Ch6 - Too late to cry over spilled milk.

Translator Note: – Finally we have the next chapter!! Thanks for waiting….. 

Surprised by the intensity of Xia Wan’s reaction, Huo Yu looked at his red eyes and paused.”You’re afraid of me, aren’t you.” 

When dealing with either Huo Lin or Qiu Qi, Xia Wan was fearless, surprisingly Xia Wen was able to relate his unstable relationship with his father. Still, Xia Wan had been calm and composed at that time, so why so afraid now? The more Huo Yu thought about it, the more his mood soured.

Xia Wan stuck his tongue out for Huo Yu to see. “I just accidentally bit myself,” he muttered pitifully. He had read once in a book that communication is key to any harmonious relationship. Especially when between husband and wife; the initial words almost determine the tone of the relationship to come. So no matter how difficult it was, he would never let any misunderstandings stand between him and Huo Yu.

Huo Yu watched Xia Wan in silence for a moment, the tip of his tongue bright red and tender, stained colorfully by traces of blood. He lowered his eyes. “Are you that eager?”

“You think this is eagerness?” Xia Wan muttered in a low voice, and his eyes fell onto the ring on Huo Yu’s finger. He didn’t think that people like Huo Yu were careless about old sayings.

“Wearing a ring on the left index represents singleness,” Xia Wan said boldly. “It seems that getting a certificate is not suitable for you, then?” “

“Oh?” Huo Yu gave Xia Wan a half-smile. “How come I don’t remember that wearing a ring on the left index finger means being single?” 

Xia Wan suspected that Huo Yu was lying, like him, so he returned his gaze calmly.

The corner of Huo Yu’s mouth hooked up meaningfully. “Aren’t I just telling others that I am currently single, and therefore that they are most welcome to come and strike up a conversation? So, do you want to converse?” 

Xia Wan: “…”

He quietly picked up his phone and looked up the meanings of rings on different fingers. Some things are better left alone, and sometimes curiosity can kill a cat. When he searched for the result he almost dropped his phone. Huo Yu was correct. 

“Cough.” 

Xia Wan put down his phone. Like an obedient and honest student, he slowly raised two fingers in mid-air and asked tentatively, “Don’t you think our progress is a bit fast?”  

Huo Yu gazed at him. “You’re the one who said so. I implied nothing; you inferred that all on your own.”

If this kept up any longer, Xia Wan would get a headache, so he took a metaphorical step back and tried to divert the topic. “That’s it,” he said persuasively. “This is not the only way to block peach blossoms, right?” 

We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.

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His appearance is charming. Xia Wan was stunned for a moment, wanting to say something else but coming up short. Sometimes beauty can be distracting. “For example,” Xia Wan went on in a daze, “Let’s not get a certificate, and just pretend to be a couple or something.” 

Shit! Xia Wan was startled, what did I say just now? The original plan was that when the Huo family would force Huo Yu to marry, he would come to his rescue like in those movies where the hero rescues the female protagonist and saves the day. That way it would increase his chances of meeting Huo Yu, and second, even if this person was a villain, he would be grateful to him… But now, he even offered Huo Yu to “pretend to be a couple”?

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He has been cheated! But it was too late to cry over spilled milk. Words are like arrows once released; they can’t be taken back. 

“Oh.” Huo Yu smiled, showing Xia Wan for the first time his good mood. “But the price is a bit different, between feigning being a couple and getting the certificate.” 

Money? Xia Wan’s eyes couldn’t help but widen. He instinctively wanted to ask how much it was, but he opened his mouth and closed it. How was this any different from prostitution? If he were still the Xia Wan who was well-heeled and had everything in the palm of his hand, then he would have calmly written a check and pushed Huo Yu’s way, and then asked him condescendingly: “Is this enough?”

Unfortunately, he can only think of that kind of thing in his present situation. After all, today is much different from yesterday, and a man must know when to give in and when to not. The only thing he could do now went with the flow, especially when he was so short on cash. Endure, for this too shall pass. “If the price is different,” he took a sip of soy milk slowly, staining his rosy lips in white, “Then I’ll think about it.”  

Huo Yu didn’t know if Xia Wan was ignorant or doing it on purpose, but Xia Wan’s behavior felt refreshing to him. His eyes were fixed on those rosy lips in the next second, and he glanced away after a while. “Then think about it carefully,” he said.

After dinner, this time, Xia Wan didn’t rush to wash the dishes like last night. He absent-mindedly packed his things and was about to say goodbye when Huo Yu interrupted him. 

“Let’s go together.” Huo Yu came down the stairs, his body dyed with that woody fragrance that made people feel peaceful again.

