Chapter 35: Teasing

Because of Su Qinghu’s blunt “No, I don’t need anything,” Wu Shixin completely forgot her original intention for coming over. For a few seconds, her mind was blank, filled only with one thought: Is Su Qinghu actually an idiot?

Does being good-looking make you dumber or something?

When someone asks if you want a drink, even if you’re not thirsty, shouldn’t you at least nod and give that man a chance to be attentive?

But Su Qinghu just flat-out refused, so decisively!

What a waste of a face that, in ancient times, could have been used to broker peace between nations!

As soon as Su Qinghu finished answering Chen Lie, she could feel Wu Shixin’s burning gaze land on her.

Was it time for a showdown?

Were they about to have a fierce verbal sparring match?

She turned her head, feeling a strange surge of excitement.

Intellectuals from this era were known for their refined insults, always relying on wit and subtext to get under your skin. She was curious to see it in action!

Wu Shixin met Su Qinghu’s beautiful, moist eyes and was momentarily stunned, then even more speechless.

She even twitched the corner of her mouth.

Meanwhile, Su Qinghu, who had been eagerly anticipating Wu Shixin’s legendary verbal attack, suddenly realized something was off.

What was that look in Wu Shixin’s eyes?

That wasn’t the look of someone ready to fight! Not at all!

…Was it disappointment?

Su Qinghu narrowed her eyes, the more she thought about it, the more she felt that was the right word. But why?

“Even though you and Li Chengwei had a thing, he told me you two just had a few meals together, at most held hands,” Wu Shixin suddenly said, her tone quite calm. “You could count the number of times you held hands on one hand.”

Su Qinghu: …That’s true, and then? What does that have to do with the disappointed look in your eyes?

“So really, it’s not much different from never having dated anyone,” Wu Shixin looked at her, then at Dadan and Erdan, deliberately skipping over the outstandingly handsome Chen Lie, and continued, “Now I’m the one who’s registered with Li Chengwei. My name is in the wife column on his household registration. That makes me the only real relationship he’s had.”

“To be honest, I sent him out to buy something just now because I wanted to stay and throw a few jabs at you.”

Looking at Su Qinghu’s face, Wu Shixin had to admit—even the slightest raise of her eyebrow was enough to make her eyes light up.

“Why do you talk so much?” Erdan had been annoyed ever since Wu Shixin glanced at him. Now, hearing her go on, he muttered, “You’re not even that old, how come you’re already acting like those old folks in the alley…”

Whether they knew you or not, those old men and women loved to gossip about everyone passing by.

He thought Wu Shixin was just like that! So annoying!

Dadan scolded Erdan, “What are you saying? Not all old folks are like her!”

Wu Shixin choked on her words, glared at the two of them, then turned back to see Su Qinghu looking half amused, half not, and got even angrier.

Not allowed to talk, huh?

Well, if you don’t want me to talk, I’ll talk even more!

“Li Chengwei and I are both first marriages, and even if there’s some complicated history, he knows what he wants in life. You, Su Qinghu, are the one he didn’t choose.”

She hadn’t wanted to say it, seeing as Su Qinghu didn’t even know how to flirt or date, but these two kids were just too infuriating! She couldn’t swallow her anger!

Su Qinghu had to silently nod in her heart. The original her really was dumped by Li Chengwei—Wu Shixin wasn’t wrong.

“Anyway, there’s nothing for me to be afraid of now. Even if you tried to go after him, with how clear-headed Li Chengwei is, he’d never go along with it.” Wu Shixin glanced at Chen Lie, then turned back and smiled, “Your husband’s a soldier, right? When it comes to interfering in a military marriage, anyone would think twice.”

Su Qinghu looked at Chen Lie, who just smiled at her and said nothing.

“Honestly, even if you wanted to mess around, no one would dare mess around with you,” Wu Shixin looked at the beautiful, lively Su Qinghu, gloating. “You’re stuck with this divorced man with a kid for the rest of your life!”

Exactly!

That’s right!

A divorced man with a kid!

Thinking about it like that, so what if Li Chengwei had approached her with ulterior motives? In the end, they got married, and Su Qinghu was out of the picture!

“Do you know Zhang Dongsheng?” Su Qinghu looked at the gloating Wu Shixin, a small smirk appearing at the corner of her mouth. “The one you called that shady dance hall owner.”

Wu Shixin hesitated, not sure how to respond to Su Qinghu’s look.

“Never mind, it doesn’t matter if you don’t know him. Let me lay it out for you.” Su Qinghu tapped her fingers on the table, glanced at Erdan, who immediately pushed his fries toward her and gave a fawning smile.

He looked just like a lackey serving his mob boss.

Dadan glared at him, disappointed!

No backbone at all!

Erdan looked everywhere but at Dadan, pretending not to notice his anger.

Su Qinghu picked up a fry, didn’t eat it, just played with it like a cigarette, giving Wu Shixin plenty of pressure before finally looking up at her. “What do you think it takes to run such a big dance hall these days, besides money?”

Wu Shixin was taken aback.

Besides money, you need people. Connections, or your own background.

She’d never thought about it before. After all, in most people’s eyes, those who ran dance halls were just thugs and gangsters.

But thinking about it now, even if a bunch of gangsters got together to open a dance hall—even if they didn’t do anything illegal—it would still take some serious ability to keep it running smoothly!

“Zhang Dongsheng isn’t a good person, but his father is powerful.” Su Qinghu didn’t elaborate on Zhang’s father, just pointed at Chen Lie. “My husband—his family is on par with Zhang Dongsheng’s father.”

She didn’t do anything illegal, but sometimes just having a powerful father was enough to keep trouble at bay.

Chen Lie watched her lift her chin and show her claws, and couldn’t help but want to laugh.

Wu Shixin’s heart skipped a beat, suddenly unsure.

If what Su Qinghu said was true, why didn’t she live in the compound? The conditions there were so good, you could have anything you wanted, and even the people you met were a cut above the rest!

“Do you think I’m lying?” Su Qinghu smiled, warm and radiant. “I’m really not. The reason my husband and I don’t live with his parents is mainly for… convenience.”

There was nothing wrong with what she said, but Su Qinghu paused right before saying “convenience,” making Wu Shixin, who had just experienced her own “first time,” instantly blush to the tips of her ears!

Shameless!

How could someone be so shameless!

Wu Shixin’s mind immediately jumped to what kind of “convenience” Su Qinghu meant, and her whole face turned red.

Su Qinghu raised an eyebrow, “Hey, why are you blushing?”"