If I remember correctly, this is the second time Xie Yizhao has called her ‘Madam’?
Unlike the last time, when Xie Heng’s sudden appearance interrupted the moment, Lu Xi felt it even more strongly this time. And hearing it over the phone, rather than face-to-face, made it feel as if the man was whispering directly against her eardrum. His deep, magnetic voice was impossibly pleasant to hear.
Lu Xi felt a tingling sensation spread from her left ear down to the skin on her nape, as if an electric current had passed through. She instinctively parted her lips slightly.
“…Okay.”
She had never thought much of the title ‘Madam’ before. But now, she found it unexpectedly captivating.
It wasn’t as formal as ‘Mrs.,’ yet calling her ‘Wifey’ outright would feel too intimate, even a little cringe. But ‘Madam’—it had a restrained elegance, carrying a special kind of intimacy.
Coming back to her senses, Lu Xi touched her ear, then hung up the phone and headed to the dressing room to pick out clothes for Xie Yizhao.
This was certainly a novel experience.
She had been on countless dates, with varying degrees of satisfaction, but she had never chosen an outfit for a date partner before.
Honestly, if it were any other man, she would have assumed he was flirting with her, using this as a way to please her, to close the distance between them.
After all, picking out clothes for an opposite-sex partner to wear—especially for a date—was inherently an intimate gesture.
And if it had been any other man, she wouldn’t have agreed.
But since it was Xie Yizhao who had made the request, she didn’t think he had any ulterior motives. He was simply dressed too formally and wanted something more suitable for a date. And since he couldn’t be bothered to pick an outfit himself, he left it to his fashion-savvy wife instead.
That was called efficient resource utilization—killing two birds with one stone. Very much in line with his capitalist persona.
Lu Xi secretly thought so, but she was still happy.
Dating. Happiness.
She was finally getting to live out her long-held fantasy of a Xie Yizhao version of Shining Nikki.
Back when they had just gotten married, she had really wanted to take him shopping, march straight into her favorite menswear store, pick out ten or so outfits in one go, and have him try them all on for her.
Xie Yizhao was an exceptional clothes hanger. Standing at 1.8 meters, with broad shoulders, a narrow waist, and long legs, not to mention a face and an air of aloof elegance that rivaled top models.
With a figure and face like that, not making good use of it would be a crime, right?
But back then, she and Xie Yizhao weren’t familiar with each other, and he was too busy to have time for shopping sprees. Besides, his everyday formal attire was already quite pleasing to the eye.
She had long since given up on that dream.
Yet today, it was unexpectedly coming true, and he was the one who suggested it.
Within three minutes, Lu Xi had picked out an outfit for him.
From head to toe—shirt, vest, pants—down to the tie and wristwatch, no detail was overlooked. The deep color palette created a layered visual effect, low-key yet luxurious. And to finish, she selected a Balmacaan coat.
She had put real thought into this outfit.
Considering the model himself was a straight-laced man with a conservative and practical fashion sense, she couldn’t go too bold right away. It had to be something he could accept, so there would be a chance for future collaborations. Gradual progress was key.
Plus, his wardrobe was too limited, leaving her with little room to unleash her styling skills.
Thankfully, all his clothes were designer pieces. Though formal, each one had an inherent aesthetic appeal. Simply swapping out his usual suit for a more relaxed and stylish coat would completely change the vibe.
Having settled ‘Old Xie,’ Lu Xi didn’t forget about ‘Little Xie’ either.
She sent him a message.
[Come home early after school to try on clothes.]
Xie Yizhao wouldn’t be off work until at least 5:30, and she had no intention of waiting for him at his office that early. With no work today, the daily life of a wealthy, leisurely wife consisted of watching dramas.
Midway through the show, a dashing, cunning male antagonist put on a pair of thin-rimmed gold glasses, and his attractiveness skyrocketed—reserved yet alluring. The comment section immediately exploded.
Lu Xi’s heart was struck.
So good-looking!
She abandoned her drama without hesitation, changed clothes, and headed straight to the mall to personally pick out a pair of gold-rimmed glasses.
Luckily, Xie Yizhao wasn’t nearsighted, so she didn’t have to get prescription lenses.
