The sound of dishes being served came from the dining area as dinner was gradually laid out on the table.
Ning Yuxuan, trapped by the man’s arm around her waist, couldn’t break free. She glared at him in frustration. "Xie Zhiyan, don’t push your luck—have some sense of occasion!"
Xie Zhiyan chuckled lowly. "Is it really pushing my luck just to hear you call me 'husband'?"
Ning Yuxuan bit her lip. "No way."
He had already been far too outrageous today. Her legs were still a little sore from earlier—she wasn’t about to indulge him in everything.
Trying her best to ignore the scorching heat radiating from behind her, Ning Yuxuan focused on washing her hands, refusing to glance sideways.
After rinsing off the soap and drying her hands with a towel, she turned to leave—only to collide right back into Xie Zhiyan’s chest.
Tall and broad-shouldered, he easily blocked her path in the slightly cramped space.
Ning Yuxuan: "Xie—"
Before she could finish, his hands gently but firmly gripped her shoulders as Xie Zhiyan leaned down and kissed her.
Her protest dissolved into a muffled whimper.
Unwilling to surrender so easily, Ning Yuxuan didn’t close her eyes at first—yet her body instinctively melted against him.
She inwardly scolded herself. When will I ever get over this weakness? One kiss from him, and my legs turn to jelly.
Maybe a few more kisses would help me build resistance?
Perhaps because dinner was imminent, the kiss didn’t last long.
Just as Ning Yuxuan finally gave in and shut her eyes, Xie Zhiyan slowly released her shoulders.
Their lips had barely parted for a few seconds when Ning Shiyue’s voice rang out from beyond the door.
Only then did Ning Yuxuan realize—the bathroom door was only half-closed. Anyone could have walked in and seen us just now.
"Time to eat!" Ning Shiyue’s tone was laced with exasperation. "Even washing your hands has to be a couple’s activity? You two are unbearable."
Ning Yuxuan: "..."
At least he didn’t see anything.
She shot Xie Zhiyan a sharp glare before sidestepping him and marching out of the bathroom.
As soon as she took her seat at the dining table, Xie Zhiyan followed, freshly washed hands and all, settling in beside her—
Not that he had much choice. Both Ning Fei and Ning Shiyue had instinctively left the seat next to Ning Yuxuan vacant.
Ning Yuxuan had considered inviting Ning Shiyue to sit beside her, but he immediately scrunched his nose in refusal. "No thanks. I’d rather not lose my appetite to your lovey-dovey nonsense."
The table was set with six dishes and a soup, most of them light and mild—two of which were Ning Shiyue’s favorites: three-color shrimp stir-fry and sautéed lettuce strips.
Ning Shiyue picked up a bite of the lettuce, chewed, and nodded approvingly.
"Rare sight," he remarked. "Only today do we get to see all these dishes on the same table."
Ning Yuxuan shot him a look. "Sounds like you’ve been holding a grudge against our usual menu."
Ning Shiyue huffed. "Damn right. Normally, half the dishes are spicy—all tailored to your taste. The rest of us just have to deal with it."
Ning Yuxuan smirked. "Let me teach you a solution."
Ning Shiyue: "What?"
Ning Yuxuan: "This month while you’re filming, every dish on this table will be my favorite. So as long as you stay away, the problem solves itself."
Ning Shiyue, mid-bite into a rib, paused to roll his eyes dramatically—like a sulking puppy.
After swallowing, he retorted, "Too bad. Once this shoot wraps, I’m coming home for dinner every night. No more letting you monopolize the menu."
Ning Yuxuan scoffed. "Childish."
Ning Fei interjected with a soft laugh. "Shiyue, you should let Yuxuan have her way."
Ning Shiyue: "Why?"
Ning Fei: "She’s married now. In the future, she might not even be home for meals as often as you are."
Though she smiled, a faint melancholy lingered in her eyes.
Her son’s acting career already kept him away from home most evenings—even when he was in town, three family dinners a week was a stretch.
