Let's go home

Inside Yan Rouxi's apartment. 

After a simple breakfast, Xia Yuqing sat on the couch, her eyes glued to the screen, fully immersed in an over-the-top modern-day drama. Oh, how she envied these people.

This world was truly a paradise! So full of entertainment and fun. 

If only she had television back in the palace… sigh.

Imagine the possibilities! Instead of dealing with those brainless concubines fighting for the emperor's favor, she could've been enjoying binge-watching sessions with some imperial popcorn. Truly, a wasted lifetime.

Anyway, right now, she was hooked on a ridiculously addictive drama called "Mr. Lu, Your Wife Doesn't Want to Come Back." The plot? Classic! The male lead fell in love with a poor girl, but his rich, scheming mother said "absolutely not" and did everything to break them up.

But, the couple stayed strong and even got married in secret. However, the evil mother-in-law succeeded in creating a big misunderstanding between the couple, leading the female lead to believe that the male lead didn't want her anymore. 

Heartbroken, the female lead ran abroad only to come back a few years later, and guess what? The male lead never forgot her. Seeing her, he starts stalking her—ahem, trying to get her back.

Now, in the current episode, the male lead had tracked down her apartment and was about to drag her back home like a caveman.

Xia Yuqing bit into the apple, watching with fascination. Honestly, she was hooked because of two simple reasons:-

a) The drama was addictively dumb.

b) The male lead's name was Lu Jinchen.

Which, coincidentally, was also the name of her contract husband. What an irony.

Watching the male lead get repeatedly rejected by the female lead? She was delighted. She took another satisfied bite of her apple as if personally savoring the poor man's suffering. Serves him right. 

Ding-Dong

The male lead pressed the apartment bell of the female's lead door. Coincidentally, Yan Rouxi's doorbell rang at the exact same moment.

Yan Rouxi who was cleaning the dishes in the kitchen froze. She glanced at the door, wondering who would come to visit her at this hour. She quickly wiped her hand and walked out of the kitchen. 

Ding-dong. Ding-dong.

The doorbell rang again, getting slightly aggressive.

"Coming..." Yan Rouxi's voice rang out. She rushed to the door and opened it only to be frozen in place. Her cheeks flushed. Because standing there, right outside her door, was a man so ridiculously handsome that she momentarily considered whether she had died and ascended to heaven.

How was this legal? How could one human be this good-looking?

Her heart did a triple backflip. She could almost feel Cupid's Arrow hitting her heart. 

"Uh… yes?" she stammered, forcing herself to act normal.

The man, completely ignoring her existence, stepped into the apartment like he owned the place.

Yan Rouxi's jaw dropped. The Cupid's Arrow was gone. "Excuse me?! Who do you think you are?! You can't just walk into someone's house like this! I don't care how handsome you are, I will call the police!"

No response. The man didn't even spare her a glance.

Yan Rouxi gasped. "Hey, stop! Stop right there!" she screamed, rushing after the man. "Handsome men aren't allowed to commit crimes just because they're handsome!"

Lu Jinchen ignored her and strode straight into the living room, his sharp gaze landed on Xia Yuqing, who was sitting comfortably on the couch, happily gnawing on her apple like it was the most important thing in the world.

His lips twitched. This crazy woman... He had been worried sick, and here she was, enjoying snacks like a retired empress?

He walked over and stopped beside her. "Let's go."

Unfortunately, at that exact moment, the male lead on TV also said something similar. "Let's go home." But the female lead refused him. 

Xia Yuqing nodded approvingly. Yes, female lead, hold your ground! Reject that rich bastard! Make him work for it!

Wait…

She paused. Something felt off. Why did the voice sound like it came from right beside her?

Slowly, she turned her head. The apple slipped from her fingers and hit the couch with a soft thud.

"L-Lu... Lu Jinchen?!"

Lu Jinchen smiled, but it wasn't a friendly smile. "Having fun?" 

Xia Yuqing frowned. "What are you doing here?"

"Picking you up. Let's go."

"Go where?"

"Home. My home. We're married now, remember? Starting today, you are living with me." 

Xia Yuqing stared at him in horror. Live… live with him? The man who looked exactly like the emperor?! Absolutely not! She liked it here! Living with Yan Rouxi was nice! She refused!

She crossed her arms. "No. I'm not going anywhere. You go back."

Lu Jinchen's brow twitched. "You don't have a choice."

Xia Yuqing acted as if she didn't hear him and turned back to the TV. Ah, the female lead was also rejecting Lu Jinchen, the male lead. She nodded approvingly. Yes! That's the right attitude! Stand your ground! Reject him!

Seeing this, Lu Jinchen sighed deeply and pinched the bridge of his nose. He was about to say something when his eyes fell on her bandaged ankle and he frowned. Was she injured again? His expression darkened. "What happened to your leg?"

Silence.

His face turned colder. "Xia Yuqing."

Still, she refused to answer.

Fed up, Lu Jinchen leaned down and without any warning, he picked her up. One moment, she was sitting on the couch comfortably, the next, she was in someone's arms. 

Xia Yuqing's eyes widened in shock and her face burned. "YOU—YOU—YOU—WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!"

"Taking you home," he replied flatly. 

Xia Yuqing glared at him, her face turning bright red as she wriggled in his arms. "Lu Jinchen put me down now!! You can't do this! Just because we're married doesn't mean you can force me to do whatever you want! Even I know the laws of this world! You can't force a woman against her will!" 

Coincidently, at this moment, the female lead on TV screamed something along the same lines

"AHHHHHH!!! LU JINCHEN, YOU BASTARD!!! HOW DARE YOU PICK ME UP?!! I'M CALLING THE COPS!! THIS IS KIDNAPPING!! SOMEBODY HELP! A WEAK, DELICATE WOMAN IS BEING ABDUCTED BY A HANDSOME, RICH TYRANT—"

Lu Jinchen froze. His gaze snapped to the screen.

Then to Xia Yuqing.

Then back to the screen.

Then back to Xia Yuqing.

The almost same ridiculous dialogue. The exact same absurd situation.

His eye twitched. What the hell was this show? Who produced this nonsense? 

Why did it feel like he was being personally attacked?!

And more importantly— WHO HAD THE AUDACITY TO GIVE THE MALE LEAD HIS NAME?!?!