Chapter 52: A Wife Revealed

From Bai Hao’s perspective, the usually stunning Xia Zhiquiu now bore tell-tale reddened eyes, a clear sign that she had been weeping.

Having not anticipated the young man’s pursuit, let alone his witnessing her dishevelled state, Xia Zhiquiu could only offer a weak, almost desperate, attempt at concealment.

“No, I haven’t. It’s just that a speck of something found its way into my eye. Let’s head back, shall we?”

As she spoke, she moved to pull Bai Hao back, yet her feet seemed rooted to the spot, betraying a deep-seated trepidation.

Noticing her reluctance, Bai Hao’s brows furrowed. In one swift motion, he pulled her voluptuous form against the nearest wall.

“Mmm… what do you think you’re doing? Someone might see us here…”

Feeling the young man’s breath on her, Xia Zhiquiu instinctively twisted her lithe body, attempting to wriggle free.

Bai Hao merely raised a brow, his fingers gently cupping Xia Zhiquiu’s chin, which felt as smooth as polished jade. A faint smile played upon his lips as he asked,

“So, it would be permissible if no one were to witness it?”

Xia Zhiquiu shot him a sharp glare, letting out a soft huff.

“Still no.”

For now, Bai Hao simply wished to playfully tease the alluring mature woman before him. He quickly shed his jocular expression, his demeanor turning serious as he spoke.

“Xia Zhiquiu, tell me, why were you crying? If you refuse to speak, I might just have to tease you right here.”

Xia Zhiquiu froze at his words, her gaze meeting his unwavering stare. She harbored not a single doubt regarding the veracity of his playful threat.

But then…

Recalling the tender scene she had just witnessed, her voice became imbued with a profound sadness.

“Bai Hao, I am, in fact, an orphan. From the moment my earliest memories began, I was already living in an orphanage.

Those four people who just entered… they are actually my adoptive parents, my elder brother, and his wife…”

Bai Hao stiffened at her confession, a rare flicker of astonishment crossing his eyes. Before he could process it, he heard Xia Zhiquiu continue her narrative.

“My elder brother disappeared shortly after birth due to an accident. My adoptive parents, unable to conceive another child, eventually chose to adopt me.”

“However, once my elder brother was found and brought home, I naturally ceased to be important to my adoptive parents. They severed all ties with me the moment I graduated from university.”

“It has been over a decade since I last saw them. I never imagined our paths would cross again, least of all here today…”

A self-deprecating smile touched Xia Zhiquiu’s lips as she concluded, knowing full well that the unvarnished truth was far more heartbreaking than her brief recounting.

Initially, after her elder brother’s return, her adoptive parents had treated her reasonably well. While never truly seeing her as their own, she had still received adequate care.

Yet, over time, their demeanor towards her grew increasingly cold, eventually escalating to harsh scolding and baseless accusations.

Xia Zhiquiu understood her elder brother’s hand in this shift, but she made no effort to mend the fractured relationship.

By the time she was in university, her allowance had been cut off entirely, forcing her to rely solely on part-time work and scholarships to complete her studies.

Despite everything, Xia Zhiquiu harbored no resentment towards her adoptive parents. After all, they had raised her, and for that, she remained grateful. Beyond that, however, no deeper affection lingered.

Moreover, she had been a man back then. Now, having transformed into a woman, they would surely fail to recognize her, wouldn’t they?

It was precisely because of her own harrowing experiences that Xia Zhiquiu had resolved to adopt the then-vulnerable Xia Wei, vowing never to let such a fate befall the young girl.

Listening to Xia Zhiquiu’s poignant account, Bai Hao understood, without needing to dwell on it, that the actual events were far from the lighthearted depiction she offered.

A pang of tenderness flashed in his eyes. Leaning down, he pressed a soft kiss to her reddened lips, his voice gentle as he spoke.

“Xia Zhiquiu, since they no longer want you, I do. You are my wife now, and you are my family.”

Hearing the young man’s earnest words, Xia Zhiquiu felt a profound ripple spread through her heart in that very moment.

Though it was merely a casual remark from the young man, perhaps even a playful deception, she found herself undeniably touched.

With this thought, Xia Zhiquiu wiped the tears from her eyes, gently pushed the young man away, and shot him a pointed glance, feigning indifference as she replied,

“I certainly don’t want you as my family.”

