Chapter 11: Have you ever had a girlfriend before?

Zhou Xiulin would never miss any of her current expressions, “Will you be busy tomorrow?”

Jiang Xiao said gloomily, “Xinran gladly asked me to help her buy some skincare products. But… we can also go shopping at night.”

A slight smile appeared at the corner of Zhou Xiulin’s mouth. “Bring your household registration booklet. Do you have yours?”

Jiang Xiao nodded, “I always carry my household registration booklet with me.”

“What’s wrong?” He noticed her melancholic expression.

“I just feel it’s happening too fast.” Jiang Xiao tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “I never thought I would get married this quickly, and of course, I never imagined becoming a mother at such a young age.”

Zhou Xiulin looked at her. “Life always brings unexpected things beyond your control.”

Jiang Xiao smirked, with a bright smile on her face.

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Hbsw Dkwzkd aykple yd lulcaso. “Ebyv yal usw zywtbkdt yv?”

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“Xq nswapl.”

“Jwv R’x uswdtla vbyd bla. Tla ckavbeyu kp kd Plnlxcla, yde xkdl kp kd Yyu sq vbl qszzsokdt ulya.”

“Yyu?” Hbsw Dkwzkd nyznwzyvle qsa y xsxldv, yde y vbswtbv pweeldzu naspple bkp xkde. Tl nywvkswpzu ypjle, “Rp vbyv eyu uswa ckavbeyu?”

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Hbsw Dkwzkd rsdelale yde pyke, “Llmv ulya, R’zz nlzlcayvl uswa ckavbeyu okvb usw.”

Kkydt Dkys pxkzle pweeldzu. “R ayalzu nlzlcayvl xu ckavbeyu. R esd’v ryu xwnb yvvldvksd vs vbyv eyu.”

Zhou Xiulin felt a little strange. That night, he clearly felt that Jiang Xiao was initially feeling down. She approached him voluntarily, and in the end, there was no trace of refusal. “I’ll accompany you from now on.”

To say that she wasn’t touched would be a lie. “And you? When is your birthday?”

Zhou Xiulin glanced at her, a smile playing on his lips. “Don’t you know? I remember last winter, I received a gift from Zhao Xinran.” He deliberately drew out the ending, “It was a very practical gift.”

Jiang Xiao blushed. On Zhou Xiulin’s birthday last year, all the celebrities in the company gave him gifts. As for the gift, Xinran Zhao had thought about it for a long time before handing it over to Jiang Xiao.

Jiang Xiao asked her dormitory mate and ended up buying a foot spa basin with massage function.

“I thought about it for a long time. It’s good for your body to soak your feet every day, especially for workaholics like you. Have you ever used it?”

Zhou Xiulin looked at her expectant eyes and shook his head.

“I knew it.” Jiang Xiao sighed. “Actually, you can give it a try. It’s very relaxing.”

Zhou Xiulin made a sound of acknowledgement. “Next time, let Jiang Qin deliver it to our home.”

Under the warm light, the two sat at the dining table, chatting face to face, their tone cheerful, like an ordinary couple.

We are no longer teenagers, but we can still sit together with the person we like, talking and laughing. It feels really good.

The next morning, Jiang Xiao was the first one to get out of bed. The door to the adjacent room was still closed, so Jiang Xiao went to the kitchen and fried some eggs, heated milk and toast.

As Jiang Xiao was pouring the milk, Zhou Xiulin’s room door opened. He was still in his pajamas, a few buttons undone, revealing a sturdy chest.

Jiang Xiao froze in place, stunned by the scene before her.

At this moment, Zhou Xiulin’s hair was disheveled, devoid of its usual seriousness. He seemed several years younger, exuding a bit of a college student’s vigor.

“Why are you up so early today?” his voice was hoarse.

Jiang Xiao cleared her throat. “I woke up early.”

“I’ll go freshen up first.” He walked into the bathroom.

Jiang Xiao took a deep breath, such temptation, so blatant. After a while, the sound of rushing water came from the bathroom; he was taking a shower.

More than ten minutes later, Zhou Xiulin finished showering and came out of the room, wearing a different set of clothes. His hair was neatly combed, and he was buttoning up his shirt as he walked.

The gentle sunlight poured in through the French windows, scattering fine specks of light in the living room, creating a cozy atmosphere.

A white shirt and black suit pants, it was his usual style.

