Thinking Gu Beixian was in trouble, Su Hua grabbed her coat and stood up without a word, heading straight out.

Shen Huai, who was dining with her, noticed her troubled expression, picked up his car keys, and followed her, asking, "What happened?"

Su Hua forced a smile, "I need to make a trip to Today's Drunken Restaurant. You guys take your time eating."

Shen Huai jangled the car keys in his hand, "I'll drive you there."

Anxious, Su Hua no longer declined and softly expressed her thanks.

Twenty minutes later, the car stopped downstairs.

Su Hua got out of the car and hurried towards the hotel entrance, the wind lifting the hem of her trench coat to reveal her beautiful, slender legs.

Taking the elevator, she rushed to the third floor's Drunken Fragrance Pavilion.

Su Hua pushed the door open and entered.

She saw Chu Suosuo holding a soup spoon, bringing it to Gu Beixian's lips.

Their shoulders touched, her cheeks flushed pink, eyes brimming with tenderness as she fed him soup, her gaze soft and affectionate.

Su Hua froze.

Her fingers whitened around the doorknob, a thorn seemed to pierce her heart.

It hurt, raw and bleeding.

Her gaze unfocused, she looked towards Gu Beixian.

Though he held a wine glass, his eyes were clear, his demeanor bright and spirited, showing no hint of drunkenness.

Chu Suosuo, seeing her arrival, snuggled closer to Gu Beixian with a provocative smile, clearly pleased with herself.

Su Hua laughed at herself mockingly.

"Excuse me." With those words, she turned to leave.

Xiao Yi quickly pushed his chair to follow her, grabbing her arm and pulling her to Gu Beixian's side, pressing her into a seat, "Sister-in-law, you should be the one sitting next to Brother Beixian. Hold steady."

He gently patted her shoulder, signaling her not to act rashly.

Gu Beixian stared at the spot where Xiao Yi had patted Su Hua, paused for a second, then took a disinfectant towel and wiped her shoulder.

Su Hua laughed.

Just because Xiao Yi touched her shoulder, he felt it was dirty.

What about him?

He was all over Chu Suosuo, feeding her with intimate gestures. Who was really the dirty one?

Su Hua pursed her lips tightly, afraid that if she opened her mouth, she might spew harsh words.

For three whole years of marriage, she had never argued with him, never lost her temper, even when he was unable to stand and was depressed and irritable, breaking things in anger, she said nothing.

Now that they were about to divorce, there was even less reason to break that peace.

She blamed herself.

Hearing he was in trouble, she shouldn't have panicked and rushed here, only to humiliate herself.

After a tense moment.

Gu Beixian turned to Chu Suosuo and said, "Suosuo, you should go back first."

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Chu Suosuo's lips pouted slightly, reluctant, but she stood up and said to Su Hua, "Su Hua, don't be mad. Beixian and I were just having a meal, Xiao Yi can testify."

Xiao Yi sat to the side, his eyes nearly rolling to the heavens.

Just eating shrimp turned into a live erotic show, with all the feeding and spooning. Was this what they called just having a meal?

If he hadn't been watching them like a hawk, they would've ignited like dry wood to a flame.

Seeing no one tried to keep her, Chu Suosuo picked up her coat to leave.

With a "whoosh," the edge of her coat knocked a teacup off the table, shattering it.

Chu Suosuo bent down to pick it up, her index finger grazing a sharp shard, and blood flowed instantly.

With a sharp "ah," she clutched her finger, tears welling up, her fingertip trembling.

Supporting herself on the table, she looked at Gu Beixian with quivering lips, "It hurts, my hand hurts so much, Brother Beixian, could you take me to the hospital to get it bandaged?"

Xiao Yi pursed his lips, "I'll take you. Sister-in-law is here, don't bother her."

Chu Suosuo's gaze hardened, she raised her bloodied hand, clutching Gu Beixian's sleeve tightly, her eyes red, pitifully staring at him like a wounded rabbit, "Brother Beixian, I just want you to take me."

Gu Beixian was silent for a moment, then stood up and said to Su Hua, "Let Xiao Yi take you home. I'll go to the hospital with Suosuo and then find you."

After saying that, he picked up Chu Suosuo's bag and walked her out.

Su Hua was surprisingly calm.

She calmly called the waiter, signed the bill.

After signing, she packed up the untouched dishes.

After packing, she politely thanked the waiter and left a hundred yuan tip.

Carrying the packed dishes, she walked out with Xiao Yi.

This was to avoid Gu Beixian and Chu Suosuo.

She didn't want to see them together, so affectionate and intimate.

It was too heart-wrenching.

While waiting for the elevator, Xiao Yi looked at the unnaturally calm Su Hua and sighed, "Sister-in-law, you're a good woman."

"Thank you." Su Hua stood straight and elegant, her face bearing an eternal smile like that on a portrait.

"Good women are all well and good, but being too good can be a bit dull. Men like women to be dignified in public, but at home, you should be a bit wilder, a bit more flirtatious, clever and changeable. When it's time to be coquettish, be coquettish; when it's time to be weak, be weak; when it's time to be thick-skinned, be thick-skinned; when it's time to use tactics, use them. Sister-in-law, put in more effort, otherwise, you won't be able to compete with Chu Suosuo." Xiao Yi spoke from the heart.

