Marry by Relying on Favor: Chapter 31 - Check In
Chapter 31: Check In
He Qingchi felt utterly exhausted, as if her limbs were bound by soft silk and thrown into a deep abyss. She tried hard to wake up, and the sensation immediately reminded her of years ago—when she took medication for insomnia.
After struggling in her semi-conscious state for a long time, He Qingchi furrowed her brows, and her long lashes finally lifted.
What entered her vision was the dim, unfamiliar master bedroom.
Outside the spacious floor-to-ceiling window was the bustling nightscape of Jiangcheng’s city center. Thick golden curtains hung quietly to the side. On the wide sofa, a man’s suit and shirt were neatly placed—likely recently changed. The only light in the bedroom was a soft lamp casting a gentle glow, not harsh on the eyes in the late-night darkness.
A hotel?
He Qingchi lifted the blanket and sat up. She was still wearing the same dress from earlier that day, her bare feet touching the cold floor.
She opened the door and walked out. The outer suite’s living room was empty, and the study had no lights on.
Wen Shuchen had vanished as if into thin air, leaving her alone in the hotel.
He Qingchi turned back and noticed her phone placed on the coffee table.
She wasn’t the type to track someone’s whereabouts—but waking up alone at 2 a.m. on the night of her wedding made her feel uneasy. So she dialed Wen Shuchen’s number.
The dial tone beeped continuously.
He Qingchi curled up on the sofa, rubbing her brow. Her body still felt weak, like she hadn’t rested properly at all.
She disliked this feeling. During a period of severe insomnia in the past, she had relied too heavily on sleeping pills. Her body eventually became less responsive to the medication, and every time she woke up, she’d feel exactly like this—off balance and disoriented.
Half-conscious, He Qingchi rested her head on the sofa’s armrest, absentmindedly tapping her phone screen with her fingertip.
After one unanswered call, she didn’t dial again.
Song Chao nearly had a heart attack.
Even though he hadn't personally injected the sleeping aid, he had disposed of the used needle himself. Half a dose—how was it possible she’d wake up and check in on Wen Shuchen at 2 a.m.?
Wen Shuchen’s phone was in his hand. Song Chao didn’t dare answer, fearing he’d give something away.
He stared wide-eyed at the screen until the call finally ended, nearly collapsing in relief—only to be supported by someone next to him. When he turned, it was Shu Tongyi’s beautiful face that appeared.
“M-Miss Shu!”
Her assistant teased, “Secretary Song, who’s calling that you’re so nervous? Afraid of getting caught?”
Song Chao quickly stuffed the phone in his pocket, his tongue sharp: “Me? I’m upright and honest—do I look like someone with a guilty conscience? Miss Shu, did you book with Dr. Meng for tonight too? President Wen is still in the consultation room.”
Shu Tongyi, always reserved, gave him a polite nod. “Couldn’t come earlier during the day. Scheduled a nighttime appointment.”
“Understandable. The paparazzi these days are relentless.”
Song Chao remained courteous toward Wen Shuchen’s “female patient.” “Miss Shu, please have a seat. Would you like something to drink?”
Shu Tongyi, long used to such flattery, sat gracefully.
Her cinched-waist gown cleverly hid her leg injury, and her posture remained upright and elegant.
A short while later, even without Song Chao’s help, Dr. Meng’s assistant served her tea.
She waited patiently, her gaze resting on the closed consultation room door.
Just as Song Chao was about to find an excuse to step out for a smoke, he suddenly heard her ask, “Has Mr. Wen been doing well recently?”
“Pretty well,” Song Chao carefully replied.
Her cool expression softened into a rare smile. “Dr. Meng said he hasn’t come for over two months. I was just a little concerned.”
That hit a nerve. Song Chao gave a wry smile: “President Wen takes his medication on time. Even on nights he drinks, he waits until the alcohol wears off before taking it. But he really doesn’t like chatting with psychologists. I’ve scheduled session after session, and he’s blown them all off for dates instead.”
Shu Tongyi’s smile faded slightly. Her assistant knowingly asked, “With that Miss He?”
Song Chao simply smiled and didn’t answer.
At that moment, the consultation room door opened. Wen Shuchen appeared alongside a man in a simple, clean white suit. He wore glasses and looked every bit the accomplished young professional.
Seeing the two men, Shu Tongyi’s smile returned.
“You’re here too, Tongyi.”
Meng Qingchang said, removing his glasses and placing them in his pocket. His voice was calm but warm. “We were just about to eat. Join us?”
Shu Tongyi nodded and looked toward Wen Shuchen. “Mr. Wen.”
Wen Shuchen remained composed. Song Chao approached with the phone.
“She called to check in!”
Wen Shuchen took the phone calmly without even glancing at the caller ID and declined Meng Qingchang’s dinner invitation.
“You and Shu Tongyi go ahead. I’ll return to the hotel.”
Meng Qingchang smiled knowingly and asked quietly, “Empty-handed? How will you face that check-in?”
He was one of the few people who knew about Wen Shuchen’s recent marriage. Having been married three times himself, he knew how to handle these situations.
“Take my advice—bring back some late-night snacks. It’ll smooth things over.”
……
Around 4:50 a.m.
He Qingchi had dozed off on the sofa without even covering herself. The vibration of a message awoke her.