Hearing her words, Bai Hao immediately clutched his chest, feigning a look of profound injury as he exclaimed,

“Xia Zhiquiu, those words wound me deeply, don’t you think? No, I require three kisses to be properly healed.”

Xia Zhiquiu merely let out a soft huff, the corners of her crimson lips curving upwards as she said,

“Alright, stop your antics. We’ve been away long enough; Gu Chen and the others must be growing impatient.”

“After all these years, your adoptive parents likely wouldn’t recognize you anyway. Let’s simply treat them as strangers.”

Despite her brave words, a tremor of nervousness still ran through Xia Zhiquiu as she returned to her seat in the restaurant. She remained deeply reluctant to face her former family.

Bai Hao, discerning her discomfort, reached under the table to clasp her delicate, jade-like hand, his voice firm and possessive as he spoke.

“Xia Zhiquiu, you are now my exclusive property. You are forbidden from dwelling on those inconsequential people any longer.”

Upon hearing his audacious declaration, Xia Zhiquiu felt a surge of both exasperation and amusement. Who did this scoundrel think he was?

Simply because they’d taken a wedding photo together, he acted as though she were his personal chattel…

By this point, the dining table was laden with an array of fragrant and flavorful dishes. Gu Chen, observing Xia Zhiquiu and Brother Hao across from him, couldn’t shake the feeling that something was amiss.

Surely, Xia Zhiquiu and Brother Hao were being a little *too* intimate, weren’t they?

“Brother Bai Hao, do you have a girlfriend? You’re so handsome, I imagine many girls must be quite fond of you, aren’t they?”

It was then that Gu Xin, seated beside them, suddenly posed the question, seemingly on a fleeting whim.

Yet, the moment the words left her lips, the other three individuals at the table paused, their chopsticks hovering mid-air.

Gu Chen’s pause stemmed from burgeoning curiosity, while Bai Hao wrestled with how to articulate his feelings to Xia Zhiquiu, conveying that she alone held his affection.

As for Xia Zhiquiu, her inner world at that moment was a maelstrom of conflicting emotions, far too intricate to be distilled into a mere one or two sentiments.

Bai Hao cleared his throat delicately before speaking.

“I do not have a girlfriend, nor do I intend to acquire one in the future.”

As he uttered these words, Bai Hao deliberately cast a glance at Xia Zhiquiu, seated beside him, earning himself a sharp glare in return. Only then did he pivot his statement.

“However… while I may not currently possess a girlfriend, I do, in fact, have a wife.”

The instant his words landed, Xia Zhiquiu choked, hastily clearing her throat with two dry coughs, then shot the young man a look of indignation.

Meanwhile, both Gu Chen and his sister were utterly stunned by his revelation. A wife? That particular term seemed rather unfamiliar for individuals their age, didn’t it?

“Brother… Brother Hao, you’re not joking, are you?”

Gu Chen exclaimed, his voice laced with surprise.

Bai Hao merely spared him a sidelong glance, an eyebrow arching subtly.

“What is it? Do you suspect I’m attempting to deceive you?”

Gu Chen hastily waved his hands, offering an awkward, embarrassed smile.

“Oh, no, nothing of the sort! Brother Hao, given how extraordinary you are, it’s only natural for you to have a wife. But what does our sister-in-law look like? Do you have any photos you could show me?”

Gu Xin, equally intrigued by the mention of a wife, eagerly reached out to interject.

“I want to see too!”

Bai Hao responded by spreading his hands, a hint of helplessness in his voice.

“As for photos, I’m afraid that won’t be possible. However, Xia Zhiquiu has indeed met my wife. If your curiosity truly persists, you may direct your questions to her.”

Upon hearing this, the Gu siblings exchanged a knowing glance, before their collective gaze settled upon Xia Zhiquiu, who had been diligently attempting to fade into the background.

“Xia Zhiquiu, what does Brother Bai Hao’s wife look like? Is she incredibly beautiful?”

Gu Xin asked, her eyes wide with unbridled curiosity, her direct, earnest gaze making it impossible to refuse an answer.

At that very moment, Xia Zhiquiu yearned to throttle the insufferable scoundrel beside her. Confronted with Gu Xin’s innocent inquiry, she could only muster a brazen, evasive response.

“Hmm, well… I suppose she could be considered quite beautiful?”