Better Than Summer: A Marriage Before Love Romance - Chapter 15

Here to Stake Your Claim?

“It really is you, Shen Tingxia. Dressed like this, I almost didn’t recognize you.”

Another sentence followed.

The sunlight was brilliant today. She’d deliberately dressed up a little, wanting to bloom along with spring.

But because of this man, Shen Tingxia’s good mood for the entire day was ruined.

The person before her was her ex-boyfriend, Li Junmu. Weren’t exes supposed to stay far away from each other? Ideally, as if they were dead? So why did her ex not only come back to life but also rush to greet her?

With others around, Shen Tingxia maintained a surface-level composure, forcing a stiff smile: “Long time no see.”

Li Junmu wore a beaming smile, looking her up and down: “Your style’s changed quite a bit. Much better than before.”

Shen Tingxia felt uncomfortable under his gaze and words. She frowned, no longer holding back, and shot back: “Probably because I got rid of the scumbag.”

Just as the words left her mouth, her phone vibrated. She seized the moment to glance at it.

Free Duck: 【？】

Above the question mark was the message she’d sent earlier: she’d dreamed about him.

Shen Tingxia didn’t reply. Instead, she used it as an excuse to tell Li Junmu: “My husband’s looking for me. Gotta go.”

Right then, the down elevator doors opened. Though it was crowded inside, she stepped in anyway.

Better not to see trash.

“You’re married?”

Li Junmu’s question was cut off by the closing doors.

By the time she reached L1, Shen Tingxia still felt unsettled.

Standing at the mall entrance, she lit up her screen. Ignoring Xi Chengnan’s question mark, she asked:
【On duty today?】

This time, Xi Chengnan replied instantly:
Free Duck:
【Not today. Off soon】
【Need something?】

St:
【Then wait for me a bit. I’ll come find you】

Free Duck:
【？】

A question mark—understandable.

But Shen Tingxia didn’t reply.

Her car was still parked near his neighborhood entrance. She’d taken a Didi today. She hailed another ride and headed to Zhongshan Hospital.

At the hospital’s main entrance, Shen Tingxia got out and smoothly made her way to the 17th-floor neurosurgery ward. At the doctor’s office door, she peeked in—empty.

She approached the nurse’s station: “Excuse me, has Dr. Xi left yet?”

The nurse on duty was head nurse Tian Liping. She remembered this striking woman—someone who seemed to have some connection with Dr. Xi.

Nurse Tian looked at the impossibly beautiful woman and gently replied, “Dr. Xi went to the ER after his surgery. You can wait for him in his office.”

So he’d been in surgery all day—that’s why he hadn’t replied to her messages.

Shen Tingxia thanked her politely and headed to the office.

Nurse Tian quickly pulled out her phone and snapped a photo of Shen Tingxia’s retreating figure, sending it to their neurosurgery gossip group:
【Image.JPG】
Tian Liping:
【Here to see Dr. Xi!!!】

The group chat exploded instantly.

Shen Tingxia knew Xi Chengnan’s desk. She sat in his chair and noticed the can of Coke she’d handed him days ago was still sitting on his desk.

Did this guy not drink soda? Were doctors really that cautious?

She had no idea.

Shen Tingxia loved all things fizzy. She reached out and picked it up.

Before she could pop the tab, Xi Chengnan appeared in the doorway.

Shen Tingxia set the sugar-free Coke back down and stood to give him his seat.

Since no one else was in the office, Shen Tingxia extended a finger, intending to poke his waist. But before touching his white coat, her finger met the dry, soft palm of his hand.

“What are you doing here?”

Xi Chengnan sat down, asking casually.

Shen Tingxia didn’t know what he was working on—if he could talk to her, it probably wasn’t urgent.

But then she remembered her ex-boyfriend’s gaze. That discomfort shot from her scalp down to her heels. Still, she pretended to be in good spirits, her tone light: “Here to stake my claim.”

As the words fell, Xi Chengnan finished what he was doing, let out a soft scoff, and glanced at her.

Remembering his earlier text about leaving soon and seeing his now-dark screen, Shen Tingxia dared to ask: “When are you getting off work, Dr. Xi?”

Xi Chengnan gave her a sidelong glance but didn’t answer. He stood, took off his white coat, pulled on his own jacket, and walked out without a word.

Shen Tingxia pouted, lowered her head, and followed him.

Passing the nurse’s station, she could feel Head Nurse Tian’s curious gaze. She just smiled back and kept trailing Xi Chengnan.

They caught the elevator just as it arrived. The hour was late, the floor high, and the elevator empty. Xi Chengnan pressed B2.

Shen Tingxia leaned lazily against the elevator wall, tilting her head to look at the tall, straight-backed man before her.

The man glanced back and warned: “Stand up straight. That wall’s covered in bacteria.”

Shen Tingxia gave a low “Oh” but remained slouched, her spirits clearly low.

The elevator stopped intermittently at various floors. More people got on, including doctors who knew Xi Chengnan. They exchanged greetings. Since she stood two steps away from him, no one seemed to notice her.

Once in the car, Shen Tingxia buckled her seatbelt but saw Xi Chengnan hadn’t started the engine.

Leaning against the headrest, she looked at him: “Not leaving?”

Their eyes met. Xi Chengnan had sensed her unusual mood long ago—that smile worse than crying. He asked directly: “What’s wrong?”

His bluntness caught her off guard. “What’s wrong with me?”

