Chapter 37
“Right now, there are plenty of brothers who can drink with you. But the only one who can give you the backbone to get divorced is me. You know who you should be drinking with, right?”
That jab hit home. Lu Xiao’s empathy finally kicked in; his tone softened, patient and coaxing. “If I were you, I’d be drafting the divorce agreement right now, not sitting here yapping.”
Chu Hao took it in. “Mm.”
Lu Xiao hung up. Perfect timing—the soup base was ready. Once the wontons went in, all that was left was to bring it to a boil and cook them through.
He went to the bedroom, took a shower, climbed into bed refreshed, and rolled into the covers with his wife.
With his left arm he scooped Meng Xueyuan into his embrace; with his right hand he pressed at the waist and flipped them over, ending with Meng Xueyuan on top of him.
The movement stirred Meng Xueyuan. His eyelids fluttered; he struggled to wake, but he was far too tired. He couldn’t open his eyes, only pressed his nose to Lu Xiao’s shoulder and sniffed—confirming it was Lu Xiao—then hooked an arm around Lu Xiao’s neck.
“Lu Xiao,” Meng Xueyuan murmured softly.
Lu Xiao lied gently to soothe him. “Mm. Keep sleeping. I won’t bother you.”
His actions said otherwise. He lifted his wife’s head and kissed him thoroughly. The pajama buttons weren’t even fully undone yet, and his hand was already roaming inside the clothes.
The distorted pajamas pressed uncomfortably against Meng Xueyuan; he let out a small hum, but his legs obediently parted, draping along Lu Xiao’s waist.
Even this exhausted and he’s still this good… Lu Xiao stopped short, the fire blazing in him abruptly checked.
His wife was just too wonderful—especially when contrasted with Chu Hao.
Some people come home to catch their wives cheating, chaos everywhere. Others come home to a wife sleeping peacefully in bed, time serene. The comparison only made happiness sweeter. Lu Xiao cherished it deeply and couldn’t bear to tire such a good wife.
He curled his lips, rubbed the back of Meng Xueyuan’s neck, and kissed the corner of his eye.
“I’ll let you off.”
“Sleep.”
Lu Xiao’s words seemed to carry a hypnotic power. Meng Xueyuan, who had been on the verge of waking, heard that familiar, reassuring voice and felt as though he’d found his little boat again, found the harbor from his dreams—drifting over, leaning in, lulled to sleep by the waves.
Meng Xueyuan fell asleep again. He didn’t even realize that Lu Xiao had crossed mountains and seas to see him; he thought it was a beautiful dream and persuaded himself not to wake.
Lu Xiao lowered his gaze to his wife sprawled atop him. The fire he’d stirred was hard to quell. He took a deep breath.
In his mind, two forces clashed in a sea of sinful desire: should he pity his wife, or pity himself?
Of course—pity his wife.
If he really went all out, it’d take at least two hours. Then there’d be washing up afterward, one late-night snack after another—wouldn’t it be one or two in the morning?
—The late-night snack was already prepared, yet he couldn’t bear to tire Meng Xueyuan to the point of needing one.
If Meng Xueyuan didn’t have work tomorrow, fine. But his wife was busy tomorrow too.
Still… he’d come all this way. If he didn’t get enough to make it worthwhile, they’d be long-distance again for two more months.
Lu Xiao’s possessiveness was in a league of its own. Whether video calls in real time or dead objects like photos, he never dared to keep anything that might expose Meng Xueyuan.
If he wanted to see, he had to see him in person.
So—look but don’t touch?
“You can do it,” Meng Xueyuan murmured, as if in a dream.
Lu Xiao hardened instantly—looked and touched.
……
Early the next morning, the cooking aunt had just opened the door when she saw the long-absent male owner standing in the bright, spotless living room. Morning light streamed in; the master of the house looked spirited.
“Third Young Master.”
Lu Xiao took a thick red envelope from the drawer and handed it to her. “Thanks for taking care of things during this time. Take today off.”
The aunt set the fresh ingredients she’d just bought at the market on the table. “Thank you, Third Young Master. I bought a pigeon today and cleaned it. Remember to stew it for Mr. Meng.”
Lu Xiao said, “Alright. I’ll stew it now.”
In the bedroom—
Meng Xueyuan treated the sound of the door opening as an alarm and woke right on time.
Hm? Who’s the aunt talking to?
Why does that sound like Lu Xiao’s voice?
Wait—Lu Xiao seemed to have come back last night! It wasn’t a dream!
Meng Xueyuan threw off the blanket and immediately saw several red marks on his pale skin—especially around his thighs.
After a month without that, there was still a bit of discomfort below, a dull ache in his lower abdomen—just like after the first time he and Lu Xiao had been together.
So this was “a brief separation makes a marriage feel new again”? Not even a pair of pajama pants left behind.
Meng Xueyuan put on his pants, enduring the slight discomfort as he walked, twisted the doorknob, and sure enough—there, in the full light of day, stood his handsome lover.
“Lu Xiao!”
Lu Xiao reached out to him. “Come here.”
