Chapter 7: A Zhu, Her Future Must Not Be Ruined  

As she spoke, Lu Zhenzhu couldn’t help but redden her eyes. The grievances of these past days surged to the surface, and her fingers dug deeply into her palms, nails embedding themselves into her flesh.  

Seeing her reddened eyes and the sorrow spilling from them, Gu Huai momentarily lost himself and tightened his grip around her waist.  

“A Zhu, you and Se Se are different.”  

“She has debts to repay and medical expenses for her father. Her future must not be ruined. Even if you issue a public apology, you’ll still be Mrs. Gu. With me here, you’ll never want for anything in this lifetime, nor will you need to struggle as an artist to make ends meet.”  

His tone was calm.  

“She’s also a business partner of the company. We can’t afford to sour relations. Be reasonable and stop making unreasonable demands.”  

Lu Zhenzhu stiffened, disbelief flashing across her face. “I’m making unreasonable demands?”  

Her expression hardened. “What will you do if I refuse to apologize?”  

The man lowered his gaze, disapproval evident in his eyes.  

After a long pause, a cold laugh escaped his lips. “A Zhu, you know Gu Corporation’s Legal Department has never lost a case.”  

A threat—blatant and unapologetic.  

Lu Zhenzhu’s blood boiled with fury, her heart turning to ice.  

She bit down hard on her lower lip, staring at his handsome face, her entire body chilled to the bone.  

What a wonderful husband he was!  

Only today did she truly see Gu Huai for who he was. He had never cared about her—she was merely a stand-in for Jiang Sesè.  

Her eyes burned fiercely, a single tear slipping silently down her cheek.  

A flicker of something unreadable passed through Gu Huai’s gaze as he reached out to wipe it away.  

Lu Zhenzhu turned her face aside, brushing the tear away with her fingers. “What compensation will you give me?”  

His hand hovered in the air, just missing her cheek. Hearing her eerily composed voice, an inexplicable panic seized him. He wrapped both arms around her, pulling her tightly against him. “Whatever you want, I’ll give it to you.”  

What she wanted was a divorce.  

Trapped in his embrace, Lu Zhenzhu stared blankly at their wedding photo hanging on the wall.  

In the picture, she beamed with radiant happiness, while he merely pressed his lips together, unsmiling.  

It wasn’t that he didn’t want to smile—it was that the woman he married wasn’t the one he loved.  

Lu Zhenzhu gently touched her stomach.  

She would have a child to raise in the future, and children were expensive. She needed to earn more money now.  

She had hoped to make a living through *Metamorphosis*, but Gu Huai had personally blocked her path.  

Coldness seeped into her eyes as she pushed him away. “When women are unhappy, they shop.”  

“Buy as much as you want.” Gu Huai handed her a Black Card. “I’m free this afternoon. Shall I accompany you?”  

“What if you suddenly get called away for work? That would ruin my mood. Better not.” She took the card, momentarily dazed.  

She had used her burned hand to accept it, yet he hadn’t even noticed.  

In the end, it simply meant he didn’t care.  

As they opened the door, they found Jiang Sesè waiting anxiously outside, holding an ice pack she had gotten from Aunt Zhang.  

The moment the man stepped out, she rose on her tiptoes and pressed the ice pack to his face. “Does it help with the pain?”  

Gu Huai didn’t push her away. The two of them shamelessly flaunted their affection right in front of her.  

Lu Zhenzhu watched coldly. Seeing that the man offered no resistance, her eyes brimmed with mockery. She retreated inside and slammed the door shut with a loud *bang*. After changing her clothes, she called Yu Tang to go shopping.  

Yu Tang met her at the mall entrance. “Zhenzhu, has the plagiarism issue been resolved? You’re in the middle of a scandal—how can you still be in the mood for shopping?”

Meeting her worried gaze, Lu Zhenzhu felt a warmth in her heart and wrapped an arm around her. “It’s all settled. That bag you said you liked the other day—let’s go get it today. I’ll buy it for you.”

“It’s expensive,” Yu Tang shook her head. “I’ll buy it myself.”

