Xun Xun had always known the hotel where Shao Jiaquan and Chi Cheng were staying, but she had never imagined visiting their rooms… or rather, his room. She had almost forgotten that the “thoughtful” Xie Pengning had arranged two separate rooms for the young lovers. Room 516 belonged to Chi Cheng, while Room 518 across the wall belonged to Shao Jiaquan—or perhaps today, to Xie Pengning as well.
When Chi Cheng opened the door and saw Xun Xun, his eyes and brows were filled with smiles—hardly the expression of a man planning to catch his fiancée in an affair. Xun Xun thought to herself that young people these days were truly lazy, not even bothering to put on a convincing act.
He quickly ushered her inside, closing the door behind them. To her surprise, the room was far neater than she had imagined. Personal items were well-organized, with only a few changes of clothes casually draped over a chair. The enclosed space was filled with a faint aftershave scent, and if one breathed carefully, there was also the smell of alcohol.
Xun Xun’s gaze fell on the bar counter, where there sat an opened bottle of Johnnie Walker Black Label, half empty, with the missing portion held in his hand.
“You’re drinking now?” Xun Xun frowned.
Chi Cheng added more ice to his glass and turned to her with a smile. “Alcohol gives courage.”
Xun Xun wouldn’t take his nonsense seriously—with his naturally audacious personality, did he need alcohol for courage? “Alcohol only leads to mistakes!” she said sternly.
He didn’t argue, just invited her to sit while he straddled a chair backward.
Xun Xun clutched her bag tightly, standing in the center of the room and looking around. Though he said “sit anywhere,” where could she sit? He had already claimed the only chair without hesitation—surely he didn’t expect her to sit on the bed? That was impossible. After hesitating for a moment, Xun Xun chose the chaise lounge in the corner, removing his clothes that were placed on it, and carefully perched herself on its edge.
She quickly realized the source of her discomfort and unease. The room’s heavy purple curtains hung low and tight, and the lights weren’t fully on, making the entire space feel secretive and dim, which made the large bed in the center appear particularly suggestive. This was precisely why she had instinctively rejected the hotel as a location. Setting aside all prejudices, the setting itself gave off a strong suggestion, and thinking that Xie Pengning and Shao Jiaquan might be just across the wall made this strange feeling even more intense.
Without a word, Xun Xun stood up and grabbed the corner of the curtains, pulling them apart forcefully. Just as the sunlight cut through like a sword creating a bright gap, it was immediately banished. Chi Cheng stood behind her, using opposing force to close the curtains.
“We can’t open them,” he said. After closing the curtains, he lifted a corner, gesturing for Xun Xun to look outside. There was a walkable balcony outside, with only a glass railing separating the balconies of adjacent rooms. Anyone with intent could easily peer over the railing to see what was happening on the other side.
“Did you think I deliberately made it so dark and enclosed? Is that the kind of person you think I am?” Chi Cheng said dismissively.
His seemingly forthright words exposed Xun Xun’s thoughts, leaving her embarrassed, yet unable to release her from that indescribable unease. Because at that moment, his voice came from just above her head, as she stood facing the balcony and he stood similarly, very close to her. He was almost touching her back, his arm brushing against hers as they both held the curtain above their line of sight. If Xun Xun were to turn around or step back, it would be like falling into his open embrace.
Xun Xun held her breath and waited, but he didn’t move away. The curtain before her eyes spread out like a deep purple sea. Abandoning all pretense of dignity, she ducked under his raised arm to escape, finally breaking free from his breathing range. She sat primly on the edge of the chaise lounge and pointed at the other chair, saying to Chi Cheng, “Either I leave now, or you sit back down and talk properly.”
Chi Cheng shrugged and returned to straddling his chair, though he moved it slightly closer to her position, saying with a smile, “You’re so formal, it makes me unsure how to act.”
“Are they next door?” Xun Xun got straight to the point.
