Chapter 17: Take Off Your Shirt
Gu Hanling gently pulled Shen Xi into his arms, patting her shoulder lightly. His eyes were full of tenderness as he lowered his head and whispered softly in her ear,
"Xixi, be good. Don’t cry. I’m here for you."
Hearing his comforting words, Shen Xi knew very well that this was just an act for Feng Weiwei to see.
But the warmth of his breath against her ear, combined with his gentle voice and the feeling of being pressed against his firm, strong chest overflowing with masculine energy…
A strange sense of security started to creep into her heart, beyond her control.
Maybe it was because, in her past life, she had spent so many lonely days in the mountains, secretly wishing that someone would be there to say, “I’m here for you.”
Did turning into a woman make me more emotional, too?
Like an obedient child, Shen Xi buried her face deeper into his chest, holding back her tears. Every now and then, she let out a small sob, her delicate shoulders trembling slightly.
In reality, she had secretly glanced at Feng Weiwei’s reaction and was holding back laughter so hard that her whole body was shaking.
Feng Weiwei’s eyes were wide open, her expression twisted as if she had swallowed a fly. Having just been forced to watch this lovey-dovey action, she pointed a trembling finger at Shen Xi, her voice quivering with anger.
"Brother Han, she—"
Gu Hanling lifted his gaze to Feng Weiwei.
The tenderness in his eyes instantly vanished, replaced by an icy coldness. His face darkened, and the chilling intensity in his stare sent shivers down Feng Weiwei’s spine.
Although Gu Hanling had never paid much attention to her before, he had at least been polite on the rare occasions they met at the Gu family estate. She had tried to get close to him, and though he had never encouraged her, he had always responded with gentlemanly courtesy.
But now… This was the first time he had ever looked at her with such cold, piercing indifference.
Feng Weiwei’s heart plummeted. All she felt was unwillingness and jealousy.
Why does that vixen get to have him?
She's been waiting for Gu Hanling for so long! The position of the Gu family’s mistress should have been hers!
"Xixi is my wife. Whoever dares to bully her will deal with the consequences."
Gu Hanling’s icy warning hit Feng Weiwei like a slap to the face. Her expression turned pale, then red. Covering her mouth, she bit her lip as tears welled up uncontrollably.
Stomping her foot in frustration, she turned and ran away, her high heels clicking furiously against the stone pavement.
Only when the sound of footsteps faded did Shen Xi finally lift her head and step away from Gu Hanling’s embrace.
That’s when she noticed…
She had wiped her tears and snot all over his black dress shirt.
"Pfft—hahaha!"
"Sorry about that. Your shirt’s fabric is really nice. It was so soft and comfortable to wipe on." She grinned.
"Are you done playing around?"
Gu Hanling’s voice was as cold as ever, with no trace of the tenderness from earlier.
"Hmph, I was just doing my job seriously."
With that, Shen Xi turned around, clasped her hands behind her back, and hopped forward, humming a tune from her past life.
Since arriving in this world, too much had happened in a short time. Looking back on the past few days, from initial panic to slowly adapting, she had been under constant pressure.
Even though her tears earlier had been fake, crying had still helped release some of that built-up stress. Now, she felt much lighter and more relaxed.
Gu Hanling watched her skipping ahead like a little deer, humming a melody he had never heard before. The corners of his lips twitched ever so slightly, and he shook his head.
……………………………………
Back in the room.
Shen Xi was no longer bouncing around. Mainly because… her chest hurt from all the movement.
"Take it off. I’ll wash your shirt."
As soon as Gu Hanling closed the door, she blurted it out without thinking.
Gu Hanling paused for a moment, suspicion flickering in his eyes as he looked at her.
Shen Xi wondered why Gu Hanling hadn’t responded. Then it hit her, she had said something completely inappropriate.
They were alone in a room. This wasn’t two guys hanging out where it wouldn’t matter.
“Hey! Big brother, don’t get the wrong idea!”
