Dawn and Dusk
At eight in the evening, at the fight gym, the entire private venue was bright as day.
Xie Xunzhao had just finished his combat training and was sitting languidly beneath the ring, shirtless. One palm rested casually against the chair, his long, bony fingers slightly curled, several loose loops of boxing hand wraps hanging around them like strips of pure white silk.
Under the lights, the narrowing planes of the young man’s waist and abdomen were clearly visible. The contours of muscle drawn taut after high-intensity exercise were extremely aggressive, adding a certain fierce, cold, thuggish appearance.
His other hand held his phone as he replied to messages.
Jiang Fulan handed him a bottle of water, accidentally catching sight of the screen. “Mumu’s sick?”
He had finished earlier and was already dressed in a black silk shirt, carrying an air of composed, arrogant handsomeness.
One standing, one sitting, they had different kinds of bearing, but both carried the same oppressive force that came after a hard workout.
Xie Xunzhao took the water and gave a barely audible laugh. “No.”
“She’s being spoiled.”
He knew it better than anyone, when Rong Ci was sick, she wasn’t like this.
Jiang Fulan’s gaze fell on the distinct vein along Xie Xunzhao’s neck as he tipped his head back to drink, and he said with a smile, “No wonder you’ve got no outlet for your energy. You asked me to spar several rounds.”
“Got addicted to being the Buddhist shrine? Truly practicing celibacy now?”
Xie Xunzhao tossed the empty bottle into the trash. It landed with a crisp sound. A stark contrast to the quiet phone in his hand.
Xie Xunzhao leaned back in his chair and raised a hand to shield his eyes from the glaring light overhead. Remembering how Rong Ci had still been hung up on this yesterday, he spoke with a touch of indifference. “Don’t mention the words ‘Buddhist shrine’ in front of her again. Rong Mumu holds grudges.”
Jiang Fulan understood what Xie Xunzhao meant. After all, he had been there that day too and had witnessed the spectacular sight of Rong Ci taking on six people by herself.
Jiang Fulan’s tone turned teasing. “Hold a grudge?”
“Is she better at it than you?”
Those six had been beaten by Rong Ci, and then beaten by Xie Xunzhao. Who could blame him? They had made Rong Ci angry enough to faint.
Jiang Fulan knew even more of the inside story. “Come to think of it, the whole thing started because you used ‘Rong Mumu’s Buddhist Shrine’ as your username on the campus study forum.”
But one thing at a time.
And so, after Xie Xunzhao had beaten these old-family peers twice, he sent each of them a limited-edition supercar as compensation for keeping quiet and for their emotional damages, along with a message: “Being used as a punching bag by Mumu isn’t something you need to feel inferior about.”
Even Jiang Fulan, whose emotions were usually as steady as still water, couldn’t help laughing when he thought of it.
“By the way, next time you want an outlet for your energy, don’t come looking for me. I’ve been busy lately.”
“Go find Rong Qingtiao.”
Jiang Fulan had an upright, radiant appearance, but it couldn’t hide his heart that loved watching the drama unfold. “Almost forgot. That guy has now been promoted to your brother-in-law. You have to treat him well. Can’t beat him up.”
Didn’t want to hear it. Xie Xunzhao waved him off. “If you don’t want another round, then get lost…”
Jiang Fulan turned and walked away as calmly as ever, leaving one last blessing from afar. “May your family live in harmony.”
—
Rong Ci had never expected her foolproof opening line to be interpreted by Xie Xunzhao as a fever-induced delirium.
What did he mean by that?
Was he implying she wasn’t in her right mind?
To make absolutely sure she was clear-headed, Rong Ci drank a glass of juice, ate a small plate of specially made potato chips, and finally went upstairs to take a shower.
She couldn’t be rash.
She had to ease into it.
First, she replied: [I don’t have a fever. I’m extremely clear-headed right now.]
helios: [Good. Extremely clear-headed Mrs. Xie, what can I do for you?]
On the terrace swing, the cool summer night breeze blew Rong Ci’s fringe aside, fully revealing her flawless features. Her brows were drawn together, giving her an otherworldly, aloof beauty.
In reality, Rong Ci was seriously thinking about how to dig a pit for Xie Xunzhao to fall into when her gaze suddenly paused, settling on the dark night sky.
Inspiration!
She first squeezed the little bird plushie resting on her knees, her expression exceedingly solemn, then typed out each word one at a time: [I’m conducting a spot check!]
[Send me a selfie. Let me see what you’re doing.]
helios: [Not convenient.]
Rong Ci stared at the screen in disbelief—
Not convenient?
What exactly did “not convenient” mean?
