Chapter 33: The Woman He Keeps Outside

She didn’t apologize for a full minute, and the incident dragged on for another minute. Wang Haiqiong had no choice; even if she had to grit her teeth until they shattered, this time she had to apologize to Wen Zhixia in front of everyone.

“Just now, it was my carelessness that got you hurt. I’m sorry.”

It was less an apology than an act of swallowing a great humiliation.

After speaking, without waiting for any reaction from Wen Zhixia, Wang Haiqiong set her wine glass down heavily and left with a grim face.

Gu Pingsheng’s eyes were cold, but when he turned his head, he was his usual self again. He gently held Wen Zhixia’s hand and asked, “Does it still hurt?”

Wen Zhixia parted her lips. “It hurts.”

Only in front of him could Wen Zhixia reveal, with such clarity and softness, that she was in pain.

Gu Pingsheng’s thin lips curved slightly despite his cold expression. “Good you know the feeling. Remember this pain. Next time she gives you trouble, pay her back exactly the same.”

“And if the one who hurts me is you?” she suddenly asked.

Gu Pingsheng, who was applying a bandage to her hand, paused and looked up with his long, narrow eyes. “I wouldn’t.”

She picked up a dessert, her red lips parting as she said, “I’m only asking, if.”

If—just a hypothesis, not necessarily the truth.

But he looked at her with those deep eyes and simply replied, “I wouldn’t.”

Wen Zhixia’s lips lifted faintly, as if lost in thought.

The sweet dessert melted in her mouth, still sugary as it swept her taste buds, but as it slid down her throat, it turned her stomach and made her gag softly.

Wen Zhixia quickly set down her dessert and covered her mouth.

“What’s wrong, Zhixia?” Chairman Hua returned, his face not looking good, perhaps after speaking with Qing Qi. Seeing her retching, he approached with concern.

Because Hua Qianjiao was always calling her “Sister Wen,” Chairman Hua, wary that his daughter might be taken advantage of, had investigated Wen Zhixia from the start.

Over the years, Hua Qianjiao had become a topic of idle gossip. The peers she used to associate with either avoided her for fear of tainting their own reputations or harbored hidden motives. Only Wen Zhixia remained unchanged.

As time reveals true character, Chairman Hua gradually came to see her as half a daughter.

Gu Pingsheng took her hand, as if to lift her. “Let’s go to the hospital.”

Wen Zhixia pushed his hand away. “I’m fine.”

Chairman Hua, seasoned as he was, caught the implication and asked with a chuckle, “How long have you been feeling this way, Zhixia?”

The probing tone was obvious—anyone could catch its meaning.

Gu Pingsheng suddenly turned to her, his deep gaze fixed, awaiting her response.

Under their eyes, Wen Zhixia said, “It’s just my stomach acting up these past two days.”

Chairman Hua smiled. “Is that so? Well, you’re both young, plenty of time, take it slow.”

Today was Chairman Hua’s birthday. With so many guests, he could not linger and was soon called away.

“Are you really all right?” Gu Pingsheng asked.

Wen Zhixia shook her head and sat down on a chair.

Standing by the door, Li Yueting had observed Gu Pingsheng’s every move since he entered. Though too far to catch their conversation, she could clearly see how much Gu Pingsheng valued Wen Zhixia.

Li Yueting wondered if men always treated their first love differently—even if they had new romances, they couldn’t let go, still fearing she might be wronged.

She turned and left, returning a few minutes later to approach Gu Pingsheng and Wen Zhixia. “President Gu, your clothes are stained. Perhaps you should change.”

She held his clothes and nodded to Wen Zhixia.

Only then did Wen Zhixia notice the small cream stain on Gu Pingsheng’s trouser leg, likely from the cake when he helped her up earlier.

She glanced at the dessert newly set on the table, remembering that Wang Haiqiong had knocked it to the floor, and in the process of helping her, Gu Pingsheng had gotten smeared.

“Secretary Li is very attentive,” Wen Zhixia said coolly.

Li Yueting stood by, dutiful. “President Wen overpraises me. This is my responsibility as a subordinate.”

“President Gu, I’ve spoken to the housekeeper. We can go upstairs directly,” Li Yueting said to Gu Pingsheng.

He lowered his eyes to the stain.

Wen Zhixia, after glancing at Li Yueting, placed a hand on Gu Pingsheng’s arm and extended the other. “Secretary Li, give me the clothes.”

Li Yueting didn’t move. “President Wen has an injured hand. If you carry something, President Gu will be upset.”

