Volume One, Chapter 14: Are You Mo Xingyuan’s Wife?

At that moment, He Xinyan spotted Su Li in the KTV lounge and walked over to greet her.

When Su Li saw him, she instinctively glanced in the direction he’d come from, thinking that Mo Xingyuan might have arrived as well.

“Let’s get acquainted. I’m He Xinyan.” He extended his hand, the picture of a gentleman.

Out of courtesy, Su Li shook his hand. “Is there something you need?”

“I just wanted to introduce myself,” He Xinyan replied, settling into the seat opposite her with a warm, easy smile.

Su Li assumed he knew about her connection to Mo Xingyuan and had come over specifically to say hello, so she didn’t press further and simply returned his smile.

He Xinyan’s eyes seemed to light up—an effortless, pleasing beauty that could easily stir the heart. She thought, only Mo Xingyuan could fail to notice.

“How about paying a visit to another room?” He Xinyan suggested, intent on bringing her before Mo Xingyuan, just to let him appreciate what a true beauty looked like.

With a woman this stunning, no matter how scheming she might be, he wouldn’t mind. As long as she was beautiful.

Su Li silently reasoned that Mo Xingyuan must have sent his friend to find her, so she nodded. “All right.”

He Xinyan was surprised by how readily she agreed, guessing she was used to being approached and was worldly enough by now.

He appreciated ambitious women, as long as they were beautiful.

He Xinyan led Su Li to their private room. As he pushed the door open, he arched his brow at Mo Xingyuan, letting his pride show.

He was about to drape an arm casually around Su Li’s shoulders when Chi Mu called out, “Madam.”

He Xinyan froze, his arm suspended awkwardly, and looked at Chi Mu in confusion, even glancing behind him to check if someone else was there.

“Who are you talking to?” he asked.

Chi Mu’s gaze landed squarely on Su Li.

Su Li herself was a little stunned.

Apparently, He Xinyan didn’t know who she was after all. So he hadn’t come at Mo Xingyuan’s behest.

He Xinyan, a little embarrassed, moved away from Su Li and, after recovering from his shock, asked her with a touch of disbelief, “You’re Mo Xingyuan’s wife?”

Su Li glanced at Mo Xingyuan, wondering if she should acknowledge it now. After all, Mo Xingyuan had told her not to make their relationship public.

“Ask him,” Su Li replied, tossing the question to Mo Xingyuan.

Mo Xingyuan stubbed out his cigarette in silence, but his response was answer enough for He Xinyan.

He Xinyan’s handsome features looked as if they’d cracked. He glanced from Su Li to Mo Xingyuan. “Am I just a prop in your marital games?”

Su Li swallowed, truly unaware that He Xinyan didn’t know who she was—if she’d known, she wouldn’t have come.

“You two carry on. I’ll leave you to it,” Su Li said with a forced smile, hurrying out.

After she left, He Xinyan closed the door, poured himself a drink, and only then walked up to Mo Xingyuan.

Seeing Mo Xingyuan’s indifferent expression only irked him further.

“You really don’t care, do you?” He Xinyan sat across from him, crossing his legs. “Honestly, she’s a sight better than that other one.”

He even turned to Chi Mu. “Right?”

Chi Mu offered no comment.

Mo Xingyuan shot He Xinyan a sidelong glance. “You talk too much.”

“Do you really not like her?” He Xinyan placed a cigarette between his lips. “She doesn’t seem to like you either. Why not divorce her? I’ll marry her.”

Mo Xingyuan gave a sardonic laugh.

“She likes me,” he said.

And then, “She doesn’t want a divorce.”

He Xinyan eyed him. “Why do you seem a bit pleased with yourself?”

“I’m just stating the facts,” Mo Xingyuan replied, glancing at him. “If she wants a divorce, I’m happy to oblige—and you can have her.”

He Xinyan rolled his eyes. “Scoundrel.”

Mo Xingyuan couldn’t care less what He Xinyan called him.

After two hours of singing, Su Li and her group finally left the private room.

They walked out laughing and chatting, when suddenly someone, blushing prettily, whispered, “There are three incredibly handsome guys behind us.”

Everyone turned.

At that moment, Mo Xingyuan was slipping on his coat with swift, strikingly attractive movements. He was talking to He Xinyan, who, in his suit and glasses, was intently listening—stunning in his own right. As for Chi Mu, he was the cold, stoic type whose silence only added to his allure.

The three of them drew not only the attention of Su Li’s coworkers but also of every girl coming and going. Some, bold enough, even approached for contact details.

Mo Xingyuan walked away without hesitation, making his disinterest plain.

Chi Mu, of course, ignored everyone.

Only He Xinyan, with an easy smile, handed out business cards. “Get in touch sometime,” he said.

He Xinyan was like a social butterfly, perfectly at ease.

Mo Xingyuan paid him no mind, passing directly in front of Su Li.

She even stepped aside to give him room.

That small gesture made Mo Xingyuan glance back at her.

Su Li met his gaze and gave him a faint smile.

Mo Xingyuan immediately turned away and left.

Su Li pursed her lips.

He Xinyan strolled off, his gentle, affectionate air on full display.

Pausing in front of Su Li, he asked, “Care to walk together?”

With this, all eyes turned to Su Li—she became the center of attention.

Her colleagues stared at her in unison.

“No, thank you,” Su Li declined.

“I’ll take you home,” He Xinyan said, glancing outside. “Let’s go together.”

His words left plenty of room for speculation.

Su Li realized that if she didn’t leave now, her colleagues would pester her with questions, and she wouldn’t be able to get home anytime soon.

After a moment’s thought, she agreed. “Let’s go.”

Under the astonished gaze of everyone present, Su Li followed He Xinyan out.

Mo Xingyuan was standing by his car, not yet inside.

Seeing Su Li and He Xinyan emerge together, chatting harmoniously, he couldn’t help but frown.

“Will you take your wife home, or should I?” He Xinyan had only just discovered they didn’t live together.

Mo Xingyuan looked at Su Li, who met his gaze directly, then turned to He Xinyan. “Would you mind taking me?”

He Xinyan arched a brow at Mo Xingyuan. “No problem.” He walked over to the car, opened the passenger door like a gentleman, and said, “After you.”

Su Li smiled her thanks and got in.

He Xinyan closed the door, turned, and, with a triumphant smile, waved at Mo Xingyuan. “Bye-bye.”

As the car drove off, Mo Xingyuan stood there, his expression unreadable.

Chi Mu sighed inwardly, unsure which of them was in the wrong.

Still, for a wife to get into another man’s car right in front of her husband—that took nerve.

He Xinyan drove in high spirits.

He glanced at Su Li. “I heard you like him.”

“He told you that?” Su Li thought no one else could possibly know.

He Xinyan nodded. “Why did you marry him? Don’t tell me you actually like him.”

Su Li nodded. “Of course. Why else would I marry him?”

He Xinyan didn’t believe her at all and laughed. “You’re so beautiful, I should have met you sooner. I never like someone I don’t even know.”

“He’s done a lot for me,” Su Li replied, staring out the window. “I’m repaying a debt.”

He Xinyan burst out laughing, not buying such a cliché. “A life-saving debt, perhaps? Otherwise, why would you give yourself to him?”

Just then, the car drove onto the bridge where, years ago, her mother had tried to jump. Su Li suppressed a shadow of gloom and simply replied, “Yes.”