At least her daughter had been around these past two years. Even if there had been some distance between them, they’d still shared meals daily.
But now that Yuxuan was married, Ning Fei might often find herself eating alone.
Ning Shiyue froze.
Marriage. Starting a family. To him, those concepts felt distant, almost abstract.
When he’d first learned of Ning Yuxuan’s marriage, his outrage had centered on her not consulting him—he hadn’t stopped to consider what "marriage" truly entailed.
Only now did it hit him: Does this mean Yuxuan will be living with Xie Zhiyan from now on?
He opened his mouth, then closed it, casting a conflicted glance at his sister.
Ning Yuxuan spoke first. "Mom, don’t say that. I haven’t even moved out yet. And even if I do later… their place is barely a drive away. I’ll be over here mooching meals every day."
Xie Zhiyan added with a faint smile, "Exactly. If work permits, I’ll join her. I hope you won’t mind, Mom."
Ning Yuxuan side-eyed him. He’s adapted to calling her ‘Mom’ awfully fast.
Ning Fei blinked, then beamed. "Of course not! I’d be thrilled to have you both. I only worried you wouldn’t want to come."
"See?" Ning Yuxuan turned back to Ning Shiyue. "So don’t get any ideas. Even married, half this table’s dishes will still be mine."
Ning Shiyue: "..."
I didn’t even get to properly brood before the mood was ruined.
His emotions whiplashed. Clearing his throat, he forced a nonchalant shrug. "Whatever. I’m used to it by now anyway."
...
After dinner, they lounged in the living room with a fruit platter Ning Fei had prepared.
The TV played softly in the background as they snacked and chatted.
Ning Shiyue shared updates about his upcoming final episode of Mom and his recent filming experiences.
Meanwhile, on the other end of the sofa, Xie Zhiyan peeled lychees one by one, feeding the flesh directly to Ning Yuxuan.
Midway through an animated retelling of an action sequence, Ning Shiyue glanced over—just in time to see his sister bite into a lychee from Xie Zhiyan’s fingers.
His hand froze mid-gesture. "..."
Meeting Ning Yuxuan’s gaze, he made no effort to hide his disgust.
Unbelievable. Since when did marriage equate to helplessness? Can’t she even eat fruit on her own now?
Ning Yuxuan arched a brow, staring back defiantly. What? Jealous you’ve got no one to feed you?
Ning Fei, observing their silent showdown from the sidelines, couldn’t help but laugh.
Ning Shiyue was rendered speechless by Ning Yuxuan and turned his head away, refusing to look at the overly affectionate couple.
"Mom," Ning Shiyue said, "I see your luggage is almost packed. Is there anything else we need to buy? We still have tomorrow—I can go shopping then."
Ning Fei thought for a moment. "We have most of the travel essentials at home, but there are a few things we should get. Since we're going to the beach, the one unopened bottle of sunscreen we have might not be enough."
Sunscreen consumption would be high at the beach. With only half a bottle left and one new 60ml bottle, three people definitely wouldn’t have enough.
Ning Shiyue nodded. "Got it. I’ll go buy some tomorrow morning!"
Ning Yuxuan glanced over. "You? Didn’t your assistants always handle your sunscreen before? Have you ever bought it yourself?"
Ning Shiyue glared. "So what if I haven’t? Don’t look down on me—I can read, you know. How hard can it be to buy sunscreen?"
Ning Yuxuan dragged out an exaggerated "Ohhh." "And where exactly are you planning to go?"
Ning Shiyue hesitated. "Uh… the mall?"
Where else would he go? The farmers' market?
Ning Yuxuan smirked. "Let me ask you this—what’s the difference between liquid and lotion sunscreen? What do SPF and PA values mean? Can spray sunscreen replace regular sunscreen?"
Ning Shiyue: "…"
He looked utterly stumped before finally blurting out, "You can use correction fluid as sunscreen?"
Ning Yuxuan rolled her eyes. "I’ll go with you tomorrow. Otherwise, you’ll end up buying useless stuff, and I’ll be the one getting sunburned."
