After Marrying The Villain, I Became PopularCh5 - Let’s get certificate

Special thanks to Petra for proofreading.

edited Feb 26, 2024 ___________________________ Bz54Xo

Huo Yu stayed quiet and just stared at Xia Wan, who looked hopeful.

Xia Wan waited for Huo Yu to speak, but when he didn’t, Xia Wan tried to change the subject. “Forget about it. It’s not too painful. And thank you.”

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“Thank you for what?” Huo Yu sighed when he understood what Xia Wan meant. “I haven’t helped you yet.”

“But you took me in,” Xia Wan said sincerely. 5s7mvh

Huo Yu’s expression appeared to soften slightly, and after a moment, he responded with a very soft “hmm.”

Suddenly, the pressure on his side lessened, and Xia Wan let out a sigh of relief. He slowly moved to the corner of the sofa and started to dry his wet hair.

Over the buzzing of the hairdryer, Xia Wan heard a faint clatter of dishes coming from the kitchen. Curiously, he glanced over and saw that Huo Yu had already prepared the meal and he was setting the table.

He wasn’t sure if it was a psychological effect, but suddenly, the delicious smell became stronger, making him realize how hungry he was. 

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He looked at the different dishes, his mouth watering without him realizing it, and then quickly began drying his hair.

Huo Yu couldn’t help but glance in Xia Wan’s direction when he heard the sudden increase in the sound of the hair dryer.

Xia Wan was half lying and half sitting on the cozy sofa. 

As he moved, the wide sleeves slid down his wrist, revealing a portion of his snow-white arm, which was swiftly moving above his head. p3vLXg

Huo Yu looked at the slender, slightly pale arm before he turned his gaze away. A small smile formed on his lips, and strangely, all his worries and unhappiness seemed to vanish along with the sound of the hair dryer.

The noise stopped suddenly, and Xia Wan hopped off the sofa, heading to the kitchen. “Can we eat now?” he asked, sitting across from Huo Yu. Using both hands, he removed the foil covering the bowl and looked at the food inside. “I’m so happy.

”Um,” Huo Yu replied softly. He didn’t understand why Xia Wan would be so excited to eat; three meals a day was just routine to him.

Xia Wan lowered his head to sip the soup, and after just one taste, he looked up with a smile and said, “It’s really fresh.” 3kHcVA

His eyes sparkled with an unmistakable joy as if all the stars in the sky had suddenly fallen into them, shining brightly and beautifully. It was clear that his words were genuine and sincere.

Huo Yu gazed at him for a moment, his expression betraying a hint of suspicion. He couldn’t help but wonder if his aunt’s cooking skills had greatly improved over the past two years.

He was a bit curious, so he decided to take a sip. For dinner, his aunt had cooked pork belly and chicken soup. While it was tasty, it wasn’t as extraordinary as Xia Wan was making it seem.

Huo Yu took two more sips and put his spoon down. When he looked up again, he saw Xia Wan savoring the dish, as if… as if he had never eaten anything more delicious in his life. QU8sL7

His eating style was very unique. He chewed very quickly, his rosy lips opening and closing quickly, making his cheeks bulge like a small hamster protecting his food.

Kacha Kacha…

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“Is it that tasty?” Huo Yu couldn’t help being a little puzzled, yet his eyes didn’t move an inch from the hamster-like cheeks.

“Yes.” Xia Wan was holding a piece of celery between his teeth, and he nodded frantically without hesitation. “This is the second-best meal I’ve ever eaten.” aop3PU

Before he transmigrated, Xia Wan often fell ill. Being sick meant he had to avoid many things, especially in his diet. 

So, throughout his childhood, he rarely had the chance to enjoy food like others. 

Eating something he shouldn’t could worsen his gastrointestinal issues, so his meals were always different from his family’s. 

He never had a normal meal in his entire life; the only flavors he knew were bland and tasteless.  GhnVvl

We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.

For the longest time, he thought that was how all food tasted. Then, his elder brother secretly gave him a portion of braised pork out of pity. It was the first truly delicious food Xia Wan ever tasted. He ate so much of it that he made himself sick, ending up back in the hospital. After that, his scared brother never dared to give him anything else to eat.

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Pc atf fcv, tlr ojwlis tjv cb mtblmf yea ab fja bea jii atflg obbv ja gfrajegjcar jcv ifjnf cb ifoabnfgr ja tbwf. 

