Qi immediately stripped off his shirt and falsely accused, “Zhao Shuyi, you copycat”;
And another time, on his birthday, Xie Qi gave him a gift. When he opened the box, an electric simulation snake jumped out. Zhao Shuyi, unprepared, was startled, and Xie Qi, having successfully pulled a prank, laughed uncontrollably until Zhao Shuyi gave him a good beating…
Similar small incidents were countless, happening almost every day in the past. It was impossible for Zhao Shuyi to remember them all, but countless vague impressions coalesced into the single thought: “Xie Qi has a vendetta against me.”
At least, Zhao Shuyi believed this until they got married.
But now that they had reconciled, Zhao Shuyi looked back and realized those past events couldn’t really be called a “vendetta”; they were even a little funny.
All these years later, Xie Qi still hadn’t matured much. It was a wonder he could maintain such a respectable facade at the company. Truly worthy of being the “male celebrity” who frequently topped entertainment headlines—his acting skills were superb.
Zhao Shuyi idly flipped through the magazine when he suddenly heard a knock on the door.
He looked up, puzzled. If Xie Qi had finished his meeting and returned, he wouldn’t knock. But who else would come? Didn’t the secretary stop them?
Zhao Shuyi adopted a commanding air, regardless of who the visitor was: “Come in.”
As soon as he spoke, the office door was pushed open a crack. The visitor’s body was hidden, but a head peeked in first—long hair, sneaky yet playful. It was a girl.
Zhao Shuyi was momentarily stunned: “Xie Yuran?”
The other person was also surprised to see him: “Brother Shuyi?”
“…”
The two stared at each other. Xie Yuran glanced at the empty chair behind the desk, closed the door, and walked in, smiling. “You came to the company? What is this, an inspection of my brother’s work?”
Xie Yuran was one year younger than Xie Qi, twenty-four this year, but her style of dress and makeup made her look eighteen—very youthful and cute.
The last time Zhao Shuyi saw her was at the engagement party. There were many people then, and he was immersed in the shock of learning the truth, so he didn’t pay attention to others. He had no impression of what she was wearing or where she was sitting that day. Thinking back to the misunderstanding before the engagement, he felt a little awkward.
Zhao Shuyi didn’t show it, offering a polite smile. “I was bored, so I came to look around. Xie Qi is in a meeting, but he should be done soon.”
Xie Yuran said, “No rush. I don’t have anything serious to talk to him about anyway, just catching up.”
She put down her handbag and sat on the sofa opposite Zhao Shuyi. Being so close, she seemed a little shy about meeting his gaze. After a few seconds, she stood up, fidgeting like she had ADHD, looking around the room, touching things randomly. Suddenly, she walked up to the desk, picked up the internal phone, and told the secretary, “Wanwan, I need two coffees.”
She sounded very practiced.
It seemed her current relationship with Xie Qi wasn’t as bad as the rumors suggested.
The secretary quickly made the coffee and brought it in, one cup for Zhao Shuyi.
Xie Yuran sat back down across from him, took a sip, and started making small talk. “Ugh, still tastes this bad.”
“…” Zhao Shuyi chuckled softly but didn’t respond. He and Xie Yuran hadn’t been close for a long time; there wasn’t much to talk about.
But she seemed to be used to his aloofness, just like in school, and could carry on a conversation by herself. “Brother Shuyi, how are you and my brother getting along lately? He hasn’t made you angry, has he?”
Before Zhao Shuyi could answer, the office door opened.
Xie Qi finished his meeting and strode toward them. He picked up the coffee Zhao Shuyi had just been drinking, frowned, and drank most of the cup. Still not quenched, he instructed the secretary behind him, “Get me a glass of water.” Then he turned to Xie Yuran. “What nonsense are you talking about? Why would I make him angry?”
“Oh my,” Xie Yuran laughed sarcastically, “then you’ve really improved.”
Xie Qi said, “Stop wasting time. What do you want? Speak.”
He sat down next to Zhao Shuyi. He seemed unhappy about the meeting he just left, and residual anger lingered on him.
Zhao Shuyi leaned lazily against the sofa, continuing to flip through the magazine, letting the siblings talk among themselves.
He heard Xie Yuran say, “I want to promote someone. Can you invest some money in that movie for me, Ge—”
She called him affectionately, but Xie Qi didn’t buy it. He said coldly, “You want to promote another pretty boy? I told you long ago, stop throwing money at them. Don’t you ever learn?”
Xie Yuran pouted. “Aren’t you always throwing yourself at someone? Do they even care about you?”
Zhao Shuyi raised his eyes at that, glancing at Xie Qi. The latter looked as if a sore spot had been poked. His expression changed, and he pointed a finger at Xie Yuran, feigning composure. “You, get out. Not a single penny.”
