Ning Yuxuan waited for two seconds as the trunk slowly opened.
She pulled her suitcase forward but paused mid-step.
Instead of two additional suitcases, the trunk was filled with flowers.
The scent of blossoms washed over her.
Ning Yuxuan blinked, piecing together the odd behavior of Ning Shiyue and Ning Fei that morning, and a suspicion gradually formed in her mind.
She glanced toward the front of the car.
Someone stepped out of the driver’s seat—someone she knew well.
The corners of Ning Yuxuan’s lips curled up.
As the tall, broad-shouldered man approached, she spoke first: "Xie Zhiyan, this is so cheesy."
Despite her words, her eyes crinkled with amusement.
Xie Zhiyan simply smiled at her.
Ning Yuxuan’s next question was: "Where are my mom and brother?"
Xie Zhiyan replied, "Another driver picked them up. We crossed paths earlier—they’re probably already on their way to the airport."
Ning Yuxuan pressed her lips together. "No wonder they’ve both been acting strange since last night. So you bribed them."
Then she remembered something else. "If they’re already heading to the airport, then what about us…?"
Xie Zhiyan anticipated her question. "I discussed it with your mother. We didn’t book you a ticket. Liu Cheng arranged a private flight for us back to Beicheng at noon. There’s no rush."
Ning Yuxuan let out an "Oh," then asked her final question: "Weren’t you supposed to be in London for business? How are you in Jiangcheng?"
Xie Zhiyan answered, "I took a flight last night and landed in Jiangcheng at six this morning."
Ning Yuxuan froze.
That meant he had only arrived in Jiangcheng a little over two hours ago.
He had flown to the UK on Wednesday morning, then left to return on Thursday night—all while squeezing in client meetings. He probably hadn’t even had time to adjust to the time difference.
Even with the comfort of a private jet, proper rest would have been nearly impossible.
She couldn’t help but be moved.
Ning Yuxuan lowered her voice. "Why rush back like this? We could’ve just met in Beicheng later."
Xie Zhiyan’s gaze softened. "No particular reason. I just wanted to see you sooner—and give you a surprise."
Ning Yuxuan: "…"
She averted her eyes, hiding her emotions, and changed the subject. "Whose car is this?"
Xie Zhiyan explained, "A friend in Jiangcheng lent it to me. Time was tight, so I also asked him to arrange the flowers."
His business connections spanned the country, and his friendships were just as widespread.
When he had reached out to an old friend in Jiangcheng two days ago and explained the situation, the man had immediately agreed to lend him the car.
Ning Yuxuan turned back to the trunk full of flowers.
Admittedly, the gesture was a little cliché… but whoever arranged them had good taste. The overall effect was still beautiful.
The bouquet was predominantly pink. Ning Yuxuan wasn’t well-versed in flowers, but she could identify a few—like pink peony roses and tulips—while the rest remained nameless to her.
Her suitcase had already been taken from her without a word, now resting beside Xie Zhiyan.
Ning Yuxuan bent down, plucked a single flower from the arrangement, and brought it to her nose for a light sniff.
A deep voice sounded beside her ear: "Do you like it?"
Ning Yuxuan: "…It’s alright."
Truthfully, she loved it.
But not because of the flowers themselves—she had received countless bouquets over the years.
What moved her was that he had crossed over ten thousand kilometers just to prepare this surprise for her.
Though Xie Zhiyan hadn’t said it, she could guess that he must have compressed his schedule to the extreme, wrapping up his meetings before rushing back without pause just to make it to her side in time.
Yet for some inexplicable reason, Ning Yuxuan didn’t want him to realize how touched she was.
So she avoided his gaze at first.
As she stared down at the tulip in her hand, her left wrist was suddenly caught in Xie Zhiyan’s grasp.
With a gentle tug, she instinctively turned to face him.
Xie Zhiyan held her eyes. "Yuxuan."
