Married At First Sight Chapter 11 Gu Lingfei: Married at First Sight Novel Chapter 11 “Let’s go.” Despite tearing into Serenity in his mind, Zachary had no intention to say or do anything about it.

Serenity was his wife on paper, but they were no different than strangers.

Too scared to say anything, the driver started the car.

Serenity had no idea she nearly ran into her man’s car. She sped off on her e-bike and made it to the shop in no time. Jasmine always arrived earlier than Serenity since the former lived nearby.

“Seren.” Jasmine ordered breakfast after she was done setting up the shop. She was enjoying breakfast when her best friend entered the scene. Jasmine asked with a smile, “Have you eaten?” “Yeah.” “Oh.” Jasmine went on to finish the most important meal of the day.

“I brought you some desserts. They’re delicious. Try them.” Picking up a bag by the cash register, Jasmine told her best friend.

Serenity placed her bike key by the cash register and sat down before pulling over the bag containing the dessert. “You can’t go wrong with desserts. I saw a Roll Royce on my way to work, Jasmine.” Jasmine replied, “I see. It’s not strange to spot a Rolls Royce in Wiltspoon, but it’s not a common sight. Did you see who’s in the car? Is it just like in the books – a hot and single CEO?” Serenity stared at Jasmine without a word.

Jasmine chuckled. “That’s what it’s like in the books. Why are the young, hot, and rich CEOs eluding us?” “The storylines are made up to cater to the market. Would anyone read a book if it’s about your average wage earner? The leading man has to be society’s elite even if he isn’t a CEO.” Jasmine burst into another bout of laughter.

“That reminds me. Are you free tonight, Seren?” “You know I’m either at home or at the shop, right? What’s the matter?” Life was simple to Serenity as it only revolved around managing the shop and caring for her sister’s son.

“There’s a dinner party tonight. It’s a gathering of high society. I got an invite. Do you want to come along and have a peek into their world?” Serenity turned down the offer. “I don’t run in the same circle as them. I’m not interested.” Although she earned quite a bit, the upper crust was beyond her reach. She had no intention to elbow her way into the community, nor did she have the means to.

To be frank, Serenity might be mistaken as the server if someone of her social status were to attend such a refined dinner party.

“I don’t want to go either, but my mom begged my aunt for an invite. I can bring a plus one, so I thought of taking you. Seren, oh Seren. Please come with me to see what it’s like. Wait, no. I need you there to be my rock. I don’t want my mom to nag at me.” The Soxes were wealthy and locals of Wiltspoon. They owned several properties and half a block of stores, making their millions through rent. However, wealth could not buy social standing.

Mrs. Sox took pride in her daughter’s pretty face as marrying her daughter off could be the ticket to a higher social class. Jasmine’s aunt happened to marry into a rich and powerful family. It had been a few tough decades, but it finally worked out for the aunt as she was now rubbing shoulders with the upper class.

The aunt doted on Jasmine and believed her niece had just only what it took to bag a wealthy and influential bachelor. Since Jasmine’s mom asked, the aunt was happy to make it happen for her niece.

“Is Mrs. Sox pressuring you to get married again?” “All mothers are the same. They can’t wait to kick their daughters out and make them another man’s problem once their daughters turn eighteen. I can make my own money and be financially independent. I don’t need a man to enjoy a good life.

“I think you shouldn’t marry out of your social class. I don’t want to marry up. Although my aunt is mingling well with the circle, it took her decades to get there. She faced a lot of difficulties when she first married her husband. She used to cry to my mom when she visited back then. She knows what it’s like.” Jasmine was all for freedom and not being bound by the upper crust’s unwritten rules.

“Come on, Seren. Just tonight. We’ll be in this together. We get to see how the top 1% live. My aunt said there will be a lot of young eligible bachelors attending tonight. They’re all Wiltspoon’s finest and richest. We can check the scene out even if we’re not there to snag a man. It’s a dinner party, so there’s going to be lots of good food.” Serenity was not one to say no to food.

So was Jasmine.

It was that common interest that brought the pair together.

It took an hour of convincing before Serenity gave in to her best friend’s request. They closed the store early to attend the event.

Serenity called her sister and asked about her nephew. Her nephew had seen a doctor, and the fever was only a case of the sniffles.

It put Serenity’s mind at ease.

She then told Liberty about attending a dinner party with Jasmine.

“It’s nice even if it’s just for the experience. Of course, you could make some friends from that circle.” Liberty was in favor of Serenity attending the party.

It was not for any other reason than to witness the other side of the world.

The shop was closed right after lunch just to attend tonight’s party. Jasmine dragged her best friend home to put on some fancy dress and slap some makeup on.

