Luo Xiao, stunned, looked at Ju Yaxin. “Mom! Stop saying that!”
“Stop saying what? Haven’t I made our intentions clear?”
Luo Xiao: “Marriage? This is what you call clarity?”
Ju Yaxin glared: “So, sleeping together means nothing? Do you young people have no morals, no decency, no sincerity?”
“Mom!” Luo Xiao: “This is between me and Wen Ran…”
Ju Yaxin ignored him again, looking at the ceiling—Not listening!
Meanwhile, Wen Ran, sitting quietly, processed internally:
Marriage? No! Who marries a one-night partner? Wait… don’t erotic comics always do this? Small guy, small guy, a night of passion, then parents arrive demanding marriage, they register, live together, continuing their antics… Stop! Delete! If we marry, I have to call my mom…
Wait! If we register, maybe she won’t pressure me about matchmaking anymore? Aren’t stories always like this? Night-time adventures, registering marriage, daytime bickering, nighttime…
Stop. Stop.
Wen Ran’s imagination ran wild.
“I…”
Finally, as Luo Xiao and Ju Yaxin exchanged glances, Wen Ran spoke. All eyes turned to him.
“I… I…”
“I’ll call my mom.”
“Really?” Ju Yaxin clapped delightedly. “Great!”
“Yes, call your mother. For marriage, both families must discuss.”
Luo Xiao looked at Wen Ran.
Wen Ran: …
Luo Xiao: Marriage?
Wen Ran: …you want? Marriage?
Luo Xiao raised an eyebrow.
Wen Ran: Oh, you don’t want it, then I…
Just as he opened his mouth, Luo Xiao dropped his eyebrow and said first: “Fine, marriage.”
He nodded decisively. “Mom and Dad are right. We are a traditional family.”
Looking at Wen Ran again: “Don’t worry. I’ll take responsibility.”
Wen Ran: …
He wanted to pinch himself to wake up. This was way too surreal.
Under Luo Xiao, Luo Zhengting, and Ju Yaxin’s gaze and encouragement, Wen Ran dialed his mother, Wen Pingping.
“Hello?”
After a pause, Wen Pingping answered in her rough voice: “I’m busy. What is it?”
“Mom,” Wen Ran glanced at Ju Yaxin and the others, then fiddled with the sofa arm, saying quietly: “I have something to discuss with you.”
Before Wen Pingping could interrupt: “I know, here’s 50,000.”
“Not about money,” Wen Ran muttered, still fiddling, glancing at Ju Yaxin.
Ju Yaxin gestured: I’ll do it.
Wen Ran handed the phone over.
“Hello, Ran Ran’s mother,” Ju Yaxin said sweetly, walking aside. “I’m Luo Xiao’s mother. You may not know him, but the two kids… already spent the night together. So naturally, he needs to take responsibility…”
Take responsibility.
Wen Pingping, in her pajamas, smoking, playing mahjong, raised an eyebrow, tilted her cigarette, and said loudly: “Wen Ran slept with someone!?”
“You’re serious!?”
Ju Yaxin: “Yes, hear me out, mother-in-law.”
“I think…”
Wen Pingping exhaled smoke, pushed her tiles aside, stood up, and bellowed: “Stop talking! Just from you saying ‘mother-in-law,’ I approve this relationship!”
“Luo Xiao, right? Take your ID and Wen Ran’s. Go to the Civil Affairs Bureau now!”
“I’m on my way!”
Ju Yaxin squealed like a sparrow: “Wow, you’re so decisive and bold! I admire you so much!”
She gestured urgently to Luo Xiao and Wen Ran: Quick! IDs! Civil Affairs Bureau! Now!
Wen Ran: …
Luo Xiao: …
Three minutes later, in the bathroom of the bedroom, Wen Ran and Luo Xiao stood together.
Wen Ran hid his face, hands on his forehead, mortified.
Luo Xiao hadn’t expected it to escalate this fast either.
Looking at Wen Ran, he said first: “Alright, you go first. I’ll talk some sense into my parents.”
