***

When the song ended, Su Hang half-hugged Shen Xi and supported her out of the dance floor. He carefully set Shen Xi down on the sofa and crouched down. Full of guilt, Su Hang asked: "Are your feet alright?"

"It's fine." Shen Xi felt like Su Hang was making a big fuss over a minor issue. "Your foot barely touched mine."

Shen Xi had initially thought that Su Hang had almost mastered the dance and stopped giving him hints during the latter half of the song. In the beginning, Su Hang had been immersed in the quiet bubble Shen Xi had created. But when the music was coming to an end, and Shen Xi stopped giving him instructions, he suddenly woke up from his daze. Without Shen Xi's prompts that got him out of his head, his heart started to panic, and his steps became messy. In the end, Su Hang managed to step on Shen Xi again.

Su Hang was a man who stepped on five dancing a.s.sistants. He knows just how heavy his feet were. Frustrated, Su Hang pursed his lips and stared down at the skirt of Shen Xi's long dress. He wanted to lift it up and have a look at her feet, but Su Hang feared that Shen Xi would get mad.

"My feet are fine. Really. Here, take a look." As if she knew what Su Hang was thinking, Shen Xi slightly raised her dress, revealing a pair of silver high heels.

"It's red." Looking at the red mark on her instep, Su Hang couldn't help his hand from reaching out. But before he could touch her, Shen Xi dropped her dress back down, blocking him.

Startled, Su Hang raised his head and saw Shen Xi blus.h.i.+ng as she stammered. "You...Don't you...."

There are so many people here, how can he just...Shen Xi was so embarra.s.sed that she didn't dare look around. There were definitely people looking at them. After all, they were supposed to be the joke of the night.

Su Hang was at a loss.

"What are you doing?" Yun Shu, who had been nearby, sensed the strange atmosphere around the couple.

"No...it's nothing." A panicked Shen Xi quickly replied. She then asked: "What's up?'

Yun Shu thought about her objective and glanced at the still crouching Su Hang. Yun Shu smiled at him and asked: "Mr. Su, can you please lend me your wife for ten minutes?"

Su Hang's ears immediately turned red. He stood up and said to Shen Xi: "You two talk, I'll go get something for you to eat."

Su Hang then turned away and quickly walked towards the buffet table. He picked up a gla.s.s of champagne and downed it, covering his irrepressible smile. He looked towards Shen Xi and saw her chatting with Yun Shu, their heads close together. His image of Yun Shu was much better. Yes, Shen Xi was his wife. Look, even her best friend recognizes this.

"What do you need?" After Su Hang was sent away, a confused Shen Xi looked at Yun Shu.

Yun Shu didn't answer Shen Xi and instead gave her an enigmatic smile.

"What are you smiling at, ah?" Shen Xi found her smile weird.

"I've been watching you, ah." Yun Shu said. "From the moment you stepped on the red carpet."

"So? What are you trying to say?" Shen Xi couldn't stand all this cryptic talk.

"I found that...you get along with Mr. Su more deeply than I thought." Yun Shu replied.

"How did you think we'd act?" Shen Xi curiously asked.

"I thought you'd treat each other courteously at best. I never thought you two would be so lovey-dovey." Yun Shu replied.

"What? When did we act lovey-dovey?" Shen Xi asked.

"Don't think I didn't see. He wanted to touch your feet just now." Yun Shu teased.

"You..." Shen Xi was immediately red. "you saw."

Yun Shu looked at the shy expression on Shen Xi's face and thought that she looked exactly like a girl in spring. There wasn't a trace of embarra.s.sment or evasion in Shen Xi's eyes. Instead, she looked happy. Yun Shu was almost sure that... "Shen Xi, do you like Su Hang?"

This was the second time Shen Xi was asked this question tonight. But this time, Shen Xi didn't give Yun Shu the definite answer she had given Mother Shen. Shen Xi thought about it for a moment, then replied: "I don't know if I like him or not."

"You don't know?" Yun Shu was surprised.

"I've actually been thinking about this recently. It's probably a little too late now though, we're already married after all. I couldn't help wondering if I was going to spend the rest of my life with him." Shen Xi glanced towards the buffet table. "And then I realized that I wanted to."

In her previous life, Shen Xi had also thought about this issue. In the first six months of her marriage, Shen Xi had felt uncomfortable and oppressed whenever she thought about her future. She honestly hadn't been willing to spend the rest of her life with Su Hang. But her morals and her upbringing forced her to stay. Marrying Su Hang meant that Shen Xi had vowed to stay with him, no matter what. Unless Su Hang divorced her, Shen Xi couldn't renege on this vow. So even under pain and depression, Shen Xi made herself endure.

In the second year of her marriage to Su Hang, they were already having s.e.x. At the time, Shen Xi was reluctant to have children, so her bedside table contained contraceptive pills all year round.

