After Marrying The Wrong Person, I Can’t Leave

Chapter 24

The next morning at 9 am, Tan Yue’s car appeared on time at Song Linchu’s dormitory building.

When Tan Yue’s car arrived, Song Linchu was already waiting at the entrance of the dormitory.

He was wearing the suit that Tan Yue gave him yesterday. The difference between rental and haute couture was that rental clothes fit the person, while haute couture clothes were tailored to fit the person.

Song Linchu was originally handsome, and wearing this well-cut suit made him shine even more. He exuded an air of nobility, and no one would doubt that he was the young master of some wealthy family.

“Good morning, gege,” Song Linchu greeted Tan Yue with a smile as he got into the car. The previously cold and solemn atmosphere in the car was suddenly filled with energy because of his arrival.

“Morning,” Tan Yue’s cool eyes fell on Song Linchu’s face as he asked, “Did you not sleep well?”

Song Linchu rubbed his face and asked, “Is it that obvious?”

Tan Yue nodded.

The young man’s skin was so fair that the dark circles under his eyes were especially noticeable.

Song Linchu felt a bit embarrassed and explained, “I just feel a little unsettled.”

Before, Song Linchu had been focused on studying for his final exams and hadn’t thought much about getting married. It wasn’t until yesterday when he was about to sleep, that he realized he was getting married to a man with a terminal illness. Maybe Tan Yue wouldn’t even live to see the end of their agreement…

To an outsider, his behavior was probably absurd, to the point of being ridiculous.

And he was using marriage as leverage to get back at a scumbag. Wasn’t the price too high?

Song Linchu had thought about it all night until it was almost dawn before he finally closed his eyes, so his dark circles were especially heavy.

“You still have a chance to back out,” Tan Yue said.

“No, I won’t,” Song Linchu immediately replied. “Look at my sincere little eyes.”

Song Linchu blinked his big, bright, and sincere eyes at Tan Yue. In the clear and bright pupils of the young man, there was only the man’s figure.

“… “ Tan Yue turned his eyes away and looked out the car window at the rapidly retreating street scene, responding with a faint “mmm.”

Today was the first day of the New Year, and many people had come to the civil affairs bureau to get married. Even big shots like Tan Yue had to line up obediently.

Most of the couples who came to get their marriage certificates were sweet and affectionate, but Song Linchu and Tan Yue were different. Tan Yue was so cold and aloof that as long as Song Linchu didn’t take the initiative, there was no interaction between them, like two strangers. The atmosphere was extremely strange.

Before long, the two of them became the focal point of the Civil Affairs Bureau, and even the nearby couples couldn’t maintain their intensity, all of them watching this unconventional couple. Some people took out their phones to snap a picture, only to put them away sheepishly when met with Tan Yue’s cold glare.

As the atmosphere in the waiting area grew increasingly eerie, Song Linchu finally couldn’t ignore it any longer and tugged at Tan Yue’s sleeve. “Gege.”

Tan Yue glanced down at the pulled sleeve, and realized that Song Linchu seemed to enjoy this little gesture.

“Hmm?” he replied.

Song Linchu leaned in close to him and whispered, “You see, we’re not being affectionate and everyone’s looking at us. It’s not good, is it?”

Tan Yue remained calm. “Don’t worry about what others think.”

Song Linchu: “…”

Is ignoring other people’s opinions the crux of my sentence?

This stinky straight steel man has made it to the Civil Affairs Bureau, but he’s still a stinky straight steel man!

After silently cursing Tan Yue in his mind, Song Linchu finally spoke up. “I mean, we don’t look like a couple at all. What if someone happens to know your grandfather and tells him about how we’re acting in the Civil Affairs Bureau? What will we do then?”

Tan Yue’s gaze flickered. “So?”

Song Linchu pulled out his phone. “So, gege, let’s play a little game to act like a couple.”

“…,” Tan Yue remained silent, watching as Song Linchu grinned mischievously.

However, he didn’t refuse.