Ning Shiyue: "…Fine, whatever."
Admittedly, he was completely floored by her rapid-fire questions.
As a celebrity, he obviously used sunscreen, but his assistants and makeup artists always handed him whatever they had. He’d never paid attention to the differences between products.
Ning Yuxuan huffed. "Good. At least you know when to admit defeat."
Ning Shiyue scoffed. "Don’t get the wrong idea—I’m not worried about you getting tanned. I just don’t want Mom to get sunburned!"
…
While discussing travel necessities, Ning Fei made a checklist of items to buy.
Aside from sunscreen, there were miscellaneous things like mosquito repellent and flip-flops.
Tomorrow, Ning Yuxuan and Ning Shiyue would go shopping together.
Around nine in the evening, Ning Fei asked her daughter to walk Xie Zhiyan out.
From the living room, Ning Shiyue watched their retreating figures and muttered, "They’re already sickeningly sweet at home—now they have to drag out goodbyes too?"
Ning Yuxuan and Xie Zhiyan reached the garage.
"Do you need help packing tomorrow?" Xie Zhiyan asked softly.
Ning Yuxuan shook her head. "Mom’s already taken care of most of it. I’ll shop in the morning and just tidy up a bit in the afternoon."
Xie Zhiyan: "Are you sure you don’t want my help?"
Ning Yuxuan blinked up at him. "No. Who knows if you’d actually help or just take the chance to grope me?"
Xie Zhiyan chuckled.
Ning Yuxuan pouted. "You didn’t even deny it. So you were planning to cop a feel."
The moment she finished speaking, his hand closed around hers.
Xie Zhiyan’s voice was low. "We won’t see each other for days. Aren’t you going to miss me?"
Ning Yuxuan snorted. "Not at all. I can’t wait to get away so you’ll stop wearing me out."
Xie Zhiyan’s brow twitched. "Are your legs still sore?"
Ning Yuxuan: "…A little."
Xie Zhiyan murmured, "Sorry. I tried to hold back today."
Ning Yuxuan pressed her lips together, her cheeks warming.
Logically, she knew there was nothing to be embarrassed about—they were married, after all.
But given her lack of experience, she still wasn’t entirely comfortable discussing such things so casually.
Xie Zhiyan stroked the back of her hand. "When you come back, I’ll try to be gentler, alright?"
Ning Yuxuan: "…Alright."
Xie Zhiyan: "Between last night and this afternoon… which did you prefer?"
…
After seeing Xie Zhiyan off, Ning Yuxuan took several minutes to compose herself before returning inside.
Her lips still tingled with the memory of his warmth.
Now that they’d been intimate, their farewell kisses had grown even more lingering.
It wasn’t just the intensity—they knew each other’s bodies too well.
Ning Yuxuan had learned exactly where to touch or lightly bite to make him lose control, his breathing turning ragged.
And he knew the same about her.
By the time they pulled apart, both were breathless, teetering on the edge of losing restraint.
Ning Yuxuan strongly suspected that if she’d given even the slightest opening, Xie Zhiyan would’ve carried her straight to his apartment without hesitation.
But she held firm—they were leaving for their trip soon, and she absolutely couldn’t let him have his way again.
If her legs were too sore to walk, she’d only have herself to blame.
So in the end, she resolutely pushed him away.
Back home, Ning Yuxuan took a shower and quickly fell asleep.
…
The next morning, she stretched and found most of the soreness gone.
After washing up, she headed downstairs, where Ning Shiyue tossed her a tuna rice ball. "Your favorite."
Ning Yuxuan raised an eyebrow. "Since when are you so nice to me?"
Ning Shiyue scoffed. "I just don’t want you whining about being hungry later and slowing us down."
After breakfast, Ning Shiyue drove them to a nearby department store.
Sitting in the passenger seat, Ning Yuxuan remarked, "Feels like it’s been a while since I’ve ridden with you."
