Chapter 19: Is this our home?

Following his agreement with Ji Jixuan, Xu Lin returned to Danshi promptly at nine o’clock the next morning.

Ji Jixuan kept his promise and came to pick him up. As soon as Xu Lin got into the car, Ji Jixuan’s gaze fell, unsurprisingly, on the strawberries in Xu Lin’s hands. He had held onto the box Pu Sha had given him the entire way, not eating a single one.

Xu Lin held the strawberries up like a prized offering, gently shaking them in front of Ji Jixuan. “My teacher gave these to me. You can try one too. They’re very sweet.”

Ji Jixuan made no comment on the strawberries, neither praising them nor dismissing them.

Xu Lin returned the black ID card he had carefully kept safe the whole journey to its owner. “Thank you for lending it to me.”

Ji Jixuan took the card and casually slipped it into the compartment of the car seat, treating it as if it were of little consequence.

With his passenger collected, the car pulled away from the airport and cruised steadily along the road.

Xu Lin pressed his face to the window, watching the increasingly unfamiliar streetscape outside. “Where are we going?”

Ji Jixuan replied, “Your new residence.”

Xu Lin nodded, acknowledging this with a simple “Oh.”

He had no family or friends in Danshi. Beyond the familiar circle of School A, he was completely lost in this vast main city. From now on, wherever he went in Danshi, he would have to follow Ji Jixuan’s arrangements.

The car wound its way through the streets, gradually leaving the city behind and entering a mountain area. A black iron gate at the foot of the mountain opened automatically as they approached. The driver expertly drove them all the way to the top.

Nestled in the quiet mountain forest stood a multi-story villa. It was sprawling, surrounded by mountains on all sides, looking from a distance like it was submerged in an emerald sea. The scenery was breathtaking, and behind the house lay a wide artificial lake, its mirror-like surface shimmering in the sunlight.

Even Yuehua Mountain, where he had camped before, paled in comparison to this place.

Xu Lin let out a wow, his eyes opened wide once more. He got out of the car and stood in front of the villa for a long time, just staring.

By the time Ji Jixuan walked toward the entrance, Xu Lin snapped out of his daze and hurried to catch up, following him inside.

The interior was even more extravagant than the exterior. He had always thought the houses in movies were already lavish enough, but reality was even more over-the-top.

Xu Lin felt this one house alone was spacious enough to accommodate Pu Sha and all his friends.

“I’m going to live here?” he asked in disbelief.

Ji Jixuan asked, “Don’t you like it?”

“No, no. I love it!”

Xu Lin set the strawberries on the table and happily explored the place. The marble floors gleamed like mirrors. The crystal chandelier above sparkled with tiny flickers of light. The carpets underfoot were softer than clouds. The walls were adorned with various wall hangings that clearly cost a fortune.

He touched this, looked at that, brimming with excitement. His favorite was the enormous floor-to-ceiling window in the living room, which offered a panoramic view of the landscape outside.

Everything here was new and clean, without a trace of anyone having lived there. Ji Jixuan probably hadn’t stayed here before. So…

Xu Lin circled back to Ji Jixuan, stood in front of him, and looked up with shining eyes. “Is this our wedding house?”

Ji Jixuan looked back at him for a moment. “Yes.”

Xu Lin smiled, then unexpectedly looped his arms around Ji Jixuan’s neck and pulled him into a tight embrace.

Ji Jixuan froze. His hands reflexively lifted, ready to push away the sudden restraint. But just as his fingers were about to touch Xu Lin’s clothes, he clenched them into fists and lowered them.

Xu Lin didn’t notice his stiffness or his gesture. His chin rested on Ji Jixuan’s shoulder as he asked softly, “Will you live here too?”

“In the future, will this be… our home?”

Xu Lin’s heart pounded, each beat pressing against Ji Jixuan’s chest through the layers of clothing.

Ji Jixuan looked down slightly at the person burying his face in his neck. Xu Lin’s breath was warm, seeping through the gaps in his clothes and brushing against his skin. It didn’t hurt, but it tickled—unignorable, demanding to be acknowledged.

Xu Lin waited nervously for Ji Jixuan’s answer, unaware that the skin from his ears to the back of his neck had turned bright red.

Ji Jixuan gazed silently at that flush.

Before long, a soft “Mhm” reached Xu Lin’s ear.

Ji Jixuan’s voice was very close, as if pressed against his eardrum. It crept through his ear canal into his brain, touching every nerve. Xu Lin’s scalp tingled. He felt like a piece of ice soaking in hot water—slowly melting.

He held Ji Jixuan even tighter, but his legs felt weak. He murmured, “Ji Jixuan, what do I do?”

Ji Jixuan heard Xu Lin’s muffled sigh. “I think I’m so happy I could die.”

Xu Lin explored the first floor, then went up to the second and third floors, as if shopping in a department store.

The villa had an elevator, but Xu Lin didn’t take it. He used his own feet, slowly discovering his new home step by step.

The second floor was mainly bedrooms and a study. Xu Lin found the master bedroom. He blushed at the sight of the double bed, feeling embarrassed by the images that suddenly popped into his head. He rubbed his burning cheeks and went up to the third floor.