Since the Soxes adored Serenity, they had no problem with Jasmine bringing Serenity along to the dinner party. Serenity was married anyway, so there was no concern that Serenity would steal the limelight from Jasmine.

Just after six in the evening, a sedan arranged by Jasmine’s aunt rolled into the Soxes’ driveway.

“Have fun.” Seeing the girls off at the door, Mrs. Sox said to Serenity, “Help me keep an eye on Jasmine, Seren. Don’t let her stuff her face. Get her to socialize with the young bachelors.” She told her daughter, “Jasmine, your aunt has done a lot for you. Don’t let her down.” Serenity replied with a smile, “Don’t worry, Mrs. Sox. I’ll help you keep an eye on Jasmine so she doesn’t wander off to the buffet.” They would hang out at the buffet together.

“I feel relieved with you around.” Mrs. Sox was fond of Serenity because the girl was sensible and independent. Had it not been because her son was a lot younger than Serenity, Mrs. Sox would have played matchmaker for them.

It was regrettable that Serenity was taken. There were a lot of youngsters in the Sox family. Serenity could have picked any one of them if she wanted to walk down the aisle.

It was what it was. There was no point talking about it since it was not like Mrs. Sox’s regret could change anything.

With Mrs. Sox urging them to hurry up, Jasmine, dolled up in glamorous makeup, white gown, and jewelry, pushed her best friend into the sedan arranged by the aunt.

Seeing that Serenity was married and acting as a plus-one, she did not bother to dress up. She wore her usual clothes and put on natural makeup. Nevertheless, her natural beauty still shone through despite her plain attire.

Married At First Sight Chapter 12 Gu Lingfei: Married at First Sight Novel Chapter 12 The dinner party was held at Wiltspoon Hotel, a place Serenity never had a chance to step into.

The Wiltspoon Hotel was one of the finest hotels in the city. Some said it was a seven-star hotel, but Serenity had no idea if that was true because it was not news she would follow.

Jasmine’s aunt arrived at the hotel before the girls and exchanged greetings with her friends. The aunt then told her children to enter the hotel while she stayed at the door to wait for Jasmine and Serenity to arrive.

As the car she arranged cruised over behind other cars, the aunt curled her lips to smile.

A few minutes later, Jasmine, with Serenity in tow, approached the aunt.

“Aunt Rachel.” “Mrs. Lowe.” Serenity and her best friend said hello to Rachel.

Rachel was not entirely okay with Jasmine bringing Serenity along as she had met the girl before. Rachel had to admit that the girl, who lost her parents at a young age, was better looking than her niece. Despite coming from a middle-class family, Serenity carried herself with natural grace and class.

The aunt was initially worried Serenity might overshadow her niece, but since Jasmine’s mom mentioned Serenity was married, Rachel was relieved.

Seeing that Serenity ditched the evening dress for common clothes, opted for light makeup, and forewent the jewelry, Rachel was glad that her glamorous niece outshone Serenity’s natural beauty. At least, Serenity was sensible and knew her place.

“Come with me. I’ll take you in. Jasmine, take out your invite. The security will check it for registration.” Jasmine immediately pulled out her invitation.

“Mind yourselves when you get in. Try to talk less but observe more. If the time is right, I’ll introduce you around. Seren, I can trust you more than I do Jasmine. Watch Jasmine so she stays out of trouble. The Wiltspoon Hotel is one of the hotels the richest family owns. The family’s heirs might be here tonight.” Rachel then whispered in her niece’s ear, “Jasmine, it would be a great blessing to our family if you win the heart of one of the heirs. The family tends to keep a low profile and adopts healthy family values. You don’t hear much of a power struggle. Most importantly, the men in that family are decent enough not to have mistresses.

“My daughter isn’t at the age to marry yet. Otherwise, I would’ve saved the chance for my daughter.” Ultimately, Rachel had a closer bond with her daughter than with her niece.

However, her daughter was only seventeen and not at the legal age to marry.

Jasmine replied, “… Aunt Rachel, I wouldn’t dare dream of climbing up the social ladder by marrying the richest family in Wiltspoon.” She came here for the food.

Serenity stood next to them, listening without butting in.

She was here to play second fiddle anyway. Her eyes were set on the food as it was said that Wiltspoon Hotel had great chefs.

“What’s the last name of the richest family?” Although Jasmine was not a daydreamer, it did not stop her from prying.

“York.” “York? Now, isn’t that peculiar?” Jasmine nudged her best friend as Serenity’s new husband shared the same last name.

Serenity knew what her best friend was getting at, but she simply grinned without a word. Although her husband’s last name was York, Zachary had no relation to the richest family except for the surname. It was common to share the same full name, let alone a last name.

“The Yorks might be made of money, but they’re not snobs. The family will accept whoever their boys pick so long as the woman is of good character. The Yorks are pretty open-minded.” Rachel had no qualms about pushing her niece to go after the Yorks.