It wasn’t until 4 PM that she finally set off for his office. On the way, she wondered what excuse she should use to convince him to put on the glasses.
But when she arrived at Xie Corporation’s headquarters, the person waiting to receive her wasn’t Li Xiao, it was Lin Yun.
Lu Xi paused for a moment, surprised to see her through the car window.
After she got out, Lin Yun, seemingly reading her thoughts, smiled and explained, “Assistant Li is in a meeting with President Xie. He asked me to come get you instead.”
Lu Xi smiled in return.
Xie Yizhao’s arrangements were fine—after all, Lin Yun was quite familiar with her. However, she still felt a little guilty whenever she saw Lin Yun, since she still ‘owed’ Lin Yun a studio name.
Luckily, Lin Yun was tactful enough not to bring up work at this moment.
She understood that today, she was responsible for receiving the big boss’s wife—the boss’s lady—not her other boss.
Her only task was to escort the boss’s wife to the boss’s office.
Lu Xi followed Lin Yun into the building.
Xie Corporation had moved to a new skyscraper in the most prime commercial district. The entire lobby exuded a grand and bright atmosphere. People constantly came and went, all dressed in professional attire with employee badges hanging from their chests. Even the air carried the scent of busy corporate life.
A sudden thought struck Lu Xi. If she brought Xie Heng here and showed him how hard these office workers toiled every day, would he feel a greater sense of urgency?
This visit reassured her. The employees were busy, and Xie Yizhao was in a meeting. She no longer needed to worry that her family’s corporation might collapse.
As she walked from the lobby to the elevator, she could feel one or two subtle glances cast in her direction.
While most of the company’s employees didn’t recognize Lu Xi, a few veteran shareholders did. They had attended her wedding with Xie Yizhao back then and were also acquaintances of her uncle.
A few of them had just finished a meeting and were stepping out of the VIP elevator when they happened to run into her.
Even though they had heard rumors about Xie Yizhao’s new wife and had seen her at the Ye family banquet, seeing her in person still left them stunned every time.
They exchanged glances, their expressions unreadable, all having the same thought.
—Mr. Xie is really capable. Where on earth did he find a woman who looks so much like his ex-wife?
Was she a new love or an old flame? Either way, Xie Yizhao was completely smitten. He had even cut his meeting short just to see her.
A femme fatale indeed.
Lu Xi had no idea she had been given such a title out of nowhere.
When she arrived at Xie Yizhao’s office, he wasn’t back yet. Lin Yun checked and informed her that he was still in the conference room, giving instructions to the project managers.
So Lu Xi sat down on the sofa to wait.
The style of his office was similar to his study at home—simple, grand, and practical. It wasn’t like the Ye family’s young master’s office, which had flashy and over-the-top designs, nor did it have the feng shui trinkets and fish tanks that some superstitious middle-aged men favored.
Thankfully, there was none of that.
She noticed Xie Yizhao’s smartwatch on his desk. He must have worn it after his morning run before switching to another wristwatch upon arriving at the office.
When Xie Yizhao pushed open the door, the first thing he saw was Lu Xi holding the watch, examining it.
“If you want to run with me, I’ll get you a women’s model,” he said in a clear voice.
“No need. I won’t run. I can’t wake up that early.” Lu Xi glanced at him, rejecting the idea outright. Then, she pointed to the sofa where a few shopping bags sat. “Your clothes are over there. Go change and let me see.”
Li Xiao was right outside the office, about to deliver a document he had forgotten to give Xie Yizhao.
Hearing Lu Xi’s words, he froze in place.
Madam… is amazing.
In the entire company, which is Xie Yizhao’s territory, she was the only one who could give him orders so confidently.
The key thing was, Xie Yizhao actually listened.
Without a word, he picked up the clothes and headed to the lounge.
He changed quickly. Lu Xi had picked outfits he normally wore, so within minutes, he was done. Standing in front of the mirror, he skillfully fastened his tie.
That’s when he noticed a glasses case still inside the shopping bag.
Glasses?
Xie Yizhao frowned slightly and opened the case. Sure enough, there was a brand-new pair of gold-rimmed glasses inside, along with a receipt.
