Chapter 30: Married for Three Years?!!

Feeling the unfamiliar flutter in her heart, Qin Mengxue couldn’t help but question herself—was she actually moved by her fiancé? Was it just a gift that made her heart race?

She toyed with the ring in her hand, her delicate face flushed as pink as a ripe peach, irresistibly charming.

Xue Tian’ai was momentarily stunned by her reaction. Was she really so easily swayed? If all it took was a simple gesture, how had she not been taken by someone else long ago?

“Wife, don’t tell me you’re falling for me. Are you feeling the urge to pounce on me now? Heh, if you want to consummate our marriage tonight, I wouldn’t mind at all.” Xue Tian’ai deliberately teased her, trying to test her current mood.

Qin Mengxue trembled slightly at his words, a hint of panic flickering in her eyes. Had she really been moved? She turned to Xue Tian’ai in confusion.

But when she saw his smug, mischievous grin, all the stirrings in her heart vanished instantly, replaced only by an overwhelming urge to slap him.

So, it was just the unfamiliar feeling of receiving a gift from the opposite sex for the first time—not love. She still couldn’t accept this convenient fiancé.

Her expression returned to normal as she replied coldly, “Are you kidding me? Did you really think a ring would win my heart? You underestimate me.”

“Do you have to be so heartless? I’m your husband, you know. Isn’t it natural for a wife to feel something for her husband?” Xue Tian’ai feigned disappointment, though he secretly breathed a sigh of relief. If Qin Mengxue could be won over this easily, he’d truly have something to worry about.

Yet both of them overlooked something important—something almost magical: destiny. Love is a mysterious and unpredictable thing. Sometimes, two people with all the right conditions and opportunities simply aren’t meant to be, while others find their soulmate over the smallest of incidents.

Love at first sight, destined encounters—even if you don’t meet at the perfect time, perhaps you’ll fall in love at exactly the right moment.

But neither Xue Tian’ai nor Qin Mengxue considered this possibility. At twenty-three, the beloved daughter of fate had never loved or even liked a man her age. Xue Tian’ai, though experienced with women, had never truly felt anything beyond physical release. Perhaps with Siyue from the Four Palaces, there was something different, but the emotional part of his heart hadn’t yet awakened to that realization.

“How much did this ring cost?” Qin Mengxue broke the silence, curious since Xue Tian’ai had mentioned it was expensive.

“One hundred,” Xue Tian’ai replied casually.

“One million?” Qin Mengxue pressed.

“One billion,” Xue Tian’ai answered without a trace of concern.

“How much?” Qin Mengxue was stunned, certain she must have misheard. One ring worth one billion? Impossible.

“One billion. I may have been away for years, but I still speak Mandarin pretty clearly, don’t I?” Xue Tian’ai looked at her, puzzled by her reaction.

“Wait, let me get this straight. Are you telling me I’m holding a ring worth one billion right now? You’re not fooling me, are you?” Qin Mengxue simply couldn’t believe such an expensive ring existed.

“Come on, why would I lie about this? You have no idea—there’s only one of these rings in the entire world!”

“You spent a billion on this thing?” Qin Mengxue felt as if her heart were bleeding. A billion was not a trivial sum—not even the funds she’d prepared for her company’s major investment reached that amount, yet her fiancé bought a ring with it?

Was this some fantasy drama or did he pay in ghost money?

“To be precise, I didn’t buy it—I won it at an auction. It was held at a club. So, I didn’t go fool around!” Xue Tian’ai clarified.

“Wait, I still can’t wrap my head around this. You spent a billion on that?” Qin Mengxue felt her brain was about to short-circuit.

“Yeah, it wasn’t supposed to be so expensive, but some idiot from Dubai kept bidding against me. The price shot up from a few million dollars to a billion.” As Xue Tian’ai spoke, he recalled the new Dubai tycoon, Barat, who’d competed with him at the auction. Barat had even called him a cockroach and threatened to settle accounts later. In the end, he’d forgotten all about it and never made Barat pay for his insolence—a missed opportunity.

“Wait—did you say dollars? Not RMB, but US dollars?” Qin Mengxue felt dizzy. A billion dollars—nearly ten billion RMB—spent on a ring in a moment of spite? The group she managed, Menghua Group, was worth only a few billion RMB in total.

“Yes,” Xue Tian’ai replied matter-of-factly.

“Where did you get that kind of money?” Qin Mengxue took a sip of her Pu’er tea, trying to calm herself.

