Chapter 39: First Marriage, Then Love, and a Side of Scumbag Crushing 17
Ning Qingqing knew in an instant that it must have been Xue Wenlan who told Shen Zhiqian she was here.
She had no desire to deal with him, so she simply pushed open the fitting room door and walked in.
The more she had once dreamed of wearing a wedding dress for Shen Zhiqian, the more she wanted to avoid it now. Once anticipation withers away, even the memory becomes pointless. Besides, she was married now, to a man who treated her very well.
To avoid any further entanglement, Ning Qingqing sent a quick text to Gu Youchen from inside the fitting room.
Outside, Shen Zhiqian remained rooted to the spot. As a well-known figure in Di City, it was natural for the shop staff to recognize him, but they wouldn’t let him any closer to the women’s changing area.
He didn’t try to move. His mind was still replaying that stunning, fleeting glimpse of her. He’d never thought about marriage before, never pictured Ning Qingqing in a wedding dress. But now that the thought had taken root, it grew like wild weeds in his heart, impossible to uproot.
He wanted to get married. He wanted to see Ning Qingqing wear a wedding dress for him. He even wanted to see the shy look on her face as he slipped a ring on her finger.
He had rushed here in such a hurry that he hadn’t paid attention to the dresses on display, but now a clear image formed in his mind. The dress she had worn was an asymmetrical, one-shoulder design with a cinched waist and a high-low hem. The moment she had turned to look at him, he had seen the graceful curve of her neck. He’d even had the urge to take a picture. But she had disappeared into the fitting room, leaving him with only silence. The train of her dress had trailed behind her on the black floor like a cresting wave.
Shen Zhiqian remembered the first time he and Ning Qingqing had gone to the sea. She had stood barefoot on the fine white sand, her smile so sweet. Back then, the soft light of the sea and sky had been reflected in both their eyes.
He waited outside. After what felt like a long time, Ning Qingqing finally emerged from the fitting room. She was back in her regular clothes. After a brief word with a staff member, she headed for the exit.
“Qingqing,” Shen Zhiqian called after her.
She acted as if she hadn’t heard him and continued downstairs. He followed behind her. Seeing her about to hail a cab, he quickly said, “I drove. Where are you going, Qingqing? Let me give you a ride.”
He stepped in her way. Only then did she look up, her voice cold. “You’re blocking me from getting a cab.”
His breath hitched, and a dull ache spread through his chest. He gave a bitter smile. “Qingqing, I know I didn’t cherish you in the past, but please, don’t be so cold to me.”
He lowered his gaze, hiding his vulnerability. “Why are you looking at wedding dresses by yourself? Where is he? Isn’t he with you?”
Ning Qingqing frowned. “That has nothing to do with you, does it, Mr. Shen?”
Just then, Xue Wenlan popped out of nowhere. She hadn’t wanted to interrupt her son’s private moment, but she was shocked by how cold Ning Qingqing was being. Though she was furious, the smile on her face was more enthusiastic than ever. “Qingqing, look, it was all my fault that day. I didn’t know what I was saying. I’ve apologized to you, I’m sorry!”
Seeing Ning Qingqing try to walk around them, Xue Wenlan quickly continued, “But my Zhiqian really loves you. If you’re angry at him, you can hit him or scold him, just don’t ignore him. He’s terrified of losing you…”
At this, Ning Qingqing finally turned her head. “I told you earlier, my husband is someone else. Did you not hear me, Ms. Xue?”
Xue Wenlan froze. Could she have been telling the truth?
Beside her, Shen Zhiqian couldn’t listen anymore. A bitter taste filled his mouth. “Qingqing, I know getting that marriage certificate wasn’t what you wanted…”
Xue Wenlan was completely stunned. “Zhiqian, what are you two talking about?” When he ignored her, she turned to Ning Qingqing. “Qingqing, don’t joke with Mom. How could you marry someone else? Your husband can only be—”
Before she could finish, a sports car screeched to a halt in front of the shop.
Gu Youchen got out and finished her sentence for her. “Her husband can only be me!”
“Youchen?” Xue Wenlan looked as if she were seeing a ghost. “You—how can it be you?”
Gu Youchen walked to Ning Qingqing’s side and pulled her into his arms, completely ignoring Xue Wenlan’s expression as he addressed Shen Zhiqian. “President Shen, is there any point in pestering her? You couldn’t win her back yourself, so now you’re sending in your mother? I had no idea you were such a mama’s boy.”
Shen Zhiqian’s face darkened with humiliation, but the hurt in his heart was even greater. He masked it with a cold tone. “President Gu, since you know your place, you should be the one accompanying Qingqing to try on wedding dresses. Even in a marriage of convenience, you should at least keep up appearances, not give people reason to gossip.”
Gu Youchen sneered. “So, President Shen is teaching me how to be Qingqing’s husband? But from what I can see, President Shen has already lost his girlfriend. I imagine the only lessons you can offer are ones in failure, not success!”
