The shop assistant opened the door, and Su Qi stepped into the bridal shop. Before she could ask anything, footsteps sounded from upstairs. A man descended from the stairs on either side, stopping a few steps from the bottom with a slight smile.
"You're here."
He walked down and approached her. Tall and long-legged, he stood before her in just a few strides.
The man wore light-colored clothes, making him appear comfortable and clean. Though his attire was ordinary, his face and entire demeanor exuded an aura of immense wealth.
Was this the legendary noble bearing?
Su Qi smiled faintly and asked, "Mr. Qin, are you here to pick out a wedding dress for your fiancée?"
She had said it deliberately.
She had expected Qin Yusheng to be taken aback, perhaps even angered. To her surprise, Qin Yusheng looked at her deeply, then smiled. "You are not my fiancée yet, but I believe you will be in the future, so there's no harm in looking at wedding dresses in advance!"
Su Qi was speechless.
She was not good with words. Qin Yusheng and Huo Tingyun were of the same type: highly intelligent scions of prominent families. She couldn't win a verbal spar, so she might as well keep quiet.
"Let's go upstairs. The wedding dresses here are beautiful."
Qin Yusheng led her upstairs. The second floor was dedicated to women's wedding dresses, each displayed separately on a mannequin stand. Under the lights, they appeared noble and resplendent. The pure white fabric, in different materials and with different cuts, surprisingly offered so many distinct designs.
The sheer variety was overwhelming; Su Qi could barely take it all in.
No wonder this was the most luxurious bridal shop in Shenzhen, and even in the country. Each wedding dress clearly showcased exquisite craftsmanship. Some were even displayed in glass cabinets, adorned with tens of thousands of tiny diamonds. They were less like wedding dresses and more like works of art, making the place resemble a museum of bridal gowns.
Thoughtfully, the prices were listed for each dress.
They were all more expensive than the last.
Upon seeing the diamond-encrusted wedding dress, Su Qi clutched her chest, almost passing out.
How many zeros were there?!
Were they trying to rob people?
Who would buy such an expensive wedding dress, worn only once for a wedding? Only a fool!
As Su Qi was contemplating this, a woman's exclamation sounded from behind her.
"Brother Tingyun, that wedding dress is so beautiful."
It was Li Caiyi.
Su Qi recognized the innocent, pure voice instantly.
Her spine stiffened. Qin Yusheng, beside her, seemed to sense it and reached out to put an arm around her waist.
Even though she was pregnant and her belly was round, her waist was still incredibly slender. The man easily encircled it.
Su Qi's initially stiff body felt inexplicably more relaxed after Qin Yusheng embraced her, as if she had found some support and was no longer alone.
"Oh? Sister Su Qi?"
Li Caiyi seemed to have spotted them. Hearing footsteps, Li Caiyi stopped directly in front of them. "Sister Su Qi, are you also here to look at wedding dresses?"
Li Caiyi glanced at Su Qi, then sideways at Qin Yusheng beside her.
Qin Yusheng was even more handsome and charming than he appeared in the news.
"Hello, Qin Yusheng, Su Qi's... fiancé."
Qin Yusheng curved his lips and offered Li Caiyi a polite smile.
Li Caiyi was almost dizzy from his smile. Recovering her senses, she exclaimed, "Fiancé?!"
She looked at Su Qi in astonishment. "Sister Su Qi, are you and Qin Yusheng together?!"
So quickly? Rumors had spread last week, and they were engaged this week?
"No..."
Before Su Qi could explain, a chilling aura swept over them.
"Heh, divorced just like that, and you already have a new lover. Su Qi, you truly are fast; it leaves me speechless."
Su Qi could tell whose voice it was without even thinking.
Besides Huo Tingyun, that cold-faced, sharp-tongued man, who else could it be?
"Mr. Huo, you're not doing too badly either!"
Su Qi gritted her teeth, forcing a sarcastic smile, her gaze sweeping over the two of them.
"No, or rather, Mr. Huo is quite the philanderer. You were involved with this woman even before your divorce!"
"Su Qi, you..."
Huo Tingyun felt as if his lungs were about to explode.
He hadn't expected to see Su Qi at the bridal shop.
Even less did he expect Su Qi to be with Qin Yusheng.
He had initially thought the rumors were false, merely a publicity stunt by Su Qi.
He hadn't expected any of it to be true.
Seeing Qin Yusheng embrace Su Qi, an inexplicable anger surged, and his blood seemed to rush to his head.
"Brother Tingyun, don't be angry. Sister Su Qi has found her happiness; we should be happy, shouldn't we, Brother Tingyun?"
Li Caiyi said this, nestling into Huo Tingyun's embrace. She raised her eyes and looked in Su Qi's direction.
Yes, she had done it intentionally.
She was staking her claim.
Su Qi watched coldly.
To her, Li Caiyi's actions were no different from a dog marking its territory by urinating on a tree, fearing someone else would steal the tree.
However, she found it distasteful.
She wanted to avoid it, let alone steal it.
"Oh, Sister Su Qi, did you receive the wedding invitation from me and Brother Tingyun?"
Li Caiyi smiled innocently.
Su Qi was stunned. She remembered the invitation Yang Tianhao had thrown into the trash. To avoid upsetting her, Yang Tianhao had discarded it, but she hadn't expected to see it in the trash.
"My darling Qi Qi and I will attend your wedding on time. However, if our wedding happens to coincide with yours, we might be unable to attend your wedding."
Qin Yusheng said this with a smile.
"Marriage?!" Li Caiyi's eyes widened, her mouth agape enough to fit an egg. "Didn't you two just meet a few days ago? How are you getting married so quickly?"
"You're mistaken. My darling Qi Qi and I have known each other for three to four years, not just a few days. I only recently heard that she had divorced and escaped her suffering..."
Qin Yusheng's gaze fell on Huo Tingyun.
"I also want to thank Mr. Huo for giving Qi Qi her freedom, allowing me the opportunity to pursue her."
"Cough, cough, cough..."
Su Qi couldn't help but cough a few times.
Although Qin Yusheng's smiling-while-hiding-a-knife demeanor was satisfying, offending Huo Tingyun would have dire consequences for anyone. This was Huo Tingyun's territory in Shenzhen. As the saying goes, a strong dragon cannot defeat a local snake. She didn't want to implicate Qin Yusheng.
"Yusheng, let's look around more. I want to see other wedding dresses!"
Su Qi tugged at Qin Yusheng's sleeve. Qin Yusheng then withdrew his gaze, his eyes falling gently on her. "Okay, let's go, darling."
Su Qi walked a considerable distance away, still feeling Huo Tingyun's cold gaze fixed on her retreating back. Cold sweat broke out on her back, and she felt a chill. After browsing for a short while, she sat down on the sofa in the lounge.
Qin Yusheng's enthusiasm remained undimmed. "That diamond-encrusted wedding dress is beautiful; it's exactly as I imagined."
Su Qi pursed her lips, not immediately responding. After some thought, she said, "Yusheng, my purpose for meeting you today is not entirely pure."
Qin Yusheng smiled gently. "I know."