chapter 4 : Marriage is not a child’s play

"Marriage is not a joke; I never treat my own marriage as fake," Ethan Ye said indifferently, his tone as casual as if he were talking about the weather. Ava An felt like she might burst out laughing if it weren't for the situation. Hearing Ethan Ye say, "Marriage is not child's play," made Ava An find it especially amusing. They had only met a few times, Ava An counted on her fingers, and there were still two fingers left. From the first time they met at the age of seven until now, counting this time, they had met three times. Besides their names, they knew nothing about each other. To marry a stranger like this and claim that marriage isn't a joke, was he serious? "Ethan Ye, did you take your medication today?" Ava An blurted out. Ethan Ye: ... Ethan Ye pressed his temple to suppress an impending headache. He surprisingly had the patience to say, "You need someone to rely on. Marrying me is safer than a fake engagement. We'll get married, and you'll become my wife. In S City, you can stand tall." "Why would I need to stand tall? I'm not a tortoise," Ava An blurted out again. Ethan Ye: ... This time, Ethan Ye didn't stop himself, and his temple visibly throbbed. Of course, as soon as Ava An said this, she regretted it. She bit her lip and wished she could give herself a good slap. Why did she have to be so quick with her tongue? Seeing that Ethan Ye's face had turned dark, Ava An felt even more like slapping herself. She was about to say something to salvage the situation when suddenly there was a knock at the door. Boom, boom, boom! The three not-so-loud knocks sounded like they were pounding on Ava An's heart, startling her. Ethan Ye, with a stern face, said, "Come in." The assistant, hearing the response, cautiously opened the door. He sensed the tense atmosphere in the office even before entering and took a careful look at Ethan Ye, noticing his dark expression. He immediately became cautious and reminded, "Mr. Ye, the car is ready, and you should head to the airport." Ethan Ye responded with a deep "Hmm," got up from his chair, jotted down a series of numbers on a notepad, tore it off, and walked towards Ava An. As he approached, Ava An could finally see his full height, nearly 6'1", and he exuded a heavier presence. His well-tailored suit accentuated his perfect physique, making him appear like a walking mannequin. "Take this. I'll be on a business trip for a week. Consider it and give me a call," Ethan Ye said, stopping briefly next to her. With a flick of his wrist, the light from the diamond cufflinks at his sleeve cuff reflected into Ava An's eyes, causing her to squint slightly. Ava An, almost involuntarily, took the note, holding it tightly in her hand. ... When Emily Song returned home from the law firm, she saw Ava An comfortably lounging on the sofa, holding a highball glass she had just bought. Inside the glass was a red wine she had cherished for a long time. The wine bottle on the table was already half empty, and Emily Song's heart ached a little. "Ava An, you better give me a good reason for drinking my red wine. If it's not something particularly worth celebrating, I'll throw you off the balcony," Emily Song scolded, hands on her hips. Ava An looked up, her fair face now sporting a faint blush from the alcohol, making her look more pleasing. Seeing her, Emily Song's anger diminished somewhat. Oh, it's easier to tolerate someone when they have a good-looking face. Emily Song sat down in frustration, grabbed the remaining half-bottle of wine, and poured herself a half glass before asking, "So, did Ethan Ye agree to a fake engagement with you?" Ava An shook her head vigorously. Emily Song, not very ladylike, heaved a sigh and said, "I thought you were celebrating, but it seems you're drowning your sorrows. Ava An, where is your pride? You were rejected for engagement, and I never thought Ethan Ye would agree." "Yeah, he said marriage is not child's play, and it can't be used as a negotiation condition. So, after careful consideration, he said he wants to marry me," Ava An replied seriously. Pfft... Emily Song had just taken a sip of wine when she sprayed it all out. "Cough, cough..." Emily Song choked on the wine, and it took her a while to ask, "Ava, you're not drunk, are you?" ..