Shen Zhiqian’s pupils constricted, but he maintained a forced composure. “You’re right. One must learn from their failures. After all, life is long, and who knows what the future holds. So I’d advise you not to get too smug, President Gu. Who’s to say that where I am now isn’t where you’ll be in the future? And where you are now, isn’t that where I might be?”
Gu Youchen’s eyes narrowed, the pressure around him dropping. “So, you’re openly declaring your intention to steal my wife?”
Shen Zhiqian retorted sarcastically, “Isn’t stealing what you do best, President Gu? Perhaps I should be learning from your past successes.”
It was the first time they had been so blunt, the first time they had dropped all pretense and confronted each other head-on.
But then Gu Youchen’s tone suddenly became calm. “I have never stolen anyone. Qingqing was already single when she got together with me.”
Hearing this, Shen Zhiqian realized something. His own words had made it sound like Ning Qingqing had cheated on him with Gu Youchen. In an instant, his chest swelled with rage. This man, Gu Youchen, would use any wordplay to tarnish his image in Ning Qingqing’s eyes.
Ignoring Gu Youchen, he turned to her and explained frantically, “Qingqing, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean that. I spoke without thinking, I said the wrong thing…”
Gu Youchen’s arm tightened around Ning Qingqing’s shoulder. He knew she had a soft heart; Shen Zhiqian’s shameless apology might just win back a shred of her sympathy.
But then, Ning Qingqing spoke. She looked at Shen Zhiqian and said, “It doesn’t matter how Youchen and I got together. We are married now. I’m quite traditional, and I hope for a marriage that is for one lifetime, with one person. So please, don’t come looking for me again. And please, control your mother and your sister. Don’t let them appear in front of me. When I was your girlfriend, I could respect Ms. Xue and look after Shen Zhiyu. But now that we have no relationship, they are complete strangers to me. If strangers continue to harass me, I will call the police. I’m sure that wouldn’t look good for anyone.”
Shen Zhiqian’s face went pale. Her voice had been calm as she spoke, and he knew her well enough to know she meant every word. The last embers of hope were extinguished, yet he still struggled. “Qingqing, he didn’t even come with you to try on wedding dresses. Are you sure this is the marriage you want? Did you choose him? Are you truly happy?” Was marriage, that thin piece of paper, really that important?
Instead of answering, Ning Qingqing opened her phone’s photo album and found a picture of herself and Gu Youchen at the bridal shop from the day before. Li Lan had taken it and sent it to her. In the photo, Gu Youchen stood beside her as they both looked at their reflections in the mirror.
“He was with me. I only came back today to get remeasured,” she said. “I don’t need to explain this to you, but I’m truly tired of your mother here. I hope she can see clearly that you and I are over, and I hope she can give up her delusions of being my mother-in-law.”
At her words, Xue Wenlan’s face turned a shade of purple. She wanted to scream, but she was afraid her son would cut her allowance even further, so she trembled in silent fury.
Shen Zhiqian stared at the photo. Though it was taken from the side, the scene was incredibly warm and harmonious. A slight smile played on Ning Qingqing’s lips, and Gu Youchen was looking at her reflection with an unmistakable tenderness in his eyes. As a man, he could read the look in another man’s eyes clearly.
A horrifying thought flooded his mind.
Gu Youchen liked Ning Qingqing.
The Gu family had no need for a marriage alliance to secure their business interests, and Ning Qingqing wasn’t the type to boast about her mother being Ning Ruoyun the moment she met someone. This meant their marriage wasn’t an alliance. It was something Gu Youchen had orchestrated, step by step. Their parents had met, they were planning a wedding, picking out a dress together… Gu Youchen was taking this marriage seriously. How many rich heirs in their circle would be so meticulous about every detail unless it was for a woman they genuinely wanted to marry? Most would just show up on the wedding day to save face for the bride’s family.
The realization shattered Shen Zhiqian’s heart into a million pieces. The only reason he had held onto hope was that he believed Gu Youchen didn’t care about Ning Qingqing. But now, he saw how wrong he might have been. Gu Youchen had always competed with him using legitimate business tactics, not by playing games with his own marriage. He would never flash-marry his ex-girlfriend just to spite him.
That meant—
Shen Zhiqian looked at Gu Youchen, and for the first time in his life, he was utterly speechless. If Gu Youchen truly liked Ning Qingqing, if he had schemed all along to win her over, then their years of rivalry, all of Shen Zhiqian’s attacks, had been nothing but a complete and utter joke. A failure.
Seeing that neither of them had anything more to say, Gu Youchen guided Ning Qingqing toward the car.
Seeing the sports car, she asked, puzzled, “Is this yours?”
He shook his head. “Zhou Linghang came by to discuss a collaboration today. When I got your message, my driver was in the restroom. I was in a hurry, so I just grabbed his keys.”
Ning Qingqing laughed. “Oh, no wonder. I was thinking it looked a little gaudy.”
A bright yellow car. It was so Zhou Linghang, and so completely mismatched with Gu Youchen’s temperament.
They got into the car, laughing and talking. With a roar of the engine, Gu Youchen sped away, leaving a trail of exhaust in his wake.
