Chapter 70

Chapter 70

One week later.

Su Hua finished restoring the ancient silk painting.

Afterward, she called Shen Yuan and asked her to send someone to pick it up and deliver it to the museum where it would be exhibited.

The thought of visiting the museum in the future and seeing a painting she had restored brought a smile to her face. Her name would be listed in the restorer’s column.

That painting would be passed down through the generations, lasting for centuries. Su Hua felt a profound sense of honor.

She imagined that one day, when she had children, she could take them to the museum and tell them, “Your mother restored this.”

Just thinking about it gave her a great sense of accomplishment.

At the thought of children, Su Hua couldn’t help but touch her flat belly. She had been trying to conceive for a while now, but she hadn’t gotten pregnant yet.

However, she knew these things couldn’t be rushed.

Since she was about to start learning how to restore ancient ceramics from Hua Tianshou, she knew it would be a long and arduous process that couldn’t be mastered in a short time.

Su Hua made an appointment with Shen Huai to discuss her resignation. He had looked after her for a long time, so before she left, she decided to treat him to dinner.

The two went to a hot pot restaurant.

Once the pot started boiling, Su Hua added the mutton. Shen Huai followed by adding shrimp balls, beef balls, and dried bean curd skin.

The food bubbled in the boiling broth, the rising steam carrying an appetizing aroma that made their mouths water.

The pot was ready, but Su Hua didn’t pick up her chopsticks. Through the billowing steam, she looked at Shen Huai with an apologetic gaze and said, “Young Master Shen, I want to resign.”

Shen Huai’s hand holding the chopsticks paused, and his eyes stiffened for a moment. “Did I do something wrong?” he asked.

“Huh?” Su Hua was slightly taken aback. His response was clearly not what she had expected.

Seeing her confusion, Shen Huai quickly explained, “Last time, Aunt Su told me to pursue you, but you didn’t agree. I was afraid you’d feel uncomfortable, so I’ve been trying to keep my distance lately. Are you resigning because of that?”

Su Hua suddenly understood.

She smiled and said, “It’s not that. I want to study the restoration of ancient ceramics. If I do that, I won’t be able to handle the workload at Gubaozhai. I can work for another month without pay to give you time to find a replacement.”

Shen Huai breathed a secret sigh of relief. He picked up a piece of mutton and ate it slowly, using the moment to calm his emotions and think of a way to keep her.

Whether for professional or personal reasons, he didn’t want her to leave.

After a few minutes, he finally spoke. “Go ahead and study whatever you want. I’ll keep your position at Gubaozhai open for you. There isn’t that much work throughout the year anyway. You can just come in when there’s a job. We’ll split the commission-seventy percent for you and thirty for the shop-and your base salary will stay the same.”

Su Hua was torn. However, thinking about it carefully, his suggestion made sense. Keeping the position would be a win-win for both of them.

It was hard to refuse such a kind offer.

After a moment of consideration, Su Hua said, “That commission split is too high. You have expenses and costs to run the shop. How about this: I don’t want the base salary, and when I take a job, we’ll split it fifty-fifty.”

Shen Huai laughed. “Good antique restorers are hard to find. Technically, I should be paying you just to have your name associated with the shop. Since you don’t want the base salary, let’s do an eighty-twenty split in your favor.”

Su Hua felt a bit embarrassed. “That’s too high.”

“It’s not. That painting you helped Elder Cui authenticate saved our shop tens of millions in losses. I haven’t even properly thanked you for that yet.”

Su Hua couldn’t win the argument, so she agreed.

She had only taken a few bites when her phone rang. Su Hua glanced at the caller ID; it was Gu Beixian.

Fearing he would get angry or jealous, she had told him in advance that she was treating Shen Huai to dinner. She hadn’t expected him to call so soon after they started eating.

Su Hua gave an apologetic smile and said, “I’ll step out to take this call.”

Shen Huai looked at her with gentle eyes. “Go ahead.”

Su Hua took her phone and walked outside.

Once she answered, Gu Beixian asked tonelessly, “Not finished yet?”

Su Hua lifted her wrist to check her watch. “It’s only been twenty minutes since I entered the restaurant. We’re having hot pot. Ordering, serving, and waiting for the pot to boil all take time. Tell me, President Gu, who can finish a meal in twenty minutes?”

Knowing he was in the wrong, Gu Beixian changed the subject. “Did you talk to him about resigning?”

“I did. He said he’ll keep my position open. I’ll just work when there’s a job, and we’ll do an eighty-twenty split-eighty for me and twenty for him.”

Gu Beixian’s gaze turned cold. “Try to resign completely if you can. He has ulterior motives toward you.”

Su Hua didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “President Gu, you’re being excessive.”
Gu Beixian raised an eyebrow slightly. “How have I been over the top?”

