Chapter 32

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Translated by -[iana]-, read at :anameescans [DOT] wordpress [DOT] com

Gege, I’m really not pretending to be asleep, I’m pretending to be dead

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NOTE FROM TRANSLATOR: THIS PROJECT HAS BEEN MOVED TO CN TRANSLATIONS

You can read all the chapters there or keep reading here but this one will soon be password protected like the others here, more info in the pinned message posted here. I’m sorry for the inconvenience. All updated chapters will be posted there from now on.

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News of Xiao Huaisu being married and even having a daughter had blown up within the company like a bomb. And in the eyes of these co-workers, I, who was seen as the only insider, was of course bombarded with questions, and became everyone’s intelligence acquisition hub.

“Haha… a long, long, time ago… Haha…” Truth is, I don’t freaking know either! So all I could do was laugh it off like an idiot—and lie.

“Li Tian, was the president’s wife always in the country before? Or did she just come back recently? If not, how could this sort of news have been wrapped up so tight?”

“Well, the president is a very low key person, so something like that just couldn’t be helped.”

“Li Tian, I heard the president’s wife is, like, super gorgeous. Is it true? Come on, tell me, tell me! Plus, do you have any pics of her for me to see?”

“Yes, yes, she’s gorgeous—drop dead gorgeous even. You can’t even count the number of people who have tried to chase after ‘her’. As for pictures, those are private at the end of the day. So it’s better for you to just drop the matter, because if the president catches wind of it, I’m the one whose neck would be on the chopping block.”

“Oh, okay then. I won’t bother you about it any more. But you’re usually more juicy with the details, you know? So when you say gorgeous, exactly how gorgeous are we talking?” Hearing my words, that colleague of mine propped their head up and got lost in their own fantasy.

At noon, during the break for lunch, I took out my food and was planning to go heat it up. But, right as I was, I got stopped by Xie Dongliang.

“Li Tian, come on, I’ll buy you lunch.”

Xie Dongliang was the deputy director, so I had no choice but to give him face. But, in this world, there’s no such thing as a free lunch, so his insistence caused me to first ask him: “Xie-ge, why do you suddenly want to buy me lunch? Is there some kind of scheme?”

Xie Dongliang let out a laugh at my question, then went on to reply: “I heard them say you’re not married yet. So you’re not, right?”

“Yeah, sure.” But I do have a boyfriend though. Heehee.

“Well, a cousin of mine is getting married in a couple days, and we’re short a groomsman so I was planning on asking you fill in.”

Oh, so that’s why. I let out a sigh of relief while holding my container: “Something like that isn’t a big deal, so there’s no need to take me out for a meal for that. Just give me call and tell me when. Do I have to get a suit myself, or will it be prepared by your cousin?”

“He’s got everything prepared, so you don’t need to worry about that, you can just go there when the time comes. I’m still going to treat you to lunch, though, so let’s go, let’s go, let’s go—” Xie Dongliang couldn’t help but tug me me along for a walk. This Xie-ge is a super enthusiastic fellow.

I think Xiao Huaisu went out for a big meeting today, because he wasn’t there at noon. It’s no fun eating alone, so it felt like a good idea to go have lunch with Director Xie.

When we arrived at the place, I noticed there was a young lady already siting in the table reserved by Director Xie.

The thought unable to stop itself from forming in my head: Is this a blind date?

Director Xie’s face was brimming with smiles as he led me over there. After taking our seats, the girl then gave me a shy smile. She had nice features, and was quite pretty.

Director Xie then said: “This of my younger cousin, and she’s the same age as you—”

After he told me some stuff abut the young lady, we made our orders. I actually felt a bit embarrassed cleaning everything on my plate while on a blind date, but I was so thick-skinned that I just acted as if I didn’t know a thing. I even thanked Director Xie for the meal too, just so you know.

In the span of one afternoon, the entire department had already fund out I was taken on a blind date by the matchmaker known as Director Xie.

News like this can be a death sentence! How am I going to live if this news reaches Xiao Huaisu’s ears? Would it be better for me to tell it to him in advance?

While on his way back from getting some water, Liu Dongya, a guy I normally chatted with, stopped by my seat and asked me in jest: “So what’s the result of your blind date today?”

But I pretended to be confused, saying: “What blind date?”

“The one you had when you went to have lunch with Director Xie? Or was it just the two of you then?”

“Director Xie just asked me to lunch because he wanted me to be a bridesmaid at his cousin’s wedding.”

At my words, Liu Dongya paused for a while, then asked: “Bridesmaid?”

