Chapter 5.3 (2/2)

At this, Yin Li’s expression finally lost its calm. “I never knew you liked the uncivilized type.”

“Handsome body, full wallet, foolish mind. Don’t you know that this type

this type is currently the most in demand? Plus, you’re too smart, I can’t keep up with you. Yin Li, when the day comes that you no longer want me, I reckon that you’d sell me off and I’d still count the money for you.2” As I spoke, I took a brief look at Yin Li. He was even more handsome than Mo Xing Zhi, but on his stunning face there was always an excessively calm expression, making him seem really perceptive, but also making foolish people like me nervously want to keep a distance, to escape feeling controlled.

2A Chinese idiom that means, “you’ll use me for your own purposes and, without even realizing what’s happening, I’ll even feel grateful to you”.

Yet Yin Li gave a light smile. “Then you guys are all the more ill-suited. In relations.h.i.+ps, it’s better to be complementary. Since you say you’re foolish, it’s better not to be with a similarly foolish Mo Xing Zhi, I fear you two together would be surpa.s.singly foolish.

“That’s right, I am foolish, I really can’t understand why, if you’re so determined to stay together. In all those gatherings or media appearances or interviews you’re in, why doesn’t your left hand have an engagement ring on it? I have also never heard any talk of you having a fiancee.” I gazed at Yin Li and smiled.

I persevered, continuing to smile stupidly at Yin Li, until he furrowed his brow. “Yan Xiao, I was only protecting you. Announcing our engagement too early, wouldn’t be good for you. I know doing this doesn’t give you a peace of mind, but I always tried to think of other ways to rea.s.sure you.

Feeling that his words still weren’t strong enough, Yin Li added, “I’m willing, as long as it increases

as it increases your trust in me, to do anything.”

I almost couldn’t restrain myself from laughing. Yin Li, I was waiting for you to say this line.

“Isn’t this a simple matter? Actually, with a position like yours, don’t even mention an engagement. Even marriage is something that you might keep secret. Still, if you don’t wear an engagement ring, a tattoo is okay too! You could tattoo my name or face or some other symbol of me in an inconspicuous spot on your body as proof of your love.”

After these words, I finally saw cracks appear in Yin Li’s carefully-maintained calm expression. Seeing the look on his face, I felt extremely pleased with myself. I suffered so many setbacks because of Yin Li, so on the rare occasions that I could get back at him, I felt extremely happy.3

3The original text uses 扬眉吐气, which is a chengyu meaning the happiness that one feels when one finally escapes a situation where one has been oppressed for a long time.

But surprisingly, after muttering darkly under his breath for a moment, Yin Li smiled again. “Will that rea.s.sure you? Then sure, I’ll do it. Only, Yan Xiao, after this don’t use your jokes to fool me again. Remember, you are Yin Li’s fiancee, whether in the past, in the present, or in the future.”

Yin Li’s smile was extremely beautiful, even the corners of his eyes carried a trace of beauty. But as for me, there seemed to have been a loud explosion in my head, and I felt that I hadn’t really caught him in an easy trap.4 Rather, I had dug my own grave.

4The original text uses 瓮中捉鳖, which literally means “to catch a turtle in a jar”. It’s an idiom that means “to set an easy target for yourself”.

<script>