“Do you really want to know?” Xue Tian’ai probed cautiously.

“Yes, just say it.”

“Well, actually, it’s the dowry money from my family,” Xue Tian’ai lied, deciding it was best not to reveal his darker, assassin side to her.

“What? Dowry money?” Every word from Xue Tian’ai felt like a blow to Qin Mengxue.

“Yeah, didn’t I tell you I used to make those films in Japan? My family didn’t like to acknowledge me, but they still gave the dowry.” He chuckled.

“So, the dowry meant for me was turned into a ring instead?”

“Wife, you’re so smart!” Xue Tian’ai praised her.

Qin Mengxue was speechless. This man was unbelievable—spending a billion dollars on a ring, even if it was stunning, was absurd. That money could have propelled Menghua Group to new heights.

If only she knew that the ring cost not just a billion dollars, but also a promise from Phantom Butterfly, the assassin god, she’d be even more at a loss.

“Wife, I spent all the dowry money. You’ll have to take care of me from now on,” Xue Tian’ai said pitifully, picking up her Pu’er tea and taking a sip.

“Tsk tsk, not bad! This coffee tastes great! What brand is it?”

Spendthrift—that was the first word that flashed through Qin Mengxue’s mind. This man had no concept of money. And what was he doing now? Drinking from her cup, calling her Pu’er tea coffee? He was truly one of a kind.

“That’s my cup! And it’s not coffee, it’s Pu’er tea!” she gritted her teeth, her face dark with anger.

“What’s yours is mine, isn’t it? What’s the difference?” Xue Tian’ai replied nonchalantly, taking another sip. “So it’s Pu’er tea—good tea, good tea.”

“Xue Tian’ai, let me remind you, I have not agreed to this marriage. If I get the chance, I will annul it,” Qin Mengxue said fiercely.

Xue Tian’ai was about to retort when a sudden, urgent knocking interrupted him.

Qin Mengxue looked at him, puzzled. “Who could be knocking at your door?”

Xue Tian’ai shrugged. “I haven’t been back in ten years—how would I know?”

“Then go open it,” Qin Mengxue commanded, adopting the air of the icy CEO she was at work.

“Come on, wife, look at me—how can I answer the door like this?” Xue Tian’ai pointed at his bare upper body.

Qin Mengxue paused, suddenly aware of her own embarrassment. She’d been talking to a shirtless Xue Tian’ai all this time—a scenario she’d never have imagined before. Yet he seemed unconcerned, only shy in front of strangers.

The knocking continued. Under his eager gaze, she shook her head helplessly and went to answer the door herself.

Opening it, she found a nervous young courier holding a small package. “Excuse me, is this Miss Qin Mengxue’s residence?”

“Yes,” Qin Mengxue replied, though inwardly she was full of questions. She’d only lived here two days—how could she be receiving a package? And shouldn’t the courier ask for Mr. Xue Tian’ai instead? Why address it to her?

Could someone have sent her something? That was unlikely—no one should know she was here. Or was it something Xue Tian’ai ordered?

“This is your package. Please sign here,” the courier said, clearly anxious—perhaps intimidated by the grandeur of the villa or simply inexperienced.

Though Qin Mengxue had many doubts, she quickly signed and accepted the package.

Returning inside, she waved the parcel. “Is this something you ordered?”

Xue Tian’ai, having overheard from inside, replied, “Why would I have it sent in your name?”

“Then what is it? I haven’t bought anything.”

Xue Tian’ai frowned, eyeing the package suspiciously. Sensing nothing unusual, he shrugged. “Just open it and see.”

Qin Mengxue nodded and tore open the package, emptying its contents.

In the next moment, both she and Xue Tian’ai were dumbfounded. Two small red booklets fell out, the words “Marriage Certificate” stamped in bold on the covers.

“What on earth…?” Xue Tian’ai asked in shock.

Qin Mengxue didn’t answer. An ominous feeling crept over her as she picked up the red booklets and flipped them open.

At a glance, her mind went blank, her limbs turning cold.

There it was—her name, his name, their photos, all the information matching perfectly. These were official marriage certificates, complete with the large red national seal of China.

The photo of them together must have been edited, but it was flawless—no sign of tampering.

Qin Mengxue felt her entire worldview collapse. She had no idea when, but she was already married to this fiancé.

According to the date, it had been three years—since she’d just reached the legal age for marriage!

In other words, she had been married for three years already?!