Chapter 5: Our Contractual Marriage

Ning Qinghuan gave a bitter laugh. "A-Jin, you don't understand. I never really had any friends. Only Yun Zhuo was truly good to me. Can you understand that?"

Pei Jin didn't want to force her.

Their relationship was still a tangled mess.

Neither had confessed, but in Pei Jin's heart, he had already chosen her.

Once he shook off the burden of Xu Yun Zhuo, he would throw himself wholeheartedly into being with Ning Qinghuan.

...

It was half an hour later when Pei Jin saw Xu Yun Zhuo again.

He gazed at him with an impassive face.

There was something off about Xu Yun Zhuo, Pei Jin thought. The face was the same—charming and beautiful, as seductive as a begonia blossom.

But those icy eyes suppressed any trace of allure.

"Let's go. Take me to see Pei Qiaonian right now."

Pei Qiaonian didn't even bother to look at him.

Pei Jin kept his face cold. "I hope you keep your word. After I bring you to my brother, don't come pestering me again."

Pei Qiaonian sneered, "Oh?"

Pei Jin quickly led Pei Qiaonian to the old Pei family residence.

"When we go in, mind your manners, don't—"

He hadn't finished speaking.

Pei Qiaonian, as if utterly familiar with the place, strode in without a pause.

Inside, Xu Yun Zhuo lay languidly on a recliner, a servant on either side—one massaging her shoulders, another kneading her legs. A third stood in front, feeding her fruit. The expression on her face was pure contentment.

He had expected her to be cowering in fear in the old house, but instead, she was living in comfort, utterly unafraid of death.

His eyes flashed cold as he watched Xu Yun Zhuo use his body to do such things. His anger boiled over, unable to be contained. "Xu Yun Zhuo!"

Xu Yun Zhuo was startled out of her wits, and on opening her eyes, found her own impressive 36D chest glaring back at her, and above it, a gaze that seemed like it wanted to tear her apart.

"Ah! Oh, crap, crap, I'm doomed!"

She shrieked, cursing nonstop, her face pale as she turned and bolted upstairs, not even bothering to put on her shoes.

The real owner had arrived. Oh no, she was finished. If the system didn't come back soon, who would collect her corpse? She didn't want to die in a strange land.

Pei Qiaonian's blood pressure skyrocketed as he stood there.

A man of 188 centimeters, shrieking as he scrambled up the stairs on all fours as if chased by ghosts.

Downstairs, the servants were dumbstruck, exchanging looks but daring not to make a sound.

In his twenty-seven years, Pei Qiaonian had never experienced such utter social destruction. His face flushed, then paled, then darkened to green, until finally it settled into pure despair.

Damn it, how had he gotten mixed up in this mess?

He didn't care about anything else now and simply charged upstairs.

Chaos reigned below.

Xu Yun Zhuo had just slipped into a room when the door was slammed shut and locked from the inside by Pei Qiaonian a moment later.

The room was small. Xu Yun Zhuo pressed herself against the frosted glass of the bathroom door, trembling as Pei Qiaonian slowly approached.

Despite being in her body, only 168 centimeters tall, his aura was overwhelming. Xu Yun Zhuo nearly collapsed in terror.

In the next instant, a pair of soft hands gripped her neck tightly. Pei Qiaonian let out a cold laugh. "Is this fun for you?"

Xu Yun Zhuo struggled, tears welling in her eyes.

Who would have thought—a tall man of 188 centimeters couldn't break free from the grip of someone 168 centimeters tall? The strength was terrifying, making Xu Yun Zhuo believe Pei Qiaonian truly meant to kill her.

Clutching his hand with all her might, Xu Yun Zhuo sobbed, tears and snot running down her face, choking on her own cries. "Pei Qiaonian, calm down! Even if you kill me now, it won't get your body back!"

But he only smirked. "Why not try and find out?"

Xu Yun Zhuo whimpered, "Don't do anything to hurt your own body because of me. It's not worth it. And if I die, you might have to live in my body for the rest of your life! Can you bear that?"

She was betting he couldn't.

Stars danced before her eyes, and just as she thought she was done for, he finally relented and released her.

Xu Yun Zhuo coughed violently and looked up at him.

Pei Qiaonian gazed at his own tear-stained face, finding it more hideous with every glance. He fought down the urge to strangle Xu Yun Zhuo again, pinched her cheeks, his temple throbbing with anger. "Don't you dare cry with my face!"

"Hic." Xu Yun Zhuo couldn't help but hiccup through her sobs.

Pei Qiaonian: "..."

Seeing the fear in her eyes, he snorted inwardly. At least she was scared now.

"We'll figure out a way to switch back soon."

Xu Yun Zhuo reached for her neck, the Adam's apple there hard and jarring to the touch. Her gaze drifted to her own 36D chest, and tears nearly fell again.

Her luck was truly wretched.

Pei Qiaonian mused, "Let's do what we did before—fall down the stairs."

Xu Yun Zhuo replied, "What if we die?"

He fell silent.

Pei Qiaonian eyed the thick bandages around his head—his own body hadn't come out of the last fall unscathed.

Xu Yun Zhuo could die, but he couldn't take that risk.

So he discarded the idea.

"Let's try getting hit by a car?"

Xu Yun Zhuo protested, "But what if we die?"

Her eyes were wide and moist. For the first time, Pei Qiaonian realized his own face was capable of so many emotions.

He stared at her, deep in thought.

Xu Yun Zhuo was convinced this wretch wanted her dead.

She had to hold on until that useless system returned.

So she suggested, "President Pei, why don't we wait and see if another opportunity arises? What you suggested is too risky and unreliable. I mean, I don't care, but what if your precious body gets hurt? Trust me, during this time I won't do anything improper with your body. If you tell me to go east, I won't go west. If you tell me to poop, I won't pee instead. I'll be your loyal dog—I'm really good at that."

Pei Qiaonian eyed her coldly. Xu Yun Zhuo's gaze was sincere. For the sake of her own life, she was ready to resign herself to anything.

After about a minute, Pei Qiaonian finally accepted the reality—switching back would require some kind of opportunity, just as Xu Yun Zhuo said. He didn't want to take unnecessary risks until he had to.

But with Xu Yun Zhuo in his body, he worried she would run his vast corporation into the ground, and he couldn't keep an eye on her. Who knew what she might do with his body?

Pei Qiaonian did not trust Xu Yun Zhuo.

She was once hopelessly in love with Pei Jin.

Pei Jin's fiancée.

Xu Yun Zhuo shrank under his gaze, clutching her neck protectively.

Once was enough—she did not want to be strangled again.

After a long while, his expression twisted as if he'd swallowed something foul. "We'll get married."

Bang.

"Ouch!"

Xu Yun Zhuo, startled, smacked the back of her head against the bathroom door. The spot was already sore, and now it hurt even more. Tears welled up again, this time purely from pain.

She stared at him, eyes brimming with tears. "What did you say?"

Her once charming face was now harsh and imposing under his control. His voice was icy. "We'll have a contract marriage."