It couldn’t really be called a love confession, yet Ning Yuxuan’s heartbeat suddenly quickened.
She pressed her lips together and turned her face away from him. "You make it sound so sweet, but isn’t it just because Auntie Zheng happens to like me? Marrying me is just the easiest way for you to settle things."
Xie Zhiyan: "It’s not just her who likes you."
Ning Yuxuan’s steps faltered.
In the quiet air, she could hear her own heart pounding wildly.
Ning Yuxuan murmured, "...I hate it when people only say half of what they mean."
A low chuckle sounded beside her ear.
"It’s not just her who likes you," Xie Zhiyan’s voice was slightly hoarse. "I like you too."
...
In an instant, all the blood rushed to her cheeks.
It was just the word "like"—something she’d heard countless times from others since childhood.
Yet Ning Yuxuan felt her face burning so fiercely that it was almost frightening. Fortunately, the sky had darkened, and the man probably couldn’t see the change in her expression.
Two seconds later, Ning Yuxuan abruptly quickened her pace, nearly breaking into a jog as she headed toward the brightly lit supermarket ahead.
She didn’t look back to see Xie Zhiyan’s reaction, but from the sound of footsteps, he was following her the whole way.
When she reached the supermarket entrance and turned around, Xie Zhiyan was indeed right behind her.
Seeing her glance back, Xie Zhiyan met her gaze with leisurely composure.
As if saying: Why run so fast?
Ning Yuxuan: "..."
She decisively turned away and stepped up into the supermarket.
The small supermarket in the villa district usually didn’t get many customers, and the owner, Auntie Zhong, typically managed it herself.
About two months ago, word had it that Auntie Zhong had taken a fall and had been recuperating at home for a while.
During that time, her son had taken over the shop, barely greeting regular customers as he kept his head down, glued to his phone.
The last time Ning Yuxuan and Xie Zhiyan had come, it was the son at the checkout.
Today, however, Auntie Zhong was back in the store—her injuries must have finally healed enough.
Auntie Zhong, in her fifties, had run the shop in the villa district for over a decade. She knew all the regulars, and Ning Yuxuan usually exchanged a few words with her, calling her "Auntie Zhong."
When Ning Yuxuan walked in, Auntie Zhong greeted her with a smile. "Oh, Yuxuan! You came in such a hurry—your face is all red. No need to rush, dear. I won’t be closing for another hour."
Hearing this, Ning Yuxuan instinctively covered her cheeks, feeling the heat against her palms.
Though she couldn’t see the man’s expression behind her, she was certain he was laughing at her.
Ning Yuxuan replied, "No, it’s just the weather—it’s too stuffy and hot."
Auntie Zhong didn’t question it. "Well, then you’re in luck. The AC’s on in here—stay a while and cool down."
Ning Yuxuan nodded. "Mm. Auntie Zhong, are you fully recovered now?"
"Long since!" Auntie Zhong smiled warmly. "It was just a little bump—nothing serious at all. But my daughter insisted I stay home and rest longer. She only let me come back this week."
Ning Yuxuan: "You should still take it easy."
Auntie Zhong chuckled. "Will do. Now, go on and grab what you need. Let me know if you can’t find anything."
Ning Yuxuan: "I’ll just get some ice cream and drinks. Thanks, Auntie Zhong."
Before leaving home, she’d checked the fridge—aside from orange juice, most of the other drinks were nearly gone.
Ning Yuxuan headed straight for the chilled beverages to restock.
Xie Zhiyan followed at a leisurely pace, staying just behind her.
She picked up a bottle of tomato juice and a soda, then turned to find Xie Zhiyan standing beside her, holding a shopping basket.
Ning Yuxuan gave him a silent look before dropping both bottles into the basket.
Xie Zhiyan casually asked, "Not getting your usual brand of tomato juice? It’s right there."
He tilted his chin slightly toward the shelf where Ning Yuxuan’s preferred brand sat.