Could it be that she was naturally gifted at checking up on people?
Her very first investigation had already uncovered a major case!
If she transmigrated into Detective Conan, she would definitely survive all the way to the finale!
[Well, well, well. It’s only been a few days and you’re already staying out all night!]
[Look down at the wedding ring on your ring finger. Aren’t you ashamed of yourself?]
Xie Xunzhao calmly corrected her: [Eight in the evening doesn’t count as staying out all night.]
[And no, I’m not ashamed.]
Rong Ci took a deep breath, drank another sip of water, and made full preparation for remotely putting the “suspect” on trial.
Who knew… the other side suddenly compromised?
A trick?
helios: [Are you sure you want to see?]
She understood. This was obviously retreating in order to advance!
Just another capitalist’s trick.
She had seen through it long ago.
So Rong Ci answered without hesitation: [Yes!]
[Right now! Immediately!]
The next second, a photo popped up in the chat.
Rong Ci focused her eyes on it and froze for several dozen seconds before slowly drawing in a sharp breath—
What was this?!
A mirror selfie of Xie Xunzhao.
The background was the fight gym’s lounge, with various gloves hanging on the rack behind him.
That wasn’t the point. Rong Ci enlarged the photo until it filled the entire screen.
His bare abs alone took up two-thirds of the picture!!!
“Ahhh!”
“Am I even allowed to look at this?!”
Despite saying that, Rong Ci’s body was remarkably honest. She extended a finger and poked at his muscles through the screen.
There really were eight packs.
Smooth, evenly defined, strong and beautiful.
Tsk…
To calm herself down, Rong Ci backed out of WeChat and switched over to message Pei Yitong.
[Xie Xunzhao just sent me a photo that’s kind of… large.]
I’m Not a Child: [How large? Nude?]
astraia: [!!!]
[How could it be? It’s just his abs……]
[Eight of them.]
I’m Not a Child: [Why are you being so shy? Your husband has eight-pack abs. That’s something you should be proud of as his wife.]
Rong Ci was good at putting herself in other people’s shoes. [Then did I make him lose face?]
I’m Not a Child: [? The point is! He’s seducing you!]
Rong Ci stood before the full-length mirror and pulled up the hem of her pajamas, revealing a stretch of slender, fair, tender waist.
Flat and plain.
Simple.
She only had one.
She had lost.
After thinking it over, Rong Ci delivered her final conclusion: [I think he’s hinting that I should exercise.]
Oh no. Xie Xunzhao wasn’t going to stop at controlling her diet and schedule; was he going to control her exercise now too?!
I’m Not a Child: [.]
[You really are a child. Zeus smiling.jpg]
After chatting with “Child Pei,” Rong Ci could finally return to her conversation with Xie Xunzhao with a normal state of mind.
[Congratulations. You have passed the ultimate test administered by the President’s Wife of the Xie Group.]
[Reward me with an interview for an internship at the Xie Group.]
The second after Rong Ci hit send, her bedroom door suddenly opened, followed immediately by a familiar set of footsteps. She turned her head.
Through the glass partition, Xie Xunzhao’s tall, slender figure gradually approached. Her mind was full of muscles. He had been so generous with the photo on his phone, yet in real life he was covered up from head to toe.
Ah no, that came out wrong. What she should be thinking was…
Could a twenty-four-year-old man still keep growing?
Why did it feel like Xie Xunzhao’s legs had gotten longer again?
Ahh, ahh, no!
She was supposed to be negotiating an interview!
“Big Brother, did you see the message I sent you?”
Backlit by the light, Xie Xunzhao looked toward the girl sitting on the swing, waving her phone at him.
The moon was magnificent tonight. She sat in its light, his reflection reflected in her pupils. Through the glass, one side bright, the other dark. It was as though Xie Xunzhao was the only person in Rong Ci’s eyes.
“I saw it.” Xie Xunzhao walked toward her step by step, his overwhelmingly large shadow almost completely covering and enveloping her.
Rong Ci was utterly unguarded, as if she had fallen into a vast black vortex. No matter how she struggled, she couldn’t escape. Until the tall figure walked around behind Rong Ci and, just as he had when she was little, reached out to push her swing.
The swing rose.
Up and down.
Under the interplay of light and shadow, their elongated shadows overlapped, separated, then overlapped again.
Xie Xunzhao’s shadow was like an indestructible mountain range, stern, and powerful. No matter how time changed, it remained firmly behind her, protecting her.
The girl’s shadow on the swing, meanwhile, was carefree and uninhibited. Her flying skirt went wherever she wanted to go.
