Chapter 8
1831 Words
Caught off guard, Chu Luoluo was slapped several times, leaving her stunned.
Her face burned, ears rang, and stars danced before her eyes.
Never in her life had anyone dared to lay a finger on her.
Infuriated, she clawed wildly at her assailant's arms.
The two women grappled with each other.
Chu Luoluo’s driver, who had been hiding in the corner, hurried over and forcefully separated them.
Chu Luoluo finally saw that her attacker was Gu Beixian's younger sister, Gu Nanyin, and she froze.
Su Hua was equally surprised to see Gu Nanyin.
Fearing for her safety, Su Hua quickly ran over and shielded her, noticing the scratches on Gu Nanyin's wrist. Su Hua’s heart ached as she took out a band-aid from her bag and gently applied it, asking softly, “Does it hurt?”
Gu Nanyin winced, “It’s nothing, sister-in-law. Did she scratch your face?”
Su Hua shook her head, “No.”
Gu Nanyin glared at Chu Luoluo, “With people like her, there's no need to be polite. Slap her right away. Reasoning with her? She’s not even worth it!”
Chu Luoluo was fuming.
She forced out a few tears and said pitifully, “Nanyin, we grew up together. I’ve always treated you like my own sister. How could you…”
Gu Nanyin rolled her eyes, “Please, I don’t consider you a sister. My brother treated you so well, our whole family treated you well. But when my brother had an accident, you ran faster than a rabbit. Now that he’s recovered, you come back to steal him and bully my sister-in-law. Have you no shame?”
Chu Luoluo’s face alternated between pale and red, “I had my reasons…”
“Reasons, my foot! My brother may believe you, but I don’t!”
As soon as Gu Nanyin finished speaking, Su Hua’s phone rang.
Glancing at the caller ID, she saw it was Gu Beixian.
Su Hua hesitated for a second before answering.
“Where are you?” Gu Beixian asked.
“At the western restaurant south of the main entrance to Antique Street.”
“I’m just passing by. I’ll be there in three minutes.” He hung up.
Recalling the scene of him holding Chu Luoluo last night, Su Hua felt a pang in her heart.
Seeing the white roses he gave Chu Luoluo, her chest felt even tighter, as if weighed down by a heavy stone.
In a few minutes, Gu Beixian entered the restaurant with his entourage.
Tall and elegant, his fair skin contrasted with his dark suit, his features exceptionally handsome. His long legs carried him with a dignified grace, attracting all eyes in the room.
The restaurant’s patrons, initially drawn by the fight, now focused on him.
Seeing him, Chu Luoluo’s eyes lit up. She ran to him, sobbing, “Brother Beixian!”
Gu Beixian frowned, “What are you doing here?”
Chu Luoluo’s eyes reddened as she whimpered, “I came to explain last night to Sister Su Hua, but before we could talk, she scolded me, and Nanyin hit me.”
She pointed to her swollen cheek, pouting, “It hurts.”
Gu Beixian turned to Su Hua, “Is that true?”
Su Hua laughed.
She hadn’t expected his cherished one to be so heartless, lying and playing the victim.
Truly, those who are favored can do no wrong.
Before Su Hua could speak, Gu Nanyin interjected, “Brother, think about it. Would my sister-in-law, with her good temper, scold someone without reason? During those two years when you were ill-tempered, did she ever raise her voice at you? I hit Chu Luoluo because she tried to scratch my sister-in-law’s face. I didn’t hit her hard enough!”
Gu Beixian turned to Chu Luoluo, “Did you provoke Su Hua? Why did you try to scratch her face?”
Chu Luoluo’s face turned white, tears streaming down as she whimpered, “I didn’t. Sister Su Hua and Nanyin misunderstood me. Brother Beixian, you have to believe me.”
She reached out to grab Gu Beixian’s hand, leaning towards him.
Gu Nanyin stepped forward, grabbed her arm, and yanked her aside, scolding, “Do you have no bones or self-respect? My brother is married, and you’re still trying to get close to him? Shame on you!”
Chu Luoluo clutched her chest in pain, tears flowing like a broken string of pearls.
Gu Beixian frowned at Gu Nanyin, “That’s enough, Nanyin. Chu Luoluo has severe depression. Don’t upset her.”
Gu Nanyin snorted, “Don’t use depression as an excuse for despicable behavior. I’ve seen many people with depression who are self-respecting and kind. Unlike her, causing trouble everywhere!”
Chu Luoluo sobbed, covering her mouth as she stumbled out.
Her driver hurriedly grabbed her bag and check, chasing after her.
Gu Beixian instructed his bodyguard, “Follow her. Make sure she doesn’t do anything drastic.”
“Yes, Mr. Gu.” The bodyguard followed her out.
Gu Nanyin sneered, “If she really wanted to die, she wouldn’t make such a scene. Who’s she trying to scare?”
Gu Beixian’s gaze turned cold, “Nanyin, you’ve gone too far.”
Su Hua stepped in front of Gu Nanyin, “If you want to blame someone, blame me. Nanyin was defending me.”