Ning Yuxuan shot him a glance. "No. I feel like trying something new."
Xie Zhiyan: "Alright."
She browsed a little longer, adding two more drinks and a carton of milk to the basket.
Once done, Ning Yuxuan glanced at the man again.
The ice cream freezer wasn’t far from the drinks section—just along the path they’d come.
But the supermarket’s aisles were narrow. If two people passed each other, they’d have to turn sideways to get by.
Ning Yuxuan lifted her chin slightly, signaling for Xie Zhiyan to move aside so she could go first.
Xie Zhiyan raised an eyebrow but obligingly shifted to the side.
As Ning Yuxuan brushed past his shoulder, she suddenly felt a slight tug on her skirt.
Looking down, she saw the hem of her dress caught on the shopping basket.
It was peak summer in Beicheng, and even at night, the air was thick with heat. She’d worn a new water-red dress out—a gauzy fabric that fell to mid-calf.
Ning Yuxuan tried to pull it free, but the fabric only twisted tighter around the basket.
She froze, caught in a dilemma.
Part of her wanted to yank it loose, but she couldn’t bear the thought of ruining the dress.
It wasn’t extravagantly priced—under four figures—but it was new, barely worn twice. If the delicate fabric tore, the whole dress would be unsalvageable.
Ning Yuxuan looked up at Xie Zhiyan.
The man met her gaze unhurriedly. "Need help?"
Ning Yuxuan glared at him: Now you ask?
Perhaps reading the irritation in her eyes, Xie Zhiyan’s lips curved faintly.
He leaned down slightly.
Thankfully, he didn’t wait for her to say "yes" before acting—otherwise, Ning Yuxuan might’ve snapped at him.
She watched as Xie Zhiyan worked.
His movements were deliberate, fingers carefully untangling the fabric from where it had snagged on the basket.
Now Ning Yuxuan could see the problem—the material had hooked onto one of the metal screws holding the basket’s handle in place. It would take precise maneuvering to free it, which explained why her earlier tugging hadn’t worked.
Xie Zhiyan wasn’t the type to take advantage. True to his word, his fingers only touched the exact spot where the dress was caught.
But no matter how proper his actions, the rest of the skirt inevitably shifted as well, brushing lightly against Ning Yuxuan’s calves with each adjustment.
The sensation made her skin tingle, but she forced herself to stay still.
Finally, after ten agonizing seconds, her dress was freed.
Xie Zhiyan straightened. "There."
Ning Yuxuan’s lips parted slightly before she managed a quiet "Thank you."
She turned and continued toward the ice cream freezer.
This time, she kept one hand pressed against her skirt to prevent it from catching on anything else—whether baskets or shelves.
The freezer held the usual selection. She picked out a few favorites and dropped them into Xie Zhiyan’s basket.
After a moment’s thought, she added, "I also want to grab some snacks for home."
Xie Zhiyan gave a slight nod. "This time, should I go first, or you?"
The man's voice was calm, carrying no particular undertone, yet Ning Yuxuan couldn't help but detect a hint of teasing amusement in his eyes.
He was definitely reminding her of the earlier incident where she had stubbornly tried to walk ahead of him, only for her skirt to get caught.
This time, Ning Yuxuan played it safe: "You go first."
Xie Zhiyan obliged, leading the way to another aisle lined with snacks.
Originally, they had come to the supermarket just for juice and ice cream—snacks were an unplanned addition.
Ning Yuxuan scanned the shelves, searching for something she might want to try.
After a moment, her gaze settled on a bag of shrimp crackers placed on the highest shelf.
She wasn’t short by any means, and after a quick assessment, she figured she could reach it if she stood on her tiptoes.
But remembering the skirt incident, she hesitated, smoothing the fabric of her dress before turning to Xie Zhiyan.
She really shouldn’t have worn this particular dress today.
This time, Xie Zhiyan didn’t ask if she needed help. Instead, he simply said, "Which one do you want?"