Still groggy, she groped for her phone and lazily tapped the screen, seeing a WeChat message.
From Qu Bixin: [What’s your old man wailing about on WeChat Moments—did he actually marry you off?]
Attached was a screenshot—for convenience.
So, He Qingchi wouldn’t have to dig for it herself.
Yawning, He Qingchi couldn’t help but admire how Qu Bixin could still be this energetic gossiping at such an hour.
She didn’t even need to open the screenshot to guess what her father must have posted. No doubt, he was tossing and turning in bed, unable to sleep over this marriage, and couldn’t help but vent his rich emotions and desire to express himself by posting some poetic, melancholic lines in his Moments.
Faced with Qu Bixin’s curiosity—so intense it could be felt through the screen—He Qingchi was uncharacteristically kind for once and didn’t hide her marriage: [Wen Shuchen went to the He family to propose yesterday, brought along a highly respected elder, and even got my grandma involved. My dad was completely defeated, no surprise there.]
Two seconds later, Qu Bixin responded with a furious screech: [Your old man is useless! Couldn’t he hold out for just one month?! I supported him so hard!]
He Qingchi, confused: [What?]
Qu Bixin: [Shen Fu and I bet on how long it would take Wen Shuchen to win your family over… I said a month, Shen Fu said three days.]
And now? It was done in a day?
He Qingchi didn’t even have the energy to type a reply. She sent a voice message instead: [Qu Bixin, don’t you have anything better to do?!]
Qu Bixin replied with a voice message of her own: [I’m the pitiful one here, okay? As punishment, I have to sleep in the study for a whole month.]
He Qingchi: ???
[Boohoo… Can you cheat a little and not get your marriage certificate with Wen Shuchen this month?]
Qu Bixin followed up with several whiny voice messages.
He Qingchi decided to clarify: [What would’ve happened if you’d won the bet?]
Qu Bixin smiled: [I’d get to sleep in the master bedroom with Shen Fu for a whole month.]
He Qingchi started laughing.
So the reason Qu Bixin couldn’t sleep in the middle of the night was because she lost a bet and now had to sleep alone for a month.
Like hell she was going to help her out. He Qingchi tapped the mic and sent a crystal-clear voice message: [Sorry, I’m going to the Civil Affairs Bureau with Wen Shuchen tomorrow to get our marriage certificate.]
After sending that, she didn’t even give Qu Bixin a chance to explode—she promptly blocked her.
A wicked smile lifted on her face. But just as she turned to set the phone down, her gaze landed on the tall, calm figure of a man standing silently at the bedroom door.
He Qingchi’s smile faded, and she quietly stared at her “newlywed husband” who had mysteriously vanished earlier.
Wen Shuchen walked in without a change in expression, holding a takeout container that was still steaming with delicious aroma.
Once he got closer, his voice came low and a little hesitant: “I figured you’d be hungry if you woke up in the middle of the night… want some crispy roast duck wraps?”
He Qingchi adjusted her posture on the sofa, her lowered lashes hiding her mood. She glanced at the takeout bag from the corner of her eye, then finally said with pursed lips: “Did you run all over Jiangcheng just to find this one portion of crispy duck wrap?”
She wasn’t the type to be easily appeased and didn’t even bother looking at his expression.
Great—less than three days into their marriage and already their first argument.
Wen Shuchen placed the food on the coffee table, tapped his knee with his knuckles as he pondered, and finally spoke honestly: “I went to see an old friend tonight. His last name is Meng. He’s been divorced three times.”
He Qingchi’s attention shifted, half skeptical: “Then why didn’t you answer my call?”
She wouldn’t have gotten mad if he just said he was meeting a friend.
Wen Shuchen, keeping a calm face, used the line Meng Qingchang had advised, coughing lightly: “He just ended his third marriage—was feeling a little down tonight.”
“He’s been divorced twice already and still can’t handle the third one?” He Qingchi remarked dryly.
Wen Shuchen let a faint smile surface and followed up, coaxing her: “Even if he divorces a fourth time, I won’t go out in the middle of the night again.”
He Qingchi let the matter rest. Whether she believed him or not, she didn’t press further.
After all, even though they were married, their relationship wasn’t quite there emotionally yet.
If she pushed too hard, neither of them would end up in a good mood.
“How’s the crispy duck wrap?”
He Qingchi shifted the subject. Wen Shuchen immediately began unpacking the food, his tone softer and more thoughtful than ever: “Try a bite first. Don’t worry about the grease—I’ll brew you some tea afterward.”
He Qingchi bowed her head slightly and took a bite.
“Were you chatting with a friend just now?”
Seeing her enjoy the food, Wen Shuchen suddenly brought up the marriage certificate.
He Qingchi looked up, dark eyes locking onto his.
He smiled gently: “Tomorrow’s a good day. The Civil Affairs Bureau opens at nine. We can rest here for two and a half hours, then go get the certificate.”
He Qingchi immediately regretted accepting his duck wrap. This man—he took every little opening and pushed it further.
She shouldn’t have provoked Qu Bixin either.
Karma had come too fast.
After a minute, He Qingchi swallowed her food and sighed: “Isn’t it too soon to register? I need to be on set tomorrow.”
Wen Shuchen’s gaze lowered, his voice quiet: “Mrs. Wen, are you regretting marrying me?”
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