When I finally caught myself, I regretfully corrected, “My bad, it was just a slip of the tongue. I meant a groomsman—a groomsman!”

To which he just laughed: “Hahahahaha… Dude, you look terrified. But you’re just a kid. So why is everyone trying to set you up with someone? Why not me? I heard that even Manager Lin wants to set you up with someone too!”

“…” What in tarnation is going on here? “Why are the Managers paying special attention to just me…”

“It’s probably because of your special relationship with the president, and the managers all have girls around the right age, but… since they can no longer try to set them up with the president, they’re using you as the next best thing.”

“So I’m just someone stained in the president’s light…”

Liu Dongya sighed, saying: “Well, that’s what everyone thinks…”

So hearing his reply, I then said seriously: “Oh, so you’re definitely jealous of me. It’s true everyone wants to set me up, but isn’t that because I’m just more handsome than you?”

Liu Dongya reached out to pat me, saying: “Hahaha… Geez, you’re so brazen. I’ve seen brazen people in my lifetime, but, I swear, I’ve never met anyone as brazen as you!”

After Liu Dingya left, a sentence of his still lingered in my mind: Manager Lin wants to set you up with someone too.

Look Xiao Huaisu, look at how much trouble you caused me?!

Am I some kind of ladder for them to try using nepotism to get in?!

Don’t you guys know it’s much faster to give gifts or bribe me if you want me to use my pillow connection to whisper in his ear? Trying to set me up with someone is just… it’s just… it’s so old-fashioned, goddammit!

Fortunately, Director Xie didn’t ask me about his cousin, and I managed to get away that afternoon. After work was over I saw Zhang Dong, he looked at me ruthlessly, the kind filled with jealousy and envy. So I accepted his glares calmly, even waving him goodbye~

When I got back home that evening, I simply made myself a bowl of noodles, and made do with eating it alone. After washing up, I went to the study to practice my calligraphy (a task Xiao Huaisu had assigned to me), then flipped through a book he left on the table.

Then after checking the time, I went back to my room and turned in.

While half asleep and half awake, I heard the sound of the door open, soon catching the scent of something familiar, carrying traces of moisture.

Starting with a light nip on my ear, an unhurried tone then said to me: “I heard in passing, you had a blind date today?”

‘Blind date.’ Those two words made me sober up really quick. During this wakening of mine, I sneakily shrunk myself under the covers, pretending I hadn’t heard a thing. Letting out a groan to suggest: I’m sleeping, don’t bother me, okay?

Xiao Huaisu ignored my objections, continuing: “What were they like? We’re you planning on not telling me?” He then ripped open the blanket and took me into his arms, adding: “Still pretending to be asleep?”

Gege, I’m really not pretending to be asleep, I’m pretending to be dead.

Xiao Huaisu kissed me, his hands going over the ticklish parts of my waist.

Who could resist something like this?

Plus, to be honest with you, when Xiao Huaisu bit my ear, I actually had to suppress the desire in me, because I wanted to flip over and push him down on the bed right then.

In the end, I couldn’t take the tickling, and while struggling to block his hands, ended up laughing out loud.

“Hey, listen, alright? I’m in no way the one to blame for what happened because the one at fault here in totality is you.” I made the first strike, condemning him rather seriously.

“Me?”

“Yes, you! If not, why would all those supervisors think of setting me up? Do I look like somebody important? It’s your fault because they see you treating me all good!”

A stream of laughter burst out of Xiao Huaisu, as he then muttered: “Is that so…”

“Yeah yeah yeah—”

“Then allow me to compensate you for my wronging.” After saying this, he flipped me over, imprisoning my body beneath his own, earnestly going back and forth to properly offer me his apologies in full.

***

The compensated me did not have to bother lifting a finger the following morning.

And, fortunately, the next day was one I had off, so I didn’t have to get up early for work. All I did was lie lazily in bed, and wait on Xiao Huaisu to make my breakfast and wait on me hand and foot.

While eating the “love breakfast” he made me with his own hands, my heart felt all sweet, and I thought that feeling was quite mushy. But after I took two to three bites of the porridge, I heard him say from beside me: “Li Tian…”

I looked at him, grunting out a yeah, and waited for him to continue.

“Let’s get married.”

I’m sorry, but I splurted again, and this time was lucky enough to get two grains of rice stuck in my throat. I coughed for my life over the bedside, and he patted my back, asking: “Are you alright?”

While still coughing, I lifted my head to look at Xiao Huaisu and ask: “Married?”