“Secretary Li is right. Your hand’s hurt, you shouldn’t carry anything,” Gu Pingsheng said, taking the bag from her and meeting Wen Zhixia’s clear gaze. “I’ll carry it.”

Wen Zhixia: “So?”

He leaned down, lips brushing her sensitive ear, his eyes as dark as night. “If you want to wait on me, how could I refuse?”

She shot him a look, chiding, “Don’t talk nonsense.”

He looked up, lips curled in a half-smile.

Li Yueting watched from the side, seeing a Gu Pingsheng completely unlike his usual high and aloof self. She pressed her lips together. “President Wen’s clothes also have some wine stains. You might want to take care of that.”

Wen Zhixia’s gaze dropped, and after glancing at Li Yueting, she called over a housekeeper, who greeted her warmly. “Miss Wen.”

“Bring me a suitable dress, please.”

The housekeeper replied, “The clothes you and the young miss ordered last time just arrived yesterday. She said she’d put them in your car today.”

Wen Zhixia nodded with a smile. “Perfect. Find one in the same color as what I’m wearing. And prepare a guest room upstairs—we’ll change there.”

“The young miss had a room specially prepared for you after your last stay. She decorated it herself, and said it’s yours from now on. I’ll get the clothes and have someone take you up,” the housekeeper said.

She had done nothing but call the housekeeper and say a few words, yet Li Yueting felt the insurmountable gap between them.

To Li Yueting, Wen Zhixia’s casual manner was that of a hostess, while she herself, despite her best efforts, seemed like a clown beside Gu Pingsheng.

The housekeeper led them to a bedroom.

At first glance, Wen Zhixia recognized the furnishings as an exact copy of Hua Qianjiao’s room.

After the housekeeper set down their clothes and left, Wen Zhixia picked up a plush toy by the bed and laughed. “Qianjiao must have prepared all her favorite things for me.”

This toy was said to be globally limited and priceless. How did she get another one?

The housekeeper remembered something amusing. “Madam tried to stop her, saying Miss Wen is not her style, but the young miss insisted you two have the same interests. Whatever she likes, her Sister Wen will like, too.”

Wen Zhixia laughed. “I do like it.”

The care and thoughtfulness alone were enough to bring joy.

The housekeeper looked at her with surprise, seeing the genuine, radiant smile on her face and finally understanding why, even after her illness and aversion to closeness, the young miss still loved being with her.

Some people, though not outgoing or talkative, simply put others at ease.

The housekeeper closed the door as she left.

Wen Zhixia picked up her clothes to change in the bathroom, but he caught her by the wrist. “With a room this big, where are you going?”

She paused. Even after three years of marriage, undressing in front of him was still difficult.

He brushed his cheek against hers, spread his arms, and raised an eyebrow at her.

Wen Zhixia: “……”

Who knows when he developed this habit—unable to change his own clothes.

She picked up the clothes, and just as he was ready to be waited on, she tossed them at him, annoyed. “Dress yourself.”

With that, she took her clothes and went into the bathroom.

Gu Pingsheng smiled, but after she shut the door, his smile faded. He set the clothes aside, leaned on the sofa, and absentmindedly tapped his phone.

When Wen Zhixia emerged, having changed and fixed her hair, he was slowly buttoning his shirt, turning at the sound of her steps to reveal his well-built chest.

Though he spent his days in an office, he never slacked off on his fitness.

Gu Pingsheng beckoned her to help him dress.

As she adjusted his cuffs, his mind flashed with an image—her, in a shop, helping another man with his clothes. His eyes darkened; suddenly, he tilted her chin up and kissed her hard.

When their lips parted, she was breathless, held steady by his arm.

Wen Zhixia frowned. “My lipstick’s smudged.”

His lips now bore a hint of red, and his handsome face was tinged with alluring color. His long fingers traced the red at her mouth. “Downstairs, was it really just your stomach?”

If it were any other matter, Wen Zhixia would have taken the question as concern.

But…

When it came to children, they never reached consensus. She couldn’t tell if his question was more concern or suspicion.

She picked up a tie and began to knot it for him, even with her bandaged hand. As she adjusted the length, she suddenly tugged it tight around his neck.

Her clear gaze met his. “If I were pregnant, would you be happy or unhappy?”

Her tone was neutral, but mentioning this topic always made her angry.

Gu Pingsheng knew it, too; he didn’t answer, just loosened the tie himself. “After the banquet, we’ll go to the hospital for a checkup.”

Wen Zhixia let go, her mood agitated. “No need. I’m not going.”

