Chapter 12: The Reality of Marriage

After entering the hotel, Song Qingyu headed straight for the lounge to find Old Lady Lu, only to be informed that she was asleep.

“Old Lady Lu hasn’t been sleeping well lately. She keeps waking up in the middle of the night from nightmares, and then she just sits up, unable to sleep until dawn. She just managed to doze off for a bit, and I couldn’t bear to wake her, so I let her sleep a little longer,” said Old Lady Lu’s personal nurse.

“Alright, I’ll wait outside. Please call me as soon as she wakes up,” Song Qingyu replied.

“Yes, Miss Song.”

Song Qingyu stood in the hallway of the lounge, waiting. After all, she wasn’t eager to deal with the Lu family downstairs, and the second floor was peaceful and quiet, which she appreciated.

She had only been standing there for a short while when she heard someone approaching from the other side of the hallway.

Song Qingyu looked up and saw Li Huaidong.

The cold, dim light in the hallway highlighted his tall, upright figure.

“Why aren’t you going in?” Li Huaidong stopped beside Song Qingyu.

“Grandmother is asleep. The nurse said she’s been having trouble falling asleep lately, so whenever she does manage to sleep, I let her rest a bit longer. I don’t want to disturb her,” Song Qingyu explained.

Li Huaidong nodded without saying a word.

The two stood side by side in silence, the stillness around them a stark contrast to the bustling, lively scene downstairs, where glasses were clinking and deals were being made.

“Aren’t you on a business trip in another province today? What brings you here all of a sudden?” Song Qingyu asked.

“Worried you’d be bullied, so I came to check on you,” Li Huaidong said calmly.

Song Qingyu’s face flushed. She couldn’t help but think that Li Huaidong truly had a knack for predicting things. If he hadn’t come tonight, she wouldn’t have had a way to prove the authenticity of the gift. Unable to defend herself, the fake would become real, and the real would turn into a lie. She wouldn’t just be wronged—she’d also become the laughingstock of the crowd downstairs.

“Thank you for helping me again. But the gift you picked for me was way too expensive. I can’t afford to repay you for something like that,” she said.

“First you thank me, then you talk about money.”

Li Huaidong suddenly grasped her wrist, pulling her against his chest and holding her firmly in his embrace. “Qingqing, is it because we’ve never truly been husband and wife after marriage that you’ve forgotten what kind of relationship we have?”

—

The soft glow of the lights reflected off Li Huaidong’s glasses, casting a sharp line of shadow along his brow bone and the bridge of his nose. His gaze and expression carried a touch of coldness, yet the rise and fall of his chest radiated a scorching heat, making her heart race uncontrollably.

“I haven’t forgotten,” Song Qingyu said.

“Then who am I to you?”

A faint cough came from inside the lounge—it sounded like Old Lady Lu had woken up.

Song Qingyu’s back stiffened. She panicked at the thought of the old lady opening the door and seeing her pressed so intimately against Li Huaidong.

“Let go,” she urged.

“Answer me first.”

“Don’t do this.” Song Qingyu struggled, glancing anxiously toward the lounge. “Let go, Grandmother is coming out any moment now.”

But Li Huaidong acted as if he hadn’t heard her. He kept his arm wrapped around her shoulders, refusing to let go.

“Who was here just now?” Old Lady Lu’s voice came from inside the room.

“It was Miss Song,” the nurse replied.

“Qingqing is here? Help me over to see her.”

“Yes, Madam.”

Footsteps approached the door.

“Husband… let go!”

The word husband was her answer to his earlier question, while let go was her urgent request at this moment. But spoken together, they carried an unexpectedly intimate undertone.

Li Huaidong leaned down, his lips brushing against the curve of her ear as he murmured, “You say it so sweetly. Call me that from now on.”

With that, he finally released her, brushing past her as he strode toward the hotel balcony.

The hallway fell silent again, leaving Song Qingyu standing there alone, as if Li Huaidong had never been there at all.

