Chapter 31

“Maybe it was a good thing that you caught them on the spot. It made it easier for you to end up your relationship with him.” Lu Xiulan tucked a stray lock of her hair behind her ear.
Compared to Lu Xinyi who had a long straight brown hair that reaches up to her waist, Lu Xiulan got a sleek and pitch black shoulder-length hair. Xinyi was at least three inches shorter than Xiulan who was also the older one between the two. Aside from the color of their eyes and the complexion of their skin, they didn’t have many similarities.
It was then Lu Xiulan realized something. If Lu Xinyi already broke her ties with Gong Yijun, where is she staying now?
Yuan Jin, Xinyi’s other best friend wasn’t back from his business trip at City B, so where did she move after leaving Gong Yijun’s place?
“Are you staying at Yuan Jin’s condo. I thought he wouldn’t be back until the month ends?” Lu Xiulan asked. She was extremely frustrated, she felt that Lu Xinyi had already wasted a lot of time with Gong Yijun and she had implied several times that he wasn’t worth it.
“Yeah, he gave me a call the other night. He said he might extend his trip for a few more days at City B, and no, I’m not staying on his place.” Lu Xinyi slurped her drink and winced at the loud sound it created.
“Then where? Are you staying in a hotel? You can move to my apartment if you want. Save your money for better purposes.”
Lu Xinyi rub her chin. She couldn’t lie to her cousin but should she tell her the truth? She was like a sister to her like Meng Jiao but at least Lu Xiulan had a blood relation with her.
When her parents died when she was ten years old, Lu Xiulan’s father, her uncle, had offered to adopt her and bring her with them to Country D, but she declined. She decided to stay with their grandmother who was living alone and who took care of her since she was a baby. She cannot abandon her like that, knowing that no one will be around to accompany her grandmother.
Going back to her predicament, she decided to tell the truth to her cousin.
“Xiulan, I will tell you the truth but please don’t get angry. Try to understand me, okay?”
“What nonsense are you talking about, Xinyi? Of course, I will support whatever your decision is, although yeah, choosing that scumbag was one big disappointment to me.” Xiulan said. “You didn’t find a new boyfriend, right? It’s impossible for you to find a rebound.”
“No, I don’t have a boyfriend, Xiulan.”
“Then what?” Lu Xiulan crossed her legs and took a small sip from her coffee.
They looked at each other intently, waiting for Lu Xinyi to reveal the truth.
“Xiulan, I’m married.” Lu Xinyi confessed.
“WHAT?!” Lu Xiulan asked in a high pitch voice. “Are you serious? Xinyi, this isn’t funny.”
“I’m telling you the truth.”
“Xinyi! Please tell me you didn’t sell yourself out?” she paused. “Wait. Did the Sun family force you to marry your fiance? Tell me the truth, Xinyi, because I have enough of those bastards!”
Lu Xinyi waved her hand, dismissing her cousin’s assumptions.
“No, Xiulan. It isn’t like that. You know even my aunts can’t force me to marry him. My grandfather wouldn’t allow that to happen.”
Lu Xiulan sighed in relief.
“But then who are you married to?”
If Lu Xinyi didn’t marry the man that the Sun family was trying to do for years, then who could it possibly be? She prayed to all deities above that Lu Xinyi didn’t sell herself to some old rich man.
“Shen Yi is my husband.”
After a couple of seconds, Lu Xiulan laughed.
“What? Do you mean Shen Yi, the President of Shen Group of Companies? Lu Xinyi, you shouldn’t joke like that. People might think you’re some kind of a gold digger woman if you claim you are his wife.”
“Xiulan, when did I ever lie to you?” Lu Xinyi said, her voice so cold and serious. Her expression caught her cousin off guard. She then showed Lu Xiulan her left hand with the wedding ring Shen Yi had given to her.
It didn’t have a big precious stone on the center. It wasn’t as grand as those rings that could be seen worn by the wives of the politicians and socialites but it was eye-catching.
“You are really married to him?” She never thought that Lu Xinyi would marry such a powerful man without giving it a second thought.
“Yes.”
It took a moment to Lu Xiulan to recover. She took a deep breath and carefully scrutinize her cousin to see if she was lying. She didn’t want to jump to conclusions. For sure, Lu Xinyi had a valid reason why she married Shen Yi so perhaps she will be cautious especially if the Sun family is involved.
If Lu Xinyi married Shen Yi, it will be easy for Xinyi to reject all invitations and request that the Sun family is giving to her. She will be protected and happy to stay beside him since he was known as a man with an unyielding dignity and seriousness.