My Contract Husband Won't Behave - Chapter 46
Nie Jingzhi silently praised Su Chen for playing along. She gave Bo Jiusi a challenging look, waiting for him to contradict the young man and expose their relationship.
But Bo Jiusi merely darkened and said nothing.
Someone complained that standing around was boring and suggested a game.
The group moved into an adjoining lounge and settled around a circle of sofas.
Su Chen sat beside Nie Jingzhi. Bo Jiusi took the seat opposite, with Su Wanyin at his side.
Shen Xing and Zhou Ke were there too. The moment Zhou Ke entered, he saw Nie Jingzhi on Su Chen’s arm, checked Bo Jiusi’s expression, and wisely kept his distance. Holding a glass, he pretended to be invisible.
The game was simple: roll dice. The loser chose truth or dare.
Nie Jingzhi lost the first round.
She chose truth. Someone asked, “Do you have a boyfriend?”
Nie Jingzhi glanced at Bo Jiusi and laughed. “No.”
Bo Jiusi went still, his face buried in shadow.
Su Chen murmured beside her, “Then what am I?”
She ignored him.
Su Wanyin lost the second round.
Asked whether she liked someone, she smiled at Bo Jiusi and pressed her lips together without answering. Her eyes said everything.
The room erupted in teasing.
Bo Jiusi took a sip of wine without expression.
Nie Jingzhi drank some water. It was warm, yet tasted cold.
Bo Jiusi lost the third round.
Silence fell.
Su Wanyin looked at him with bright eyes. “Master Jiu, truth or dare?”
“Truth.”
She smiled. “Do you have someone you like?”
He remained silent for two seconds. Nie Jingzhi’s fingers slowly tightened.
“No.”
She lowered her eyes and gripped her skirt.
Su Chen glanced at her and stopped himself from speaking.
Su Wanyin smiled. “But you’re married, Master Jiu. Don’t you love your wife?”
Every person turned toward him.
Zhou Ke froze with his glass halfway raised, flicked a glance at Nie Jingzhi, then hurriedly looked away.
Bo Jiusi set down his drink. “Not every marriage begins with love and the promise of growing old together. Some contain no feelings at all. They’re partnerships formed for mutual assistance, purpose, and benefit.”
Su Wanyin paused, then smiled in triumph. “Such marriages exist? Are you talking about yourself?”
Unaware of Nie Jingzhi’s relationship to him, she added mockingly, “Wouldn’t your wife be heartbroken if she knew?”
Bo Jiusi remembered Nie Jingzhi arriving on Su Chen’s arm. “She wouldn’t.”
Across from him, Nie Jingzhi kept smiling while her nails dug into her palm.
Zhou Ke coughed and tried to mediate. “Many marriages are like that now, but nothing is absolute. Jiusi, perhaps you’ve fallen in love without realizing it…”
He nudged Bo Jiusi. “Right?”
Bo Jiusi looked at him. “There’s no chance of that.”
Nie Jingzhi swallowed water, forcing down the pressure in her chest.
The game continued.
She lost several more times, and each question struck directly at her heart.
Her answers remained flawless and her smile never fell, but everyone could tell her mood had soured.
Bo Jiusi barely spoke. He answered when asked and otherwise sat like an ice sculpture.
Su Wanyin leaned close several times to whisper. He did not withdraw, though he did not respond either.
After watching, Nie Jingzhi abruptly rose.
Su Chen looked up. “What’s wrong?”
“It’s late. Time to leave.” She took her purse and smiled down at him.
He stood at once. “I’ll take you.”
Nie Jingzhi looked at Bo Jiusi.
He did not look back, only lowered his head to play with his glass as though he had heard nothing.
She withdrew her gaze. “Why take me home? We can simply get a room nearby.”
Su Chen froze. “What?”
She tilted her head, all seductive charm. “You don’t want to?”
His ears flamed. “I-I do… but… you aren’t going home tonight?”
“What a waste of a beautiful night if we don’t do something.” Nie Jingzhi adjusted his collar with intimate ease.
Several people heard, their expressions varying.
Bo Jiusi’s hand stopped turning the glass.
Without looking at him again, Nie Jingzhi took Su Chen’s arm and headed out.
Su Chen stumbled after her. “Hey, Sis, slow down… I’ll take very good care of you later.”
They left the room.
Bo Jiusi stared after her, eyes dark. Hairline cracks appeared in his glass.
Zhou Ke leaned closer. “Master Jiu, aren’t you going to check?”
Bo Jiusi set down the damaged glass unobtrusively. “Check what? Watch her sleep with another man?”
Zhou Ke lowered his voice. “You truly won’t interfere? She’s your wife…”
Bo Jiusi scoffed. “Weren’t you her first love?”
Zhou Ke closed his mouth.
* * *
Outside, Nie Jingzhi released Su Chen and breathed deeply in the night wind.
After a while, he asked, “Sis, did you mean what you said?”
She looked over. “Which part?”
“Getting a room.” His ears remained red, but his eyes shone. “Were you serious?”
Nie Jingzhi did not answer and hailed a taxi.
Su Chen followed. “I’m coming.”
“Why?”
“You’re upset. I’m worried.” He opened the door and climbed in first, smiling at her. “Come on, Sis.”
She gave him a look, then climbed in without further objection.
At the hotel, Nie Jingzhi booked a room, and Su Chen followed her into the elevator.
Leaning against the wall, she studied him. “You know I’m using you, don’t you?”
“I know, but I don’t mind.”
“Why?”
“Because you’re beautiful.” His smile was frank. “And your husband really is useless.”
Nie Jingzhi laughed. “You know him?”
“Not really. I’ve seen him a few times. Who in the capital doesn’t know Bo Jiusi? He’s colder than ice.”
The elevator arrived.
She opened the room and Su Chen followed obediently.
Amber light gave the room an intimate atmosphere.
Nie Jingzhi stood at the window, gazing over the city. Su Chen remained silently behind her.
At last, she turned. “Truthfully, I brought you here only to make him angry. Nothing else.”
“I know.”
“Then why haven’t you left?”
“I don’t want to.” Sitting on the sofa, he looked up with boyish seriousness. “Sis, your husband has no idea how to be romantic. Why are you still so devoted to him?”
Nie Jingzhi looked outside.
Because there was still one thing she had not finished.
“If he doesn’t want you, I do.” Su Chen rose and gently embraced her from behind. “Don’t be sad. I’ll stay with you.”
Nie Jingzhi sighed and pushed him away, offering a convenient excuse. “You’re too young.”
“I’m twenty-three. I’m not young.”
Before she could answer, someone pounded heavily on the door.
They exchanged a look.
Su Chen frowned. “Who is it?”