Ning Yuxuan pointed. "The orange bag of shrimp crackers on the very top. Just one is enough."
With his height advantage, Xie Zhiyan effortlessly reached up and retrieved it for her.
"Anything else?" he asked.
Ning Yuxuan decided to let him handle the rest, directing him to grab two more snacks for her.
Several large bottles of juice, five or six ice cream bars, and three bags of chips later, their shopping basket was nearly full.
Ning Yuxuan glanced at her "spoils" with satisfaction.
"Let’s go," she said to Xie Zhiyan. "Time to check out."
Noticing his gaze on her, she instinctively adjusted her skirt again and added, "You go first."
Once bitten, twice shy.
A flicker of amusement passed through Xie Zhiyan’s eyes as he walked ahead.
At the checkout counter, Xie Zhiyan began unloading the basket.
The shopkeeper, a cheerful woman, waved him off. "No need, no need—I’ll handle it!"
As she swiftly scanned the barcodes, she struck up a conversation with Ning Yuxuan. "Yuxuan, is this your boyfriend?"
Ning Yuxuan frowned slightly, sensing something off about the question.
Before she could figure it out, Xie Zhiyan answered for her: "I am."
The residential area wasn’t densely populated, and the supermarket was unusually quiet at this hour.
The shopkeeper, never one to stay silent, chatted merrily while scanning. "You’ve talked about your boyfriend so much—how tall and handsome he is, like he’s one in a million. After all that praise, I finally get to see him in person! And you weren’t exaggerating—he’s even more striking than I imagined."
Then it hit Ning Yuxuan.
She had talked to the shopkeeper about her boyfriend before—but back then, her "boyfriend" had been someone else entirely.
The shopkeeper was warm and friendly, always happy to chat with regulars in the neighborhood.
At the time, under the influence of the plot, Ning Yuxuan had been head over heels for Gu Yunhao, gushing about him to anyone who would listen. When she’d spoken to the shopkeeper, she’d showered Gu Yunhao with endless praise—"tall and handsome" and the like.
The shopkeeper probably didn’t follow entertainment news or social media trends, so she had no idea about the very public breakup between Ning Yuxuan and Gu Yunhao.
In her mind, Ning Yuxuan was still happily dating the same boyfriend she’d raved about months ago.
After all, back then, Ning Yuxuan had always acted utterly smitten, glossing over any flaws and painting their relationship as nothing short of perfect.
Anyone listening would’ve assumed they were a match made in heaven—no wonder the shopkeeper hadn’t expected them to break up just two months later.
Ning Yuxuan couldn’t exactly blurt out, Oh, that’s not the same guy—I’ve got a new boyfriend now.
Instead, she played along. "Of course. I have great taste in men."
The shopkeeper beamed. "Naturally! Our Yuxuan is the prettiest girl around—how could her boyfriend be anything less than perfect?"
As she spoke, she continued scanning. "Would you like one large bag or two medium ones? The large is fifty cents, the medium thirty."
Ning Yuxuan opted for the latter. "Two medium ones, please."
She breathed a quiet sigh of relief—at least the boyfriend topic was over.
If the shopkeeper had followed up with, What was his name again? Wasn’t it Gu something?—that would’ve been awkward.
"Coming right up!" the shopkeeper chirped, swiftly packing the items into two separate bags.
She slid the first one forward.
Xie Zhiyan took it without a word.
As she filled the second bag, the shopkeeper glanced up at Xie Zhiyan again, admiration in her tone.
"Tall boys really do have an advantage, don’t they, Yuxuan? My son’s only 175 cm—he doesn’t look nearly as dashing as your boyfriend. Didn’t you say your boyfriend was 183 cm?"
Ning Yuxuan froze.
Gu Yunhao was 183 cm.
Blame it on how easily "one-eight-three" rolled off the tongue—back then, she’d even thrown out exact numbers while praising him.
And the shopkeeper had a memory like a steel trap. Maybe it was a supermarket thing, but she’d somehow retained that random detail from months ago.