Meng Xueyuan went over and hugged him. “What time did you get in? I don’t remember at all.”
Lu Xiao thought for a moment and reported seriously. “Landed at eight, went home at eight-thirty to see my dad, and got back here at nine-thirty.”
Listening to Chu Hao’s cheating story had taken it to ten.
Meng Xueyuan asked, “Then how long are you staying?”
Lu Xiao replied, “I’m leaving this afternoon. I can’t stay with you. When I come back next time, we’ll go back to our hometown together to see our parents.”
Meng Xueyuan felt a little disappointed, but being able to see Lu Xiao at all was already a huge surprise. “Okay.”
Lu Xiao reached out and touched Meng Xueyuan’s forehead and back. “Feeling uncomfortable?”
Meng Xueyuan’s memory of last night was hazy, but he remembered they definitely hadn’t gone to the bathroom halfway through. If water touched him, he would’ve woken up. So there hadn’t been any thorough cleaning—was Lu Xiao worried he’d get a fever?
He really wanted to say there was no need to worry. But his husband was just an ordinary human, after all.
“Not uncomfortable.” Just a little.
Lu Xiao said, “That’s good.”
Last night he’d softened and not gone all the way—but not completely. His fingers had still put his wife through plenty, all while coaxing him to keep sleeping, to get enough scientifically recommended rest, trying to have it both ways.
Later, he’d somehow pressed a strange spot. In an instant, Meng Xueyuan had gone damp inside and out.
It wasn’t the well-known spot—Lu Xiao was certain of that. He’d never found this place before.
His wife was truly multitalented.
Lu Xiao said, “Honey, sit here and don’t move. I’ll bring you breakfast.”
Meng Xueyuan sat upright. Once Lu Xiao went into the kitchen, he quietly leaned back against a cushion. He picked up his phone and scrolled through Moments.
“Why did Chu Hao announce his divorce on Moments?” Meng Xueyuan asked in surprise. “The first wedding we attended together—and it cooled off way too fast. They’d only been married a month.”
Lu Xiao came out with the small wontons and set them on the coffee table in front of Meng Xueyuan. “Mm. If there’s no love, they shouldn’t have married.”
Meng Xueyuan wondered, “Was it because they spent too much time apart?”
Lu Xiao said, “Are you hinting at me?”
Meng Xueyuan replied, “No.”
Lu Xiao spoke up fairly for his brother. “Chu Hao came back with me last night, wanted to surprise his wife. Turns out she already had someone new.”
Meng Xueyuan was shocked. “Oh. Surprise turned into a scare.”
Lu Xiao said, “He’s probably getting divorced, but he won’t make the reason public—keep things decent for both sides. He’ll just say they’re incompatible.” In wealthy families, that kind of bullshit ‘decency’ was always more important than anything else.
Meng Xueyuan said, “He didn’t get a surprise—but you’re my surprise.”
Lu Xiao felt blissed out inside and personally fed his wife a wonton. “You gave me a huge surprise too.”
His fingers were far more obedient to his brain now—much more nimble. Next time, he’d explore his treasure of a wife again.
Meng Xueyuan held a wonton in his mouth. Did he really give a surprise too?
Lu Xiao said, “I’m going to the set with you today.”
Meng Xueyuan said, “You should rest at home. It’s too hot on set, and I won’t have time anyway. I’ll come back at noon to keep you company.”
Lu Xiao replied, “This is called asserting ownership.”
A new crew always meant new people without eyes. He had to let them experience, on the spot, what ‘a match made in heaven’ meant.
The pigeon soup was ready. Lu Xiao ladled a bowl into a thermal container, stuffed it along with Meng Xueyuan’s water bottle, sunglasses, hat, and so on into a backpack, and slung it over one shoulder.
“Baby, let’s go.”
Meng Xueyuan felt like Lu Xiao was sending him off to school. Empty-handed, he went downstairs and got into the car, lips pressed into a smile.
Bringing family to the set—this was a first for him too!
……
“Cut.” The director called out with weak confidence, as if an investor were sitting on set, ready to fire someone at any moment.
Meng Xueyuan ran over, rummaged in the bag for sunglasses, and used both hands to put them on Lu Xiao. “Don’t stare at me.”
How was he supposed to act like this? Especially as the male lead, acting opposite a female lead—with Lu Xiao sitting there. It didn’t affect his performance exactly, but it made him uneasy.
Lu Xiao: “……”
With sunglasses on, Lu Xiao folded his arms. The high bridge of his nose and perfect jawline made him look like a fashion model—he could be a luxury sunglasses poster on the spot.
The director now felt as though an anti-porn inspector had shown up to oversee a wholesome drama—best if the male and female leads didn’t even hold hands.
Thank goodness he was shooting an annual tearjerker. What he needed were all kinds of missed chances between the leads—hands that never meet, confessions interrupted, the female lead mistaking another man for her childhood sweetheart, a child mistaking the wrong father… plots that would infuriate viewers but make Lu Xiao laugh.
An idea struck him. He shoved the script into Lu Xiao’s hands. “Why don’t you take a look? You could choose a role for a special appearance.”
