He Huaiqin was in a custom-made black suit, tall and handsome.
Shen Yajing walked beside him, wearing a black velvet long dress, making the two of them look like a perfect match.
What a small world.
Wen Zhaoning didn't want them to see her, so she subconsciously turned sideways, but He Huaiqin saw her at a glance.
Shen Yajing followed He Huaiqin's paused gaze and also noticed Wen Zhaoning.
"Brother Huaiqin, isn't this the hourly worker who came to your place to cook a few days ago?" Shen Yajing's eyes flashed with surprise. She walked up to Wen Zhaoning, "Sister, why are you here?"
"I..."
This high-end designer boutique in Shanghai primarily features exclusive items; a part-time cook couldn't afford the dresses here.
As Wen Zhaoning was thinking about how to brush them off, a sales associate approached her and said with a smile, "Mrs. Lu, the designer of the dress you're holding, Laurence, is upstairs right now. If you'd like, I can have him come down to explain the design concept to you."
"No, thank you."
"Mrs. Lu?" Shen Yajing's expression turned wary. "You're Mrs. Lu? Then why were you working as a part-time helper at Brother Huaiqin's place?"
"Because I was planning to get a divorce and needed to earn some living expenses," Wen Zhaoning said.
"And now?"
"Now... now I'm not getting divorced."
As soon as Wen Zhaoning finished speaking, she saw He Huaiqin look up at her. His sharp gaze was like poisoned needles, making her temples throb.
She didn't want to stay for another second. Just as she turned to leave, Lu Hengyu happened to arrive.
"Oh, isn't this Lawyer He?" Lu Hengyu saw He Huaiqin and smiled, approaching to shake his hand.
He Huaiqin didn't move or speak.
Lu Hengyu felt awkward, thinking he had offended He Huaiqin at the hotel last time and was about to apologize when he heard He Huaiqin speak, "Mr. Lu, aren't you going to introduce her?"
He Huaiqin said this while looking at Wen Zhaoning.
Lu Hengyu immediately reacted. He put his arm around Wen Zhaoning and said to He Huaiqin, "Lawyer He, this is my wife, Wen Zhaoning."
He Huaiqin glanced at the hand Lu Hengyu had placed on Wen Zhaoning's waist. "I recall last time we met, Mr. Lu was looking all over the hotel for his wife to catch her cheating. Did you make up that quickly?"
Lu Hengyu hadn't expected someone as prominent as He Huaiqin to have such poor social intelligence. To bring up the incident of him catching his wife cheating at the hotel so openly was truly embarrassing.
"Oh, that was a misunderstanding, just a misunderstanding."
"Is that so?" He Huaiqin turned his gaze to Wen Zhaoning. "Mrs. Lu, do you also think it was a misunderstanding?"
Wen Zhaoning's heart tightened. What was He Huaiqin trying to do with that sarcastic tone?
"Of course, it was a misunderstanding. I have never done anything to betray this marriage," she said.
Lu Hengyu was pleased with Wen Zhaoning's answer. He patted her waist lightly. "Wife, you go try on the dress first. I'll chat with Lawyer He for a bit longer."
Wen Zhaoning nodded and quickly turned to leave the chaotic scene.
The sales associate took the dress Wen Zhaoning liked to the fitting room. Wen Zhaoning tried it on, but the effect wasn't great. However, she didn't want to go back out to choose another one, fearing she might run into He Huaiqin and the others again.
She directly selected two more outfits on the store's iPad and asked the sales associate to bring them up.
After the sales associate left, Wen Zhaoning drew the curtain and prepared to take off the dress she was wearing.
Just as she had unzipped the champagne-colored dress halfway, a gap in the fitting room curtain was suddenly pulled open, and a tall figure swiftly slipped inside.
Wen Zhaoning turned in shock, her back hitting the cold mirror.
Just as she was about to scream, her lips were covered by a large hand.
Wen Zhaoning then clearly saw that the person who had entered was He Huaiqin.
Although this fitting room was more spacious than usual, with two adults suddenly squeezed in, the space immediately became cramped. The familiar, cold scent from He Huaiqin's body, with its aggressive aura, filled every inch of the fitting room.
"He Huaiqin, are you crazy?" Wen Zhaoning exclaimed in panic, "Get out quickly!"
"Who's crazy?" He Huaiqin stared at her, his voice hoarse, filled with a wild rage that seemed to have broken free. "He domestically abused you, drugged you, and sent you to another man's bed to frame you for cheating. A beast like that, and you still choose not to divorce?"
"It's none of your business, get out!"
Wen Zhaoning pushed against He Huaiqin, but he didn't budge. He leaned against the thick velvet curtain, as if blocking the only exit.
"What's so good about Lu Hengyu? Do you love him that much? Love him enough to forgive him for hurting you, love him enough to tolerate him stepping all over the bottom line of marriage?"
Wen Zhaoning was both anxious and annoyed. "He Huaiqin, on what grounds are you questioning me? We have nothing to do with each other anymore!"
"What grounds? Have you forgotten? I'm your adulterer." He took a step closer, his tall figure completely engulfing her, the distance between them shrinking to the point where their breaths mingled. "You want to get back with your husband, where does that leave me, the adulterer?"
Wen Zhaoning felt that He Huaiqin had truly gone mad.
He had gotten too invested in playing the role of the adulterer!
"If you're sick, go get treatment. Don't go crazy here!"
Wen Zhaoning tried to push him again, but He Huaiqin grabbed her wrist and pulled her into his embrace. His body heat was scorching, burning her through her skin.
"Miss Wen said she never did anything to betray this marriage. Have you forgotten what you did to me at the hotel last time?" He Huaiqin's fingers brushed across her slender, fair neck. "You left love bites on another man besides your husband. Is that being loyal to your marriage?"