“No, they haven’t returned yet,” Chi Cheng added before she could ask further. “Xie Pengning arrived half an hour ago. I was worried you might get delayed on the way and miss the ‘crucial scene,’ so I called Jiaquan and asked her to buy me a chestnut cake from a bakery in the West District. The chestnut cake is their signature item, very popular, and sells out everyday afternoon. Xie Pengning went with her. You know, she’s not a bad person, and lately, because of Xie Pengning’s situation, she’s been completely compliant with me—perhaps it’s a bit of compensation for being a man wearing a green hat. But speaking of which, I do love that cake. You can try some later if you still have an appetite then.”
Xun Xun had no interest in thinking about that damn chestnut cake. When she finally managed to speak, she found her mouth unusually dry.
“Do they… do they often do this?”
“That depends on how often I’m away from home.” Chi Cheng gave a dry laugh, pulling up the corner of his mouth. “Not everyone is as easy to placate as you are.”
“So where did you go today?”
“To see my local relatives.”
“You have relatives here?”
“Yes, though they’re all bastards. My mother has a cousin who was born and raised here—my maternal uncle. Jiaquan knows about him too. I told her I was going to collect an old debt from my uncle that he owed our family, and that I’d probably be back very late. She wasn’t interested in that.”
“Maternal uncle, you make it sound so real,” Xun Xun repeated mockingly. She’d heard that lying required attention to detail, and from this perspective, Chi Cheng was quite skilled. “And how did you know Xie Pengning would come today?”
“That was easy, I checked Jiaquan’s phone,” Chi Cheng said, leaning on the chair back with a smile. “I also told the hotel lobby doorman that I was planning a surprise for my girlfriend today, and gave him a little incentive, so now I get notified every time Jiaquan enters or leaves the hotel. You can relax.”
“Relax?” Xun Xun said quietly. He spoke so matter-of-factly and casually, as if he were preparing a surprise party for someone he loved, when in fact he was setting a trap. If, as he had said before, resentment comes from having once loved, then his current elaborate scheme must mean he had genuine feelings back then.
“How did you and Shao Jiaquan meet?” Xun Xun asked during the grueling wait.
“You want to know?” Chi Cheng twirled the glass in his hand, making the ice cubes clink against each other. He said, “I met her at the gym where I was working part-time. She didn’t know me then, and I would secretly watch her from the side. I loved the way she smiled—it made people melt away like ice cubes in alcohol, getting smaller and smaller until they disappeared completely…”
Xun Xun couldn’t help but imagine the scene according to his description. It should have been a touching moment, but something felt off. Perhaps she couldn’t connect the bold, unrestrained person before her with the image of a shy young man secretly watching his crush from the corner. Also, why was he working part-time at a gym?
She was about to ask but then noticed that while speaking, his glass of amber liquid had emptied again. Whether from the romantic memories or the alcohol, his eyes were slightly red, and when he smiled, it seemed light and airy.
“Chi Cheng, stop drinking! Put the alcohol down!” Xun Xun warned again.
Chi Cheng stood up and walked toward the bar, turning back to smile at her as he walked. “Don’t worry, I know my limit. Want some yourself?”
“I’m serious, stop drinking, at least not now!” Xun Xun followed him, trying to persuade him.
“Wrong, now is exactly when a drink is warranted.” When Chi Cheng turned around, he had another glass in his hand. “Think about it—in a moment, you’ll forcefully push open the door, and whoosh, the spectacular show will unfold before your eyes, and then you’ll be free… Come on… this small amount won’t get anyone drunk…”
Xun Xun couldn’t stand it anymore and avoided the glass he was pushing toward her chest.
“I told you to put the glass down, didn’t you hear me?”
“Take one sip and I’ll put it down.”
“If you keep acting like this, I’m leaving right now!”
“Leave to where? Go home and continue being the virtuous, magnanimous wife?”
“Get it away!”
“Just one sip.”
“Put it down… Ah!”
“Oh…”
During their tussle over the glass, someone’s hand must have used too much force, causing the glass to tilt and spill its contents, ice cubes and all, onto Xun Xun’s chest and clothes.
The sudden chill made Xun Xun drop her hands and temporarily close her eyes in defeat. She regretted not keeping her distance from him—no, she regretted coming here at all.