“Why are you upset?”

So he’d noticed.

Shen Tingxia paused: “Ran into my ex-boyfriend. Found out he’s doing pretty well.”

At least judging by Li Junmu’s appearance and demeanor, he seemed to be doing fine.

Xi Chengnan showed no reaction to the mention of an ex. He even countered: “That’s all?”

Shen Tingxia was confused: “Isn’t that reason enough to be upset?”

Only then did she register Xi Chengnan’s calmness: “Aren’t you jealous?”

Xi Chengnan remained expressionless: “Jealous of what? You said he’s an ex.”

Shen Tingxia assessed him: “Broad-minded.”

“So what’s really going on?”

Shen Tingxia didn’t explain the real reason. How could she discuss being subjected to the male gaze with a man? Even with advanced awareness, as a man he could never truly empathize with her experience.

The most effective counter she knew against the male gaze was seizing their social resources. No matter how comfortably her friends lived or how much more they earned, she’d never considered withdrawing from society. Not once. It might be hard, she might have taken detours, but she was always on the path.

Shen Tingxia shook her head: “It’s nothing.”

Xi Chengnan nodded and started the car.

He’d asked. Since she didn’t want to say, he wouldn’t pry. Adults should have their own ways of standing their ground and solving problems.

The road from the hospital to his place was unfamiliar to her. He didn’t use GPS, and she didn’t know their destination.

Shen Tingxia said: “Let’s go to the supermarket. We haven’t bought the things for tomorrow when you meet my parents.”

She’d planned to pick up a few things while shopping earlier, but they’d left. Then she’d run into that scumbag and lost all desire to browse alone. Besides, without her car, carrying purchases would’ve been a hassle.

Now, there was a ready-made person and vehicle.

Xi Chengnan said only two words: “Navigate.”

Shen Tingxia entered a large mall she frequented into the car’s screen.

At the mall, Shen Tingxia walked beside Xi Chengnan. She told him she wanted to buy gold jewelry for her mom, white tea, Maotai liquor, and Zhonghua cigarettes for her dad, plus gifts for her younger brother and sister.

Xi Chengnan said: “Get things for your mom and siblings first. Your dad’s gifts can wait until we’re outside.”

Shen Luying was particular about etiquette, with his own set of rules. When Shen Tingxia was in her early twenties, he’d often say what a future son-in-law should bring when visiting.

Now that the chance had finally come, why not make Old Shen happy? Since Xi Chengnan had his ideas, she’d go along.

But she’d pay for her parents’ gifts herself. After all, they weren’t really together—no need for Xi Chengnan to bleed money.

Buying the gold necklace still stung—over 5,000 yuan.

For Shen Tingtang, she bought a bottle of perfume—nearly 1,000 yuan.

When it came to Shen Tingchao, Shen Tingxia took Xi Chengnan directly to the supermarket on B1 to buy snacks.

Xi Chengnan asked: “Is your brother that low on the family totem pole?”

Shen Tingxia disagreed: “He has no status at all in my family. Spending 200 yuan on snacks for him is already generous.”

Xi Chengnan chuckled, thinking their family dynamic must be good.

Just as Shen Tingxia had temporarily forgotten about Li Junmu and was happily picking out her favorite snacks, she ran into him again.

This time, it was still Li Junmu who recognized her first.

Perhaps because she now had a man beside her, Shen Tingxia didn’t feel as flustered as she had that evening.

Li Junmu eyed the man next to Shen Tingxia and confirmed: “So this is your husband?”

Shen Tingxia couldn’t be bothered to engage. Reluctantly, she muttered: “Yeah. My husband.”

But Li Junmu once again raked her with a blatant stare. After a thorough inspection, his gaze landed on her abdomen. He then said: “You dress much more femininely now than before.”

Shen Tingxia met his eyes head-on and fired back: “What does how I dress have to do with you? Did you buy it? Or did you pay for it?”

Xi Chengnan frowned. He glanced at Shen Tingxia and realized her style today was indeed different from what he’d seen recently—more Hong Kong-inspired. But what she wore, how she dressed—that was her freedom. Casual could be her style, simple could be her style, alluring could be her style.

His gaze shifted downward and caught Shen Tingxia’s clenched fist. He suddenly remembered her saying she was unhappy about running into her ex. The corner of his mouth lifted—seemed she really was upset.

He lowered one hand from the shopping cart handle, lightly touched her wrist, and slid his fingers down, gently unfolding her fist and interlacing their fingers.

The moment Xi Chengnan touched her wrist, Shen Tingxia’s attention shifted from the man opposite to the man beside her. She looked up at him. His dry, warm palm burned against her skin, yet she didn’t want to pull away.

This interlocked grip felt entirely different from when they held hands in bed.

Some inexplicable feeling washed over her—a sense of safety.

Before Li Junmu could speak, Shen Tingxia heard Xi Chengnan’s deep voice beside her ear: “We should hurry and get things for your dad.”

“We have things to do. Leaving now,” he said coldly to the man.

With that, Xi Chengnan took her hand and pushed the half-full cart of snacks away.

By the time Shen Tingxia snapped back to reality, Li Junmu was long out of sight.

She heard Xi Chengnan mock her: “Your taste in men really wasn’t great before.”

Shen Tingxia awkwardly pulled her hand back, rubbing her palm, trying to suppress her irregular heartbeat. She retorted: “I think my taste improved afterward. Otherwise, why would I pick you, right?”