Better Than Summer: A Marriage Before Love Romance - Chapter 8

The streets buzzed with traffic, the night sky glittered with stars, the moon hung high.

A little past ten at night, in a not-so-large room, two satiated figures lay entwined in the center of a large bed.

Xi Chengnan didn’t smoke. After each time, he’d lie calmly on the bed, letting himself cool down slowly—the so-called post-coital clarity.

Shen Tingxia lay flat beside him, staring at the ceiling, her thoughts adrift.

Her mother had introduced her to several blind dates, one after another, but none had caught her eye. While it wasn’t impossible that her resistance to blind dates played a part, the main reason was that those men were simply too dull and plain-looking.

She didn’t know Xi Chengnan faced the same pressure to marry. Though, given he was 32, it was somewhat normal.

But if—if—he really met a suitable marriage partner, they would absolutely end this unhealthy relationship. Then, she would lose a source of joy in her life, a way to relieve stress. And finding another sexual partner this compatible would be incredibly difficult.

Rather than letting her mother worry herself sick, scrounging up unknown men for her to meet, why not choose her own marriage partner?

Suddenly, a bold idea sprouted in Shen Tingxia’s mind.

She turned her head to look at the man beside her, the one she had chosen.

Xi Chengnan had a face that exuded a forbidden coldness: slightly prominent cheekbones, a clean jawline, and most distinctive were his eyes—one lid single, one double, clear and penetrating, yet their gaze was sharp, intensely aggressive.

Knowing him longer, one could sense the reserve he carried.

If she had to describe Xi Chengnan in one word, the first that came to Shen Tingxia’s mind was suave scoundrel.

At the hospital, he was a refined, dignified doctor. But in bed with her, he transformed into a villain straight out of a manga—eyes dark and brooding, as if wearing heavy makeup, deliberately smearing red lipstick from the corner of his mouth across his cheek in a wicked smile.

“Xi Chengnan.”

Shen Tingxia’s slightly raspy voice suddenly broke the silence of the room.

Xi Chengnan glanced left, catching a glimpse of her partially revealed body. “Hmm?”

Shen Tingxia met his aggressive gaze. Strangely, she could usually look him straight in the eye, but now, she felt a flicker of guilt. She turned her head away, no longer looking at him. She placed her hand over her heart, covering its frantic beating. After a moment, she asked expressionlessly, “Will you marry me?”

As her words fell, Shen Tingxia felt the room plunge into a deathly silence, so quiet she could almost hear Xi Chengnan’s breath, barely there.

She knew better than anyone how brazen the question was. Moreover, she’d never considered taking things further with Xi Chengnan before. Theirs was supposed to be a purely physical relationship. Yet, with this question out, regardless of his answer, their dynamic was irrevocably tainted.

Shen Tingxia curled her toes beneath the blanket. In the soundless stretch of time, every second felt like a century.

Finally, just as she was about to explain herself, Xi Chengnan spoke.

But he only uttered two light words: “Reason?”

Shen Tingxia exhaled almost imperceptibly, her toes uncurling. A smile touched the corners of her eyes as she turned to look at him again, offering the most absurd reason she could muster: “Other people might hold it against you that you’re not a virgin. I don’t mind.”

Xi Chengnan narrowed his eyes, looked her up and down, and sneered coldly. “What right do you have to mind?”

The woman who had ended his virginity—what right did she have to mind?

With that, Xi Chengnan threw back the covers and got out of bed. With practiced ease, he retrieved his change of clothes from her wardrobe and headed towards the bathroom.

Before he disappeared inside, Shen Tingxia called out magnanimously behind him, “No need to rush your answer. I’ll give you time to think it over.”

Xi Chengnan paused his step but didn’t look back. The corner of his mouth lifted slightly as he walked into the bathroom and casually locked the door.

Tuesday noon, seizing her lunch break, Shen Tingxia arrived at the hospital. Her father had messaged their family group chat that morning saying her mother could be discharged today.

By the time Shen Tingxia got there, her father had already completed the discharge formalities. Shen Tingtang was also present.

“Your brother didn’t come?” Shen Tingxia asked casually, setting down her bag.

Shen Tingtang replied, “He said he had something on today. He’ll come home to see Mom tonight.”

Shen Tingxia rolled her eyes. “What a filial son.”

There was still a little fluid left in the IV bag. Shen Tingxia asked Shen Tingtang to watch it and call the nurse when it was done to remove the needle. “I’m going to see if the doctor is in his office. I want to ask about any precautions and thank him properly.”

“Earlier, Doctor Xi…”
Shen Luying started to speak but was cut off by Qu Xianglan. She waved her hand. “Go on, go thank Doctor Xi properly. If it’s convenient, it’d be best to invite him for a meal too.”