The lounge door opened, and the nurse helped Old Lady Lu walk out.

“Qingqing!”

Song Qingyu was still caught up in the lingering embarrassment of calling him husband. Her face was burning, and it took her a few seconds to gather herself before she finally greeted, “Grandmother.”

“Ah! My dear, why is your face so red? Are you feeling hot?” Old Lady Lu glanced at the nurse beside her. “Ah Mei, you really are thoughtless. Qingqing came all this way, and you didn’t even wake me up? You just let her stand outside waiting? That must have been tiring for her!”

“It’s alright, Grandmother. I wanted to wait here myself,” Song Qingyu reassured her.

“Alright, alright. Come in first, have some tea, and take a break.”

“Okay.”

Song Qingyu followed Old Lady Lu into the lounge. The nurse poured her a cup of tea while Old Lady Lu sat beside her, taking her hand and looking her up and down.

“Have you been doing well lately?”

“Grandmother, I’ve been doing quite well.”

“Don’t lie to me. I can tell you’ve lost weight.”

“I have slimmed down a bit because I’ve returned to acting. The production team has certain image requirements for actors, so I’ve been controlling my weight.”

“You’ve gone back to acting?” Old Lady Lu sighed. “It’s all that rascal Yanchuan’s fault for letting you down. If not for him, you wouldn’t have to work so hard.” She frowned. “Ever since you left the Lu family, I’ve worried about you every single day.”

“Grandmother, you don’t have to worry about me. Now, I get to do what I love every day, and I’m actually quite happy.”

“You silly girl, you’re too strong-willed. You always endure everything on your own—how can a man ever feel the urge to protect you? Look at that Xie Wan’ning, always acting delicate and teary-eyed. Yanchuan just falls for that act completely. Listen to me, you need to learn how to soften up and act spoiled at the right time.”

Song Qingyu remained silent.

In the past, she had cared deeply about Lu Yanchuan’s preferences. During their three years of marriage, every aspect of her life—what she wore, what she ate, how she lived—had been tailored to please him. But in the end, he simply did not love her. If a man didn’t love her, no amount of effort could change that.

Now, she understood. Trying to cater to someone’s every whim wouldn’t earn their love. She no longer wanted to humble herself or change for the sake of a man.

Now, she just wanted to be herself.

As Old Lady Lu and Song Qingyu continued chatting, someone came upstairs to invite them down, announcing that the birthday banquet was about to begin.

“Qingqing, come down with me,” Old Lady Lu said.

“Grandmother, I’d rather not. I came today just to check on you. Now that I see you’re doing well, I can rest easy.”

“No, you have to come with me. Otherwise, I won’t go either.”

Old Lady Lu suddenly threw a small tantrum, her expression stubborn.

“Grandmother…” Song Qingyu hesitated.

“I know what you’re thinking. Even though you and Yanchuan are divorced and you’re no longer my Lu family granddaughter-in-law, you will always be the granddaughter that your Grandfather and I cherish. Today is my birthday banquet—how can I let you leave on an empty stomach? Come with me, no one would dare gossip about you in my presence!”

—

Song Qingyu couldn’t refuse Old Lady Lu and had no choice but to follow her downstairs.

The banquet hall was bustling with guests, but most of them didn’t recognize her. Back when she and Lu Yanchuan got married, only close relatives had attended their small, private wedding. Afterward, he had never once brought her to any social events. At important occasions, he would rather be accompanied by his secretary than his wife.

For three years, she had been nearly invisible in Lu Yanchuan’s social circles.

Now, however, she found herself appreciating the advantages of being unnoticed—at least today, she wouldn’t attract much attention.

As soon as she descended the stairs, her gaze landed on Li Huaidong, who was surrounded by a group of Lu family members. The one speaking to him was Lu Yanchuan’s father, Lu Jianping, and standing just behind him was Lu Shiyuan, the illegitimate son he had been grooming as his successor.

