C8 Engagement

The marriage between the two was swift and decisive.

Xu Huanxi observed Chu Rusi's firm signature and it dawned on her that it was his real name, not a pseudonym. In such a vast world, sharing a name with someone prominent is hardly unusual. "Mr. Chu, has your name ever caused you any trouble?"

Sharing a name with a VIP must come with its pressures.

Chu Rusi gazed at the marriage certificate for a long while. Were they really married, just like that? It was an odd sensation. A slight smile played on his lips. "Perhaps it's time for you to address me differently."

Xu Huanxi considered this. They were married now, so in a sense, they had become acquainted—though the logic in that thought seemed a bit off.

She looked up, her smile warm and her eyes sparkling with sincerity. Ready to embark on their shared life, she was determined to give it her all. She reached out her hand in a gesture of goodwill. "Ru Si, I look forward to learning from you."

A tender spot in Chu Rusi's heart was gently touched by her straightforwardness. She tilted her head slightly, her voice clear and gentle, almost dazzling him.

He clasped her delicate hand, and his once restless heart found tranquility.

...

At Tong City First Hospital.

Xu Huanxi parked in the underground garage, her heart nearly crumbling at the thought of her beloved ancestor's impending departure. Yet, years of self-discipline and reason steadied her. She turned to Chu Rusi, "Are you ready?"

Chu Rusi snapped back to reality. His usual demeanor was cool and detached, and it was rare for him to feel such nerves. After all... he was about to meet his son, and his emotions were a mix of anticipation and anxiety.

He had brushed up on the client's background, aware that Xu Huanxi's grandmother was battling cancer with only a few months left. Her dearest wish was to see her granddaughter settled.

To put her grandmother's mind at ease, Xu Huanxi had been willing to pay for the companionship of a handsome young man—someone attractive, skilled in acting, capable of charming an elder, deceiving a child, and all at a reasonable cost.

That such an outlandish request was actually taken up was astonishing. The sole benefit for the man who accepted was that he wouldn't have to wait on Xu Huanxi.

Ji Qianjun reportedly mocked someone for being terrified by a wealthy woman's ferocious demeanor.

Chu Rusi fiddled with the Buddhist beads in his hand, reflecting on the deal that had turned out to be a loss. The only perk, now vanished, was the likes of Xu Huanxi—a beautiful and tempting girl who was off-limits.

Of course, his intentions weren't to sleep with her.

He observed the woman before him, feigning strength while tears threatened to spill. She had chosen to suffer in silence, enduring a solitary and difficult life for years.

With a soft sigh, he wrapped his arms around her, offering a gentle pat on the back and a look of deep compassion. Alone with a child and caring for her elderly grandmother, he wondered how she had managed to come this far.

"Cry now if you need to, but once we go upstairs, no more tears," he instructed.

Xu Huanxi, taken aback, stumbled into the man's solid chest, her body stiffening as her eyes welled up with tears, eventually giving way to quiet sobs.

She had always put on a brave face, but with her grandmother, who had raised her since childhood, on the brink of death, her world was shattering. How could she remain unaffected?

...

Meanwhile, at Entertainment City.

A handsome, delicate-looking young man was in tears, clutching his sides in despair. "Sister Song, you promised me an easy gig," he lamented through his sobs, "so why am I stuck with the same old demanding lady?"

Life had squeezed him dry, leaving him questioning his existence and feeling utterly drained.