“Don’t worry, it’s not my money anyway,” she said, flashing the Black Card.

Gu Huai kept insisting that the auctioned painting was paid for by Jiang Sesè, yet he also claimed she worked hard to earn money, supporting the family and paying off debts. How could she afford the auction?

If he could spend millions on Jiang Sesè, then buying Yu Tang a bag was practically a bargain in comparison.

Lu Zhenzhu went all out with her shopping spree. When they left the store, she was carrying two exquisite shopping bags.

Yu Tang was puzzled. “Why not have everything delivered home?”

Lu Zhenzhu smiled mysteriously, made two separate phone calls, and took Yu Tang to a café to complete the transactions.  

She sold the brand-new, never-used bags at a discount of nearly ten thousand yuan, depositing the money into Yu Tang’s bank account.  

Watching her complete the deals with two different people, Yu Tang grew serious. “Zhenzhu, tell me honestly—is something wrong?”

Lu Zhenzhu didn’t hide it. “I want to divorce Gu Huai. I need to save some money for myself.”

Remembering what she had seen before, Yu Tang didn’t press further. Instead, she hugged her tightly, heart aching. “Zhenzhu, whatever you do, I’ll support you.”

Warmth flooded Lu Zhenzhu’s heart, and her nose tingled with emotion. “Thank you, Xiao Tang.”

…

Lu Zhenzhu didn’t return home until after dinner with Yu Tang.  

The living room was pitch black. She flicked on the light and frowned at the man sitting on the sofa. “What are you doing?”  

The store had already delivered her afternoon purchases, and the table was covered with various elegant shopping bags.  

Aunt Zhang usually put her things away in her room—what was going on today?  

“Had fun shopping all afternoon?”  

Gu Huai’s gaze landed on her wrist, where a new watch with a sky-blue dial gleamed.  

“It was alright. Didn’t find any jewelry I really liked, so I’ll go back tomorrow.”  

“No gift for me?” Gu Huai narrowed his eyes.  

Lu Zhenzhu noticed his stare. “I only bought the women’s version of this watch. Didn’t get the men’s.”  

“You didn’t ask me to bring you anything either.”  

She yawned. “I’m tired. I’m going to bed.”  

There were too many things in the living room—she’d have Aunt Zhang help her carry them up tomorrow.  

Gu Huai watched her retreating figure, then followed closely. As soon as she finished washing up, he pushed her onto the bed, pinning her beneath him. His kisses scattered messily across her face. “Still angry?”  

Lu Zhenzhu turned her face away. “You think I’d get over being falsely accused of plagiarism in just one afternoon? Some people spend their whole lives fighting for their reputation in court.”  

“A Zhu, you’re blaming me.” Gu Huai paused, his hand slipping under her clothes, his voice as coaxing and gentle as ever. “Don’t be mad. Let me take care of you tonight.”  

Lu Zhenzhu pressed her hand over his. “I’m exhausted. I don’t feel well—I just want to sleep.”  

Ignoring her resistance, the man pulled her hand away and kissed her neck. “You can rest all day tomorrow.”  

Lu Zhenzhu’s brows furrowed. Her reluctance only excited Gu Huai further. He had already stripped off his shirt and was guiding her hand to help remove his pants when his phone suddenly rang.  

Gu Huai ignored it, but she reached for the call.  

“Leave it.” He tried to snatch the phone away to toss it aside.  

Lu Zhenzhu turned the screen toward him. “It’s Jiang Sesè.”  

She had already answered the call for him.

The phone receiver carried Jiang Sesè’s frightened, tearful voice, “Ah Huai, there’s lightning and thunder again, I’m so scared, I’m really scared. Can you come and stay with me?”

Gu Huai looked at the woman whose face was as fair as peach blossoms, her expression indifferent.

He was already on the verge of action, yet she acted as if nothing was happening.

His heart suddenly flustered, just as he was about to refuse, the woman had already shoved the phone into his arms, wrapped herself in the blanket, and moved aside, even answering for him.

“He’ll be right over.”