Ning Shiyue smirked. "Yeah, too busy riding with your husband, huh?"
Ning Yuxuan rolled her eyes.
"Ning Shiyue," she said, "you’re not bad-looking. Maybe you should get a girlfriend too."
The light turned red. Braking, Ning Shiyue shot her a glare. "Of course I know I’m good-looking. But I’m fine alone—why would I need a girlfriend?"
Ning Yuxuan smirked. "Because ever since I got married, someone’s been radiating jealousy."
Ning Shiyue: "…Who’s jealous?"
Ning Yuxuan: "You tell me."
Ning Shiyue: "…"
"Fine, I admit it," he muttered under Ning Yuxuan’s surprised gaze. "It does feel a little weird."
Ning Yuxuan frowned. "Weird how?"
Ning Shiyue shifted uncomfortably. "Just… the whole marriage thing."
Ning Yuxuan was baffled. "Weren’t you the one who supported me being with Xie Zhiyan? If I remember right, you were very enthusiastic about helping him plan surprises for me."
Ning Shiyue pressed his lips together. "That’s different…"
He and Xie Zhiyan had known each other since childhood. He respected and trusted him—that’s why he’d approved of their relationship.
Having grown up witnessing a parade of what he considered mediocre men pursuing Ning Yuxuan, and having personally observed the failure of her relationship with Gu Yunhao, Ning Shiyue found it surprisingly easy to accept when he heard Xie Zhiyan had become her boyfriend.
After the initial shock, he reasoned: If it had to be someone, better it was Brother Zhiyan than anyone else.
But marriage was different.
Marriage meant Ning Yuxuan and Xie Zhiyan would become each other’s closest companion, seeing each other far more often than she would her own brother.
Last night, Ning Shiyue had tossed and turned until well past midnight before finally falling asleep.
He cleared his throat. "Mom mentioned you two have already bought that apartment."
Ning Yuxuan: "Yeah, we finalized it a couple of days ago."
Ning Shiyue: "So… you’ll be moving out soon?"
Ning Yuxuan: "Not sure yet. I haven’t decided on a timeline."
Ning Shiyue: "…Oh."
Ning Yuxuan glanced at him. "I was thinking of waiting until after you wrap up filming. I’ll let you know the exact date first—how’s that?"
A flicker of emotion passed through Ning Shiyue’s eyes, his lips quirking almost imperceptibly. "Why?"
Was it because he mattered enough that she’d prioritize telling him about such a big life change?
Ning Yuxuan smiled sweetly. "Because when moving day comes, having a free laborer like you around is too good to pass up."
Ning Shiyue: "…"
"Ning. Yu. Xuan!" His voice was sharp with indignation.
Behind them, a car horn blared impatiently—the traffic light had turned green a second ago.
Ning Shiyue hit the gas, grumbling under his breath as Ning Yuxuan burst into laughter.
At the mall, their first stop was a pharmacy-cosmetics store.
Rows of skincare products lined the shelves, an overwhelming array of colors and packaging that made Ning Shiyue’s head spin, especially in the sunscreen aisle.
He silently thanked his lucky stars Ning Yuxuan had come along. Without her, he’d probably have grabbed a few bottles at random and called it a day.
He handed the decision-making to her without hesitation. "You pick. I’ll carry the basket and pay."
Ning Yuxuan raised an eyebrow. "At least you know your limits."
Given the intense coastal UV rays, she selected several bottles with the highest SPF ratings and tossed them into the basket. She also added a few cans of spray sunscreen for easy reapplication outdoors.
As she browsed, she carefully checked the labels and sizes to ensure they’d pass airport security for their flight.
"Your skincare stash still good?" Ning Yuxuan asked after finishing with the sunscreen. "Since we’re here, want to stock up?"
Ning Shiyue: "No need! I’m naturally flawless—a face wash is all I need. Skincare’s overkill."
Ning Yuxuan smirked. "Suit yourself. Don’t come crying to me later."