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During the few times he mingled with other children, he got to see them eating potato chips, lollipops, candied haws, biscuits, and chocolate, but he never got to taste a single bite. His siblings never dared eat such things in front of him. Even so, when they came home he could still smell the sugar on them.

For others, eating was a form of enjoyment, but for Xia Wan, it was just a way to extend life. 

All those years ago, those few pieces of braised pork were like towering mountains in his memory, the warmest and tastiest thing he had ever eaten in his twenty years of life. 7ymRnI

Huo Yu didn’t know the full story, but he just thought Xia Wan’s tone was exaggerated and amusing.  But when he thought about how poor and pitiful Xia Wan had been he quietly pushed more food his way: “Eat more.”

“Thank you,” Xia Wan said vaguely, rolling his eyes, aware of what Huo Yu was thinking. 

In any case, the meal had been the most satisfying in his entire life, overcoming even the irreplaceable memory of braised pork from his childhood. 

After all, he’d only had a few pieces – not nearly enough to truly satisfy his appetite.  APWKnD

After he put down his bowl and chopsticks, he rubbed his stomach lightly, and his entire body relaxed content, and happy. 

It wasn’t until Huo Yu put down his utensils that he woke up suddenly from his daydream. He’d forgotten to bring up his business, and now, looking at the time, it was too late to mention it. Xia Wan pursed his lips and asked softly, “Can I still have breakfast at your house tomorrow?”

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Huo Yu had already pulled out his chair and was about to tidy up when Xia Wan spoke. He couldn’t help but pause for a moment. “Whatever,” he said. Even though his tone sounded indifferent, he wasn’t refusing.

Xia Wan’s eyes sparkled with joy as he quickly reached out and placed his hand on Huo Yu’s, who was cleaning the dishes. “I’ll do it,” he said eagerly. EHvaAg

Huo Yu paused and quietly withdrew his hand. Xia Wan’s fingers didn’t feel as cold as they did back in the hotel; now, they were warm and soft.

As Xia Wan carefully placed the two soup bowls on the corner of the table and turned around to clear the plates, something bumped into his elbow. Suddenly, the two soup bowls he had just cleared fell to the ground, shattering into pieces.

Xia Wan: “…”

“This is the first time I’ve ever dropped dishes while washing them,” Xia Wan said softly. r9dwcC

He was being honest. Technically, this was also his first time washing dishes. The thought of working multiple jobs after leaving the Xia family suddenly seemed increasingly unrealistic.

Xia Wan frowned slightly and felt that it was more important to establish a good relationship with Huo Yu. He pursed his lips and focused on dealing with the remaining bowls and dishes as if facing a great enemy.

Some of the soup had splattered onto Huo Yu’s feet, leaving oil stains on his slippers. He frowned in disgust and raised his eyes disdainfully. But when he saw Xia Wan’s worried expression, he somehow felt like he was overreacting. It didn’t matter if his slippers got dirty; they could be replaced.

Xia Wan cleaned up the spilled food and broken pieces in silence. He had only managed to clear a single fragment of the plate when his phone started vibrating on the corner of the table. EmXwTi

Jingle~ clang~

Xia Wan was caught off guard and startled himself by dropping the dinner plate a second time. Luckily, he didn’t splash oil all over Huo Yu’s feet again, and the noise it made was louder than anything else.

“Amitabha,” Xia Wan said, patting his chest nervously. Then he clasped his hands together and chanted the Buddha’s name.

Huo Yu looked at him with a cold expression, but after a while, he tilted his head and smiled. Irw4U3

“Can you handle it?” he asked, subtly implying: Do you need any help?

“Of course.” Xia Wan pursed his lips stubbornly. 

For the sake of his future, he had to practice this kind of housework. This was his first opportunity. 

Seeing his serious expression, Huo Yu chuckled. He glanced at Xia Wan’s phone, where Huo Lin’s name was flashing on the screen. He probably just finished arguing with Qiu Qi and only now had the chance to talk. Huo Yu’s eyes darkened slightly. “Aren’t you going to answer the phone?” 4shXm5

Xia Wan was focused on protecting his dishes like they were his children. When he heard the question, he also looked at the screen. He frowned when he saw that it was cheapster Huo Lin. He ruthlessly pressed the button to decline.

Seeing Xia Wan act so casually, the corner of Huo Yu’s mouth twitched slightly. “Good night,” he said, turning to leave.