Chi Cheng probably realized he’d made a mess, and grabbed some tissues to randomly wipe at the wet spots on Xun Xun’s clothes, until his wrist was forcefully pushed away, followed by Xun Xun’s gritted teeth saying, “What are you trying to do?”
Chi Cheng’s face reddened as he stepped back with his hands up, “Sorry!”
“Stay away from me!” Xun Xun turned her back to him, looking down to assess the damage to her chest, and despairingly discovered the spill had been quite thorough. She was wearing a light-colored silk top, and the large tea-colored alcohol stain was glaring, leaving her unable to either leave or stay. After stamping her feet in frustration, she could only take some tissues and return to the corner chaise lounge, sitting sideways to continue half-heartedly cleaning up.
After a while, she heard Chi Cheng’s footsteps approaching again and was about to tell him to get lost when she caught sight of him offering her a hair dryer.
“I know you absolutely won’t agree to change into my clothes, so I’m sorry, but try this—maybe it can help dry your clothes faster?”
Xun Xun didn’t look at him, just took the dryer and looked around for a power outlet. Chi Cheng stood there for a moment, and seeing she was getting nowhere, finally stepped closer and crouched down to plug the hair dryer into the hidden socket behind the chaise lounge.
After doing this, he didn’t immediately stand up but remained crouching, trying to see her averted face.
“Don’t be angry, it’s all my fault.”
“Of course, it’s your fault. I know you did it deliberately. What exactly are you trying to do? Just be straightforward about it, Chi Cheng, what do you want!” Xun Xun said coldly.
Chi Cheng asked, “Since you’re convinced I have ill intentions, why don’t you come up with a charge for me? What do you think I want to do? Whatever you say, I’ll admit to it!”
Xun Xun didn’t respond. How could she say that she thought he was using catching his fiancée in adultery as an excuse to make improper advances on a married woman? It sounded absurd even to herself!
“It seems I always make you angry.”
“I don’t understand why you had to drink at this particular time. Don’t you have any self-control? What good does getting drunk do you?” Xun Xun said angrily.
“I’m not that drunk. I just don’t want to be too clear-headed right now,” Chi Cheng said softly to Xun Xun. “Do you want to see them in such a disgraceful state? Even if you’re desperate to catch them in the act! Even if you’re going to make them lose everything afterward.”
Xun Xun fell silent. She wasn’t sure about the relationship between Chi Cheng and Shao Jiaquan, but she and Xie Pengning had been married for three years—over a thousand days and nights together. Though they didn’t share deep feelings, it wasn’t that there had never been happiness. At least she had once found in him the imagination and comfort of forever. Even if he was unforgivable, there might still be hesitation before the final blow.
She sighed softly.
Chi Cheng tremblingly reached out to brush a strand of hair near her ear, but she pushed him away. Following the direction of her hand, he leaned down, lowering his head until it reached the back of her hand resting at her side. He pressed her hand against his face, saying quietly, “I can’t forget the way she smiles. For three years, I’ve never forgotten.”
The warmth of Chi Cheng’s cheek against Xun Xun’s hand turned into a burning sensation. She didn’t know whether to move or stay still. His behavior was improper, yet the loss and melancholy in his eyes were so genuine that even someone as skeptical as Xun Xun was moved. If this was fake, what could be real?
She tried to comfort Chi Cheng: “If you care about Shao Jiaquan that much, there might still be a chance for you two. After all, your situation is different from ours. I’m married to Xie Pengning, bound by marriage, while Shao Jiaquan still has a choice. Besides, you two have feelings for each other…” As she spoke, she realized she was talking nonsense. The reality was that soon, her husband and his fiancée would be caught in bed together—concrete evidence, irrefutable proof. At that point, marriage, feelings, everything would mean nothing.
Chi Cheng seemed to see through her thoughts and raised his head slightly, asking, “Xun Xun, what in this world can we rely on?”
Xun Xun wanted to say “yourself”—that only oneself was most reliable. But before the words left her mouth, she had doubts. Was she reliable? Sometimes… many times… like now, the answer was: no.
Chi Cheng held Xun Xun’s hand, his fingers gently caressing the back of her hand, and similarly, his slightly hoarse voice seemed to caress her heart.
