Contract Wife

Gu Xixi snuggled closer to the warmth of the embrace. Although she hadn’t slept a wink last night, leaving her body sore all over, she didn’t regret a thing. She had been preparing for this for so long, wanting to give herself as the most precious gift to him! She had been dating Zhao Zegang for two years, and every time he wanted to get intimate, she gently refused. She didn’t want to give herself away casually. But this time was different. Zhao Zegang was leaving the country tomorrow, and it was also her twenty-third birthday! On this important day, at her best friend’s insistence, she booked a luxury suite at the Hilton and gave her most cherished first time to her boyfriend. Gu Xixi happily reached out and wrapped her arms around the man’s waist. Wow, she didn’t expect Zhao Zegang’s figure to be so incredible. Not an ounce of fat too much, not an ounce too thin... Absolutely perfect! “Mmm… Dina, you’re awake?” The man above her said, “You worked hard last night.” “Don’t say that, Zegang, I did it willingly.” Gu Xixi hugged his waist tighter and replied sweetly. Dina…? Zegang…? Gu Xixi and the man in her arms froze at the same time. After three seconds, they abruptly separated. Panicked, Gu Xixi turned on the bedside lamp. As soon as the light came on, Gu Xixi saw a completely unfamiliar face. She screamed in terror, “Who are you?!” Pulling up the quilt to cover herself, she shrieked, “Why are you here!?” “This is my room! Who are you? Why are you here?” The man’s face was also full of surprise. A chill ran down Gu Xixi’s spine, and an inexplicable unease welled up in her heart. “This is room 1216. My best friend personally gave me the card. The man here should be my boyfriend...” “Hah!” Yin Si Chen thought this was the most ridiculous excuse he had ever heard. With his status, countless women were eager to crawl into his bed, yet today he encountered one who cried foul! “You even went through the trouble of finding out my room number, so aren't you here to climb into my bed? Stop making excuses. Just tell me, how much do you want?” The man’s mockery pierced Gu Xixi's heart, bringing her back to her senses. What had happened last night? She remembered drinking with her best friend, Lin Xiaoya. Xiaoya was flying to Milan that evening for a fashion show. They were celebrating Xiaoya’s return to the international stage and Xixi’s upcoming birthday. She had drunk a bit too much. Xiaoya kept urging her to go for it with Zhao Zegang, especially since he was going abroad for two years. In a daze, Xixi agreed. She took the room card from Xiaoya and swiped it to enter the room. But why wasn’t Zhao Zegang the man in this room?! "What money? I don’t want any money! Where’s Zhao Zegang?" Yin Si Chen frowned. This woman seemed genuinely confused. She had also mentioned "Zegang" before. Could they have been tricked? He had made plans with Dina for last night. Someone had swiped a card to enter, and because the lights were off, he mistook the womanly scent of perfume, which was the same one Dina always wore, to be his date. How could it be this woman instead? Just as he was about to ask, his phone rang. He saw it was Dina calling. “Dina, what’s going on?" Dina's apologetic voice came through the phone, “Si Chen, I'm so sorry! I received an invitation from Milan to be the closing model for their show. I flew to Milan last night at eight. You know becoming a closing model has always been my dream and goal. I didn’t want to miss this opportunity. Please forgive me? Oh, I almost forgot! I sent you a gift last night as compensation. Do you like it?" "A gift?” Yin Si Chen's eyes darkened. Glancing at the woman in the bathrobe frantically searching the room for "Zhao Zegang," a complex look crossed his eyes. “Yes, a gift I specially selected for you. She’s a virgin. Wasn’t last night amazing?” Dina asked cautiously. “Of course, it was amazing. How could it not be with such a thoughtful and considerate girlfriend? Since you love modeling so much, go and give it your best in Milan." Yin Si Chen hung up the phone after those words. By now, Gu Xixi had searched every corner of the room but still couldn't find Zhao Zegang. She completely lost her composure! She had just inexplicably slept with a strange man! How could she ever face Zegang again? Tears streamed down her face. She crouched in a corner, silently sobbing, ignoring the man who was staring at her with complicated eyes. Yin Si Chen put away his phone. Whatever this woman’s deal was, it was evident that she wasn’t there for him. Perhaps Dina’s “gift” wasn’t her. Regardless, whatever happened today had to stay under wraps. He found his jacket and took out his checkbook. He quickly wrote a sum and tore out the check. This much money should be enough to buy her silence, right? “Knock, knock, knock...” A knock sounded at the door. “Good