Better Than Summer: A Marriage Before Love Romance - Chapter 25

After arriving at the Orthopedics ward, Shen Tingxia introduced Xi Chengnan to her aunt and her aunt’s daughter. She also told her mother there was no need to request a different doctor, as the doctor in charge of her aunt was already the department head.

Because the child was there, they didn’t stay long. Rain was falling outside. Shen Tingxia drove her mother and the child home, telling Xi Chengnan to head back first.

Liu Siqi’s child, Liu Ziyi (nicknamed Naonao), was six years old. Shen Tingxia didn’t have a child seat in her car, so Qu Xianglan sat in the back seat with the boy.

On the way, Qu Xianglan discussed plans with Shen Tingxia: “Your sister has to work during the day, and Naonao needs to go to kindergarten. Now that they’re divorced, we should help where we can. I’ll go keep your aunt company during the day tomorrow. Your sister can stay at the hospital at night, and I’ll bring Naonao home to look after him.”

Her mother had already mentioned this when they learned about the aunt’s hospitalization at noon. Shen Tingxia didn’t object but reminded her, “Take care of your own health. If it’s too much, we should hire a caregiver.”
“Don’t worry about my health. If you kids don’t upset me, I’ll live a long life,” Qu Xianglan retorted. “On the weekend, give your sister a break. I’ll go take care of my sister, and you take Naonao.”
Shen Tingxia could agree to everything else, but not this: “Mom, mom, mom! Please spare me!”
Kids made her head spin, especially one as difficult as Naonao – why else would he be nicknamed “Trouble”?!
“Just like that,” Qu Xianglan stated firmly, then turned back to the child, her voice suddenly gentle, “How about Auntie takes you out to play this weekend?”
“Auntie, I want to go to the amusement park!”
His voice was sweet, but the words were far from welcome to Shen Tingxia.
“No amusement park,” Shen Tingxia declared flatly. She wouldn’t indulge him just because he was little. “If you’re with me, I decide what we do.”
Predictably, this earned her a few choice words of “scolding” from her mother.
Shen Tingxia let it go in one ear and out the other.

After dropping her mother off at home, Shen Tingxia pointed a finger at the boy and warned him, “Liu Ziyi, don’t you dare make my mom angry. If I find out you upset her, I absolutely won’t take you out this weekend, got it?”
Liu Ziyi didn’t answer. Instead, he stuck out his tongue at her: “Bleh, bleh, bleh!” Furious, Shen Tingxia reached out to pinch his ear, but he dodged and scampered away. Reflexively, she let out an exasperated “Hey!”
Qu Xianglan watched the boy, beaming with affection. Once he disappeared into a room, she turned to Shen Tingxia, “Honestly, how old are you? Arguing with a child.”
Shen Tingxia shrugged, unwilling to debate. “Go keep an eye on him. I’m leaving.”
She didn’t linger. Driving back to her own apartment, she texted Xi Chengnan only after arriving: [Not coming over tonight.]

She’d been exhausted from fieldwork lately. Shen Tingxia just wanted a shower and some quiet time alone.
Besides, she had too few clothes at Xi Chengnan’s place. She needed to dress properly for herself.
She didn’t wait for a reply, switching her phone to Do Not Disturb. She hadn’t eaten dinner but didn’t feel like ordering takeout either. Tossing her bag and phone onto the sofa, she headed straight for the bedroom shower.

Standing under the stream, warm water soaked her hair and skin. Her body was still, but her mind raced.
She thought about her frustrating job, her ex-boyfriend’s lingering gaze, the recent chaos in her life, the web of lies she was spinning for Xi Chengnan to cover her initial impulsive decision… She questioned herself. Had marrying Xi Chengnan on a whim been a colossal mistake? She hadn’t considered the consequences. Even though Xi Chengnan said he didn’t mind the trouble, it clearly was trouble. If he hadn’t married her, he wouldn’t have to deal with any of this.
Did Xi Chengnan truly not find it troublesome? Shen Tingxia herself found this mess utterly exhausting.
She’d wondered this more than once.
Her turbulent thoughts made the shower drag on.

