9. Marriage and Cohabitation
Upon hearing this, Yan Hao's heart finally settled. He felt immensely grateful that Tao Xinyu's blind dates had all failed—this was how the opportunity had come to him.
"What about you? Why are you here for a blind date too? With your qualifications, you don't even need a marriage agency, do you? With looks like yours, there are probably countless women chasing after you." Tao Xinyu was equally curious about why Yan Hao had shown up here.
"Since my company has stationed me in Taiwan long-term, I want to settle down and build a life here. I've reached that age where I'd like to find stability." Yan Hao spoke softly.
"That makes sense. Since you'll be living here long-term, you should find someone to settle down with." Tao Xinyu replied calmly, though she couldn't help feeling a small pang of discomfort. The first thing Yan Hao did upon arriving in Taiwan was go on a blind date, not look for her. Before parting in Poland, she had clearly seen reluctance in his eyes and had thought he harbored feelings for her. Yet here he was, not only failing to contact her but instead seeking marriage through a matchmaking service. The realization left her feeling somewhat stifled.
"I heard you mention that your reason for seeking marriage comes from necessity. Even so, I want to ask you again—do you truly wish to get married?" Yan Hao's expression was serious as he asked, causing Tao Xinyu's heart to tighten instantly.
Moments ago, she had felt bothered by the fact that Yan Hao was here on a blind date. But now, seeing him ask so earnestly whether she truly wanted to marry, Tao Xinyu couldn't bring herself to lie. She felt flustered, her heart racing like a startled deer.
"I want to get married, but I hope the person I marry will accept my family as part of the package. Unfortunately, such a person is not easy to find." Tao Xinyu spoke honestly.
A flash of understanding crossed Yan Hao's eyes. Regardless of her reasons for wanting marriage, as long as she "wanted to marry," everything else was trivial to him.
"You needn't worry about your father. That's not a problem for me." Yan Hao's seemingly out-of-nowhere assurance about her father left Tao Xinyu momentarily speechless.
"W-wait a minute..." Tao Xinyu's face went blank as she cautiously asked, "Yan Hao, why... are you... giving me such assurance about my father?"
Yan Hao's gaze sharpened. With a serious look in his eyes fixed on Tao Xinyu, he slowly spoke:
"What do you think?"
The question left Tao Xinyu at a loss for words. She began to feel flustered. She understood what Yan Hao was implying, but she was afraid of misinterpreting. At this moment, she truly needed a strong man to protect her and her family. Yet Yan Hao's qualifications were so exceptional that she felt she didn't deserve him.
"I... I don't know..." Tao Xinyu's inferiority complex took over, and she cowardly retreated, not daring to voice what she truly thought.
"Tao Xinyu, we're on a blind date, aren't we? Isn't that for the purpose of marriage? You need to marry because of your father, and I need to marry because I want to settle down. If your father isn't a problem for me, then there shouldn't be any obstacles between us, should there?" Yan Hao gave Tao Xinyu no room to evade, directly stating his intentions.
"I won't deny that we share a strong connection. I do have considerable feelings for you. But I never imagined we would so quickly reach the point of discussing marriage." Tao Xinyu gently expressed her true feelings.
"Perhaps you and I are fated to become husband and wife. Perhaps everything that's happened between us is destiny." Yan Hao's words struck like a tonic, making it impossible for Tao Xinyu to escape his spell.
"My family is dysfunctional. My father comes demanding money from the three of us every few days, and if we don't comply, he becomes abusive. He's like a debt collection agency. Are you sure you want to marry a woman who grew up in such a household?" Tao Xinyu's watery eyes were filled with doubt. She couldn't believe anyone would willingly become her partner for life.
Yan Hao's expression didn't change. His resolve was firm, and he felt no fear toward her despicable father.
"Yes, let's marry. From now on, with me in your world, you needn't fear the darkness coming." Yan Hao's words carried profound meaning.
To Tao Xinyu's ears, this was like a stabilizing agent, giving her immense security. She thought she would never find someone as accepting of her broken family as Yan Hao. A sweet smile spread across her face as she finally gave her formal response:
"In that case, let's follow fate's will."
---
The next morning, Yan Hao promptly went with Tao Xinyu to register their marriage.
Though Tao Xinyu found the speed somewhat excessive, she agreed to Yan Hao's request. After all, she didn't have the luxury of time to reconsider. Her father would surely come demanding money again soon, and she was powerless against such a scoundrel.
Yan Hao bought a spacious new apartment in the redevelopment area next to her independent bookstore. He said he wasn't used to living with strangers, but since they were now married, he would have to overcome that discomfort and live with her—it was his duty as a husband.