Wen Ran lowered his hand from his forehead, lifted his eyes to Luo Xiao, blinked, and said softly, “We…”
“We… could we have a… fake marriage?”
What?
Luo Xiao blinked, thinking he must have misheard.
Wen Ran, unusually patient, explained gently: “My mom’s been pushing me to get married, and it’s really annoying.”
“Looks like your family wants you to marry soon too.”
“I just thought… since you don’t mind, maybe we could have a fake marriage to satisfy both our families’ expectations…”
“Yes!”
Luo Xiao nodded immediately, startling even himself. His instinctive reaction had outpaced all rational thought.
Wen Ran: …
“Well then…”
Wen Ran’s usual calmness softened even more, “Then… we get married?”
Half an hour later, at the civil affairs office, about to close for lunch, Luo Xiao and Wen Ran sat side by side at the counter. Ju Yaxin and Wen Pingping, hair rollers still in, stood on each of their sons’ sides like guardian figures.
The clerk, seeing them, carefully and professionally began: “Marriage… must be based on equality and willingness.”
The clerk glanced at Wen Ran and Luo Xiao: Are you both willing? If not, blink.
Wen Ran blinked: “Yes, willing.”
Luo Xiao handed over both their IDs: “Willing.”
Okay, fine.
The clerk took the IDs, then started the straightforward, fast process: register, sign, take photos, stamp, issue the certificate—done.
But in the end, it wasn’t Wen Ran and Luo Xiao who held the certificate—it was their mothers.
Wen Pingping and Ju Yaxin exchanged a glance, smiling, linking arms, and left Wen Ran and Luo Xiao behind.
Ju Yaxin laughed while walking away: “I’m Ju, for Ju residence. What’s your name, sister?”
“I’m Wen Pingping,” came the rough reply.
The two chatted, walked away, then called out simultaneously: “Follow us!”
Wen Ran: …
Luo Xiao: …
Soon, the two were “dropped” into Wen Ran’s apartment.
“Stay here for now,” Wen Pingping left, arm in arm with Ju Yaxin, slamming the door behind.
Living room: Luo Xiao and Wen Ran looked at each other.
Good news: they were married.
Bad news: they barely knew each other.
“You… you’re Luo Xiao?”
Wen Ran blinked, first question out. Second: “Want some water?”
And he even offered it.
Luo Xiao silently pinched himself—painful. Not a dream.
Wen Ran: …
Luo Xiao: …
“You…”
They spoke at the same time, then fell silent.
“I…”
Awkward. Quiet.
Wen Ran’s cat on the table tilted its head: Meow?
Downstairs, Ju Yaxin called while getting in Wen Pingping’s car, excited: “Boss, your brother got married today! In the morning, we went to the hotel, saw a boy, then went with his mom to the civil affairs bureau, and before lunch they had the certificate!”
Luo Feng frowned, holding the phone—this was really Ju Yaxin’s call, not a scam.
They saw a boy at the hotel and got married? Just like that?
Meanwhile, in the living room, Luo Xiao held Wen Ran’s cow-patterned cat, Wen Ran stood at the kitchen island with a water cup—married, one-night-stand, all wrapped into one.
Wen Ran’s thoughts raced: Who even gets married like this?
Good news: no more parental pressure to marry, yay!
He walked to the living room, handed the water cup to Luo Xiao: “Here.”
“Thanks,” Luo Xiao said, taking it, then sipped and nodded at the cat: “What’s its name?”
“Oreo,” Wen Ran replied.
“Because it’s black and white?”
Luo Xiao smiled, petting the cat.
“Mm,” Wen Ran agreed.
Luo Xiao stopped petting, looked around the apartment: “Your own place? Or rented?”
“My mom gave it to me. My family is a local relocation family,” Wen Ran explained.
The apartment was about 100+ square meters, simple but clean, showing traces of everyday life.
“Do you live alone?”
“Yes.”
“This is also my studio. I draw here.”