She finally emerged, wrapped in a towel. Listlessly drying her hair in the bathroom, she went to check the time but couldn’t find her phone. Suddenly remembering she’d thrown it on the sofa, she walked into the living room… and froze.
A man sat on her sofa.
Shen Tingxia blinked, rubbing her eyes as if clearing water droplets, confirming she wasn’t mistaken. There was definitely someone there.
Her voice was flat. “How did you get in?”
Xi Chengnan didn’t explain. Instead, he met her gaze and countered, “Why shouldn’t I be here?”
Shen Tingxia glanced at him, then down at her thin white towel. “I need to put some clothes on first.”
She retreated to her bedroom, slipped into comfortable loungewear, and returned. Walking to the sofa, she bent to pick up her phone from the coffee table. The screen showed 9:30 PM. She’d been in the shower for an hour.
She sat cross-legged on the sofa, leaning back against the cushions. Tilting her head towards Xi Chengnan, she said moodily, “If you came here for… that, sorry, Dr. Xi, I’m not really in the mood to cooperate tonight.”
Xi Chengnan studied her troubled expression and knew immediately he’d made the right decision to come.
He’d been making dinner when he received her cold, detached text: Not coming over. Short, devoid of warmth. It painted a picture of her downturned lips and despondent mood – a stark contrast to the woman who’d playfully teased him with “nonsense” in his office earlier.
No reply to his texts. No answer to his calls. He knew she was physically safe, but her emotional state was another matter. He’d sensed her low spirits back in the office.
He ignored her comment about s3x. Teasing wasn’t appropriate now. His tone was concerned. “Did you run into your ex again?”
“No,” Shen Tingxia replied, eyes closed, shaking her head slightly. “Why do you ask?”
“Then why are you upset?”
Shen Tingxia paused, opening her eyes to meet Xi Chengnan’s deep, dark gaze.
She was puzzled. Why did he care if she was happy? They might be legally married, but fundamentally, they were still just friends with benefits. Did a marriage certificate suddenly obligate him to manage her emotions too?
“You… care about me?”
Xi Chengnan gave a small smile, his tone matter-of-fact. “Isn’t caring for your wife supposed to be normal?”
Shen Tingxia forced a stiff grin. “Oh. Well, thank you, husband.”
He hadn’t gotten an answer about her unhappiness, and her smile looked painful. Xi Chengnan’s own smile faded. He asked seriously, “Or is it still about feeling like you’re causing me trouble?”
When Xi Chengnan pinpointed the core of her turmoil – the part directly involving him – Shen Tingxia felt a sudden jolt inside.
Few people could cut so effortlessly to the heart of her worries.
After a moment’s hesitation, she admitted, “Part of it, yes.”
“Then let’s tackle that part first. Talk?”
Shen Tingxia shifted position, propping her head on her hand, elbow resting on the sofa back. She didn’t mind discussing this with Xi Chengnan; it concerned him directly.
“You saw it yourself today. Your profession might become a ‘connection’ in my mom’s eyes. I don’t like inconveniencing others, I don’t like others inconveniencing me, and I really don’t like causing trouble for people. From the initial meeting with my parents, to today with Mom wanting to use your connection to see some department head… I don’t know how many similar things will pop up. And somehow, ever since we got married, it feels like a mountain of troubles just appeared out of nowhere. But our actual arrangement hasn’t really changed at all.”
Xi Chengnan listened quietly from the opposite sofa. An old saying echoed in his mind: Marriage isn’t just between two people; it’s between two families.
He paused, then said, “What you see as trouble, I see as manageable assistance. It doesn’t feel like a burden to me.”
Knowing this might sound abstract, he offered an analogy: “If Xi Sinan had something she needed your help with now, or asked you for a favor, would you ignore her?”
Shen Tingxia considered it, then shook her head. “No, I wouldn’t.”
Xi Chengnan smiled faintly. “Thank you for not abandoning Xi Sinan. But actually, by your own logic, that could fall under the category of ‘trouble’.”
“But what big thing could your sister possibly need my help with? Shouldn’t she come to you for major stuff?”
“The size of the issue isn’t the point; the principle is the same. Maybe you think anything Xi Sinan asks wouldn’t be a big deal. But that’s exactly how I feel about the ‘trouble’ you think you’re causing me. To me, it’s not trouble at all. Asking for help is showing vulnerability; it doesn’t have to mean creating a burden. You can show vulnerability to me. Do you understand?”
“Besides,” he continued, “needing help from others isn’t incompatible with having an independent personality. There’s no need to feel ashamed or make a big deal out of it. It’s a normal, everyday part of life.”
Shen Tingxia pondered his words carefully. It did make sense.
She used to ask for favors and help others solve problems. But after years in the workforce, worn down by navigating complex relationships and seeing the multifaceted nature of people, she’d started avoiding complications. Focusing on her own affairs and avoiding disturbing others seemed simpler.
She looked at Xi Chengnan for several more seconds. He met her gaze steadily. Their eyes locked.
Shen Tingxia started feeling self-conscious under his direct scrutiny. Finally, she offered her first genuine smile of the evening. “I didn’t realize Dr. Xi was not only good at curing illnesses but also at giving advice.”
Xi Chengnan shook his head slightly. “Not advice. Just pointing out that maybe the person you’re afraid of troubling actually wants to help you. So don’t be afraid of being a ‘bother’.”
Seeing her visibly relax a little, he asked again, “And the other part? What else is bothering you?”
Shen Tingxia shook her head. “The other part doesn’t concern you. I can handle it myself.”
“Alright. Still don’t want to ‘trouble’ me,” he conceded with a hint of humor. “But may I ask Miss Shen Tingxia if she’d like to come downstairs with me to get something to eat?”
He’d heard her stomach rumble several times already.
“You haven’t eaten?” she asked.
“I have,” Xi Chengnan nodded towards her midsection. “You haven’t.”
Shen Tingxia instinctively covered her stomach, smiling awkwardly. “You heard that?”
Xi Chengnan nodded. “Having stomach problems means you need to eat properly. Go change. Let’s go get some food downstairs.”
Just hearing him say it made Shen Tingxia realize how hungry she actually was.