Her niece was good-looking and nice. Jasmine’s family was also well-off, and although nowhere near the wealthiest family, the Soxes prevailed over many.

Jasmine’s nonchalance tempted Rachel to pull her ear. In the end, Rachel helplessly uttered, “You two should head in. I just saw a friend. I’m going there to say hello.” “Aunt Rachel, we’ll go in then.” Jasmine hastily dragged Serenity to get away from Aunt Rachel’s nagging. Aunt Rachel was exactly like her mom. It was no wonder Aunt Rachel got along with Mom. They were two of a kind.

It was Serenity’s first time at the Wiltspoon Hotel while Jasmine had been here a few times. Leading her best friend, Jasmine nimbly grabbed two plates of food and hid in a corner.

“We don’t know these ladies. They won’t give us the time of day if we go up and introduce ourselves. Let’s dig in, Seren. We’re here to check out the scene and see what a party among the higher society is like.” Serenity said with a smile, “Mrs. Sox is going to kill you if she finds out you’re only here for the food.” Nonetheless, Serenity came for the same thing.

Jasmine uttered without a care, “Look at me. Who am I to snag one of the eligible bachelors here tonight? My aunt is dreaming to think the heirs would fancy me.

“Seren, do I look like Miss Universe or Miss World to you? Would the heirs think I’m a catch? Heh. Only my aunt would think that. Let’s not bother. Come on. Dig in. The Wiltspoon Hotel’s known for its gourmet food. I had been to the hotel restaurant in the past, but I couldn’t bring myself to order some of the dishes. They were too expensive. I can finally try them tonight.” “Thanks to you, I get to try the food too.” Like Jasmine, Serenity was indifferent about the whole thing.

Serenity was married anyway.

The pair hid in a corner as they enjoyed a great feast.

Suddenly, the crowd turned their eyes to the hotel entrance. With silence filling the room, the pair, who were munching in delight, realized something was up.

Serenity elbowed her best friend and asked, “Jasmine, why did they stop talking? They are all facing the door. Who’s there?” “No idea.” Jasmine stood up while Serenity followed behind. Getting on their tiptoes, the pair tried to get a view of the hotel entrance, but there were too many people in between to witness the grand entrance. It was quite a bustle that drew everybody’s attention.

The organizer of the event tonight was a prominent figure in the business world who was buddies with the Yorks. Since Zachary was head of the York family and the party was held in his family’s hotel, the least Zachary could do was to show up.

After sorting out the critical affairs, Zachary made an appearance at the event.

His lofty build and attractive appearance, despite his tense facial muscles and standoffish presence, were like a magnet, drawing everybody’s attention wherever he went.

“Mr. York.” “Mr. York.” Zachary was showered with reverent greetings as he made his way through the crowd.

The high-standing CEOs greeted Zachary face-to-face.

Zachary courteously nodded his head as a response to the hellos.

Married At First Sight Chapter 13 Gu Lingfei: Married at First Sight Novel Chapter 13 Zachary was the center of attention as he walked into the room, completely oblivious to his new bride in a corner. Serenity’s gaze could not get past the crowd and onto her man’s face.

After failing to catch a glimpse of the leading man despite standing on her toes to look for a long time, Serenity soon lost interest and sat back down. She tugged on her best friend and said, “I won’t bother. There are too many people around to get a good look. Let’s eat.” To Serenity, the mission tonight was to pig out!

“Wait for me here, Seren. I’ll ask my aunt who came. All that commotion is as if the king has graced us with his presence.” The curiosity was eating Jasmine up inside.

“Sure,” Serenity casually replied.

Jasmine went off on her own.

Since Serenity had cleared her plates, she picked up her empty plates and got up. While everybody was fussing over the VIP, Serenity could grab the food at ease without enduring the stares and dirty looks.

Zachary walked into the room and first went to have a small talk with the organizer of the event. His bodyguards, with their game faces on, kept their eyes and ears peeled for anything and everything. Mr. Zachary had a thing against females coming too close.

Their primary task when attending events with Mr. Zachary was to be on the lookout for those with ulterior motives.

Perhaps blessed with height, one of the bodyguards was able to look far and caught sight of Mr. Zachary’s wife while assessing the venue.

Zachary withheld his identity when he married Serenity. However, as Zachary’s bodyguards, they recognized the missus of the house. Hence, Zachary’s bodyguards, aside from the old Mrs., were familiar with Serenity.

Thinking his eyes were fooling him, the said bodyguard was fixated on the girl and realized that it was indeed Mr. Zachary’s wife. 1 The missus was unfazed by Mr. Zachary’s presence as she held two plates and selected her favorite food. It did not take long before her plates were filled to the brim. Carrying two plates of food, Serenity walked away and sat down at the table in a corner.

