The Overnight Chosen Wife: darling, kiss me deeper

That evening.

Xiaoshi wanted to go over to the Old Ji Mansion to say hello to her aunt and uncle. Hence, Xiehan returned from the office earlier to drop her off.

"Lanni isn’t back yet?" He was surprised when he didn’t find her at the apartment. The interview shouldn’t take this long, right?

Xiaoshi shook her head. "She sent me a text message a while ago and said that it might take longer than she thought."

"I see. We can wait for her." Xiehan sat on the couch. Since he was going to the Ji Mansion, he should bring Lanni with him. It had been ages since they last went over and if he didn’t bring her along, his parents would chew him out. 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

"Speaking of which, is aunty getting along with Lanni? I heard someone say that she is very mean and hates her." Xiaoshi asked, curious and annoyed. How could anyone hate Lanni?

Xiehan flicked her forehead. "Is your brain filled with nothing but gossip?"

"Ow! I’m only concerned about you! Don’t you think it will be troublesome for everyone if you and Lanni get married but your family doesn’t like her?" She rubbed her forehead as she complained.

Xiehan let out a smile. "Don’t worry. She won her over."

"Oh." Xiaoshi was no longer worried. "I’m happy for you, cousin. You finally fell in love and it’s true love too."

Xiehan raised an eyebrow in amusement. "What about you?"

"What about me?" She feigned ignorance.

"I know you have a guy you like. Who is the unlucky guy?" He teased.

"He is very lucky, okay! And I won’t tell you who he is."

Xiehan knew that she was not joking about not wanting to tell him who the man was. He thought about it and decided to let it slide. "As long as he is a morally upright man and he will not bully you. If I find out that he is playing with your feelings, I will beat him up—I won’t care that you love him." He looked at her strictly.

She smiled, her heart melting. "You sound just like a protective brother—not that I’m complaining."

"I’m being serious here." He frowned.

She stopped playing around. "I know, I know. My taste isn’t so bad as to fall for a jerk. I will definitely not let you have to beat anyone up."

Just as they spoke, Lanni finally returned.

She looked tired and flopped onto the couch as soon as she entered the house.

Xiaoshi naturally brought her water. "You are back. You look so exhausted... what did they do to you?"

"They made me the the Chief Editor." Lanni was still in disbelief.

"Wait, what? Congratulations!" Xiaoshi didn’t know what position Lanni applied for; but since the latter sounded like it was too unexpected, even she was reflexively shocked.

Lanni didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. "I mean, it was totally unexpected. The current—no, former—Chief Editor is going overseas so he was helping the CEO find the best person to take up his post. I spent the entire afternoon taking down notes of everything I need to know."

"This calls for a celebration." Xiehan smiled. He then went to the cellar she didn’t know existed in her apartment since it was a hidden room, and returned with a bottle of wine and three stem glasses. He poured wine into the glasses and clinched them. "Congratulations, my love."

"Wait, you’re not surprised?" Lanni glanced at him quizzically after taking a sip of her wine. She raised an eyebrow when she thought of a possibility. "This is not your doing, is it?"

Xiehan thought about how he had made her work for Xing Han. Her suspicion hadn’t arisen from thin air.

"Honey, I would really appreciate it but then, I prefer working hard on my own to achieve what I want." She took his silence for a yes.

He patted her head with a chuckle. "Babe, you think too much. Do you really think I’m one of those men who use their status to secretly make their women have their way? Of course not! I have faith in my woman." He grinned. "Of course, if you need my help getting anything, I will gladly do whatever you want me to do; with your permission, that is."

"Uh... my love life is wrecked! Now I won’t be able to accept a man unless he is at least as good as my cousin." Xiaoshi commented. He understood women so well and knew what to do or not to do to keep them happy. It was almost shocking that he was not a playboy—yet he was loyal and only had eyes for one woman.

Lanni stared at Xiehan in awe. "My man is so charming that I’m almost jealous of myself!"

