On Tuesday, they received the freshly issued marriage certificate. Zhuang Yiyun had let Yan Yan choose the date. Yan Yan wasn’t someone who paid much attention to auspicious dates, and the sooner the better for him.
Originally, they had considered going on Monday, but on that day, Zhuang Yiyun had an important meeting, so they had to settle for Tuesday.
They first went for premarital check-ups. Considering it was a marriage of convenience, Zhuang Yiyun believed there would be no intimate relationship between them. So, why bother with premarital check-ups? However, Yan Yan had a different perspective, and combined with Jiang Li’s concerns, he decided to take this chance to investigate.
Fortunately, it was an opportunity that conveniently aligned with the marriage process. Normally, suggesting a partner to undergo a medical examination was difficult. So in this way, they ended up going for the premarital health check-up together.
Initially, Yan Yan didn’t take getting a premarital health check-up a s a bug deal. It wasn’t until the urological examination that he realized this check-up was somewhat unusual. He pretended to be embarrassed and let Zhuang Yiyun go first. When it was his turn, the doctor’s gaze took on a different meaning when he learned they were a couple.
“Doctor, is there a problem?”
“No problem. Both of you are healthy. Your husband is also very healthy and well-developed. Young people should take it easy and be prepared. I’ve already reminded your husband, his constitution is prone to causing injuries if he’s too aggressive.”
Yan Yan’s face turned red at the mention of being aggressive. He swore he wasn’t pretending this time. Just imagining that scenario was enough to make his nosebleed, but he managed to keep his composure. Now he was really curious about how his “husband” was developed to warrant such a specialized caution from the doctor.
“Don’t thank me. Parents wouldn’t know about these things, only we, the marriage check-up doctors, can remind you.”
Yan Yan’s face turned red, and after they left, he noticed that Zhuang Yiyun’s expression wasn’t right.
After this experience, premarital check-ups became Yan Yan’s highlight for the day. However, he didn’t expect that he wouldn’t have the last laugh. The moment he got to the physical examination, things took a turn.
At first, he didn’t think much when he stepped onto the height-weight scale, but when the digital scale announced: weight 68.5 kg, height 179.2 cm…
“Didn’t you say you were 182 cm?” Zhuang Yiyun, who had been silent all along, suddenly spoke up.
“When did I say that?”
“The first time we met, when you talked to my mother.”
“179.2 rounded up is basically 182, right?”
“Rounding up isn’t done that way, mathematics must be precise. Rounding up that way would make your weight 70kg.” Zhuang Yiyun said as he stepped onto the digital scale.
The scale reported: weight 76.4 kg, height 190.8 cm.
Yan Yan: “…”
He had a few choice words he wanted to say, but he restrained himself. He disliked being told he was under 180, and he certainly didn’t want to hear he weighed 70 kilograms. Zhuang Yiyun hit him with both in one go, and Yan Yan was seething.
Yan Yan was so angry that he didn’t speak to Zhuang Yiyun even when they reached the marriage registration office.
Same-sex marriages were still not mainstream, and their striking looks attracted a lot of attention. While most genuine couples had friends and family taking pictures for them, they didn’t think about it. However, Jiang Li showed up uninvited.
Using her 1.8-meter height, and sturdy build as the women’s basketball team captain, she pushed through the crowd and approached them.
“You didn’t even invite me. Yan Yan, you’re not very loyal.”
“I forgot.” Yan Yan smiled, his anger from before suddenly dissipating.
Zhuang Yiyun’s gaze followed Yan Yan’s and saw his genuine smile turn into guilt (more like acting). Zhuang Yiyun felt there was nothing to be guilty about. For a marriage of convenience, forgetting to tell a best friend was only natural.
Zhuang Yiyun’s thought process wasn’t wrong; it was just that he and Yan Yan arrived at the same goal from different paths. Yan Yan did indeed share this sentiment – getting a regular bed partner didn’t require one to pay attention to ceremonial details or invite friends to witness the fake wedding.