“Why should they do whatever they want? Xun Xun, if they can do this to us, we can do the same to them.”
Xun Xun tried to withdraw alertly but found herself in a disadvantageous position.
Though Chi Cheng appeared tipsy, his grip was firm. When she tried to pull back her hand, not only did his covering hand not loosen, but his entire body leaned forward following her backward movement. Xun Xun’s choice of seating position hadn’t been wise either. To maintain propriety, she had perched on the edge of the chaise lounge, and now in her hurry to distance herself from him, she lost her balance with nothing to support her back. As he moved closer, she panicked and became unsteady, involuntarily falling backward. His hand was firmly locked on her wrist, and as she fell, it was as if she were pulling him down. Chi Cheng naturally was happy to follow the momentum, and in an instant, their positions changed to being overlapped on the single chaise lounge.
The blood in Xun Xun’s body rushed to her face, and each attempt to sit up seemed to bring her closer to him, while the gleam in his eyes and the smile on his lips grew increasingly meaningful.
“Get up! We won’t be like them!” She panted, trying to say these words righteously, but in the end felt that this scene looked increasingly like an R-rated version of “In the Mood for Love,” except she wasn’t wearing Maggie Cheung’s elegant qipao, though the ambiguity was only intensifying. Chi Cheng’s smile widened.
“Shh, don’t move… don’t move! If you keep moving, you’ll have to face the consequences.” Chi Cheng’s voice, along with his humid breath, was right by her ear, making her uncomfortable whether she moved or not.
“I have a suggestion. Since they won’t be back for a while, instead of waiting miserably, why don’t we do something interesting?” He said as if biting her ear.
Xun Xun’s entire body tensed up as she scolded, “You’re so vulgar! Don’t even think about it!”
Chi Cheng was stunned, looking completely wrong. “When did I say I wanted to do anything ‘vulgar’? Perhaps—in your eyes, ‘interesting’ and ‘vulgar’ are the same thing? Only vulgar things are interesting?”
Xun Xun was so embarrassed she felt dizzy. When it came to cunning and sophistry, she wasn’t even in the same league as him. She began feeling around beside her, but just as she touched it, her bag was snatched away by Chi Cheng and thrown far away.
“I don’t like intense things like pepper spray and tasers.”
“Let me up first, I won’t argue with you!”
Chi Cheng’s face moved slightly, almost touching her lips. Xun Xun strained to tilt her chin back to avoid his breath.
“You want to skip the ‘oral’ argument?” He deliberately emphasized those words, watching as Xun Xun nearly died of shame, wishing she could bite off her tongue. He couldn’t help but chuckle. “That’s quite ‘interesting’ too, but there’s no rush. I have something even more ‘interesting.’ You know, I’m not as intense as you… I just wanted to ask if you’d like to see the train?”
“What?” Xun Xun felt her brain must have short-circuited. Everything before her seemed so unreal, and his words seemed completely unrelated, leaving her confused. She just wanted to end this “interesting” conversation.
“The train you gave me? Don’t you remember?” Chi Cheng said seriously, “Don’t you want to inspect the gift you gave? I like it, and I’m wearing it today.”
Xun Xun finally came to her senses and screamed with her eyes closed, “Get off!” She tried to kick him away, not believing anyone could say such an “interesting”—no, such a “vulgar” thing with such a serious tone.
Chi Cheng pressed her bent leg back down, soothing her, “Don’t rush, don’t rush, I’ll ‘get off’ soon! If you don’t look, I’ll throw it away, right now!”
Xun Xun was almost crying. If her hands were free, the first thing she would do would be to slap herself hard. She came to catch someone in the act, but instead of living as a lonely wife in Xie Pengning’s empty city, she had inexplicably delivered herself into the hands of this shameless rogue Chi Cheng to be toyed with.
“What’s with that expression? Don’t worry, I’m just kidding. I won’t throw away the first gift you gave me,” Chi Cheng said, trying to suppress his laughter.
“I’ll be damned if I ever gave you a gift! That underwear money was a loan from me, and you paid me back later, it has absolutely nothing to do with me!”
“Oh?” Chi Cheng thought for a moment, “But I remember that day on the rooftop, you gave the money back to me, so it was still a gift from you.”
