This is the last chapter for today.
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Ch. 23 AI smart wife
When it came to the matter of wearing matching couple’s loungewear with Yang Chaosheng, Ji Xiang felt completely blindsided—caught off guard and utterly powerless to object.
That morning, he stumbled out of the bedroom rubbing his eyes and froze the moment he saw Yang Chaosheng in the same pajamas as him, just in a different colour. His brain blanked for a few seconds before slowly processing the situation.
It was yesterday when Yang Chaosheng had tugged him over, saying that their pajamas were getting old and it was time to buy new ones. But no matter how he looked at them, this kind of pastel, macaron colour combination didn’t seem like something Yang Chaosheng would go for.
Yet the man had said they looked great. And then he just changed into them the moment they got home, which made Ji Xiang too flustered to even look at him all night.
“You’re up?” Yang Chaosheng came out of the kitchen with breakfast—freshly brewed coffee and sandwiches. The caramel-colored cat, clingy as ever, rubbed affectionately against his pant leg.
“Mm,” Ji Xiang nodded. “I promised you yesterday that I’d spruce the place up a bit. Thought I’d head to the furniture store today.” He crouched down to call the cat over, but today the cat seemed to like Yang Chaosheng more. “Wanna come with me? The homeowner’s opinion matters, you know.”
“Probably won’t have time today,” Yang Chaosheng said apologetically. “I have to meet a client at the law firm later. Sorry.”
Ji Xiang nodded understandingly, Yang Chaosheng was also a busy man. “Got it.”
He headed into the bathroom to freshen up, only to find that Yang Chaosheng had already prepared warm water and towels.
Picking up his blue toothbrush [mfn]Just a fun fact, when I was typing this sentence, the auto-correct was showing me that ‘blue toothbrush’ was wrong with its correction being ‘Bluetooth brush’. I found it funny and wanted to share with you guys.[/mfn] cup, Ji Xiang’s gaze drifted to the damp pink cup on the storage table in front of the mirror.
Yang Chaosheng had practically replaced all of his personal items to match Ji Xiang’s, even vacating the en-suite bathroom in the master bedroom to use the guest bathroom in the living room with him.
His reason? “Just in case we get unexpected guests, we won’t be as flustered.”
“Ji Xiang, I’m heading out,” Yang Chaosheng called out as Ji Xiang was still brushing his teeth and zoning out. Already dressed and ready, he only took a sandwich with him, but made a point to pass by the bathroom door. “Breakfast is on the table, don’t forget to eat.”
“Okay,” Ji Xiang mumbled through a mouthful of foam, his reply barely intelligible. Still, he made a point to see Yang Chaosheng off politely, “Take care on the road.”
Yang Chaosheng seemed to smile a little, then closed the door behind him.
Ji Xiang couldn’t help but feel like a virtuous housewife seeing her breadwinning husband off to work, but in reality, the said ‘husband’ had made the breakfast.
He shook his head with a quiet laugh, rinsed off, finished breakfast, fed the cat, and got ready to head out himself.
Most of Yang Chaosheng’s furniture leaned towards simple and minimalist designs, making the living room feel spacious, great for customization. Ji Xiang planned to start by buying some decor to cozy the place up.
Before leaving, he pulled open all the curtains and snapped some panoramic photos. Then, he headed to the furniture store, selecting soft furnishings to fill in the bare spots.
Ji Xiang found the geometric photo frame above the sofa too stiff, but after walking around the whole store, he still didn’t find any decorations he liked. So, he decided to video call Shen Siru, who was currently in the hospital. Two minds are better than one.
Shen Siru’s condition had been unstable, so he’d taken extended leave from the company and had been hospitalized for nearly two weeks. Today was the first time he looked as healthy as before the accident. Ji Xiang asked, “Did the doctor say when you can be discharged?”
Sitting by the bed, Shen Siru answered while barely glancing at the screen. Instead, he was looking at something in front of him. “Just this morning, they said if there are no complications, I can leave by tomorrow. You’ve been exhausted lately, too. No need to pick me up. I can manage on my own.”
“How could I not?” Ji Xiang disagreed. “And what are you looking at?”
“Director Song dropped by to visit. He’s over by the sink washing fruit.”
Shen Siru called out loudly, “Director Song!” and Ji Xiang couldn’t help but feel curious, when did these two get so close?
Soon, Song Zheli appeared on camera holding a fruit platter. Ji Xiang greeted him politely, and then watched as Shen Siru pushed back the apple Song Zheli handed him, whispering, “I don’t want this, you eat it.”
Ji Xiang awkwardly rubbed the tip of his nose, completely at a loss regarding the current situation. Maybe he should try contacting Shen Siru again later. But just then, holding some blueberries, he asked, “You are out shopping?”
“Yeah, redecorating… the new place.” Ji Xiang still couldn’t make up his mind, so he brought up the reason he’d called him in the first place.
“Your husband’s not with you?” Shen Siru teased, grabbing a tissue. “You two lovebirds don’t need me for your cozy nest, do you?”
Ji Xiang coughed a bit but didn’t refute the statement, especially with Song Zheli right there, who did not know that their marriage was fake. “He’s working today.”
Only half of Song Zheli’s face was visible on the screen, but he suddenly spoke up. “You’re married?”
Ji Xiang froze, but then forced a chuckle. “Yeah, didn’t you meet him last time, Director Song?”
