Volume One, Chapter 15: Yes, He Is My Husband

He Xinyan sat in the car, watching Su Li enter the residential complex before calling Mo Xingyuan.

As he drove ahead and turned the car around, he laughed and said, “You have such a beautiful wife and you don’t want her. Are you even capable?”

“Is there something you need?” Mo Xingyuan’s tone was unfriendly.

“Did you know her before?”

“No,” Mo Xingyuan replied.

He Xinyan said, “She claims you once saved her life, and she’s offering herself to you in gratitude.”

Mo Xingyuan sat in his car, and upon hearing this, only one thought crossed his mind: Su Li was lying to He Xinyan.

“You actually believe what she says?” Mo Xingyuan mocked him. “How haven’t you been fooled out of all your money by women, being so naïve?”

He Xinyan was used to his sharp tongue. “I’m innocent, not stupid. She hasn’t deceived me. We parted on good terms.”

Mo Xingyuan snorted and ended the call abruptly.

Holding his phone, Mo Xingyuan pondered He Xinyan’s words. A life-saving favor? Hah, only that woman could invent such a lie.

“Mr. Mo, Madam wishes to visit you tomorrow,” Chi Mu reminded him.

Mo Xingyuan almost forgot. His mother no longer worried about his health—concern would change nothing. Now all her thoughts were on ensuring the Mo family had an heir.

“Turn around,” he ordered.

Chi Mu changed direction. “Are we going to pick up Madam?”

“Yes.”

On the road, Mo Xingyuan felt a rare sense of conflict. He could just as well not pick up Su Li; it wasn’t as though he couldn’t explain things to his mother.

The car stopped. Chi Mu glanced back at him. “Should I go invite her?”

Mo Xingyuan didn’t really want to see Su Li. That woman never told the truth—lies came easily to her, and she always pretended to be deeply devoted. These past few weeks, she had vanished from his sight, never reaching out, showing not a trace of the affection she claimed to have.

Hah, let alone love.

Hypocrite!

After hesitating for a moment, Mo Xingyuan said, “I’ll go.”

The elevator had just stopped when Mo Xingyuan heard pounding on a door and someone shouting.

“Su Li, open the door right now!”

Perhaps hearing the elevator, the man turned his head but continued banging.

Mo Xingyuan saw He Shuming, his gaze darkening.

He Shuming caught sight of Mo Xingyuan, a flash of displeasure in his eyes, but he ignored him and kept pounding.

Mo Xingyuan was about to pull out his phone to call the police when the elevator doors opened again.

Two uniformed officers stepped out and looked at the pair. “Are you the ones harassing residents here?”

Mo Xingyuan understood—Su Li must have called the police.

He moved aside, widening the distance between himself and He Shuming, his eyes coldly fixed on the latter.

“No. I’m here to see my girlfriend,” He Shuming explained.

Mo Xingyuan frowned at this.

The officers then looked at Mo Xingyuan. “And you?”

“I’m here to pick up…” Mo Xingyuan pressed his lips together. “My wife.”

The officers exchanged glances.

One officer stepped forward and knocked. “Open up, police.”

Inside, Su Li listened to the commotion. When the banging stopped, she crouched at the peephole, unable to see Mo Xingyuan standing to the side.

She opened the door. “Did you call the police?” the officer asked.

“Yes,” she replied.

“Who’s been harassing you?” The officer stepped slightly aside, questioning her.

Su Li was briefly stunned—wasn’t it just He Shuming?

Following the officer’s gaze, surprise flashed in her eyes.

When did Mo Xingyuan arrive?

“Su Li, I just want to see you, not harass you. If you had opened the door, I wouldn’t have kept knocking,” He Shuming argued.

“I don’t want to see you,” Su Li replied, unwilling to meet with him.

He Shuming frowned. “Let’s talk properly.”

The officers listened to their exchange, then glanced at the silent Mo Xingyuan.

Was this a case of a wife catching her husband cheating?

But the supposed husband seemed calm, not the least bit angry.

“He says you’re his wife. Is that true?” the officer asked Su Li.

Su Li’s heart tightened slightly, her eyes brightening.

He told the police that?

She couldn’t suppress her smile and nodded. “Yes, he’s my husband.”

Mo Xingyuan noticed Su Li’s upturned lips and frowned.

“She’s married, and you’re banging on her door late at night—what else do you call harassment?” the officer immediately reprimanded He Shuming. “Leave now, or you’re coming with us to the station.”

With the police present, He Shuming had no choice but to leave, though he was clearly frustrated.

He directed all his anger at Mo Xingyuan, shooting him a venomous glare before departing.

The corridor quieted.

Su Li stood at the door, unable to hide her smile as she looked at Mo Xingyuan.

Mo Xingyuan regretted his decision. He should have sent Chi Mu instead.

Su Li said nothing, simply watched him.

Mo Xingyuan clenched his hand into a fist and cleared his throat. “Come with me.”

“Where?”

“To my place.”

Su Li was surprised that he had come to pick her up.

“If I stay at your place, you’ll be annoyed,” Su Li actually hoped he could keep a good mood.

Mo Xingyuan hadn’t expected her to be so self-aware.

Her thoughtfulness caught him off guard.

“My mother will visit tomorrow,” he explained.

Su Li understood instantly.

“Wait a moment, let me get my things.”

She went in briefly and returned carrying a coat and her laptop.

Closing the door, Su Li pressed the elevator button.

Mo Xingyuan had thought that if he asked her to move back, she’d make things difficult for him. Her straightforward compliance left him feeling oddly unsettled.

Inside the elevator, Su Li remained silent.

Mo Xingyuan stood beside her, a faint fragrance mingling in the air, weaving its way into his senses.

“Why did you leave so suddenly?” His voice, in the confined space, was rich and resonant.

Su Li lifted her eyelids slightly, her tone light. “I didn’t want to be a bother.”

Something seized Mo Xingyuan’s heart.

He stared at the numbers on the elevator display, momentarily speechless.

On the way back, Su Li scrolled through messages in her group chat.

Everyone was asking if He Xinyan was her husband.

She didn’t reply, and someone commented that he was really handsome.

Su Li responded: “No.”

Those two characters instantly sent the chat into a frenzy.

Some even messaged her privately, asking if He Xinyan had a girlfriend.

Su Li knew her reply would quickly shift their attention away from her.

“Does your friend have a girlfriend?” Su Li tilted her head and asked Mo Xingyuan.

“He does,” Mo Xingyuan added, “many.”

Su Li: “…”

Of course, they were friends.

She replied: “He does.”

A colleague immediately sent a “disappointed” emoji.

Su Li laughed.

She put down her phone and stopped looking at it.

When they arrived home, Su Li followed Mo Xingyuan. “When is Auntie coming tomorrow?”

“I’m not sure.”

“Do we need to sleep together?”

Mo Xingyuan looked at her deeply.

Su Li hurried to explain, “I’m just afraid she’ll come early and want to check if we’re actually living together… I really don’t have any ulterior motives.”

Judging by Mo Xingyuan’s expression, she knew her explanation was flimsy and unconvincing.

“Forget it, just ignore what I said.”

Su Li walked to the room she’d stayed in before.

Suddenly, she stopped, turned and looked at Mo Xingyuan, grinning foolishly. “Mo Xingyuan, you told others I was your wife.”