Shen Tingxia naturally understood the subtext in her mother’s words. Pretending oblivious, she left the ward and headed to the doctor’s office.

Coincidentally, Xi Chengnan was there.

But the office wasn’t empty.

Shen Tingxia saw the doctor who had treated her mother in the outpatient department that day. The two men stood facing a foreign woman with big, wavy hair.

Su Yi was speaking Chinese, but the foreign woman opposite him spoke French mixed with broken Chinese. She wore a pair of simultaneous translation earbuds, while Su Yi held his phone, waiting for the app to translate.

Doctors might be proficient in English, but their French was likely lacking.

Seeing this, Shen Tingxia knocked on the door and strode over, speaking directly. “She’s asking if her husband’s surgery is absolutely necessary?”

Su Yi gave an “Ah,” and answered, “Tell her your husband’s brain aneurysm is already very large, with a risk of rupture at any time. My recommendation is to operate as soon as possible.”

Shen Tingxia smoothly translated this into French for the woman.

After a few exchanges, the woman understood the risks and necessity of the surgery, agreed to it, thanked them, and left the office.

Su Yi sized up Shen Tingxia, then nudged Xi Chengnan with his elbow, leaning in to whisper, “Not bad, your girlfriend! Hey, didn’t you say you had no time for dating? That you scorned the idea? Huh?”

Xi Chengnan shot him a glance and stated matter-of-factly, “Stop spouting nonsense.”

“Still pretending! The nurses saw it that day—you took the girl to the break room. Well done, you sly dog! Don’t forget to invite me to the wedding when you get married.”

Xi Chengnan ignored his teasing, simply saying, “Weren’t you going to lunch?”

Su Yi adopted an expression of understanding, patted Xi Chengnan’s shoulder, and said, “Alright, alright, I won’t disturb you two. Chat slowly, I’m off to eat.”

With that, Su Yi turned, gave Shen Tingxia a smile, and walked out.

In an instant, only Shen Tingxia and Xi Chengnan remained in the office.

Xi Chengnan stood leaning against the edge of his desk, asking casually, “Looking for me?”

Shen Tingxia’s peripheral vision caught the can of Coke on Xi Chengnan’s desk. She wondered if it was the one she’d left there that night. Feigning seriousness, she said, “My mother asked me to thank you. And to ask Doctor Xi, how often should she come back for check-ups?”

“Bl00d hormone levels three months post-op, along with an MRI—a CT is possible, but I recommend an MRI directly. Six months post-op, check bl00d hormone levels and adrenal function again. One year post-op, check bl00d hormone levels and pituitary function again.” Xi Chengnan not only answered her question but also provided some precautions. Finished, he lowered his gaze slightly, looking directly into her smiling eyes. “Any other questions?”

Shen Tingxia felt her heart flutter under his naked stare but forced herself to remain composed. She met his eyes without flinching, though her words carried a barely detectable tremor. “And my question, Doctor Xi… have you considered it?”

Xi Chengnan looked down at her, then suddenly bent closer, his lips near her ear as he countered in a low voice, “Your… which question?”

He didn’t straighten up immediately. Tilting his head, he glanced at the flush creeping up behind her ear and scoffed softly. “Why are you blushing?”

After work that evening, Shen Tingxia went to a large supermarket. She pushed a shopping cart through the aisles, headphones on.

Suddenly, someone tapped her shoulder. Shen Tingxia turned to see Cheng Qingyuan standing behind her, looking surprised. She took off her headphones and heard him say, “Miss Shen! It really is you!”

Shen Tingxia gave an awkward smile, not particularly thrilled to run into him, but replied, “What a coincidence, Mr. Cheng. You shop here too?”

As he spoke, Cheng Qingyuan had already positioned himself beside Shen Tingxia, subtly guiding her forward. He shared updates about his recent activities. Shen Tingxia half-listened, her mind racing to recall what she still needed to buy.

Sanitary pads?

Yes, sanitary pads.

Shen Tingxia deliberately steered towards the feminine hygiene section.

Unseen by her, a pair of intense eyes silently tracked her movements.

Xi Chengnan had come straight from the hospital to the supermarket. He needed to restock Xi Sinan’s snack drawer, replenish the drinks and sodas in the fridge, buy some vegetables and meat, and, most importantly, buy condoms—the few left from the other day were gone.

He just happened to spot Shen Tingxia’s back in the feminine hygiene section, and beside her stood the man she’d been on a blind date with that day.

“…”

Sometimes an excellent memory wasn’t such a blessing.

Shen Tingxia wore high heels, bringing her almost level with the man. Xi Chengnan abruptly remembered Shen Tingxia’s shallow dating criteria: around 185 cm tall. She herself was 171 cm; that guy couldn’t be over 180.

