AITAMITB Chapter 86

What is meant by bearing a fate different from ordinary people?

Shen Zhifei looked at Zhao Xiaokui, who was sitting in front of the tombstone. She was wearing slim jeans, draped in a white turtleneck sweater, with a petite face. When she lowered her eyes, she appeared exceptionally obedient. Apart from being more attractive, she wasn’t much different from those ordinary girls.

It seemed like she had finished whispering to her grandmother. She raised the wine glass, drank it all in one go, and then choked, coughing incessantly.

Zhao Xiaokui rarely drank, let alone high-proof liquor. She was choked to the point that tears streamed down her face.

Coughing and bowing her head, she supported herself on the cold ground, her joints showing a chilly white.

Shen Zhifei didn’t reach out to touch Zhao Xiaokui. Instead, she took two steps towards her, and the heels of her shoes tapped crisply on the ground as if saying, “I’m here.”

After a while, Zhao Xiaokui tidied up her things and stood up. By now, there were no traces of crying on her face. Only her eye sockets carried a faint redness, making people want to cherish her even more.

“Let’s go.”

“Don’t be too sad.” Walking on the road, Shen Zhifei suddenly said, “If Grandma knew what you’re doing now, she would be very proud of you.”

At these words, Zhao Xiaokui chuckled. “Really? I think so too.”

Even in her human form, her canine teeth were pointed. When she laughed, it softened the allure on her, revealing a bit of childish innocence and loveliness. Shen Zhifei couldn’t help but rub her hair. When she was about to embrace her, she suddenly realized that Zhao Xiaokui was taller and broader-shouldered than her. She paused for a few seconds before being hugged by Zhao Xiaokui.

Zhao Xiaokui giggled, pressing her head on Shen Zhifei’s shoulder, saying, “Let’s go. Let’s go home together.”

Back to the home they shared.

After turning sixteen, this year was the most comfortable and enjoyable year for Zhao Xiaokui.

Both had a not-so-long holiday, right around New Year’s Eve.

Zhao Xiaokui and Shen Zhifei together bought New Year goods, put up couplets and the character for “福¹“blessing” or “good fortune”. Decorating doors with couplets and characters like “福” is believed to bring positive energy and blessings to the household.” on the door, and then went to explore the famous local temple fair. Relying on her extraordinary skills, Zhao Xiaokui skillfully maneuvered through the crowded sea of people, lowering her presence and not worrying about being recognized by fans. She unabashedly bought all sorts of snacks from the stalls, not only eating them herself but also feeding them to Shen Zhifei.

At this moment, she looked like a person in her twenties.

Midway, she ran into acquaintances, Nie Fu and a woman around 30. The encounter was a bit awkward. Zhao Xiaokui noticed a hand using a blade to slash a lady’s handbag in the crowd. Without hesitation, she walked up, grabbed the wrist, pulled the person out of the crowd, and twisted them to the ground in one swift motion – a clean and efficient move. If not for the face, one might think she was an undercover officer hidden among the crowd.

As she raised her head, preparing to appease the emotions of the victim, she met a familiar face.

“Zhao Xiaokui?”

“Brother Nie?”

The lady whose bag was slashed looked at the two of them, somewhat surprised, and asked, “Do you know each other?”

No wonder she didn’t recognize Zhao Xiaokui. With her reduced presence, Zhao Xiaokui seemed like a completely different person. If Nie Fu hadn’t lived with her for some time and had been very familiar with her, he might not have recognized her at first glance.

“Is this your manager? It’s really unexpected to meet you here. We are quite destined today. I’m planning to take this person to the patrol car. Can you come with me to register?” Zhao Xiaokui pointed to the thief she had subdued, took out a police badge from her pocket, waved it around, and casually said, “Nothing interesting to see here. Everyone can continue shopping and enjoy themselves. Just keep an eye on your bags and phones. Secure your valuables; don’t let them get stolen.”

Oh, it turns out it’s an undercover operation.

People were already accustomed to this kind of police action during events like temple fairs. Usually, a few plainclothes officers would blend into the crowd to catch thieves taking advantage of the gathering.

Although this undercover officer today was an outstanding and attractive policewoman, it wasn’t anything extraordinary. Most people just found it amusing that this policewoman’s looks didn’t quite fit the usual low-profile standards of undercover police.

Zhao Xiaokui twisted the thief’s hands behind his back and walked towards the patrol car at the street corner. The on-duty police officer saw her and chuckled, saying, “You’re open for business so quickly. Today’s business seems to be quite good.”

When Zhao Xiaokui took off her hat, revealing an unbelievably beautiful face, the officer was momentarily stunned. He slapped his companion on the shoulder, saying, “Oh boy, when did the undercover team get such a gorgeous policewoman?”

After Zhao Xiaokui explained, the officer snapped out of his daze.

After completing the registration, Zhao Xiaokui handed the captured thief over to the on-duty police. Then she turned to Nie Fu and asked, “Brother Nie, have you finished shopping for everything? Are you planning to continue browsing or go for a meal?”

Nie Fu and the woman exchanged glances, and the woman said, “Thanks a lot for what happened today. My bag had my ID and bank cards. If they were stolen, it would have been troublesome. It’s almost noon now. How about we treat you to lunch?”

Zhao Xiaokui happily agreed, saying, “Sure, sure.”

Both parties had driven there, so after deciding on the restaurant, Nie Fu and Zhao Xiaokui decided to drive separately to the dining location.

Shen Zhifei waited until Zhao Xiaokui got into the car before saying, “The woman we met today is probably Nie Fu’s secret wife. She is currently his manager, Guan Huimin.”

Zhao Xiaokui, belatedly realizing, said, “Nie Fu is secretly married?”. It then occurred to her that during the recording of the program “Seven Days, Six Nights,” they had discussed marriage-related topics. Oh yes, what did Nie Fu say back then? Right, go with the flow and marry the right person when it happens.

