“Hey, Old Zhao, is this outfit of yours for cosplay or something?”
A graceful figure stepped out of the bathroom.
Xu Yinsheng looked petite and charming in her little dress.
Her long black hair was casually tied with a ribbon, and the white boots she wore had small silver bells attached.
They jingled with every step, making her all the more endearing.
Zhao Yicheng felt a sudden tightness in his lower abdomen.
“And these boots—are you sure they won’t be a problem at a business gathering?”
Xu Yinsheng shook the bells on her boots.
The crisp ringing echoed through the empty bedroom, loud and clear.
One step, one chime—she was like a walking soundtrack.
If she really wore this, she’d definitely be the most eye-catching person at the event.
“No problem. Honestly, this gathering is more about showing off—especially among the women. The prettier and more stunning you look, the better I appear by comparison,” Zhao Yicheng stepped closer and naturally wrapped an arm around her slender waist.
“Darling, let’s go.”
“What did you call me?”
Xu Yinsheng crossed her arms and frowned.
“Just how I’ll refer to you later, buddy. You can’t expect me to call you by your nickname at the party, right?”
Zhao Yicheng chuckled, trying to brush it off.
He couldn’t help but sneak a hand around her waist again.
Tsk, that feeling.
Thinking about how she’d be calling him “Old Zhao” in front of a bunch of elites, Xu Yinsheng also felt it was a bit inappropriate.
She nodded.
“Alright, let’s go.”
And with that, the two of them left the villa.
Outside the villa, a middle-aged man dressed as a chauffeur had been waiting for some time.
Beside him was an ultra-luxury stretch Lincoln.
He opened the car door for them.
After they got in, he returned to the driver’s seat, turned on the air conditioning, stepped on the gas, and the long luxury Lincoln disappeared into the night.
“Brrr!”
Xu Yinsheng rubbed her hands together and blew on them for warmth.
“Didn’t turn on the heat? Why is it so cold?”
The dress looked good, sure, but it definitely wasn’t warm.
And it was nearing Christmas.
Binhai City, being in a subtropical zone, hovered around 7–8°C during the day in winter.
“It’s on,” Zhao Yicheng said as he discreetly pulled her into his arms, signaling the driver to turn the heat up a bit more.
“Still cold.”
“I’ll hold you, I’m warmer.”
“Can I?”
“Of course. We’re best buddies, right? If you freeze, who’s going to back me up later?”
Zhao Yicheng licked his lips, his mouth suddenly dry.
“Alright then.”
Xu Yinsheng couldn’t resist snuggling into his arms, resting her head in the crook of his neck, breathing in his unique scent.
It was… comfortable.
Outside, city lights began to glow.
Through the car windows, shops bustled with life.
Everything looked peaceful and lively.
But not everyone could enjoy such ease.
Some are born to toil.
Others are born in Rome.
The hurried pedestrians under the neon lights don’t realize that the crying baby atop the hundred-meter-high buildings they dream of might one day be their master.
A black stretch Lincoln slowly pulled up in front of a luxurious villa.
A red carpet stretched all the way to the car door.
The courtyard was ablaze with lights, and even in winter, the fiery flowers still bloomed brightly.
The driver respectfully opened the back door.
A man in a sharp suit stepped out, holding a sleeping girl wrapped in a cloak.
“Mr. Zhao, it’s an honor to welcome you!”
A man in a tailcoat, elegant and refined, greeted them with a glass of red wine in hand.
Zhao Yicheng raised a finger to his lips for silence and lowered his voice.
“Change of plans. Prepare a room for me.”
“Boss, what happened?”
The tailcoat man’s expression changed instantly; his demeanor shifted as he too lowered his voice.
“She’s asleep.”
Zhao Yicheng gestured toward the girl in his arms.
Then, reassuringly, he added, “Don’t worry, everyone still gets paid.”
“Notify all departments. Cancel the plan.”