She proceeded to indulge in the food like nothing ever happened.

The bodyguard, “…” Once Zachary was done exchanging words with a few well-acquainted CEOs, the bodyguard seized the opportunity to walk up to him and whispered, “Mr. Zachary, I saw your missus.” 1.

Zachary furrowed his brows but quickly wiped off the scowl and coldly blurted, “Why is she here?” “No clue.” “Keep an eye on her. Don’t let her see me. Also, snap some pictures of who she’s with and interacts with.” In Zachary’s eyes, Serenity had not cleared herself from having an ulterior motive. He suspected Serenity: was here to climb higher on the social ladder That was the reason he kept his identity from her. Serenity might be turned off that he was a measly wage earner The bodyguard respectfully took the order.

Zachary casually went back to sharing a pleasant conversation with the CEOs. It was usually through these conversations that deals were closed.

Serenity was unaware that she was seen and watched by her husband’s bodyguard.

With Jasmine returning from asking around, Serenity inquired, “How was it? Did you get anything?” “Yeah. The heir of the Yorks is here. He’s the head of York Corporation, but I couldn’t see the man himself. There are too many people. He’s also surrounded by a security detail. My aunt lamentably told me that the heir doesn’t like females getting too close to him. Every time he attends an event, he keeps his bodyguards near to shut out all the single ladies from trying to chat him up.” “Oh.” Serenity could not care less.

“Seren, your man is also a York. Do you think there’s no correlation? There aren’t a lot of people with that last name, and that’s the surname of the richest family.” Married At First Sight Chapter 14 Gu Lingfei: Married at First Sight Novel Chapter 14 Jasmine brought a glass of red wine to her lips and took a sip.

“You read too many chick lits. There are so many people with the same first and last names under the sun, much less a surname. Bill Gates is one of the richest men, but do you think everybody with that last name is his family?” Jasmine smiled. ‘You have a point.” “My husband is a white-collar worker. He drives a national car and earns six figures. Do you think the heir of the Yorks would drive that sort of car? You have a wild imagination, don’t you?” Serenity never dreamed about becoming Cinderella. It was fine to daydream but not to the extent of being out of touch with reality.

“Come to think of it, can the head of the York family swing the other way since he doesn’t want young females approaching him? Is he married?” Serenity was the least bit interested in the young heir’s appearance. Nevertheless, it was questionable that he shunned away from young women. Either he was chaste, or he had a problem in that department. He might play for the other team for all she knew.

“I never heard the news of him getting hitched. Although we’re not in that circle, news of his marriage would rock Wiltspoon since he’s the head of the York household. The papers and media would’ve been all over his wedding. We heard nothing, so I guess he’s single.” Jasmine put down her glass. “Now that you’ve said it. I think something’s up with him. It’s unusual for a fine man like him not to even have a girlfriend.” “We’ll never know what’s going on in the minds of the wealthy. Eat up. We should leave after eating our fill.” “Sure,” Jasmine responded. The girls began to feast like nobody’s business.

Many had observed them. Some looked away after a fleeting glance while others watched on with disdain and taunt. It appeared an heiress and her maid attended the ball and hid in a corner to eat the whole night as if they had been starved.

These girls sure could eat!

“Jas.” Rachel’s son, Shawn Lowe came by. Younger than Jasmine by three years, he had a good relationship with his cousin.

He tagged along with his parents to mingle around the crowd when his mother suddenly thought of Jasmine. Shawn was under the instructions to look around for Jasmine.

“Come, Shawn. Sit.” Jasmine pulled a chair over for her cousin to sit down.

With Serenity smiling at Shawn, the latter blushed and raised his glass at her. He asked with a grin, “Do you drink, Serenity?” “I rarely do.” Serenity only indulged in alcohol on a rare occasion because she could barely hold her drink.

How could she when a bottle of beer could knock her out for twelve hours? Serenity would be embarrassing herself, her best friend, and Mrs. Lowe’s family if she were to pass out here.

“Do you want milk or juice? I’ll bring you a glass.” Shawn got up to leave.

Pulling him back, Serenity replied, “It’s fine, Shawn. I’m full. I don’t think I can handle another drink.” Shawn sat back down.