Thankfully, Xie Zhiyan looked a few centimeters taller than Gu Yunhao. If he’d been under 180 cm, the shopkeeper might’ve said, Young man, you don’t look 183 cm—did you lie about your height?
The mental image almost made Ning Yuxuan laugh despite herself.
She held it in, stealing a glance at Xie Zhiyan—hoping he hadn’t picked up on the discrepancy and simply assumed she’d misestimated his height.
But Xie Zhiyan gave her a knowing look.
That look told her he’d absolutely noticed something was off.
She considered just introducing him properly: This is my boyfriend, Xie Zhiyan. We’ve been together for a month.
It might be abrupt, but at least it would clear up any misunderstandings.
Before she could speak, Xie Zhiyan addressed the shopkeeper. "I’m 186 cm."
The shopkeeper nodded. "186 cm? Must’ve misremembered. Well, taller is better—matches our Yuxuan perfectly. Don’t you think?"
Xie Zhiyan smiled faintly. "I do."
Ning Yuxuan thought, He certainly doesn’t mind the compliments—taking them in stride.
The shopkeeper finished packing the chips into the second bag. "This one’s lighter—Yuxuan, you can carry this."
Ning Yuxuan was about to step forward when Xie Zhiyan reached out first and took the items from her.
"I'll handle it," he said.
The shop owner gave Xie Zhiyan an approving look. "What a fine young man—tall and kind-hearted."
Xie Zhiyan smiled. "My surname is Xie, Xie Zhiyan. You can call me Xiao Xie."
The shop owner visibly paused.
Her memory had always been sharp; even at sixty, she could match every item in her store to its price without fail.
She distinctly remembered this girl chatting with her several times about her boyfriend. She recalled clearly that the boyfriend’s surname was Gu, wasn’t it?
The name didn’t seem to match either.
Of course, no matter how puzzled she was, the shop owner wasn’t tactless enough to voice her confusion outright.
"Alright, Xiao Xie," she said warmly. "Do you live around here?"
Xie Zhiyan replied, "Not nearby. I’m visiting Yuxuan’s place today and came along to help her shop."
The shop owner beamed. "Then make sure to come back with Yuxuan next time! I’ll definitely remember your name by then."
Xie Zhiyan nodded. "Count on it."
After paying, Ning Yuxuan and Xie Zhiyan left the supermarket together.
When they had arrived, there was still a faint glimmer of daylight, but now the sky was completely dark.
Xie Zhiyan carried both shopping bags.
Ning Yuxuan glanced at him.
Earlier, she had been flustered by his sudden, almost confession-like words. But after the little exchange in the store, her restless emotions had settled somewhat.
Now, she was more curious whether Xie Zhiyan had picked up on the shop owner’s implication that the "boyfriend" she mentioned wasn’t him.
She fiddled with her fingers, unsure how to broach the subject.
If Xie Zhiyan hadn’t noticed anything amiss, bringing it up would be like admitting guilt unprompted.
As she hesitated, Xie Zhiyan turned to look at her.
Ning Yuxuan’s heart skipped. "What?"
Xie Zhiyan spoke evenly, "You and that shop owner must have talked about your boyfriend quite a bit before, hm?"
Ning Yuxuan: "..."
Of course. Someone as perceptive as Xie Zhiyan would never miss the shop owner’s mistaken assumption.
Clearing her throat, Ning Yuxuan replied, a little defensively, "Well, you saw for yourself—she’s incredibly friendly and chats with everyone. Naturally, when I shopped there, we’d talk about relationships, boyfriends, that sort of thing."
Xie Zhiyan’s gaze deepened. "Tall, with well-defined features, was it?"
Ning Yuxuan fell silent for a moment.
Objectively speaking, those descriptions weren’t just her "love-struck bias" at the time.
Gu Yunhao was over six feet tall and undeniably good-looking—after all, he was the male lead of a novel.
