After Divorce, She Astonished the World - chapter 11

Su Hua tilted her face up slightly to look at him, her expression very calm. “Yes, cousin.”

There was a clear and stubborn look in her eyes.

Someone so gentle by nature, even her resistance was quiet.

Gu Beixian had intended to scold her, but suddenly couldn’t bring himself to do it. The corners of his lips lifted. “Alright, cousin it is.”

He raised his hand and pulled her into his arms.

Su Hua was caught off guard and fell right into his embrace. The tip of her nose caught the pleasant scent of his cologne mixed with smoke and alcohol, and a strange sweet fragrance.

That was from Chu Suosuo.

Su Hua felt a wave of disgust in her heart. She shook her shoulders, trying to pull away from his arms.

Gu Beixian tightened his hold, his embrace full of possessive dominance. He spoke to Shen Huai with polite yet distant courtesy, “Thank you for bringing her back.”

Shen Huai replied, “No need to thank me.”

But his eyes were fixed suspiciously on Gu Beixian’s arm around Su Hua’s shoulders, feeling that these two cousins were far too close-beyond what was normal for relatives.

Gu Beixian shot him a cold glance, then, with his arm still around Su Hua’s shoulders, led her to the elevator.

While waiting for the elevator, he stared at the changing numbers on the panel and asked casually, “Is he pursuing you?”

“Not really, just admiration.”

“When a man says he admires a woman, his intentions are never pure.” He changed the subject. “You two have known each other for three years?”

Su Hua’s expression shifted slightly. She broke free from his arms. “You investigated me?”

Gu Beixian reached out to ruffle her hair, his tone gentle. “Don’t make it sound so harsh. It’s just concern.”

Su Hua dodged back, avoiding his hand. “His grandfather knows my grandfather. Three years ago, he tried to recruit me with a high salary.”

“Oh, so our Huahua is that outstanding.” His tone was intimate, with a hint of teasing, and a faint smile played at his lips.

Su Hua’s ears tingled.

They had been married for three years, always treating each other with courtesy and distance. This was the first time she had heard him call her “Huahua” so intimately. She felt a bit uncomfortable, and a little sad.

With a “ding,” the elevator doors opened.

The two of them entered one after the other.

There was no one else inside.

Gu Beixian pressed the button for the 21st floor, then turned to look at Su Hua. His gaze was deep, a sharp glint flickering in his eyes, as if some suppressed emotion was about to break free.

Usually so refined and restrained, he suddenly seemed a bit more wolfish.

Su Hua felt a little pressured and instinctively moved toward the corner, her big dark eyes fixed on him. “What is it?”

Gu Beixian blocked the surveillance camera with his back, looking down at her from above. “You told him I’m your cousin on purpose to give him a chance?”

Su Hua understood-he was settling accounts with her now.

“I, um…” She had just opened her mouth when he suddenly pressed his lips to hers.

He was very skilled at kissing. Whether it was a light taste or something deeper, he could make her heart flutter.

Su Hua’s heart pounded wildly, in utter chaos like boiling water.

Worried someone might come in and see, she raised her hand to push him away, annoyed at him too-he was so close to Chu Suosuo, yet here he was kissing her.

But she was slender and delicate, with no way to push away such a tall, strong man.

It was futile.

Instead, it only made her seem like she was resisting but not really, unwittingly seductive.

Gu Beixian pinned down her flailing hands, his other hand gripping her chin, kissing her harder and even biting her gently.

No matter how you looked at it, it seemed like he was venting his anger.

Su Hua was left breathless by his kiss, almost unable to breathe.

Only then did Gu Beixian let her go, helping to straighten her tousled hair and collar, deliberately threatening her, “Will you dare call me cousin again?”

Su Hua’s ears turned red. She shot him a glance but said nothing.

Gu Beixian chuckled quietly, lowering his eyes to look her over.

Her moist, glistening lips were slightly parted, her big eyes wet like a startled deer-utterly alluring.

Just now, in front of Shen Huai, she had stubbornly called him cousin. He had really wanted to teach her a lesson, to see if she would dare call him cousin in front of outsiders again.

Someone so gentle by nature, when she occasionally showed a bit of edge, it easily stirred his desire to conquer.

The elevator sped upward.

Suddenly, Gu Beixian asked out of nowhere, “Do you regret marrying me three years ago?”