“Jas, did you and Serenity sit here the whole night?” Shawn appeared troubled as he remarked, “Mom wanted to introduce you to a few nice men, but you weren’t there every time she turned around. She couldn’t just walk away from the other ladies, so she told me to look for you.” Married At First Sight Chapter 15 Gu Lingfei: Married at First Sight Novel Chapter 15 Having eaten to her heart’s content, Jasmine gleefully said, “Shawn, I’m not interested in the eligible bachelors. Serenity and I are only here to check out the scene and taste the food. The place lives up to its name as a seven-star hotel. The food is amazing. It was a hearty meal.” Shawn, “…” “We‘re stuffed now. It’s getting late, Shawn. Serenity and I got to go. Please let my aunt know on my behalf.” Anxious, Shawn did a double take on Serenity and answered, “Leaving so soon? Jas, the party is only halfway through. It’s still early. The earliest would be eleven o’clock tonight before the party’s over.” Serenity chimed in. ‘We have a business to run tomorrow, so we can’t stay out that late.” With the pair getting up, Shawn followed behind them.

“You know you can delay the opening time by a few hours.” Shawn hovered around Serenity, hoping to keep the girls around for a little longer.

“That won’t do. Our busiest times are in the morning, afternoon, and evening. Missing out on the morning session could cost us a lot.” Patting her cousin’s shoulder, Jasmine poked fun in delight. “You should stick around and see if there’s anyone you fancy. Although you’re still young, nothing’s stopping you from seeing a girl.” Shawn stole another glance at Serenity. Blushing in the face, he bashfully said, “I’m fresh out of college, Jas. I’ll think about marriage once I’m steady in my job for a few years.” Serenity put forth her opinion. “There’s no rush for boys. Shawn‘s only twenty-two this year. He can wait another two years.” Shawn bobbed his head along, only for Serenity to add responsively. “You were still a little kid when I first met you. I can’t believe you’re all grown up now.” Shawn, “…” Unable to persuade the girls to stay, Shawn walked with them out of the hotel.

“Jas, did you drive here?” “Your mom arranged for a car to pick us up.” Jas was not bothered when she said, “Seren and I can take the cab. You should go back in. Shawn. Tell my aunt that we got to leave. I hope you have fun.” There were a lot of people hanging around the lobby. Everybody glanced at Jasmine and Serenity, but none came to chat with him as the girls were unfamiliar faces.

Since the pair did not want to catch a cab in front of the hotel, they walked to the street before hailing a cab. They told Shawn, who had been walking with them, “Shawn, hurry back to the hotel. Bye now.” Shawn waved his arm reluctantly as he watched the girls get into the cab and ride off. He stood by the road for a long time before making his way back. At the hotel entrance, he bumped into Zachary who was on his way out. The center of attention as always, Zachary demonstrated the makings of a leader through his security detall around him.

Shawn stopped at the sight of him and took a step to the side to make way for Zachary.

“Mr. Lowe.” Zachary paused in his footsteps as he was passing by Shawn and politely acknowledged Shawn.

Flattered, Shawn immediately responded with a smile, “Mr. York.” Everybody else was taken aback by the exchange of greeting between Zachary and Shawn. The Lowes were of the upper crust, but they barely crossed paths with the Yorks. Shawn was only a kid in everybody’s eyes. Although he had entered the family business, Shawn was starting from the bottom up. Shawn was holding an insignificant position in the Lowes’ company.

For the lofty Zachary to say hello to Shawn, was he trying to build a bridge because he saw something in Shawn as the future heir of the Lowes’ business, or did he see a promising future in the Lowes?

Mr. and Mrs. Lowe were seeing Zachary out along with the crowd. Seeing that Zachary acknowledged their son’s presence, the couple was astonished and pleasantly surprised.

Married At First Sight Chapter 16 Gu Lingfei: Married at First Sight Novel Chapter 16 Within the business community in Wiltspoon, anyone who had won Zachary’s favor would go places like the world was theirs to take.

Mr. and Mrs. Lowe brought their son along to the dinner party so he could meet people and make friends. It was to lay the groundwork for their son’s future.

“Mr. Lowe, you were…” “I was just returning from walking my family to get a ride.” Before Zachary could finish his sentence, Shawn jumped in to explain what he was doing in case Zachary might take it the wrong way that Shawn did not care for these social settings or was unhappy with the hotel service.

The Wiltspoon Hotel was one of the many hotels under the Yorks’ flagship.

“Oh.” Zachary then walked past Shawn, looking like he only greeted Shawn out of politeness.

Shawn had no time to get over the situation as a crowd around Zachary walked right past him. Shawn became a nobody in an instant.

Everybody was used to Zachary making a brief appearance at an event before taking off.

The CEOs were secretly glad that they managed to talk business with Zachary. It was a good thing that they moved quickly and jumped at the chance.

Soon, the Rolls Royce with the car plate number, XX8888, escorted by cars of his security detail, left the Wiltspoon Hotel.

“Where to, Mr. Zachary?” Behind the wheel, the driver asked.

Zachary took a look at the time, and it was only half past nine. Since it was still early for him, he gave it a thought and replied, ‘To Brynfield.” “Got it,” the driver responded.

To Zachary’s surprise, he came home earlier than Serenity.