Luo Xiao sipped his water, glanced around, then at Wen Ran: “If I move in, will it feel cramped?”
Wen Ran paused: “You… want to move in?”
“We’re married, aren’t we?” Luo Xiao smiled.
Wen Ran looked down, quietly nodding: “Yes.”
Luo Xiao thought Wen Ran seemed unusually obedient, even more so than the cow-cat.
He didn’t tease him, instead spoke calmly: “Since we have time, can we talk?”
“Okay,” Wen Ran nodded.
They sat on the sofa, Wen Ran hunching slightly, hands on his thighs. Luo Xiao paused, then said: “I don’t think what happened last night was an accident. At the hotel, we got along very well.”
Wen Ran groaned internally—what “got along very well”? He didn’t even remember.
Luo Xiao explained briefly: “At the hotel door, I initiated a kiss, and you…”
“No need to go into that,” Wen Ran interrupted. I know I went willingly.
“You were comfortable last night, even called…”
No! Pass! Pass! Wen Ran’s face flushed.
Luo Xiao found it amusing but kept a straight face, not wanting to embarrass him further.
“Alright, let’s talk… now, after marriage?”
“Okay,” Wen Ran nodded.
“Can you tell me what you were thinking?” Luo Xiao asked. “I was surprised you agreed to marry.”
Wen Ran slowly: “Partly because your mom said you’d take responsibility. But that’s not the main reason. The main reason… my mom keeps pushing me to marry. It’s been a headache… and this came up as an opportunity.”
Luo Xiao understood, looked at him: “Do you know how I feel?”
Wen Ran nodded.
“I really like you. Since you agreed to marry, I’m naturally taking the next step.”
Wen Ran paused.
“Really.”
“I like you,” Luo Xiao continued. “Yesterday, at Zhang Zuming’s bar, I saw you the moment you walked in. You were beautiful—I couldn’t look away. Honestly, I didn’t even know someone like you could be my type.”
Wen Ran was surprised but not too shocked. He knew his looks were attractive to some.
Luo Xiao had shown interest yesterday, even chatting and playing dice, so Wen Ran already knew. But liking someone and marriage… that was another level.
“You mean,” Wen Ran digested slowly, “to you, marriage is…”
“Yes.”
“To me, marriage counts,” Luo Xiao said.
“You see it as a fake marriage for the parents, but I don’t.”
Wen Ran paused, digesting silently.
“So,” Luo Xiao continued, “can I move in with you now, given the situation?”
“If there’s an extra room,” Wen Ran said.
“I like you. We’re married. Next step is pursuing you,” Luo Xiao said directly.
Wen Ran froze—pursuing?
Luo Xiao: “Can I move in? It might also prevent our moms from nagging us.”
“And don’t worry. I won’t disturb or affect you.”
Luo Xiao said, “I’ll pursue you, and I’ll do it step by step.”
Wen Ran listened, slowly digesting it, his cheeks tinged pink—Luo Xiao really was direct.
He didn’t overthink it. Since this was a fake marriage anyway, he’d treat it as such.
He gestured toward the spare bedroom: “That room can be yours.”
“The living room and dining area we can share,” he added.
As for the pursuing part…
Wen Ran looked at Luo Xiao and spoke plainly: “I don’t have that kind of feeling for you.”
“Chasing me would probably just be wasting your time.”
He hadn’t considered romance at all. His mind was fully occupied with his comics. If his work wasn’t going well, his thoughts were all on storylines and panels—there was no room to entertain someone’s pursuit or think about a relationship.
Luo Xiao asked, “Am I not your type?”
“But when you sat on my lap and kissed me yesterday, you seemed…”
“I was drunk,” Wen Ran cut him off quickly. “Sorry, I didn’t know I’d end up going to the hotel.”
In short: “You can move in, but there’s really no need to waste time here.”
“Last night… I don’t really remember. You probably don’t either.”
It was nothing—just a one-night thing, and they were both adults. No problem accepting that.
“Alright then.”
Luo Xiao didn’t argue. He knew Wen Ran probably wanted some time alone to think and process, so he suggested: “Do you need to work?”