Gu Beixian’s eyes softened as he took out a tube of imported scar cream, “This was sent from abroad. Apply it according to the instructions so your neck doesn’t scar.”
Su Hua looked at the cream, feeling a mix of emotions.
She knew he didn’t love her, yet sometimes it seemed he cared.
Quickly, she smiled wryly. If he cared, how could last night have happened?
The pain from last night was too deep.
It had taken away her courage to confront him.
Gu Nanyin took the cream and placed it in Su Hua’s hand, glaring at Gu Beixian, “Brother, if you ever hurt my sister-in-law, I’ll disown you!”
Gu Beixian replied calmly, “This is an adult matter. Children should stay out of it.”
“I’m only a year younger than Sister Su Hua. I’m not a child!”
Ignoring her, Gu Beixian took Su Hua’s hand, “Have you eaten? If not, let’s get something.”
Su Hua pulled her hand away as if shocked, “I’m full.”
Gu Beixian looked at her with gentle eyes, “It was all a misunderstanding last night. Do you believe me?”
Su Hua straightened her neck, her usually gentle voice tinged with sharpness, “I came at the wrong time. Sorry for the interruption.”
Gu Beixian smiled, a hint of helplessness in his eyes, “Alright, I’ll take you home.”
Su Hua picked up her bag and walked out.
Gu Beixian followed her with long strides, his assistant trailing behind.
Outside the restaurant, Su Hua entered a flower shop.
Looking around, she pointed to a bouquet of white roses, “I’ll take these.”
The florist asked, “How many would you like?”
Thinking of the twenty roses Gu Beixian had given Chu Luoluo, Su Hua retorted, “Two hundred.”
The florist paused, then smiled, “Please wait a moment.”
It took a long time for the flowers to be ready. When Su Hua saw the bouquet, she understood why the florist had hesitated.
Two hundred roses, wrapped, had a diameter of nearly a meter.
Large and heavy.
Holding it was difficult but satisfying. If she wanted flowers, she’d buy them herself. No need to wait for someone else’s gift.
Gu Beixian took out his card to pay, but Su Hua handed over her own, saying, “I can pay for myself.”
Her tone was firm.
She was using her hard-earned money.
Gu Beixian smiled faintly, recognizing her stubbornness.
After paying, Su Hua walked out with the enormous bouquet of white roses.
The bouquet was so large it made her look even more slender, like a tall, straight bamboo, delicate yet resilient.
Gu Beixian reached to take it from her.
Su Hua stepped aside, avoiding his hand.
Gu Beixian’s hand hung in the air for a moment before he slowly withdrew it.
They walked side by side.
Looking at the mass of roses she was holding, Gu Beixian asked, “Do you like white roses too?”
“No.”
“Then why buy so many?”
“Just because.”
Gu Beixian smiled, “I didn’t know you liked flowers. I thought you only liked paintings.”
“I am still a woman.”
Seeing her usually gentle demeanor replaced by indignation was refreshing to Gu Beixian, “What flowers do you like? I’ll get them for you next time.”
Su Hua pressed her lips together, silent.
She had grown up with her grandparents at the foot of a mountain, loving the wild asters and dandelions, the irises, sweet peas, and sunflowers by the window.
She had feelings for these humble, hardy flowers but none for the imported, delicate roses in her arms.
She bought them purely out of spite.
As they approached Gu Bao Zhai, Su Hua suddenly stopped, “Don’t send me flowers anymore.”
Gu Beixian raised an eyebrow, “Afraid your
colleagues will see?”
“We’re going to divorce, aren’t we?” Her voice trembled.
The situation was dragging on, a dull knife cutting into her heart, painful and relentless.
Gu Beixian was silent for a moment, then stopped, watching her walk away, his gaze deep as the sea.
At the entrance to Gu Bao Zhai, Su Hua met the shop’s young owner, Shen Huai.
He smiled, “Such a large bouquet. A gift from your boyfriend?”
“No, I bought it myself.”
Shen Huai’s smile deepened, “It must be heavy. Let me help.”
Su Hua handed him the bouquet, smiling, “Thank you.”
Shen Huai joked, “You’re the star of our shop. Helping you carry flowers is nothing.”
“Mr. Shen, you’re too kind.”
They chatted and laughed, walking into the shop together.
Gu Beixian stood tall and handsome, watching from a distance, his gaze cold.
He couldn’t describe the feeling.
It was like the cabbage he had carefully nurtured for three years was being taken by a pig.
He instinctively wanted to chase the pig away.
He realized he wasn’t as magnanimous as he thought.
Licking his teeth, Gu Beixian instructed his assistant, “Have someone investigate that man.”
“Yes, Mr. Gu.”
They got into the car and headed back to the office.
Half an hour later.
The assistant received a call and reported, “Mr. Gu, that man is Shen Huai, a doctor. Gu Bao Zhai is his grandfather’s shop. He’s had contact with Mrs. Gu for three years.”
Gu Beixian’s eyes turned icy, “Find out if his childhood nickname is A Yao.”
- Writer
