Chapter One: Misunderstanding

After a simple birthday celebration, Xue Xi took a towel and wiped the cream off Chen Hongxu’s face, then, judging by her appearance, prepared to clean up the leftovers and head to the kitchen to wash the dishes.

Chen Hongxu watched Xue Xi bustling about and, after a moment’s contemplation, said, “Just leave it. I’ll clean up later.”

“No.” Xue Xi shook her head and replied, “One should finish what one starts. Since I cooked, naturally I should wash the dishes too. You’re not allowed to argue with me.”

After a while, Xue Xi emerged from the kitchen, her face fallen as she stared at the cream that had accidentally splattered onto the floor during their playful scuffle. She looked at Chen Hongxu, who was lost in thought on the sofa, and said, “I didn’t expect housework to be so exhausting. Cleaning the floors and all that—I’ll just call an auntie to come and tidy up tomorrow. I’m dead tired.” With that, she stretched languidly and slumped down beside Chen Hongxu.

“What are you thinking about?” Seeing that Chen Hongxu made no response, Xue Xi turned her head and shook him gently.

“Huh?” Chen Hongxu snapped out of his reverie, met Xue Xi’s gaze, and spoke with a heavy tone, “Xue Xi, I wasn’t going to ask you about this—I planned to keep it to myself…”

It was probably the first time she’d ever heard this scoundrel call her by name. Before, it was always “hey” or “you.” Xue Xi smiled, leaned her head back against the sofa, exhaled deeply, and seemed to steel herself. “Go ahead and ask.”

“What’s your purpose in approaching me?” Chen Hongxu studied her face intently.

“Heh, so it’s this after all.” Xue Xi turned her head slightly, glanced at him, and murmured, “Suppose I said you saved me, so I intend to devote myself to you—would you believe it?”

Chen Hongxu shook his head. Don’t be ridiculous. At that time, he’d cared little for Xue Xi’s life or death, and surely she knew his intentions then. Besides, who repays a life debt with marriage these days?

“I did have a reason for getting close to you—anyone could see that, even a blind man. I had several plans when I moved in.” She gestured with three fingers. “Actually, maybe four.”

She glanced at Chen Hongxu, but his expression remained calm, unperturbed by her theatrics. Xue Xi dropped her head helplessly and continued, “From the day you left until I found you, I studied you for a week. Based on the information, I concluded you were timid, weak, afraid of trouble—seemingly without any strengths. But I knew all that was just your façade.”

“A person who can speak of another’s life or death so casually is either incompetent or cold-blooded. And you, by all accounts, are cold-blooded. But considering your behavior over the years, I also realized you aren’t without strengths. At the very least, your forbearance surpasses most.”

“I thought, how could someone like you, who treats even my life and death with such indifference, get away with it? I had to make you care about me, fall in love with me, and then, in the end, I’d be the one to leave you…”

She glanced up and saw that Chen Hongxu was slightly stunned, so she smiled and went on, “To make someone who doesn’t care about you start to care is very hard. So to achieve that, I’d have to care about you first, fall in love with you first, and then become a habit in your life, so that you’d get used to having me around. That way, maybe I’d become indispensable to you…”

“Of course, all this is secondary. If it were just my personal preference, I’d have many ways to get close to you and subtly influence you, but time is running out.” For the first time, Xue Xi set aside her playful manner and grew serious. “Have you heard of the Black List?”

Seeing Xue Xi, usually so carefree, frown with genuine worry, Chen Hongxu chuckled and shook his head.

“The Black List is essentially a mechanism for the state to identify and recruit talents,” Xue Xi said as she poured herself a glass of water and took a small sip. “The selection happens every five years. The location is announced at the last minute to families or individuals holding a Black Card. My family, the Xue family, owes its power partly to my father’s efforts, but mainly because my grandfather was on the Black List. The country has to offer incentives to those it recruits.”

“There’s actually no real competition to participate. If you have a Black Card, you qualify. No one cares how you got it. Since my grandfather’s death last year, my family hasn’t had the strength to hold onto this Black Card. There have been countless assassination attempts, kidnappings, and thefts…”

Chen Hongxu’s eyes narrowed as if a hidden thread had connected the dots. His voice turned cold. “I suppose people are always watching your family’s every move. You pretended to be close to me so that outsiders would question who this new young man was. As for background checks, your family must have made sure my identity was known through Mr. Situ or Gu Jisong?”

Sensing the chill in his tone, Xue Xi’s gaze dimmed. “It was Mr. Situ. He said your abilities are on par with Gu Jisong.”

Chen Hongxu recalled the first opponent he’d ever beaten since beginning his training and knew that Mr. Situ’s words were apt. Gu Jisong had already spent much of his strength in previous fights, and with the Xue family’s bodyguards possibly intervening at any moment, it was impossible to remain unfazed. Not to mention, Mr. Situ himself was observing nearby, so how could he have fought at full strength?

He nodded, then asked with some confusion, “Since your family can’t keep the Black Card, why not give it away? If getting the qualification was already so ruthless, what about once inside? The state isn’t looking for showy martial artists like those on TV.”

“That’s the reason I approached you.”

