Su Qi stood for a long moment, holding the rose, before walking towards the hotel entrance.
Upon entering, a boy in a small suit stood by the door. Seeing Su Qi, his face flushed, and he rushed forward, handing her the rose before turning and running away without a word. Then, one, two, three, four – as Su Qi walked, her hands were already filled with countless roses.
In a blink, she had gone from the hotel entrance to the back garden. The hotel was situated by the sea, a popular网红 (wanghong - influencer) establishment, and was one of the properties under the Shengshi Group. Its most distinctive feature was a vast expanse of flowers along the coastline, blooming lushly even in the coldest winter.
Stepping out of the entrance, Su Qi was met with a sea of flowers, a riot of colors – tulips, roses, stretching out in patches, vibrant and breathtakingly beautiful.
Not far away on the beach, a grand piano was set up.
Fairy lights were strung from one end to the other, and rose petals carpeted a long path, creating the ambiance of a seaside wedding.
The sun was already setting, gradually descending along the coastline, disappearing from view.
Even from a distance, Su Qi could clearly see a man seated before the piano on a tripod. As the last ray of sunlight dipped below the horizon, his fair, slender fingers touched the keys, and a flowing melody began to pour from his fingertips.
It was "Für Elise."
She felt as if she had heard it somewhere before.
From this distance, Su Qi couldn't make out the man's face, especially with no lights around. However, she could vaguely discern who it was from his build and appearance, though she wasn't entirely sure.
Upon hearing the piano piece, Su Qi was completely certain it was Huo Tingyun.
Who else could play such a fluid and beautiful melody?
Besides, she had heard this piece before at a restaurant.
It was Huo Tingyun playing it for Xu Linyun.
Had he abandoned Xu Linyun now and was playing for her?
Before she could react, the melody abruptly shifted to the Wedding March.
Indeed, men were fickle.
Su Qi listened quietly to the man's performance. Though she wasn't a music connoisseur, his rendition was flawless. She had accompanied her grandfather to concerts of legendary caliber before, and while he couldn't be compared to national treasures, his performance was by no means inferior.
What else was there that this man couldn't do?
As Su Qi was lost in thought, the man had already walked up and stood before her. He held a red velvet box, which he opened and presented to Su Qi as if it were a treasure.
"A belated wedding gift."
It was a massive diamond ring, the size of a pigeon's egg.
Crafted with pink gemstones, it was surrounded by dozens of meticulously set diamonds, each weighing a carat, making the pink pigeon's egg gemstone sparkle brilliantly. The moment the box opened, Su Qi felt her eyes were almost blinded by the ring's radiance.
Even the diamond ring on Xu Linyun's finger wasn't as large as this one!
It was true that no woman disliked diamonds and jewelry.
Even she felt a pang of desire.
Just as she was about to raise her hand, Su Qi recalled something and stared at the man before her.
His handsome face was graced with a doting, gentle smile.
Su Qi felt a chill run down her spine. "Huo Tingyun, what are you doing?"
"No good deed goes unpunished!"
What was this man up to?
First the roses, then the piano, there must be some unspeakable secret.
"What are you?"
The man chuckled softly, a rare hint of relaxed amusement appearing on his usually stern face.
"Be serious. I'm asking, why are you suddenly giving me a diamond ring?"
After a year of marriage, this man had never treated her this well. Now, presenting this treasure before her, what did he want?
"I just feel I've wronged you. This is compensation for you. I will compensate you with a wedding in the future, a grand, once-in-a-lifetime wedding..."
Why?
Was it because she was pregnant?
Did her child's status elevate hers?
Su Qi felt dizzy. She raised her hand and massaged her temples. "Wait, let me guess. Do you want a divorce, or do you want my child to have the surname Huo?"
"We're not divorced yet. Can the child in your belly possibly have the surname Xu?"
The man's lips curved slightly, his tone laced with a hint of sarcasm.
See, a leopard never changes its spots.
She knew this man would never change.
Even though he was treating her well, his mouth was as sharp and unpleasant as ever.
Su Qi looked at him seriously. "What about Xu Linyun? I heard she tried to kill herself and has been blacklisted and shelved. Her life is ruined!"
She felt no sympathy for Xu Linyun!
It was entirely her own doing.
But this man had loved Xu Linyun for so long, was it really that easy to stop loving her?
"I never loved Xu Linyun."
The woman he loved, from beginning to end, was that girl he had never met.
For some reason, Su Qi felt a sudden emptiness in her heart.
She knew Huo Tingyun had always had a white moonlight in his heart.
So, from the day they married, she had never expected to replace anyone.
Even hearing it now, her heart still felt a twinge of discomfort.
So, Xu Linyun, his childhood sweetheart, who had diligently and thoughtfully cared for him for a year of marriage, couldn't compare to that girl.
Her heart, though completely resigned, still felt a chill.
Su Qi suppressed the bitterness in her heart and smiled faintly. "Then I wish you luck in finding that girl soon!"
"Jealous?"
The man's gaze deepened, his eyes shimmering with a fleeting light, and he reached out to grasp Su Qi's hand.
As if electrocuted, Su Qi pulled her hand away. "I'm a bit hungry. Let's have dinner first!"
During dinner, Su Qi remained silent, uninterested in the man's conversation, responding perfunctorily. After dinner, back at the Huo residence, Su Qi took a bath and lay on the bed. She couldn't help but take out her phone and call Gu Tangxue.
Her inner turmoil desperately needed an outlet.
After listening, Gu Tangxue was silent for a long moment. "Xiao Su, his white moonlight is his obsession; no one can replace her. Look at how Huo Tingyun doted on Xu Linyun for so many years, but the moment he learned Xu Linyun wasn't his white moonlight, he cast her aside like a broken shoe. Your fate will also be grim!"
"If you don't want the child in your belly to carry the Huo surname, then escape from him!"
"No matter how strong others are, it's not as good as having your own umbrella!"
Yes, no matter how strong others are, it's not as good as having your own umbrella.
She couldn't be at the mercy of others as she had been before.
"The company is doing better and better. With Tian Hao and me here, don't worry."
After hanging up, Su Qi let out a long sigh. She closed her eyes and suddenly heard a faint movement. Before she could react, the man had already hugged her from behind.