A hint of panic flashed in her eyes. What if he thought she was seducing him? What if Gu Hanling lost control and just pounced on her?
She quickly tried to explain, “I—I have someone I like! You know that! What I meant was, you should go change in the walk-in closet, and then I’ll wash it for you. That’s all…”
“No need. The house staff will send it for dry cleaning.”
Gu Hanling rejected her offer without a second thought. His clothes were custom-made. If they were washed normally, they’d lose their original fit.
Then, as if something had crossed his mind, he raised an eyebrow.
“The one I lent you… you hand-washed it?”
Shen Xi’s heart skipped a beat. Crap. Another 200,000 down the drain.
In her past life, she had never been able to afford dry cleaning, so she hadn’t even thought about it.
“No way! I’ll return it to you once I get back,” she said quickly, scratching her head guiltily and avoiding his gaze.
Gu Hanling narrowed his eyes slightly but didn’t press further. Instead, he walked toward the closet.
When he came back out, Shen Xi glanced at him, another black shirt. If she hadn’t known better, she would’ve thought he had just washed and put the same one back on.
Gu Hanling adjusted his collar casually and, in a nonchalant manner, asked,
“I heard you’re in a hurry to sell your apartment?”
Shen Xi’s heart skipped another beat. Damn, this guy is really well-informed. Does he have a tracker on me or something?
She had completely forgotten that earlier, when she had taken his call, she had casually said, [Hello, if you're interested in the apartment, you can see it tomorrow.]
“Uh… yeah.”
“You need money?”
“Yeah.”
Gu Hanling stepped in front of her, holding a black bank card between his fingers.
“This is my secondary card. As my spouse, you have the right to use it. Take whatever amount you think the house is worth.”
“Thanks, big brother! I’ll only take the original price, ten million.”
Shen Xi took the card without hesitation. At first, she was just thrilled to get the money. But then, Shen Xi suddenly realized!
Wait a minute! Gu Hanling had deducted ten million from her before, and now he was using ten million to buy her house… Didn’t that mean he was getting it for free?
Damn capitalist!
But this was rightfully hers, so she had no reason to hesitate. Just like the compensation she was supposed to receive two years later. If it wasn’t hers to begin with, she wouldn’t take a single cent.
“Oh, right, big brother, how much are these jade accessories and jewelry worth?”
Now that she was technically a millionaire, she figured she might as well buy the jewelry for peace of mind. They were beautiful, and owning them would give her a sense of belonging.
In her past life, she had never received gifts from anyone, let alone something this valuable.
“Twenty million.”
“…Never mind.”
Shen Xi inhaled sharply. Good thing she had been extra careful not to damage anything.
She made up her mind. Once she left the Gu family estate, she would return everything, including the jade bracelet that Grandma had given her. It was simply too expensive.
……………………………………
At night.
The Gu family banquet.
Around a large round wooden dining table, more than twenty people sat, including Shen Xi.
Seating was arranged by seniority. At the head of the table sat Gu Hanling’s uncle, Gu Jian. Next to him was his stepmother, Wu Xiaoman, and a bratty teenage boy, Gu Hanling’s half-brother from his father’s second marriage.
From her earlier chats with the maids, Shen Xi had learned about the unspoken history of the Gu family.
Years ago, a major incident had shaken the family, and since then, Gu Hanling had taken control of the business and held most of the shares. His stepmother and her son had been left with almost nothing.
That was why Wu Xiaoman had been so eager to push Feng Weiwei onto Gu Hanling. She was hoping to secure her future. But she hadn’t expected Shen Xi to come out of nowhere and ruin her plans.
Once most of the guests had arrived, Gu Jian cleared his throat, scanned the table, and frowned slightly.
“Where’s Weiwei?”
“Oh, she wasn’t feeling well and went home early.”
Shen Xi glanced up, and for a split second, her eyes met Wu Xiaoman’s.
There was a faint but unmistakable trace of malice in the woman’s gaze.
Shen Xi immediately knew. This meal wasn’t going to sit well.