He picked it up and checked, she had bought them two hours ago. The receipt clearly stated they were men’s glasses.
“…”
Were they meant for him?
Suspicion flickered in his gaze. After some hesitation, he put them on. The lenses were non-prescription, confirming his guess.
Still, as he looked at his reflection wearing glasses for the first time in his life, he felt a little awkward.
He wasn’t sure what Lu Xi was thinking.
Did she… like how he looked in glasses?
After hesitating for a moment, Xie Yizhao stepped out of the lounge.
When he saw the hint of amazement in Lu Xi’s eyes, he finally relaxed, realizing he had guessed correctly. The corners of his lips lifted slightly.
“I can leave work now. Are you hungry?” he asked.
Lu Xi’s eyes sparkled like snow, lighting up as she stood and scrutinized him from head to toe. Then she walked over, adjusting his tie before stepping back to take another look. She reached up again to adjust his glasses.
Xie Yizhao suddenly felt like a model about to walk the runway, letting her dress him up however she pleased.
Wasn’t this supposed to be his unlucky son’s role?
He sighed helplessly, lips tugging into a faint smile, but he didn’t stop Lu Xi. He simply let her fuss over him with a serious expression, adjusting and tweaking as she pleased.
“Too tight?” Lu Xi suddenly asked.
Xie Yizhao’s gaze paused. He felt her touch his glasses and finally registered her question. “It’s fine,” he said.
Lu Xi smiled. “Good. These have no prescription, just for decoration. Shouldn’t be uncomfortable, right?”
She had done it on purpose.
She couldn’t think of a good excuse to make him wear glasses, nor did she want to force him. So she simply placed them together with his outfit, leaving him to decide whether to wear them or not.
And as it turned out, she had bet correctly.
Xie Yizhao looked almost too good in glasses, especially these gold-rimmed ones—the signature accessory of a scum gentlemen in novels and dramas. But on him, his composed and distant demeanor balanced out the sly undertones, making him seem more elegant, his features even sharper and more defined.
Lowering his gaze, Xie Yizhao kept his eyes fixed on her. “It’s not uncomfortable, just I’m not used to having something sitting on my nose.”
Lu Xi paused her movements, glanced at him, and raised an eyebrow. “Want to take them off?”
Her tone held a trace of disappointment and a hint of probing, making it clear she didn’t really want him to.
…She really liked seeing him in glasses, huh?
Xie Yizhao’s eyes flickered slightly. His gaze landed on her fair, delicate cheeks, then trailed downward, to her perfectly shaped lips.
Before he realized it, he was leaning in.
His arm slid around Lu Xi’s waist, pulling her gently toward him.
Their faces were mere inches apart.
Lu Xi froze for a moment, her eyes dazed as she stared at the handsome man who had suddenly closed the distance between them. Her heart pounded wildly, drawn in by the depth and intensity of his gaze.
As an adult, she knew exactly what this kind of look and this kind of proximity meant.
If she wanted to refuse, all she had to do was push him away or say ‘no,’ and she was certain he wouldn’t force it.
But why refuse?
She had to admit. Today, she was just as drawn to him.
So, she let it happen.
She heard Xie Yizhao’s low voice. “Be good, take them off for me first.”
Lu Xi pressed her lips together. A man who didn’t know how to kiss with glasses on was oddly cute. Obediently, she helped him remove them, but before she could even put them down, he had already leaned in impatiently.
Lu Xi’s eyes fluttered shut, her lashes trembling slightly.
She felt the kiss start off restrained, then gradually deepen as he tested and took control. Meanwhile, she was still gripping the glasses’ arms, afraid she might accidentally bend them.
Several minutes later, the kiss finally ended.
Lu Xi was left breathless, while Xie Yizhao, completely unaffected, wasn’t even slightly flushed. Without missing a beat, he took the glasses from her hands and put them back on.
Then he took her hand in his, his voice warm and steady. “Come on, let’s go eat.”
Lu Xi was speechless.
Looking at him with his glasses back on, she was now absolutely certain—yep, Xie Yizhao was definitely the scum gentleman type.