Chapter 8

Resigned, Xie Jinnan picked up the blanket and unfolded it smoothly, then approached the girl who was lying down to rest. He bent slightly and gently covered her with the blanket.

His movements were light, as if afraid to wake her.

But things did not go as he wished. Wen Jingyi was not someone who could easily fall asleep in an unfamiliar environment. The moment the soft blanket touched her arm, her eyelashes twitched faintly, and she opened her eyes.

Xie Jinnan instinctively paused.

Noticing the blanket on her, Wen Jingyi was momentarily stunned. Her slender fingers gripped the corner of the blanket, and she lifted her gaze to meet the man’s dark pupils.

Observing this, He Ru, the butler, smiled kindly and silently stepped out.

Xie Jinnan’s expression remained unchanged, as if he had anticipated her awakening. He carefully placed the blanket over her and calmly stepped back.

“It’s a bit chilly,” he explained.

Wen Jingyi sat up slightly. Due to the position and the man’s tall stature—over six feet—she had to tilt her head back to meet his gaze.

The man wore only a white shirt, his tie undone, two buttons left open, revealing the faint outline of his taut and masculine collarbones.

“Thank you,” Wen Jingyi said softly.

Though accustomed to his gentlemanly demeanor, politeness compelled her to thank him instinctively.

Xie Jinnan raised an eyebrow, clearly reacting to her gratitude.

Privately, Wen Jingyi could thank him any way she pleased, but in front of the patriarch or his appointed watchers, such casualness might make them think the two were too distant and prompt them to concoct schemes to bring them closer.

To avoid such torment, Xie Jinnan felt it necessary to set some ground rules with Wen Jingyi.

But now was obviously not the right time.

Too many eyes and ears were around.

Nor could they wait until after marriage; that would be too late.

After much consideration, Xie Jinnan decided the best timing would be their wedding night.

Wen Jingyi noticed he remained silent for a long moment, his gaze deep and unfathomable like a dark ocean. She instinctively lowered her eyes to herself, then looked up in confusion, about to ask what was wrong, but the man spoke first.

“What would you like to drink? I’ll get it.”

Wen Jingyi swallowed her doubts and, overwhelmed by fatigue and drowsiness, whispered, “I want to sleep a while.”

“Alright.”

Seeing her genuine exhaustion, Xie Jinnan did not press further and turned to leave.

Once he was gone, Wen Jingyi rubbed her temples, pulled the blanket tighter, and intended to continue sleeping. Yet her phone kept buzzing with messages.

She initially resisted looking, afraid to miss something important, but finally took out her phone.

Reading the messages, warmth suddenly spread across her cheeks—she cursed her own curiosity.

[Qiao Ran]: Where are you staying tonight?

[Qiao Ran]: Forgot your wedding is tomorrow; you must be at a hotel tonight.

[Qiao Ran]: Tomorrow night is your wedding night. Our stunning Miss Wen, with a gift in one hand and her icy beauty in the other, no matter how reserved Xie Jinnan is, he’s bound to feel his blood boil and his heart race.

Wen Jingyi nearly blocked her.

Qiao Ran was always carefree and unruly in private—free-spirited and unrestrained. Except around family and relatives, where she maintained her socialite poise, among friends she was like a wild horse, never hesitating to say blunt things.

If Wen Jingyi weren’t so reserved, Qiao Ran wouldn’t have held back so long before speaking like this.

Truly, Wen Jingyi owed her thanks for enduring so much.

Blushing, Wen Jingyi replied: [Be serious with me.]

[Qiao Ran]: Appetite and desire are natural.

What appetite and desire?

She only knew that to forget the path through desire was to be confused and unhappy.

Wen Jingyi set the contact to Do Not Disturb and finally fell back asleep.

When she woke again, night had fallen, and the plane had just landed in Jingjiang City.

Still groggy, she opened her eyes in this unfamiliar city and instinctively searched for Xie Jinnan’s figure.

Though she did not see him, several older ladies in qipao greeted her upon disembarkation and headed straight to the hotel arranged by the Xie family.

She did not see Xie Jinnan during the journey. Unable to contain herself, Wen Jingyi asked, only to be mistaken by the ladies for being reluctant to part from him.

Upon arrival in Jingjiang, Xie Jinnan, seeing she was sound asleep, disembarked first and returned to the old residence, entrusting her care to these ladies.

All were assigned by the Xie family, knowledgeable about traditional weddings beyond the younger generation and very attentive.

The newlyweds could not meet again that night, only at the wedding the next day.

Wen Jingyi thought she could wash up and rest once at the hotel, but even greater exhaustion awaited.

Excluding hotel staff, sixteen people were assigned to attend to Wen Jingyi. She arrived at the hotel at nine in the evening, had a simple dinner, then listened to the ladies meticulously explain the wedding process and various precautions. By the time she went to bed, it was already eleven o’clock.

Her phone flooded with messages, but she was too tired to read them, collapsing into sleep.

The next morning, Wen Jingyi was awakened early again.

She was dressed and made up, layered in exquisite red wedding garments, adorned with a solemn gemstone phoenix crown, holding a gilded tassel fan—an ensemble whose weight was hard to measure.

Even her iron constitution struggled under the burden, but having been mentally prepared, she could endure.

The wedding banquet barred all media and even simplified many details to avoid leaks.

Yet, after the entire ceremony, Wen Jingyi’s pampered body was inevitably fatigued, longing for the banquet to end swiftly.

Apart from the dress’s beauty, the wedding held no sense of joy for her.

After the main ceremony, she changed out of the heavy wedding dress into a red qipao and followed Xie Jinnan to meet some of the elder family members.

They had already met each other’s parents before the engagement banquet, so Xie Jinnan did not introduce anyone, simply accompanying her as she paid respects to his parents.