Lu Shiyuan had a strikingly handsome face. At first glance, he seemed like a refined and elegant man, as warm and gentle as a spring breeze. But when one looked closer, they would notice the deep, predatory chill lurking in his gaze.

Unhappy with her husband bringing Lu Shiyuan along to socialize with Li Huaidong, Li Xianglan hurriedly pulled her son, Lu Yanchuan, over to intervene. As the two groups converged, the tension in the air became palpable, the atmosphere instantly charged with hostility.

Yet, standing at the center of it all, Li Huaidong remained utterly relaxed. Amid the simmering conflict, he exuded an air of effortless control, as if, despite the brewing storm around him, he was the true master of the battlefield.

Song Qingyu’s gaze fell on Li Huaidong. He sensed it and turned to look at her. There was a hint of smile in his deep eyes. Song Qingyu thought of the word “husband” just now, and the heat on her face rose again.

Old lady. Lu followed Song Qingyu’s gaze and thought that Song Qingyu was looking at Lu Yanchuan, and she felt more and more uncomfortable.

“Qingqing, come on, grandma will teach Lu Yanchuan a lesson for you!”

Song Qingyu’s heart skipped a beat, but before she could stop herself, the old lady had already pulled her towards Lu Yanchuan and his group.

“Mom, why are you taking her around? She has already divorced Yanchuan!” Li Xianglan was dissatisfied with the closeness between her mother-in-law and Song Qingyu.

“Shut up, this is none of your business.” The old lady stopped Li Xianglan directly.

Li Xianglan was yelled at and looked at her husband Lu Jianping aggrievedly, but Lu Jianping pretended he heard nothing and didn’t even look at her.

“Yanchuan, I heard that you brought Xie Wanning to attend my birthday party today. I didn’t invite this vixen. What’s the point of bringing her here? Are you trying to annoy an old woman like me?”

“Grandma, I certainly don’t mean to annoy you, but Wan Ning said she wanted to come visit you, old lady, and I saw that she was sincere, so I brought her here.”

“Sincere? Who would bring two fake items to meet the parents?”

“That was a misunderstanding.”

Lu Yanchuan’s expression stiffened slightly.

“Grandmother, that’s not what I meant,” he said, his tone controlled.

“Oh? Then what do you mean?” The old lady’s voice carried an edge of authority, her sharp gaze sweeping over the group. “You think that just because I’m old, I can’t tell right from wrong? Or do you think I’ve forgotten how your mother cried her heart out over this matter?”

The moment she mentioned Lu Xianglan, the atmosphere grew even more suffocating. Lu Xianglan’s expression darkened, but with her mother-in-law present, she didn’t dare say anything.

Meanwhile, Song Qingyu, who had been pulled along, was feeling increasingly awkward. She hadn’t wanted to get involved in this drama at all.

Across from her, Li Huaidong’s gaze never left her. A flicker of amusement danced in his deep, dark eyes as if he were enjoying the spectacle.

Song Qingyu’s face grew hot again as the memory of that whispered “husband” resurfaced in her mind. She averted her gaze, but it was too late—he had already caught her reaction.

Lu Jianping finally spoke up, his tone calm but firm. “Mother, today is your birthday. Why bring up these unhappy matters?”

The old lady snorted. “I’ll say whatever I like. It’s my birthday, and I won’t have that vixen ruining it.”

At that moment, a soft and delicate voice interrupted, “Grandmother, I… I didn’t mean to disturb you. If my presence upsets you, I’ll leave right away…”

Xie Wan’ning, with her delicate features and tearful eyes, played the part of a pitiful victim perfectly.

But the old lady simply sneered. “Leave, then. No one is stopping you.”

The entire banquet hall fell silent.

“Grandmother, of course, I didn’t bring her here to upset you. Wan’ning said she wanted to visit you out of sincerity, and seeing how earnest she was, I decided to bring her along.”

“Sincerity? What kind of ‘sincere’ person shows up to meet the elders bearing two counterfeit gifts?”