He cupped her waist. “Don’t be difficult.”

She took a deep breath, her eyes rising. “Gu Pingsheng, what do you mean? Are you—”

Knock, knock, knock.

Just as her anger mounted, the housekeeper returned and called at the door, “Miss Wen, are you dressed? The young miss has a problem—if you’re free, could you come see her?”

Hearing it was about Hua Qianjiao, Wen Zhixia straightened her hair and opened the door.

Gu Pingsheng paused, then followed with steady steps.

“Our young miss ran into that woman in the back. She told me not to inform the chairman or madam, so I came to you instead. Please, could you check on her? She’s likely to be at a disadvantage alone,” the housekeeper said anxiously.

Wen Zhixia frowned. “Take me there.”

From the moment she saw Qing Qi arrive with Lin Huixian, Wen Zhixia had sensed trouble. But seeing Madam Hua follow, she’d let her guard down, not expecting it would still come to pass.

The backyard had hammocks and swings built for Hua Qianjiao, with several rabbits in a corner—her favorite place to relax.

Wen Zhixia entered and saw Lin Huixian gripping a rabbit so tightly her fingers dug in, making it cry out in pain.

Hua Qianjiao tried to rescue it but failed. Finally, the rabbit, hurt, scratched Lin Huixian hard enough that she let go, flinging the animal to the ground. “A beast is always a beast!”

“Miss Lin, you’re right—just as a mistress is always a mistress, only able to act weak in front of men and resort to tricks in secret,” Wen Zhixia said as she approached.

“Sister Wen, you look beautiful in that outfit,” Hua Qianjiao said, cradling the rabbit. After checking it wasn’t harmed, she looked up and smiled at Wen Zhixia’s new dress.

Wen Zhixia laughed. She wasn’t sure whether to praise her friend’s good mood—even now she noticed her dress—or to scold her for not being wary of Lin Huixian.

“Can’t you be a bit more careful?” Wen Zhixia poked her forehead.

Hua Qianjiao smiled and pointed off to one side.

Following her gaze, Wen Zhixia noticed two bodyguards in sunglasses and was surprised. “Who are they?”

“My mom said there’d be bad women today, so she had them follow me,” Hua Qianjiao replied.

Wen Zhixia understood. That explained Lin Huixian’s restraint—she only dared some veiled sarcasm, not more.

“Weren’t you upstairs? Why did you come down?”

Hua Qianjiao puffed her cheeks. “I was bored.”

Truthfully, she felt uncomfortable but wouldn’t worry her parents. They’d already done so much for her treatment.

“Hua Qianjiao, you know your situation. You’re not worthy of Qing Qi. If you truly cared for him, you’d let him go and let us be together,” Lin Huixian said, seeing she was being ignored.

Hua Qianjiao stroked the rabbit’s fur, voice muffled. “I won’t. I may not be worthy, but he’s still my fiancé.”

When the naive decide to provoke, it can be truly infuriating because they refuse to play by the rules.

Lin Huixian was speechless for a moment, then said, “Maybe you don’t know, but I’m already pregnant with Qing Qi’s child—his first. He cares about us deeply. Even if you cling to him, he won’t look at you.”

Wen Zhixia frowned, gauging the truth in her words.

As she pondered, she noticed Hua Qianjiao looking her way. Wen Zhixia said, “About that—”

“Sister Wen, could you lend me some money? I didn’t bring my wallet.”

Her wallet was in her room.

Wen Zhixia asked no questions and handed over the money.

Hua Qianjiao counted out five bills, tilted her head in thought, then took two more and handed them to Lin Huixian. “Go get an abortion. An illegitimate child will be looked down on. Children are perceptive—if they know their mother is a mistress and always hidden away, they’ll feel inferior and sad. Don’t be selfish and hurt a child who understands nothing.”

Lin Huixian clenched her fists, her eyes cold. “Who are you calling a mistress?! Hua Qianjiao, in a love triangle, the one unloved is the third wheel. Qing Qi loves me. Our child won’t be illegitimate—he won’t marry you!”

Hua Qianjiao thought for a moment and replied slowly, “Uncle and Aunt won’t acknowledge you. I’m Qing Qi’s fiancée. You’re the mistress, whether you admit it or not. A mistress’s child is illegitimate.”

Lin Huixian was furious and tried to lash out.

Wen Zhixia warned coldly, “If you don’t mind being dragged out by the bodyguards in front of all the guests, go ahead.”

Since Madam Hua had arranged bodyguards, they weren’t just for show. If Lin Huixian made a move, they’d intervene.

