The smiles vanished from their faces, replaced by looks of astonishment. Zhou Yi froze for a second, his gaze deliberately dropping to her bare hands. He then chuckled. “You’re really pulling out all the stops to turn me down, aren’t you?” Su Li knew no one would believe her. She couldn’t exactly drag Mo Xingyuan out and parade him around for them to see. “I’m not just making this up to reject you,” Su Li said, exasperated. “Well then, let’s meet this husband of yours,” Zhou Yi pressed, his warm smile never wavering. Su Li bit her lip and explained, “He’s busy…” “Su Li.” Zhou Yi cut her off. “I followed you all the way from Jing City to Jincheng because I’m serious about you.” Ignoring the stares from the others, Zhou Yi’s voice was sincere and full of emotion. “If you’re really married, I’ll wish you well. But if you’re lying just to push me away, I don’t think that’s necessary.” He took another step closer. “I hope you’ll give me—give us—a chance. I genuinely like you and want to be with you.” The people around them were visibly moved. They couldn’t understand why Su Li would reject Zhou Yi; after all, he was a great catch by any measure. So, someone finally spoke up. “Just give him a chance.” Having eaten the dinner he paid for, and knowing full well why Zhou Yi had organized the gathering, they all started chiming in, urging Su Li to give it a try. Just then, Su Li’s phone rang. Her eyes visibly lit up when she saw the name on the screen. She answered. “Honey…” The single word, dripping with a cloying sweetness, made the color drain from Zhou Yi’s face. The others exchanged awkward glances. Su Li let out a silent sigh of relief. It didn’t matter how much the man on the other end hated her calling him that; he had walked right into this himself. “We’re done here. Are you finished with work?” Su Li plowed ahead, ignoring the silence on the other end. “I’m at Suiyue Fang. Yeah, it’s fine. I’ll wait for you.” Su Li didn’t actually expect him to come, and she’d forgotten to ask why he had called in the first place. It was entirely possible he’d dialed the wrong number. Hanging up, she offered a helpless smile. “That was my husband.” “You’re really married?” “I really am.” Zhou Yi’s expression darkened. Seeing this, a colleague chimed in, half-joking, “Getting married is huge news! You kept it so quiet we never would have known if it hadn’t come up today. Hiding him away like this… now that we have the chance, we have to see who the lucky guy is.” The others murmured in agreement. Su Li knew what they were really doing—calling her bluff. A wave of anxiety washed over her. The marriage was real, but getting Mo Xingyuan to show up… that was next to impossible. What kind of woman couldn’t even get her own husband to appear when she called? Backed into a corner like this, Su Li had no choice but to play along, forcing a smile she wasn’t sure was convincing. “Another time. He’s still tied up with work, no idea how long it’ll be.” “That’s fine. It’s still early. We’ll wait with you,” Zhou Yi said, refusing to let it go. Su Li managed a hollow laugh. She couldn’t exactly call Lu Jing and ask her to find a random man to pose as her husband, not in front of all these people. “It’s raining.” Someone’s voice cut through the tension. Su Li looked through the glass window. Rain spattered against the pane, blurring the city lights into a watercolor wash. Great, she thought. Now they had an even better excuse to wait. The longer the wait dragged on, the hotter her face burned. The marriage was real. Her husband not showing up was also real. In her case, the truth had all the markings of a lie. The rain grew heavier, and the streets began to empty. Suddenly, her phone rang again. Seeing the caller’s name, Su Li’s heart skipped a beat. She took a quiet, steadying breath. “Hello?” “Are you coming out or not?” Mo Xingyuan’s tone was frigid. Stunned, Su Li looked out the window. “You’re here?” “What a disgrace.” “…” Su Li bit her lip. No matter how vicious his tone, he had saved her from this mortifying situation. She hung up and announced to the table, “My husband’s here to pick me up. I have to go.” “We’ll see you out.” Su Li just smiled. She was curious. Mo Xingyuan was so adamant about keeping their relationship a secret, so why the sudden act of kindness? Her mind filled with suspicion as she walked out of the restaurant. The pavement was slick and reflected the streetlights. A black Maybach was parked by the curb, its hazard lights flashing. Unsure if it was him, she was about to call when the driver’s side door opened. Chi Mu stepped out, holding an umbrella, and walked toward her. “Young Madam.” Chi Mu’s address left the others exchanging bewildered glances. Su Li felt a flush of embarrassment. “The Master is waiting for you in the car.” “Okay.” Turning to her colleagues, whose faces were a mixture of expressions, Su Li said, “I’m heading out. Let’s get together again soon.” Chi Mu held the umbrella over her head, escorting her to the car. He opened the back door, and Su Li saw Mo Xingyuan sitting bolt upright inside, his eyes closed, utterly indifferent to the world outside. Su Li got in, and Chi Mu closed the door behind her. He folded the umbrella, returned to the driver’s seat, and started the car. The group standing outside the restaurant watched as the Maybach pulled away. Someone finally broke the silence. “Looks like Su Li married well.” “But why didn’t her husband show his face? Who is he?” “Judging by the driver, her husband can’t be just anyone. Maybe he’s some big shot who can’t risk being seen.” “Or maybe he just doesn’t love her. Otherwise, why would a marriage this big be a secret? He came all the way to pick her up but wouldn’t even show his face. Someone who truly loved you wouldn’t do that.” Su Li could imagine what they were saying, but she didn’t care. She was just puzzled as to why Mo Xingyuan had shown such mercy, rescuing her even without revealing himself. “Thank you.” Mo Xingyuan slowly opened his eyes. “He was pursuing you?” Su Li froze, turning to look at him. Zhou Yi hadn’t been holding the flowers when they left the restaurant, and they hadn’t been standing alone together. How could he have known? A thought flashed through her mind, and her eyes widened in realization. “You saw everything, didn’t you?” That was why he had called her. That first call—it had been deliberate. The man with the crystalline eyes didn’t seem inclined to answer. “Yes,” Su Li admitted, seeing no point in lying. “Why not marry him?” Su Li pursed her lips. “I don’t want to marry someone I don’t love.” Mo Xingyuan’s gaze darkened slightly. “What a coincidence.” Su Li didn’t understand. “What?” “I have no interest in marrying someone I don’t love, either.” “…” Su Li fell silent, staring straight ahead. The conversation died. He was probably thinking about the woman who had abandoned him and gone abroad. He was a tragic figure, in a way. His life was on a countdown, the woman he loved had left him, and in the end, he was forced by his parents to marry a complete stranger. Su Li could understand how he felt. “Stop the car.” Chi Mu pulled over, assuming his boss had an instruction. He only heard Mo Xingyuan’s cold voice say, “Get out.” He had turned his head slightly. He was talking to Su Li. Su Li pressed her lips together. It was unexpected, but it also made perfect sense. He had already been kind enough to help her out; there was no reason for him to see her all the way home. Without a trace of annoyance, she pushed the door open and stepped out. The rain was a fine, dense mist now, instantly peppering her clothes with tiny droplets. She closed the door and stood on the sidewalk. The car started to move, then stopped again. Chi Mu got out and handed her the umbrella. “It’s coming down hard, Madam. You should take this.” “Thank you,” Su Li accepted without protest. Chi Mu returned to the car, and it drove away. Su Li watched until the car blended into the stream of traffic and disappeared. Inside the car, Chi Mu glanced at the rearview mirror. “Sir, if you were going to play the hero, why kick her out?” “I don’t like her.” Mo Xingyuan gazed out the window. The rain was steady, coating the road in a slick, glassy sheen that mirrored the gray sky. Chi Mu said nothing more. Dislike, it seemed, was the original sin.