Xie Xunzhao lowered his thick lashes, his voice as calm as ever. “Is that all you wanted to say?”
When he had taken that photo, Jiang Fulan had even teased him for his “seductive courtesan act.”
Rong Ci’s eyes were hazy with the fun of swinging. “What else?”
Xie Xunzhao withdrew his gaze.
Rong Mumu was simply too slow. She had absolutely no idea when it came to matters of the heart. Sleeping with him so often when she was young had become a habit.
Even now that they were both adults, biologically normal men and women, with the added layer of a marital relationship between them, she still couldn’t change her fixed perception in her mind.
In her eyes, there was no difference between him and Rong Qingtiao.
Xie Xunzhao brushed the strands of hair the wind had tousled behind her ear. Emotions churned in the depths of his eyes, like an endless, raging tide in the depths of the sea.
Rong Ci would understand eventually. Anything she could do with Rong Qingtiao, she could do with him. But the things she did with him could not be done with Rong Qingtiao.
Rong Ci had forgotten all about the matter at hand. Both hands gripped the soft ropes. “Big Brother, push me a little longer.”
That was how easily her attention could be diverted. She liked a great many things, and wasn’t faithful to any of them.
Xie Xunzhao said calmly, “If you get too excited at night, you won’t be able to sleep.”
Rong Ci was left wanting more. “Okay.”
She looked very obedient. In reality, she was the hardest little beast in the entire jungle to tame.
Five minutes later.
Xie Xunzhao stood before the full-length mirror, slowly loosening the tie constricting his Adam’s apple. “The Xie Group’s recruitment requirement this year is a master’s degree from a university ranked in the QS top fifty.”
Rong Ci immediately sprang into action, being exceedingly helpful. “I’ll undo it for you!”
“What a coincidence. Our G University is in the QS top twenty.”
Xie Xunzhao’s attitude was strictly businesslike. “You currently only have a high school diploma. You don’t meet the recruitment requirements.”
Rong Ci tightened her fingers around his tie, as though trying to strangle her own husband. “Saying that makes me very depressed.”
Xie Xunzhao rescued his own neck and gave a low “Oh.”
“Xie Xunzhao, don’t take this lightly.”
“My level of depression is so severe that even the fog of Edinburgh would have to retreat.”
“The consequences are serious!” Afraid he hadn’t heard her clearly enough, Rong Ci rose onto her toes and leaned closer to his ear. The scent of gardenia spread through the air, wisps of it slipping into his breath.
Xie Xunzhao’s gaze fell upon Rong Ci’s fair, pretty face. Her peach-blossom eyes were clear as water. The emotions in the man’s eyes built up bit by bit, while countless tangled threads wound through his heart.
In the end, he rubbed his brow, and his thin lips uttered four words. “I’m depressed too.”
“What are you depressed about?” Rong Ci blinked and asked instinctively.
“That my wife is a little idiot.” With that, Xie Xunzhao turned and went into the bathroom.
Leaving Rong Ci standing where she was, the dark-patterned tie slipping from her palm to the floor like an opened gift box, filled with treasures invisible to the naked eye.
~~
Two days later, in the evening at the Yunduan Club.
“Why did you suddenly bring me to a drinking party?” Rong Ci held onto Xie Xunzhao’s arm as they made their way from the highest-level VIP-exclusive underground parking garage directly to the private banquet hall on the top floor.
Xie Xunzhao strictly forbade her from staying anywhere alcohol was served because she was allergic to alcohol.
He casually replied, “I’m giving you an early taste of how sinister drinking-table culture can be.”
Rong Ci was completely serious. “President Xie, I’d rather experience the hardships of an internship.”
“When are you taking me to start work?”
……
Yet even after Rong Ci pushed open the door to the banquet hall, she still didn’t get an answer from Xie Xunzhao.
She had gone to the restroom a few minutes earlier to compose herself and touch up her makeup, so she hadn’t entered with him.
The moment she stepped inside, she was greeted by floor-to-ceiling curved panoramic windows spanning a full 360 degrees, offering an unobstructed view of the dazzling lights of the central business district. They were so spectacular that they almost made the equally brilliant and extravagant interior fade into the background.
Xie Xunzhao had already taken his seat.
Rong Ci accurately located him with her gaze. There was an empty seat beside him, with a glass of cherry juice waiting on the table, clearly left there for her.
The man was holding a teacup, taking a small sip. The glass refracted light onto his striking features and combined with his flawless posture and impeccable manners, he was the most eye-catching person in any room.
Rong Ci walked straight over and sat down naturally. Seeing everyone staring at her in confusion, she even greeted them politely. “Hello.”
???