“That money was for buying your tea set!” Xun Xun had forgotten what she was even arguing about.
“The tea set was broken, so what’s there to buy? Alright, alright, let’s not quibble over details. One word: will you look or not? It might be different from what you’ve seen before.” Chi Cheng whispered in her ear again, his breath making her skin crawl.
Look means undress, and don’t look means strip completely. Xun Xun blocked his restless hands, speaking rashly in her anger. “What could be different! Men are all like one-yuan coins, with a ‘1’ on one side and a flower on the other. Unless you’re a commemorative coin with two flowers!”
Chi Cheng was stunned, then buried his face in her neck and burst out laughing. “Have you ever said things like this to Xie Pengning? Certainly not! Xun Xun, you’re interesting, no wonder I like you.”
Xun Xun gritted her teeth, “You said you liked me like you like your mother. Is this how you treat your mother?”
Chi Cheng kept smiling, “You know, sometimes you’re quite clever, and sometimes you’re quite foolish…” His voice gradually lowered, “Actually, people are different from each other, how would you know if you haven’t tried? Have you tried any man other than Xie Pengning?”
“Get up, this isn’t your business. If you keep this up, I’ll call for help!”
“You can’t answer me directly?”
“I’m not like you people. In my marriage, I have a clear conscience!” Xun Xun’s voice trembled, whether from anger or something else was unclear.
“What has your clear conscience gotten you? A chastity arch? Listen to me, you deserve better treatment.”
“Like what you’re doing now?!”
“At least I’d be better than Xie Pengning, in every way.” He turned to gently nip at her neck and earlobe, alternating between light and heavy pressure—light enough to tickle, heavy enough to hurt slightly, like squeezing a wrist until the blood pools, then suddenly releasing.
“You’re that confident?”
“What do you think?”
Xun Xun found it hard not to think about the source of his confidence—could it be from Shao Jiaquan’s validation? Images of Shao Jiaquan and Xie Pengning’s naked entanglement flashed through her mind—past or present? If his confidence truly came from Shao Jiaquan, Xun Xun could only feel pity for Xie Pengning. In the eyes of the woman he couldn’t forget, he was merely mediocre. And what about Xun Xun herself? She had never asked anything of him. As Chi Cheng had said, she asked for too little, so she got nothing.
Perhaps sensing her momentary distraction, Chi Cheng suddenly increased the pressure of his teeth. Xun Xun yelped in pain, and he seized the opportunity to kiss her, like the most cunning and agile snake.
Her hands against his chest gradually weakened. She struggled to breathe, surrounded by his scent—the scent of youth!
Youth was wonderful; even the steam of sweat and the aroma of desire carried a clean and vibrant vitality. She’d heard of a Japanese term called “aging smell,” referring to how people’s body odor becomes more pronounced with age, giving elderly people their characteristic “old person smell.” Xun Xun thought of the large bed she’d shared with Xie Pengning for three years—perhaps she would gradually age there, emanating the scent of decay.
He was so different from Xie Pengning. Xie Pengning was proper and somewhat reserved, though perhaps that reserve was only with her. Chi Cheng was unrestrained, reckless, and bold. When Xun Xun inadvertently touched his body, she started to believe his story about working at the gym. He wasn’t the bulging muscle type, but athletic and agile—the kind of body that comes from long-term, conscious, and proper exercise, just as her former fitness trainer had said, beautiful in its proportioned strength. Xun Xun felt dizzy, unsure whether it was the faint alcohol on his breath or the spilled wine on her chest that made her self-control retreat, her mind filled with chaotic thoughts. Yet this kind of desire wasn’t unfamiliar to her—it was in her dreams, young bodies, floating intertwined in the air, making one blush though it was a kind of vital sensuality. Perhaps as the shameless say, does every proper housewife harbor a Pan Jinlian within?
During a pause for breath, Chi Cheng traced her lips delicately, mumbling, “Actually, I quite enjoy our ‘oral debate.’ Next, are you going to tell me to ‘get lost,’ or should I find a coin to flip and let you decide whether you want to see heads or tails?”