Zhuang Yiyun originally disliked taking photos, let alone capturing moments of this fabricated lie. However, considering that Yan Yan’s best friend didn’t know the truth, he didn’t stop Jiang Li when she raised her phone. Under Jiang Li’s urging and signals, he even put his arm around Yan Yan’s shoulder and took a photo with him in front of the registration desk.
Jiang Li instantly sent this photo to Yan Yan’s parents. In the photo, Zhuang Yiyun appeared calm and composed, while Yan Yan’s smile was gentle, making them look like a harmonious couple. Apart from the gender difference and Yan Yan’s wig, this was the best scene they had envisioned over the past ten years. The Yan couple were nearly moved to tears. They immediately circled Yan Yan in their family chat and asked him to add Zhuang Yiyun.
The two of them finally reached the front of the queue and they started to fill out forms. While waiting for their documents to be reviewed, Yan Yan showed Zhuang Yiyun the group chat conversation and asked him, “Gege, do you want to join the group? It’s fine if you don’t.”
Without saying much, Zhuang Yiyun directly operated on Yan Yan’s phone and added himself to the group. Thus, a group of three now became a group of Father Yan, Mother Yan, Yan Yan and Zhuang Yiyun.
As soon as he joined the group, a string of firework and welcome emoticons popped up in the chat. Instead of using the conventional middle-aged floral emoticons, Yan Yan’s parents used cute cartoons, showcasing their knowledge of trends. Following this, red envelopes were sent out, some for everyone in the group to grab, while others were personalized for Yan Yan and Zhuang Yiyun.
Yan Yan enjoyed grabbing the red envelopes so much that he was still laughing when the staff asked him a question, interrupting his amusement.
“Hey, why aren’t you grabbing any? Hurry up, take out your phone.” Yan Yan, caught up in the excitement of the red envelopes, became almost cocky. His voice was more lively, a far cry from his “usual” gentle demeanor. He turned his palms up towards Zhuang Yiyun, his face full of smiles. However, when he met Zhuang Yiyun’s eyes, his heart skipped a beat.
Zhuang Yiyun just thought he was influenced by the cheerful atmosphere. Everyone around them was filled with the happiness of getting married, and there was also the lively atmosphere in Yan Yan’s family chat.
Before Zhuang Yiyun could take out his phone, the staff had already prepared their marriage certificate. They placed it on the table for the two to see, then stamped it with the special marriage registration seal. Thus, Yan Yan didn’t wait for Zhuang Yiyun to grab red envelopes, instead, he received their marriage certificate first.
Yan Yan was a bit dazed. He hadn’t really felt the reality of getting married until this moment. Even though it was fake, the staff member’s words, “Congratulations, may your love be sweet, and may you grow old together,” made him pause and think.
As the engaged couples around them clapped, a girl behind him whispered, “Hurry up and give the wedding candy to the staff. It’s customary to distribute candy when you receive your certificate… You didn’t forget to bring some, did you? You can take some from my bag.”
Yan Yan was stunned. The girl generously opened her bag and offered candy. Inside was an array of sweet-looking candies, all packed together. He grabbed a handful and offered it to the staff, politely saying, “Thank you.”
All these scenes were faithfully recorded by Jiang Li’s camera. Her hobby was photography, and she also held the position of Vice President of the university’s photography association. She was skilled at capturing moments, even with just a phone. These photographs captured the warmth and tenderness that was unnoticed by the main characters. At that time, Jiang Li didn’t even share these pictures with Yan Yan but kept them for herself.
Yan Yan was still in a daze when they left the marriage registration office, only snapping back to reality when his phone vibrated.
Had he been enchanted by some kind of gu? He actually felt genuinely happy with the congratulations even though he and Zhuang Yiyun were not a romantic couple. He cleared his mind of these scattered thoughts and picked up his phone.
In his family chat group, Zhuang Yiyun had sent a red envelope to express gratitude. This way, he avoided addressing the Yan couple, or have to send pictures of their marriage certificate and saying too much.
‘Yes, that’s how it should be!’ Yan Yan thought. Even though it was his first time at the marriage registration office, he should still have some composure. Fortunately, Zhuang Yiyun remained clear-headed and didn’t let him continue being foolish.