Under the weight of his gaze and the low timbre of his voice, Ning Yuxuan’s resolve wavered. She admitted, "Fine… it’s more than just ‘alright.’ I really like it."
Xie Zhiyan chuckled.
After a moment, he reached up, his thumb brushing lightly over the corner of her lips.
A faint amusement lingered in his eyes. "You’ve already eaten breakfast? There was a little breadcrumb here."
Ning Yuxuan: "…"
Heat surged to her cheeks in an instant.
She glared at him. "Xie Zhiyan!"
The corner of his mouth lifted. "Don’t worry, it wasn’t noticeable. I wiped it off for you."
Ning Yuxuan bit her lip.
That wasn’t the point!
Even if it was gone now, the embarrassment had already happened.
If she had known, she wouldn’t have wolfed down that piece of bread just to fill her stomach—then she wouldn’t be in this situation.
And Xie Zhiyan was still laughing! He was definitely mocking her on purpose.
The thought made her glare even harder.
She thought her expression must look fierce.
But in Xie Zhiyan’s eyes, her wide eyes resembled two translucent lychees, glistening with unshed emotion. Her lips were pressed tightly together, betraying a hint of grievance.
When she bit down on her lower lip, the plush pink flesh dented slightly, making it look even more… tempting.
Xie Zhiyan lowered his gaze, forcing himself to look away.
Beside him, Ning Yuxuan grumbled under her breath: "It’s your fault for conspiring with my brother and mom to leave so early. I barely had time to eat breakfast properly—I had to scarf down that piece of bread, and now there were crumbs…"
Her words came out in a rapid stream, less like a complaint and more like a coquettish whine.
It made him want to find a way to silence that chattering mouth.
At 8:30 in the morning, the hotel entrance was bustling with guests coming and going.
Many passersby were drawn to the sight of the flower-filled trunk, their gazes lingering on the couple.
The pair was strikingly well-matched in both height and looks, but the woman seemed deliberately unwilling to look at the man—were they having a lovers’ quarrel?
Curious onlookers wondered if the man had upset his girlfriend and was now trying to apologize with flowers, only to still fail at appeasing her.
Xie Zhiyan noticed the attention too.
Suppressing the impulse rising in his chest, he took a deep breath and suddenly clasped her other hand as well.
With both hands now enveloped in his, Ning Yuxuan’s words trailed off.
Xie Zhiyan met her slightly flustered gaze.
"My bad," he said. "Let me make it up to you with a proper breakfast, hm?"
Ning Yuxuan: "…Where?"
…
Xie Zhiyan took her to a nearby breakfast spot.
The place was packed, with a long line already forming outside.
Only thanks to Xie Zhiyan’s prior reservation did they manage to get a table immediately.
Ning Yuxuan glanced at the crowd outside and asked, "So bringing me here was also part of your plan?"
Xie Zhiyan said, "I did some preparations in advance. After all, I came to pick you up early in the morning, and you might not have had time to eat properly."
Ning Yuxuan snorted, "If I didn’t eat well, it’s because of you."
She glanced down at the menu and ordered a plate of signature shaomai (steamed dumplings) and a small portion of steamed spare ribs.
Though she preferred bold flavors, she still enjoyed lighter dishes in the morning.
Xie Zhiyan ordered a chicken crown dumpling and a bowl of yellow croaker noodle soup.
Soon, the waiter brought all the dishes to their table.
Ning Yuxuan picked up a shaomai and took a bite, and the last remnants of her annoyance instantly melted away.
The texture was soft and glutinous, with just the right amount of saltiness—good food truly had the power to bring genuine happiness.
Xie Zhiyan picked up a piece of steamed spare ribs and placed it into Ning Yuxuan’s small bowl.
She shot him a sidelong glance.
"Don’t think this will make me forgive you," she said. "I haven’t forgotten how you were laughing at me earlier."
Though she wasn’t actually angry anymore, she still refused to let him off the hook.
Xie Zhiyan sighed helplessly, "When did I laugh at you?"