“Yes, sir.”
The man nodded.
He pulled out a tiny walkie-talkie from his pocket.
“Zone B, this is Zone A. The boss says cancel the plan. Repeat, cancel the plan.”
Zhao Yicheng adjusted the slipping cloak, tucking her in more securely.
Holding the sleeping girl in his arms, he walked into the luxurious villa.
So much preparation, a full week of rehearsals with staff and scripts—and it all came to nothing.
Time rewinds to half a month earlier…
“So what you’re saying is… the reason for the current situation is that, deep down, he’s extremely deprived of love?”
Zhao Yicheng spoke thoughtfully.
“Yes,” the man in white nodded.
“The pain comes from the inconsistency between psychological gender and biological gender. Psychological interventions that try to align a person’s psychological gender with their physical one have long been proven ineffective.They are extremely emotional and inwardly sensitive. Because they struggle to be accepted by society and their families—and because of the medications and gender dysphoria—they often suffer from mood instability and depression. They’re usually clingy toward those they trust or identify with, and also more easily hurt.”
“Treatment method,” Zhao Yicheng asked, cutting straight to the point.
The man in white shrugged.
“Love.”
“Love?”
“Yes, you have to make them feel loved.”
Seeing that Zhao Yicheng was following along, the man in white grew more animated as he continued, “You need to fill them with love, make them believe someone in this world truly loves them—give them hope to survive in a cold, harsh reality.”
“Love, huh.”
Zhao Yicheng raised an eyebrow.
“You mean I should sleep with him?”
The man in white, who had been beaming with enthusiasm, froze on the spot.
He cleared his throat a few times.
“Uh… Mr. Zhao, the ‘love’ I’m referring to is an adjective, not a verb. I mean emotional love, not physical love.”
***
Just after Zhao Yicheng had placed Xu Yinsheng on a bed on the villa’s second floor and tucked her in, she slowly woke up.
Rubbing her sleepy eyes, she noticed the man sitting at the bedside. As if remembering something, she said weakly,
“Old Zhao… did I mess up a multi-million-dollar deal for you?”
“It’s alright. Your timing was perfect.”
Zhao Yicheng smiled and ruffled her hair.
Then, turning slightly away, he whispered into the tiny mic on his cuff button:
“Everyone hold position. Plan’s back on. Overtime pay doubled.”
“Come with me.”
He led Xu Yinsheng downstairs.
The moment the handsome man and beautiful woman appeared, they drew everyone’s gaze.
People looked at Zhao Yicheng with a mix of awe, calculation, and flattery…
But when they looked at Xu Yinsheng, their expressions were unanimous—astonishment.
Xu Yinsheng looked like a noble, adorable princess.
The little dress on her made her look sweet and playful.
Her fair, delicate skin and refined features made her resemble a life-sized porcelain doll—utterly captivating.
In front of the crowd, Xu Yinsheng shyly grabbed Zhao Yicheng’s big hand and tried to hide behind him.
Zhao Yicheng pulled her closer and, facing everyone, said:
“Let me introduce—this is my childhood sweetheart and fiancée, and also my companion for tonight: Xu Yinsheng.”
Wasn’t she just pretending to be his date?
Since when was she his childhood sweetheart and fiancée?
Xu Yinsheng was full of doubts, but before she could say anything, he gave her a sudden tug, and she stumbled straight into his arms.
From the outside, it looked like she was flustered with stage fright.
She lifted her head, her eyes slightly panicked.
In her heart she repeated to herself: Don’t panic, don’t panic… just treat this like a party for spoiled rich kids.
“Hello everyone, I’m Xu Yinsheng.”
“This is my hu—”
Her face changed slightly—she almost called him by his nickname again.
Gritting her teeth, she decided to just go with it.
“My husband. He’s my husband. We’ve actually been married for a while now.”
In that moment, Zhao Yicheng’s lips curled into a silent smile.
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