morning, Mr. Yin. This is room service with your breakfast.” Yin Si Chen frowned, placed the check on the bed, and went to open the door. The breakfast was quite lavish. Looking at the woman in the corner, Yin Si Chen said, "Come and eat first.” However, the woman continued to sob. Yin Si Chen didn't press the issue and began eating. Between bites, he said, “I will take responsibility for what happened last night. Here is five million yuan. You must not breathe a word of this to anyone.” Gu Xixi abruptly looked up at that moment! She stared at the stranger in shock. Five million yuan? Did he think she was some kind of escort? This man had somehow driven Zegang away and… taken advantage of her in this room... And now he dared to humiliate her with money… The more Gu Xixi thought about it, the more aggrieved she felt. Even though he had slept with her, she would never accept this money. “Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone about this.” As if she could ever tell anyone about this! Gu Xixi silently picked up her scattered clothes and went into the bathroom. Looking at her reflection in the mirror, she saw her messy hair and red, swollen eyes. She looked utterly wretched. She had never imagined things would turn out like this. Yin Si Chen was still elegantly enjoying his toast when Gu Xixi left, seemingly indifferent to her departure. Only the check remained on the bed, a silent mockery... of whom, no one knew. Just as she stepped out of the Hilton Hotel, Gu Xixi's phone softly chimed. It was a message from Zhao Zegang. "Xixi, I waited for you in the room all night, but you never came. Did something come up? It’s okay. I'll keep waiting. My flight’s soon. I’ll bring you gifts when I’m back. Love, Zegang.” Gu Xixi froze. He hadn't even been in the room! Why would he say he waited all night? What went wrong? Did Xiaoya give her the wrong room card? Or was it… No, impossible. Xiaoya would never do such a thing. Gu Xixi put away her phone and glanced at the bustling city outside. She suddenly felt a chill run down her spine. Perhaps by the time Zegang returned, they would no longer be… Maybe this was for the best. The thought of separating from Zegang pierced Gu Xixi's heart with sharp pain. She trembled from the sheer agony of it. And this all happened... last night. Could it be… Xiaoya? A familiar, automated voice came through the phone, “The number you have dialed is powered off.” It was only then that Gu Xixi realized she had dialed Lin Xiaoya’s number. No answer. As she walked, she reminisced about everything she had shared with Zhao Zegang. From the start of their relationship to the nervous excitement of yesterday, all the beautiful memories flashed before her eyes like scenes from a movie, each one vivid, yet now so out of reach. Just yesterday, they were playfully discussing their future wedding. He had promised to call and message her every day while abroad so she could hear his voice and see his face. Now, those promises turned into impossible dreams. Could she truly pretend nothing had happened and just casually chat with him on the phone or through messages? No… They couldn’t have a wedding, couldn’t have children… It was gone. Everything was gone… A piercing car horn and the insistent ringing of her phone jarred her back to reality. She found herself standing in the middle of the road! A car screeched to a halt terrifyingly close, barely missing her. Gu Xixi snapped back to her senses and stumbled back to the sidewalk, watching as the car sped away. The phone continued to ring. She glanced at it. It was Zhao Zegang's mother. Quickly wiping the tears from her face, she answered, “Hello, Auntie…” Before she could finish, a cold, sharp voice cut her off. "Miss Gu, as you can see, Zegang has been sent abroad for further studies. When he returns, his status will be different. I was never in favor of your relationship. It was only because Zegang liked you that I didn’t object. Since you two are no longer in the same city, I hope you can take the initiative to leave Zegang and stop pestering him.” Gu Xixi's fingers trembled as she gripped the phone. “I won't hide it from you. Zegang has another woman accompanying him abroad. She comes from a good family and can help him advance in the future. She also loves Zegang very much; she was the one who recommended him for this opportunity. We adore her and would be delighted to have her as our daughter-in-law. Miss Gu, you’re from the countryside, am I right? Someone with your background is not good enough for Zegang. If we were to intervene, Zegang might not agree to break up with you. However, if it’s you who initiates the breakup…” Zhao Zegang's mother didn’t need to say more. They were both intelligent women. They understood the implication. She and Zegang truly loved each other. Why was everyone trying to tear them apart?