What If I Ended Up Marrying My Enemy? - Chapter 7

Chapter 7: Gege…

The lights in the banquet hall suddenly went out, cutting off what Yu Wenxuan was about to say.

Music began to play as couples started to dance in the center of the room, and the dance floor was quickly expanding toward them.

Yu Wenxuan pulled him toward the edges of the hall, catching the attention of several people along the way who kept turning to look.

Only when they reached a quiet corner did Yu Wenxuan finally stop walking. Yu Zhixue didn’t react in time and took an extra step forward, only to be pulled back by the shoulder.

He turned around, about to speak, when he caught sight of a graceful silhouette in the distance.

Noticing Yu Zhixue’s gaze shifting elsewhere, Yu Wenxuan released the hand he was holding and instead loosely grasped his wrist.

Looking back, he called out, “Mom.”

Madam Yu was already over fifty, but she had maintained herself well and looked like she was just in her early thirties.

In stark contrast to her sarcastic tone over the phone, her appearance was that of a gentle and pleasant Jiangnan woman.

But the moment she opened her mouth, her true nature was revealed:
“I just knew you’d drag Xiaoxue off to hide somewhere. Can’t you be a little more mature and fix that nasty habit of yours?”

Yu Wenxuan replied simply, “I can’t.”

Madam Yu had only said it in passing. She didn’t really expect him to fix a habit he’d had since childhood.

To outsiders, Yu Wenxuan had always been a model child—mature and well-mannered. But at his core, he was obsessive and emotionally detached.

When Yu Wenxuan was seven years old, one of Madam Yu’s friends left a ragdoll cat in her care while she traveled abroad.

The young Yu Wenxuan bonded well with the cat, and Madam Yu would often see them playing together in the garden.

But something changed the day before her friend was due to return.

—The cat suddenly disappeared.

They searched everywhere and eventually found it in a secluded corner of the yard, lying inside a small shelter clearly built by someone. The cat hissed and bared its teeth when a housekeeper tried to carry it out.

—Anyone could tell it was done on purpose.

Madam Yu had the cat returned right away.

When Yu Wenxuan came home, he simply asked, “Did you send the kitten away, Mom?”

“Yes,” she replied, already feeling a headache coming on. “If you want a pet, you can just tell me. But you can’t do something like that.”

“Why not?”

“That cat belongs to someone else. What you did was wrong.”

Yu Wenxuan looked at her with an unnatural calm for a child his age. “I can trade many things for it. Why can’t it be mine?”

“If you like ragdoll cats, I can buy you one that looks the same. Why does it have to be that one?”

Yu Wenxuan stared at her with those black eyes and answered seriously, “Because I want that one.”

For a long time after that, Madam Yu had worried his personality would lead to trouble someday.

But Yu Wenxuan never did anything like that again.

Sometimes Madam Yu would wonder—had he really changed, or had he simply not encountered anything he truly wanted since then?

At age seven, Yu Wenxuan had wanted a kitten. But now, at twenty-five, as the head of the Yu family, what did he want?

The answer came much sooner than she expected.

It was during another banquet. Downstairs was filled with clinking glasses and cheerful mingling. Yu Wenxuan stood on the second floor, holding a glass of wine, looking down.

Madam Yu followed his gaze and saw the Yus’ youngest child. She had heard from Cheng Yu more than once how poor their relationship was.

Suddenly, Yu Wenxuan spoke.
“Do you think he’s beautiful?”

Madam Yu looked at that face and couldn’t lie. “Yes. He is.”

The second-floor lights were dim, and Yu Wenxuan’s expression was shrouded in shadow.

His voice was soft, calm—but in an instant, it pulled Madam Yu back to that day, many years ago.

“I think so too.”

She never would’ve guessed that, over a decade later, the thing Yu Wenxuan most wanted—would be a person.

“I like him. I want to hide him away.”

…

Looking at the pair standing close before her, Madam Yu couldn’t help but think—thank goodness Yu Zhixue had agreed in the end. Otherwise, knowing Yu Wenxuan as she did, there was no telling what would’ve happened.

She teased, “The two of you really look good today.”

Yu Wenxuan brushed his fingers over the cufflink on Yu Zhixue’s wrist, smiling faintly without saying a word.

Madam Yu didn’t mind. She asked him, “That island you asked me about—its owner finally agreed to sell it a few days ago. Did you get in touch yet?”

Yu Wenxuan: “?”

Seeing his confused expression, Madam Yu sighed and rubbed her temples.
“Don’t tell me you forgot. You said you wanted to buy that island to celebrate your wedding anniversary with Xiaoxue.”

This was beyond his memory range. He had no choice but to silently appeal to Yu Zhixue for help, lightly tracing his finger along his wrist.

Yu Zhixue stayed composed and picked up right where Madam Yu left off. “Wenxuan already sent someone to contact them a few days ago.”

Madam Yu paused for a moment, then asked, “Did you two have a fight?”

Of course they hadn’t. He’d just slipped through a different timeline, that’s all, Yu Wenxuan thought to himself.

He didn’t know how Madam Yu had picked up on something, but he calmly denied it. “No.”

“If you didn’t fight, why is Xiaoxue calling you ‘Wenxuan’?” she questioned. “Are you embarrassed in front of me or something?”

If he remembered correctly, he’d just asked Yu Zhixue about that before they came out.

Yu Wenxuan knew he’d lied, but hadn’t pushed the issue. He didn’t expect it to be exposed so quickly.

He turned his gaze to Yu Zhixue.

Yu Zhixue’s fingers twitched slightly. Under both their gazes, he forced himself to appear calm and replied, “…Gege.”

Yu Wenxuan’s grip on his wrist tightened instantly.