“Oh, I was just kidding!” Xie Yuran’s face fell, looking pitiful. “Just invest a little, please! I’m serious this time. He’s my last boyfriend for the summer!”
Zhao Shuyi: “…”
How many were there in total?
Xie Yuran kept badgering him. Xie Qi, thoroughly annoyed, finally nodded, warning her, “Last time.”
“Mhm, last time.”
Xie Yuran was delighted. She looked at Xie Qi with smiling, curved eyes, then looked at Zhao Shuyi. She seemed about to say something, but Xie Qi quickly interrupted. “Go find your boyfriend. Don’t be an eyesore here.”
“Alright, alright, I won’t be a third wheel.” She picked up her bag, said goodbye to Zhao Shuyi, and skipped out the door, light on her feet.
Once the door closed, Zhao Shuyi withdrew his gaze and remarked, “Your sister is much cuter than she was when she was little.”
Xie Qi seemed slightly displeased. “You like that type?”
“No, I was just giving an objective assessment.”
Zhao Shuyi tossed aside the magazine he hadn’t read a single page of. After the morning’s settling, he was in a much better mood and even felt like teasing Xie Qi. “What did she say just now? Which female celebrity did you throw yourself at?”
“Who said it was a female celebrity? Don’t jump to conclusions. Aren’t you bored?”
Xie Qi’s gaze shifted from Zhao Shuyi’s eyes, drifting down to his lips, then further down, sweeping past his collarbone and disappearing into the depths of his shirt collar.
His intention was obvious, and Zhao Shuyi saw through it immediately.
“Xie Qi,” Zhao Shuyi tugged on his tie. “If you want to do it, be proactive. It’s not impossible in your office.”
“…Are you sure?”
“Are you scared?”
Zhao Shuyi was partly joking, teasing him half-heartedly. But Xie Qi took it completely seriously. He pressed down on the hand that was hooking his tie and leaned in. “I’m afraid your legs will be too weak to walk downstairs later.”
Zhao Shuyi scoffed. “The new driver has learned to brag.”
Before the words were finished, his lips were fiercely bitten.
Xie Qi couldn’t stand any mockery from him; he was like a firecracker, exploding at the slightest touch. There were no aids in the office, so Xie Qi actually used the unfinished latte on the desk to help.
Zhao Shuyi was pressed entirely into the sofa. From the direction of the door, one could only see his messy hair and one arm tightly gripping the edge of the sofa.
The first time was awkward, the second time was familiar. Today, Xie Qi was both considerate and knew how to torment him.
The coffee had a lot of milk and sugar, making it sticky. Zhao Shuyi felt a slight discomfort, but he couldn’t distinguish whether it was pain or pleasure. In a daze, he felt the sweetness penetrate his lungs, sweeping away the gloom of his day. Relaxing his body and mind, he raised his hand, hooked Xie Qi’s neck, and initiated a kiss.
Xie Qi wasn’t skilled at foreplay, but he had many demands. At a crucial moment, he suddenly said, “Zhao Shuyi, can you put some effort into this? Don’t forget what our relationship is.”
“What’s wrong?” Zhao Shuyi didn’t understand why he suddenly emphasized it.
“I’m your husband,” Xie Qi said, dissatisfied. “What kind of tone was that just now? When you mentioned that female celebrity, didn’t you feel jealous at all?”
“…”
So, he was supposed to be jealous.
Zhao Shuyi was very cooperative. Hearing this, he struggled to prop himself up, reversing their positions and pinning Xie Qi beneath him.
Taking the initiative, he lowered his head close to Xie Qi’s face and said, very much in character, “I know. Even if you threw yourself at others before, you only have me now, right?”
His attitude was almost severe. Xie Qi’s entire body tensed up, and a certain vein pulsed fiercely.
Zhao Shuyi cupped his face and kissed him delicately, as if he truly minded. “Xie Qi, you’re not allowed to like anyone else.”
“I don’t like anyone else.”
“Mhm, say you like me.”
Zhao Shuyi kissed him again, and again. “Say it. Say you like me.”
“…”
Xie Qi couldn’t speak at all. He lost control for a moment and finished inside Zhao Shuyi’s body.
“…I like you.” When Zhao Shuyi’s waist trembled and he finally went limp, Xie Qi completed his task, offering a declaration of affection.
—The tone was unnatural, the acting was clumsy, and his eyes were shifty.
But Zhao Shuyi didn’t dwell on it. He stayed pressed against Xie Qi, refusing to get up. Closing his eyes sleepily, he said, “I’m hungry. Call someone to send food up.”