The server hurriedly took it from her.
Qin Xingwan added, “This dress is worth over a million. Even secondhand, you could probably sell it for five or six hundred thousand. If you want it, you can take it home.”
The server’s eyes lit up with excitement.
“Thank you.”
She clutched the bag tightly, afraid Qin Xingwan might change her mind, and hurried away.
For her, five or six hundred thousand might take half a lifetime to save. No reason to turn down a windfall.
Qin Yunshu’s eyes widened. Her face flushed red, and tears trembled on the verge of falling.
She couldn’t believe Qin Xingwan had told the server to take the dress away—and had even called it secondhand…
With so many people watching…
Unable to bear the whispers and pointing fingers around her, she held back her tears, lowered her head, and ran out.
“Yunshu.” Chu Li shot Qin Xingwan a cold look, then went after her.
Qin Xingwan watched without expression as their backs disappeared into the crowd, one after the other.
“Xingwan.” Lin Qingya took her arm, worried.
Word of what happened today would surely spread through their circle soon. Qin Yunshu had been humiliated, but Chu Li leaving in pursuit of her was also a great loss of face for Qin Xingwan.
“It’s fine. Let’s go.” Qin Xingwan straightened her back and walked out.
At the hotel entrance, Qin Xingwan apologized to Lin Qingya. Lin Qingya had made the dress herself, stitch by stitch; throwing it away now meant rejecting all the care she had put into it.
But the thought of taking that dress back made Qin Xingwan uncomfortable, too.
“Wanwan, don’t say that to me. If you hadn’t helped me back then, I might not even have had enough bones left to make a drum.” Lin Qingya spoke, tears glimmering faintly in her eyes. “Forget one dress—I’d give you my life.”
“Don’t talk nonsense.” Qin Xingwan quickly took her hand. “We have to be all right together.”
Lin Qingya insisted on taking Qin Xingwan back to the hospital, but before they could leave, a black Bentley pulled up at the entrance.
At the same time, someone grabbed Qin Xingwan by the wrist.
She looked up in surprise and saw Chu Li.
Qin Xingwan frowned. Hadn’t he gone after Qin Yunshu?
The man’s expression was icy. “I’ll take you back to the hospital.”
Lin Qingya held on to Qin Xingwan’s other hand and refused to let go. She said scornfully, “I’ll take Wanwan. President Chu should go after the other woman.”
Chu Li’s cool gaze swept over her. He said nothing, but the pressure he exuded was unmistakable.
Lin Qingya wasn’t afraid. She was about to step forward when Qin Xingwan pulled her back.
“Qingya, go on ahead. I’m fine,” Qin Xingwan urged Lin Qingya gently.
She didn’t want Lin Qingya to get into a conflict with Chu Li on her account. Besides, there was someone at tonight’s banquet Lin Qingya wanted to see. It would be a shame if she missed her chance.
“Wanwan.” Lin Qingya was still worried and glared fiercely at Chu Li.
Qin Xingwan reassured her, “We’re still married for now. He won’t do anything to me.”
Lin Qingya was about to say more, but Qin Xingwan slipped free of her hand and smiled. “Go inside.”
Lin Qingya had no choice but to tell Qin Xingwan to call if anything happened. Then she gave Chu Li a warning glare and went back into the hotel.
Qin Xingwan shook off Chu Li’s hand and got into the car.
Chu Li sat beside her, and the door closed.
Soft music drifted through the car, flowing like water and soothing the agitation in their hearts.
The car stopped at a traffic light.
Half of Chu Li’s face was in shadow. “Yunshu and I are just ordinary friends. You know she has someone she likes.”
He was explaining himself—a veiled concession.
It was the first time he had explained anything since Qin Yunshu returned to the country.
Qin Xingwan gazed out the window, her heart aching. Her eyes grew warm.
She knew perfectly well that he was only explaining because he was afraid she would cause another scene and further humiliate Qin Yunshu. That was what it took for him to lower himself to explain.
She said nothing.
“You were in the wrong tonight. You need to apologize to Yunshu,” Chu Li demanded of his wife.
Every word of his explanation defended Qin Yunshu and blamed his wife for making trouble without reason.
Qin Xingwan turned to look at Chu Li. His face was so familiar to her, yet now it seemed utterly strange.
“What am I to you?”
“Yunshu has been my friend for years, and she’s your younger sister. She came back after a breakup to build her career. Supporting and helping her is what we should do.” Chu Li’s tone was especially stern.
His wife had been exceptionally harsh to this younger sister.
Chu Li paused, then added, “If this is because I used to like her, you can rest assured. I’m married to you now. I won’t cheat on you.”
“You’ve misunderstood our relationship.”
A dull ache weighed on Qin Xingwan’s lower abdomen. She pressed a hand to it, and the thought of the child left a knot of anger lodged in her chest.
She gave a cold laugh. “You and her both disgust me.”
As soon as the words left Qin Xingwan’s mouth, Chu Li seized her wrist.
He tightened his grip and pulled her toward him, fury in his sinister gaze. “Disgust you?”
They had been married for three years, and she found him disgusting?
Qin Xingwan lifted her chin and met his eyes without flinching. “What else? Should I applaud your devoted, dog-like love for her?”
“Qin Xingwan.” Chu Li’s anger flared.
“When I was kidnapped, you were celebrating her birthday. When I was lying in the hospital after losing the baby, you went with her to the Perfume Conference. Chu Li, what am I to you?”
“A lawful bedmate, or a tool for bearing children?”
Qin Xingwan slowly worked her wrist free of Chu Li’s grasp.
Her movements were slow, but resolute.
Chu Li loosened his hand, then suddenly tightened it again.
His scorching body heat was like a brand she couldn’t break free from.
Qin Xingwan felt awful, and her temper flared. She couldn’t even be bothered to hide her loathing anymore.
“Chu Li, I just lost your child. If you have even a shred of conscience, stop bothering me.”
Chu Li pressed his lips together. He said nothing and didn’t let go.
Qin Xingwan was so angry her liver hurt.
The car soon reached the hospital.
Chu Li loosened his grip a little, and Qin Xingwan immediately wrenched her hand free and got out.
She hadn’t gone more than two steps when Chu Li swept her up in his arms.
Her voice was sharp. “Put me down.”
Chu Li glanced at her pale face. “Don’t move.”
Qin Xingwan bit her lip and fell silent. She had been soaked in the heavy rain, had suffered a miscarriage, and had gone to a banquet as well. Now she felt weak all over.
Since Chu Li was going to carry her upstairs, she let him.
She had just lain down in her hospital bed when Dr. Tang came in.
After examining her, Dr. Tang gently advised, “Madam is weak and needs plenty of rest. Try to stay in good spirits.”
It was obvious Madam was upset.
A woman recovering from a miscarriage needed to stay in good spirits.
“Thank you,” Qin Xingwan said. Everyone knew she needed rest—everyone except her husband.
No. He knew. He just couldn’t manage it.
Dr. Tang left.
With the IV drip attached, Qin Xingwan soon drifted into a hazy sleep.
When she woke, she discovered Chu Li was still there.
He sat on a sofa not far away, his handsome brows furrowed. A document was in his hand, and his thin lips were pressed into a line. He clearly wasn’t in a good mood.
Qin Xingwan braced herself on one arm, trying to sit up.
Hearing her, Chu Li put down the document and came over.
He naturally slipped an arm around Qin Xingwan’s waist and asked in a low voice, “Feeling better?”
“Mm.” Qin Xingwan lowered her eyes and answered softly.