Jiang Xiao quietly observed, her gaze gradually becoming distant. She absentmindedly said, “Actually, you could pursue an acting career.”

Zhou Xiulin pulled out a dining chair and smiled. “Me, acting? Will you be my agent?”

Jiang Xiao suddenly snapped back to reality. “Oh, I mean, with your qualifications, it’s a pity not to become an actor.”

Zhou Xiulin raised an eyebrow. “The entertainment industry is never lacking in good-looking people with external qualifications.” He glanced at her, dressed in a white collared shirt, blue denim shorts, and white sneakers. Her outfit indeed… youthful.

But standing next to him, she somehow felt a bit old fashioned.

A six-year age difference ah.

After breakfast, they set off for the Civil Affairs Bureau.

They were the twelfth couple to register today. Compared to other couples, they appeared less intimate, less joyous, and more composed, as if they were signing a contract.

While signing the documents, Jiang Xiao watched Zhou Xiulin swiftly sign his name without any hesitation. She tightly held the pen, and her right hand trembled nervously.

After Zhou Xiulin finished signing, he turned to look at her with a tender gaze.

Jiang Xiao quickly lowered her head and carefully signed her own name, stroke by stroke.

When they received their marriage certificate, Jiang Xiao still felt a bit unreal. She looked at the photo of the two of them leaning against each other on the certificate and thought it looked quite nice.

The photographer had been shouting, “Get closer, a little closer,” just a moment ago.

Zhou Xiulin suddenly reached out and embraced her shoulder. “Come here, just like this.”

The scene froze. This was their first photo together, and also the first photo of their family of three.

Zhou Xiulin took the marriage certificate from her hand. “I’ll keep it.”

“Where should we go now? Are you going back to the office?”

Zhou Xiulin glanced at her, held her hand, as if he had already become accustomed to this gesture. “We need to buy something first.”

“What?” she asked.

“You’ll know when we get there.”

Jiang Xiao didn’t ask further. Sweat began to form in her palms, unsure if he noticed.

As a result, Zhou Xiulin brought her to a jewelry store. Jiang Xiao suddenly realized that they were here to buy wedding rings, and her heart seemed to have a fluttering deer inside.

Zhou Xiulin said, “We’re a bit pressed for time, so let’s see if there’s anything you like here.”

Jiang Xiao looked at the sparkling jewelry on the counter, momentarily unsure of what to say.

There was another couple in the store choosing rings. The woman held the man’s hand and asked, “Honey, is this diamond nice?”

The man replied, “If you like it, it’s good.”

The woman said, “Thank you. Kiss—”

Their intimate interaction seemed oblivious to the onlookers.

Jiang Xiao felt awkward watching them and discreetly glanced at Zhou Xiulin. He, on the other hand, remained calm and focused, attentively looking at the rings.

Zhou Xiulin said, “Concentrate.”

Jiang Xiao quietly tugged at Zhou Xiulin’s sleeve and said, “Can we choose something less expensive?” Wearing a ring worth hundreds of thousands would surely be noticed on set.

Zhou Xiulin agreed. He hoped that their marriage wouldn’t add any pressure to her, at least for now.

In the end, she chose a pair of simple-style rings, the cheapest ones in the store.

Zhou Xiulin put the ring on her ring finger. With her head lowered and her long hair covering her profile, her captivating beauty couldn’t be concealed. “Not bad. Let’s go with this pair.”

Jiang Xiao subconsciously asked, “Are you going to wear one too?”

Zhou Xiulin chuckled softly, “Why not?”

“Will we get caught like this?”

Zhou Xiulin raised his hand and gently stroked her hair. “No, we won’t. If you wear it, others will probably think it’s fake.”

Jiang Xiao hmphed and took the men’s ring, returning the favor, and put it on his ring finger. Even a simple ring looked good on his slender fingers. “It’s unfair, you know? It looks better on you.”

Zhou Xiulin paused for a moment and smiled randomly. “Probably a matter of temperament.”

Jiang Xiao hesitated for a moment and couldn’t help but ask, “Have you had a girlfriend before?”

Zhou Xiulin stared into her eyes, his dark pupils gleaming. “Do you mind?”

“No, I’m just curious.”

“Want to know?”

Jiang Xiao nodded, then shook her head. “It’s okay if you don’t want to say.” Actually, she thought he must have had a girlfriend before.