"That’s enough." Xiaoshi dragged Lanni into her room. "Get changed, we are going to the old mansion for dinner."

What was up with these sisters? Were they planning to kill her with their displays of affection?

Lanni laughed and got changed.

__

The Old Ji Mansion, later in the evening.

Lin Wei was overjoyed to see her son, niece and future daughter-in-law.

"You finally know your way back home." She scolded Xiehan as she hugged him.

"I’ve been busy at the company." He said, then handed over a bag. "Lanni and Xiaoshi prepared this for you."

"It’s already enough that you girls came to visit. You didn’t have to prepare gifts as well." She hugged Lanni and Xiaoshi happily, then led them into the house.

"Hello, Uncle." Lanni and Xiaoshi greeted Ji Huifen.

"How have you been?" Ji Huifen was elated as he shook hands with the girls. He couldn’t help scanning Xiaoshi in disbelief. "The little girl who used to cling onto me, calling me uncle and lifting her tiny arms to ask for hugs is suddenly a young woman too! How time flies."

"You can say that again. My handsome uncle is suddenly so old." Xiaoshi joked, and everyone laughed.

"Say that again? Which part of me looks old?" Ji Huifen looked like he was about to grab a mirror and check himself out.

"Of course you are old. My son is more handsome than you—because he takes after his mum in some aspects." Wen Lin harrumphed, making everyone joke and laugh at Ji Huifen’s expense.

They all made their way to the dining room.

"Now that we talk about it, time really is flying." Wen Lin raised an eyebrow as she served food for the girls. "My friends’ kids are even getting married and having children. In fact, one of my high-school classmates already has a grandchild old enough to call her grandma."

"Is that so?" Xiehan coughed, while Xiaoshi laughed and teased the perplexed Lanni. They all knew where this was headed.

Just as they dreaded, Wen Lin glanced at her son. "It wasn’t long ago that Xinghe was complaining about her son not being in a relationship despite being so old. But now, not only is Xingyu engaged, his fiancée is even pregnant too."

"I’m full." Xiehan was preparing to flee, but his mother grabbed his hand.

"Your best friend is already planning his wedding and welcoming a little one. When are you and Lanni planning to get married and have kids?"

Since he couldn’t avoid it, Xiehan could only deal with it. "Mother, we already talked about this, didn’t we? Lanni is still young."

"You always give me this excuse." She harrumphed. "What do you mean Lanni is young? She is already twenty years old; the legal age for marriage is eighteen and besides, Xingyu’s fiancée is her twin."

Lanni chuckled helplessly. "But aunty, just because my twin is ready for marriage doesn’t mean I have to be ready as well, right?"

"Right, I get it. I’m just worried that you guys don’t have it in mind. After all, it’s much better to have kids when you are younger, or you will be too busy to have them later." Said Wen Lin.

"Lin Lin, don’t bug our son now. Those who don’t know might think you are trying to rush Lanni." Ji Huifen came to Lanni’s and Xiehan’s rescue.

While they spoke, a maid announced the arrival of Xingyu. He soon entered the house, hand-in-hand with Luna.

"What a grand occasion! Even Xingyu finally decided to pay a visit." Wen Lin was overjoyed.

"We are staying over at the old mansion so we thought we should say hi." Xingyu said, and went ahead to introduce Luna to everyone.

"Xiaoshi?" Lanni checked on the girl beside her. "Are you alright? You are trembling." She observed.

"I’m okay." The girl looked away after flashing a smile.

Lanni raised an eyebrow. The girl’s mood had taken a drastic turn at some point. However, since she didn’t want to talk about it, Lanni let it be for now.

However, as Xingyu and Luna joined the table, Xiaoshi couldn’t stop her eyes from watering. Eventually, she dashed out of the dining room.

Lanni followed her worriedly. "Xiaoshi, what happened?"

In disbelief, the girl wiped her tears using her fist. "Luna’s fiancé... is Xingyu?"