Song Linchu had found this little game from somewhere, similar to King of Fighters. You have to share a phone, and each controls a small character to fight against the other until one loses.

“I’m going to start now,” Song Linchu held the phone with his left hand and said.

“Okay.”

Song Linchu tapped the “start” button, and Tan Yue controlled his character with his thumb. He was just about to get the hang of the game when Song Linchu’s character charged from the left, and without hesitation, unleashed a flurry of punches, pummeling his character into a helpless heap on the ground. Blood splattered the screen, and he had no chance to fight back.

“KO!” The system voice announced heartlessly half a minute later.

Tan Yue: “…”

“Eh, gege, how did you lose?” Someone teased.

In truth, he was feeling ecstatic inside.

Ah! Beating up this dog man felt so good, it’s such a stress reliever!

“Let’s play again,” Tan Yue said.

Song Linchu fearlessly tapped the “start” button.

Song Linchu was not afraid, and started the game. Relying on his familiarity with the game, he brought Tan Yue’s character to the ground before KO-ing him again.

However, Tan Yue was worthy of being a CEO, as he had already mastered the game’s techniques after two rounds and started to resist. By the fourth round, he was able to beat Song Linchu to near death.

In the fifth round, he began to beat Song Linchu back. Just as he was about to finish off Song Linchu’s character with a sliver of health left, Song Linchu suddenly scratched his palm with his finger.

Song Linchu’s cool fingertips grazed Tan Yue’s palm, causing a tingly itch. Tan Yue’s fingers stiffened and he was KO-ed by Song Linchu again.

Song Linchu said proudly, “The essence of this game lies in physical attacks.”

Tan Yue: “…”

At first, the couples in the waiting room thought that this couple was very strange, they didn’t look like they were here to obtain a marriage certificate. Rather, they looked like they were here to divorce, and they whispered and mocked the couple quietly.

But when they started to play the game, they became more and more intimate, poking and scratching each other’s fingers. The man who had previously looked so cold and difficult to get along with was clearly being accommodating, and people started rolling their eyes at each other because of the dog food they were being fed.

This stinky couple, let’s bring in the dog and kill them!

Oh, they’re not single dogs, so it’s okay.

After playing for about half an hour, it was finally their turn. The photographer was a young girl who had taken pictures of so many new couples, but it was the first time she had seen two such handsome men. There was no bad angle in the photos and no matter how she took them, they were still ridiculously handsome. She couldn’t help but lament that the handsome guys were all together and how were the opposite-sex couples supposed to survive?

By the time they came out of the Civil Affairs Bureau, it was almost noon. Song Linchu held the new marriage certificates, flipping through them several times and taking a photo before carefully putting them away.

“Gege, where are we going next?”

Song Linchu was in a good mood, even his tone of voice was light and carefree, and the anxiety he felt before obtaining the certificate was swept away.

The feeling of marrying young wasn’t bad.

“Let’s go to my grandfather’s house first.”

“Oh, has he been discharged from the hospital?”

“Mm, he was discharged today.”

Wasn’t that convenient?

Song Linchu clenched his fists, “Don’t worry, gege, I will make my grandpa like me.”

He was a very professional contractual marriage partner.

Tan Yue watched Song Linchu’s confident appearance and his eyes flashed with a hint of amusement, “Okay.”

Little did he know that the old man didn’t need him to win him over. He was already eagerly anticipating his “son-in-law.”

Grandpa Tan’s house was not very far from the Civil Affairs Bureau, only a 20-minute drive away.

The area was not as good as Tan Yue’s house, but it was still decent, with an independent Chinese-style courtyard.

Song Linchu was amazed. From the outside, the house looked like that of an ancient aristocratic family, with a magnificent and elegant style.

“Do you like it?” Tan Yue asked.

‘What’s the use of saying I like it,’ Song Linchu thought. ‘Are you going to give me a house?’

“I like my gege’s house better!” Song Linchu regretted saying this. Won’t Tan Yue recommend his interior decoration team again?

