Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Thinking Gu Beixian was in trouble, Su Hua grabbed her coat and stood up. Without even saying goodbye, she headed for the door.

Shen Huai, who was dining with her, noticed her distressed expression. He grabbed his car keys and chased after her. “What happened?”

Su Hua forced a smile. “I need to go to Jinzhao Zui. You guys enjoy the rest of your meal.”

Shen Huai jiggled the keys in his hand. “I’ll drive you.”

Anxious and in a hurry, Su Hua didn’t refuse and softly thanked him.

Twenty minutes later, the car pulled up in front of Jinzhao Zui.

Su Hua stepped out and walked quickly toward the hotel entrance, the wind catching the hem of her trench coat and revealing her slender, beautiful calves.

She took the elevator and hurried to the Zuixiang Pavilion on the third floor.

Su Hua pushed the door open directly.

She arrived just in time to see Chu Suosuo holding a soup spoon, bringing it to Gu Beixian’s lips.

The two were sitting shoulder to shoulder. With flushed cheeks and eyes shimmering like spring water, Chu Suosuo was feeding him soup, her every expression radiating a liquid tenderness.

Su Hua froze.

Her knuckles turned white as she gripped the doorknob. It felt as if a thorn had been driven into her heart.

It was bloody and agonizing.

Her gaze drifted toward Gu Beixian.

Though he held a wine glass in his hand, his eyes were clear and his demeanor was poised. He didn’t look the least bit drunk.

Seeing her arrive, Chu Suosuo leaned closer to Gu Beixian as if in provocation, a smug, triumphant smile on her face.

Su Hua let out a self-deprecating laugh.

“Sorry for the intrusion.” Leaving it at that, she turned to leave.

Xiao Yi quickly pushed back his chair and chased after her. Grabbing her arm, he pulled her back to Gu Beixian’s side and pressed her into a seat. “Sister-in-law, the person sitting next to Brother Beixian should be you. Stay calm.”

He patted her shoulder gently, signaling her not to act on impulse.

Gu Beixian stared at the spot on Su Hua’s shoulder where Xiao Yi had patted her. After a second of silence, he picked up a sanitized towel and wiped her shoulder.

Su Hua laughed inwardly.

Because Xiao Yi had patted her shoulder, he thought she was dirty.

But what about him?

He was cuddling and kissing Chu Suosuo, being fed so intimately-who was the dirty one here?

Su Hua pressed her lips together tightly, afraid that if she spoke, all sorts of ugly words would come pouring out.

In their three years of marriage, she had never once argued with him or lost her temper. Even during the first two years when he couldn’t walk and was depressed and volatile-throwing things and venting his anger-she had never said a word.

Now that they were on the verge of divorce, there was no need to break that streak.

She only blamed herself.

Upon hearing that something happened to him, she shouldn’t have lost her composure and rushed over here just to humiliate herself.

A tense silence followed.

Gu Beixian turned his head and said to Chu Suosuo, “Suosuo, you should head back first.”

Chu Suosuo’s lips pouted slightly in reluctance, but she still stood up and said to Su Hua, “Sister Su Hua, please don’t be angry. Beixian and I were just having a meal together. Brother Xiao Yi can testify to that.”

Xiao Yi, sitting to the side, nearly rolled his eyes to the ceiling.

They had managed to turn eating shrimp into a scene from a romance novel, with all that water and soup feeding. Was that just “having a meal”?

If he hadn’t been watching them like a hawk, things would have surely escalated into a wildfire.

Seeing that no one was asking her to stay, Chu Suosuo grabbed her coat from the back of the chair to leave.

With a sharp *clatter*, the hem of her coat swept a teacup off the edge of the table, shattering it into several pieces on the floor.

Chu Suosuo hurriedly bent down to pick them up, but her index finger grazed a sharp porcelain shard, drawing blood instantly.

With a sharp scream, she clutched her finger. Tears welled up in her eyes, and her fingertips trembled.

Leaning against the corner of the table, she said to Gu Beixian with trembling lips, “It hurts… my hand hurts so much. Beixian, can you take me to the hospital to get it bandaged?”