Softly, she said, "It wasn’t entirely inaccurate. Just an objective observation..."
Then she caught herself.
Why was Xie Zhiyan acting jealous?
Legally, they were married. To outsiders, they were a couple.
She had also sensed his feelings for her.
But aside from his vague "I like you" twenty minutes ago, he hadn’t formally confessed or asked her, "Will you be my girlfriend?"
What were they now?
Had their fake relationship blurred into reality without any clear transition?
Ning Yuxuan felt shortchanged.
The more she thought about it, the more justified she felt. She squared her shoulders and shot back, "When you proposed marriage, didn’t you already know about my past relationships? Why bring it up now?"
Back then, when she called him, his first question had been why she didn’t ask Gu Yunhao for help.
She didn’t want to explain that her feelings for Gu Yunhao had been influenced by the story’s plot.
It wasn’t about whether Xie Zhiyan would believe her.
That period was still part of her life. Even if the emotions were scripted, she had genuinely invested herself in that relationship.
She refused to disown her past.
Ning Yuxuan met Xie Zhiyan’s gaze steadily.
His eyes were inscrutable, emotions swirling beneath the surface.
Even though she’d convinced herself she wasn’t the one at fault, his stare inexplicably made her feel guilty again.
They were legally bound now—of course he’d feel uneasy hearing about her ex.
She bit her lip. "Fine, I won’t mention him again—"
Xie Zhiyan’s focus dropped to the small indentation her teeth left on her lower lip.
Then he leaned in, his cool scent enveloping her.
Just as his lips were about to meet hers, Ning Yuxuan abruptly stepped back.
Xie Zhiyan: "..."
In the quiet night, she could hear his heavy breathing—and her own, erratic and uneven.
Glancing at the shopping bags Xie Zhiyan had set on a nearby bench, she murmured, "We should head back. The ice cream will melt, and the juice needs refrigerating. Besides... my mom’s waiting."
Xie Zhiyan studied her silently, as if trying to see through her.
After a long pause, he finally said, "Alright. Let’s go."
Ning Yuxuan nodded.
The short walk home felt longer than ever.
When they arrived, Ning Fei came downstairs to greet them.
Xie Zhiyan’s expression gave nothing away, and Ning Fei noticed nothing amiss—only that her daughter seemed quieter than usual.
But since Yuxuan had dozed off on her shoulder earlier after two exhausting days of filming, she assumed fatigue was the cause.
Ning Fei didn’t dwell on it, helping her daughter put the groceries in the fridge.
"Zhiyan, you should head back now. Thank you for today," Ning Fei said. "Yuxuan, see him out."
Ning Yuxuan gave a quiet "Mm."
She walked Xie Zhiyan to the door but didn’t go further toward the garage.
Xie Zhiyan said, "If you’re tired, just stay here. I can manage."
Ning Yuxuan stayed silent for a long moment before suddenly tapping her own forehead with a fingertip.
Xie Zhiyan blinked, then smiled, his entire expression softening. He stepped closer and pressed his lips to the spot she’d touched—gentler this time, less tentative, more tender.
When he pulled back slightly, Ning Yuxuan whispered, "It’s not that I don’t want you to kiss me elsewhere..."
His eyes darkened, ink spreading in their depths.
Under the porch light, Ning Yuxuan saw her own reflection in his gaze.
"I just think," she continued softly, "we should properly define what we are first. Not for appearances, but just between us."
She wasn’t sure if she’d made herself clear.
But seeing Xie Zhiyan's expression, she felt he must have understood her meaning.
Xie Zhiyan spoke in a low voice, "Yuxuan..."
This time, before he could finish, Ning Yuxuan reached out first, lightly pressing her fingertips against his lips—just as he had done to her before.
Noticing his slight pause and the startled look on his face, a glimmer of playful triumph flickered in Ning Yuxuan's eyes.
"Not now," she said mischievously, blinking. "It has to be more formal, more romantic. At the very least, it can't be this casual."