“Is this President Xie’s new secretary? I’ve never seen her before.”
“Probably not.”
“The Xie Group’s secretarial department doesn’t hire people casually.”
Rong Ci was still in school, and they had never held a wedding.
So, the Xie family hadn’t deliberately publicized Xie Xunzhao’s marital status. Aside from the wedding ring that had appeared on his left ring finger, which had sparked widespread discussion, very few people, even among the management, had ever seen the president’s wife in person.
Tonight, she wore a little black dress, and her long hair was rarely pinned up, revealing her slender neck with a few strands falling lazily down her back, without the slightest trace of childishness about her.
But after all, she was only twenty. No matter how striking her appearance and aura were, anyone with a discerning eye could tell at a glance. She was far too young and simply did not fit in with a high-end business drinking party like this.
Someone reminded her, “Miss, you’ve come through the wrong door. This isn’t where you should sit.”
Rong Ci looked uninterested, glanced at Xie Xunzhao, then deliberately said, “Then where should I sit? President Xie, can I sit on your lap?”
!!!
It had been a long time since anyone had seen such a bold young woman. She was actually throwing herself at President Xie in front of everyone.
President Xie was famously self-disciplined in this regard, pure and with few desires…
Huh?
The next second.
Xie Xunzhao leaned back slightly. The perfectly tailored black suit trousers outlined the long, straight thighs, radiating an air of restrained abstinence.
He paid no attention to the eyes of the entire room. The slightly sharp outer corners of his eyes lifted. “Sit wherever you like.”
“There isn’t a seat here you’re not allowed to take.”
Xie Xunzhao’s voice was not loud, almost indifferent, yet the protectiveness in it was deeper than tonight’s darkness. He took Rong Ci’s hand and slowly moved it onto the tabletop.
Under the bright lights, two sapphire wedding rings, made by the same designer from the same original stone, reflected each other’s brilliance.
Rong Ci froze for a moment when he suddenly took her hand. Before she could recover, his fingers slipped between hers, his hard, long knuckles interlacing with her fingers.
Palm against palm. As though they could feel each other’s pulses beating in the same rhythm.
Rong Ci’s fingertips curled unconsciously, scratching lightly at Xie Xunzhao’s palm. She leaned close to his ear and whispered, “D-don’t think holding hands is enough to coax me.”
Everyone seated at the table was an old fox, and they immediately understood.
“So, this is Madam Xie. Please forgive our rudeness.”
“Our apologies, Madam Xie.”
“Your wife is very beautiful and young. She looks like she hasn’t even graduated yet.”
Xie Xunzhao loosely held Rong Ci’s hand, with no intention of letting go. He replied casually, “She hasn’t graduated.” Then he changed the subject. “You’re too kind. My wife does quite well in school.”
“Architecture at G University. First in the entire department for three consecutive years.”
Hold on… Had anyone even asked?
Xie Xunzhao continued matter-of-factly. “She barely studied in high school and still became the provincial top scorer.”
“Yes, the college entrance examination is harder in Lingcheng than in Beicheng.”
Everyone understood.
“Impressive!”
“No wonder she’s President Xie’s wife!”
Rong Ci looked left, then right, then lowered her gaze to their joined hands. The more she listened, the more something felt wrong. Why had a perfectly normal business drinking party turned into a session of praising her?
“Sorry I’m late. Beicheng’s evening rush hour really does live up to its reputation.” Shen Yu had arrived late.
Rong Ci lifted her eyes and suddenly went still, taking a long moment to come back to herself.
Voices of greeting came to her ears. “Teacher Shen, you’re here. Please, have a seat.”
“……”
“As it happens, Madam Xie is also a talented architecture student. I’m sure she and Teacher Shen will have plenty to talk about.”
Rong Ci suddenly understood everything Xie Xunzhao had been doing. No wonder he had brought her to the drinking party despite his usual behavior. And even… deliberately steered the conversation toward her field of study.
Under the table, her hand gripped Xie Xunzhao’s sleeve tightly and whispered into his ear, “H-how did you know…? I never even told you about this!”
Xie Xunzhao smoothed the crease in his cuff, then took her hand again. “All right. Didn’t you want to learn from Ms. Shen? Go say hello.”
Rong Ci looked up at Xie Xunzhao.
The young man wore an exceptionally distinguished, luxurious suit. On one side of his lapel was only a discreet platinum bird-shaped lapel chain, accentuating the lofty, almost untouchable air about him.
Outside the floor-to-ceiling windows stretched a vast, endless night, dark and without a trace of daylight. Yet to Rong Ci, it was as though she could see an omnipotent sun that granted every wish she made.