Back at his barren, warmthless, vacant home, Zachary sat on the sofa and disinterestedly watched TV while waiting for his wife, who had not come home despite leaving the hotel earlier.

The bodyguard had captured Serenity’s every move at the party and sent the pictures to Zachary’s phone.

Zachary scrolled through each photo. All the woman did was eat as if she had been starving for a lifetime.

Nevertheless, her hiding in a corner to eat was better than her hitting on other men.

Zachary frowned at her attire. The woman was underdressed and did not even put on an evening gown. Of course, he would lock her out of the house if she appeared at the ball, dressed to the nines.

Apart from Shawn, Serenity did not engage with other males. Shawn was the cousin of her best friend, so they must already know each other.

In the end, Zachary was fixated on a photograph with his lips pursed. His eyes reflected growing profundity and callousness.

It was a hard angle to pull even for a candid photo. The bodyguard somehow managed to capture Shawn sneaking a glance at Serenity. As the head of York Corporation, Zachary had trained eagle eyes.

He picked up on the subtlety of the photograph.

Shawn had a thing for Serenity!

It was hard for Zachary to believe he had a rival in love!

There was a click on the door lock.

Zachary stopped looking at the photos and quickly stuffed his phone into his pocket.

Serenity opened the door and came into the house to find Zachary sitting on the sofa watching TV. While closing and locking the door, she asked. “Are you not working late tonight, Mr. York?” Married At First Sight Chapter 17 Gu Lingfei: Married at First Sight Novel Chapter 17 “Yeah.” Zachary answered in a deep voice.

Serenity drew close, holding a carrier bag in hand.

“I bought cranberries. Do you want same?” Black in the face, Zachary gave her a dirty look. All she did was eat at the dinner party. Yet, she still had room for more.

She was such a glutton!

“Cranberries can taste bitter when eaten raw, but there’s a sweet aftertaste that comes through. It was once the favorite of my most cherished man.” Taking the seat next to Zachary, Serenity opened the container of cranberries. Zachary discreetly scooted to the side to pull away from her. He did not want his clothes stained.

“Your most cherished man?” “The man on the hundred-dollar bill.” Zachary, “…” Money to him was a series of numbers in his account.

“Do you want to try a bite? It’s tasty. For real. It’s delicious. I can’t get enough of it.” “No. Knock yourself out. One more thing. Can you take it to the dining hall? I can’t stand to see the furniture stained.” Seeing that Zachary was a clean freak, Serenity carried her container away while mumbling to herself,” The high wage earners must be very particular over the finer materials in life.” Serenity was having a blast snacking in the dining room.

With a grimace, Zachary stared at her back, but who was he to judge?

To each their own.

“Mr. York, since you did not work late tonight, can you come home early tomorrow too?” From the dining hall, Serenity threw a question at the man.

Zachary fell silent for a moment before coldly inquiring “What for?” The man must be born indifferent as his tone had always been unemotional and flat since their first encounter.

Serenity grumbled in her mind. Nevertheless, they were merely roommates under the guise of marriage. They could just divorce if things did not work out !

“I need you to drive me to the market florist tomorrow. I want to buy a few potted plants to put on the balcony. It’s more convenient since you have a car.” Zachary was without a word.

“If you can’t get up that early, you can lend me your car I’ll get myself there.” What time?” After an internal struggle, Zachary asked for the time in the end. He decided to get up early in the morning and go with her to the market florist for plants to furnish their balcony.

“Six o’clock. We can have breakfast before getting the plants. We might as well get a few essentials for the house too.” Serenity noticed the house was missing a lot of items when she moved in on the first day. She suspected that Zachary did not live here prior to her occupying the space as there was no hint of life in the place. “Sure.” Zachary answered.

Once Serenity finished her cranberries and came to the living room, Zachary asked, “Why did you close shop early tonight?” Married At First Sight Chapter 18 Gu Lingfei: Married at First Sight Novel Chapter 18 “I wasn’t at the shop tonight. My friend wanted to attend a dinner party and asked me to tag along. Oh, right. Mr. York, I want to ask you about something, but I’m not sure if it’s something you‘re comfortable answering.” Taking the seat opposite Zachary, Serenity stared at the man with her big bright eyes. The man was aloof, distant, and nasty toward her. She knew he built a wall around him to keep nobody out but her.

However, he was blessed with good looks. His face was aesthetically pleasing as if she was looking at a beautiful scenery.