Ning Yuxuan took an aggressive bite of the spare ribs. "Just now! When you wiped the breadcrumbs off me, the way you looked at me was definitely mocking!"
Xie Zhiyan placed another chicken crown dumpling into her bowl. "That’s just your imagination. I absolutely wasn’t laughing at you."
Ning Yuxuan glared at him. "Why do you keep putting food in my bowl? It’s not like I can be easily bribed with good food!"
Even as she said this, she still popped the dumpling into her mouth.
The shaomai and chicken crown dumplings were delicious, but her favorite was still the steamed spare ribs—tender, savory, and not the least bit greasy for a morning meal.
Since it was breakfast, the portions were small. Xie Zhiyan only had one piece of the spare ribs, while Ning Yuxuan polished off the rest.
After finishing the plate, she was even tempted to order another serving, but she restrained herself, remembering that it wasn’t good to overeat in the morning.
Xie Zhiyan noticed her lingering gaze on the empty plate and said, "This dish isn’t hard to find. If you like it, we can order it again after we return to Beicheng."
Ning Yuxuan licked her lips, still savoring the taste, but deliberately contradicted him. "No, once we’re back, I don’t want to wake up early just to eat out. Too much trouble."
Xie Zhiyan replied, "Then I’ll have it packed and bring it to you. You can eat it after you wake up."
Ning Yuxuan, who had been sipping her soy milk, paused at his words.
An image involuntarily surfaced in her mind—
A lazy weekend morning, waking up from sleep to the aroma of food, opening her eyes to see Xie Zhiyan standing before her with a plate of steamed spare ribs.
She startled herself with the absurdity of the thought.
How could she let a single sentence from a man make her imagine living together?
Did that mean, deep down, she had already accepted the possibility of sharing a home with Xie Zhiyan in the future?
Ning Yuxuan quickly took a deep breath, forcing those wild thoughts out of her head.
"No," she said. "I don’t want to live with you."
Xie Zhiyan raised an eyebrow, giving her a meaningful look.
Ning Yuxuan froze, then felt her cheeks heat up again.
All he had said was that he’d bring her food, but her response made it sound like she was the one imagining things.
No, this wasn’t her fault—he was the one saying things that led her mind astray!
Before she could voice her indignation again, Xie Zhiyan smoothly changed the subject. "Yuxuan."
Ning Yuxuan: "...What?"
Xie Zhiyan: "That night, you said you wanted to discuss the matter of the wedding house in person."
Ning Yuxuan: "..."
She had mentioned it over the phone, but him bringing it up now made her suspect ulterior motives.
Xie Zhiyan looked at her calmly. "Do you have any thoughts? You can tell me."
Ning Yuxuan studied him, her brows slightly furrowed.
His tone was so matter-of-fact, so composed, that she wondered if she was overthinking things.
Maybe… he really was just discussing the house with her.
After all, they had already agreed on it before, and even Ning Fei and Ning Shiyue knew about it.
Ning Yuxuan pulled herself together and cleared her throat. "Well, yes..."
All the properties had been personally selected by Assistant Liu Cheng, based on Ning Yuxuan’s preferences, which she had communicated beforehand.
When the assistant later compiled the information and sent it to her, she had skimmed through it and found most of them satisfactory.
There were only minor details she wanted adjusted, which she briefly explained to Xie Zhiyan.
Xie Zhiyan nodded. "Understood. I’ll have Liu Cheng double-check those points."
He added, "By the way, I’ve also had Liu Cheng take photos of the hotel’s interior design and send them to your email."
Ning Yuxuan nodded.
She had nearly forgotten about that.
The breakfast portions were just enough to leave them comfortably full.
Ning Yuxuan texted her mother and learned that Ning Fei and Ning Shiyue had already arrived at the airport without issue.
Ning Fei assured her she would send updates before boarding and after landing, and that someone would pick them up once they reached Beicheng.