Lu Xiao flipped through it politely. He’d already used search to check for kiss scenes—count: zero. He didn’t have time for a special appearance, but given the director’s enthusiasm, he said, “Thank you.”
One shouldn’t close doors completely. What if there was a role—say, his wife suddenly tripping and being swiftly caught by an on-duty policeman? A righteous, brief appearance like that—if he didn’t play it, who would? He’d fly back overnight to do it.
Third Young Master Lu, who rose to prominence via kiss scenes, would never give the next person a chance.
The director, however, sincerely felt there was a role perfect for Lu Xiao and went on at length. “Our aloof male lead and the campus beauty female lead miss each other by fate. She gets pregnant with his child and, in the end, marries a CEO who only appears in the final episode.”
The director looked eagerly at Lu Xiao. “What do you think? In the end, the child in Meng Xueyuan’s drama calls you Dad. You two have a child together.”
“Meng Xueyuan’s child calls you Dad.”
Lu Xiao: “……” Was he sick? Why would he be interested in playing a cuckoo dad? He had even less interest in playing a ‘love rival’ opposite Meng Xueyuan.
“Politely declining.”
The director, who loved dragging people in, felt deeply aggrieved. The CEO aura fit perfectly! If you’re not acting, could you at least not wear a suit to a summer set? Think of the actors in the drama.
Lu Xiao remained unmoved. To deter potential rivals, of course he had to dress formally—maximize his presence. Was he supposed to wear a tank top?
As soon as Lu Xiao visited the set, a few candid shots leaked out and spread widely across the combined CP-fan and solo-fan forums.
[Ascetic style! Saving these!]
[A married man really is different—suit welded to his body. Handsome, handsome, handsome! A match made in heaven!]
[Didn’t drive the Ferrari today? Didn’t hang the keys on his belt?]
[LMAO—going to the set to show off like a peacock, and suddenly you know how to spell ‘fashion’ again.]
[My brother looks amazing in a suit, but does that mean only Meng Xueyuan gets to see casual Lu Xiao now?!]
[Sister-in-law? You there? Let me see your man in casual wear. Are you logging in again? Performing a ritual to summon sis-in-law!]
[Uh… as a veteran night-watch fan, I have an immature observation—the probability of Meng Xueyuan showing up to post pics increases when the forum builds tall threads cursing him.]
[Th-this… I don’t dare curse anymore, wuwuwu.]
……
Meng Xueyuan had no idea the forums were calling for his return. He’d just finished a scene.
Lu Xiao instantly transformed from fashion model to nanny, attentively opening the thermal container and pouring out pigeon soup. “The aunt said this is good for your body.”
The director, who’d been enveloped in Lu-family chill for two hours, watched his expression change. “……”
Meng Xueyuan felt a bit flushed and had Lu Xiao sit down. “Take a break.”
He suddenly regretted being too reserved back then—now only Lu Xiao could visit his set; there was no way for him to visit Lu Xiao’s.
“I really wish I could turn back time and go visit your set too.”
Lu Xiao said, “What’s there to regret? I’m at work now too. You coming to my company to see me is the same.”
“Oh, right!” Meng Xueyuan’s eyes lit up. “Which office building will you be in after you’re back in the country?”
Lu Xiao replied, “The Lu Group Building—the one opposite Sea Star Entertainment.” He’d definitely work hard so that when Meng Xueyuan came, his brother wouldn’t look down on him.
“You already have permission to go upstairs. If you’re free and want to tour my office in advance, just give your name at reception—they’ll take you up.”
“Is your office big?”
“Yes. And far away from my brother.”
Meng Xueyuan nodded, thinking that next time he needed to see Lin Xilan, he could go to the Lu Group Building instead of always having them come find him.
At noon, Lu Xiao accompanied Meng Xueyuan to eat boxed lunch with the crew. He rated it three stars, but Meng Xueyuan refused to switch meals.
“Yuan-yuan, I’ll be heading to the airport soon. Take good care of yourself.”
Meng Xueyuan said, “I’ll see you off.”
Lu Xiao replied, “No need this time. Once you’ve done it once, the second time’s easier—I can board on my own now.”
Meng Xueyuan lowered his eyes, dark lashes falling. “The morning went by so fast.”
Lu Xiao deeply agreed.
However, for some people, one morning was enough to complete asset division and quickly get a divorce certificate.
That person was Chu Hao.
When they met at the airport, Chu Hao—now divorced—said to Lu Xiao, “My old man is too stubborn. He says marriage is an alliance of interests anyway—as long as the money’s in place, that’s enough. If I hadn’t brought you up, I’d probably still be dragged into this for a couple more days.”
Lu Xiao: ?
Chu Hao said, “I told him you have a cleanliness obsession and won’t work with brothers who wear green hats. That a brother like that lacks backbone—today he can swallow his pride, tomorrow he’d dare commit murder and arson. The old man believed it. Said you’ve never been able to tolerate a grain of sand in your eyes.”
Lu Xiao replied, “Stop putting a tall hat on me. Board the plane.”
He was already itching to go back.
