Ning Ke turned her head and suddenly saw her husband and Gu Shao, quickly falling silent.
Su Su, facing the other way, did not notice them and continued smiling as she said, “Your Bai Xinyan would never do something like that.” After all, in the book, he was portrayed as the perfect loyal husband.
She added, “As for Gu Shao…”
Gu Shao eventually divorced the original host. It was unclear when or why, and whether he remarried. The only thing known was that Gu Wan called another woman “Auntie,” and from the description, that woman seemed quite close to him.
“Gu Shao might end up becoming a man with a story…” Su Su said gloomily.
Ning Ke noticed Gu Shao’s darkened expression and quickly added, “Gu Shao definitely is not that kind of person…”
Unexpectedly, Su Su, who was in high spirits, did not notice anything unusual about Ning Ke. Instead, she cut her off, “Not necessarily. Maybe he is the kind of man who loses his head when he sees a pretty woman. Who does not like a woman with a full figure and nice curves?”
As she spoke, she even used both hands to gesture those curves. “I know him very well, Gu Shao likes that type.”
Gu Shao’s face turned from dark to red, then red to dark, then dark again to red.
He liked it because she had it, did she not?
Bai Xinyan could understand how it felt to have his own wife talk about such “flaws” in front of others, and he could not help but turn his head aside with a smile.
Ning Ke could not bear to let Su Su continue. She nudged her with her elbow and called out behind her, “Bai Xinyan, you are back? Hurry and give me the water, I am dying of thirst.”
Su Su quickly turned around. “!”
Heh.
It felt like being caught talking behind someone’s back. Su Su felt guilty and could not face Gu Shao. Even Bai Xinyan, who always looked aloof and indifferent, had heard everything. It was too embarrassing, better to escape.
She turned to Ning Ke and said, “You stay here for a bit, I need to go to the restroom.”
As soon as she left, Gu Shao said to Bai Xinyan, “Could you help look after Zai Zai for a moment? I will step out and be back soon.”
Both Bai Xinyan and Ning Ke knew he was going after Su Su. Ning Ke, who had just formed a budding friendship with Su Su, felt a little reluctant. “Hey, maybe wait until Su Su comes back…”
But Bai Xinyan nodded to Gu Shao. “Go ahead, we will take care of Zai Zai.”
Gu Shao left in the direction Su Su had gone.
Ning Ke glared at her husband. “What are you plotting?”
Bai Xinyan sat down in front of her, elbows resting on his knees. He unscrewed the bottle and took a sip, his refined upbringing evident in every movement.
He turned to look at Ning Ke, staring until she felt uneasy, then said, “Hot weather makes people irritable. Tonight, I will need to vent properly.”
Ning Ke imagined his usual domineering side and cursed inwardly. Old rogue.
…
The playground was clearly built for wealthy families’ little treasures. Even the restroom was lavish. Su Su clicked her tongue in amazement.
There were not many people today. As she turned into the corridor, it became completely empty, so quiet that even the noise outside could not be heard.
After coming out, Su Su touched up her makeup. Looking at her beautiful reflection, she could not resist taking another selfie, humming happily as she walked out.
Unexpectedly, the moment she stepped out, someone grabbed her around the waist and pinned her against the wall.
Her heart skipped a beat from the fright. Then the familiar scent reached her, and she relaxed, only to angrily hit Gu Shao several times.
“What are you doing? You scared me to death!”
“What do you think I am doing? Did you not notice how quiet it is here?”
So quiet, no one passing by, perfect for mischief.
Su Su froze, realizing the environment was indeed not in her favor.
A wise person knows when to yield. Pride could wait until later.
She immediately softened, wrapping her arms around his firm waist and coaxing, “Honey, thank you for putting work aside today to spend time with me and the kids. I am really happy.”
Gu Shao stayed silent, holding her without moving.
Seeing no sign of his anger easing, Su Su leaned against him and nuzzled him. “Gu Shao, you are the best.”
Gu Shao said, “Bai Xinyan is more mature than me?” As for being more handsome, he could ignore that. A man just needed presence, not looks.
Su Su shook her head. “No.” Only then did she remember she had upset him before coming out.
“And you think I will become a man with a past?”
She buried her face in his chest and shook her head again. “I misspoke, you will not.”
Gu Shao curled a strand of her dark hair around his finger, thinking she was an ungrateful little thing. He treated her so well, yet she doubted him.
