Pair A? No Thanks! [Transmigration] - Chapter 7
Marriage descended upon Shi Ning’s life like a sudden storm on a clear day.
Walking down the street, Shi Ning constantly reminded herself that she was now a married woman. But to prevent her newly started transmigration life from ending due to an overly unexpected marriage, Shi Ning felt it was necessary to sign a contract with Su Tianxue.
So, she suggested, “Miss Su, do you mind signing a marriage-related contract with me?”
Su Tianxue hadn’t considered this: “What do you mean?”
Prenuptial assets had been mostly settled at the civil affairs bureau. What remained was Shi Ning’s personal freedom.
Shi Ning: “I believe we should both retain our basic freedom to socialize after marriage, what do you think?”
Su Tianxue: “I have no problem with that.”
Su Tianxue added, “I won’t interfere with your private life.”
Shi Ning emphasized: “Mutual non-interference.” She mumbled, “Am I the only one who has a private life?”
Su Tianxue raised an eyebrow, the implied meaning evident without words.
Shi Ning casually brought up: “What about… post-marital s3x life?” Her original intention was just to tease Su Tianxue and see her reaction.
Su Tianxue was very calm: “I won’t touch you actively.”
Shi Ning smiled: “Have you considered that I might initiate it?”
Su Tianxue’s gaze was very faint: “We’ll see then. If you want to make it an obligation, I don’t mind either.”
Shi Ning shrugged: “Nah, I don’t want to.”
Having it written down as a black-and-white obligation would be truly boring.
The two found a coffee shop, and Shi Ning took charge of drafting the contract. Seeing her serious demeanor, Su Tianxue was a little curious: “Ms. Shi, what did you do for a living before?”
She had meticulously written down the code name of her research institute and her position in her personal information form, but she still didn’t know Shi Ning’s background very well. Judging from her reactions when confronting those two earlier, she should have some legal background. And now, drafting a contract so skillfully, Su Tianxue couldn’t help but suspect her work was related to law.
Shi Ning chuckled: “We’re already married, and you’re asking me now?”
Su Tianxue: “…”
Shi Ning looked up, the pen she was drafting with paused slightly, and she asked the woman with a smile, “What? Are you curious about me now?”
“Do you know that love often starts with curiosity?”
Su Tianxue: …No. Her incessant teasing was already torment enough.
She maintained a cold face, implying that if Shi Ning didn’t want to say, that was fine.
Shi Ning said, half-truthfully, “I have a personal interest in law. As for my previous job, I mostly just lay around counting money.”
After all, she was the CEO in a sweet lesbian romance novel. Don’t ask her what specific company she ran or what she did; two words suffice: she’s rich. The author made her rich, so she was rich. Not to mention Su Tianxue, even Shi Ning herself didn’t know where she got so much money.
In short, rich.
That was her label.
After Shi Ning drafted the first clause about mutual non-interference in private lives, she asked, “Anything else?”
“Anything else?” Su Tianxue raised her hand and took a sip of bitter coffee. She thought for a moment and added, “If possible, I hope we don’t disclose our relationship to third parties unless absolutely necessary.”
“I have a younger sister, and I don’t want her to know everything that happened at the hospital.”
For some reason, hearing the words “we” from her made Shi Ning quite happy.
“Okay,” she readily agreed.
“Do you have anything to add?” Su Tianxue asked Shi Ning.
Shi Ning shook her head, stirring her coffee with a small stick, watching the frothed milk and coffee blend together. The pristine white foam was like snow on a mountaintop, mixing with the murky brown coffee, much like her encounter with Su Tianxue. Quite interesting.
She lowered her gaze, hiding her thoughts, and said to Su Tianxue, “I’d like to ask, Miss Su, do you have someone you like?”
Su Tianxue: “I like stars.”
Shi Ning was startled: “You like your sister?”
Su Tianxue glared at her, then became suspicious: “How do you know my sister’s name?”
Shi Ning casually fabricated: “It was written in the family relations section of the form earlier.”
Su Tianxue reached up and pinched the bridge of her nose: “I meant, the stars in the sky.”
Shi Ning: “I asked about someone you like.”
Su Tianxue: “No one.”
Shi Ning teased her: “What do you think of me?”
Su Tianxue: “Ms. Shi, there are some questions whose answers we both know at a glance, and there’s really no need to ask them, don’t you think?”
Shi Ning nodded in agreement: “Hmm, I agree. I didn’t expect you to think I’m that good too.”
Su Tianxue: “…”
Numb.
Shi Ning handed the drafted contract to Su Tianxue for review. After Su Tianxue nodded in confirmation, Shi Ning informed her that she would prepare a printed version later for her to sign.