There were convenience stores and small restaurants downstairs. Shen Tingxia didn’t dress formally like she did for work. She just threw on a loose long-sleeved top and sweatpants. Rain was still drizzling outside. They grabbed an umbrella before leaving.
As soon as they stepped into the elevator, Xi Chengnan naturally took the umbrella from Shen Tingxia’s hand.
Without her heels, the height difference between them was significant. Shen Tingxia glanced up at Xi Chengnan and easily met his eyes. They were clear and deep. Combined with his light beige shirt and white t-shirt underneath, he exuded a youthful air.
If she didn’t know his real age, judging by his looks alone, someone might guess he was barely in his twenties.
Suddenly, Shen Tingxia felt her heartbeat quicken. She had to look away and take a moment to calm down.

Opening the building’s main door, a gust of cold wind hit them. Shen Tingxia instinctively shivered and hugged her arms.
Xi Chengnan opened the umbrella, sheltering them both beneath it. As he stepped outside, he felt the chill too and looked over at Shen Tingxia. She was hugging herself.
Seeing this, Xi Chengnan stopped. He grasped her arm gently. “Hold the umbrella for a second?”
Shen Tingxia took it, confused. For a brief moment, her fingers brushed his skin. Despite the damp weather, his hand felt dry.
The next moment, Xi Chengnan shrugged off his shirt jacket and draped it over her shoulders. The shirt still held the warmth from his body. While it wouldn’t provide much actual warmth, it sent a comforting glow through her core.
Throughout this, Shen Tingxia kept her eyes locked on Xi Chengnan’s. She complied wordlessly with his actions. He took the umbrella back, she let go. He held out a sleeve, she slid her arm in.
Only when he said, “Let’s go,” did she snap back to the present.
But looking down at the sleeves, she saw only empty fabric; her hands were completely swallowed up.
The jacket was already oversized on him. On her, it looked like a child playing dress-up in an adult’s clothes.
Xi Chengnan chuckled softly seeing her hands disappear. He carefully rolled up the sleeves for her, finally freeing her pale hands.
Few words were exchanged, yet their movements flowed with a natural synchronicity. It felt like he understood her intentions before she fully expressed them.
Perhaps it was just basic observation. Perhaps it was the unspoken understanding built over years of their… arrangement.
Once this was done, they finally walked towards the gate.

Walking side-by-side under the single umbrella, Shen Tingxia on the right, Xi Chengnan held it in his right hand, tilting it significantly towards her. His shoulder brushed lightly against the back of hers.
Shen Tingxia felt it, yet didn’t feel intruded upon.
Under the dim yellow streetlights, the fine rain slanted down. The large umbrella overhead shielded her from getting wet and blocked much of the light from reaching her. The man beside her, however, radiated warmth through the thin fabric separating them, his body heat seeping into her side.
In an unobserved moment, Shen Tingxia lowered her head. She couldn’t suppress the frantic beating of her heart or the smile that tugged at her lips. The physical chill was replaced by a deep, spreading warmth within her core.
Whatever their relationship was defined as, Xi Chengnan seemed to be navigating it perfectly.