Lin Huixian fumed, “You! Both of you!”

“It’s important to have some self-respect. Not to mention Qing Qi and Hua Qianjiao are engaged—once he agreed to the engagement, your involvement became disgraceful,” Wen Zhixia said icily.

“Qing Qi loves me!” Lin Huixian pointed at Hua Qianjiao. “She’s only his fiancée because she saved his life. He doesn’t love her!”

“Whether he does or not isn’t for you to decide. The engagement between the Hua and Qing families still stands, which alone proves you’re not as important to him as you think,” Wen Zhixia retorted mercilessly.

“The engagement’s fate is in Hua Qianjiao’s hands. Unless she calls it off, you’ll always be the third party. What’s the point of coming today? You’re just the so-called cousin in Qing Qi’s mouth.”

Wen Zhixia stepped forward, her tone mocking. “Do you know why? Because Qing Qi can’t afford to offend the Hua family. His life was saved by Hua Qianjiao. All your scheming, in the end, makes you nothing but a joke. Is being a mistress glorious? If you’re smart, take the money and leave before you provoke the Hua family’s wrath—even Qing Qi can’t protect you then.”

Lin Huixian took a deep breath. “We truly love each other. I’m willing to wait for him. I’ll always be the woman he loves most. Even if the Qing family doesn’t acknowledge me now, who’s to say I won’t be accepted after giving birth?”

She touched up her makeup. “I have to go with Qing Qi to an event out of town tomorrow. We’ll meet again.”

After she left, Hua Qianjiao, hugging the rabbit, hung her head. “I wanted to have her thrown out.”

She remembered what Wen Zhixia had told her last time in the hospital—she wanted to strip Lin Huixian and toss her out in disgrace.

But today was her father’s birthday; she couldn’t bring bad luck.

“You could talk to Qing Qi’s mother. Don’t say much—just mention that Lin Huixian claims she’s pregnant. Whether it’s true or not, the Qing family will investigate and inform the Hua family.”

Hua Qianjiao nodded, not fully understanding but trusting Wen Zhixia would never harm her.

The banquet was still in full swing. As Chairman Hua’s only daughter, Hua Qianjiao couldn’t be absent.

This time, Wen Zhixia accompanied her.

Gu Pingsheng moved to Wen Zhixia’s side, a teasing note in his voice. “So your sharp tongue is now reserved for defending your friends?”

She had systematically left Lin Huixian with no dignity. No matter how much she forced composure, Lin Huixian’s face turned green as she left.

Wen Zhixia raised her brows and glanced at him.

“As sharp as ever,” he said.

Only he had seen how fierce she could be under her calm and gentle facade. In the past—

“Zhixia.”

Zhang Zhiyan appeared, holding a wine glass, and approached as soon as he saw her.

His arrival cut off Gu Pingsheng’s reminiscence.

Zhang Zhiyan bypassed Gu Pingsheng and stopped before Wen Zhixia. “I heard your hand was injured. Are you all right?”

Wen Zhixia replied, “It’s just a minor injury.”

Gu Pingsheng took her glass away. “Didn’t you just say your stomach was upset? No drinking tonight.”

Zhang Zhiyan sipped his wine silently.

“President Gu, your phone,” Li Yueting said quietly as she approached.

Gu Pingsheng hesitated for a few seconds before saying to Wen Zhixia, “I have to take this.”

Wen Zhixia watched his retreating figure, lost in thought.

Zhang Zhiyan set his glass down, bent slightly, and whispered, “Guess who’s calling him?”

Wen Zhixia withdrew her gaze, her lips curving. “President Zhang, you’ve been wanting to tell me something, haven’t you?”

Her frankness gave Zhang Zhiyan pause, then he laughed. “You make conversation so direct there’s no sense of accomplishment or mystery.”

Wen Zhixia requested a glass of warm water from a servant and found a quiet spot to wait for Zhang Zhiyan’s story.

“I stumbled onto this by chance—at Junyue Club. After a business dinner, I saw a familiar face and went over. The woman was the same one who accompanied him when we dined together last time—Zhao Fuhe, a student at Sifangcheng University.”

He paused, gauging her reaction, then continued, “No. 73, Xiangshan Road, is one of his properties. If you want to check, you can go anytime.”

Wen Zhixia silently sipped her water, not speaking even when Zhang Zhiyan finished.

After a while, just as he was about to ask what she was thinking, she finally said, “I understand.”

