What If I Ended Up Marrying My Enemy? - Chapter 28
Chapter 28: Memory
The chaos didn’t last long. An hour later, Yu Zhixue was quietly sipping the honey water brewed by Yu Wenxuan.
His throat was a bit hoarse. Only after the warm liquid trickled down did it feel a little better.
Yu Wenxuan naturally took the empty glass from him and said, “Go brush your teeth.”
He watched Yu Zhixue walk into the bathroom before putting the cup down. The moment the glass touched the table with a soft clink, his phone chimed with a new message.
Assistant Liu: (image) (image)
Assistant Liu: “Do you want me to contact her to delete it, President Yu?”
Yu Wenxuan tapped into the message and opened the images—screenshots of a trending post online.
The post was published earlier that morning, accompanied by a blurry photo. It had already racked up tens of thousands of likes, shares, and comments, and was still rapidly rising.
@WantToWatchCloudsWithYou: “It rained today, but I witnessed a beautiful love story.”
The image, though unclear due to the heavy rain, showed two figures under the eaves. One tall person crouched down, back to the camera, quietly kissing someone else.
Only a small part of the other person’s chin was visible, but even through the screen, one could feel the stunned emotion in that moment.
The photo was amateurish and clearly taken in a hurry, yet the tender, mist-like affection seemed to seep right through the image.
@FruitTeaLover: “How can anyone be this happy… I can feel it even through the blur, sob sob.”
@SweetBeet: “Only this kind of love should be allowed to exist!”
@SleeplessTonight: “Already imagining it… ‘A rainy day and a beautiful you.’”
Neither person in the photo showed their face, and it was quite impressive that Assistant Liu managed to recognize them.
Yu Wenxuan: “No need to delete it. Just suppress the post.”
After replying, he even saved the image to his phone.
When he returned to the bedroom, Yu Zhixue had already washed up and was lying in bed waiting.
“Took you that long just to put down a cup?” Yu Zhixue asked suspiciously.
Yu Wenxuan got into bed and tousled his hair. Then he told him about what just happened, as an explanation for why he’d taken so long.
He then asked a question that had been on his mind for a long time: “When we got married, why didn’t we make it public?”
Yu Zhixue lowered his eyes, as if pondering. “Just got used to it.”
Yu Wenxuan turned off the lights and pinched his cheek. “What kind of answer is that?”
“Back when we first got together, we were afraid one of us would regret it, so we didn’t plan to go public. Then it just became a habit,” Yu Zhixue added.
“Got it.” Having received an answer, Yu Wenxuan gently patted Yu Zhixue’s back like soothing a child. “Sleep now.”
He had meant to lull the other to sleep, but maybe it was Yu Zhixue’s peaceful breathing, or maybe the dim light of the room, but soon Yu Wenxuan drifted off too.
…
Memory is like a long, drawn-out dream.
In the countless fragments of time and space, what he always remembered… were Yu Zhixue’s eyes.
“Yu Zhixue, have you ever thought about getting a boyfriend?”
As the words fell, those eyes lifted and looked at him.
“Happy birthday, baby. Your gift’s downstairs. Want to open it now?”
Yu Zhixue curved his eyes into a smile, as if to say “okay.”
…
Tear-filled, joyful, surprised—every emotion in those eyes—Made up all his memories from the past five years.
And strangely enough—
He’d forgotten everything in those five years, but when the memories flickered through his mind like flipping pages—
They didn’t stop at the middle.
They stopped at the very beginning.
He remembered the first time he saw Yu Zhixue—It was even earlier than the student council interview room.
…
On the first day of the new semester, the heat was stifling as expected. Yu Wenxuan hadn’t been spared either and was assigned to manual labor.
The school gate was crowded with freshmen. A tent overhead blocked the sunlight but didn’t help much with the heat.
Yu Wenxuan lowered his head, scribbling something absentmindedly, when his eyes drifted toward the entrance—and saw a tall figure.