Her mother didn’t specify who, but if it wasn’t the driver, then it could only be Liang Jihuai.
This time, since Ning Yuxuan wasn’t accompanying them, it gave the two a chance to be alone.
After finishing the last shaomai, she asked Xie Zhiyan, "Should we head to the airport now?"
Xie Zhiyan replied, "No rush. The flight is scheduled for 2 PM. If there’s anywhere else you’d like to visit, we can go."
Ning Yuxuan glanced at the blazing sun outside. "It’s too hot to walk around."
Xie Zhiyan: "Then we won’t go outside."
Ning Yuxuan blinked. "The indoor attractions I was interested in, my mom and I already visited these past few days. There is a shopping center we didn’t get to, but… are you sure you want to go shopping with me?"
Xie Zhiyan: "Is there a problem?"
Ning Yuxuan leaned forward slightly, peering into his eyes. "There’s a seven- or eight-hour time difference between London and here. You probably haven’t been resting well these past two days, have you?"
Xie Zhiyan smiled. "So you’re worried about me."
Ning Yuxuan retorted bluntly, "I’m worried about my own safety. If you’re fatigued while driving, I’ll be in the car too."
Xie Zhiyan: "Then you can drive?"
Ning Yuxuan: "..."
For once, she had no comeback.
She had been sleeping well these past two days—she wasn’t picky about beds, and this hotel’s mattress was especially soft and comfortable.
When she didn’t respond, Xie Zhiyan added, "Liu Cheng arranged for a driver to take us later. But if you’d prefer to drive, that’s also an option."
Assistant Liu Cheng had accompanied Xie Zhiyan on international business trips many times before and was well-prepared for such situations.
After landing at Jiangcheng International Airport, Liu Cheng quickly arranged for a local driver for Xie Zhiyan before heading off to rest at a hotel near the airport.
Once the CEO had met up with his girlfriend, Liu Cheng would be well-rested and ready to accompany Xie Zhiyan back to Beicheng.
To be honest, this was the first time Liu Cheng had seen Xie Zhiyan pack his schedule so tightly—working the moment he landed in London, wrapping up negotiations with clients, and then immediately flying back to China.
Ning Yuxuan sensed something was off.
She frowned and asked Xie Zhiyan, "You arranged for a driver here? Then why did you drive alone to see me right after getting off the plane this morning?"
Xie Zhiyan replied calmly, "I rested for a few hours on the flight. It wasn’t as exhausting as you think. Besides, when I saw you for the first time today, I didn’t want any distractions."
Ning Yuxuan: "..."
His tone was so matter-of-fact that she wasn’t sure whether she should be touched or not.
Then again, if Xie Zhiyan had tried to play the sympathy card, it wouldn’t have felt like him at all.
Ning Yuxuan sighed. "Fine. Since that’s the case, I’ll reluctantly play chauffeur for you this once."
After settling the bill, Ning Yuxuan took the driver’s seat.
The Mercedes borrowed from Xie Zhiyan’s friend wasn’t cheap, though the model wasn’t the newest. Still, she had driven something similar before when out with friends, so it wasn’t hard to handle.
At around nine, they caught the tail end of the morning rush hour, and the roads were slightly congested.
By the time they reached the shopping mall, it had just opened.
The place was still nearly empty, giving it a quiet, almost desolate atmosphere.
Ning Yuxuan couldn’t resist teasing him. "Shouldn’t you be some top-tier VIP? Why isn’t there a personal greeter waiting for you?"
Xie Zhiyan glanced at her with an amused smile. "If you’d like someone to welcome us, I can make a call right now."
Ning Yuxuan waved a hand. "No need."
She didn’t doubt he could make it happen, but today, she just wanted to browse casually.
With no particular purchases in mind, Ning Yuxuan wandered aimlessly from the first floor, popping into any store that caught her interest.
Their striking presence—especially Xie Zhiyan’s, with his impeccably tailored clothes and unmistakable air of wealth—drew enthusiastic attention from the sales staff.
