Chapter 2: Registering Marriage

"Huh?" Su Jinqi didn't react at once, staring blankly at Li Jinghan and stammered, "Mr. Li, what are you talking about?"

"Deaf, didn't hear clearly? Need me to repeat it for you?" Li Jinghan had a mocking smile, his eyes revealing a trace of coldness.

Su Jinqi swallowed her fear and said bravely, "No, what I mean is, my appearance and family background are worlds apart from yours, how could I ever match you? You have such discerning eyes, how could you take a liking to me? Please stop joking, please consider another request!"

"Jinqi, what are you saying!" Su Jinrong, seeing himself about to dodge a bullet, was overjoyed but then his ignorant sister, babbling nonsense, made him furious.

"Just help your brother out!"

Su Jinqi turned to look at Su Jinrong, her cousin, who from a young age was good-for-nothing, lazy and idle, always loafing around and engaging in petty theft.

Her parents died when she and her younger brother were little, and it was their uncle's family who took them in and funded their schooling, which allowed them to have a future.

Out of gratitude, every time her cousin screwed up, she was the one to clean up after him, and most of the money she earned was spent on him. But she never imagined that today, she would be dragged into this mess!

Suddenly, Yang Qianyu shrieked, "Jinghan, no! I am your official girlfriend! This little bitch, flat-chested and flat-assed, plain and poor, how is she better than me?"

"She is cleaner than you!" Li Jinghan glanced at her sideways, full of disgust and loathing, "Yang Qianyu, don't show up in front of me again!"

Yang Qianyu was the girlfriend Mrs. Li had picked out for her son, with a decent family background and pretty face; sweet-talking and well-behaved in front of the elders, she had won Madam Li's favor. But what Mrs. Li didn't realize was that behind her seemingly obedient facade, this girl had other faces and loved to play mind games; that was her true nature.

She was aware that Li Jinghan didn't like her and had never considered her his girlfriend. She didn't care and shamelessly proclaimed herself as Li Jinghan's girlfriend in public to satisfy her vanity, attempting to influence him.

"I won't!" Yang Qianyu was hysterical, "I'm your girlfriend, I love you so much, I won't leave you!"

Su Jinrong unceremoniously pushed her to the ground, then turned to Li Jinghan with a sycophantic smile, "Mr. Li, I'll handle this. You and Jinqi go ahead and leave first."

Su Jinqi looked at her brother's disgusting flattering face, her heart ached unbearably, and she stood still. Li Jinghan glanced at her and turned to leave.

Su Jinrong grabbed her bag and coat and stuffed them into her arms, all smiles on his face, but warned her quietly, "You better stay by Mr. Li's side and be obedient."

"Brother, you can't push me into a pit of fire!" Su Jinqi was heartbroken, "You're ruining me!"

A pit of fire? The siblings' conversation drifted into Li Jinghan's ears from behind, and he scoffed in his heart, unaware of how many women were scheming to climb into his bed; this ungrateful woman even dared to describe him as a pit of fire?!

"Enough with your nonsense!" Su Jinrong, seeing that Li Jinghan had reached the doorway, spoke in a cold tone again, "Let me tell you, your brother is still lying in the hospital, and it's my father who continues to pay those medical bills."

"Brother..."

Su Jinqi was filled with grief and indignation, and even though her heart had a hundred reluctances, she couldn't forget the kindness of her uncle and be ungrateful; her cousin's wrongdoings had to be repaid by her.

Li Jinghan stood at the doorway, turned his head to look at her with a somber face and an aura of coldness, "Aren't you coming?!"

Su Jinqi was frightened and shuddered at how terrifying he looked, reluctantly following him out of the room.

Su Jinqi followed Li Jinghan out of the elevator, gazing at his broad shoulders, she frowned and pondered: Do I really have to become his girlfriend? I have never been in love before.

Absorbed in her serious thoughts, she didn't see Li Jinghan stop in front of her and bumped straight into his back.