Xun Xun gasped sarcastically, “You’re quite understanding.”
Chi Cheng’s laugh came from her chest as he said, “Actually, I’m good at understanding ‘undressing’ too.”
[Continuing with the next section for completeness and context]
Xun Xun felt waves of heat and cold, alternating between clarity and confusion. She wasn’t even sure if she had resisted or not, later remembering nothing except his hands and the pain of his bites… Just as things were about to progress further, someone’s phone suddenly rang briefly. Chi Cheng cursed under his breath, but his hands quickened. The last thread of self-preservation in Xun Xun’s mind instantly tightened, triggering an internal alarm.
What was she doing? Even if she wanted to fool around with a man, it couldn’t be him! Moreover, where was this happening, and why had she come here?
As she came to her senses and rationality returned, she vaguely knew things were about to go wrong. In her desperation, somehow finding unexpected strength, she managed to push the unprepared Chi Cheng to one side. Xun Xun seized the opportunity to sit up, trying to get to her feet, but Chi Cheng caught her hand from behind, pulling her down, and they fell back onto the chaise lounge.
“What are you trying to do?” The confusion in Xun Xun’s eyes was gone, replaced by wariness.
Chi Cheng maintained his ambiguous smile. “What am I ‘doing’?”
He leaned down to kiss her, but Xun Xun dodged.
Chi Cheng pressed half his body against her. “You liked it just now, why lie to yourself?”
As they struggled, there was a slight click from the door lock.
Xun Xun froze, her mind suddenly blank.
Shao Jiaquan entered humming a tuneless song, pushing the door open with her foot, her hands full of shopping bags. She hadn’t expected anyone in the room and walked to the bar before noticing the two silent figures on the chaise lounge in the corner. She opened her mouth and dropped everything, as if in slow motion, but no sound came out. Everything scattered across the thick crimson carpet—flowers, champagne, canned beer, snacks, cake, beautifully wrapped boxes—all without a sound.
Xun Xun mechanically tried to cover herself with her clothes, while Chi Cheng was much more casual, simply pulling on a T-shirt as he sat up.
Shao Jiaquan trembled, looking at the people on the chaise lounge, and then at the items on the floor. Xun Xun thought, this is it—once she comes to her senses, the next second she’ll be dragged down by her hair, like all cheap women caught in the act. She had imagined this scene countless times, but in those imaginings, she was the one catching others. Then, she had thought women shouldn’t be harsh to women, she wouldn’t rough up Shao Jiaquan. How ironic that now she dared not hope for Shao Jiaquan’s mercy.
The terrifying silence lasted nearly ten seconds before a wail erupted from the center of the room. Shao Jiaquan crouched down, hugging her knees, crying like a child. Xun Xun was at a loss, trembling, unable to find even one button on her clothes.
Chi Cheng quickly closed the room door before anyone from the opposite room could be drawn by the noise, concealing the chaos and indecency within. As he walked back, passing by Shao Jiaquan, he cleared his throat and quietly placed his hand on her shoulder.
“Stop crying.”
Shao Jiaquan exploded instantly, standing up to punch him violently.
“Is this how you treat me? You said you could overlook my past with Xie Pengning as long as I had you in my heart, that we could start over! I did everything you said, everything! You said you liked that store’s chestnut cake, so I went across three districts to buy it, and waited in line just for the fresh batch, wanting to surprise you when you got back from your uncle’s! All because I wanted your forgiveness. Is this how you forgive me? By getting involved with Xie Pengning’s wife?”
Shao Jiaquan pointed at Xun Xun, her gaze sharp as a sword, face covered in tears. At this moment, Xun Xun would have preferred being slapped than seeing her standing there like a helpless child—it only made her absurdity and disgrace more apparent.
“It’s not your fault, it’s my problem,” Chi Cheng used his thumb to wipe away Shao Jiaquan’s tears as she continued sobbing. “You’ve seen what you shouldn’t have seen, so I won’t explain. I’m not as good as you imagine, and you don’t need to compromise yourself for me.”