The third floor was mostly leisure rooms: a media room, a gym. But oddly, Xu Lin also found a room filled with various medical machines—more than three times the size of the other rooms, completely out of place on this floor.

The room smelled like a hospital. Xu Lin felt a wave of resistance and quickly backed out.

What was the purpose of a room like this in a villa?

He wanted to go down and ask Ji Jixuan. But as he reached the stairwell on the first floor, he saw Ji Jixuan sitting on the sofa in the main hall, with several new people standing before him—dressed in crisp suits, looking like employees. They were presenting something to him.

On the coffee table in front of Ji Jixuan were several open ring boxes.

The moment Xu Lin spotted the shimmering matching rings inside, his foot caught on the stair and he nearly tumbled down.

His flustered footsteps were obvious in the quiet space. Ji Jixuan heard the noise and looked up at him. With just one glance, Xu Lin understood. He hurried down the stairs, not quite knowing what to do with his hands, and sat stiffly beside him.

He stared at the rings before him, unable to suppress his smile.

Even someone as clueless as Xu Lin could tell.

These were wedding rings.

“Try them on.”

Ji Jixuan pointed to the closest ring box.

Xu Lin licked his lips. Before he could reach for it, the gloved man standing before the coffee table quickly leaned down, picked up the smaller ring from the box, and solemnly handed it to Xu Lin.

Xu Lin took it. It was a beautiful plain silver band, cool to the touch. Though light in weight, it felt heavy in his hand. He slowly slid it onto his ring finger.

It was pretty, but it was too loose—it slipped easily when he moved. The size didn’t fit.

Xu Lin liked it, but the size was wrong. What a pity. Ji Jixuan remained unfazed and ordered decisively, “Try another one.”

The staff quickly put away that set and presented the ring from another box.

But this batch probably had the same size. Xu Lin tried several, and all were too big.

Finally, only one ring fit him perfectly—a ladies’ style with a diamond.

It was pretty, but it was a women’s ring. He couldn’t wear it. Just as Xu Lin was about to take it off, Ji Jixuan said, “This one.”

Xu Lin paused in the middle of removing it. “But this is a women’s ring.”

“It looks good on you.”

Xu Lin was quiet for a moment, then said softly, “I’d like to choose a men’s style…”

An awkward silence fell over the room.

Ji Jixuan said nothing. Xu Lin said nothing.

The staff member, quick to read the room, broke the tension with apologies. “We’re sorry, it’s our oversight. Mr. Ji, if you’re not satisfied with these, we can go back and customize a new batch and bring them over.”

Xu Lin agreed with this suggestion.

Just then, Ji Jixuan’s phone rang. He stood up, reached out, and closed the red velvet ring box with a snap. Inside was the matching men’s ring that went with the one on Xu Lin’s finger.

“No need. This one.”

With that, he stepped aside to take the call.

Xu Lin blinked, momentarily stunned.

Ji Jixuan never consulted anyone when making decisions. In just a few words, their wedding rings were decided.

Even though Xu Lin was wearing a women’s ring that didn’t fit, and even though Xu Lin had been the only one trying on rings—Ji Jixuan hadn’t tried a single one. Marriage was supposed to be about both of them. They were matching rings.

Yet it was decided so easily by one person.

Once Ji Jixuan finalized the style, the staff began packing up the rejected rings.

Xu Lin pressed his lips together and slowly removed the ring from his finger. He opened the lone red velvet box on the coffee table and placed the diamond ring back inside.

It felt like a knot in his chest, tight and uncomfortable. He glanced over at Ji Jixuan, who was on the phone by the floor-to-ceiling window. He couldn’t help himself—he walked over.

As he approached, mindful that Ji Jixuan was on a call, he didn’t speak. Ji Jixuan noticed him and said into the phone, “Five minutes.” Then he hung up and asked Xu Lin, “What is it?”

Xu Lin said, “About the rings. I want a different one.”

Ji Jixuan asked, “Don’t you like that one?”

“It’s not that I don’t like it. It’s just… it’s a women’s ring. A woman would be happy to wear it, but I’m a man. Wearing a women’s ring just doesn’t feel right.”

He spoke honestly. But Ji Jixuan seemed not to understand, simply asking in return, “Doesn’t it look nice on you?”

“It’s not about whether it looks nice.”

Ji Jixuan said, “We don’t have time to wait for a new custom batch.”

Xu Lin was puzzled. “Why not?”

“We’d miss our wedding.”

Xu Lin froze. “What do you mean?”

“Didn’t I tell you? Tomorrow’s a good day. We’ll get married tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow? Tomorrow?” Xu Lin’s eyes widened. So soon?

Ji Jixuan picked up his phone, as if to dial a number.

He stared at the screen. “If you don’t like it, we can always change rings later. You can have whatever style you want. For now, let’s make do, okay?”

He raised his hand and lightly brushed Xu Lin’s shoulder, squeezing it gently. “Xu Lin, I want to marry you soon.”

Xu Lin was dazed by the gesture.

Ji Jixuan finished speaking and put the phone back to his ear, resuming his interrupted call.