Fortunately, Tan Yue didn’t do that. He stretched out his hand and said, “Let’s go in.”

Grandpa Tan had just returned from the hospital not long ago and was waiting for Tan Yue in the living room. When he saw the two people walking in holding hands, Grandpa Tan’s eyes curved into a smile.

Last time, he was angry and bedridden, so he did not take a close look at Song Linchu. It was only now that he discovered that his grandson had found a good-looking young man who was especially friendly and likeable at first sight.

“Grandpa,” Song Linchu called out sweetly.

Grandpa Tan still had gauze on his head and smiled as he replied, then he took a big red envelope from the old butler’s hand, held Song Linchu’s hand, and placed the envelope in it.

“Last time, Grandpa thought that Tan Yue was deceiving me and I had a bad attitude towards you. It wasn’t because I had any issues with you. Grandpa owes you an apology.”

Song Linchu, who thought he was in the plot of a wicked grandpa drama, was confused.

‘I haven’t even started wooing him, and the boss has already maxed out his favorability rating.’

There are actually such good things in the world.

Song Linchu immediately adjusted his strategy and collected the red envelope without any hesitation, saying, “Thank you, Grandpa.”

Grandpa Tan asked them to sit down, then asked for their marriage certificate and after taking a look, he said with satisfaction, “Not bad, not bad. When are you planning to hold the wedding?”

Tan Yue replied, “We’ll wait until Linchu graduates. He’s still in school now.”

The old man frowned, “Isn’t that going to be two years from now?”

Tan Yue remained unfazed, “The wedding is just a formality.”

“But you still have to let everyone know him, otherwise, what if someone bullies Linchu in the future? So, I think on the 23rd, which is Linchu’s birthday, you should throw him a birthday banquet and invite all those troublesome people to recognize his face.”

This arrangement made sense, and Tan Yue glanced at Song Linchu.

Although this plan was not part of their original plan, Song Linchu would already be in his winter vacation on the 23rd, so it wouldn’t affect his exams. After hesitating for a moment, Song Linchu gave Tan Yue a look of approval.

Tan Yue said, “Alright, I will make the arrangements.”

The old man’s health wasn’t very good, and after chatting for a few more sentences, he slightly closed his eyes and leaned on the soft sofa.

Tan Yue asked, “Do you want to rest in the room?”

“No need,” the old man waved his hand and said, “I just want to listen to you guys talk. It makes me very happy. Don’t mind me, just talk about whatever you want.”

Song Linchu thought to himself, ‘What do I have to say to him? Do you want to experience some straight steel man talk that would make you, as a grandparent, feel ashamed of your grandson?”

Tan Yue gestured for the butler to bring him another blanket, and while Song Linchu was racking his brains for a topic, he took out a card and handed it to him.

“What is this?” Song Linchu hesitated a little before accepting it.

“My supplementary card.”

“…”

The concept of “supplementary” was something that Song Linchu couldn’t imagine for the time being.

“Aren’t you worried I’ll spend your money recklessly?” Song Linchu couldn’t help but ask.

Tan Yue replied, “My money was originally meant for you to spend as you please.”

Song Linchu: ???

When did this stinky straight steel man become so good at sweet-talking?

He’s quite the actor!

Song Linchu couldn’t help but glance at Grandpa Tan, who had a smile on his lips, clearly satisfied with the performance.

What else could Song Linchu do but continue to play along with Tan Yue? He took the card and said, “Thank you, gege!”

Just as Song Linchu was about to put the card away, a childish voice came from the direction of the courtyard entrance, “Great-grandpa!”

Grandpa Tan opened his eyes and his smile became even wider, “Tuan Tuan is here.”

A dumpling dressed in a cheerful outfit ran over. Tuan Tuan looked to be about four years old, wearing a teddy bear outfit, with a chubby and fair complexion. His big, watery eyes were especially large, and his cuteness was off the charts.

“My cousin’s son, Tuan Tuan.” Tan Yue whispered.