“You’re all bastards! Xie Pengning keeps saying I’m the only one in his heart, but when I ask him to get divorced and come find me, he doesn’t dare make a sound. I shouldn’t have kept that connection with him before, but I’ve already admitted my mistake. You knew I was completely devoted to being with you now, yet you humiliated me like this! You’re all shameless, cheap… filthy!”
Xun Xun sat with her knees drawn up on the chaise lounge, listening numbly to every word from Shao Jiaquan. With each angry word she spat out, Xun Xun couldn’t help but flinch. She could imagine that a girl like Shao Jiaquan had used every hurtful word she could think of, and her eyes never met Xun Xun’s directly. Perhaps in her mind now, Zhao Xun Xun was just a loose, pathetic woman, an object Chi Cheng used for revenge, not even worth looking at.
Shao Jiaquan couldn’t curse anymore and just kept crying. Chi Cheng stood by the desk’s edge with his hands in his pockets, expressionless, waiting for her next reaction.
“I know you want to make me angry, but why involve Pengning’s wife? Haven’t you made things chaotic enough?” Shao Jiaquan sniffled, seemingly regaining some rationality. Xun Xun could tell she didn’t want to leave Chi Cheng.
“Fine.” She raised her tear-stained face with a resolute expression. “Now we’re even. Chi Cheng, let’s not blame each other, we’ll go back to Shanghai together, and leave tomorrow! But now, make her get out!”
Shao Jiaquan’s gaze stayed on Chi Cheng while her hand pointed at Xun Xun.
Xun Xun took a deep breath, clutching her collar with one hand as she stood up.
Chi Cheng lowered his head, then raised it to face his former fiancée. He said, “Jiaquan, it’s not about being even. I like her, regardless of whose wife she is.”
“Say that again!” Shao Jiaquan said numbly.
“I said I like Zhao Xun Xun, it has nothing to do with your past with Xie Pengning…” Chi Cheng repeated calmly.
A knock at the door sounded “tap tap tap.” At first, everyone thought it was housekeeping and ignored it, but after a while, the knocking continued.
“Who is it?” Shao Jiaquan called out.
“Jiaquan, are you in there?”
It was a voice familiar to everyone present, especially Xun Xun. This was the first time she felt such profound helplessness.
Shao Jiaquan showed a strange, complex smile. With the desperation of someone with nothing to lose, she said quietly, “Good, you ‘like’ her, that’s wonderful. Perfect timing—everyone’s here, let’s make everything clear!”
She turned to open the door. Xun Xun thought of stopping her but knew it would be futile.
“I told you you’re forgetful—you left your room key in my car,” Xie Pengning said to Shao Jiaquan at the door. After saying this, he noticed Shao Jiaquan’s tear stains and strange demeanor, instinctively glancing into the room. From his angle, he could only see Chi Cheng still leaning against the desk.
“I’m sorry, should I not have come?” Xie Pengning hesitated. Apparently, like Shao Jiaquan, he firmly believed Chi Cheng had gone to meet his possibly non-existent “maternal uncle.” What Xun Xun found even more laughable was that her husband had deceived her, getting up early on a weekend just to drive his ex-girlfriend, a distant aunt, to prepare a surprise for her fiancé.
What a mess! Life was indeed like a coffee table—you know it’s full of tragedy, but the sadder part is not knowing how many pieces of tragedy there are, what kind they are, or how tragic they’ll be.
Shao Jiaquan opened the door wider, pulling Xie Pengning in. Her voice was particularly shrill with extreme anger and excitement.
“Perfect timing, come see your ‘precious’ virtuous wife that you ‘can’t bear’ to divorce!”
When Xie Pengning’s gaze swept around the room and finally settled on a certain point, Xun Xun had already given up all struggle. She knew exactly what her husband saw. The disheveled chaise lounge, her loose hair falling over her shoulders, her blouse completely untucked from her skirt, her chest half-exposed, perhaps smeared lipstick on her face. Her purse lay discarded in another corner of the room, while Chi Cheng stood barefoot in a backward T-shirt, his belt scattered near Xun Xun’s feet.
“Xun Xun?” Xie Pengning’s voice sought confirmation—from her, from everyone present, and most of all, from himself. “What are you doing here?”