“And will I lose my head over a well-endowed woman?” Was he really that shallow?
Su Su replied quickly, “No, no. If anything, I would.”
“Hmm?” His tone suddenly darkened.
“But compared to those women, I like you the most, Gu Shao.”
Influenced by her own aesthetic tastes, Su Su could not honestly say she did not like such beauty.
But Gu Shao ignored her earlier nonsense and only heard, “I like you the most, Gu Shao.”
…Did she really like him the most?
What about Gu Hao?
A faint, self-mocking smile appeared. Whether she meant it or not, at least she said it.
He lightly smacked her hip. “What nonsense are you saying?” His tone had softened.
Su Su immediately slipped out of his arms. “So you are not mad anymore?”
So he was this easy to coax, just a bit of acting cute would do.
Gu Shao snorted. “Do you think so? I just cannot deal with you here.”
He did not mind, but if he went too far, she might scratch him to death.
…
When they returned, they found their son asleep in Bai Xinyan’s arms. Su Su found it surprising, while Gu Shao’s face darkened again.
His wife seemed to have a good impression of that man, and now his son was even sleeping in his arms. Did he have any authority left? He would have to discipline this ungrateful little chubby boy later.
As Su Su reached out to take her son, Gu Shao beat her to it. “Rest, I will carry him.”
She did not think much of it and sat beside Ning Ke, asking what had happened. It was Zai Zai’s first time meeting Bai Xinyan, how could he fall asleep in his arms?
Ning Ke explained, “You two were gone for a while. Zai Zai got sleepy and fell asleep on the mat. I wanted to hold him, but Ningyue refused with a straight face.”
The play area was designed like an underwater world, with soft mats everywhere for safety. It was easy to lie down and rest, though usually it was adults who fell asleep, children were usually full of energy.
Zai Zai falling asleep here was unexpected.
Su Su understood. When she held Zai Zai, Wan Wan would fuss, and when she held Wan Wan, Zai Zai would fuss.
So even the original novel’s male lead had a jealous side.
She leaned closer to Ning Ke and whispered, “But when your husband holds Zai Zai, Ningyue does not fuss?”
Ning Ke whispered back, “Those two have a rivalry. Ningyue usually ignores his dad.”
…That sounded a bit sad.
Still, seeing Bai Xinyan holding Zai Zai felt a bit surreal to Su Su.
Bai Xinyan glanced at Gu Shao, his eyes asking what their wives were whispering about.
Gu Shao ignored him deliberately.
…
Since Zai Zai had fallen asleep, it was no longer suitable to continue playing. Su Su called her mother and suggested they head back together.
They returned to Su Su’s mother’s house before parting ways.
Before leaving, Ning Ke reminded her again, “Su Su, do not forget about the studio.”
For Ning Ke, once Bai Xinyan went to work during the day, she was often bored alone. Spending time with Su Su’s family today had been much more enjoyable. Ningyue could play with Zai Zai, and she did not have to put in as much effort.
She also liked that Zai Zai could help Ningyue become a little more outgoing. A child over one year old being so quiet every day, what was he going to do if he stayed isolated when he grew up?
Su Su had originally wanted to brush this off as a joke, but now she did not know what to say.
Forget it, maybe they should just wait until they were in elementary school.
Bai Ningyue’s family seemed pretty good. Ning Ke got along well with her, and the godlike Bai Xinyan had even coaxed Zai Zai to sleep.
Just as Ning Ke was about to carry Bai Ningyue away, Qu Qingwei also brought out Wan Wan, who had just woken up.
If Ning Ke had simply taken Bai Ningyue and left, that would have been fine.
The problem was that Qu Qingwei said, “Ningyue is leaving already? Want to give your sister a kiss?”
She bent down and brought Wan Wan up in front of Ningyue.
Gu Shao remembered what Su Su had told him and wanted to stop his mother-in-law, but that was his mother-in-law…
Gu Shao endured it and held himself back.
Ningyue obediently gave her a smack kiss.
Gu Shao could not hold back anymore. “Bai Xinyan, I have a project here that I do not know whether you would be interested in. How about we make an appointment to talk when you have time?”
“Hm?” Bai Xinyan looked at his son, then at Gu Shao’s rather unpleasant expression, and smiled.
Good job, son, you even got a little advantage in the end.
He replied to Gu Shao, “Sure.”
But this little advantage his son got might cost him quite a bit of money…