“You want me to go?” Chen Hongxu shook his head. “How is that any different from giving the Black Card away? I’m not part of your family.”

“My original plan was to have you participate this time, and after you return, give the Black Card back to the Xue family. The Black List is held every five years, so my family would have time to train the next candidate. If the Black Card holder misses a session, it’s considered forfeited. That’s all I know.” Xue Xi sounded a bit dejected.

“Heh.” Chen Hongxu chuckled, thoughtful. “If I hadn’t asked, you’d have left tomorrow without telling me, wouldn’t you?”

“I was afraid you’d get hurt.” At last, Xue Xi’s voice trembled with tears. “And you don’t even seem interested in being my boyfriend…”

“Red eyes don’t look good,” Chen Hongxu said, brushing away the tears at the corner of her eye, sighing inwardly. Your strategy seems to have worked, but at what cost to us both? Then he stood and muttered, “You helped me settle tonight’s trouble. In return, I’ll help you with this Black List matter.”

“In return?” Xue Xi’s eyes were red, her face bitter, but she soon caught on. “Trouble?”

Of course it was trouble. If Xue Xi had had more time to study Chen Hongxu’s history, it wouldn’t have been hard to guess where tonight’s trouble would come from.

Around ten o’clock that evening.

Knock, knock, knock…

The knocking at the door was persistent, as if the visitor wouldn’t stop until someone answered. Chen Hongxu sat on the sofa, calm as ever, gesturing for Xue Xi to open the door and deal with the problem.

Xue Xi was puzzled. If Chen Hongxu was so certain there’d be trouble tonight, then it was bound to come. And judging from the way they knocked, it probably wasn’t that wretched woman Bing Ling.

Opening the door, Xue Xi found herself face-to-face with a man whose hand was still poised to knock. She immediately understood and said coldly, “Who are you looking for?”

Several people stood outside—men and women, young and old—but the man seemed to be the leader. Seeing a pretty woman answer, he hesitated, checked the door number, and peered inside. “Is this Chen Hongxu’s home?”

“Yes. If you have business, speak quickly,” Xue Xi said impatiently, lifting her chin with an air of authority.

“Then I’m in the right place. May I ask, miss, who you are?” The man was visibly relieved, smiling as he spoke.

“Chen Hongxu is my fiancé,” Xue Xi replied, her voice soft but her words carefully chosen.

“Ha! Then you should call me Uncle,” the man laughed heartily, reaching out to pat Xue Xi on the shoulder in a familiar manner.

But Xue Xi wouldn’t let him. She deftly stepped back, and in doing so, the doorway she’d been blocking opened just enough.

The man seized the opportunity, slipped inside, and looked around the transformed living room, unable to hide his joy.

Having read Chen Hongxu’s history, Xue Xi knew exactly who these people were and what kind of characters they had. Since the issue had to be dealt with, she no longer blocked the door and allowed the remaining three to enter.

After closing the door, Xue Xi stood with her arms crossed, surveying the four relatives like a true mistress of the house, her mind running through the details she’d previously overlooked.

“The man who knocked must be Chen Hongxu’s uncle, Chen Hao. The young man behind him is probably his son, Chen Hu. The two women are most likely Chen Shan and Chen Qi, Hongxu’s aunts.”

Chen Hao reined in his delight, ignoring the imposing Xue Xi and glancing at Chen Hongxu, who sat unconcerned and made no effort to greet him. “Hongxu, today’s your eighteenth birthday, isn’t it?”

Chen Hongxu nodded ambiguously, a faint smile on his lips.

Seeing that his nephew still made no move to invite him to sit, Chen Hao discarded all pretense of courtesy and shame. He waved his hand for everyone to sit, squeezed the sofa, and exclaimed, “Wow, genuine leather.”

Chen Hongxu knew his relatives’ character far better than Xue Xi did. For them to show up so late and even remember his birthday, it had to be about the house.

“These people are something else,” Xue Xi thought to herself. “Even my own bodyguards wouldn’t behave so casually here—and I bought all this furniture myself.” The more she looked, the more annoyed she became. She snorted, “Chen Hao, isn’t it a bit late? If you have business, be quick about it. Don’t interrupt our time together.”

Chen Hao might have tried to play the elder with Chen Hongxu, but in the face of Xue Xi’s stunning looks and presence, he was intimidated. Looking away, he addressed Chen Hongxu, “Now that you’re eighteen, according to your father’s insurance, your living subsidy stops today. You’re still in high school—without support, you’ll have to sell the house. I thought I’d take care of your tuition, living expenses, and pocket money. Let’s sign an agreement to put the house in my name. What do you say?”

Chen Hongxu just smiled meaningfully at Xue Xi.

“That won’t be necessary,” Xue Xi replied, recognizing that Hongxu wanted her to take the lead. She waved her hand in a commanding manner. “This house will be mine by tomorrow. As for money, it has nothing to do with you.”

Chen Hao assumed Chen Hongxu was blinded by Xue Xi’s beauty and about to give away the house. He feigned concern, “Hongxu, we’re family—I’m just afraid you’ll be taken advantage of.” Not willing to back down, he glared at Xue Xi. “Young lady, you look respectable, but don’t harbor ill intentions. And you don’t seem very old yourself—do you even have the money to buy a house?”

