Everyone stared at Huo Hongtao, their eyes fixed on the way he was holding Bai Qingqing.

There was nothing left to guess.

Someone couldn’t help speaking up. “Director Huo, isn’t today your wedding day? Looks like you’re holding the wrong woman.”

Huo Hongtao snapped to attention and quickly pulled his hand back. He rushed to explain, “I… I only came because Niuniu suddenly had a fever. Qingqing was scared and didn’t know what to do, so I came to check on them.”

No one replied. They simply stared at the two of them with unreadable expressions.

Under the crowd’s gaze, Huo Hongtao’s face burned with embarrassment. He didn’t know where to put his hands.

Bai Qingqing also felt the judgment in everyone’s eyes. She covered her face and sobbed softly. “Brother Huo, I’m sorry. I just panicked and didn’t know what else to do. You were my husband Sun Zhong’s best friend. I… I trust you too much, so whenever something happens, I turn to you.”

Then, with her face covered in tears, she explained to everyone, “My husband Sun Zhong passed away so suddenly. I’m just a woman raising a child alone. I really didn’t know what else to do.”

Seeing Bai Qingqing in tears, whatever lingering guilt Huo Hongtao had felt toward Han Xinrui was swept away by a wave of pity. Deep down, he even started to resent Han Xinrui.

Why was she making such a scene again?

Now everyone was embarrassed.

He added, “I’m sorry for disturbing everyone. Let me apologize on behalf of Xinrui. She just can’t stand me helping Qingqing and her son. You all know how close I was with Sun Zhong. Now that he’s gone, I’ve just been looking after them a bit. But Xinrui always kicks up a fuss about it. Sorry to have caused trouble tonight.”

The crowd had mixed reactions.

They all knew how deeply Han Xinrui had loved Huo Hongtao, how she used to follow him around every day. Anytime he went to Bai Qingqing’s house, she would get upset.

Back then, everyone had thought Han Xinrui was just petty and dramatic.

But tonight was their wedding night. Not only had Huo Hongtao gone to Bai Qingqing’s house, they were even hugging each other. There had to be something between them.

No one wanted to meddle in other people’s business. After watching the drama unfold, they quietly dispersed.

Once the neighbors had left, Bai Qingqing nudged Huo Hongtao. “Brother Huo, you should go back now. Niuniu and I still need to live here in the compound. After what Xinrui just did, we can’t even hold our heads up anymore. Please, just go. I won’t dare call for you again.”

Hearing that only made Huo Hongtao more resentful toward Han Xinrui. He grabbed Bai Qingqing’s hand and said, “Taking care of you is my responsibility. I promised Ah Zhong before he passed. Whether Xinrui agrees or not, it has nothing to do with her. It’s my decision.”

Bai Qingqing looked at him, her voice soft and pitiful. “But what if Xinrui causes trouble again?”

“She wouldn’t dare,” Huo Hongtao replied coldly.

Bai Qingqing finally nodded in satisfaction, leaning her head gently against his chest. “Hongtao, I’m lucky to have you. If it weren’t for you, I really don’t know how Niuniu and I would’ve gotten through this.”

…

Meanwhile, Han Xinrui had been taken to the clinic by Aunt Wang.

The barefoot doctor frowned while disinfecting her wound. “You hit your head pretty hard. Make sure you rest these next few days, and don’t get it wet.”

Han Xinrui nodded.

Aunt Wang looked at her and sighed. “Xinrui, this marriage of yours…”

Everyone in the compound had seen how Han Xinrui had chased after Huo Hongtao for years.

Back then, Huo Hongtao had treated her well. They’d gotten engaged early and prepared to take the college entrance exam together.

Later, Huo Hongtao got into university. Han Xinrui didn’t.

After he started attending university with Bai Qingqing, things between him and Han Xinrui started to fall apart.

Han Xinrui looked at Aunt Wang and said quietly, “I’m fine. Hongtao said there’s nothing improper between him and Bai Qingqing. He’s just helping his late friend’s wife.”

Aunt Wang looked at her with a complicated expression.

This girl was too stubborn.

Even on her wedding night, he went to Bai Qingqing’s house. What kind of innocence could there be?

Aunt Wang shook her head and said, “Xinrui, if you can learn to let things go, that’s for the best. In marriage, sometimes you just have to turn a blind eye. After all, you two have a marriage certificate. You can’t just get divorced.”

She didn’t say more after that. Once the wound was bandaged, she walked back with Han Xinrui.

Along the way, Han Xinrui noticed that Aunt Wang hesitated to speak several times.

She said nothing, just walked quietly.

She was definitely going to divorce Huo Hongtao.

In her previous life, when he left her on their wedding night, she’d felt ashamed and afraid of being laughed at by the neighbors, so she kept it all hidden.

That was why, every time she argued with him afterward, everyone thought she was just being unreasonable. After so many incidents, they all blamed her.

In this life, she was going to expose everything between Huo Hongtao and Bai Qingqing.

Even if she got divorced, she would do it from the moral high ground.

When she returned home and pushed open the door, Huo Hongtao’s furious voice came at her.

“Han Xinrui, are you satisfied now? Look at the mess you caused. What do you want Qingqing and her son to do now?”

Han Xinrui walked into the room without emotion.

She didn’t even glance at him and went straight to the bedroom.

Whatever guilt Huo Hongtao had been feeling disappeared completely when he saw her attitude.

He grabbed her. “Han Xinrui, tomorrow you’re going to apologize to Qingqing. And you’re going to explain everything to the neighbors.”

This scene was so familiar it numbed her.

It had happened countless times in her past life.

Every time, it ended with her going to apologize to Bai Qingqing.

She looked up and replied coolly, “Alright.”

Huo Hongtao froze for a moment, surprised by how quickly she agreed.

That slight guilt he had buried began to surface again. He finally noticed how pale she looked and asked with concern, “Is your head okay?”

Han Xinrui didn’t answer. She walked straight into the bedroom.

Outside, Huo Hongtao’s face darkened.

“I thought you’d grown up, but you’re still just being stubborn. I’ve told you so many times, there’s nothing going on between me and Qingqing. You have to apologize tomorrow. If you don’t, there’s no point in continuing this marriage.”

Inside the room, Han Xinrui stood before the calendar.

She looked at the fifteenth of next month and circled the date with a ballpoint pen.

She was going to get divorced before the fifteenth.

Before then, she would expose how Bai Qingqing had stolen her university spot. She would make sure the entire compound knew the truth about her and Huo Hongtao.

And she would take back the dowry and house her parents had left her.

Having made up her mind, Han Xinrui lay down on the bed, completely exhausted.