Zhang Zhiyan looked at her serene expression. He enjoyed studying traditional painting and often found the same gentle, elegant, and tranquil beauty in Wen Zhixia—a living ink painting.

She was beautiful, undoubtedly, but not overwhelmingly so; it was something in her bones that captivated.

“Even if you plan to catch him in the act, that’s for tomorrow. For today, may I invite Miss Wen to dance?”

Zhang Zhiyan bowed, extending a gentlemanly invitation.

Wen Zhixia raised her hand and declined, “Sorry, my hand is a bit inconvenient.”

He shrugged and smiled ruefully. “Isn’t that a flimsy excuse? I came alone tonight without a partner—it’s a bit pitiful, isn’t it? Consider it repaying a favor?”

He’d made it impossible to refuse.

Still, her mind was elsewhere.

Ten years of emotion—no one could know what it meant to her.

She needed the truth, but she also feared it.

“Your tie, I like it.”

She placed her hand lightly in his palm. Only then did she notice—the tie he wore was the one she’d picked out in the shop to repay him for covering her purchase.

She nodded.

“I’ve never envied anyone, except Gu Pingsheng—for having you,” Zhang Zhiyan said softly.

Gu Pingsheng returned from his call and instinctively looked for Wen Zhixia, only to see her in the center of the dance floor, dancing in Zhang Zhiyan’s arms.

“He’s back… If you need help tomorrow, you can always call me,” Zhang Zhiyan whispered, pulling her closer.

As the dance ended, Zhang Zhiyan nodded at Gu Pingsheng and released Wen Zhixia’s hand.

Gu Pingsheng gripped her hand tightly, his gaze cold as he looked at Zhang Zhiyan.

Zhang Zhiyan took his wrist. “Her hand is injured. You’re hurting her.”

Only then did Gu Pingsheng realize he’d instinctively grabbed her injured hand and released it.

Now, the bandage on her palm was stained with red.

Gu Pingsheng’s expression changed. Meeting her eyes, he pressed his lips together. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

Wen Zhixia withdrew her hand. “I was thinking and didn’t notice.”

She was thinking about No. 73, Xiangshan Road.

The wound, just barely scabbed, had reopened and needed to be bandaged again.

At one point, Wen Zhixia went to the restroom. With one hand injured, she rinsed it under the tap.

The hand dryer whirred.

“President Wen,” Li Yueting stood a little behind her, perhaps just out of a stall or having just entered.

Wen Zhixia adjusted her hair in the mirror, watching her reflection. “Are you waiting for me, Secretary Li?”

Li Yueting, “Yes.”

“So, many people want to tell me secrets today,” Wen Zhixia said with a hint of mockery, straightening up. “I’m all ears.”

Li Yueting bit her lip. “It’s about Zhao Fuhe.”

She glanced at Wen Zhixia’s expression and continued, “I heard you had an accident recently. You helped me before—consider this repaying you. That day, President Gu was with Zhao Fuhe.”

She implied the missed call was related to Zhao Fuhe.

After Wen Zhixia left the restroom, Li Yueting hummed a tune at the sink, leisurely washing her hands and putting on lipstick.

Since ancient times, when the snipe and clam fight, the fisherman profits.

On the way home, Wen Zhixia said nothing.

That night, after her bath, Gu Pingsheng slipped into bed behind her, his lips lingering on her neck.

“I don’t feel well. I want to sleep early,” she said.

She rarely refused him in bed, and Gu Pingsheng did not press her.

The next morning, Wen Zhixia rose early. By the time Gu Pingsheng woke, she was already gone.

From downstairs, the faint sounds of cooking could be heard—she was making breakfast.

Gu Pingsheng hugged her from behind, his chin resting on her shoulder, breathing in the scent of her hair, lips curving into a smile.

Wen Zhixia, frying eggs, brushed his hand away. “Almost done. Go set the table.”

He agreed.

Sunlight poured onto the breakfast table, the breeze stirred the tree branches, birds sang—peaceful and beautiful.

“Why are you up so early today?” he asked.

She cut the egg, chewed, and replied, “…I have to go out.”

“With Hua Qianjiao?” He guessed, as she had few close friends.

She paused. “Mm.”

“Be careful with your hand, don’t get it wet. If you shop, have things delivered; don’t carry heavy bags,” he instructed before leaving.

She stood and straightened his tie, adjusting it carefully. “Pingsheng, are you hiding something from me?”

He kissed her forehead. “Don’t overthink.”

He left. Wen Zhixia stood by the window, watching his car disappear out of sight.

Half an hour later, having changed, she left Lanhu Mansion.