Wen Zhaoning saw the dangerous emotions churning in his dark eyes. She nervously pressed against the mirror. "Now is not the time to talk about this. If someone comes in and sees you in here, we'll be in trouble."
"Then we'll be in trouble."
"As the head of a law firm, getting involved in negative gossip won't do you any good."
"Let's get into trouble first."
"You..."
Footsteps were heard from outside the door.
Wen Zhaoning's heart leaped into her throat.
The next second, the fitting room door was pushed open, and Lu Hengyu walked in.
"Haven't you finished trying it on yet?" Lu Hengyu asked from beyond the curtain.
"Not yet, I tried one on, but I wasn't very satisfied."
"Just pick any one. I have something to do."
"That won't do. Mrs. Shangguan has a very unique aesthetic. If I look good, it'll reflect well on you at the birthday banquet."
Lu Hengyu was pleased by this. "Alright, alright. Try on a few more. I'll wait here for you."
The sound of Lu Hengyu sitting down could be heard from outside.
He sat down. How was He Huaiqin supposed to get out?
Wen Zhaoning quickly said, "If you're in a hurry, maybe you should go first. I'll take a taxi back by myself later."
"No need."
"Then could you help me hurry them along? They're taking too long. I asked them to find two dresses, and they still haven't brought them up."
"They should be here soon. I saw them organizing the dresses when I came up earlier."
"..."
Lu Hengyu just wouldn't leave. Wen Zhaoning was so nervous that sweat beaded on her forehead, while He Huaiqin remained calm and composed.
Wen Zhaoning really wished she could pinch him. He was going to get her killed! If Lu Hengyu got angry, what would happen to Qing Ning?
Just as Wen Zhaoning was at a loss, she saw He Huaiqin take out his phone and send a message. A moment later, Lu Hengyu's phone rang.
Lu Hengyu answered the call. He didn't say who it was from, but he said "Mm," hung up immediately, and then said in a hurry that he had something to attend to and had to leave.
Wen Zhaoning heard Lu Hengyu go downstairs, but she didn't dare to relax. After all, the sales associates would be coming up soon. If they saw her, Mrs. Lu, and He Huaiqin in a compromising situation in the fitting room, the consequences would be equally unpredictable.
"You should leave now!" she pleaded.
"I'll leave if you settle the bill first."
"What bill? Didn't I already cook for you?"
"The hotel bill."
After He Huaiqin finished speaking, he gripped her waist, lowered his head, and pressed his scorching lips onto her slender neck.
Like Wen Zhaoning's experience that day, it wasn't a gentle kiss, but a forceful suck with a punitive and marking intent.
"Ah..." Wen Zhaoning frowned deeply. The stinging and itching sensation on her neck made her tremble all over.
She twisted her body in vain, trying to break free from his hold, but her strength was like a mayfly trying to shake a tree in front of He Huaiqin.
In the confined space, only their heavy, intertwined breaths could be heard.
A few seconds later, He Huaiqin released her.
Wen Zhaoning stumbled back, leaning against the mirror. At a glance, she saw the clear and ambiguous red mark on the side of her neck.
This was a disaster. All the dresses she had chosen were strapless. How was she supposed to try them on now?
He Huaiqin stood up straight, his breathing slightly ragged. He looked at the mark he had left on Wen Zhaoning's fair skin, his eyes as dark as the sea before a storm, and the chaos beneath the surface that even he couldn't control.
He raised his hand and wiped his lips with his fingertip. "Now, the hotel bill is settled."
With that, He Huaiqin stopped looking at her, turned, lifted the curtain, and strode away, radiating an untamed ferocity.
Wen Zhaoning slowly slid down onto the soft stool. Before she could even regulate her breathing, she heard the sound of two sales associates entering.
"Mrs. Lu, we've brought up the two dresses you requested. Please come out and try them on."
There was nothing to cover this sudden love bite.
Without any hesitation, Wen Zhaoning raised her hand and fiercely pinched the spot where He Huaiqin had kissed her with her neatly trimmed nails.
"Ah!" she cried out, "There's a bug!"
Hearing her scream, the two sales associates rushed in. "Mrs. Lu, are you alright? Where is the bug?"
"There, there!" Wen Zhaoning pointed randomly at the dark curtain.
The two sales associates immediately tiptoed to look. "There's nothing here."
"Maybe it flew away."
"Are you alright?"
"I was bitten on the neck."
The sales associates looked. "Oh my goodness, it's all swollen and red! We are so sorry, Mrs. Lu. We have professional pest control done regularly in our store. We don't know where this bug came from; it was our oversight. Please go downstairs quickly, and we'll have a doctor come to treat your wound."
"No, it's okay. I'll handle it myself when I get back."
"How can that be? It's best to treat it promptly."
The two sales associates helped Wen Zhaoning and led her downstairs.
Downstairs, He Huaiqin was sitting on a sofa in the lobby, slowly drinking coffee. Shen Yajing was holding a dress in front of him, gesturing with it. He Huaiqin nodded, and Shen Yajing happily took it to try on.
"Cici, Mrs. Lu was bitten by a bug in the fitting room, and it's very swollen. Quickly call Dr. Peng and ask him to come help treat it," the sales associate said to the store manager.
He Huaiqin heard them and looked over at Wen Zhaoning.
Bitten by a bug?
"Okay, Mrs. Lu, I'll have Dr. Peng bring some ointment right away. To help diagnose it, could you describe the bug in general terms?"
Wen Zhaoning glanced at He Huaiqin and said through gritted teeth, "It was black, very big, and a ferocious poisonous insect."
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