Chapter 23: Still Daring to Quibble

The envious women were visibly displeased to see the high-and-mighty Mr. Liu chatting like old friends with the very person they considered a thorn in their side. One of them stepped up to Liu Hanyi and said with a honeyed, flirtatious tone, "Mr. Liu, may I have this dance?"

Before Liu Hanyi could refuse, another woman approached Meng Zexiao, draping a hand over his shoulder in a bewitching manner. "Young Master Meng, may I have a dance with you? They say you are a master on the dance floor, and I would truly love to see for myself."

Meng Zexiao glanced at Kong Lingxin, hoping she would act like a typical jealous wife and come to his rescue. To his surprise, she turned her head away, watching the people on the dance floor as if the man beside her were a total stranger.

The woman standing next to Liu Hanyi said to Meng Zexiao, "Perhaps you didn't know, Young Master Meng, but Chuchu is a graduate of the dance academy. Her dancing is top-tier."

The woman called Chuchu seemed delighted by her friend's flattery and, growing more confident, said, "Young Master Meng, surely you wouldn't deny Chuchu this favor?"

Kong Lingxin simply took a step toward the dance floor, appearing entirely unbothered by whom Meng Zexiao chose to dance with. Seeing this, Meng Zexiao was incensed; he pressed his lips into a thin line, a glimmer of stubbornness flashing in his eyes.

Seeing the situation, Liu Hanyi declined the woman who had invited him and said to her, "My apologies, but I intend to ask the second mistress of the Meng family to dance. Young Master Meng, since you have a partner from the dance academy to keep you company, may I have the pleasure of dancing with your wife?"

Hearing this, Kong Lingxin found the idea quite interesting. It was the perfect way to irritate Meng Zexiao, and in her current state, she would never pass up an opportunity to make him miserable.

Kong Lingxin turned around and said with a radiant smile, "Since the illustrious Mr. Liu has invited me, I naturally wouldn't refuse. My husband is never one to fuss over such things, right, dear?"

Her gaze held a mixture of provocation and mischief. Meng Zexiao was seething, but this was hardly the place to deal with her. He replied, "I accept the invitation of this dance expert; I shall have to leave my wife in the care of Secretary Liu."

With that, the two pairs of men and women glided into the dance floor, leaving the other women who had hoped for Liu Hanyi’s favor stomping their feet in frustration. That damned Kong Lingxin—not only had she married into the wealthiest and most favored branch of City B’s top family, but she was now dancing with the most eligible bachelor in the city! What exactly was so special about her? Why did all the good luck fall to her?

Chuchu, the dance academy graduate, certainly had impressive footwork. Every move was professional and eye-catching, quickly drawing the attention of the men present. She glanced at Kong Lingxin from time to time, her eyes filled with provocation. When Meng Zexiao spun her around so that her back was turned to him, Kong Lingxin deliberately let a look of jealousy cross her face. In truth, she couldn't care less about comparing herself to Chuchu; she was merely giving her and her companions enough rope to hang themselves.

Liu Hanyi took note of all this. "If you are so unhappy in this marriage," he remarked, "why not choose to set yourself free?"

Kong Lingxin was startled. She had only met Liu Hanyi three times; how could he see through her so clearly?

Instead of answering, she countered, "It seems you have many admirers, including many beauties from prominent families. Why are you still single at a marriageable age?"

Liu Hanyi smiled. "I am a traditional man. Marriage is a lifelong commitment. If it isn't someone I can spend the rest of my life with, getting married only to divorce later—turning a husband into a 'temp'—would be better left undone."

It had to be said that in their attitude toward marriage, the former Wang Lingyi—now Kong Lingxin—and Liu Hanyi were strikingly similar. Kong Lingxin felt a growing sense of affinity for him. Despite his prominent background, he had managed to keep his integrity—humble, calm, and unpretentious. He drove a modest Passat and lived the life of a low-key gentleman.

In Liu Hanyi's eyes, Kong Lingxin was vastly different from the other female guests that night. She was beautiful, but her beauty wasn't static; it was radiant and full of vital, living charm.

As they chatted happily, the other pair spun rapidly. Beads of sweat as large as beans were rolling down Meng Zexiao's forehead. Many people on the sidelines joked that his partner was too fond of being lifted, which was why he was so exhausted.

When the music finally ended, the four returned to the sidelines. Chuchu, looking eager for more, intended to approach Liu Hanyi; she knew that dancing with the two most prominent men in City B would send her social standing soaring.

However, Liu Hanyi refused her without a shred of hesitation. "My stamina isn't as good as Young Master Meng's," he said. "He is drenched in sweat after just one dance with you, and I’d rather not suffer the same fate."

Calling a dance with her "suffering"! Chuchu’s face, which had been glowing with pride moments ago, turned a mixture of pale and green. She retreated to the side, knowing when she was beaten. Seeing Chuchu rejected so ruthlessly by Liu Hanyi, no other woman dared to approach him for a dance.

Meng Zexiao’s expression was one of pain; he had no interest in further conversation with Liu Hanyi. "We're going home!" he snapped at Kong Lingxin.

No sooner had he finished speaking than he dragged her toward Mr. Song. After a brief farewell, they walked out of the luxurious private estate. Old Qin, the driver, had seen them coming from afar and pulled the car up to the entrance just as they arrived. It wasn't until they were inside the car that Kong Lingxin realized the reason for Meng Zexiao’s pained expression.

She turned on the overhead light, looked at his injured arm, and asked, "Did the stitches tear?"

Meng Zexiao snapped, "Thinking of caring for me now? When you were dancing with Secretary Liu earlier, you only had eyes for him. Why remember me now?"

Hearing the Young Master lash out at his wife, Old Qin raised the glass partition, isolating himself from the world of his employers. Kong Lingxin stared at the glass, marveling at how the privacy of the wealthy was even reinforced within their cars, momentarily forgetting to address Meng Zexiao’s accusation.

Seeing her silence, Meng Zexiao grew even more incensed. He grabbed her chin and growled, "Remember this: you are not allowed to dance with any man other than me again!"

Kong Lingxin didn't resist. "I was only creating an opportunity for you to dance with a professional, wasn't I? If I, as the second mistress, had been left sitting on the sidelines by my own husband, who knows what the financial papers would have written tomorrow."

She was still making excuses!

Meng Zexiao reached out with his other hand to force her to face him, but the moment he raised his arm, he felt a piercing pain and clutched his injury in agony. The sight frightened Kong Lingxin. A voice inside her warned her not to play the part of the farmer rescuing the snake, but seeing his miserable state, she couldn't help but ask with concern, "Hey, are you okay? Should we go back to the hospital to have it re-bandaged?"

"Go home!"

"Look, you seem to be bleeding again! We really should go to the hospital; home isn't equipped to handle this!"

"Go home!"

"How can you be so stubborn? Director Huang said if you aren't careful, there could be lasting complications!"

"Go home!"

"Fine, have it your way!"