However, Zhuang Yiyun was so clear-headed, would he be easy to handle? It seemed that despite getting the official certification, he still needed to figure out how to eat meat.
Jiang Li didn’t join them for their first meal after the wedding and voluntarily left after they got their certificate.
Unfortunately, the meal never came to be. Zhuang Yiyun claimed he needed to return for work and sent Yan Yan to school before heading off.
Yan Yan held the certificate in his pocket and almost swung it around like a rattle. He wasn’t naïve enough to believe that the certificate held significant power, but he certainly didn’t anticipate it being this useless!
His first day as a married was spent alone in his dormitory. Then, on the second day, the director’s graduate student from his department grabbed him for a research trip to a neighboring city. He had to work on an undergraduate thesis and he had no idea how he had ended up with the hard mode selection. In any case, he was away for three to four days, returning only on Sunday.
This was the day he and Zhuang Yiyun had agreed upon for moving, and he was moving into Zhuang Yiyun’s house.
Before this, Yan Yan had lived between his home and the university, mainly because it wasn’t convenient to do live broadcasts from the university. He used to spend more time at the university, but over the past year, he had gradually shifted towards staying home more often. As a result, he had organized some belongings at both places.
When he left home this time, he did so sneakily, taking advantage of his parents’ absence. Although the marriage was fake, his parents treated it as a real one, which made him feel a bit guilty, even though he never thought of himself as someone who was overly sensitive.
Zhuang Yiyun was waiting for him downstairs, ready to take him home. He recorded Yan Yan’s fingerprints to open the door, and then led him on a perfunctory tour around the house. It was a high-rise apartment in the city center, with north and south-facing windows. The living room had a transparent full-length window, allowing a view of their school even from here.
Yan Yan felt excited. Although Zhuang Yiyun’s house also followed a monochrome minimalist aesthetic, the hints of life in the details carried a subtle masculine charm.
He looked up at Zhuang Yiyun, who was a step ahead, and realized that this man was truly tailored to his aesthetic preferences. The closer he got, the more attractive he seemed. Yan Yan wished he could press him against the door and kiss him right then and there.
Unaware that a sports car race had begun in Yan Yan’s mind, Zhuang Yiyun casually explained, “When I was renovating, I opened up the second bedroom and connected it to the living room, turning it into an open study. There’s only one bedroom now, so you’ll be in there, and I’ll sleep on the couch.”
Yan Yan was holding onto the handle of his suitcase and when he saw Zhuang Yiyun open the bedroom door and prepare to leave, he gently tugged at him.
“Gege, sleeping on the couch is uncomfortable. The bed is big, we can sleep together… after all, we’re both guys.”
Zhuang Yiyun glanced down at him, only to see his slightly flushed cheeks. Last time, he took the initiative to hold Yan Yan’s hand, now that Yan Yan was holding onto him, it didn’t seem appropriate to struggle free. Rights and obligations should be mutual. Yan Yan’s hand appeared long and slender in its bones, but it felt soft to the touch.
Yan Yan’s right thumb was wrapped around palm, with the other four fingers covering the back of his hand. Then, Yan Yan’s left hand also came over, shaking Zhuang Yiyun’s hand like a little boy.
Zhuang Yiyun’s eyebrows twitched. Are all college boys this soft nowadays?
“But don’t you like men? It’s not convenient to sleep with a man.” His gaze moved beyond Yan Yan’s head, landing on his fluffy collar. Yan Yan’s straight collarbone peeked out from the neckline, like a nest for a fledgling bird, exuding a warm and delicate beauty.
“But being gay doesn’t mean one just…anyway, it’s not good for your back if you sleep on the couch every day. I’m worried about you,” Yan Yan’s voice grew softer the more he spoke.
The author has something to say:
Not only are college boys soft, but they also love to tell lies.
Yeah.. college boys are even softer than foam.. (goosebumps)
Não rejeite o plot de uma cama só 😠
Thank you for the chapter!
Haha yeah sure, Yan Yan cares about him a whooole lot. Thanks so much for the translation, I’ve been enjoying this novel.