After Divorce, She Astonished the World - chapter 9

Back at the company, Gu Beixian was busy until evening.

He reached up to loosen his tie, his brows and eyes cool as he looked at his assistant. “Did you find what I asked you to check?”

The assistant replied, “President Gu, Shen Huai doesn’t have a Childhood Name. His family just calls him Shen Huai, or Xiao Huai.”

The coldness in Gu Beixian’s eyes faded a little, as if this was within his expectations.

Ah Yao was the man Su Hua kept deep in her heart. Before the divorce, she wouldn’t easily be seen together with him.

She was young, but always knew her boundaries.

Gu Beixian pushed back his chair and stood up, fastening his suit button with one hand. “Someone else can go to the dinner with President Huo tonight. I have other matters.”

“Yes, President Gu.” The assistant helped tidy up the documents on his desk.

Leaving the Gu Corporation building, Gu Beixian drove to the Antique Street.

The sun was sinking, and the sky was growing dark.

He sat in his car and called Su Hua. “I’m outside your shop. Come out.”

Su Hua’s slightly surprised voice came through the phone. “We’re out having dinner. It’s a staff gathering.”

“Who’s there?”

“All my colleagues from the shop.”

“Is Shen Huai there too?”

“Mm, he’s our Young Shop Manager.”

Thinking of the two of them chatting and laughing together at noon, a faint displeasure rose in Gu Beixian’s heart, but his voice remained utterly calm. “Call me when you’re done. I’ll come pick you up.”

“Thank you.” Her tone was restrained and distant, as if she was deliberately keeping him at arm’s length.

Listening to her, Gu Beixian felt a little uncomfortable, his grip on the phone tightening slightly.

After hanging up, he pulled up Xiao Yi’s number and dialed. “Come out for a drink.”

“My man, it’s barely evening and you want to drink already?” Xiao Yi’s voice was lazy and roguish, as if he hadn’t gotten out of bed yet.

Gu Beixian’s voice was crisp and deep: “Bring the company seal and the land sale contract. Be at Jinzhao Zui within half an hour. If you’re late, forget it.”

Xiao Yi instantly shook off his sleepiness. “Got it! Beixian, I’ll be right there!”

Half an hour later, at Jinzhao Zui, inside Zuixiang Pavilion.

The room was packed, everyone busy signing contracts, handling procedures, and transferring funds.

When the work was done, everyone left except Gu Beixian and Xiao Yi.

The fair and handsome young man lounged lazily, his arm draped loosely over the back of his chair, his beautiful peach blossom eyes slanted as he sized up Gu Beixian. “Bad mood?”

Gu Beixian took a sip of wine, replying lightly, “Not really.”

His hand holding the wine glass was cold, white, and slender-almost unnaturally beautiful.

“Tsk, you’re out drinking alone and you call that ‘not really’? When other people are in a bad mood, they go out looking for women and fun. You, though, just buy a piece of land-big spender, huh? Next time you’re feeling down, remember to call me. My old man still has a few plots tucked away.” Xiao Yi teased.

“Don’t treat me like a sucker. I was planning to sign this contract anyway, just moved it up by a week.” Gu Beixian set down his glass.

Xiao Yi picked up the white porcelain wine bottle and refilled his glass. “I heard Chu Suosuo is back in the country. You two have been pretty close lately?”

Gu Beixian lifted his eyelids. “If you have something to say, just say it.”

“Su Hua is a good girl. Don’t let her down.” Xiao Yi fixed his gaze on him, unusually serious.

Gu Beixian tapped his fingers lightly on the table, smiling faintly. “Back when I wanted to marry her, who was it that looked down on her, said she wasn’t good enough for me? Why the change now?”

“At the time, I thought she was vain, would marry anyone for money. Later I realized she wasn’t like that. She truly cares for you. If she were a gold digger, she’d have taken the money and run long ago, not stuck around taking care of you for so long.”

Gu Beixian’s deep eyes were dark and heavy. “She is pretty good.”

“Then why are you…”

Gu Beixian lowered his gaze, staring at the clear white wine in his glass, his tone extremely light. “She’s an outstanding young woman. Three years ago, her family needed money, and she was forced to marry me. She never said it, but I’m sure she felt wronged. I’ve made her suffer for three years. I don’t want her to keep suffering.”

Xiao Yi was surprised. “Just because of that, you want to divorce her?”

“More or less.”

Xiao Yi sighed with regret. “She’s such a good girl. You’re really willing to let her go?”