By the time her marriage reached its third year, Shen Xi wasn't that upset anymore whenever she thought about her future. Perhaps she simply got into the habit. She felt that it wouldn't be so bad living with a 'guest.' They respected each other, and honestly, this was more than what most marriages in her circle had.

(T/N: I don't know how to word it other than a 'guest.' More than a stranger, less than an acquaintance. Someone you treat courteously, but who you wouldn't be totally comfortable with.)

It wasn't until the fifth year of their marriage that Su Hang handed her divorce papers and said that he was setting her free. At the time, Shen Xi didn't know what freedom was. Her mind was full of doubts as she looked at him. Shen Xi didn't understand why this man who had pressed her down just last night, was suddenly giving her these divorce papers so early in the morning. So for the first time ever, Shen Xi had asked him why.

"I haven't seen you smile for a long time...."

Back then, Shen Xi didn't understand his answer. But now, in this second life, Shen Xi thought she understood.

"So what you're saying is, you're not going to look for ways to divorce Su Hang in the future." Yun Shu asked.

Shen Xi shook her head. Shen Xi hadn't wanted such a thing in her last life, how can she even think of such a thing now that she's much happier?

'Until death do us part' was a promise greater than any vow of love. Yun Shu forced herself to smile. She didn't even know if her own feelings for Shang HeXu were as deep as that.

"You know," Yun Shu started. "I always thought you like Shang HeXu."

"Why would you think that?" Shen Xi was surprised.

"That's what everyone says. You two were always together." Yun Shu replied.

"Even if other people said so, you're my best friend. How can you not know who I like and who I don't like, ah." Shen Xi said.

"I always thought it was a given, and when the time was right, the two of you would just naturally get together." Yun Shu explained. "After all, neither of you had dated anyone all these years, ah."

Shen Xi raised a brow. "Aren't you the same?"

But then she saw Yun Shu's embarra.s.sed expression and suddenly, Shen Xi realized something. She slowly asked: "Or....do you have someone you like?"

"Since you've said that you don't like Shang HeXu, I won't hide it from you." Yun Shu wasn't the type to keep her friends in the dark. "I like Shang HeXu."

Shen Xi was so startled she forgot to close her mouth. "You...you like Shang HeXu?"

"Is it that much of a surprise?" Yun Shu asked with a wry smile.

"Un!" Shen Xi nodded. How can she not be surprised? The man Yun Shu married in her last life wasn't Shang HeXu, ah. "I always thought that you liked Jing Fei."

"Jing Fei? That guy who sat behind me in school?" Yun Shu scrunched her nose. "How is that possible?"

But you married him, Shen Xi wanted to say. But in the end, she closed her mouth and didn't say anything.

"By the way, your husband has looked our way for more than a dozen times already. It reminded me that I should probably return you to him." Yun Shu joked.

"Nonsense." Shen Xi scowled at her friend.

"I really should go." Yun Shu looked at her friend and sincerely said: "Anyway, I'm truly happy for you. I mean, when you think about it, you have a very handsome man as your husband."

Shen Xi understood what her friend was trying to say and nodded at her gratefully.

Yun Shu stood up and waved at Su Hang. She then turned around and walked towards Shang HeXu.

As Shen Xi watched Yun Shu leave, her heart couldn't help but feel sad. It turns out that Yun Shu had always liked Shang HeXu, but because of her, she had suppressed her feelings. But why didn't they end up together in her last life?

"Done talking?" Su Hang had come back with a plate of food.

"It's done." Shen Xi returned to her senses.

"Eat something." Su Hang handed the plate over to Shen Xi.

As Yun Shu neared, she saw two women chatting to Shang HeXu. She didn't know what they were talking about, but Yun Shu frowned, lifted up her dress, and quickened her pace.

"Brother HeXu, why don't we dance?"

"Oh, Brother HeXu, me too, me too."

"Sorry." Shang HeXu had a genial smile on his face as he refused. "I'm waiting for someone."

"But you've been standing here for a long time already, and you didn't come with a companion tonight."

"Yeah, yeah."

Just as Shang HeXu was thinking of making an excuse and leave, Yun Shu marched over and grabbed Shang HeXu's arm. Yun Shu turned towards the two girls and asked: "Why are you trying to s.n.a.t.c.h my dance partner?"

Everyone was familiar with everyone in this circle, so the two girls knew the notoriously powerful Yun Shu. In the end, the two girls had no choice but to leave.

"Thanks." Shang HeXu smiled at Yun Shu.

"No need to thank me, I was just telling the truth." Yun Shu replied.

Shang HeXu chuckled. When he looked towards Shen Xi though, the smile on his face slowly disappeared.

Yun Shu followed his gaze and saw Shen Xi accepting the piece of cake Su Hang had offered her. Shen Xi took the fork and started eating. They both had a look of satisfaction- Shen Xi from the delicious cake, and Su Hang from Shen Xi's expression. The scene was full of pink bubbles.