“You go ahead,” Wen Ran replied.
“I’ll move my things over later.”
Before leaving, Wen Ran remembered something: “There’s a key to the front door in the drawer. You can take it.”
“Okay,” Luo Xiao said, watching him walk toward the bedroom.
Alone now, Luo Xiao leaned on the sofa, smiling—married after a fun night, this was… maybe too lucky?
He couldn’t help the grin that stretched across his face.
He immediately grabbed his phone and messaged Ju Yaxin:
[Mom, the marriage certificate is mine. Shouldn’t you give it back?]
In the bedroom, Wen Ran closed the door, eyes wide in horror, hand pressed to his chest as he slid down against the door—slept with him! Slept with him!!! And we got the certificate! Married!!!
He couldn’t believe it. His comics hadn’t even dared depict a plot like this!
Calm. Calm.
He reassured himself: Don’t panic. Think positively. At least my mom won’t keep nagging me about marriage anymore. And the certificate wasn’t even done behind her back.
Right. Think positively.
Everything happening was advantageous! Beneficial to me!
Wen Ran slowly accepted it: fine, married. It’s just a piece of paper. Look on the bright side.
It really was good—his mom wouldn’t pressure him about marriage again. No more headaches.
As for Luo Xiao… well, just consider him an extra roommate.
Wen Ran thought this cheerfully.
Just then, his phone buzzed. It was a bank notification—an extra 500,000 deposited. Then a message from Wen Pingping:
[Take this for now.]
[Starting a family costs money.]
[I’ll check things out with your new mother-in-law, see what kind of family your husband has.]
[I don’t care about conditions—good or bad, I can accept.]
[You two take care of each other, that’s better than anything.]
[If it’s not enough, let me know—I’ll send more.]
Well. At least there was money. Wen Ran smiled more optimistically.
He got up, briefly went over the current situation in his mind, and decided there was nothing else urgent. He went from the bedroom balcony to his adjacent studio, sat at his workstation, opened his computer and tablet, and focused fully on work.
As he had said himself, he had nothing else to do but pour his heart into his small comic venture. It hadn’t been going very well, and he was anxious about it.
Better to work—it would stop him from thinking about all the chaotic stuff.
Meanwhile, Luo Xiao found the front door key in the hallway drawer, patted Oreo at his feet, and left the apartment.
In the elevator, he opened the recent voice messages from Luo Zhengting:
“Don’t blame your mom for being overbearing. You’ve been traveling so much, and she worries. She just cares too much. Now you’re married—just get along. Your mom has already contacted Wen Ran’s mom. Things seem to be going well. Wen Ran comes from a good family. He’s a decent kid.”
After listening, Luo Xiao opened Luo Feng’s messages:
[?]
He replied: [Yeah, married.]
Luo Feng, apparently free, responded immediately:
[What was the key to your sudden marriage?]
[Was it because your parents visited him?]
[Or because of parental matchmaking?]
[What happened?]
Luo Xiao smiled and typed back:
[The key moment was—when fate came, it couldn’t be stopped.]
On the other end, Luo Feng paced back and forth, worried not about his brother doing better, but that his brother had a wife first.
At 31, he still hadn’t married—why did Luo Xiao get married first?
He decided he had to go to C City to see for himself.
Meanwhile, Luo Xiao was quickly adapting to his new identity. He received a photo of the marriage certificate from Ju Yaxin, changed his long-used profile picture to it, updated Wen Ran’s WeChat contact name to “Ranran Wife,” starred and pinned it.
He also posted a simple text on Moments:
“Married. Certificate received. No dating lately, need to spend time with my wife.”
Comments flooded in immediately:
[???]
[????]
[?????]
[Wait, weren’t you supposed to attend Zhang Zuming’s wedding?]
[????]
[???]
[The civil affairs bureau is at Zhang Zuming’s bar???]
Zhang Zuming himself: [????? Huh?? Married? Bro, what marriage? I don’t get it.]