“The party was held at the Wiltspoon Hotel. I heard the hotel belongs to the wealthiest family in the city. Guess what? The heir of the family attended tonight too. His last name is York, but I think you‘re unrelated to that family, right?” Without batting an eye, Zachary blasély replied, “We were related five hundred years ago.” Serenity heaved a sigh of relief and responded with a smile, “I knew you have no relations to the wealthiest family in town.” Seeing that she was glad and relieved, Zachary somehow had to ask, “Don’t you want me to be related to them?” “It’s nighttime now.” Serenity added with a smirk, “Quit daydreaming.” “If you’re linked to the wealthy Yorks, would you marry a stranger like me? Without a doubt, the Yorks are the crème de la crème in the social hierarchy, and I’m way at the bottom of the barrel. Even if you’re only a cousin of the uncle to the grandfather of the family’s heir, I’d think you’re out of my league. I wouldn’t feel comfortable living together.

“Since you have no relations to the wealthy York, I don’t feel the strain as we run in the same circle.” Zachary pursed his lips without a word.

“Your Nana said you work at a major corporation. Have you heard about the heir to York Corporation? He was there tonight. People were all over him as if he was the king. Jasmine and I had to get on our tiptoes, but we couldn’t get a look at his face.” Zachary kept his lips tightly pressed with his brooding and icy eyes.

“They said that the heir always has bodyguards following him around so no women could get close to him. Jasmine asked around and found out that the heir was single and not involved in any scandal. I guess he doesn’t even have a girlfriend.

“Mr. York, do you think it’s a matter of sexuality or something else since the heir is still single despite his age?” Her words nearly startled Zachary to bite his tongue.

Zachary could burn holes through Serenity with the stare he was giving her right now.

: How could she question his manhood right in his face?!

Taking his glare as surprise, Serenity broke it down for Zachary. “For a man of his stature to refuse approaching young ladies, he must not be interested in them. No wonder he’s not married even though he’s not getting any younger. Ordinary people like us will never understand the world of the rich.” Resisting the urge to strangle her, Zachary asked coldly, “How do you know he’s not young at all? It doesn’t mean he swings the other way just because he steers clear of women.” “He’s the head of the York family. We‘re not living in romance fiction. It takes time for a successor to mature and prove his worth in taking over the family business. They’d be at least thirty-five before that can happen. That’s reaching middle age. To a young girl like me, that’s old.” It was not as if he could correct her that the heir of the Yorks was only thirty years of age, and only five years older than she was. He was not old at all.

A while later, he callously inquired, ‘You seem fascinated by the heir.“ “Not at all. This was the first time I got firsthand gossip about a major CEO. Where there are people, there’s gossip. I was just giving my two cents. Mrs. Lowe was hoping Jasmine could charm the heir, but Jasmine has no intention to marry up. The world of the rich and powerful is beyond us all.” Serenity had heard about the hardship Mrs. Lowe faced when marrying into a higher social class. The Soxes were multimillionaires, and although they made their money through opportune property investments, the family had amassed a fortune. Despite being rich, Mrs. Lowe had to jostle through adversity to integrate into the cultured class. Ordinary girls such as them should not believe in fairytales.

“It’s late. I’m going to shower.” Serenity and her husband chatted for a bit until there was nothing to talk about. At the end of the day, they were still strangers.

Getting up, Serenity went to the balcony to take in her laundry. “When you were renovating, you should’ve gotten the builder to install two rails as drying racks.” Zachary remained silent. He bought a move-in-ready property. These trivial matters were usually not his concern, so how would he know the rails had to be installed on the balcony for drying clothes?

Married At First Sight Chapter 19 Gu Lingfei: Married at First Sight Novel Chapter 19 “I’m taking a trip back to my hometown after meeting your parents this weekend. I want to chop down a few bamboos to make the rails.” Zachary replied faintly, “No need, I’ll get someone to install the rails tomorrow.” The lady of the York house wanted to go all the way to her hometown to chop down some bamboo and haul them back for laundry-airing purposes. The only person who could come up with this is Serenity.

“Sure. Thanks.” “This is also my home.” “Yeah,” Serenity answered before carrying her laundry to her bedroom. She pushed open her bedroom door before turning around to look at Zachary. “If you want, you can leave your dirty clothes out after shower. I’ll wash your clothes when I’m doing my laundry.” “It’s fine. Thank you. I’ll get someone to deliver two washing machines tomorrow. It’d be easy to have a washing machine in each of our bathrooms.” “Alright. Tell me how much you pay for the washing machines. I’ll split with you.” Serenity could not let him foot the bill for the washing machines too since he had already given her a debit card for household expenses.

Zachary faintly uttered, ‘Two washing machines won’t cost a lot. I can afford a few thousands. Besides, they’re white goods for our house.” In case she thought he was horrible with household planning, Zachary added. “I’m usually busy with work, so I send my clothes to the dry cleaners. That’s why I didn’t get a washing machine.” It was not a question of the incapability of managing a house, but simply because Zachary did not take a lot of things into account, nor is he knowledgeable about quotidian needs. For the past thirty years, he had lived in true fashion the comfortable life of an heir. Even so, Zachary would do as much as he could by himself.

