Gu Cheng’an, standing on the steps, initially thought Sheng Xia and Zeng Beibei were catching up, but as he listened, he sensed something was off.
He turned his head, casting a sharp gaze at Zeng Beibei. Zeng Beibei flushed red—how could she have known Li Shengxia would now act so recklessly, saying whatever came to mind?
“Sheng Xia, are you in a bad mood?”
“You noticed?” Sheng Xia smiled, lowering her voice. “How could a penniless, abandoned woman who everyone despises be in a good mood?”
Over there, Gu Cheng’an descended a few steps, grabbed Sheng Xia’s hand, and dragged her up the stairs.
Zeng Beibei stared at their clasped hands with a look of utter disbelief.
She shouldn’t have provoked Sheng Xia earlier—now it seemed to have backfired.
The private room was decorated warmly and romantically, with roses placed on the dining table.
Sheng Xia sat stiffly in her chair, typing a message to Su Qiao on her phone.
“I don’t know why he invited me to dinner. Probably to discuss the divorce. I’m so nervous inside.”
Su Qiao encouraged her: “If it’s divorce, then so be it. What’s there to fear?”
“I’m scared—it’s about so much money.” Sheng Xia was worried.
“I’ll ask my brother to pay it back for you.”
“Absolutely not!” It wasn’t just tens of thousands or millions—it was over a billion. Even someone as carefree as Sheng Xia wouldn’t dare be so reckless.
Why hadn’t she woken up sooner? If she had realized just a year earlier, none of this would have happened.
Sheng Xia sighed inwardly.
Gu Cheng’an sat across from her, watching. He hadn’t spent much time alone with Sheng Xia because she was overly clingy, constantly leaning on him.
Instances of her pretending to be drunk, acting wild, or taking advantage of him were endless, so he always brought Jing Ci along as a buffer during meals.
During those meals, Sheng Xia never stopped talking.
“Husband, try this!”
“Husband, this is delicious too!”
“Husband, let me peel shrimp for you!”
“Husband, I’ll serve you some soup!”
In short, she never paused, always finding ways to please him.
Today, however, Sheng Xia kept her head down without saying a word, and the room was eerily quiet.
Gu Cheng’an watched her texting, showing no intention of speaking to him. She had even chosen a seat far from his.
Was she upset about the missed birthday yesterday? But wasn’t that her own doing?
Besides, what she did last night was outrageous—calling another woman up at such a moment. If anyone should be angry, it was him!
Suppressing his displeasure, Gu Cheng’an spoke first: “If you want that globally limited-edition gift, tell Jing Ci. I’ll have him order it for you.”
This wasn’t an act of goodwill—to Sheng Xia, it felt like a stab to the heart.
Even if he gave her the whole world, it wouldn’t matter. She could recite the divorce agreement clauses by heart.
Leaving with nothing, returning everything—Gu Cheng’an truly was ruthless.
So wealthy, yet such a miser!
Well, not entirely—just a miser when it came to her. Sheng Xia suddenly remembered the gifts Gu Cheng’an had given the female lead, Shen Xinhe.
A yacht, a private jet, a manor abroad—all registered in Shen Xinhe’s name, along with various limited-edition diamonds.
Without comparison, it wouldn’t hurt. But now, thinking about it, Sheng Xia felt so stifled she could hardly eat.
At least she had never slept with Gu Cheng’an—otherwise, it would have been a total loss.It’s fine for now, at least my body is still my own. I’ll just treat those material things as if they were all a dream.
Across from her, Gu Cheng’an was still watching her, waiting for her answer. Sheng Xia shook her head gloomily, “I don’t like them anymore.”
Gu Cheng’an knew Sheng Xia’s attention span was short—luxury goods filled an entire walk-in closet, and her tastes changed every few days. He softened his tone, “What do you like now?”
Sheng Xia felt a pang of frustration hearing this. “I don’t like anything anymore! I’ve lost interest. Oh, and I’m not hungry. Take your time eating; I’m going outside for some fresh air.”
