WHIF- Chapter 21

2 more chapters are coming up today.

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Ch. 21 Like it

    Ji Xiang was unusually silent the entire way. To break the silence, Yang Chaosheng played a few songs that he thought Ji Xiang might like, occasionally stealing glances through the rearview mirror at Ji Xiang’s awkward little movements.

    Ji Xiang had draped a blanket over his suit like a shawl, his head turned towards the window. His ears were flushed red. Thinking of himself as being considerate, Yang Chaosheng rolled up the window, worried the breeze might give him a cold.

    When they arrived at the entrance of the Civil Affairs Bureau, Ji Xiang returned the jacket to Yang Chaosheng and followed him inside.

    Ji Xiang had been feeling a little nervous, but as he watched the many couples around him, each radiating their own version of happiness, his mind couldn’t help but fly to different kinds of love.

    There were pairs sitting shoulder to shoulder in the waiting area, others walking out hand-in-hand, sharing a tender smile after getting their marriage certificates… Everyone seemed to have their own kind of bliss.

    And yet, Ji Xiang suddenly felt out of place, as if he and Yang Chaosheng didn’t quite fit in.

    They weren’t lovers in the true sense. After spending days together, what they had could barely be qualified as a friendship. Love wasn’t even in the picture, neither the depth nor the uniqueness.

    He had no idea what Yang Chaosheng truly thought, but for Ji Xiang, the marriage they were about to enter felt rather uncertain and hollow.

    “What’s wrong?” Yang Chaosheng turned around after taking a number and found Ji Xiang staring absentmindedly at the ‘Jintai District Marriage Registration Office’ sign.

    Ji Xiang pulled his gaze back and suddenly asked, “Can I ask you something?”

    “What is it?”

    “Do you ever regret the choices you’ve made, or the things that happened because of you?”

    Yang Chaosheng didn’t quite understand how the conversation had veered into the philosophical territory, but he answered seriously, “Yes, many times. But looking back, even if I do regret it… who’s to say choosing differently back then would’ve made me any happier now?”

    Just like how he had once buried his one-sided feelings. Yes, it had been painful, and there were moments of remorse. But in that sea of uncertainty, if he had confessed too soon, things might not have progressed to this steady march towards marriage that he now shared with Ji Xiang.

    “Why are you asking me this all of a sudden?” Yang Chaosheng asked, nervous.

    No one knew how much he was dreading what Ji Xiang might say next, afraid he’d hear, “I can’t go through with this.”

    “Just curious,” Ji Xiang replied, stepping closer. “You signed that ‘prenuptial inequality agreement’ and now you’re marrying a near-stranger like me. You don’t regret it?”

    “No,” Yang Chaosheng answered crisply, locking eyes with Ji Xiang. Only he knew how often his mouth and heart didn’t speak the same language. “What about you? If you regret this, it’s not too late to back out.”

    “Run away at the last moment? That’s not something I do.”

    But, Yang Chaosheng’s expression grew serious. “You’ll always have the right to refuse and the right to change your mind.”

    Ji Xiang was taken aback, falling silent for a moment before slipping his arm into Yang Chaosheng’s and joking, “Then I’ll promise you this: you’ll always have the right to win me back.”

    At least in that moment, Ji Xiang was at peace as they filled out the paperwork together, taking their first-ever joint ID photo against a red background.

    When they finally received their official marriage certificates, Ji Xiang felt unexpectedly calm. He opened his book first and immediately handed Yang Chaosheng his.

    In the photo, Ji Xiang stood on the left, smiling brightly. Yang Chaosheng was on the right, his smile more reserved but unmistakably content.

    Ji Xiang was fairly satisfied with the picture, especially after all the posing and adjustments guided by the staff.

    Yang Chaosheng had been awkward the whole time, either too nervous or simply camera-shy. At first, he kept his lips tightly pressed together, barely even daring to breathe. After being told to relax, he simply sat upright, stiff as a board.

    The photographer had asked him to lean in closer to Ji Xiang, and he’d only dared to shuffle over by what looked like a centimeter at a time. In the end, it was Ji Xiang who leaned towards him.

    Looking at Yang Chaosheng’s newly bought white shirt, hastily purchased from a nearby mall, Ji Xiang chuckled, remembering how the staff had teased them for looking like a black-and-white duo. “I think we look more coordinated now than before.”

    Yang Chaosheng smiled faintly, not catching what Ji Xiang said, as he ran his thumb over the little red book.

    “Mind if I post this on Moments?” he asked seriously.

    Ji Xiang laughed. “Lawyer Yang, you’re asking me this? I don’t exactly plan to keep this a secret relationship.”

    Yang Chaosheng visibly relaxed. As they stepped out of the building, the warm afternoon sunlight bathed them, and the marriage certificate in his hands suddenly felt sacred.

    He snapped a photo of the inside page. His photography skills weren’t great; it was just clear enough to show what it was, and uploaded it to his Moments without a caption.

    Within minutes, blessings poured in. Comments and DMs alike wished him a happy marriage.

    Cao Zhimian was the fastest to respond:

    [Cao: You’re on the left~ I’m leaning to the right~]

    [Y: ?]

    Cao Zhimian, seemingly glued to his phone, sent him a song via private message.