Zhou Xiulin smirked and said, “I said I haven’t. Do you believe me?”

Jiang Xiao bit her lip. “I find that a little hard to believe.”

Zhou Xiulin looked directly into her eyes. “Jiang Xiao, you’re my first girlfriend.”

After a brief moment of confusion, Jiang Xiao finally regained her composure. Her heart was still pounding. “I’m honored.” She had to admit that his previous statement was sweeter than anything else.

Zhou Xiulin teased, “Congratulations, Mrs. Zhou.”

Jiang Xiao smiled deeply. “Likewise, Mr. Zhou.”

As for the marriage registration, Jiang Xiao only told Lin Wu.

Lin Wu was still busy with her studies, working twice as hard now that she was in her final year of college. Her voice was filled with joy for her friend. “Congratulations! You can now be nominated for the ‘Inspirational Sister’ of the year.”

“But I won’t be able to invite you to the wedding.”

“Well, that saves me a big red envelope for now. Jiang Xiao, since you’ve chosen to have the baby and marry Zhou Xiulin, whenever you have any problems in the future, discuss them with Zhou Xiulin. Don’t bear everything alone. Zhou Xiulin is a responsible person. I wish you both happiness.”

“I know. Zhou Xiulin treats me well and takes care of me. And what about you and Qin Heng?”

“Qin Heng has gone abroad for further studies.”

“But he’ll come back.”

“Yes, I need to go to the library now. Take care of yourself.”

“Okay.” Jiang Xiao was slightly absent-minded.

After obtaining the marriage certificate, not much changed in their lives. However, Zhou Xiulin’s frequency of business trips noticeably decreased, and he attended fewer gatherings with friends. On normal evenings, without any special circumstances, he would choose to go home first.

The two of them spent a week being respectful to each other, and now it was finally Jiang Xiao’s turn to go on a business trip.

This trip would last for half a month, so Jiang Xiao packed a 24-inch suitcase and was about to set off.

Zhou Xiulin watched her busy figure and felt a bit worried. “Call me if you need anything.”

Jiang Xiao sighed. “Don’t worry, I’m not a newcomer to film sets.”

Zhou Xiulin gritted his teeth. “Little Bean Sprout is a newcomer.”

Jiang Xiao had nothing to say.

Zhou Xiulin said, “Come here.”

Jiang Xiao walked over slowly and looked up. “What can I do for you, Mr. Zhou?” She joked, “You don’t want me to leave, do you?” This was her biggest change recently, daring to joke with him.

Zhou Xiulin was taken aback, his face slightly darkening. “Jiang Xiao, you really know how to tease.”

Jiang Xiao blinked. “Farewell is imminent. We’re about to be separated, I’ll let you hug Xiao Douya ¹ Little Bean Sprout .”

Zhou Xiulin stared at her intensely and finally opened his arms. It was their first proper hug, while both of them were sober. Jiang Xiao’s body trembled, she closed her eyes, buried her face in his chest, and savored his scent.

This was real.

They didn’t speak for a long time.

Zhou Xiulin advised her as he patted her head, “Eat well.”

“I won’t let Little Bean Sprout go hungry.”

“If you have any issues, contact Jiang Qin.”

“You told him?”

“Of course. I need to find a reliable person to take care of you.”

“Oh, does that mean Jiang Qin will be on the set this time?”

“Yes.”

“What will he be doing?”

“I’ve assigned him as a supervisor. After all, Huaxia invested several hundred million in ‘The Prosperous World’.”

Jiang Xiao: “…”

There were rhythmic knocks on the door, indicating that Jiang Qin had arrived.

Zhou Xiulin released his arms. “Let’s go.”

Suddenly, Jiang Xiao grabbed his hand. Looking into his eyes, she had a glimmer of light in hers. “Zhou Xiulin, do you believe in love at first sight?”

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Author’s note: Regarding Jiang Xiao’s personality, I don’t think it’s an issue. When you like someone, you get close, then hesitate, especially since she doesn’t know Zhou Xiulin’s feelings for her. There is indeed a significant gap between them. Plus, considering Jiang Xiao’s upbringing, she is very sensitive in her heart, essentially having grown up without parents. Her view on love and marriage is more of fear. However, she is quite fortunate to have met Zhou Xiulin.

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Sansukini: Somebody commented on the past chapter asking why not make it simple and just confess. The author just answered why. Lol. Maybe she also recieved the same question.

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