Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Su Hua stood there like she was in a dream, her hands and feet ice-cold and her mind a complete blank.

At the sight of Su Hua, Gu Beixian’s intoxication cleared by a third. He forcefully pushed Chu Suosuo away and used the sofa for support as he stood up.

Chu Suosuo turned her head, feigning surprise as she called out, “Sister Su Hua, you’re here?”

Only then did Su Hua feel like a dreamer being jolted awake, her heart pounding violently.

She turned and left, forgetting even to close the door.

Sometimes, when something is too significant or too unexpected, a person simply doesn’t have time to react.

She didn’t cry, nor did she make a scene; she just felt her footsteps falter as the world around her blurred.

The biting wind of early spring whipped against her face, cold as ice.

The frigid air gradually cleared Su Hua’s head, and the more she thought about it, the angrier she became.

Gu Beixian had the driver call her over just so she could watch him and Chu Suosuo being intimate?

On the day he brought up the breakup, she had agreed readily enough. Why did he still feel the need to humiliate her like this?

Just because he didn’t love her, did he think he could hurt her whenever he pleased?

Fury surged through every pore of her body.

Su Hua’s posture straightened as she walked, her gait becoming resolute and unyielding.

She exited the villa gates.

The driver, waiting at the entrance, opened the car door and said, “Young Mistress, President Gu asked me to take you back.”

Su Hua remained silent for a long time before leaning down and getting inside.

The driver closed the door and called Gu Beixian. “President Gu, I’ve found the Young Mistress. I’m taking her back now, so please rest assured.”

“Good.”

Gu Beixian set his phone down, his gaze turning cold as he looked at Chu Suosuo. “You did that on purpose just now, didn’t you?”

Chu Suosuo lowered her brow, looking aggrieved. “I didn’t know Sister Su Hua would arrive at such a coincidental time. My foot just slipped, and I accidentally fell onto you…”

“I’m drunk, not stupid!”

Chu Suosuo pouted, and tears began to stream down her face. “It’s my fault. I’ll call Sister Su Hua right now to explain.”

She reached into her pocket for her phone.

Gu Beixian raised a hand to stop her, his tone impatient. “Don’t bother. You’ll only make it worse. Just go home.”

“But you…”

“I’m just drunk, it’s not going to kill me.” Gu Beixian sat back down heavily on the sofa, rubbing his forehead.

He looked utterly exhausted and annoyed.

Chu Suosuo didn’t move. She stood there with her head bowed, looking like a mistreated little wife. Her shoulders shook as she suppressed her sobs.

Seeing her like this, Gu Beixian felt a pang of guilt. “I’m not blaming you. Su Hua hasn’t done anything wrong; I shouldn’t have hurt her like that.”

“But you asking for a divorce was already hurting her.”

“Then I should try to minimize the damage as much as possible, not humiliate her in this manner.”

“Better a short pain than a long one. Doing it this way would only hurt her more in the end,” Chu Suosuo added in a whisper, “and it hurts me, too.”

“The divorce is off the table for now; Grandma doesn’t agree.” Gu Beixian looked up and swept a cold, indifferent gaze over her. “My divorcing her isn’t entirely because of you. Bringing you up was just a pretext.”

It felt like a heavy blow to the head; Chu Suosuo was stunned.

Her face turned deathly pale, and her lips trembled slightly as she asked, “Beixian, are you just saying that out of anger, or is this the truth coming out because of the alcohol?”

Gu Beixian leaned his head against his hand, sounding agitated. “I’ve had too much to drink. If I keep talking, I’ll only say something reckless that will upset you. Just leave.”

Afraid he would say something even more cruel, and even more afraid of pushing things to a point of no return, Chu Suosuo left reluctantly with tears in her eyes.

Once she was gone, Gu Beixian called her father, telling him to keep an eye on his daughter so she wouldn’t try to kill herself again.

***

The next day, at noon.

Gubaozhai.

Su Hua received a bank card sent by Gu Beixian.

The messenger said, “Young Mistress, this is a small token of compensation from President Gu. The PIN is your birthday.”

Su Hua looked at the card and gave a self-deprecating laugh.

Money was a good thing, but sometimes, giving money was just a disguised form of humiliation.

She pushed the card back. “Tell him I’m not short on money.”

“President Gu insists that you accept it. He also asked me to give you a message: ‘What you see isn’t always the truth. Whatever decision you make, he agrees.'”

“I understand.”

After the man left, she sat in silence for a while before getting up to pack her things and head to a nearby restaurant for lunch.

As soon as she stepped out, she ran right into Chu Suosuo, who was dressed in white and looking pitiful.