Xun Xun lowered her head, sitting back on the chaise lounge.
What was she doing here? Should she say: I came to catch someone in the act, but ended up being caught instead?
“You’re late, you missed the best part,” Shao Jiaquan’s expression was between crying and laughing. “Chi Cheng, say it again if you dare, that you slept with Zhao Xun Xun because you like her!”
Chi Cheng touched his eyebrow and suddenly smiled. “What am I afraid of? Too many words are meaningless. Since you’ve already explained, that should suffice.”
Xie Pengning’s proper face turned from blood red to ashen, then pale. His eyes never left the silent, head-bowed Xun Xun, as if waiting for her defense, but he was disappointed.
“You… you and him?” After speaking, he seemed to find it unbelievable himself. The look in his eyes was more shock than anger—extreme shock as if a rabbit had smeared excrement all over a bear’s face. He couldn’t believe this was his wife, Zhao Xun Xun, who had lain quietly beside him for three years. In all of Xie Pengning’s life, he never imagined finding his disheveled wife in a hotel room—one he had paid for.
Chi Cheng still showed no fear or shame; in this room of exposed adultery, only Xun Xun seemed destined for punishment.
She dared not raise her head, only hearing Xie Pengning’s heavy breathing, expecting a tragic scene to unfold. Would the two men fight?
Which one’s victory would benefit her more? Would she and Shao Jiaquan also have a fierce battle? Would surrendering reduce the casualties?
However, after a long time, nothing happened. Only the unbearable Shao Jiaquan crying as she rushed to slap Chi Cheng, but he intercepted her halfway.
“Jiaquan, let’s part peacefully, no need for violence.”
Shao Jiaquan said hatefully, “Consider me blind, we’re finished!” As she spoke, she started crying again, unable to stand. She wiped her tears and left.
Xie Pengning remained there, silently staying for a moment, coldly nodded, stepped back once, twice… and finally left the room.
In the end, only the “adulterous couple” remained. Xun Xun kept her head down, giving a bitter laugh.
“It was quite a show today, you didn’t lie to me.”
She bent down to search for the button that had fallen from her clothes but couldn’t find it. Finally, sharp-eyed Chi Cheng picked it up from under the table and held it before her. Xun Xun reached for it, meeting his gaze, and asked numbly: “Tell me, why did you plot this so carefully? Who hired you? Shao Jiaquan? No, Xie Pengning?”
Xun Xun had hated herself for being indecisive, for one moment of confusion causing such a disaster, a lifetime of caution wasted. However, while waiting for the outcome earlier, she understood something. It wasn’t that she had taken one wrong step; the trap had been set for her from the beginning. No matter which direction she went, traps awaited her. From the start, this person had targeted her specifically. His tricks might have been useless on someone else—every move had been tailored for the cautious Zhao Xun Xun, like an anti-radar missile designed for radar. He existed as a dark star to weaken her. She just couldn’t understand why—what made her, so ordinary, deserve this?
“Hire me? You think too highly of them. I told you, I like you,” Chi Cheng maintained his half-crouching position, looking at her eye level.
“Is your way of liking someone to destroy their life, leaving them with nothing?” Xun Xun used great effort to keep her voice from trembling.
“Your original life wasn’t worth keeping anyway. Just a house and a man? Whatever Xie Pengning gave you, I can give too. You don’t love him anyway, you just want to live life—so what’s the difference who with?” Chi Cheng smiled, “At least we’ll be more ‘harmonious’ together than you and Xie Pengning, I can feel it!”
“Bastard!” Xun Xun had no words left; a slap would indeed be the best response. But once again, he blocked it midway, clicking his tongue, “I know you women all like to slap faces, but I hate being hit in the face most—even you can’t do it, even if—I like you so much, you still can’t.”
He was still smiling, that smile brilliant and perfect. Xun Xun inexplicably thought of childhood stories about the crowned snake. The crowned snake had a beautiful, bright crest and had achieved spiritual cultivation—it couldn’t be hit or approached, encountering it would bring bad luck. The Chi Cheng before her was like such a snake, showing off his colorful shell, hissing with a bright red fuse, extremely poisonous, fatal at first contact.