Tao Xinyu had repeatedly suggested she could continue living in her bookstore after marriage and wouldn't disturb him, but Yan Hao firmly rejected this idea. He believed marriage wasn't a game. Since they were husband and wife, they should live under the same roof. For Yan Hao, there was also the important task of bearing offspring to consider—he would never agree to separate living arrangements.
The day after registering their marriage, Yan Hao had Tao Xinyu bring her mother and brother for dinner at a restaurant, allowing everyone to meet.
Tao Xinyu's mother formed an excellent impression of Yan Hao. Though he wasn't particularly warm and seemed somewhat distant in his interactions with Tao Xinyu, she could see he was making a genuine effort to fulfill his role as a son-in-law. He was refined, elegant, yet carried a distinguished air—clearly a man of substance, different from ordinary men.
She knew they had met through the marriage agency, but she found it puzzling: how could such an outstanding man, with the bearing of someone from wealth and status, need to find a match through an agency? This raised a small doubt in her mind about this mysterious man.
But it was too late—her daughter was already married. It seemed Tao Xinyu must truly like him, otherwise she wouldn't have registered their marriage so quickly. She hadn't even acted so impulsively with her first love back then. This sudden marriage surprised her. She had thought her daughter would take her time choosing, but she had completed the marriage formalities with this handsome man in record time.
Tao Xinyu spent two days moving, transferring her belongings into Yan Hao's apartment. Seeing their clothes side by side in the same closet finally made her feel like she was married.
After settling everything, Tao Xinyu had to confront a thorny issue.
She and Yan Hao had never even held hands. They were still essentially strangers. Yet tonight, they would begin living under the same roof, sleeping in the same bed—a prospect she found extremely awkward.
She went to Yan Hao's study door and knocked. After a moment, she heard his low voice:
"Come in."
Entering the study, she saw Yan Hao wearing only a black bathrobe. The room was dimly lit, his tall figure leaning casually against a leather chair, his eyes fixed on her with an obscure gaze.
"I... I have something to say..." In this moment, Yan Hao seemed utterly different from his daytime self. No longer refined and courteous, his gaze held a dark intensity that made her inexplicably tremble, her speech faltering.
"What is it? Speak." Yan Hao asked without hesitation.
"Well... tonight... where should I sleep? This apartment has only three rooms—the master bedroom, the study, and a walk-in closet. I... I have nowhere to sleep..." Tao Xinyu summoned her courage to voice these words. After speaking, her heart raced uncontrollably.
Yan Hao didn't respond immediately, his dark gaze fixed on her. She stood by the door, not daring to meet his eyes, staring at the floor instead, feeling anxious in the silence.
After staring at her intently for a moment, he slowly spoke:
"We've just married, and you already want separate rooms?" There was a hint of dissatisfaction in his voice.
Tao Xinyu pressed her lips together, thinking that she should speak frankly. She simply wasn't ready for intimacy with a man she barely knew, so she had hoped they could sleep apart. She felt it was better to wait until the timing was right before fulfilling their marital duties. She didn't want him to misunderstand. Taking a deep breath, she began:
"Yan Hao..." But before she could finish, he cut her off.
"Don't call me Yan Hao anymore. We're husband and wife now. Call me by my given name, or call me 'hubby.' Understood?" His tone was like a supreme emperor's command, leaving Tao Xinyu stunned. She blinked her wide eyes at this man who suddenly felt so unfamiliar.
Yan Hao understood Tao Xinyu's concerns. She wasn't yet ready to be a wife, hadn't truly accepted him as her husband. They had no experience with intimacy, and expecting her to accept him immediately was unrealistic.
So he spoke again:
"I understand your reservations. I can give you time to accept me. But I won't agree to separate rooms. We'll split the king bed in the master bedroom in two. Until you're ready to accept me, I won't cross that boundary. That's my maximum compromise. What do you think?"
Tao Xinyu hadn't expected Yan Hao to fully understand her feelings, nor that he would respect her wishes and give her time. For this alone, she felt she hadn't made a mistake in marrying him.
A grateful smile slowly spread across her face. Though this man's personality was reserved and sometimes hard to read, he was deeply respectful of her, increasing her fondness for him even more.
"Alright. Since this is your maximum concession, I'm willing to go along. I hope you'll keep your word—until I'm ready, you won't cross that line." Tao Xinyu smiled, reaching an understanding with Yan Hao. She didn't linger, leaving the study after speaking.
Watching her trust him so completely, Yan Hao's handsome brow furrowed slightly. He sighed inwardly. He almost wished Tao Xinyu wouldn't trust him so much—that way, if he couldn't control himself and went back on his word, he wouldn't feel so guilty toward her.
Thus began the married life of these two who barely knew each other.
***
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