Chapter 21: The Second Night of Suffering from Insomnia in a Strange Bed...

In the master bedroom, Song Xi was completely unaware of the conversation taking place outside. She was lying on the bed, video calling Zhang Hening.

"Ningning, are you free tomorrow? Let's go to the mall after you get off work."

Jing Zhuo had been helping her move, picking her up from work, and even beating up that scumbag Chen Mian. In gratitude, she wanted to pick out some gifts for him.

Zhang Hening looked miserable. "I'll try my best to make time to see you. My older brother has lost his mind these past two days; he’s forcing me to work at his company. From now on, I’m just another miserable workhorse, no longer free to run wild."

Song Xi couldn't comfort her on that front. She could only offer a suggestion: "Why don't you buy him some gifts to bribe him?"

"In your dreams! He abuses me, and I’m supposed to give him gifts? What kind of doormat do you take me for? I’ll just curse that cold-blooded, heartless man to never find a wife for the rest of his life."

Zhang Hening vented angrily for ten minutes before hanging up to go to sleep. Song Xi was used to this by now. From high school to college and into their careers, she had spent nearly a decade listening to Zhang Hening rant about men. Through ten years of accumulation, even though she had never met that mysterious older brother, she understood everything about him—from his personality and hobbies to his methods and bottom lines.

*That cold-blooded brother is being a jerk again,* she thought.

She put her phone away, tucked herself into the covers, and breathed in the faint scent of pine lingering on the quilt. She turned off the lights and closed her eyes. *The second night of being homesick... hopefully, I’ll sleep well.*

***

The next morning, when Song Xi woke up, the room was already empty. There was a WeChat message on her phone, left by Jing Zhuo at six o'clock.

"Breakfast is in the kitchen. There is hot milk on the table. I have an early meeting, so I’m heading to the company first."

Song Xi went out and found a breakfast spread in the warmer: a boiled egg, a sandwich, corn, purple sweet potato, a custard bun, beef, chicken breast, porridge, and milk. It was an eclectic mix, and every single item was something she enjoyed. She had no idea how he had managed to prepare it all.

Silently, Song Xi felt that in just two days, his status in her heart was almost catching up to Aunt Wang at the He residence. She brought the breakfast to the table, nibbling on the custard bun while sending Jing Zhuo a message: "I'm up! Thanks for breakfast~"

The meeting had just ended. As Jing Zhuo stood up, he caught a glimpse of the notification on his phone. She had even sent a photo showing that she had eaten a bit of everything. She was certainly giving him face.

Jing Zhuo lowered his gaze, his lips curving slightly.

"Big Brother, what are you looking at that’s making you so happy? Did our stock price go up?"

A curious head poked in beside him, carrying an inquisitive gaze. Jing Zhuo immediately closed his phone and expressionlessly pushed Zhang Hening’s head away.

"Your workstation is opposite Assistant Chen’s. Go on, get to work, and stop being nosy."

"..."

Zhang Hening felt pure hatred: *With that rotten personality, he deserves to be a lonely bachelor!*

After work that evening, Song Xi waited at the company entrance for a while before seeing the late-arriving Zhang Hening. Zhang "The Wage Slave" Hening drove her Mini BMW straight to the Ginza Mall. When she heard that Song Xi wanted to buy a tie for her husband, Zhang Hening said it was no problem. Having grown up watching her father and brother's dressing styles, she had it all figured out.

"This is the brand my brother usually wears. He’s been in the business world for years; he’s sharp and cunning, so his attire is definitely calculated." Zhang Hening stood at the counter, directly replicating her brother’s preferences.

Song Xi had seen this brand before. It was indeed a niche but expensive label. When she lived at her uncle’s house, she had seen him wear cufflinks from this brand—simple and understated, but far from cheap. The design aesthetic also matched Jing Zhuo’s temperament perfectly.

The two began picking out a color.

"Since it’s a wedding gift, you have to choose red," Zhang Hening said, pointing to a dark red tie with a subtle pattern. "It’s auspicious, fulfilling, and vibrant—what a great meaning."

Song Xi’s gaze landed on the dark red tie. It was exquisite and beautiful. In her memory, Jing Zhuo never wore red accessories, and his wardrobe didn't contain such colors. Yet, she inexplicably felt that this touch of red would look extraordinary against his cold, sharp, and handsome face.

With that, Song Xi held up her phone, paid, and took the item.

Passing by the watch section, she took a fancy to a timepiece. Zhang Hening pulled her back just in time. "You have to give gifts separately. If you give them all at once, what will you give him next time?"

Song Xi asked, "But he gave me several gifts all at once; shouldn't I return the favor in kind?"

"That’s because he’s rich. He can give whatever he wants, but we don't have that kind of money. What’s wrong with giving a little less? You’re getting married, not going bankrupt!"

Zhang Hening kept a constant eye on her wallet. *Tricking him for love is fine, but not for money!* In her worldview, money was a woman’s strongest backbone, and one had to weigh whether a man was worth every penny spent on him.

Song Xi was pulled away and tucked her card back into her bag. "Then I’ll just give one thing for now..." She didn't have much in savings, so she had to be frugal.

The two had dinner, and near nine o'clock, Song Xi headed home with the gift. When she arrived, Jing Zhuo was not yet back. Song Xi took a shower and sat on the sofa waiting for a while. He still hadn't returned. By eleven o'clock, she couldn't wait any longer; she left the tie box on the coffee table and went to her room to sleep.

When Jing Zhuo returned that night, he spotted the gift box in the living room. He had been to a business dinner and had a few drinks. As he rested against the sofa, his gaze swept over and landed on the box on the coffee table.

He opened it to find a dark red tie. It was a brand he used every day.

This was a gift... for him. Song Xi had given him a gift.

Jing Zhuo held the tie for a long time. He wanted to talk to her, but the master bedroom was silent; she had already fallen asleep. He opened his phone and typed into the search bar: *What does it mean to receive a tie?*

The first answer that came up: *It means you have one more tie.*

Jing Zhuo expressionlessly deleted the search. He tried again with different words: *What does it mean when a woman gives a man a tie?*

The AI generated an answer:
1. It represents the woman’s deep attachment to the man.
2. It represents the person’s hope to tie you down firmly.
3. If she wants to walk down the aisle with you, she will give you a red tie, implying a long-lasting union where you belong only to her.

Jing Zhuo stared at the text and took a screenshot. He then sent the screenshot, along with a photo of the tie, into a group chat with his close friends.

Jing Zhuo: "Don't ask me to go drinking again. The boss at home isn't happy; she’s dropping hints."

Friend A: "?"
Friend B: "??"
Friend C: "???"