Shen Zhengci, a famous matron in the Jingjiang elite, was once a much-coveted heiress in her youth and held a lofty status. Her eyes flickered briefly with appreciation as she looked at her poised and elegant daughter-in-law, though the feeling passed quickly.

“If you’re tired, you may rest. There are plenty of people here to entertain,” Shen said flatly, her expression unreadable as to whether she approved of Wen Jingyi.

Wen Jingyi nodded gently, her voice soft: “Understood. Thank you, Mother.”

It was her first time calling Shen Zhengci “Mother.” Many brides found it difficult, but Wen Jingyi’s address was unusually respectful and natural, as if rehearsed countless times without a hint of discomfort.

Xie Jinnan instinctively glanced sideways, watching the girl’s calm and gentle expression, gaining a new impression of the seemingly delicate Wen Jingyi.

She was unflappable among the high and mighty, handling everything with ease—a natural fit to be the mistress of the house, with remarkable adaptability.

After a brief hesitation, Shen Zhengci said, “There was something urgent on our side yesterday, so we couldn’t attend your coming-out banquet.”

“The family on that side” referred to the Shen family, which Wen Jingyi understood but felt no ill will. She replied considerately, “Father already told me about it. I understand.”

Shen Zhengci looked toward Xie Jinnan. “Jinnan, take care of Jingyi yourself. I have to go attend to the others.”

Xie Jinnan responded with a grunt.

Nearby, Xie Jihang interjected at the right moment, “Jinnan knows his limits. No need for us to worry.”

Shen Zhengci glanced at her husband, Xie Jihang smiled lightly. She maintained her serene expression, took his arm, and elegantly turned away.

Wen Jingyi watched them depart, sensing little emotional exchange between Xie Jinnan and her own parents, as if their bond was purely blood relation without warmth.

This feeling had lingered since their first meeting, though she had hesitated to confirm it.

After several encounters, Wen Jingyi became certain that apart from Xie Jinnan’s good relationship with the elder Xie, he truly had little contact with her biological parents.

“Are you tired?” Xie Jinnan asked.

Snapping out of her thoughts, Wen Jingyi looked at him more kindly and smiled gently, replying softly, “Not tired.”

Judging by this, her future interactions with Xie Jinnan’s parents would likely be minimal.

Noticing the visible change in her mood, Xie Jinnan raised an eyebrow slightly.

Suddenly, his phone rang. He glanced at it but didn’t answer, decisively hanging up and putting it away.

In the following hours, Wen Jingyi managed to muster some energy but, with her delicate constitution and wearing high heels, couldn’t last long.

Seeing her weakening, Xie Jinnan instructed a few bridesmaids to escort her back to the bridal chamber first.

Wen Jingyi wanted to leave but felt it improper. Perhaps emboldened by a little wine, she instinctively grabbed his sleeve and softly asked, “What about you?”

The wedding hall was resplendent with golden splendor and festive joy. Nobles mingled under dazzling lights, toasting and celebrating.

The girl before him blushed, her long eyelashes thick and dark. Makeup made her eyes appear larger than usual, her pupils shining brightly, as if whispering sweet nothings to a lover.

Xie Jinnan’s fingers twitched slightly. His deep voice softened unconsciously: “I’ll be back soon.”

Wen Jingyi said nothing.

He suddenly realized she was a stickler for etiquette and added, “That’s also Mother’s wish. There’s no issue about propriety.”

Recalling his mother’s words, Wen Jingyi relaxed slightly, releasing his sleeve before parting with a reminder: “Drink less tonight.”

Wen Jingyi remained courteous throughout the evening, every step measured and precise like a perfect script.

But after drinking, her tone turned endearing, her beautiful eyes dreamy, voice soft and sluggish, her behavior contrasting starkly with her usual poised socialite demeanor.

Xie Jinnan’s eyes flickered, replying quietly, “Okay.”

A bridesmaid nearby lowered her head, smiling softly, sensing the couple’s deep affection.

Exiting the banquet hall, the cool night breeze brushed Wen Jingyi’s cheeks, dissipating much of her warmth, and her cloudy eyes gradually cleared.

The bridesmaids opened the car doors to help her in.

Bai Heng glanced in the rearview mirror; Wen Jingyi was leaning against the window with her eyes closed, resting.

Inside the car, dim lighting with a faint blue glow outlined the graceful contours of the girl’s face, cheeks faintly flushed, lips rosy.

Clearly, she was somewhat intoxicated.

Bai Heng withdrew his gaze and handed a clean, light-colored thin blanket to a bridesmaid.

Understanding, the bridesmaid immediately passed it to the one in the back to cover Wen Jingyi.

The car cruised steadily, disappearing into the night.

Mo Chen stood with arms crossed nearby, witnessing the entire scene. He then took out his phone to text He Ru.

[Mo Chen]: They’ve left.

He Ru quickly replied, anxious: [Why are you looking at your phone while driving? The young madam is still in your car!]

Mo Chen twisted the corner of his mouth: [Remember the bodyguard who came with the madam from Nancheng? She got her back to the villa ahead of me.]

Originally, he had been instructed to escort the madam to the bridal chamber, but before he could get there, she had already been intercepted.

After all, she was the bodyguard who came as part of the dowry from her family. He couldn’t say much.

He could only watch silently and assist if needed.

After a moment, He Ru replied: [Don’t be upset.]

[Mo Chen]: ?

[He Ru]: The young madam’s position may not be enough, but you still have the young master’s trust.

[Mo Chen]: I advise you to retire.

He Ru, the butler with a good temper, asked: [Are you planning to support me in my old age?]

Mo Chen: “……”

He respects the elders and cherishes the young.