Chapter 84: Then Let’s Just Call Her Wife

After sending Xiang's mother off, Xiang Ri found an excuse to dismiss his apprentice. Just as he was about to indulge in some stolen midday intimacy with Miss Chu, who had been half-heartedly resisting while cornered in the room, an urgent phone call shattered his fantasy entirely. 

Seeing that the call was from the little troublemaker Tie Wan, Xiang Ri noticed Chu Chu nearby, her ears perked up as if eavesdropping. His initially animated tone flattened into indifference. "Oh, it's you? What's up?" he asked, adopting a superior air. He even picked up a random metal object and began tapping it noisily, emphasizing his feigned impatience. 

Tie Wan's rage was palpable from the other end. "You idiot! How dare you speak to me like that! Get over here immediately! It's the third today—you promised to come to my house!" 

"Alright, I'll be there soon," Xiang Ri replied, hanging up and maintaining his composure. Turning to Chu Chu, he said, "A classmate needs my help again. It seems I can't stay. Let's... resume tonight." 

Chu Chu, who had been trying to discern the caller's voice and gender, had her efforts thwarted by Xiang Ri's interference. However, judging from his reaction, she was reasonably sure it wasn't a woman—possibly even someone he found irritating. 

Her unease dissipated somewhat, but a trace of dissatisfaction lingered. "Why is it always your classmates asking for help? If it's that troublesome, why not just refuse?" 

"How could I?" Xiang Ri, realizing he'd spoken too sharply, softened his tone. "They're former classmates, after all. I can't just turn them down. Besides, the reunion is coming up in a few days. If I don't help now, it'll be awkward then. Oh, by the way, I might not be back this afternoon. You and Xiao Qing will have to handle dinner without me." 

"You'll be gone that long? What on earth is it this time?" Chu Chu frowned, clearly displeased with how his classmates' requests always seemed to take hours. 

Naturally, Xiang Ri couldn't reveal the truth. He was heading to his "future father-in-law's" house—something Chu Chu would surely respond to by tearing him to pieces, figuratively and literally. 

To divert her attention, Xiang Ri deliberately smirked mischievously. "Could it be that two days without... you're starting to miss me? Don't worry. Tonight, I'll make it up to you thoroughly. Just wait for me at home, squeaky clean." 

"Go to hell!" Chu Chu shoved him away, her cheeks flushed crimson. "Didn't you say you have to help? Hurry up and leave!" She practically pushed him out the door. 

"Quick enough this time?" Xiang Ri asked cheekily as he stepped inside Tie Wan's house, cutting her off before she could explode in anger. 

Tie Wan, who had indeed been seething, found herself disarmed by his proactive approach, forcing her to suppress her frustration. "Wait here. I'm going to change. It'll only take a moment," she said, retreating to her bedroom with deliberate composure. 

Xiang Ri couldn't help but notice the deliberate effort in her appearance. It didn't take much guessing to realize this was her way of expressing displeasure toward him. 

Once she disappeared from view, Xiang Ri sighed, rubbed his nose in exasperation, and settled on the couch to watch TV, mentally preparing for a long wait. Having dealt with women's concept of "just a moment" before, he knew it could last through several episodes of a drama. Sure enough, Tie Wan didn't disappoint. An hour passed, and there was still no sign of her. 

Xiang Ri grew restless. He'd been invited over but was still waiting to leave, and his host showed no intention of moving forward. What was the point of calling him here? 

Frustrated, he got up and approached the bedroom door, giving it a gentle push. To his surprise, it wasn't locked. 

Without hesitation, he barged in, only to be greeted by the sight of a certain female officer lounging casually on the bed, engrossed in a book. Judging by the cover, it was the same copy of *Resurrection* he had unearthed from under the couch the last time. 

When Tie Wan noticed Xiang Ri entering, she cast him a nonchalant glance, her expression unchanged, as if she had anticipated his intrusion. 

"Aren't you supposed to be changing?" Xiang Ri asked with a wry smile. 

"I felt like reading for a bit first. Don't disturb me!" Tie Wan adjusted the book to block her face entirely, preventing Xiang Ri from seeing her expression. 

"Are we not going to your house today?" Xiang Ri reminded her. Any further delay might significantly harm his standing in the eyes of his future mother-in-law—especially with his yet-unmet father-in-law. 

"What's the rush? It's still early. Let's wait another two hours," Tie Wan replied nonchalantly, as though discussing a trivial matter. 

"By then, it'll be lunchtime," Xiang Ri said, his face darkening. Clearly, this girl intended to challenge his patience. 

"Perfect timing. It'll save you a meal," Tie Wan retorted flatly, her tone devoid of emotion. 

Her impenetrable attitude pushed Xiang Ri's temper to the edge. "I say, young lady, are you messing with me?" 

Unexpectedly, Tie Wan flipped over, threw her book aside, and glared at him fiercely. "That's right! I *am* messing with you. What are you going to do about it?" 

"Messing with me, huh? Heh, that comes with a price," Xiang Ri said, and before she could react, he lunged forward, pinning her beneath him. 

"What... what are you doing? Let me go!" Tie Wan screamed. Though they had shared more intimate moments before, unresolved tensions left her unwilling to let him touch her without consent. 

"Let you go? Not so fast. I've had enough of your teasing. This is on you—you're the one who's been tempting me," Xiang Ri said, his hand already wandering across her body. 

"Liar... Ah! Don't touch there, you pervert!" Tie Wan shouted, grabbing his hand to stop it from causing further mischief. 

"Like I'll listen to you!" Xiang Ri teased, giving her a gentle squeeze as an ambiguous smile spread across his face. 

"Don't you dare...!" Tie Wan looked at him in panic, but before she could finish, he silenced her with a kiss, his lips capturing hers as her protests turned into muffled murmurs. 

She let out a soft whimper, struggling briefly before her body betrayed her, melting into the kiss. 

Suddenly, her body stiffened as she felt his hand slip beneath her clothing. The heat of his touch jolted her back to her senses, and with newfound strength, she pushed him away. Hastily fixing her rumpled clothes, she glared at him. "You jerk! Look what you've done to my outfit!" 

Xiang Ri gave her a curious glance, surprised that she didn't reprimand him for the "attack." This was a promising sign, after all. "Are you going to change into another outfit now?" he teased. 

"No! We're leaving for my house right now!" Tie Wan snapped. 

"Right now?" Xiang Ri blinked, momentarily thrown by the sudden shift in her attitude. 

"Yes, right now! But there's something I need to tell you first. It's not just my parents at home this time—there's someone else... a man." 

"Oh? And who might that be?" Xiang Ri adjusted his glasses, a subtle flash of sharpness flickering in his eyes. 

Tie Wan hesitated, choosing her words carefully. "Um... he's someone my mom introduced to me, but I don't like him at all. Now that my mom knows about us—well, my mom wants to reject him, but since she was the one who invited him in the first place, it's awkward to tell him directly. So, she wants you to come over and... make it clear to him." 

"That's it?" Xiang Ri exclaimed dramatically. "Wife, don't worry about a thing. Leave it all to me. I'll make sure to leave him no doubts." 

"Idiot! Don't call me that before we're married!" 

"Then what should I call you?" 

"Whatever!" Tie Wan blurted out in frustration. 

After a moment of mock contemplation, Xiang Ri declared with a serious expression, "Then let's just stick with 'wife.'"