The laundry though, was something he had never attempted before.

“Got it.” Serenity understood that highly skilled white collars often made do with life due to their busy schedule. They did not have time to think about their daily necessities.

“Get some early rest, Mr. York.” Serenity entered her room before shutting and locking the door behind her.

The sound of the door locking saw a gloom clouding his eyes. He believed she was keeping her guard up against him. Nevertheless, Zachary soon realized they were even since he too locked his bedroom door and closed the window when he slept at night.

In a way, they had a good system going on.

Serenity set her boundaries while he set his. They respected one another and gave each other space to breathe.

Most notably, Serenity never expected him to fulfill his part of the marital duty.

A moment later, Zachary whipped out his phone to call Sam, the butler. With the call connecting, Zachary: solemnly instructed, “Sam, get two washing machines delivered to Brynfield. You can decide on the brand. Don’t make it too expensive or too cheap.” Sam respectfully heeded the request.

Zachary hung up and stared at the shut door. He then got up and returned to his room.

The night passed amid the silence.

The following morning at six o’clock, Zachary was woken up by a call.

He grabbed his phone for a look. It was Serenity calling him. Although annoyed, Zachary sucked it up and took Serenity’s call.

“Are you awake, Mr. York? We agreed to get flowers at the florist at six.” “I’m up.” “I’ll wait for you. If you could hurry up.” “Sure.” Since he said he would take her there yesterday, Zachary swiftly got up, got dressed, washed up, and went out the door despite his sleepiness.

Serenity was holding a purse, containing her phone, keys, and the debit card given by Zachary. She was going to check the account balance at the ATM later. She had to buy things within her means after all.

Married At First Sight Chapter 20 Gu Lingfei: Married at First Sight Novel Chapter 20 Zachary drew close and faintly uttered.

“Kay.” Serenity went with him.

As the couple walked together without a word, Serenity wanted to make conversation. However, that ever solemn and tensed face with an invisible “keep out” sign on that forehead of his was off-putting.

His talent would go to waste if he did not become a school teacher. With a face like that, he could easily keep the children in check.

A short while later, they arrived at the market. Serenity directed Zachary to park the car in an empty lot. After getting down from the car, she told him, “Come on. Let’s have breakfast.” Without a peep, Zachary followed behind her.

The great Zachary York was out of place for his first trip to the market, but he rolled with it and hid his discomfort from Serenity.

The pair ordered a bagel sandwich each, and Serenity requested extra toppings for herself. Still, the bagel sandwich did not quell Serenity’s hunger.

Zachary took his time with his food, observing exemplary table manners to the tee. It was a mouthwatering and appetizing experience to watch him eat. If it were not because she was afraid Zachary would criticize her binge eating, she could have ordered some greasy bacon and fried potatoes.

“You can order whatever you want if you’re not full.” Zachary could tell she wanted more. With that appetite of hers, a bagel sandwich with extra toppings was barely scratching the surface.

Last night at the party, she did not stop shoving food down her throat for over an hour.

Not only that, but she also brought cranberries home for dessert.

Despite her slender figure that could pass as a model, the girl could really eat. God knows where all that food went.

“I’m full, but watching you eat makes me hungry.” Zachary frowned. “Hehe. Don’t be mad. I’m complimenting the way you eat. Just by looking at you, I feel like you’re feasting on a gourmet meal. I got the craving to join in.” Zachary stared at Serenity speechlessly before turning his attention back to his bagel sandwich, He was only going at a snail’s pace because he could not get used to the food.

After the couple was done eating, Serenity led him around. Instead of heading straight to the florist, Serenity went to a nearby 24-hour ATM for cash withdrawals. Zachary watched as Serenity took out the debit card from her purse. Serenity had a good memory and had already memorized the PIN he wrote down. Inserting the card into the teller, Serenity punched the PIN and checked on the account balance. It was ten thousand dollars. Ten thousand dollars were enough for her to get essential houseware.

“Let me know if the money isn’t enough. I’ll wire it to the account.” It’s more than enough. We don’t need a lot for a two-person household. I was just wondering about the balance so I can stay within budget.” Serenity had to spare some for living expenses apart from furnishings.

She had checked on her kitchenware order. It was arriving tomorrow.

Anyway. Serenity would be cooking up a storm for the in-laws on the day of their visit.

“Let’s go to the florist.” Serenity put the debit card back in the purse before taking Zachary to a florist close by.

There were a few florists near the market and business was booming. They would open their shops early considering their location adjacent to the market and the high footfall in the mornings and evenings.

Serenity first asked Zachary about his flower preference. Learning he had none, Serenity bought many potted plants to her liking. She also purchased two plant stands to assemble later at home.