Su Hua was slightly stunned. She looked up at his excessively handsome features, her gaze a little dazed, as if she was looking at him, and yet not really looking at him at all.
Her voice was low but resolute: “I don’t regret it.”

“Three years ago, I was a cripple who couldn’t walk, my temper was terrible-even the caretakers and servants disliked me. You, a young woman as beautiful as a flower, with a promising future ahead, married me. Not once did you regret it?”

He stood there, one hand in his pocket, poised and upright, his features sharp and clear, his bearing as straight as a pine.

The aristocratic air that radiated from him, especially under the cold white light, was truly captivating.

There was no trace left of the debilitated state he’d been in three years ago.

Su Hua answered seriously, “You sent people to help my grandmother find a kidney donor and saved her life. You bought a house for my family, gave us a huge bride price, and rescued us all from disaster. I can’t thank you enough. My grandfather taught me from a young age to always repay kindness.”

Gu Beixian listened without a change in expression. When she finished, he raised an eyebrow and asked, with no emotion, “So all you feel for me is gratitude?”

Su Hua fell silent.

If it had been before, when he asked this, she would have answered without hesitation: besides gratitude, there was love that grew over time.

But now, he’d already asked for a divorce, and was so close to Chu Suosuo. If she were to offer her heart to him again, it would only make her seem cheap.

She pressed her lips together and said nothing.

The elevator doors opened.

They walked out.

Su Hua took her keys from her bag and unlocked the door.

They entered the apartment.

Gu Beixian watched silently as she changed her shoes.

When she straightened up, he suddenly braced one hand against the wall, trapping her between his arms. He looked down at her, stubbornly asking again, “Is gratitude all you feel for me? Nothing else?”

Su Hua looked up at him.

His expression was calm as water, his dark, deep eyes like a galaxy, and even his faint gaze could shake her to the core.

Unfortunately, in his heart, she was only a substitute for Chu Suosuo.

Su Hua felt a pang and lowered her eyes, replying softly, “Yes, only gratitude.” There was a hint of defiance in her voice.

Gu Beixian curled his lips in self-mockery.

Of course, all her love was given to her beloved Ah Yao. For him, there was only gratitude left.

What meaning is there in a marriage bound by obligation?

Gu Beixian suddenly found it all dull. The spark she had ignited in him in the elevator was now completely extinguished.

He withdrew his hand, shoved it into his pocket, glanced around the living room, and asked absentmindedly, “Mother-in-law isn’t home?”

“The caretaker for my grandmother took leave, so my mom has been filling in these past few days. Have a seat, I’ll go wash my hands and make you some tea.”

Just as she was about to leave, Gu Beixian’s phone suddenly rang.

He took it out of his pocket and glanced at it-it was Chu Suosuo calling.

Standing close by, Su Hua also saw the name “Suosuo” on the screen.

She felt as if she’d swallowed a fly. She turned and headed straight for the bathroom.

Gu Beixian watched her hurriedly retreating figure, hesitated for a moment before answering, then walked to the window. “Did you get your finger bandaged?”

Chu Suosuo’s voice was a little damp, as if she was holding back tears. “Yes, it’s bandaged. I just got in the car and I’m heading home now. Sister Su didn’t get mad, did she?”

“No, she has a good temper. She rarely gets angry.”

Chu Suosuo pouted, but her voice was gentle as it came through the phone: “She didn’t say anything about me, did she?”

She was afraid Su Hua would reveal the matter of the twenty million yuan check.

Gu Beixian’s expression was indifferent. “No, she didn’t say anything. She doesn’t talk much.”

Chu Suosuo secretly breathed a sigh of relief and pretended to be surprised. “She talks plenty! At lunch in the café, she was so sharp-tongued, said a whole lot to me, and every word was fierce.”

Gu Beixian felt a little annoyed. “Suosuo, Su Hua has never said a bad word about you in front of me. From now on, I don’t want to hear this kind of talk from you.”

Chu Suosuo was stunned, then quickly changed her tone. “I’m sorry. Brother Beixian, I just don’t want you to be deceived by Sister Su.”

Gu Beixian frowned. “If there’s nothing else, I’m hanging up.”

“Wait, don’t hang up yet. Tomorrow I-”

“Bang!”

Suddenly, there was a loud crash from the bathroom.

Gu Beixian, phone in hand, strode over with long steps, his voice urgent: “What happened, Su Hua?”