“No need,” Xia Wan said politely and cautiously. He was still terrified just for getting in the other person’s way, so he couldn’t help but be on guard. “I checked, there is a bus to the Academy of Fine Arts from here.” 

“I’m not doing this favor just for you.” Huo Yu lowered his head to change his shoes, not paying him any attention. “I’ll be passing by near the Academy.” 

“Then can I have some of your snacks?” Xia Wan asked tentatively.  

Huo Yu: “…”

“Whatever,” he said. 

Xia Wan’s eyes lit up with joy. He wanted to jump around but he restrained himself and went to the kitchen, making sure he was not skipping or hopping all the way there. 

It wasn’t until his figure disappeared that Huo Yu curled his lips. He thought Xia Wan would take more than just a few snacks, but he didn’t expect him to come out holding one bag of potato chips in his left hand and one piece of chocolate in his right, the smile at the corner of his mouth barely suppressed. 

Huo Yu: …That’s it?

Huo Yu had switched cars that day. It wasn’t Shen Yan’s anymore but a very flamboyant royal blue supercar which didn’t match his personality at all. 

Xia Wan obediently sat in the passenger seat, and couldn’t help himself anymore. He tore into the pack of potato chips. After the crinkling of the wrapping paper, there was a crisp crackling sound.

“It’s delicious,” Xia Wan said, regretting not having gotten two more flavors. 

Huo Yu glanced at him sideways, and couldn’t help but laugh out loud. He stretched out his hand, “Share some with me.”

Xia Wan: “…” 

Now he regretted not taking more bags.

After a while, Huo Yu felt that there was something light in his palm. He retracted his hand and saw a single potato chip lying there. 

“Just one piece?” Huo Yu asked.

“Isn’t one enough?” Xia Wan hid the chip pack to his side, bulging with much more than one slice. As expected of the villain, Huo Yu now coveted his things, Xia Wan thought angrily. 

Perhaps noticing Xia Wan’s unhappiness, Huo Yu paused for a moment then said, “It’s fine.”

Xia Wan breathed a sigh of relief and savored his potato chips while turning to his phone to read the news. After a few entertainment and economic headlines, Xia Wan found an acquaintance of theirs. Huo Lin and a middle-aged man who looked somewhat similar appeared on his screen. This was probably Huo Lin’s father, Huo Peixue. There was another picture beside the two of them; it was a luxury car worth tens of millions, with a bright yellow body and retro styling that looked both calm and arrogant. The car was said to be a limited edition, one of only a few in the whole world. Huo Lin had been yearning for it for a while and finally, after he got what he wanted, found reason enough to show off for a while. 

Xia Wan glanced down casually, only to find that the content of the headline was completely different from what he’d imagined. In the news, Huo Peixue said that because his nephew had just returned to China, he bought him a new car. Xia Wan scrolled down to see the comments.

“What a kind uncle for his nephew.” 

“Mr. Huo is so kind to his nephew.”

“Huo Yu is really lucky to have such an uncle.” 

“For those who were saying that the Huo family is not good to Huo Yu and that Huo Lin is not treated well there, I guess this is a slap to the face.”

“Mr. Huo, do you still need a nephew?” 

“Uncle, I am your other long-lost nephew! Please look for me!”

“Huo Yu,” Xia Wan said. “Your uncle bought you a new car, so cool.” 

Huo Yu’s eyes dimmed, and while the hands holding the steering wheel were steady as Mount Tai, the corners of his mouth twitched. There was a sneering coldness there.

With a ding, Xia Wan’s phone rang in his pocket. He tapped out and saw the message on WeChat. 

Little Sweet Tang Guo: 【Baozi, are you okay?】

It was the original owner’s roommate, Su Tang. 

(Translator note Tang Guo means candy) 

Xia Wan didn’t quite understand what he meant, so he replied with a question mark. 

A big bowl of sweet tea:【?】

Little Sweet Tang Guo: 【I just heard from my cousin about Huo Lin’s engagement.】 

A big bowl of sweet tea: 【Wait until I get back. We’ll talk about it.】

“Is it Huo Lin again?” Huo Yu asked casually, gaze forward and intent. 

“No,” Xia Wan said. “My roommate.” Just as the phone dinged again, Su Tang sent a voice message. To prove to Huo Yu that the other party was indeed not Huo Lin, Xia Wan casually clicked on the voice message, and Su Tang’s freshly young voice rang out:

【Bao’er, did you know that you’re anything anyone’s talking about? They’re saying that you came between two brothers, Huo Lin and Huo Yu and that they’re at odds now because of you.】 

Xia Wan: … Wait what?!