“What else can I do?” Gu Beixian’s face was calm and expressionless, but a shadow of darkness flickered in his eyes.

He couldn’t keep her trapped by his side forever, watching her suffer through nightmares, calling out for her A Yao Ge in her sleep.
He couldn’t bear to see her in pain.

Nor could he stand that kind of humiliation. He was a man-a man who couldn’t tolerate even a grain of sand in his eyes.

But if he really let go, he couldn’t bear it either.

Quite conflicted.

Gu Beixian gripped his wine glass, brought it to his lips, and drained the rest in one gulp.

The baijiu was spicy, like a knife slicing down his throat.

It stuck in his chest, burning fiercely.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door.

Xiao Yi called out, “Come in.”

Someone pushed the door open and entered.

She had an oval face, delicate and charming features, wore a white puff-sleeved sheer princess blouse tucked into a tight skirt, a full set of Cartier jewelry, a Chanel jacket draped over her arm, and carried a Hermès ostrich leather bag.

It was Chu Suosuo.

Seeing her, Gu Beixian’s eyes cooled slightly. “Why are you here?”

Chu Suosuo swayed her slender waist, walking gracefully to stand behind him. She draped her arm over the back of his chair, leaned in, her red lips brushing lightly against his ear, her breath fragrant, “I heard Brother Beixian was dining here too, so I came to say hello.”

Gu Beixian’s ear tingled from her warm breath. He shifted to the side to avoid her, and seeing she had no intention of leaving, said emotionlessly, “Sit.”

“Thank you, Brother Beixian.” Chu Suosuo pulled out a chair and sat down, placing her jacket over the back.

The waiter immediately brought her a set of tableware.

Gu Beixian pushed the menu toward her. “Order whatever you want.”

Chu Suosuo glanced at the table full of dishes, pushed the menu aside, and smiled sweetly. “No need. Whatever Brother Beixian likes, I like too.”

Xiao Yi raised his hand and rubbed at the goosebumps on his arm.

Chu Suosuo turned a plate of Arctic sweet shrimp toward herself, her big eyes glistening as she looked at Gu Beixian. “Brother Beixian, I want to eat shrimp.”

Xiao Yi curled his lip. “Don’t you have hands?”

Chu Suosuo puffed out her cheeks, looking aggrieved. “I’ve never peeled shrimp myself since I was little. At home, my parents do it for me. Whenever I ate out with Brother Beixian before, he always peeled them for me.”

She wrapped her hand around Gu Beixian’s arm, acting spoiled, her voice syrupy, “Brother Beixian, I want to eat shrimp you peel for me. Please?”

Gu Beixian glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, withdrew his arm, put on a disposable glove, and picked up a shrimp from the plate to peel.

For some reason, an image of Su Hua peeling shrimp for him flashed through his mind.

Her hands were deft; the shrimp meat would come out with the shell still perfectly intact.

He’d tried several times but could never manage it.

He finished peeling one, pinched the shrimp meat, and placed it on the plate in front of Chu Suosuo.

Suddenly, Chu Suosuo lowered herself and caught the shrimp with her mouth, deliberately taking his fingers in as well.

Her tongue lightly circled his fingertip, sucking and kissing it gently.

Her eyes were moist as she gazed at him, her brows and eyes full of affection, desire rising.

She quickly released his finger, gave him a seductive smile, bit into the shrimp, and said softly, “Shrimp peeled by Brother Beixian tastes so good.”

Gu Beixian’s expression froze for a moment, unable to say what he felt.

He tore off the disposable glove and tossed it aside.

Then he picked up a disinfectant towel from the table and wiped the finger she’d just held in her mouth.

Xiao Yi shivered all over, goosebumps popping up. He really wanted to slap her-he hadn’t even divorced yet, and she was already being so brazen!

Flirting right in front of him, treating him like air?

Xiao Yi grabbed his phone and quickly texted Su Hua: Sister-in-law, your husband’s drunk and acting crazy. He’s not in his right mind. Come get him quick. We’re at Jinzhao Zui, third floor, Zuixiang Pavilion.

Su Hua was dining with colleagues at the Kyoto Grand Hotel when she received the message. She called Xiao Yi, wanting to clarify.

Because Gu Beixian always held his liquor well; in her memory, he’d never acted drunk before.

The phone rang once before Xiao Yi hung up.

Su Hua pulled up Gu Beixian’s number, just about to dial.

Suddenly, another message from Xiao Yi popped up: Sister-in-law, come quick! Hurry! It’s urgent!

Su Hua’s heart skipped a beat.