"Is Chu Suosuo wild?" Su Hua asked softly.

"Damn, she's wild as hell." Xiao Yi got angry just thinking about it, "If I hadn't been sitting there, those two would've probably been all over each other by now. Sister-in-law, you have to find a way to keep Beixian's heart."

Su Hua's fingers gripped the handle of the takeout bag tightly, her heart a mix of emotions.

She thought that loving someone meant just being sincere and kind, but it was far from enough.

Yet she couldn't bring herself to be wild.

Raised by her grandparents, with a stern grandfather and a dignified grandmother, and a straightforward mother, wildness was not in her nature.

The two of them went downstairs.

Gu Beixian hadn't left; he stood by the car smoking, waiting for her.

Seeing them come out, he extinguished his cigarette and approached, gently holding her shoulder and leaning in, his demeanor exceptionally gentle, "I'll be back soon, don't overthink."

Su Hua couldn't help but laugh at her sadness.

He might as well hurt her thoroughly just once, so she could find a reason to hate him.

But he was so polite and gentle, she couldn't even bring herself to hate him.

Half out of kindness and half out of spite, she said, "You better hurry and take her to the hospital."

"Okay." Seeing she didn't care, Gu Beixian turned and got into the car.

The driver started the car and drove towards the hospital.

Su Hua said to Xiao Yi, "I came with a colleague for dinner, the gathering isn't over yet, no need for you to take me, you go ahead."

"Alright, don't forget what I said. In our group, we only recognize you as our sister-in-law."

"Thank you."

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

Shen Huai started the car, reversing while asking, "Who is that man to you?"

"Which one?"

"The second son of Gu Group, Gu Beixian."

Su Hua didn't know how to respond.

To call him an ex-husband wasn't right, as they weren't divorced yet.

To call him a husband wasn't right either, as he had already proposed divorce, paid the settlement, and his heart had moved on to Chu Suosuo.

Su Hua fell silent for a moment, then said, "A relative."

"Your surname is Su, his is Gu, is he your cousin?"

Su Hua absentmindedly hummed in agreement.

Three years ago, because Gu Beixian was injured and confined to a wheelchair, making a wedding impractical, they had simply registered their marriage. Aside from those close to them, no one knew they were married.

Now that they were about to divorce, there was even less reason to make a big deal of it. Cousin it was.

Seeing her downcast, Shen Huai asked, "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine."

"Nonsense, you're clearly troubled."

"Shen, what kind of women do you guys like?" Su Hua had a knot in her heart.

Shen Huai chuckled, "To each their own. Some like plumpness, some like slenderness. As for me…"

His eyes stole a glance at her profile.

Her oval face was fair and symmetrical, her large eyes watery, her long eyelashes like a pair of butterflies.

The light from the streetlamps scattered across her face, creating a slightly distorted but beautiful image, like a painting.

His heart skipped a beat and he said, "I appreciate someone like Miss Su, gentle and quiet, beautiful without knowing it, talented yet unassuming, not restless."

Su Hua smiled faintly.

So there were men who appreciated her type.

Being liked didn't have to be so exhausting.

She didn't need to be wild, flirtatious, changeable, thick-skinned, or manipulative to be liked.

"But I'm just a restorer of cultural relics, not as exaggerated as you say," Su Hua felt a bit better.

"Without exaggeration, your level of restoring ancient paintings and calligraphy has reached the top in the industry. Many so-called experts can't match your skill in their lifetime."

"Shen, you flatter me. I've been learning from my grandfather since I was little, he taught me one-on-one, plus I was young and learned quickly, and had many opportunities to practice. If I couldn't do it well, it would be too disappointing to him."

"Talent and effort are important, as is character. Restoring ancient paintings and calligraphy is a test of patience, and few young people are willing to learn it now, it's almost a dying art."

"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 Su Hua lived.

Su Hua, carrying the packed food, got out of the car.

Shen Huai also got out, "It's late, let me walk you upstairs."

"Thank you."

Taking the packed food from Su Hua, Shen Huai smiled. He had always been surrounded by rich young ladies and gentlemen, and it was the first time he saw someone who packed leftovers from a meal.

Restoring cultural relics was a niche but in-demand profession, and he paid her a very high salary. She shouldn't need to be so frugal.

After escorting Su Hua downstairs, Shen Huai was reluctant to leave, chatting with her for a while, mostly about work.

The moonlight was too beautiful, even just talking to her made his mood inexplicably better.

Suddenly, Su Hua's gaze stiffened.

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

The man was very tall, with a striking profile, walking briskly, full of charm. Even from afar, Su Hua recognized him at a glance as Gu Beixian.

She wondered why he had returned so quickly after taking Chu Suosuo to the hospital.

Sensing her change, Shen Huai turned to look and said with a smile, "Your cousin is here."

Su Hua paused, then hummed faintly.

As Gu Beixian approached, Shen Huai extended his right hand, politely saying, "You must be Su Hua's cousin. Hello, cousin, I'm her colleague, Shen Huai."

Gu Beixian looked down at Su Hua, his eyes cold and icy, "I'm your cousin?"