"Do you want to hear the answer?" Yun Shu suddenly asked.

"What did she say?" Shang HeXu asked back.

"She likes Su Hang." Yun Shu thought about her conversation with Shen Xi and added, "She likes him more than we thought."

"Really?" Shang HeXu's smile turned bitter. So Shen Xi really didn't like him. Shang HeXu had always thought that he just needed to wait until Shen Xi was older. If she didn't have anyone she liked by then, Shang HeXu simply figured that they would marry when he returned.

"And I told her I liked you." Yun Shu suddenly dropped a bomb.

Shang HeXu was stunned. He failed to react for quite some time. Finally, he smiled and shook his head. "You don't have to do this."

"You think I helped you probe Shen Xi just because? I'm serious." Yun Shu seriously said.

Shang HeXu felt like he had been hit in the head. Tonight, the girl he had always liked said she saw him as a brother, and the girl he always thought of as a sister confessed to him.

"You look so scared." Yun Shu laughed. "Don't worry, I never said I was going to pursue you."

So it was a joke after all? Shang HeXu quietly breathes a sigh of relief.

The auction portion of the night was scheduled after the dance. Since this was a charity auction, the attendees will naturally try to buy at least one item. Even if a person brought something unattractive for the auction, they would still go the extra mile and secretly find a friend to bid for it, just to avoid any embarra.s.sment.

The antique vase Shen Xi brought to the auction had a relatively good collection value, and it ended up being auctioned for millions of yuan. Su Hang also made an effort and successfully bid on some antique calligraphy and paintings. Finally, the organizers took a big group photo, and this year's Star River Charity Banquet successfully concluded.

Su Hang accompanied Shen Xi to say her goodbyes to Father Shen and Mother Shen, then they returned home.

It was 11:00 p.m. when the couple got home. It seems that Chu Wu had gotten sleepy waiting for them. When they entered the house, Chu Wu just wagged his tail and didn't rush towards them excitedly.

Shen Xi took off her coat and walked towards Chu Wu and crouched in front of the dog. Shen Xi feels that his sleepy Chu Wu was adorable. She couldn't help but pat his furry head.

"Let me see."

"Hm?" Shen Xi looked up and saw that Su Hang was still wearing his coat as he approached her with a medicine box. He was looking at her with a grave expression in his face.

"Your feet." Su Hang had been thinking about Shen Xi's hurt feet the entire night.

"It doesn't hurt anymore." Shen Xi a.s.sured.

But that meant it hurt before. Su Hang stubbornly raised the medicine box towards her. He was obviously the one looking down at her, but why did Shen Xi feel like Su Hang was the one who got wronged.

Shen Xi finally compromised and sat on the sofa. Just as she was about to bend down and remove her high-heels, Su Hang quickly crouched down and did it for her. He lifted the hem of Shen Xi's dress, raised Shen Xi's right foot, and gently removed her silver heel.

As Su Hang grasped the sole of her foot, Shen Xi couldn't help but pull back slightly.

Su Hang thought she was in pain and quickly poured some medicine onto the palm of his hand and rubbed it on her instep. His warm palm was carefully rubbing the medicine against her skin as he told her: "The pain will be gone soon."

Shen Xi's foot felt hot and numb. The heat traveled from the bottom of her foot right up to her head, making Shen Xi bite her lower lip.

"What's the matter?" Su Hang saw Shen Xi's restrained expression.

"It tickles!" Shen Xi's replied.

Her soft voice tickled Su Hang's own heart. He suddenly felt his own hand grow hot, and his ears turn red. His blood began rus.h.i.+ng towards his lower abdomen, and in a panic, Su Hang released the foot he was holding.

"Alright...have a good rest." Su Hang hurriedly packed up the medicine box and ran back into his room.

The somewhat startled Shen Xi blinked and felt that her previously warm foot now suddenly felt cold.

"Bark!"

Meanwhile, Chu Wu suddenly barked, as if reminding everyone that he didn't make any trouble this time.

The author has something to say:

The night before his divorce with Shen Xi, Su Hang had brought the divorce papers into his study and looked at it for a long time.

All the way until he heard Shen Xi come home. He opened the door of his study, carried the startled Shen Xi up the stairs, and excessively made love to her the entire night.

.

.

.

"Why...." are you divorcing me?

"I haven't seen you smile for a long time."

***

We got to know more about Shen Xi's frame of mind during her marriage with Su Hang in her last life. It was rough, but I truly admire her for being strong. She made an effort to work on her own feelings and live in a more positive mindset, rather than hurt other people just because she found the situation unfair.

I mean, what happened to her wasn't necessarily fair, but she didn't become vindictive to someone who didn't deserve it.

Also, I really just want them to be happy and have babies and live their best lives, please.