With that, she pushed back her chair and stood up to leave. Gu Cheng’an watched her retreating figure, then glanced at the table full of dishes, his expression darkening.
Fine, don’t eat! Suit yourself!
Sheng Xia stepped outside and leaned against the corridor railing, checking the luxury items she had listed for sale—still no inquiries.
She then checked the Orchid Friends forum to see if anyone was interested in the 20-million-yuan orchid. Still no takers.
Sighing, Sheng Xia put away her phone and trudged back gloomily, only to bump into someone unexpectedly.
Her phone fell to the ground, but the other person swiftly picked it up, his voice clear and pleasant: “I’m sorry!”
“It’s fine!” The other person’s voice was so pleasant that Sheng Xia instinctively looked up.
The man across from her had sharp eyebrows and bright eyes, his handsomeness rivaling Gu Cheng’an’s.
Shen Jingze, upon seeing Sheng Xia’s face clearly, was instantly captivated. For the first time ever, his heart began to pound wildly.
Over the years, Shen Jingze had seen all kinds of beauties, but he had never encountered beauty like Sheng Xia’s.
Shen Jingze’s heart stirred, and he thought about asking for her contact information, but wouldn’t that be too forward?
After all, he was a young master of the Shen family. Chasing after a stranger for her contact details seemed a bit beneath him.
As he pondered this, he noticed the orchid on Sheng Xia’s phone screen. Shen Jingze immediately found a topic.
“This is an Orchid Aristocrat! Do you raise it?”
The other person had recognized the orchid’s variety at a glance—clearly, he was also an orchid enthusiast. Sheng Xia nodded and hummed in agreement.
Shen Jingze’s gaze fell on Sheng Xia’s clothes. Dressed so plainly yet raising such an expensive orchid—was she a low-key wealthy woman?
“I also like orchids. I have quite a few at home. How about we exchange contact information to discuss them?”
Sheng Xia smiled bitterly, “I’m selling this orchid. I won’t be raising orchids anymore in the future.”
“Why sell it?”
“I’m poor! I need money!” Sheng Xia replied.
“That’s perfect. I’m interested in buying this orchid. Would it be convenient to exchange contact details to discuss further?”
“Really?” Sheng Xia’s eyes lit up. The man across from her was dressed impeccably, and the watch on his wrist alone was worth millions. He was clearly wealthy. Had she finally found a buyer for her orchid?
Overjoyed, Sheng Xia’s entire demeanor brightened.
Shen Jingze watched her sudden radiance, his heart racing uncontrollably. Damn, she was absolutely stunning!
How could there be such a breathtaking beauty?
Her beauty was suffocating even without a smile, but when she smiled, it was downright lethal.
Sheng Xia happily exchanged contact information with Shen Jingze, agreeing to meet the next day to view the orchid and discuss the price.
When she returned to the private room, Gu Cheng’an was already impatient. “Why did you take so long?”
Sheng Xia, in high spirits after finding a potential buyer, didn’t mind Gu Cheng’an’s expression. “Are you done eating? If so, let’s go.”
The food on the table remained untouched. Gu Cheng’an stood up with a sour expression, and Sheng Xia followed him out of the restaurant, one after the other.Being with Gu Cheng’an was too stifling. After leaving the restaurant, Sheng Xia had no intention of walking with him. “I’ve made plans with Qiaoqiao, so I won’t be going with you.”
Gu Cheng’an looked at her coldly. “Li Shengxia, have you forgotten your status? You’re a married woman. Is it appropriate for you to be out and about like this every day?”
“Didn’t you say you wouldn’t interfere with my personal life? We have an agreement—no interference!”
“Your memory is good, but there’s one clause you should be well aware of: Party A has the unconditional right to demand anything from Party B.”
Sheng Xia was instantly speechless. Damn the wicked capitalists, ruthless and shameless!
How cruel—with just one sentence, he had blocked all her escape routes.