What Ning Yuxuan didn’t expect, however, was that between the two of them, she would be the one recognized.
As they stepped into a jewelry store, a sales associate hurried over, eyes lighting up at the sight of Ning Yuxuan. "Excuse me… are you the Ms. Ning from the show Dear Mom?"
Ning Yuxuan blinked in surprise before nodding. "Yes, that’s me."
The saleswoman then glanced cautiously at Xie Zhiyan. "And this gentleman is…?"
Ning Yuxuan followed her gaze and answered, "My boyfriend."
The moment she confirmed it, the sales associate gushed, "Ms. Ning, you’re even more stunning in person than on TV! Your poise and figure are absolutely remarkable—I recognized you immediately! And your boyfriend is so distinguished too!"
Ning Yuxuan found it amusing. Xie Zhiyan, the renowned CEO of Beicheng, was here reduced to being her plus-one, earning only a passing compliment.
But it made sense. She had been appearing weekly on the hottest live-streamed variety show lately, even trending on social media a few times.
An average person might recognize her but have no idea who Xie Zhiyan was.
The saleswoman pressed on eagerly. "Ms. Ning, you and your boyfriend must be very close, right? We’ve just released several beautiful new matching ring sets—would you like to take a look?"
Ning Yuxuan hesitated.
She had only wandered in out of curiosity, with no intention of buying couple’s rings.
Before she could decline, Xie Zhiyan spoke up. "We can take a look."
The sales associate brightened. "Wonderful! Please follow me, and I’ll introduce our selections. Sir, how should I address you?"
"Xie is fine."
"Of course, Mr. Xie. Ms. Ning, right this way."
Ning Yuxuan shot Xie Zhiyan a silent glance.
He met her gaze and murmured, "Just browsing. No pressure."
Ning Yuxuan: "..."
Who said she felt pressured?
They were already legally married—what was there to stress about?
Ning Yuxuan lifted her chin. "If I see something I like, you’re paying."
Xie Zhiyan chuckled.
"Fine," he agreed. "I’ll pay."
Turning back to the saleswoman, Ning Yuxuan said, "I’d like to see bracelets first."
The associate faltered briefly before recovering. "Absolutely, Ms. Ning!"
When a couple walked in, her first assumption was always that they were ring shopping—whether engagement bands or matching sets.
But the customer’s preference came first. Since Ms. Ning had specified bracelets, she wouldn’t overstep.
She guided Ning Yuxuan to the bracelet section.
"Ms. Ning," she said warmly, "these are some of our signature designs. Do you have a particular style in mind? I’d be happy to walk you through them."
Ning Yuxuan’s eyes skimmed the display. "Is this one malachite?"
"Yes! You have such a sharp eye, Ms. Ning!" The saleswoman nodded eagerly. "This design suits your elegance perfectly. Shall I take it out for you to try?"
…
After testing four bracelets, Ning Yuxuan settled on two.
The sales associate was thrilled—her instincts had been right. Ms. Ning was clearly a high-value client, purchasing two expensive pieces without hesitation.
"That’s all for now," Ning Yuxuan said after finishing her selections.
"Of course, Ms. Ning," the saleswoman replied, though her mind was already working.
Reading people was part of the job, and she had picked up on a few things between Ms. Ning and her boyfriend.
First, it was obvious Mr. Xie adored her.
In her line of work, she’d seen all kinds of couples—plenty where the woman was excitedly browsing while the man barely feigned interest.
But Mr. Xie hadn’t shown a hint of impatience. His gaze had stayed tender the entire time.
Second, her intuition told her that between the two, he was the one more eager to take their relationship further.
So when Ning Yuxuan seemed ready to leave, the saleswoman shifted her focus to Xie Zhiyan.
"Mr. Xie," she ventured, "is there anything that catches your eye? We have a lovely selection of matching rings and diamond bands—many new arrivals that might appeal to you and Ms. Ning."
