Before heading out to the marriage registry, Olivia Young sent a message to Frederick Fairfax.
He didn't reply.
Not replying didn’t matter—as long as he showed up in person.
These days, with such a low marriage rate, there was no need to wait in line at the registry office.
Olivia Young took a number and sat down in the waiting hall.
At 9:01, her phone rang. It was Frederick Fairfax calling.
"Where are you?!"
His sharp voice barked through the phone, making Olivia Young hold the device away from her ear.
A few months ago, on that night, Frederick Fairfax had seemed every inch the refined, aristocratic gentleman—but the moment they met again after he returned to China, that image crumbled completely.
And now, he was actually yelling at a pregnant woman. How uncivilized.
Olivia Young gently patted her belly. Baby, please don’t inherit your dad’s terrible temper!
Comforting her baby silently, she replied in a mild voice, "I'm at the marriage bureau. Are you here yet?"
She could hear his teeth grinding on the other end. "I’m here! Where are YOU?"
"Share your location."
With that, Olivia Young hung up.
Both sent each other their locations.
As fate would have it, they were both at marriage bureaus—unfortunately, Beijing has more than a dozen of them.
Olivia Young was at the registry near her home.
Frederick Fairfax was at the one near his.
Each naturally assumed the other should come over.
[Olivia Young: Come here.]
[Frederick Fairfax: Why should I? Why not you?]
Such a low EQ.
No consideration for a pregnant woman at all!
[Olivia Young: If you don’t, I’ll call Grandfather and ask him which one of us should go. (*^__^*) Death smile]
[Frederick Fairfax: On my way.]
Just those two words, but already it was obvious that Frederick Fairfax's temper had completely deflated.
Olivia Young sat waiting in the hall. There were two other couples there, both sitting far away, whispering as they watched her.
The place was small enough that their muttered comments landed squarely in Olivia Young’s ears.
“So she got pregnant first, and now they’re registering—totally got tricked by a scummy guy. Poor thing."
"Imagine being that pretty and still getting dumped. If that can happen to her, guess I have nothing to complain about, being dumped just for being ugly."
"If I could marry such a gorgeous woman, I’d sprint to her—never let her wait!"
After the two couples registered, they left. Still, Frederick Fairfax hadn’t arrived.
Olivia Young wasn’t in a rush; after all, Frederick Fairfax was a big celebrity, bound to make some kind of grand entrance.
Past 11:00, the registry hall had grown nearly deserted.
A tall, striking figure came in, striding straight to Olivia Young.
She was hunched over, griping to her best friend Bella Snow about Frederick Fairfax. Suddenly, someone cast a shadow overhead. She looked up with a scowl—Frederick Fairfax caught her gaze, lips quirking as he sat beside her.
"You finally showed up. I was starting to put down roots here."
As soon as she spoke, Frederick Fairfax shoved a agreement—fresh from his assistant—toward her.
She glanced at it. "What's this?"
Frederick Fairfax took off his sunglasses, twirling them idly between his fingers. "Miss Young, you wanted a agreement marriage, so we should make our rights and obligations clear. I had my lawyer draft it yesterday. I've already signed. If you sign it too, we can register—just don't go threatening me with Grandfather again."
Was that supposed to be a warning?
(ˉ▽￣～) Whatever~~
Who cares about him? Even if he's the baby's biological father, all she wanted was to escape the original book's plot.
Frederick Fairfax was just a tool.
Who cares how a tool feels?
Olivia Young skimmed through the agreement. Separate rooms. No kissing. No hugging. No physical contact unless absolutely necessary. The marriage wouldn’t be made public. He wouldn't be responsible for the child, and the child didn’t even have to take his surname.
In short: a marriage in name only—on paper alone.
"Do I need to return the wedding gifts Grandfather Feng gave me?"
Frederick Fairfax lowered his voice. "Olivia Young, you really are thick-skinned. You’re marrying me while pregnant with someone else’s child and still want my family’s wedding gifts? I even have to help raise your kid? What a deal for you."
Nyah nyah.
She wanted what she wanted!
The old man adored his precious great-grandson—he’d gladly give her all of his riches.
But for now…
Old Grandfather Feng was guileless enough to believe some so-called master’s words; he just wanted her to marry Frederick Fairfax for the sake of good fortune.
If that came to nothing, she might be kicked out of the family.
"I’ll take what’s rightfully mine, but nothing that isn’t," Olivia Young said crisply as she signed her name. "I accept all your terms. Sincere enough for you?"
Frederick Fairfax's expression eased. "Glad you know what’s good for you."
"Then let’s hurry—let’s go register before they get off work!"
She shifted to grab Frederick Fairfax, but remembered the agreement’s ban on physical contact and let her hand drop.
A pity about the no-touching rule.
The memory of their intertwined fingers and fevered kissing against the wall that night still tugged at her heartstrings.
Frederick Fairfax’s hands—fair and long-fingered, with clear, elegant knuckles and a healthy pink hue to his nails.
Just imagining those hands wandering over her body was enough to make her blush.
After filling out the forms, they headed for their photo.
Both had removed their jackets, revealing matching white shirts underneath.
Since getting pregnant, Olivia Young hadn’t worn a lick of makeup. With her lustrous black hair, fresh bare face, almond-shaped eyes, straight nose, and naturally rosy lips—like they’d been dipped in strawberry juice—she was a vision.
Another success for Nuwa’s* handiwork.
* (Nuwa is the goddess said to have created humankind, often invoked when praising someone’s beauty.)
Frederick Fairfax slouched at her side. "Olivia Young, why are your ears so red?"
"You're seeing things – it’s the red backdrop," she replied.
The staff taking their photo had to bite back giggles—this shift really was worth it!
To see a favorite actor marry a gorgeous woman… what a day.
But excitement was mixed with a bit of indignation.
The bride was obviously pregnant, registering now—so even idol Frederick Fairfax did things out of order.
Once the marriage certificate was in hand, it was nearly noon.
Frederick Fairfax took a photo of the little red booklet and sent it to Grandfather Feng. "Want to have lunch together?"
"Probably best not. I’m afraid just seeing me will ruin your appetite."
"Olivia Young, do you even know what 'warding off bad luck'* means? It means you have to stay by my side," Frederick Fairfax said, almost testing the idea.
* (In traditional superstition, marrying for the purpose of 'chongxi,' or bringing luck, is believed to help ill family members recover.)
He wanted to see if being near Olivia Young would actually help.
Absurd.
How could Grandfather trust some wandering fortune-teller? Even more ridiculous: he’d actually married Olivia Young.
He was the real victim here. His purity gone—now a married man, and all because of a schemer.
He really should never have messed with women. They only slowed his sword hand.
"It’s easy for us to get photographed out and about," Olivia Young said lightly. "I don’t mind, but you’re a public figure. Are you sure you’re okay with that?"
"Since when were you so thoughtful?" He gave a dismissive snort. "I don't buy it."
Olivia Young pulled out her phone. "All right, I'll just go public with it on Weibo right now. You joining me?"
"I believe you!"
(ˉ▽￣～) Whatever~~
Like she can’t outsmart him.
Olivia Young cheerfully got in the car, snapped a photo, and posted it to her Moments* feed.
* (Moments, or 'Pengyouquan,' is a private social-media feed on WeChat.)
As promised, she sent it for Grace Gordon to see. It was visible to him alone.