Holding a bouquet of white roses, Chu Suosuo spoke softly, “Sister Su Hua, can we talk?”
Su Hua suppressed her emotions, looked at her coldly for a few seconds, and said, “Fine.”

The two of them went to a nearby Western restaurant.

After taking their seats, Chu Suosuo placed the flowers on the dining table. Gently stroking the velvet-like rose petals, she said with a face full of happiness, “I didn’t expect Beixian to be so romantic. He sent someone to deliver flowers to me first thing this morning. After three years, he still remembers that white roses are my favorite. Twenty roses-they represent undying love.”

Su Hua felt a complex mix of emotions.

They had been married for three years, and for every holiday or anniversary, Gu Beixian had only ever given her cards. He had never sent her flowers, not even a single stem.

It turned out he wasn’t incapable of romance; he just wasn’t willing to be romantic with her.

Twenty roses, undying love, a passion that would never change-how “touching.”

A waiter brought their coffee.

Chu Suosuo picked up a spoon and slowly stirred her coffee, saying in a sweet, delicate voice, “Beixian and I were childhood sweethearts. He’s doted on me since we were little…”

Su Hua picked up her coffee and took a sip, saying calmly, “Could you get to the point, Miss Chu? I’m busy and don’t have time for your nonsense.”

Chu Suosuo shrugged. “So, Sister Su Hua actually has a temper. You just don’t show it in front of Beixian. You’re quite the actress.”

Su Hua sneered. “I am still Gu Beixian’s wife. You broke into my home last night and tried to devour my husband. The fact that I haven’t thrown this coffee in your face is a testament to my upbringing. Please, Miss Chu, don’t push your luck when I’m trying to be civil.”

“Wow.” Chu Suosuo stuck out her tongue in a mock expression of surprise. “Sister Su Hua looks like a real tigress right now.”

Su Hua’s hand trembled slightly as she held her coffee cup; she truly wanted to drench the woman’s face.

Chu Suosuo waited for a moment, and when the coffee wasn’t thrown, she felt a bit disappointed. Since the trap she’d set hadn’t worked, she had to move on to her next move.

She stared intently at Su Hua’s face and said, “Sister Su Hua, you’re a smart person. Looking at me, you should be able to guess that you were just a substitute Beixian found. Now that the real thing is back, shouldn’t you leave?”

“The ‘real thing’?” Su Hua wanted to laugh. “Miss Chu, are you uneducated or just legally illiterate? Gu Beixian and I are legally married and protected by the law. I am the ‘real thing.'”

Chu Suosuo clicked her tongue and mocked, “You’re about to get a divorce, so what are you acting so arrogant for?”

Su Hua straightened her back. “As long as we aren’t divorced, you have no right to be arrogant.”

Chu Suosuo snorted and played her trump card. “Three years ago, you married Beixian for ten million. I’ll give you double.”

She pulled a check from her wallet and slapped it onto the table. “Here is twenty million. Take the money and leave him immediately!”

Su Hua glanced indifferently at the check and said, “I didn’t marry Gu Beixian entirely for money back then.”

Chu Suosuo laughed loudly. “Acting like a saint while taking the cash-how fake can you be?”

Su Hua pursed her lips and looked at her coldly, truly wanting to slap her.

Chu Suosuo said in a contemptuous tone, “Three years ago, your grandmother had uremia and desperately needed a kidney transplant. To pay for her treatment, your family even sold your house. You were dirt poor. You’ve only been with Beixian for a few years; have you already forgotten your roots? You’re just a wild girl who crawled out of some poor mountain gully. No matter how high you climb, you can’t change your pathetic, impoverished aura!”

She pushed the check forward, lifting her chin haughtily as if granting a favor. “Take it. Stop pretending to be so noble!”

Su Hua remained surprisingly calm.

She glanced at the seal on the check and said flatly, “You had to ask your father for this check, didn’t you? I bet it took a lot of talking to get the money. Does your whole family support you being a mistress? What a bizarre family. No matter how much money you have, it can’t hide your ugly hearts.”

Chu Suosuo’s face turned red and white in turns. “You’re talking nonsense!”

Su Hua stood up and looked down at her. “I restore ancient books and paintings. It’s not hard to make money in this profession. Three years ago, even if I hadn’t married Gu Beixian, I could have earned ten million with my own two hands.”

She grabbed the check and threw it in Chu Suosuo’s face. “Take your money and get lost. Stop being so disgusting!”

With the check hitting her face, Chu Suosuo flew into a rage!

She lunged at Su Hua, reaching out to claw at her face!

But just as she moved, a figure suddenly darted out from the side, grabbed Chu Suosuo, and began pummeling her face!