Su Lu got off the elevator and entered the parking garage.
She curled up in the back seat of her car, finally feeling the tension leave her body. Tears streamed down her face, and she shook uncontrollably.
Su Lu knew Bo Jingshen well; he was intense and fiery.
He was like a flame—warm when he loved you, but he could burn you to ashes if he hated you.
Since he had promised to make her pay, he would certainly keep his word. But Su Lu hadn't expected such a revenge.
When they were in love, he cherished her so much that he refrained from touching her, wanting to save their first time for their wedding night.
But now that he hated her, he could take her roughly in a bathroom stall without any mercy.
Su Lu felt both feverish and chilled. She managed to send a text message to Secretary Xu: "Yunding underground parking lot B-137, come quickly."
Then she lost consciousness.
Bo Jingshen stood by the ventilated window near the elevator, holding a lit cigarette between his slender fingers.
A deep bite mark, almost bleeding, was visible on the back of his hand.
Earlier, he hadn't felt much, yet he couldn't believe it; Su Lu was still... a virgin.
Could it be that the man hadn't touched her?
...
When Su Lu woke up the next day, she saw missed calls and WeChat messages from Gu Xin on her phone.
Looking at the sunny weather, Su Lu called him back. "Gu Xin, the weather looks nice today. Let's go to the civil affairs bureau and finalize our divorce."
Gu Xin was momentarily stunned, then laughed. "Alright. The weather is indeed nice. See you later."
Just as their marriage had been a transaction orchestrated by their families, their divorce seemed like a joke.
The shackles of five years were finally lifted.
They were even happier than newlyweds.
As they left the civil affairs bureau, Gu Xin extended his hand. "Su Lu, it was a pleasure working with you."
Su Lu glanced at the divorce certificate in her hand and shook his hand with a smile. "The pleasure is mine."
She felt a weight lifted off her shoulders.
A woman approached and took Gu Xin's arm. The woman wore a mask, but her eyes were strikingly beautiful.
It was Chen Yaxi.
Chen Yaxi's eyes curved into a smile. "I'll be taking this man with me then."
Su Lu laughed. "Go ahead and take him. I'm truly sorry for holding you up for five years."
Chen Yaxi looked at Su Lu for a moment. "Su Lu, I wish you happiness too."
"Thanks for the kind wishes," Su Lu nodded.
Then Gu Xin, in high spirits, was pulled back into the civil affairs bureau by Chen Yaxi—they were going to register their marriage immediately.
Su Lu couldn't help but feel a bit envious.
How wonderful it was.
To shed the chains and embrace happiness right away.
But she...
A man's cold voice suddenly echoed in Su Lu's mind.
"I will make you pay."
"Spend today with me."
Her father, Su Yukan, called her.
"Come to the Banquet at seven tonight. There's a dinner party."
For the past few years, Su Lu had been managing a small company on her own, which was considered her dowry. The company's scale was modest, not something the Su Family paid attention to.
But still, she was a daughter of the Su Family and the daughter-in-law of the Gu Family.
Her father would occasionally invite her to some business dinners.
Su Lu thought about it and agreed, deciding she should also tell her father about the divorce with Gu Xin.
At seven, she arrived at the Banquet on time.
In the private room, Su Yukan's tone was severe. "You didn't even discuss the divorce with me! Do you even see me as your father?"
"What's there to discuss? The agreement clearly stated five years." Su Lu knew her father's stance well.
She was just an insignificant daughter, and family business came first.
"I was counting on you and Gu Xin maintaining a good relationship so our families could continue cooperating. But you! Gu Xin's recent scandal was true, wasn't it? You can't even keep a man!"
Su Yukan was furious. He waved his hand dismissively, "Forget it. You two had no progress over the years anyway. Liu will be here today. Make sure to drink with him later and have a good chat."
Su Lu knew Liu as well. Forty-two, divorced, with a ten-year-old son, and a difficult ex-wife. There was even an illegitimate child.
And yet, Su Yukan thought Liu was a suitable match for her second marriage?
Su Lu sneered, "You really have it all figured out."
Su Yukan frowned. "What kind of attitude is that? Liu's company has been growing well these past two years. An older man knows how to care for you."
"If he's such a good match, why don't you let Su Jiao marry him?" Su Lu asked coldly.
"Jiaojiao is still young! And you've already been divorced once. What more can you ask for?"
Su Yukan waved his hand, "Enough about this. Today's dinner party is important. Not only is Liu here, but there's also an overseas returnee planning to enter the domestic market. If we can cooperate, the prospects are excellent."
As soon as he finished speaking, the private room door opened.
A balding, potbellied Liu politely invited someone in, "Please come in!"
"Liu, you're too kind. It's my honor to be appreciated by you." A low, magnetic voice, cool and detached yet polite.
Su Lu instantly froze; her heart skipped a beat.
Bo Jingshen walked into the private room.
Su Yukan whispered to Su Lu, "This is the overseas returnee I mentioned, Bo Jingshen. Make sure to toast with him later."
Su Lu looked at her father in disbelief.
Back then, to ensure she obediently married into the Gu Family, her father had used every trick to force her breakup with Bo Jingshen.
She had been in unbearable pain for five years, and Su Yukan seemed to have completely forgotten?
Su Yukan stood up, "President Bo really is a talented man!"
"You're too kind." Bo Jingshen glanced over, his gaze freezing when he saw Su Lu.
What was she doing here?
Liu quickly answered his curiosity. "President Bo, this is the old friend I mentioned, Su Yukan. And here is his eldest daughter, Su Lu."
Bo Jingshen raised an eyebrow. "Nice to meet you."
Su Yukan replied, "Nice to meet you." He hurriedly arranged, "Come, Liu, sit next to Xiaolu. She will accompany you for a few drinks later."
Liu, an old hand at this, understood Su Lu was the Gu Family's daughter-in-law. But thinking about Gu Xin's recent scandal and hearing Su Yukan's matchmaking tone, how could he not understand Su Yukan's intention?
Looking at Su Lu's beautiful face, Liu's bald head gleamed with joy. "Good, good. I'll sit right next to Xiaolu."
Soon, more people arrived, and everyone took their seats.
In the past, Su Lu could always handle her father's arranged social events lightly. But today, with Bo Jingshen present, she couldn't remain calm and only wanted to leave.
Liu's frequent attentions made Su Lu uncomfortable.
Bo Jingshen's meaningful glances directed at her made it impossible for her to relax.
Bo Jingshen was the main guest of this dinner. People couldn't help but tease him, "President Bo, I hear you're still single? If I had a daughter, I'd marry her off to you."
"Doesn't Old Su have a daughter?" someone joked.
Hearing this, Bo Jingshen, who had been keeping a cool demeanor, suddenly looked at Su Yukan. "Really?"
Bo Jingshen glanced at Su Lu.
Su Yukan, not noticing Bo Jingshen's gaze, joyfully replied, "Ah, my younger daughter Su Jiao is the right age. But she's willful and immature. I fear President Bo would find her a handful."
Su Lu sneered inwardly. No wonder Liu wasn't given this "good match." Her father had higher aspirations.
Bo Jingshen's lips curved into a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "Is that so? Then forget the younger daughter. I think your eldest daughter is quite good."