…

Later on, Yu Wenxuan had to put in quite a bit of effort to convince Madam Yu that their relationship was still going well.

At one point, it was almost to the point where he’d need to kiss him on the spot to prove it.

After finally sending her off, Yu Wenxuan repeated, “…Gege?”

Yu Zhixue couldn’t help digging his nails into his palm.

The movement was small, but noticeable if you were paying attention.

Yu Wenxuan noticed right away. He pulled Yu Zhixue’s hand in front of him and ordered softly, “Open your hand.”

Yu Zhixue hadn’t reacted yet, but obeyed anyway.

Yu Wenxuan saw the marks. He hadn’t held back—it had already left a mark. His face darkened. “Who taught you that?”

That familiar tone made Yu Zhixue’s knees almost go weak.

He had already vaguely sensed that Yu Wenxuan’s demeanor had changed today—less distant than on their first day, his possessiveness now like damp fog clinging to him.

He remembered what Liang Sheng had said to him over the phone that night:
“Yu Zhixue, you should really be more confident. Even if he’s lost his memory, he’ll still love you instinctively.”

After a few seconds of hesitation, Yu Zhixue finally lifted his head and rubbed his face lightly against Yu Wenxuan’s cheek.
“Sorry. Don’t be mad at me.”

Yu Wenxuan was much taller. Even with Yu Zhixue looking up, all he could manage was to gently brush his nose against the side of his face—just a light touch.

The last time he’d gotten that close, Yu Wenxuan had pulled away in alarm. So lately, Yu Zhixue had been restraining himself from being too clingy.

Yu Wenxuan let go of his hand.

He stared at him for a long time, that faint touch still lingering on his cheek—somehow connecting directly to his heart, making it beat uncontrollably faster.

“I wasn’t mad at you. I just…”
His voice trailed off, growing softer and softer.

Yu Zhixue: “Hm?”

Just what, exactly?

Yu Wenxuan said, “If you don’t want to answer something, you don’t have to. If something bothers you, just tell me.”

“You handled it just fine in college. Why have you forgotten all that?”

Yu Wenxuan could still recall the year Yu Zhixue joined the student council. One day, he saw him talking to a senior near the stairwell landing.

Freshmen were often treated as easy targets—given extra tasks they couldn’t refuse.

But it was obvious Yu Zhixue wasn’t one of those people.

At eighteen, he still had a bit of baby fat. His slightly long hair was tied into a ponytail behind his head.

Faced with that senior’s aggressive questioning, his expression didn’t change at all—cold and unimpressed.

“Yu Zhixue, you should at least give us a reason. If you just tell me, I’ll leave right now!” the senior said, righteously indignant.

“You’re annoying,” Yu Zhixue said, lifting his eyelids. “Because I don’t want to. Got it?”

“……”

Yu Wenxuan looked at Yu Zhixue. “Don’t let that happen again.”

Yu Zhixue leaned in to nuzzle him again. That was his answer.

Yu Wenxuan: “Don’t act cute.”

He said that, but his expression had clearly softened. Yu Zhixue figured he was probably no longer angry.

The banquet was wrapping up soon. The lights came back on, and only the final formalities remained—not worth staying for.

When they stepped outside, night had completely fallen. Yu Wenxuan originally told the driver to head home but suddenly changed his mind.

The car stopped just before a food street—any further and they couldn’t drive through. Up ahead was a college district, packed with people.

Yu Zhixue followed obediently, but asked in confusion, “What are we doing here?”

“You remember you didn’t eat, right?”

Yu Wenxuan walked ahead, hand hooked with Yu Zhixue’s.
“I don’t know if those places from five years ago are still around, but the ones near the college should be.”

They stood out among the casually dressed crowd of students. Their appearance turned heads all the way through.

That attention followed them until Yu Wenxuan led him to a restaurant he used to frequent in college.

Five years had passed, but Yu Wenxuan hadn’t changed. He didn’t even look at the menu before ordering. When he turned back, he saw Yu Zhixue with his eyes drooping.

Yu Wenxuan asked gently, “What’s wrong?”

Yu Zhixue: “I don’t like being stared at.”

That wasn’t entirely true. As the Yu family heir, he’d grown up under constant scrutiny—he was long used to it.

But the stares aimed at him didn’t matter. The ones directed at Yu Wenxuan made him unhappy.

Yu Wenxuan guessed his thoughts, but only indulged him. “Close your eyes for a second.”

Yu Zhixue didn’t understand, but did as told.

His lashes cast shadows on his cheeks—quiet and delicate. Yu Wenxuan placed a hand on his face. Yu Zhixue’s breathing grew rapid, but he still didn’t open his eyes.

So obedient.

Yu Wenxuan cupped his cheeks and leaned in—closer and closer—until their lips were nearly touching, like he might kiss him any second.

Their breaths mingled, the air between them charged with intimate tension.

Yu Zhixue instinctively tried to pull back, but a hand held his shoulder in place.

“Don’t move.”

To onlookers, it looked like Yu Wenxuan was kissing him—holding his shoulder as if lost in the moment.

People quickly averted their gazes, feeling awkward, and turned to occupy themselves.

Only then did Yu Wenxuan straighten up and let go of his shoulder.
“Okay. No one’s looking anymore.”

He turned to look at Yu Zhixue—and froze.

His lashes were damp, and his eyes slightly unfocused. Though they hadn’t actually kissed, his lips were a flushed red, shimmering with moisture.

—From where he had bitten them himself.

To say Yu Wenxuan had no ulterior motives would be a lie. After all, there were plenty of other ways he could’ve redirected people’s attention.

But he hadn’t expected Yu Zhixue’s reaction to be this intense—whether from shame or sensitivity, he didn’t know.

And even so, Yu Zhixue still managed to gather his composure, mumbling, “…Thank you.”