Despite the scorching summer day, that person looked fresh and crisp, not a drop of sweat on him. His pale complexion was dazzling, and his beautiful face held no expression.
The moment that figure stopped in front of him, Yu Wenxuan spoke: “Do you need help?”
The long-haired boy gave a slight nod, then after a moment said, “I’m lost.”
With that face and that voice, something inside Yu Wenxuan was strangely moved.
The student council peer beside him immediately sensed the direction this was heading. Yu Wenxuan had already rejected eight freshmen in the past hour.
In an attempt to protect a junior’s romantic ideals about college, the peer quickly offered, “I’ll take you there instead.”
But the words halted—stuck in his throat.
Because Yu Wenxuan had already stood up, walked to the long-haired boy’s side, and reached out his hand.
“Give me your luggage.”
Huh?
The boy hesitated, then handed over the suitcase without protest.
So obedient, he thought.
Carrying the luggage into campus, Yu Wenxuan asked, “What major are you in?”
The person behind replied, “Same as you.”
Yu Wenxuan paused mid-step. How would a freshman know his major? Heard it from someone?
The dorms for the economics faculty were a bit far. As they walked, Yu Wenxuan tried making small talk.
He wasn’t the chatty type, but maybe because the person next to him was even less talkative, he found himself asking more and more questions.
Watching that cold, quiet face respond one word at a time was oddly amusing.
“You’re not underage, are you?” he asked.
“…I’ll be 18 this December.”
He really was underage.
“Your parents didn’t come with you?” Yu Wenxuan asked.
“I told them not to. I have someone I know here,” the boy replied.
Yu Wenxuan didn’t press further. He just kept walking.
Before they knew it, they reached the dorm building. Yu Wenxuan stopped outside—he wasn’t going to follow him in.
He looked at the youth pursing his lips and asked, “Do you always talk this openly with strangers?”
After a pause, the boy replied in a tone that was practically frigid.
“…Strangers?”
…
Later that night, Yu Wenxuan finally returned to his dorm.
Cheng Yu noticed he looked worn out and asked, “Where have you been?”
Yu Wenxuan opened a bottle of cold water, took a long drink, and finally replied, “Helped out with freshman move-in.”
Cheng Yu was confused: “I walked past the student council earlier. Didn’t see you. Were you slacking off?”
Yu Wenxuan’s hand tightened slightly around the bottle before he casually answered, “I helped someone carry luggage.”
“Ohhh… Wait, what?” Cheng Yu’s eyes widened.
“You helped someone carry luggage?!”
His over-the-top expression annoyed Yu Wenxuan. “Is that really so shocking?”
Before he could finish the sentence, Cheng Yu was already dragging another roommate over to reenact the situation.
The roommate mimicked a shy junior’s voice, “Senior, I don’t know the way… Can you take me to the dorm?”
Cheng Yu pretended to be Yu Wenxuan, scribbling in a notebook without even lifting his head. “Sorry, I’m busy. That guy next to me can help you.”
Yu Wenxuan wanted to throw them both out the window.
After their skit, Cheng Yu shoved the pen toward him like a reporter. “So, what kind of girl was she? Sweet and gentle? Or bubbly and cheerful?”
Determined to get to the bottom of it.
Yu Wenxuan tossed the empty bottle at him and muttered “Get lost.” But even as he said it, his mind couldn’t help but wander back.
None of Cheng Yu’s guesses were right.
He wasn’t sweet.
He wasn’t bubbly.
…
With a face like that, of course people talked about him. And since he was in the same department as Yu Wenxuan, his name spread quickly.
Yu Wenxuan could tell from his aura that he came from a good background—but he didn’t expect him to be that Yu family’s kid.
That peaceful first meeting… seemed more like a product of Yu Wenxuan’s own imagination. Because after that, things between them somehow grew cold.