Song Linchu said, “He’s so cute!”

“… “Tan Yue didn’t comment on that.

Tuan Tuan ran over happily and was about to jump into his great-grandfather’s arms when he saw Tan Yue sitting on the side, and his smile froze on his face.

Then, he pouted, took two steps back, and bumped into his mother, who had followed him in.

Seeing Tuan Tuan’s reaction to Tan Yue, the mother felt a bit embarrassed, and pushed him towards Tan Yue, saying, “Tuan Tuan, great your uncle.”

Tuan Tuan was afraid, and he hid behind his mother. He was so afraid that he couldn’t even cry.

His mother became even more embarrassed. She looked at Song Linchu and changed the subject, “You are Linchu, right? Hello, I’m Tan Yue’s cousin-in-law.”

Song Linchu smiled, “Hello, cousin-in-law.”

Tuan Tuan showed a little head from behind his mother. His mother was about to ask him to greet people, but Tuan Tuan’s eyes lit up as he looked at Song Linchu, “Handsome big brother!”

Song Linchu: “…”

Upon hearing Tuantuan call out “big brother”, Mama Tuantuan’s expression froze for a moment. She glanced at Tan Yue and whispered to Tuantuan, “You can’t call him that way.”

Tuantuan paid no attention to her and ran towards the handsome big brother he liked, overcoming his fear of Tan Yue. He ran and said in a childish voice, “Big brother, hug me~”

Song Linchu was no stranger to children’s fondness for him since he was young. He lifted Tuantuan up and let him sit on his lap, correcting him, “Call me ‘uncle’.”

Tuantuan protested, “Big brother!”

Song Linchu thought to himself, ‘Fine, let him call me ‘big brother’.’

Tan Yue looked at Tuantuan, who clung to Song Linchu like a piece of candy, with cold eyes. The biy hugged Song Linchu’s neck with both hands and wanted to hang himself on him.

Feeling his icy gaze, Tuantuan not only did not let go but also snuggled closer to Song Linchu’s embrace.

Tan Yue: “…”

Tuantuan’s mother said, “Sorry, Tuantuan has always been fond of good-looking people since he was a child.”

Song Linchu thought to himself, ‘It seems that this family is all obsessed with looks.’

But, he couldn’t help but find Tuantuan cute. What’s wrong with being a little bit addicted to good looks?

“It’s okay,” Song Linchu rubbed Tuantuan’s furry little head and couldn’t help but say, “You’re so cute.”

Tuantuan looked up at him and blinked his big eyes. “Since I’m so cute, won’t you kiss me, big brother?”

Song Linchu: “…”

‘He’s really making me speechless.’

Tuantuan’s mother had given up on controlling him and said, “I’m going to check on lunch.” She left and left Tuantuan to his own devices.

As long as she’s not around, she can pretend that nothing happened.

Tan Yue saw Tuantuan lifting his face, waiting for Song Linchu to kiss him, and coldly said, “A man shouldn’t let anyone kiss him casually.”

Tuantuan trembled and lowered his head, softly saying “oh” with a voice full of grievances.

He turned around and snuggled into Song Linchu’s embrace with his back facing Tan Yue. Then he asked softly, “Do you like me, big brother?”

Song Linchu reached out and poked the little boy’s pouting face to comfort him, saying, “I like, Tuantuan is my favorite.”

Tuantuan immediately smiled, “Then, when I grow up, will you marry me?”

Tan Yue: “…”

You are thinking fart!

Song Linchu wondered if kids were this precocious nowadays?

He blinked, “But I already have a husband, what should I do?”

Tuantuan immediately panicked, “No! Big brother is mine, who is the bad guy trying to steal my wife?”

“It’s me,” a nightmare-like voice sounded behind him. “Do you have a problem with that?”

Tuantuan: “…”

Tuantuan trembled, realizing he had just called his big brother’s husband a bad guy, and silently slipped out of Song Linchu’s arms, crying as he ran away.