It seems he had already met the right person and got married, but perhaps the fans were still unaware. Hence, he continued to publicly claim to be single.

Thinking back, one of Wen Yuanjia’s targets for conquest was Nie Fu. Zhao Xiaokui couldn’t help but rub her arms, thinking that if the Night Walker’s people hadn’t discovered Wen Yuanjia’s parasitic identity, and Nie Fu had been successfully conquered by Wen Yuanjia, how pitiful Guan Huimin would be. Her beloved would fall for someone else. Using the methods of the parasitic entity and the evil god, there might be various sinister operations, throwing mud on her head, portraying her as a malicious supporting character meddling in their pure male-male relationship. Just thinking about it gave Zhao Xiaokui goosebumps.

Having successfully dealt with the evil god, Zhao Xiaokui suddenly felt that the red scarf around her chest seemed to be even more vibrant.

The hotel the four of them agreed upon was not far away. It took just over half an hour by car, even with a brief delay due to the crowded roads today.

When Shen Zhifei and Zhao Xiaokui arrived, Nie Fu and Guan Huimin were already there. The two sat in a private room. Nie Fu removed his disguise, revealing a face that, although approaching fifty, was still extraordinarily handsome, causing countless girls to blush and heartbeat.

Zhao Xiaokui and Shen Zhifei knocked on the door and walked in without reservation, holding hands. Seeing this scene, a fleeting glint of envy crossed Guan Huimin’s eyes.

“You’ve arrived.” Nie Fu handed the menu over and said, “Since we didn’t know what you like, we randomly ordered a couple of dishes. Take a look and see if you want anything else.”

Zhao Xiaokui took the menu and handed it to Shen Zhifei. She barely flipped through the pages and immediately named one or two dishes.

“So many dishes, can the four of us finish them?” Nie Fu wasn’t concerned about the money; he just thought that Shen Zhifei had ordered too much, a bit wasteful.

Shen Zhifei smiled, “Don’t worry, we’ll finish it. Even if we can’t, we’ll take the leftovers home.”

Relieved to hear about taking leftovers, Nie Fu chuckled, and Guan Huimin pinched his hand, saying, “Kids nowadays have learned to be thrifty and frugal. Unlike us back then, even if we couldn’t finish, we’d still order a bunch of dishes to save face.”

Before the dishes arrived, they chatted for a while. Regarding Nie Fu’s secret wife, Zhao Xiaokui was a bit curious, but after a couple of sentences, she understood why Nie Fu, a male singer adored by female fans, would be willing to anchor himself in Guan Huimin’s harbor. Guan Huimin was genuinely a very gentle and considerate person. She spoke softly and looked at you with gentle eyes. Watching her, Zhao Xiaokui’s face slightly reddened. Shen Zhifei noticed and playfully pinched the hand she had placed on her leg.

Zhao Xiaokui’s blushing face was entirely due to Guan Huimin’s excessive gentleness. This kind of tenderness made her feel like a mother. When Shen Zhifei pinched her hand, she immediately leaned in and planted a kiss on her face. With a deliberately puzzled expression, she said, “Oh dear, why are you so jealous? Don’t worry, although Sister Huimin is beautiful and gentle, you’re still my favorite.”

Shen Zhifei: “…”

Facing Guan Huimin’s caring gaze and Nie Fu’s surprised expression, she almost wanted to drag Zhao Xiaokui off the dining table and spank her, making the mischievous one understand when to be honest and when to behave.

Guan Huimin smiled gently, “You two have a great relationship.”

While speaking, there was a subtle sense of loneliness in her expression.

Due to Nie Fu’s identity, only a handful of people knew about their marriage, mostly the civil affairs office staff, and a few very close friends. To the public, they could only be seen as business partners in the entertainment industry, an artist and their manager. They couldn’t show any intimate gestures for fear of being misunderstood. This sometimes led to rumors suggesting that the two had long since fallen apart.

Suddenly, her hand was caught by a gentle large hand. Guan Huimin turned to see the man who seemed forgotten by time saying to her, “Please wait for me a bit longer. At most, five years, and I’ll make sure everyone knows you’re my wife.”

Guan Huimin chuckled, “If it’s you, I can wait as long as you need.”

“Burp.” They both turned their heads, and Zhao Xiaokui, patting her chest, appeared as if she was choking, “Oh no, the dishes haven’t even arrived, and I’m already stuffed with dog food. Looks like we really have to take all the dishes home today.”

Nie Fu and Guan Huimin exchanged a smile.

Nie Fu said, “I appreciate you and Ms. Shen keeping today’s events confidential for us. My fans are quite passionate. I’m afraid that if Huimin’s identity is revealed, she might face harm from them. I plan to wait a few more years. Perhaps when I retire, I’ll let everyone know about our marriage.”

Zhao Xiaokui made a zipper-pulling gesture and said, “Today, I just had a meal with Brother Nie and his manager.”

The meal was enjoyed by both guests and hosts.

During the meal, Zhao Xiaokui also lets Nie Fu witness her true appetite.

Witnessing Nie Fu, who had seen countless ups and downs, staring in shock as the plates on the table emptied, Zhao Xiaokui sighed. “Well, that’s just to maintain my public image.”

She couldn’t explicitly say it was because there was an evil god’s parasite watching nearby, making her too afraid to eat anything.

Zhao Xiaokui thought meeting Nie Fu and his secret wife on the same day was quite a coincidence. Little did she know that less than a week later, she would encounter Nie Fu again.

However, this time, the meeting place was—

The police station.

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  “blessing” or “good fortune”. Decorating doors with couplets and characters like “福” is believed to bring positive energy and blessings to the household.