Then, another important question arose for Su Tianxue.
Su Tianxue knew that she and Shi Ning had to get through the probation period together and obtain a marriage certificate to legally inherit her grandmother’s house and prevent it from being seized.
But based on her first impression of Shi Ning, Su Tianxue had enough reason to believe that if Shi Ning were left alone, something unexpected might happen when she faced the probation officer. This person was very likely to be fooling around with others.
Su Tianxue thought it over and felt it was necessary to keep Shi Ning by her side, primarily for supervision, and to maximize their portrayal as a loving couple to safely pass the probation period.
So she suggested: “Let’s live together, okay?”
Shi Ning almost choked: “You’re that direct?”
Su Tianxue explained the reason.
Shi Ning: “Oh, so that’s how unreliable you think I am.”
Su Tianxue: “The primacy effect states that the first impression formed between two interacting parties has a crucial influence on future interactions. I think you should reflect on why you left me with such a first impression.”
“No need to reflect,” Shi Ning chuckled freely. “You’re not wrong, I am indeed that kind of person.”
“So, where should we live together?”
“My place, I guess.” Su Tianxue held her coffee cup, taking a sip.
Shi Ning gently stroked the rim of her cup: “What about your sister? You said earlier you didn’t want her to know about this.”
“She told me her summer plans early on; she won’t be home. After handling Grandma’s funeral, she should leave. Then, you can move in.”
Shi Ning: “Alright, then, Miss Su, do you have any requirements for me moving into your home?”
Su Tianxue: “I’m very easygoing; I don’t have any other requirements.”
“Please don’t move the household items around arbitrarily. Please arrange the items in the refrigerator according to the current specifications. Also, if you use the bathroom, please clean it yourself.”
Shi Ning said sarcastically, “You really are easygoing.”
Su Tianxue nodded, accepting her praise: “Thank you.”
Shi Ning: …I wasn’t complimenting you, okay?
“Oh, and if you want to have a private life, please don’t do it at home.”
This sentence translated to: don’t bring girls home.
Shi Ning smiled and pointed to Su Tianxue’s phone: “Do you want to check your messages first?”
Su Tianxue had been so engrossed in talking to her that she hadn’t noticed the countless messages flashing on her phone’s pop-up window.
She glanced at it and saw a strange name.
Su Tianxue picked up her phone, puzzled, then saw a flood of messages and finally realized.
…She seemed to have gone into the wrong room.
The intermediary had probably sent 99 messages.
Intermediary: Where are you?
Intermediary: The rich lady is in the room, where are you?
Intermediary: Ugh, gone?
Intermediary: Flaking out last minute? Fine, don’t do this work anymore.
Su Tianxue didn’t even have time to explain before the other party had deleted her.
She held her phone, suddenly knowing the truth, her lower lip pressed tightly, a hint of embarrassment in her expression: “So, you knew from the beginning that I went into the wrong room?”
Shi Ning raised an eyebrow: “Of course.”
Su Tianxue didn’t understand: “Then why did you still—”
Shi Ning curled her lips: “Because you’re pretty.”
“Su Tianxue, don’t worry. I’m not the kind of person who orders takeout at home.” Shi Ning leaned back, resting against the chair. “So, you don’t have to worry about my private life.”
Su Tianxue sighed: “I’m sorry, I misunderstood you.”
Shi Ning chuckled: “It’s not really a misunderstanding.”
“I’m not exactly a good person.”
She straightened up and extended her hand to Su Tianxue: “So, happy cooperation.”
Su Tianxue returned her handshake. Shi Ning’s palm was very cool, not quite matching her fiery demeanor.
She paused for a moment, returning the grip: “Hmm, happy cooperation.”
Su Tianxue had to return to the hospital to handle the funeral arrangements, so she left first.
Once Su Tianxue left, Shi Ning picked up her phone, feeling like sharing today’s events with someone. She found the contact noted as “Mom” and sent a message.
Shi Ning: Mom, I got married.
Mom: [Haha, your mom’s here/fist]
Mom: Who’s so unlucky as to marry you?
Shi Ning: Just grabbed someone off the street, felt like getting married, just trying it out.
Mom: Got it. Let me know when you divorce.
Mom: Playing mahjong, don’t bother me.
Shi Ning shrugged, thinking, This ‘Mom’ has the same personality as her own mother.
She sat by the coffee shop window, watching Su Tianxue hail a car, get in, and leave. She couldn’t quite explain why she had to get involved in this messy marriage with Su Tianxue, but… newlywed life, cohabitation… Shi Ning’s eyes curved; she was actually quite looking forward to it.