Volume One, Chapter Three: The Second Trigger Point

In the afternoon, Xu Qingning took her identification and went to the Civil Affairs Bureau, where she received the marriage certificate from Pei Xi.

As she stepped out of the bureau, she thought to herself: she had never really taken a good look at the little red booklet in her hands.

Previously, she had been so focused on completing missions that she had tossed the marriage certificate aside without care, and in the end, she didn’t even know where it ended up.

This time, after holding it, she opened it and looked inside. The two people in the photo looked quite well-matched. She thought that back then, she should have smiled a little wider.

As for Pei Xi, his smile looked much the same as usual, yet there was something different about it that she couldn’t quite place.

Before she could figure it out, the red booklet was snatched from her hands. Instinctively, she stepped back and bumped into Pei Xi’s embrace.

Turning around, she reached out to retrieve the marriage certificate.

“Why are you taking it away?” she asked.

Pei Xi chuckled softly, bent down close to her ear, and whispered, “Anyway, Qingqing, you tend to misplace things, don’t you?”

Xu Qingning’s eyes widened slightly. “You—you…”

“Shh… this isn’t the place to talk. I’ll explain everything tonight.”

With that, Pei Xi straightened up. “Let’s go. The Pei family is waiting for us.”

Xu Qingning looked at his back, her expression complex. So that’s how he knew she had a habit of losing the marriage certificate—it was Pei Xi himself all along.

Humph, since he hadn’t agreed to help her trigger the hidden ending, she was definitely going to hold him accountable!

But for now, the more pressing matter was Pei Xi’s uncle.

That old man, relying on his status, insisted on having a family dinner. From her perspective, it was just an excuse to openly poison them.

She hadn’t forgotten how she and Pei Xi almost died in the hospital after that dinner.

Though it had been a case of fighting fire with fire, such a tactic—hurting the enemy a thousand, but oneself eight hundred—was something she never wished to endure again.

She glanced toward Pei Xi, who was standing by the car not far away, and made a plan in her heart.

On the way to the Pei residence, Xu Qingning couldn't help but keep her eyes on Pei Xi, but since the others were his uncle’s men, she couldn’t say much.

As the car hit a speed bump, she let out a small cry and threw herself into Pei Xi’s arms. “Does this driver even know how to drive? Husband, I’m so scared! He won’t drive us into a ditch, will he?”

Pei Xi patted her back reassuringly. “Don’t be afraid. Uncle Yang’s driving skills are excellent. That was just an accident. If you’re scared, just hold onto me.”

The embrace came naturally. Hearing Pei Xi’s words, the driver in front snorted coldly and stopped complaining.

The next moment, the system’s voice sounded.

[Hidden point triggered. Would you like to activate it?]

“Activate, activate, activate!” Xu Qingning had no time for hidden points now; she had more important things to do.

Leaning against Pei Xi, her hand sneakily slipped inside his suit jacket, and she began to write carefully on his back.

[Don’t eat the meal, it’s poisoned.]

She wanted to write more, but Pei Xi’s arms wrapped around her waist and lifted her up, seating her steadily on his lap.

Just then, the car entered a tunnel that stretched quite a distance—if she remembered correctly, it would take nearly ten minutes to pass through completely.

Warm breath brushed her ear, accompanied by Pei Xi’s slightly hoarse voice. “Sorry, Qingqing.”

“Hmm? Mmm…”

An intimate sound followed. The two in the front exchanged a glance in the darkness, then switched on the overhead light, raising the shelf and leaving the backseat to grow warmer.

Surrounded by the unfamiliar yet familiar scent of wormwood, Xu Qingning felt dizzy, her consciousness barely holding on.

Had Pei Xi kissed her? Her first kiss—just like that, fresh and fleeting—was gone?

The sound of her heartbeat was unusually clear in the dark. She couldn’t remember resisting; she could only follow Pei Xi’s rhythm, obediently yielding to him.

Fortunately, Pei Xi didn’t kiss her for long. Afraid he might lose control, he silently counted to a hundred in his mind, and when he felt his oxygen running low, he reluctantly let go.

Still, his heart raced. Holding her close, he whispered, “Sorry, and thank you for the warning, Qingqing.”

“There’s a wiretap in the car, so I can’t say much. Tonight, if you have any ideas, just do them. I’ll cooperate.”

“Later, I might take some liberties with you. When we get back, I’ll make it up to you.”

Pei Xi’s voice didn’t sound calm as Xu Qingning had thought; in the dim space, she could sense a slight tremor.

“Is this… your first kiss?”

The question surprised Pei Xi, who then chuckled softly. “Yeah, first time, still a bit inexperienced.”

No, not inexperienced—Xu Qingning thought—he was way too skilled. She almost felt like she was suffocating.

Though her vision blurred, she knew clearly that Pei Xi was looking at her.

His gaze made her heart beat even faster, but even though she couldn’t see anything clearly, she dared not meet his eyes.

“It’s my first time too…”

Her voice was faint but clear enough for Pei Xi to hear.

Taking advantage of her obscured vision, he smiled more noticeably.

“Is that so? I’m honored, Qingqing.”

She finally noticed the change in how he addressed her. “Why do you call me that now?”

“Don’t you like it? I thought since we’re married, I should call you something more intimate. If you don’t mind, I could call you ‘Lao P’…”

Before he finished, his mouth was covered by her hand, and Xu Qingning’s shy voice sounded in his ear.

“Don’t, don’t say that. Just call me what you called me just now.”

“If you promise not to say that, I’ll let go.”

Feeling his lips brush within her palm, she slowly relaxed her hand.

Her hand was caught by Pei Xi and placed gently on his lips, where she planted a light kiss.

“What about me? Qingqing, don’t you want to change what you call me?”

Change what? Would he really want her to call him “Xi Xi”?

Uh… probably not, right?

“Change? Change what? Pei Xi sounds nice.”

“Qingqing, is it not okay?”

Pei Xi nuzzled her neck, his voice deliberately soft and a little pleading, even mixed with some—

Oh my, the handsome man was acting cute? In such a thrilling moment, she was lucky to witness it.

Change, change, change—it was just a name. As long as it made the handsome man happy, feeling his muscles was worth it.

Suddenly recalling Pei Xi’s character description: “Xi” represents the rising sun, symbolizing dawn and hope. His family even gave him a nickname: “Xi Xi,” which sounds the same.

She smiled and softly called him, “Xi Xi?”

He was clearly stunned. Xu Qingning felt his breath slow.

“Qingqing, can you say it again?”

“Xi Xi…”

Before she could finish, Pei Xi pulled her tightly into his arms. It had been too long since he last heard that name.

“Qingqing, thank you.”

The light ahead made them both look up instinctively. Xu Qingning finally saw the emotions in Pei Xi’s eyes—too raw to be composed.

Excitement, joy, and just a hint of sadness.