He was puzzled why Song Zheli seemed so shocked, then remembered that conversation at the elevator about how ‘AOs and BBs are the natural match’.
Maybe he felt the same way as Shen Siru, that he rushed into things.
After exchanging a few sentences, the doctor came in to do rounds, so Ji Xiang had to hang up. Shen Siru gave him a few suggestions, but Ji Xiang still couldn’t find anything he liked, so he checked out with what he had selected and headed home to start decorating.
Meanwhile, working overtime at the law firm, Yang Chaosheng received a bank transaction alert. The corners of his lips curled up unconsciously, and even his interactions with others became much gentler.
On the way home, Ji Xiang stopped by a flower shop and bought a bouquet of campanulas and snapdragons. He planned to mix and match them in three different vases.
He had it all planned—one bouquet at the entryway, one in the living room, and one on the dining table, to make the space feel more alive, no longer a cold, monotonous world.
Most of the work was just building on the existing layout, adding and subtracting as needed. After an afternoon of effort, the living room finally felt warm and homey.
Ji Xiang took before-and-after photos and was satisfied with the transformation. He didn’t send them to Yang Chaosheng in advance, he wanted the surprise to speak for itself.
But the longer he waited, the more impatient he became. Ji Xiang couldn’t resist drafting a WeChat message to ask when Yang Chaosheng would be home. Yet as he typed, he realized he didn’t even know how to address him.
After much deliberation, he decided to skip the naming part.
At that moment, Cao Zhimian, who happened to be holding Yang Chaosheng’s phone saw Ji Xiang’s message pop up and laughed out loud, “No way, Yang Chaosheng, your wife texts just like an AI smart home assistant!”
Yang Chaosheng was confused, until Cao Zhimian laughed so hard that he had tears in his eyes and finally handed back the phone.
There it was: a message from a contact labeled ‘Wife’.
[Wife: Hi~ What time will you be home today?]
Yang Chaosheng’s expression softened as he replied with an estimated time, then tucked his phone away and said flatly to Cao Zhimian, “Get out if you want to laugh.”
“Damn, look at that change in attitude!” Cao Zhimian calmed down. “Whatever, my girlfriend and I don’t hi each other anyway.”
Yang Chaosheng ignored him, called Jian Xin over to kick him out, and added, “Oh, and tomorrow, hang a sign on the office door.”
Jian Xin blinked. “What kind of sign?”
“Dogs and Cao Zhimian are not allowed to enter without permission.”
Jian Xin: “…”
She saw right through it: two childish men.
When Ji Xiang learned that Yang Chaosheng wouldn’t be home until five or six, he ordered groceries online. Even if his cooking wasn’t great, he figured it was the thought that counted.
After all, this wasn’t just his home anymore, he had to consider his roommate’s feelings.
Who wouldn’t snap if they came home from a long day of work only to find that their housemate had done absolutely nothing and was now waiting for them to cook?
Ji Xiang is a very empathetic person.
While waiting for the delivery, he was watering the flowers when the doorbell rang. Thinking it was the groceries, he wiped his hands and opened the door, only to find a woman with long, side-parted hair standing there.
He didn’t recognize her, and Yang Chaosheng hadn’t mentioned any guests coming over either. “Hi, may I help you?”
“You’re… Ji Xiang?” she asked, not answering the question. Instead, she narrowed her eyes, her sharp facial features showing extreme aggressiveness.
“Uh, yes, I am.” Ji Xiang hesitated. “Are you looking for Yang Chaosheng? He’s not home yet.”
“He didn’t mention me?”
Ji Xiang slowly shook his head. The woman adjusted her blazer, and only then did he notice the elegant evening gown beneath it. “Why don’t you come in and wait? It’s a bit chilly outside.”
With a faint smile, the woman nonchalantly stepped inside as if it her own place. She effortlessly found the kettle and poured herself a glass of water before sitting down on the couch. “You can sit too.”
Ji Xiang, completely thrown off by how she’d taken over, awkwardly followed and sat down. All his questions were ignored, leaving him unsure if he should even speak.
“He probably didn’t mention me,” the woman said, tucking her hair behind her ear. “I’m his ex-wife.”
Ji Xiang’s eyes widened in shock.
Ex-wife?!
How had Yang Chaosheng never mentioned that?! Hadn’t he said he’d never been in a relationship, that this was his first marriage! Was this also a fake marriage?!
“But don’t worry,” she said calmly. “I’m not here to get back together. Just something personal I need to discuss. I know you’re his new husband, but… just be careful with him.”
Ji Xiang’s brain stalled. It took a while to process what he’d just heard. He stood up and said, “Let me give him a call first. Feel free to help yourself to the fruit on the table.”
Never in his life did Ji Xiang think he’d be playing host to his current ‘husband’s’ ex-wife.
Nervously, he messaged Yang Chaosheng.
[CilantroKiller: Um… your ex-wife is here l to see you.]
[Y: ?]
Yang Chaosheng didn’t even say anything—he just called back immediately.
The moment Ji Xiang picked up, Yang Chaosheng said calmly, “I don’t have an ex-wife. Kick her out. Don’t worry, I’m coming back right now.”
T/N:-
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Who is she?! And Bluetooth brush cracked me 🤣🤣🤣
Thank You for the new chapter (๑˙❥˙๑)