    [Cao Zhimian: [Shared song – ‘Just the Two of Us’]]

    [Cao Zhimian: [Voice 4”] That first photo~ not quite brave enough to be intimate….huh ~]

    [Y: ……]

    Yang Chaosheng finally remembered, it was one of the soft love songs that had played during their car ride.

    As annoying as Cao Zimian’s teasing tone was, the lyrics struck a chord. They perfectly echoed how he felt.

    After years of harboring feelings in silence, even if his heart hadn’t fully settled, his status was now officially recognized.

    Yang Chaosheng put away his phone, ready to take Ji Xiang home. They had both taken half a day off just to get married, and it was time to return to their respective lives.

    “Have you thought about moving?” Yang Chaosheng asked. “If you’ve decided, I can help you pack this weekend.”

    “Sure, thanks, Lawyer Yang.”

    Ji Xiang wasn’t too keen on moving, mostly because he hated tidying up. But since Yang Chaosheng had raised some practical concerns about living separately, Ji Xiang had reluctantly agreed to move under the same roof.

    “You can stop by my place when you’re free and see if there’s anything you’d like to redo or redecorate.”

    Ji Xiang thought for a moment. “Honestly, it doesn’t have to be that troublesome. Just clean up a guest room. When we have visitors, I’ll just shift some stuff into your room.”

    Yang Chaosheng nodded in agreement.

    On the moving day, Ji Xiang was still fussing with various unused items at home, stacking them up and planning to ask Yang Chaosheng if any were worth bringing.

    Things like a soy milk maker, useless for someone living alone, but maybe worth keeping in case they ever felt like trying it together. At least then, the impulsive purchase wouldn’t have been in vain.

    Yang Chaosheng entered the apartment, only to find Ji Xiang sitting cross-legged on the floor, surrounded by boxes. He looked puzzled, as if wondering where all this stuff had come from.

    “Need a hand?”

    Ji Xiang looked up. Today, Yang Chaosheng had dressed more casually, a light khaki jacket instead of his usual stiff suits. At first glance, he looked more like a recent college grad than a lawyer.

    Ji Xiang held up a fancy egg cooker and an automatic stir-fry machine. “You need these?”

    “…What are these?” Yang Chaosheng raised an eyebrow. To him, they were just oddly shaped pots and pans.

    Ji Xiang launched into an enthusiastic demonstration. He even cracked a couple eggs from the fridge and started cooking them.

    Yang Chaosheng calmly watched the cooking machine operate jerkily until it swung back and forth two or three times, and the middle joystick swinging everywhere, causing the machine to vibrate.

    Not long after, the egg mixture splashed around and a burnt smell came from the frying pan on the other side – Ji Xiang had forgotten to turn off the switch.

    “…I don’t think we need these,” Yang Chaosheng said flatly. “My cooking skills should be okay, right?”

    Ji Xiang reluctantly set the gadgets down. “Right.”

    He cleaned and packed everything away, then joined Yang Chaosheng to move the boxes downstairs.

    Ji Xiang wanted to leave behind a guitar he hadn’t touched in years, but Yang Chaosheng spotted it.

    “You’re not taking this?”

    “It takes up space. I haven’t played it since college anyway.”

    “It’s fine.” Yang Chaosheng swung it onto his back. “If you like it, bring it. Instruments that aren’t regularly maintained are easy to malfunction.”

    Ji Xiang looked like he wanted to say something, but seeing Yang Chaosheng’s insistence, he quietly relented. His expression eased, like he was finally at peace.

    In the end, they didn’t take much. Ji Xiang locked the apartment door behind him, and together, they headed towards their ‘new home’.

    It was Ji Xiang’s first time at Yang Chaosheng’s place, a luxurious apartment in Qionghua Bay, Jintai District. Situated in the city center, the building overlooked the sweeping Qiong River that divided Tongcheng into two.

    Ji Xiang had seen countless videos online of Qionghua Bay’s breathtaking views—sunsets, sunrises, city lights at night. But now, experiencing it by himself felt surreal.

    He carried his suitcase of clothes while Yang Chaosheng lugged the box of books and slung the guitar over his back. After telling Ji Xiang the unit number, Yang Chaosheng had him register his fingerprint.

    As the system beeped, Ji Xiang thought he heard something scratching at the door.

    Creak-creak-creak.

    “Someone inside?”

    “No,” Yang Chaosheng said. “I got you a little gift.”

    Ji Xiang turned, confused. At Yang Chaosheng’s urging, he unlocked the door.

    And as soon as the door opened, a fluffy little creature, white with hints of pale yellow, ‘flowed’ out from the crack in the door like water.

    Accompanied by a coquettish meow, Ji Xiang happily recognized that it was a young ragdoll cat, about two or three months old. He dropped his suitcase and crouched down to scoop up the little ragdoll kitten, scratching its chin and head.

    “Do you like it?” Yang Chaosheng asked, a little nervous. “It’s very well-behaved. Might be a bit clingy sometimes, but nothing major.”

    The kitten pawed at Yang Chaosheng, who crouched and returned the gesture with a playful ‘high five’.

    “I like it… I like it very much,” Ji Xiang said firmly.

    “Good,” Yang Chaosheng let out a quiet sigh of relief. “Welcome to the family.”