Xiao Yi curled his lip. “I’ll take you. Sister-in-law is right here; don’t make things uncomfortable for her.”

Chu Suosuo’s gaze hardened. She held up her blood-stained hand and gripped Gu Beixian’s sleeve tightly, refusing to let go. Her eyes were red as she stared at him like a pitiful little rabbit. “Beixian, I want you to take me.”

Gu Beixian was silent for a moment before standing up. He said to Su Hua, “Have Xiao Yi drive you back. I’ll come find you after I take Suosuo to the hospital.”

With that, he picked up Chu Suosuo’s bag, supported her by the shoulder, and walked out.

Su Hua remained surprisingly calm.

Without any haste, she called the waiter over to settle the bill.

After signing the check, she even had the untouched dishes packed into containers one by one.

Once everything was packed, she politely thanked the waiter and left a hundred-yuan tip.

Carrying the bags of food, she walked out with Xiao Yi.

She did this specifically to avoid Gu Beixian and Chu Suosuo.

She didn’t want to see them leaning on each other, acting like a pair of devoted lovers.

It was too painful.

While waiting for the elevator, Xiao Yi looked at Su Hua, who was so calm she didn’t seem normal. He sighed. “Sister-in-law, you’re a good woman.”

“Thank you.” Su Hua stood tall and elegant, her face wearing a smile as fixed and eternal as a portrait’s.

“A good woman is great in every way, but being too good can be a bit boring. Men like women to be dignified and graceful in public, but at home, you should be a bit more… provocative. You need to be clever and versatile. Act spoiled when you should, show weakness when you need to, be thick-skinned when necessary, and use a few tricks. Sister-in-law, put a little more effort into it, or you won’t be able to win against Chu Suosuo.” Xiao Yi’s words were heartfelt.

“Is Chu Suosuo provocative?” Su Hua asked softly.

“Holy crap, she’s off the charts,” Xiao Yi said, getting annoyed just thinking about it. “If I hadn’t been sitting there just now, those two probably would’ve ignited right then and there. Sister-in-law, you have to find a way to hold onto Brother Beixian’s heart.”

Su Hua gripped the straps of the takeout bags tightly, her heart a whirlwind of conflicting emotions.
She used to think that loving someone just meant being sincere and treating them well, but she hadn’t realized that was far from enough.

As for being provocative or flirtatious-she simply didn’t have it in her.

She had been raised by her maternal grandparents. Her grandfather was serious and stern, her grandmother was dignified and proper, and her mother was a straightforward, fiery soul.

Seductiveness was something she lacked at her very roots.

The two of them headed downstairs.

Gu Beixian hadn’t left. He was standing by the car, smoking a cigarette as he waited for her.

Seeing them come out, he stubbed out the cigarette and walked over. He gently took her by the shoulders and leaned down slightly to look at her, his expression exceptionally tender. “I’ll be back soon. Don’t overthink things.”

Su Hua was so miserable she actually laughed.

It would have been better if he had just hurt her thoroughly for once; at least then she could find a reason to hate him.

But he was always so refined, polite, and considerate-the picture of a gentle and affectionate man. She couldn’t even bring herself to hate him.

Feeling half-dutiful and half-resentful, she could only say, “You should hurry and take her to the hospital.”

“Okay.” Seeing that she didn’t seem to mind, Gu Beixian turned and got into the car.

The driver started the engine and drove off toward the hospital.

Su Hua turned to Xiao Yi. “I came with my colleagues, and the dinner isn’t over yet. You don’t need to see me off. Go ahead and get back to what you were doing.”

“Alright. But don’t forget what I said-among our circle, you’re the only sister-in-law we recognize.”

“Thank you.”

Su Hua walked over to Shen Huai’s car and got in.

Shen Huai started the engine. As he reversed out of the parking spot, he asked, “Who was that man to you?”

“Which one?”

“The second son of the Gu Group, Gu Beixian.”

For a moment, Su Hua didn’t know how to answer.