“That was a misunderstanding.”

“Forget the issue of fake gifts—I don’t care about etiquette. But, Yanchuan, don’t you dare forget how Xie Wan’ning abandoned you four years ago! Back then, when you invested the first startup capital your father gave you and failed, she immediately broke up with you and went abroad. During your lowest moments, it was Qingyu who stayed by your side, taking care of you. After you two got married, she gave up everything to be your wife. And for the last two years of your grandfather’s life, it was thanks to her companionship that he had laughter and some relief from his suffering. Qingyu has done so much for our Lu family—has your conscience been eaten by dogs for you to betray her like this?”

Lu Yanchuan was left speechless by the old lady’s reprimand.

“Qingyu has always loved you. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have endured three years of grievances.” The old lady patted Lu Yanchuan on the shoulder. “Since your parents and uncle are all here today, let them be witnesses. Apologize to Qingyu, cut ties with that woman Xie Wan’ning, and find time to remarry. I’m still waiting to hold my great-grandchild!”

Li Huaidong cast a cold glance at Song Qingyu.

Song Qingyu felt a headache coming on. The old lady had completely misunderstood—she had never said anything about wanting to remarry!

Just as she was about to clarify, Lu Yanchuan spoke up first, clearly displeased. He was already frustrated that his mother, Li Xianglan, had pressured him to break up and go on blind dates, and now his grandmother was forcing him to separate and remarry. The injustice of it all made him seethe.

“My marriage—is it so wrong for me to make my own decisions for once? I will never remarry!”

With that, Lu Yanchuan turned on his heel and stormed off.

“Lu Yanchuan!” The old lady clutched her chest in anger.

“Grandma, are you okay?”

Song Qingyu quickly supported her, while Li Huaidong, who happened to be standing nearby, steadied her from the other side.

“Huaidong, I’m sorry you had to witness such a joke,” the old lady said, watching Lu Yanchuan’s retreating figure with bitter disappointment.

“Young people have their own views on love and marriage, Grandmother. There’s no need for you to interfere. Your health is what matters most,” Li Huaidong said.

A trace of sorrow flickered in the old lady’s eyes. “Yes, I’m old now. I can’t control them anymore. Children and grandchildren have their own fates… I can only leave it to destiny.”

**

For the rest of the banquet, Lu Yanchuan never showed up again—he had likely gone to find Xie Wan’ning. His lack of ambition only made Lu Jianping more comfortable as he confidently introduced Lu Shiyuan to the guests. Meanwhile, Li Xianglan was so enraged that her mouth was nearly twisted with fury.

Song Qingyu wasn’t faring much better—throughout the entire banquet, Li Huaidong’s expression remained dark, a quiet yet oppressive storm brewing beneath his calm facade.

After the celebration ended, she stayed a little longer to keep the old lady company before finally taking her leave.

As soon as she stepped out of the hotel, she spotted a Rolls-Royce parked at the entrance. The car window was lowered halfway, revealing Li Huaidong seated in the back. He hadn’t left. Clearly, he had been waiting for her.

The driver, noticing her arrival, stepped out and opened the door for her.

Song Qingyu got into the car.

“Why are you still here?” she asked, searching for something to say.

Li Huaidong didn’t answer. Instead, he simply gave the driver a command—

“Drive.”

“Yes, Mr. Li.”

The Rolls-Royce slowly pulled away from the hotel.

The car’s interior was silent. Song Qingyu stole a glance at Li Huaidong from the corner of her eye. He sat upright, his gaze fixed outside the window. His reflection on the glass was utterly emotionless.

He seemed angry.

The entire ride back to Taoyuan was shrouded in silence.

When they arrived, Li Huaidong stepped out of the car without a word and went straight into the house, heading upstairs.

Song Qingyu followed him up, hesitant yet determined. She wanted to ask what was wrong, to understand why he seemed upset. But before she could say a word, Li Huaidong suddenly turned around, pressing her against the bedroom door—

And kissed her, hard.