"Ah, Mr. Li, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I didn't do it on purpose." Su Jinqi rubbed her nose and hastily apologized.

Li Jinghan put his hands on his hips and half-turned his head, forcing words through his clenched teeth, "Are your eyes on the back of your head?"

"No." Su Jinqi replied quietly.

Li Jinghan turned his head to look at her, his gaze as if looking at a fool, and said nothing more. He walked out of the hotel entrance and towards his car.

Seeing this, Su Jinqi felt deeply conflicted inside. After a brief struggle, she eventually took the steps and followed him into the car.

On Monday morning, Li Jinghan's chief secretary was assigning tasks in the work group chat, causing Su Jinqi's WeChat to ping incessantly.

"Silence your phone!" Li Jinghan frowned slightly and spoke firmly.

"Oh, okay, Mr. Li." Startled, Su Jinqi quickly complied, her nervous palms sweating.

"Ah Can, go to the Civil Affairs Bureau," Li Jinghan instructed.

"Yes, sir."

"What? Mr. Li!" Su Jinqi looked at him in astonishment, asking in disbelief, "Go to the Civil Affairs Bureau? Why are we going there?"

Li Jinghan, with his legs crossed, smirked sarcastically: "Didn't Secretary Su just say you'd do anything to compensate me without a second word? Now you're having second thoughts?"

"No, it's... why get married?" Su Jinqi was clueless. "This isn't something to joke about."

"Since your brother agreed to let you be my girlfriend, it's my business how we proceed." Li Jinghan glanced at her with disdain. "Or are you saying, you only want to sleep with me without seeking a status?"

Su Jinqi didn't want either of those — neither to sleep with him nor to seek a status.

"Can I choose neither?" She thought this and asked it out loud.

Li Jinghan chuckled coldly, "No. You have only one option now, which is to register our marriage with me."

"But, I didn't bring my household registration book."

"That's alright, just having you present is enough."

Hearing his words, Su Jinqi looked at him with uncertainty, but then she thought, who Li Jinghan was — what sort of things couldn't he handle? Her heart sank once more.

"Mr. Li, marriage is serious business, not a child's play; you should think it through." Su Jinqi spoke understandingly. "If we get married, I'm getting the better end of the deal. You're the one at a loss."

"Heh!" Li Jinghan laughed without any hint of warmth in his voice, his tone laced with sarcasm,

"Secretary Su, there's no need to school me in principles. Manage yourself first. I never engage in losing deals!"

Su Jinqi lowered her head, biting her lip, stubbornly thinking that she managed herself quite well.

An hour later, Su Jinqi and Li Jinghan emerged from the Civil Affairs Bureau, her hands clutching a freshly issued marriage certificate. It felt like a dream — had she really married her boss?

"Su Jinqi." Standing before the car, Li Jinghan with his hands in his pockets, said seriously to her: "I have several demands of you, remember them well."

"Mhm." Su Jinqi felt a complex mix of emotions, her voice faint: "Say it, Mr. Li."

"Firstly, keep our marriage hidden. Secondly, while you're with me, stow away your tricks and don't stir up trouble! Thirdly, the marriage lasts one year, and after that, we'll divorce." Li Jinghan looked at her sidelong. "Understood?"

Su Jinqi, head bowed, thought resentfully, unable to understand his motives. If he was so reluctant, then why marry at all? Why tie them together, only to set these ground rules?

All she could do was nod obediently to show she understood.

"Then head back to the office on your own," Li Jinghan said before turning to get in his car to leave.

"Mr. Li," Su Jinqi called after him, and seeing him pause, she mustered the courage to ask: "May I ask why you want to marry me? If you wanted to marry someone, surely there are many people in line; why pick someone like me who's not up to par?"

"Because you just happened to be there!" Li Jinghan gave her a meaningful look before stepping into the car.

Watching the car speed away, Su Jinqi exhaled deeply. His answer might as well have been no answer at all. She looked down at the marriage certificate again and then stashed it in her bag, making her way to the office via the subway.