To call him her ex-husband would be wrong, as they hadn’t divorced yet. To call him her husband felt wrong too; he had already brought up the divorce, paid the settlement, and his heart had long since flown back to Chu Suosuo.

After a moment of silence, Su Hua said, “A relative.”

“Your surname is Su and his is Gu. Is he your cousin?”

Su Hua gave a dazed hum of affirmation.

Three years ago, because Gu Beixian’s legs were injured and he was confined to a wheelchair, it wasn’t convenient to hold a wedding. They had simply registered their marriage. Aside from those very close to them, no one knew they were married.

Now that they were on the verge of divorce, there was even less reason to announce it to the world. A cousin was as good a label as any.

Noticing her low spirits, Shen Huai asked, “Are you alright?”

“I’m fine.”

“Liar. You clearly have a lot on your mind.”

“Young Master Shen, what kind of women do men usually like?” Su Hua asked, a knot of doubt tightening in her chest.

Shen Huai smiled. “To each their own. Some like them voluptuous, some like them slender. As for me…”

He stole a glance at her profile from the corner of his eye.

Her face was fair and perfectly proportioned, her large, watery eyes framed by long lashes like the wings of a butterfly.

The light from the streetlamps filtered in, scattering across her face in soft, shimmering fragments. She looked as beautiful as a painting.

His heart skipped a beat. “I admire women like you, Miss Su-gentle and calm, beautiful without being vain, possessing immense talent without being flashy or restless.”

Su Hua offered a faint smile.

So there were men who appreciated her for who she was.

It turned out that being liked didn’t have to be so exhausting.

She didn’t need to be provocative, flirtatious, or thick-skinned; she didn’t need to change herself or use schemes. Someone could like her just as she was.

“I’m just a craftsman who restores cultural relics. It’s not as grand as you make it sound,” Su Hua said, her mood lifting slightly.

“It’s no exaggeration to say that your skill in restoring ancient calligraphy and paintings is top-tier in the industry. Many so-called experts can’t reach your level in an entire lifetime.”

“You flatter me, Young Master Shen. I’ve been learning from my grandfather since I was a child. He taught me one-on-one, and since I started young, I learned quickly and had plenty of opportunities to practice. If I still couldn’t do it well, I’d be failing his memory.”

“Talent and hard work are important, but so is temperament. Restoring ancient works is a test of patience. Few young people these days are willing to learn it; the art is almost dying out.”

“That’s true.”

As the car turned a corner, Su Hua said, “Could you take me home? I don’t want to go back to the hotel.”

“Sure.”

They arrived at the residential complex where the Su family lived.

Su Hua grabbed her bag of leftovers and stepped out of the car.

Shen Huai followed her out. “It’s late. Let me walk you up.”

“Thank you.”

Taking the leftovers from Su Hua’s hand, Shen Huai smiled. Having grown up surrounded by wealthy socialites and young masters, this was the first time he’d seen someone pack up leftovers after a meal.

Restoring ancient calligraphy was a niche but lucrative profession with a scarcity of talent. The salary he paid her was extremely high; logically, she didn’t need to be so frugal.

After walking Su Hua to the entrance of her building, Shen Huai was reluctant to leave. He lingered, chatting with her mostly about work.

The moonlight was beautiful, and even just talking to her made him feel strangely good.

Suddenly, Su Hua’s expression froze.

She saw a tall, straight figure approaching them from a distance.

The man was very tall with a commanding silhouette, walking with a brisk, charismatic stride. Even from that distance, Su Hua recognized him instantly-it was Gu Beixian.

She was secretly bewildered. Hadn’t he taken Chu Suosuo to the hospital? How was he back so soon?

Noticing her reaction, Shen Huai turned to look. He said with a smile, “Your cousin is here.”

Su Hua stiffened, then gave a faint, noncommittal hum.

As Gu Beixian drew near, Shen Huai politely extended his right hand. “You must be Su Hua’s cousin. Hello, I’m her colleague, Shen Huai.”

Gu Beixian looked down at Su Hua, his gaze icy and sharp enough to draw blood. “I’m your cousin?”