“Cough, cough!” Xue Wenlan, who was closest, put on a show of coughing, hoping to gain some sympathy from her son and get him to lift his ‘punishment’. “Zhiqian, they’re just putting on a show for you. Don’t pay them any mind. Ning Qingqing will regret it eventually, and she’ll come running back to you! Just focus on your work for now, and we’ll see if they can really last!”
But Shen Zhiqian didn’t react. He stared in the direction the sports car had vanished, looking as if his soul had been sucked out of him.
In the car, Ning Qingqing was discussing her upcoming meeting with Si Yunli when she got a WeChat message from Qiao Xiaomian. It was a voice note.
“Honey, I’m back! I brought you some snacks from Yun City! Omg, they’re so good. I’ll drop them by Ningchuang after work, okay?”
Ning Qingqing typed back: “Okay! You worked hard on this trip. Does this mean our dear Xiaomian is getting a promotion?”
Qiao Xiaomian: “Hahaha, you know me so well! You guessed it! I should have new business cards by next Monday!”
Ning Qingqing couldn’t help but feel happy for her. “Well, congratulations in advance, Deputy Manager Qiao!”
Qiao Xiaomian laughed. “So, how have things been with you and your man while I was gone?”
Ning Qingqing replied: “Pretty good. We met his parents and tried on wedding dresses. But the wedding itself will take at least three months to prepare.”
Qiao Xiaomian was ecstatic. “Omg omg, I get to be a bridesmaid!”
Ning Qingqing: “No problem! Two bridesmaids, two groomsmen. I’ll save a spot for you. My brother wants to be a groomsman, too.”
Qiao Xiaomian: “Okay, I’ll give you a huge red envelope, and you have to throw the bouquet to me!”
Ning Qingqing smiled. “Deal. I’ll ask my husband if he has any handsome bachelors to introduce you to.”
Qiao Xiaomian immediately started teasing her. “Ooh, listen to you, saying ‘my husband’ and all. Sounds like things are going well. Ahem, so… have you two… you know? How is he? His skills?”
Thankfully, Ning Qingqing had her phone set to transcribe voice notes to text. Reading the message, her face grew warm. The very subject of their discussion was sitting right beside her. Even typing a reply felt embarrassing. “Not yet. We’ve only kissed on the cheek so far. No real kisses.”
Qiao Xiaomian was shocked. “No way! Are you two in a Platonic marriage? It’s 2022, not 222 AD! Couples are getting hotel rooms on the second date, and you two are married and haven’t even done it!”
She sent another message, her tone suddenly serious. “Qingqing, are you sure your guy… isn’t… unable to perform? I mean, I’m just guessing, but you guys did flash-marry without knowing each other that well, so you should be careful! It’s not like it’s the most important thing to a woman, but you can’t have nothing!”
Ning Qingqing’s face burned, and her heart pounded guiltily. She quickly replied, “It’s not that he can’t. We just both feel like we’re still getting to know each other, and it would be awkward to jump straight to that. It wouldn’t be good for developing feelings later on.”
Qiao Xiaomian, ever the future manager, was great at getting to the heart of the matter. “How do you know he can?”
Ning Qingqing’s ears were turning red. But since she was typing her replies, Gu Youchen wouldn’t know she was discussing his performance with her best friend as long as she stayed quiet. She explained, “We usually sleep in separate rooms, but we were at his parents’ place yesterday, so we shared a bed. He held me, and… I could feel it.”
Qiao Xiaomian, exhausted from her business trip, was instantly re-energized. “So you felt it? How was the size? The texture?”
Ning Qingqing felt like she was on fire. Her palms were sweating as she typed. She subconsciously licked her dry lips and looked around for water.
As if sensing her discomfort, Gu Youchen reached into the glove compartment and pulled out an unopened bottle of water. “Qingqing, see if you can open this. It’s not easy for me to do while driving.”
Feeling guilty, she quickly took it. “It’s fine, I can do it.” She twisted it open and took several large gulps before returning to her phone. But Qiao Xiaomian was clearly impatient. In the few seconds it had taken her to drink, another message had arrived.
Ignoring the new message, Ning Qingqing quickly typed a reply to the previous one: “It was obviously hard. The size was actually kind of scary…”
She could barely look at what she had written as she hit send. She decided then and there to delete this entire chat history later. Even though Gu Youchen wouldn’t see it, it was too embarrassing to keep on her phone.
Her phone vibrated again. She unlocked it and went to play the voice note she hadn’t gotten to yet. Maybe it was because her hands were sweaty, but instead of long-pressing to convert it to text, she accidentally played it out loud.
Just then, the traffic light turned red. Gu Youchen stopped the car. In the sudden quiet, Qiao Xiaomian’s urgent, excited voice filled the car.
“Qingqing, don’t leave me hanging! Hurry up and tell me about your husband’s size! Save a sister’s curiosity!”
She spoke so fast, and Ning Qingqing’s mind had gone so completely blank the moment the message played, that before the three-second clip ended, the next one started automatically.
“Wooooow, so the size and the hardness are both great! Hahahaha, Qingqing, you’re never going to be able to get out of bed!”
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