Xia Xing turned her head to see an arrogant young man, flanked by a few sycophants, striding in their direction.
She recognized him instantly.
Zhuang Yi.
He was not only Gu Huaijin’s close friend but also one of Lin Susu’s most devoted lapdogs.
From the very first day she and Gu Huaijin got together, Zhuang Yi had looked down on her, constantly subjecting her to biting sarcasm and sneers.
And ever since Lin Susu returned, he had been the most active among them, serving as the go-between for Lin Susu and Gu Huaijin.
Whether it was a minor headache or the slightest rustle of wind, Zhuang Yi would be the first to call Gu Huaijin, urging him to rush to her side.
He had even told her, on more than one occasion, to step aside and make way for Lin Susu.
Now, Zhuang Yi stopped right in front of Xia Xing, his face twisted in a mocking smirk.
“Housewife, why aren’t you at home learning how to be a virtuous, obedient wife and keeping your husband’s heart?
What business do you have showing your face here?
A full-time wife shouldn’t be parading around in public.”
Xia Xing could entertain guests with grace and cook a flawless meal.
She was so impeccably domestic that no one could find a single flaw in her.
Yet, once Zhuang Yi found out, he branded her with a nickname: Housewife.
From then on, everyone in Gu Huaijin’s social circle followed suit, greeting her exclusively as “Housewife.”
Zhuang Yi’s tone and attitude were thoroughly obnoxious.
Yu Yan immediately furrowed her brow in displeasure, and a coldness settled over Xia Xing’s features.
Seeing this, Zhuang Yi didn’t back down.
Instead, he let out a sharp whistle, his expression dripping with exaggerated condescension.”Oh, getting angry again?
Housewife, surely you’re not so fragile that you can’t take a little joke?”
Zhuang Yi’s lackeys chimed in, egging him on.
“That’s right!
As the esteemed Mrs.
Gu, you should be broad-minded.
Don’t be so petty!
You’ll only embarrass Huaijin!”
“Besides, Brother Yi isn’t wrong.
Aren’t you just a housewife whose only job is to serve her husband and children at home?”
“Exactly.
You’re just a housewife.
What gives you the right to compare yourself to our Sister Susu?
She graduated from A University!”
“A University?
Never heard of it?
Well, it’ll probably scare you to death to know it’s ranked in the top five music conservatories in the world!”
Yu Yan couldn’t help but glance at Xia Xing.
“Lin Susu also graduated from A University?
How come I’ve never heard of this person?!”
Hearing this, Zhuang Yi shot Yu Yan a sidelong glance and let out a derisive scoff.
“You’re just a frog at the bottom of a well.
There are plenty of things you’ve never heard of.
Be a good girl, get out more, and broaden your horizons.”
They hadn’t even known each other for five minutes, and he was already handing out nicknames.Yu Yan’s frown deepened.
“Xing’er, who is this guy?
Nobody was talking to him, yet he barged in, and he’s got this insufferable, patronizing vibe.”
Xia Xing replied in a flat, indifferent tone, “One of Lin Susu’s lapdogs.
You can just call him a Simp.”
“Oh, so he’s Lin Susu’s simp!”
Yu Yan’s face lit up with sudden realization, her anger instantly evaporating.
“No wonder he’s so repulsive.
I get it now.”
Zhuang Yi’s face went pale.
Before he could even open his mouth, Xia Xing offered him a faint, polite smile.
“Mr.
Simp, I was just joking.
Surely you’re not upset?”
Yu Yan had watched the entire exchange, her fury already boiling over.
Hearing Xia Xing’s words, she immediately played along.”
Wait, seriously?
A grown man can’t even take a little joke?
That’s pathetic.
You’re going to embarrass all men!”
Xia Xing nodded in seamless agreement.
“Be nice.
He’s just sheltered.
We shouldn’t stoop to his level.”
The crowd’s expressions shifted.
Even the most oblivious among them realized that the two women were simply throwing their exact words back at them.
Yu Yan teased playfully, “Simp, simp, simping till the end, and you get absolutely nothing.
Alright, considering how pitiful he is, I won’t bother with him.
Come on, Xing’er, let’s go find some real fun.”
Xia Xing gave a slight nod and turned to leave.
Zhuang Yi stared at the direction she had gone, his teeth ground so hard they ached.
His face was an ugly shade of green, as if he’d just swallowed a bitter pill.
His friends exchanged bewildered glances.
One of them forced an awkward laugh.
“These two women are asking for trouble.
How dare they call Brother Yi a simp?
He’s definitely not a—”
His voice suddenly died in his throat.
I mean…
sure, the words were harsh, but weren’t they basically the truth?
Brother Yi did kind of act like a simp…
Another friend recovered quickly and blurted out, “Brother Yi is clearly Sister Susu’s Guardian Angel!”
The rest hastily echoed, “Yeah, yeah!
Guardian Angel!”
Just then, a soft, gentle voice broke the suffocating awkwardness.”
Zhuang Yi turned to see a man and a woman slowly approaching.
The man was tall and handsome, carrying an aura of refined, aristocratic elegance.
Beside him, the woman was petite and delicate, looking as fragile as a porcelain doll.
Seeing them, Zhuang Yi’s eyes instantly lit up.
He hurried over to them, embellishing the story as he began to tattle, laying out Xia Xing’s “crimes” one by one.”
A-Jin, Susu, you’ll never guess who I just saw!
It was Xia Xing!
Not only did a married woman like her show up at a place like this, but she shamelessly said she was going to ‘find some fun’!”
“She must be too idle, which is why she has time to run around and mess with trash.
Didn’t she only cook one meal a day for Susu?
She should be cooking three!”
“A-Jin, you absolutely cannot indulge a woman who lacks basic wifely virtue!”
Lin Susu frowned slightly at his words.
“Find some fun?”
She turned to Gu Huaijin, her brow furrowing with concern.
“A-Jin, it’s getting so late.
Xia Xing didn’t leave Ziting home alone and fail to return, did she?”
At the mention of Xia Xing’s name, Gu Huaijin’s brow twitched almost imperceptibly.
Reading his expression, Lin Susu lowered her voice.
“A-Jin, Ziting’s health is delicate.
Is it really safe for him to be home alone?”
Gu Huaijin’s thin lips pressed into a tight line, a shadow of gloom passing over his face.
“Ziting went back to the family estate today.”
He had intended to use Ziting as a punishment, a way to make Xia Xing realize her mistakes.
He never expected that she wouldn’t even bother going home.Lin Susu froze for a few seconds before instantly grasping Gu Huaijin’s underlying motive.
“A-Jin, Xia Xing has been taking care of you at home, never stepping outside.
Anyone would get exhausted.
Perhaps…
she just wanted to go out and unwind.”
She lowered her head gently, her voice laced with self-reproach.
“It’s my fault for not thinking things through.
I had her prepare my medicinal soups for so long, and I wore her out.
It’s only natural that she doesn’t want to keep doing it…”
Before she could even finish her sentence, Zhuang Yi interrupted her in a fit of rage.
“What?
Xia Xing stopped making your medicinal soup?!
If she hadn’t pushed you into the water, your condition wouldn’t have suddenly worsened!”
“And now she just abandons you?
How dare she?!”
Lin Susu hurriedly grabbed the furious Zhuang Yi’s arm.
“A-Yi, I told you it had nothing to do with Xia Xing!
I fell in by accident…”
“Susu, you’re always too kind!
That vicious woman harmed you like this, and you still defend her?”
Zhuang Yi turned to Gu Huaijin, his face twisted with indignation.
“A-Jin, are you really just going to let her run wild and bully Susu?!”