“You won’t let me see this person, you won’t let me see that person, and I’m not even allowed to go on a business trip. Your desire for control is too strong; it’s suffocating. I’m an independent person. I have to work and have a normal social life. I can’t just revolve my entire life around you every day like I used to.”

Gu Beixian fell silent for a moment, then gave a faint smile. “I’m very open-minded. I didn’t stop you when you wanted to take Hua Tianshou as your master.”

That’s because Hua Tianshou is over eighty years old.

Su Hua couldn’t help but laugh. “Fine. You’re handsome, so whatever you say must be right.”

“I’ve pushed back my social engagements for tonight. I’ll be downstairs to pick you up in a bit. Eat quickly.”

Su Hua hummed in response and hung up.

She went to the front desk to settle the bill, then returned to the room to continue eating with Shen Huai.

She had barely taken two bites when another WeChat message arrived from Gu Beixian.

He didn’t say anything, just sent a smiley face emoji.

In the past, he never used emojis. He rarely even used WeChat, preferring to call directly if there was something to discuss.

Su Hua glanced at it but didn’t reply.

She felt that she might have spoiled Gu Beixian too much in the past.

He already had the temperament of a pampered young master; if she kept indulging him like this, he would become completely lawless.

She decided she had to be a bit firmer from now on and couldn’t let him have his way all the time.

After finishing the meal with Shen Huai, Su Hua picked up her bag and stood up.

The two of them walked downstairs one after the other.

As they stepped out of the hotpot restaurant’s main entrance, Shen Huai’s gaze lingered on Su Hua with a hidden sense of longing. “Would you like me to drive you home?” he asked.

Su Hua gave a polite smile. “No need, someone is picking me up.”

Shen Huai looked at her, appearing as if he wanted to say something but hesitated.

Thinking it was about work, Su Hua asked, “Young Master Shen, is there something else?”

Shen Huai’s eyes darted away slightly. “It’s nothing.”

Su Hua smiled. “Then, goodbye.”

“Goodbye.” Even as he said the words, his gaze remained glued to her, reluctant to pull away.

No matter how one looked at it, there was a hint of deep affection in his eyes.

Although Su Hua possessed an incredibly keen talent for restoring ancient calligraphy and paintings, she was somewhat slow when it came to matters of the heart.

She didn’t want to be conceited enough to assume Shen Huai liked her, so she didn’t give it much thought. She was just about to turn and leave when the door of a black, long-wheelbase limited-edition luxury car parked by the curb opened.

A tall, handsome man stepped out.

With long strides, the man walked straight toward her.

Just as Su Hua was about to speak, Gu Beixian reached out and draped an arm over her shoulder. He looked at Shen Huai with a cool, indifferent gaze and said, “Thank you, Young Master Shen, for your appreciation of my wife. However, our family isn’t exactly lacking…”

Su Hua gently nudged his clothes with her hand, signaling him to stop talking.

Upon hearing the word “wife,” the light in Shen Huai’s eyes vanished instantly.

He looked at Su Hua with a pained expression, as if seeking confirmation of the truth.

Su Hua hadn’t expected Gu Beixian to suddenly blurt that out, as if marking his territory.

He had likely been holding it in for a long time and had been dying to say it.

Since things had reached this point, there was no longer any need to keep it a secret.

She gave Shen Huai an apologetic smile and said, “My husband and I were going through a divorce previously, so the situation was a bit unique. I don’t like spreading my private affairs around, so I just said he was a relative.”

Shen Huai forced a thin smile. “It’s alright. So… you aren’t getting divorced anymore?”

Before Su Hua could answer, Gu Beixian pulled her into his arms and said, “Of course not. Our relationship is better than ever.”

Shen Huai gave a bitter laugh and said to Su Hua, “Goodbye.”

“Goodbye.”

As soon as she spoke, Gu Beixian took her hand and led her toward the car.

They got in, and the driver started the engine.

Su Hua sat quietly, her lips slightly pursed, her emotions unreadable.

Gu Beixian reached out to ruffle her hair. Observing her expression, he asked despite already knowing the answer, “Why the long face?”

Su Hua didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “How exactly am I supposed to be happy?”

“Then give me a smile.”

Su Hua curled her lips into a somewhat perfunctory smile.

Seeing her smile, Gu Beixian breathed a secret sigh of relief. He then said, “When you’re in front of Hua Tianshou, don’t mention that you’re married, and definitely don’t mention my name.”

Su Hua was extremely surprised. “Why?”

This was a man who couldn’t wait to mark his territory in front of every man around her, yet he was specifically avoiding Hua Tianshou. It was very unusual.

Gu Beixian said meaningfully, “You’ll find out later.”

It wasn’t until two or three months later that Su Hua learned the reason.

She couldn’t help but admire just how calculating and devious he could be.