Story translated by Chrysanthemum Garden.

“Good night,” Xia Wan replied flatly after a moment, accompanied by a rustling sound behind him.

Huo Yu climbed the stairs, the clinking noise continuing until he reached the entrance of the stairs. He placed his hand on the guardrail, turned his head, and glanced back. WgKMdD

Xia Wan was pressing his hand to the small of his back, frowning, as if he were very uncomfortable. 

Does it really hurt? Huo Yu wondered, slightly puzzled. After a moment of hesitation, he turned back up the stairs.

That night, Xia Wan didn’t sleep well. He washed the dishes till they shined. Though it was an easy and uncomplicated task it still took him more than an hour just for those few plates. 

Once he was done he felt amazing, and just as he was about to return to his room he saw that the snack rack in the kitchen was full.  wCkSxB

The temptation was great, especially now that he wasn’t sick, and based on what he knew of Huo Yu’s character he didn’t seem like someone who liked to eat snacks. 

Yet – one should never judge a book by its cover. 

Xia Wan scolded himself mentally and hesitated for a while about whether he could take a bag of snacks, especially the small potato chips that looked delicious. But in the end, Xia Wan reluctantly withdrew his wandering fingers, remembering the lessons from his childhood. He could only eat them after asking Huo Yu for permission in the morning.

Xia Wan wrapped himself up in the blanket which was there on the sofa.  OtS2pl

Despite his attempts to reason with himself, logic was one thing and instinct was another. Throughout the night, in his dreams, Xia Wan found himself helping his roommates wash dishes and then desperately chasing potato chips around in the air. He also slept in a poor position. This was Huo Yu’s first thought upon going downstairs early in the morning.

He looked at the blanket that had been kicked off, then at Xia Wan, who was curled up like a shrimp, with his round butt sticking out, pitifully nestled in a corner of the sofa.

Huo Yu paused for a moment, then walked forward and lifted the clothes on Xia Wan’s back. His pale skin was now covered in scattered dark bruises as if someone had beaten him badly. It looked particularly shocking.

Huo Yu examined it for a moment, then picked up the blanket and placed it over Xia Wan. After a moment’s thought, he bent down and tucked the corners in. DjBlaP

Seemingly feeling the warmth, Xia Wan snorted comfortably, then pulled the blanket up, covering his entire body with just a few hairs sticking out.

Even though he was sleep-deprived, Xia Wan was awoken by the smell of delicious food. He slowly opened his eyes and saw a tall figure in the morning light, busy at the dining table.

“Morning.” He sat up and greeted Huo Yu with a hoarse voice.

“Did I wake you?” Huo Yu’s voice was distant, and his expression couldn’t be seen clearly in the light and shadow. xzrDZJ

“No.” Xia Wan shook his head and saw a set of clothes on the table, which looked to be his size when he unfolded them. They seemed new, yet also not.

Seeing Xia Wan’s doubts, Huo Yu walked over with the light behind him. “Those are my teenage clothes,” he explained.

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Xia Wan: “…”

Who is he insulting? He was at least 179 cm tall. Okay!!! apVzhk

Seeing that he was unhappy, Huo Yu hooked the corner of his mouth and said, “I made this for you. Rub it.”

Xia Wan then noticed that Huo Yu was holding a dark brown bottle that looked a bit like medicinal oil.

“Oh you can do it,” Xia Wan replied obediently. He turned around, rested his forehead on the back of the sofa, bent his thin white neck, and sat down with his back to Huo Yu, his posture making his butt stick out prominently.

Huo Yu paused for a moment. He wanted Xia Wan to change his posture, but after thinking about it, he didn’t say anything. wnR7tS

Huo Yu poured the medicinal oil into the palm of his hand and rubbed it evenly. Then, he half-kneeled on one leg and applied it to Xia Wan’s injury. 

The posture felt too intimate, almost like hugging Xia Wan from behind. 

For a while, except for Xia Wan’s occasional whimpers, the room was quiet.

“Say when it hurts.” Huo Yu said, but the strength in his hands did not decrease at all. XQoDW5

When Xia Wan heard him, he turned his head around, biting his rosy lips tightly with his snow-white teeth, his eyes wet as if he couldn’t bear it. He fixed his gaze on Huo Yu’s face for a moment before turning away calmly.