At the mention of money, both Chen Hongxu and Xue Xi laughed.

Finally dropping her façade, Xue Xi’s face turned cold. “Let’s not pretend anymore. Chen Hao, just tell me—how much are you offering for the house? Don’t talk about supporting tuition or meals. Don’t take us for fools.”

“Heh…” Chen Hao chuckled, thinking he’d finally provoked her. He shook his head, convinced she was still too young to be shrewd.

He pulled out a bank card and slapped it on the coffee table with a look of disdain. “There’s fifty thousand in this card. If you don’t believe me, we can check at the ATM downstairs. Tomorrow, you get the money, and we’ll go to the notary for the transfer.”

“Fifty thousand?” Xue Xi exclaimed incredulously, blinking in disbelief.

Chen Hongxu also stared at his uncle, equally incredulous. When had this stingy man ever been so generous?

If not for the new furniture and Xue Xi’s presence, Chen Hao would have offered nothing, knowing how submissive his nephew usually was. But now, with so many variables and benefits at stake, he knew further delays would only complicate things, so this rare display of “generosity” was his attempt to settle matters.

“You’re sure fifty thousand is your highest offer?” Xue Xi was genuinely shocked. Even if this wasn’t a new house, its location alone would fetch five or six hundred thousand easily.

“Little girl, don’t be greedy. Fifty thousand is a lot.” Chen Hao thought a high school student would be dazzled by the sum, and figured this was just her last attempt to bargain.

“Oh. I see,” Xue Xi replied, pulling out her phone and stepping into the bedroom.

With the troublemaker out of sight, Chen Hao turned to Chen Hongxu and announced, “It’s already past ten. We’ll just stay here tonight.”

Before Chen Hongxu could respond, Xue Xi emerged from the bedroom and barked, “No, the rooms are all occupied.”

Of course, Chen Hao didn’t believe her. Ignoring Xue Xi’s protests, he began opening doors one by one, with Xue Xi following like a guard, wary and alert. Suddenly, Chen Hongxu remembered something and leapt up, rushing over.

But it was too late—how long does it take to open a door?

“This is my sister’s room,” Xue Xi remarked as Chen Hao reached for the door.

Chen Hao didn’t believe her, but when he opened the door and saw it empty—no bed, no chair, no sign of anyone living there—he was about to mock her, but turned to see the pretty girl clutching her chest, tears streaming down her face, on the verge of collapse.

Chen Hongxu, seeing Xue Xi biting her lip and weeping, knew things had gone wrong—she had misunderstood. With only three bedrooms, all occupied, and this room not being Bing Ling’s or shared with Xue Xi, it could only mean…

Xue Xi took a deep breath, clenched her fists, glanced at Chen Hongxu as if catching him in the act, forced a smile, and said coldly to Chen Hao, “There’s no bed, no one can sleep here. And in my home, not just anyone can stay.”

Although her words were cold, Xue Xi had always been careful to spare Chen Hongxu’s dignity. But now, facing his relatives, there was no room left for levity.

“Your home? Didn’t we agree you'd get the money tomorrow and then transfer the deed?” Chen Hao was baffled at how even this woman looked beautiful while crying, but his tone was genuinely puzzled.

“Fifty thousand is a lot?” Xue Xi snorted, ignored him, and headed for the living room, deliberately bumping into Chen Hongxu in the hallway—hard, and it hurt.

Soon, there was another knock at the door. The bald-headed Uncle De, who always appeared at Xue Xi’s side, entered carrying an aluminum cash case, glaring at Chen Hao and his group.

Xue Xi lifted her chin, signaling Uncle De to open the case. Stacks of cash, practically glowing, appeared before them.

She looked around coldly. “Chen Hao, as I said, this house is mine, and it has nothing to do with you. But if you can pay more than me, it’s yours—I’ll leave without another word. It’s not much, just two million.”

At this, Chen Hao finally realized Xue Xi had powerful connections. With a single phone call, a fierce man showed up with two million in cash—how could she possibly be simple?

In the end, the four “relatives” slunk away under Uncle De’s menacing glare, no longer daring to demand a place to stay for the night.

As Uncle De left, the apartment was quiet again. Xue Xi shot a glance at Chen Hongxu, forced a manic laugh, and said, “I’m tired. I’m going to bed.”

Just as she reached her door, Chen Hongxu finally called out, “Come to my room for a moment, I have something to say.”

Xue Xi stopped, burst out laughing, then glared at him through red eyes. She muttered, “I can be casual with you, but please don’t treat me like a casual woman. Thank you.”

The forceful slam of the door and her vanishing figure made it clear that nothing could clear his name now.

Chen Hongxu shook his head helplessly. He hadn’t expected her to misunderstand his intention—he only wanted her to see that his room bore the traces of just one occupant. Instead, it ended in this farce.

He didn’t insist. If there was a misunderstanding, so be it.

With a bitter smile, he turned off the living room lights. All was darkness—just like the confused yet precious feelings between these two youths, suddenly plunged into night.