Chapter 6
Chapter 6
That night, Lu Huaixu returned with a flushed face, smelling slightly of alcohol.
When he leaned in to kiss me, I instinctively turned my head to avoid him, but caught a glimpse of a cut on his upper lip.
“How did your lip get cut?”
“Hmm, I accidentally bit it while having dinner tonight.”
“You bit your upper lip while eating?” I asked quietly, leaning against the headboard.
His expression darkened, and his voice took on a tone of displeasure.
“Li Zhining, what are you trying to nitpick now? I’m exhausted today. I met a lot of people and did a lot of talking; I really don’t have the energy to coax you.”
“…”
“Go sleep in the guest bedroom.”
I spoke in a flat voice, my eyes lowered, no longer dwelling on the matter.
He frowned slightly. “What did you say?”
Over the past two years, my mother-in-law had suggested many times that we sleep in separate rooms, worried that the baby’s crying would disturb his rest. Although I had a weak personality, I had never relented on this point, which caused my mother-in-law to hold a significant grudge against me.
Now, looking at the intricate patterns on the quilt, I said calmly, “Nannan has been fussy at night lately. You’ve been busy with work and need good rest, so you should sleep in the guest bedroom.”
“Suit yourself.”
He looked at me deeply and gave a mocking laugh.
As he reached the door, he suddenly stopped.
“Actually, with the way you look now, I’ve found it quite forced every time. Thank you for being so considerate.”
The door closed.
The room fell into a dead silence.
I stared out the window for a while before picking up my phone, which was resting beside me.
The screen was still on the brand’s official website. In the corner of the product page for that diamond necklace was a small image of an earring.
The caption read: Buy one, get one free.
With an expressionless face, I swiped out of the page and entered a livestream titled “Shuangxing Tianxia.”
Qin Shuang was broadcasting.
On camera, her cheeks were flushed and a smile played on her lips; she looked tipsy.
The comments scrolled by: [Teacher Qin looks so happy. Is she in love?]
Qin Shuang smiled charmingly. “Not yet, but I am in a good mood today. A long-cherished wish has been fulfilled, so I had a few extra drinks.”
[Tell us, tell us!]
[In wine there is truth! The babies in the livestream are in luck today!]
Qin Shuang laughed drunkenly.
“If you want to know, I’ll tell you! You all know that I do things freely and impulsively. The craziest thing I ever did was offer myself to the person I loved the day before an important milestone in his life.”
[Ahhh!!!]
[Did you get him? Did you end up together?]
Qin Shuang brushed her hair back with an air of elegance.
“He rejected me that time and chose to be with someone else. But today, he showed me through his actions that he regrets it-he regrets it to death!”
As she said the last sentence, she traced her red lips with a slender, pale finger.
[Then there’s still time! As long as the man isn’t married and the woman isn’t wed, everything is fair competition!]
[But he has a partner, so that’s not very good, is it?]
Qin Shuang shook her head dismissively.
“That woman by his side… I could barely stand the sight of her before. Now? Heh, saying it’s a ‘competition’ would be lowering my standards. Besides, you underestimate me. How could I ever be the ‘other woman’?”
[Then it can only be a regretful missed connection…]
“Of course not. I, Qin Shuang, am not someone who gives up easily.”
She narrowed her eyes and slowly smiled.
“Stealing is so boring.”
“Making them beg, crawl, and offer themselves up voluntarily-that’s what shows a woman’s true skill.”
***
I stood before the mirror, staring at the bloated, weary woman inside.
I remained motionless.
Dull thunder rolled outside the window. After many days of dry weather, the first autumn rain was finally about to arrive.
The nanny pushed the door open and walked in.
“Xiao Li, come over here and drink this crucian carp soup.”
I didn’t move.
“What’s wrong with you? I don’t have time to wait today. Don’t delay me from watching my TV show, alright?” The nanny’s voice was impatient, even carrying a hint of a reprimand.
I turned around, tilted my head, and looked at her.
“I’m not drinking it.”
Her brows knitted, and her voice suddenly rose several decibels.
“Then don’t blame me for telling the old lady exactly what happened!”
I smiled softly, speaking in my usual gentle tone.
“Go ahead, you old hag. Get out of here and tell her right now.”
Her eyes widened as if she couldn’t believe her ears.
I continued speaking softly.
“By the way, if you ever enter again without knocking, I’ll call the police about you stealing the old lady’s gold earrings. Hmm, your son is preparing for his civil service interview, isn’t he?”
Her cloudy eyes trembled. She froze for a few seconds before hurrying out of the room.
As her panicked figure retreated, the door was carefully and gently pulled shut.