Between two rows of shelves, the two pushed their carts side by side. Shen Tingxia picked up what she needed and placed it in her cart—an image suffused with domesticity.

What was wrong with this woman?

Just this afternoon she was asking him how he was considering her marriage proposal, and by evening she was grocery shopping with another man?

For some reason, Xi Chengnan felt an itch in his throat.

He absently grabbed something drinkable from his cart, unscrewed the cap, and took a swig. The bubbly liquid hit his palate, fizzing slightly. The cloyingly sweet taste made him frown. He glanced at the bottle’s label, screwed the cap back on, and tossed it back in.

Out of sight, out of mind.

Xi Chengnan pushed his cart to the section he needed. His finger hovered over his usual brand for a moment, then switched to the textured, ribbed variety beside it.

After checking out, Xi Chengnan didn’t head home. He drove to Shen Tingxia’s apartment.

He didn’t go up immediately. He watched her car enter the underground garage, waited a while longer, then got out.

Standing at her door, he pressed the bell.

Inside, Shen Tingxia was sprawled on the sofa, phone held aloft as she scrolled through videos. Hearing the bell, she yelled towards the door, “Just leave it outside, thanks!”

It was a habit formed from years of living alone—waiting half a minute after a food delivery arrived before fetching it.

Two seconds later, the bell rang again. Shen Tingxia furrowed her brows, tossed her phone aside, sat up, slipped on her slippers, and padded to the entryway. She peered through the peephole and froze at the familiar face.

“Good grief,” she muttered instinctively, quickly opening the door. “What are you doing here?”

Xi Chengnan stood erect in the doorway, raising an eyebrow, his tone flippant. “You can show up unannounced at my place, but I can’t?”

Shen Tingxia pursed her lips, stepped aside to let him in. “Well, you wasted a trip. I’m on my period.”

Xi Chengnan deliberately feigned disappointment. “Oh, that’s a shame. Bought condoms and everything.”

With that, he stepped inside, changed into slippers at the entryway. Shen Tingxia closed the door behind him.

Taking in the slightly messy living room, Shen Tingxia quickly tidied up, creating a surface-level semblance of order.

Just as she finished, the doorbell rang again—likely the food delivery this time.

With a man in the house, Shen Tingxia didn’t wait the half-minute. She opened the door and took the delivery directly.

Xi Chengnan saw the takeout bag in her hand and asked knowingly, “Haven’t eaten?”

Shen Tingxia stiffened slightly, recalling the meal she’d unexpectedly mooched off him at his place the other day. It had been surprisingly good.

They’d never eaten together, never shared a meal at each other’s homes. So Shen Tingxia had never known Xi Chengnan was such a good cook.

She placed the unopened takeout on the table. “How about you cook something?”

Xi Chengnan jerked his chin towards the kitchen. “Got stuff?”

“Why don’t you take a look?”

Xi Chengnan gave a soft snort but stood up and walked towards the kitchen anyway.

He didn’t stand on ceremony, immediately opening the refrigerator. Inside were a few eggs, some chili sauce, some wilted fruit, expired bread, and an assortment of drinks, beers, and fruit wines.

Xi Chengnan scoffed, took two eggs, and asked, “Any noodles?”

Shen Tingxia also entered the kitchen, rummaging through the cupboards. She pulled out a pack of dried noodles, checking the production and expiration dates on the packaging. “Shouldn’t be expired,” she said.

Xi Chengnan took it, his eyes immediately finding the production date. This type of noodle usually had a twelve-month shelf life; it had three months left.

At home, the kitchen was Shen Tingxia’s least favorite area, though the refrigerator was her favorite appliance in it.

After finding Xi Chengnan what he needed, Shen Tingxia retreated from the kitchen. She sat at the island counter, propping her chin in her hand, watching him cook.

Observing his fluid movements was somewhat pleasing to the eye. He moved through the kitchen as if it were his own.

Shen Tingxia watched, slightly entranced. By the time she snapped back to reality, Xi Chengnan had already ladled out two bowls of egg noodles.

The plain-looking noodles made Shen Tingxia regret her decision. Could this possibly taste better than her usual takeout?

She picked up her chopsticks, scooped up a few strands, and tasted them.

To her surprise, they were actually quite good. They couldn’t compete with her usual heavily seasoned takeout, but they were leagues better than the noodles her father made.

At the dining table, seeing Shen Tingxia eat with relative satisfaction, Xi Chengnan relaxed slightly.

After a few bites, seizing the moment when her guard seemed lowest, he said casually, “Take the morning off tomorrow.”

Shen Tingxia looked up, confused. She hadn’t finished swallowing her noodles, her words muffled. “Why?”

Xi Chengnan lifted his gaze to meet hers, his tone lightly teasing. “Didn’t you want to get married?”