Bai Yujie paused for a second before threatening, "You aren't good enough for Shen Huaishuang. Divorce her at once!"
Shen Huaiyu had told him that Shen Huaishuang was married to some man from the countryside. He had nearly fainted from rage on the spot. Although Shen Huaishuang had betrayed him, he would not allow her to marry anyone else. How could she betray him and then so easily turn around and get married? It was letting her off too lightly! He had intended to make her watch him marry Shen Huaiyu—he even wanted her to be the bridesmaid—just so he could see her suffer. Now that she was married, how could he watch her suffer anymore?
Lu Zhengting’s brown eyes narrowed. No one had ever dared to order him around like that. "Who are you? And why should I listen to you?"
"I am Shen Huaishuang's boyfriend. We are already talking about marriage. Shen Huaishuang loves me. If you know what's good for you, you’ll divorce her immediately."
"And if I don't know what's good for me?"
Bai Yujie said coldly, "If you don't, don't blame me for taking action. When I’m through, I’ll make sure you can't even stay in the countryside."
Lu Zhengting laughed—he actually laughed. No one had ever been so arrogant in his presence. A moment later, he dropped his smile and said, word for word, "Overestimating your own strength!"
He then hung up the phone and blocked the number. When Bai Yujie tried to call again, it went straight to a busy signal.
Shen Huaishuang opened the door and walked in. Lu Zhengting handed her the phone, his expression unchanged. "Just a spam call. I blocked it."
"Oh." Shen Huaishuang took the phone without a hint of suspicion. Lu Zhengting gave her a deep look and walked back to the guest bedroom.
Shen Huaishuang rested at home for three days. Once her cold symptoms eased, she returned to work. She woke up early to cook breakfast, boiling a bowl of hot noodle soup for herself and one for Lu Zhengting. It was warm and delicious.
When Lu Zhengting came out wearing a white tank top, he froze at the sight of breakfast on the table. Shen Huaishuang gestured for him to come over and eat. Lu Zhengting’s pace remained fast; he polished off a large bowl of noodles in just a few bites. Shen Huaishuang had specifically given him a larger portion. By the time he finished, she had only eaten half of hers.
Shen Huaishuang said, "You head to work first. I’ll clean up and walk over. My company is quite close—only a ten-minute walk."
Lu Zhengting had been working from home for three days, so he had quite a backlog, including a very important meeting early that morning. "Alright, I'm heading out."
Lu Zhengting slung his suit jacket over his arm and stepped out the door. Shen Huaishuang finished her breakfast and cleaned the kitchen before leaving. It was still early, so she walked slowly.
The company she worked for was a real estate firm called Junting Real Estate. It was a fairly large company, even bigger than Shen's Real Estate. Back when she graduated, Shen Dong had intended for her to join Shen's Real Estate, but Ye Xiaomin had taken her aside for a private chat.
"Huaishuang, your father and I really wanted you to join the family business, but Shen's Real Estate hasn't been doing well these past two years. Your father is preparing to lay people off. If we bring you in now, the employees will talk."
"Why don't you look for a job on your own first? If you really can't find anything, I'll ask around for you and see if any other companies are hiring."
She had been naive back then and believed whatever Ye Xiaomin said. She replied, "I'll find one myself. I've already submitted several resumes, and I'll send out more when I get back. There are so many jobs out there; I'll find one eventually."
Later, she was hired by Junting Real Estate. She didn't know whether Shen's Real Estate ever went through with those layoffs. But when Shen Huaiyu graduated, Shen Dong had sent her straight to Shen's Real Estate, where she was made a department manager the moment she arrived. Looking back now, the talk of layoffs was just an excuse Ye Xiaomin used to keep her away from the company. She didn't want her there for fear that she would compete with Shen Huaiyu for the family assets.
As Shen Huaishuang reached the foot of the office building, she spotted Bai Yujie's car. He stepped out of his Maybach and walked over to her, looking at her with a sullen expression.
"Shen Huaishuang, you’re something else. Why did you block my number?"
"I didn't feel like answering your calls. Why else?"
Bai Yujie pushed up his gold-rimmed glasses. "Shen Huaishuang, you’ve changed."
Shen Huaishuang thought to herself that after everything she had been through, how could she not change? Those short few days had felt like an entire lifetime; everything and everyone had changed.
"Shen Huaishuang, you used to love me so much. Why did you marry someone else so easily?"
Shen Huaishuang wasn't surprised that he knew she was married. Shen Huaiyu must have been dying to tell him.
"Bai Yujie, like you said, that was in the past. The past is over. Now, I don't like you anymore."
"I don't believe it! I don't believe you could change your heart so quickly."
"Bai Yujie, haven't you heard that a woman's heart is as elusive as a needle at the bottom of the sea? I’ve changed. I really don't like you anymore, and isn't it normal for me to marry someone else? You're about to marry Shen Huaiyu, aren't you? We both have our own lives now, so let's stop clinging to the past. From now on, don't call me, and don't come looking for me."
After saying this, Shen Huaishuang turned and headed toward the office building. Bai Yujie grabbed her arm. "Do you think you can just get rid of me by saying that?"
Shen Huaishuang knitted her brows and said coldly, "Bai Yujie, we’ve already broken up."
"But I’ve changed my mind. I don't want to break up with you."
Shen Huaishuang felt that there was something wrong with him. A breakup was a breakup; how could he just change his mind?
"I’m married, and you’re about to be married yourself. Does this make any sense?"
"You divorce that man right now!"
Shen Huaishuang was so angry she laughed. She didn't want to talk to him anymore. "Let go of me! I have to get to work."
"Promise me, and I'll let go."
"Bai Yujie, have you lost your mind?"
Shen Huaishuang felt that the current Bai Yujie was a stranger. The old Bai Yujie had been gentle and respectful; he never would have forced her to do something she didn't want to. But now, he acted as if he were possessed, sullen and volatile. There were many people arriving for work, and they were all looking at them with curiosity as they walked by.
Bai Yujie tried to pull her toward his car. "Let's talk in the car."
"Let her go!"
A magnetic voice rang out. Shen Huaishuang looked up to see Lu Zhengting striding toward them. She lowered her head, feeling embarrassed and ashamed. She was Lu Zhengting's wife, yet here she was, in a tussle with another man. Would Lu Zhengting be angry?
Bai Yujie stared at Lu Zhengting with a dark face. "What are you? Get lost!"
Lu Zhengting reached him and gripped his wrist. Shen Huaishuang didn't see exactly how he applied the force, but Bai Yujie released her immediately. She noticed Bai Yujie’s hand was trembling.
Lu Zhengting pulled her to his side and looked at Bai Yujie with icy eyes. "It’s my turn to ask you—what are you? And why are you harassing my wife?"
Bai Yujie looked at Lu Zhengting in shock. "You're the one Shen Huaishuang married?"
"That's right."
Bai Yujie looked at the imposing man standing before him; it was hard to associate him with a "man from the countryside."