They were in the same department, seeing each other all the time, yet barely exchanged words. On the rare occasions they did speak, it would end in awkward silence, forcing others to scramble to fill the gap.
Eventually, people figured it out.
Yu Zhixue wasn’t much for conversation—and was especially aloof toward Yu Wenxuan.
Cheng Yu often grumbled, “Did someone offend him? He never says more than a couple words to anyone. He turns the whole meeting room into the Arctic.”
“I swear, I don’t think he even knows how to answer people properly!”
Yu Wenxuan, in the middle of replying to a professor, froze momentarily when he heard that.
Could Yu Zhixue answer people properly?
Of course he could.
He had. With him.
…
Time passed. Months slipped by, and Yu Wenxuan had almost forgotten about that moment at the school gate.
He was used to Yu Zhixue being cold toward him now.
Used to the silence when they passed each other on the stairs, used to arguing in competitive group meetings.
The vice president of the student council was well-liked and often organized team-building activities. That month’s event was hiking and camping near the school.
A list of participants landed on Yu Wenxuan’s desk for approval. He glanced through it—then froze.
The vice president, sitting across from him, asked, “Is there a problem?”
Yu Wenxuan rubbed the name between his fingers. “Yu Zhixue is coming too?”
“Yeah,” the VP gulped. “Is that… an issue?”
“No,” Yu Wenxuan replied. “Just surprised.”
…
On the day of the outing, everyone brought gear since they’d be camping overnight.
Yu Wenxuan, without shame, had handed his bag to Cheng Yu to carry, walking carefree up the mountain while Cheng Yu grumbled behind him.
Amid the noise, Yu Wenxuan turned to take his bag back—only to spot Yu Zhixue nearby.
He wasn’t carrying much, eyes down, not making eye contact.
Yu Wenxuan looked at him for a moment, then turned back as if nothing had happened.
The mountain wasn’t high, but with varying fitness levels, they made several stops.
Near the summit, most people were breathless. This break was longer; many sat down to rest.
Yu Wenxuan found a rock, leaned against it, and slowly drank some water.
He’d barely taken a few sips when he heard a stranger’s voice.
“Um, your bag looks heavy. Want me to carry it for you?”
Yu Wenxuan tsk-ed. Even here, he had to witness someone hitting on someone else?
He was just about to leave when another familiar voice cut in.
“No need,” Yu Zhixue said.
Rationally, Yu Wenxuan knew he should walk away. But something stopped him.
The other person insisted—saying something Yu Wenxuan didn’t catch.
Yu Zhixue, clearly annoyed, finally said, “I don’t like other people touching my things. Understand?”
His tone made it clear—this wasn’t just an excuse. He meant every word.
Only when the footsteps faded did Yu Wenxuan remain frozen.
He thought he’d forgotten.
But he hadn’t.
All it took was one spark to drag everything buried deep inside back to the surface.
Yu Zhixue said he didn’t like others touching his things.
But that day, he had hesitated—
And still handed his suitcase to Yu Wenxuan.
…
That night, Yu Wenxuan stayed late at the office. When he finally looked up, dinner time had already passed an hour ago.
He rubbed his stomach, got up, and headed downstairs.
The hallway was brightly lit—harshly so. Under those sterile lights, a figure slowly appeared in the corridor ahead.
They didn’t greet him. Just kept walking silently.
“Why did you suddenly start disliking me?”
Yu Wenxuan had wanted to know for a long time. He wanted to know at the beginning—and months later, he still wanted to know.
So when that figure brushed past him, he quietly asked.
The footsteps stopped.
“Why would you think that?” came the reply.
Yes. Why?
Everyone said Yu Zhixue was always like that.
Distant. Quiet. Hard to talk to.
So why did Yu Wenxuan think… he had suddenly started disliking him?
Why was he so unwilling to accept it?
“……”
Maybe because—
The first time you looked at me at the school gate,
there was a smile in your eyes.