He hummed out a yeah, then said for my consideration said: “This way, if someone wants to set you up with someone, you can just honestly and confidently tell them that you are already married.”

Him saying all this put my heart right on the edge of moving.

But I still maintained my rationality, staring a him… staring at him for a good while before directly asking: “Hold up… are you proposing to me?”

“Yes…”

“Without a ring?”

Xiao Huaisu pulled out a little box from his pocket and opened it.

I choked. Then I asked: “Where’s the flowers?”

He was stunned, then asked with a bit of unease: “I thought you didn’t like those kinds of things…” but before he could finish, he seemed to have thought of something. Standing up, before leaving the bedroom. From outside, there was the sound of a voice for a while, then after a bit, he came back in holding the potted flower Li You had given him.

“Here’s the flowers.”

Aren’t you just being a bit too perfunctory?

I looked down at glittering ring in the box, my heart filling with joy. But I still wanted to pretend to be reluctant, so sounding unsatisfied, I said: “Let me think about it, okay… I’ll think it over.”

Xiao Huaisu put the flower pot on the nightstand, then took two large steps towards me, nodding as he said: “Okay then. I’ll just hold on to the ring in the meantime. You can get it back after you’ve thought it over.”

Are you really going to be this stingy?! I his the ring behind my back and complained: “You gave it to me, and now want to take it back? Like hell.”

“So have you thought about it then?”

“I’ve thought about it properly.”

“And?”

“You just begged me to marry you, and Gege here, just loves you so very much, so how could I possibly refuse?”

Unable to hold back his laughter, Xiao Huaisu said in return: “Then I must extend to you my sincere gratitude then, Gege.”

I took out the ring from the box, and because it was a special day, I felt especially courageous. So raising my chin, I handed it to him and demanded: “Hurry, put it on me.”

Xiao Huaisu, indulging me, took out the ring, putting it on my finger slowly. Looking at it from my left, then from my right, I told him: “It looks likes it costs quite a pretty penny. So, for the sake of money, I will definitely tie the knot with you.”

“Then it looks like I have to work even harder to make money in order to tie you down firmly,” Xiao Huaisu looked at wearing the he gave me and said.

With a couple huffs I concurred: “That’s a must! Now, I don’t want to brag, but… there are quite the number of people who are chasing after this Big Brother here, you know? So you must seize your chance, you get me?”

“Of course.” Xiao Huaisu’s reply was sincere.

“Then how about letting me top you once?”

“Didn’t we make Youyou a promise to pick her up and go to the amusement park later? If you don’t get up now, we’ll end up running late later.” Xiao Huaisu looked at his watch and said to me.

I forgot our little princess was at her grandmother’s waiting for us to come pick her up, so I told him for now: “Fine… I’ll let you off for today.”

Xiao Huaisu smiled and gave my bird nest of a head a tousle. Then in tone quite meaningful, said to me in consolation: “The future is long, so there’s no need for you to be worried, you’ll get your chance.”

Being coaxed by Xiao Huaisu, now content, I reached out my hand, saying to him: “My beloved, quickly help me dress. I must go fetch the little princess and ferry her to the garden celebrations forthwith.” After saying this, I sputtered out a laugh.

Xiao Huaisu then looked at me, his eyes narrowing slightly as he asked: “You know, we can always go to the park tomorrow…” Once I saw this dangerous gaze of his, I immediately refused and said: “We should do as we promised to the child. Otherwise, how will craft the image of a great father in front of her?” After pulling and pushing Xiao Huaisu out the door, I breathed out a sigh of relief.

Now with my back to the door, I stared at the ring on my finger, and finally did not hold back my giggles.

The man of my dreams asked me to marry him… I’m so freaking happy!

~\(≧▽≦)/~~\(≧▽≦)/~~\(≧▽≦)/~~\(≧▽≦)/~

Note:

That last bit where Li Tian called Xiao Huaisu ‘my beloved’ the word he used was 爱妃：Ài’fēi, which was the way emperors, kings, lords, etc. used to refer to their beloved concubines. And Li Tian even used the sovereign I: 朕-zhèn, to refer to himself.

Okay, now that the technicalities are out of the way, let’s focus on the big news! *grabs your hands* THEY GOT ENGAGED!!!! Our babies are getting hitched! JUMP AROUND WITH ME!! SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!! HE LIKED IT AND HE PUT A RING ON IT!!!!

o(≧∀≦)o o(≧∀≦)o o(≧∀≦)o

And…. sporadic manhua updates until the main chapters of this novel are done. (ˉ▽ˉ；)…

Next chapter next week.