Huo Yu’s eyes lingered on Xia Wan’s face for a moment before he looked away calmly. “Just rub it gently, and it’ll be fine,” he said. His palm was firm and warm, and soon Xia Wan felt the wound becoming numb and itchy. The pain was greatly reduced.

“Okay.” Huo Yu withdrew his hand and stood up straight. “Change your clothes and come here to eat,” he instructed.

“Oh.” Xia Wan knelt for a while still, his legs numb, before he turned around slowly and raised his hand to unbutton his borrowed pajamas. VOpUw2

“Go to the bathroom to change!” Compared with his previous gentleness, Huo Yu’s tone was suddenly very cold. Xia Wan was so frightened that his hands trembled, and the comfort of being taken care of disappeared instantly.

Why was Huo Yu’s reaction so extreme? Xia Wan wondered, but he still obediently carried his clothes into the bathroom. When he came out, Huo Yu was already sitting at the dining table, engrossed in a tablet.

There were fried dough sticks and soy milk on the table, as well as a plate of stove buns and two plates of side dishes, which was the most common home breakfast.

“I’m afraid it would affect your rest,” Huo Yu put down the tablet and said, ” So I didn’t let my aunt come over to cook.” hLVXpz

“Oh.” Xia Wan’s tone was a little regretful, but his eyes were full of excitement. He grabbed a fritter at random, and when he took the first bite, he couldn’t help but exclaim, “Delicious.” His expression was almost the same as when he’d had last night’s pork belly and chicken soup.

Huo Yu: “…”

Chrysanthemum Garden.

Yesterday’s pork belly and chicken were expensive, so it was understandable that Xia Wan might have savored it as much as he did. But this was fritters and soy milk. 

Huo Yu slowly took a bite, and after confirming that it was nothing special, he endured and kept silent. YfBdcX

“By the way,” Xia Wan said, his cheeks bulging. “Thank you.”

“Thank you for what else?” Huo Yu asked quietly, without lifting his eyelids.

“Thank you for breakfast, and…” Xia Wan began, but the phone vibrated again, and Huo Lin’s name was still on the screen.

Huo Yu glanced at the name, and the finger wearing the silver-gray ring tapped the surface of the dining table lightly. Considering yesterday’s and today’s events, he could easily surmise that Huo Lin was still very attached to Xia Wan. Seeing Xia Wan decline the call again, he couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow. C3FUNk

“Then, how are you going to thank me?” Huo Yu inquired calmly, his gaze steady.

“If there’s an opportunity,” Xia Wan said seriously, looking at him, “I’ll help you too.”

“What can you help me with?” Huo Yu asked with a half-smile. In terms of life experience, status, and even wealth, there was very little Xia Wan could give him.

But Xia Wan knew where he could lend a hand. There was a lot he could do – in the future, Huo Yu would face some difficult situations, and Xia Wan knew all of them.  Qtl0ye

In the original plot, Huo Peixue would force Huo Yu to marry. Thinking about it, Xia Wan said: “In the future, your family could make you go on a blind date. If you don’t like it, I can play as your lover for free and help you block rotten peach blossoms

“What if my family doesn’t arrange a blind date for me?” Huo Yu asked vaguely.

“They will,” Xia Wan vowed and continued his nonsense. “I heard Huo Lin mention it.”

Indeed, Huo Peixue would never let Huo Yu’s marriage go unchecked, and he would need a façade to settle the issue once and for all.  qDIObk

Xia Wan was indeed very suitable for this.

“In that case,” Huo Yu looked at Xia Wan with a slight smile in his eyes, “Why don’t we go and get the certificate after dinner, this way the matter will be closed once and for all?”

Xia Wan was caught off-guard as he was taking a bite of a bun when saw blood at the tip of his tongue. His eyes turned red in pain, smarting with tears.

  dYsEuN

Translator's Note

Rotten peach blossom is having romance luck but not the kind of romance you wanted.

Leave a Comment

26 comments

  1. PFFT— Jeez, his quick isn’t he? I wonder if he’s joking, or he has some other motive? Perhaps he realized that Xia Wan is special? Or, he might as well marry him, if only to bother Hou Lin?

  2. Why does the scene of just giving ointment have to be that hot 😭😭😭☺

    and Xia Wan’s innocent character is really sweet and funny 😭😭😭😭

  3. A cute boy who fits his aesthetics and can make him smile is already an incredibly tempting thing for Huo Yu. Then you add on the fact that Xia Wan practically offered himself and he’s having a hard time resisting.