Leaving the pharmacy, they headed to the supermarket on the second floor.
Most items on their list could be found there, along with snacks for the trip.
To save time, Ning Yuxuan and Ning Shiyue split up, agreeing to meet near the deli section by the checkout counters.
As Ning Yuxuan maneuvered her cart through the aisles, a voice called out to her.
"Miss Ning?"
She turned to see a young man she didn’t recognize.
Positive she’d never met him, she wondered: Had a fan from her show recognized her?
The man appeared to be in his late twenties, tall and well-built with refined features.
Ning Yuxuan admitted she was judging by appearances, but his pleasant demeanor made her instinctively feel he wasn’t a threat.
She replied politely, "Hello. You are…?"
The man extended his hand with a smile. "Hello, Miss Ning. I’m Liang Yihui, Liang Jihuai’s son."
A subtle shift crossed Ning Yuxuan’s expression as she shook his hand. "I’m Ning Yuxuan."
Liang Yihui chuckled. "I know—you’re quite famous. Sorry for approaching you out of the blue like this. Must seem a bit forward."
Ning Yuxuan: "Not at all."
Liang Yihui: "Glad to hear it."
Ning Yuxuan gave a slight nod, silently assessing: If Liang Jihuai’s son sought her out, he must already know about his father and her mother.
Otherwise, why bother?
Liang Yihui maintained his smile. "Miss Ning, since we happened to run into each other today, and given my father’s connection with your mother… I thought we might cross paths again in the future. Mind if we chat while you shop?"
Ning Yuxuan: "Sure."
Liang Yihui, who’d only come for a bottle of water, offered, "Let me push the cart for you."
Taking over, he continued as they walked, "Let me introduce myself properly. My father’s only been married once—to my mother. I’m twenty-seven, so perhaps slightly older than you."
Ning Yuxuan nodded.
Liang Yihui: "My mother remarried years ago. My parents divorced due to long-term separation and incompatibility—it was amicable. Aside from matters involving me, they’ve had almost no contact since. After the divorce, my father remained single, never dating anyone."
Hearing the subtext, Ning Yuxuan paused to look at him. "Mr. Liang, are you here to lobby on your father’s behalf?"
Liang Yihui blinked, then laughed candidly. "You’re sharp, Miss Ning. I won’t deny it. Though ‘lobbying’ might be too strong—I just hope my father and your mother find happiness together after all these years alone. Running into you felt like fate nudging me to speak up."
Ning Yuxuan smiled back. "You didn’t need to tell me any of this. I don’t interfere with my mother’s relationships. If she’s happy, I’ll support them wholeheartedly."
Liang Yihui was quiet for a moment. "I understand. Thank you, Miss Ning."
With little else to discuss between near-strangers, Liang Yihui expressed his gratitude once more and returned the cart.
As she watched him leave, Ning Yuxuan quietly sized him up:
This Mr. Liang seemed cultured and reasonable—a good sign.
If her mother and Liang Jihuai did pursue a future together, at least there’d be no unnecessary drama.
Though Ning Yuxuan knew her mother could thrive independently, she also understood her mother’s nature—she’d always longed for companionship.
From the bottom of her heart, Ning Yuxuan wished for one more person in this world to cherish her mother.
Lost in thought, a voice suddenly spoke up behind her.
"Everyone’s been gone for ages, and you’re still staring?"
Ning Yuxuan turned around, surprised. "You finished shopping already?"
The answer was no. The moment Ning Shiyue had parted ways with Ning Yuxuan, he spotted a man approaching her. Unable to help himself, he watched from a distance.
To his dismay, the man not only chatted and laughed with her but even pushed her shopping cart for her.
Ning Shiyue: "Who was that?"
Ning Yuxuan found it amusing and deliberately teased him. "What’s it to you? Just someone I know."
Ning Shiyue: "..."
His expression twisted slightly before he finally spoke. "A suitor? Don’t worry, just tell me who he is. I promise I won’t snitch to Brother Zhiyan."
