"Lock!" Chu Yanru shouted, and with a cold glance at Su Huai, he lifted his foot and chased after.
The small garden regained its tranquility.
Su Huai extended her arm, silently embracing Gu Beixian. A storm surged in her heart, and something choked in her throat.
She buried her face in his chest, tears uncontrollably streaming down.
At this moment, reluctance filled her heart. She was unwilling to leave him, unwilling to divorce.
She clung tightly to his waist, holding on with all her strength, yet feeling powerless inside.
Sensing dampness on his shirt, Gu Beixian pinched her petite chin. "Crying?"
Su Huai didn't speak, her eyes reddened, pressing her face against his shirt again.
"Don't cry; if you cry again, your eyes will swell." His voice was gentle, patiently comforting her.
Su Huai's throat tightened. "Why are you so good to me?"
Gu Beixian raised an eyebrow slightly, a teasing smile on his lips. "Just with a few words? Our Huai Huai is too easily satisfied."
"Why are you so good to me?" Su Huai ignored his teasing and stubbornly asked again.
Gu Beixian's eyes softened as he touched her head. "The world is treacherous, and you don't have a good father to protect you. You only have a paper tiger mother and a frail grandmother. As an orphan with a widowed mother, if I don't protect you, who will?"
Su Huai's heart ached suddenly.
The better he treated her, the more uncomfortable she felt.
She softly asked, "Is it worth it?"
What she wanted to ask was, is it worth offending Gu's Group partners, your future father-in-law, and your childhood sweetheart's arranged marriage for me?
Gu Beixian understood what she wanted to say and pressed her into his arms. "From a business perspective, it's not worth it. But not doing so would hurt my conscience."
Su Huai didn't say anything, just hugged him tighter, wishing to merge with him.
That overwhelming sense of powerlessness surged up from the depths of her heart, trapping her deeply.
Chu Suo Suo was right; she won the lottery from birth.
Back at the museum, Shen Yuan couldn't help but ask Su Huai when he saw her, "My brother said the handsome guy is Gu Beixian, the second young master of Gu's Group. Are you distant relatives?"
For a moment, Su Huai wanted to tell her that the person was her soon-to-be divorced husband.
But she wasn't the type to blurt out everything upon meeting someone. Even if she did, considering Shen Yuan's character, she would definitely pry into everything. It wasn't a glorious matter, and she didn't want to make a fuss.
After a moment of silence, Su Huai lightly agreed and walked into the restoration room with little interest.
She sat quietly in the corner, watching experts from all over the country argue over Southern and Northern restoration methods for repairing the holes in the painting.
She was annoyed by the endless discussions and wished to fix the holes herself and leave.
By the afternoon, the meeting dispersed, and the experts went to the hotel for dinner and drinks.
Su Huai left.
As soon as she stepped out, she received a call from Gu Beixian, "My mom wants to see us. My car is parked at the museum entrance; come over."
In the car, Su Huai asked him, "Were you at the museum the whole day today?"
Gu Beixian started the car, "No, I came an hour ago. The museum director organized a donation ceremony, which just ended."
They arrived at Qin Shu's bridal shop.
Located in the city's commercial shopping center.
A whole ten-story building, all hers, decorated extravagantly.
Qin Shu was a true businesswoman.
Gu Beixian and Su Huai took the elevator to her office.
As soon as they entered, Qin Shu warmly greeted them. Holding Su Huai's hand, she led her to the computer, pointing at the design on the screen. "Mom has designed three wedding dresses for you. Take a look and pick your favorite."
Su Huai was momentarily surprised, feeling a sharp pain in her heart. She glanced at Gu Beixian and smiled at Qin Shu, saying, "Mom, no, Auntie, I won't need them. Gu Beixian and I are about to get divorced."
Qin Shu paused, her eyes showing a hint of sadness. "Mom knows. Mom just wants to give you a set of wedding dresses. No matter who you marry in the future, Mom still wants to give them to you."
Touched and uncomfortable, Su Huai's lips curled, smiling a bit forcedly. "Thank you, Auntie, but it's really not necessary."
She was a slow-warming person, challenging to fall in love with someone. Once she did, it was difficult to get out.
As for remarriage, that was a distant and distant matter.
Qin Shu seemed a bit displeased. "Don't call me Auntie. Even if you and Beixian divorce, I am still your mother. If you can't be my daughter-in-law, then be my daughter. I've already drawn the designs after staying up several nights. If you don't want them, it's like looking down on me."
Tears welled up in Su Huai's eyes, touched and uncomfortable. Unable to resist her, she sat down next to her and seriously made her choice.
She liked simple and elegant styles, so she chose a white, fitted gown with a long train. The fabric was light, pure white like a cloud.
Qin Shu picked up the mouse. "Are you sure you want this one?"
"Sure, thank you, Mom."
"Then wait a moment. I'll call someone to measure your body size. Once measured, I'll have someone start the design. Making a wedding dress takes time."
"Okay."
Qin Shu made an internal call, calling her assistant in.
Tears glistened in Su Huai's eyes as she looked around the office.
The office was also Qin Shu's design studio, spacious and bright. Many beautiful wedding dresses were displayed against the walls, worn by display models.
A woman's love for wedding dresses was innate. Su Huai couldn't help but walk over.
The impact of the physical dresses was much greater than the design drawings. Su Huai thought these dresses were so beautiful, couldn't help but reach out and touch them, feeling the smooth texture.
In her mind, she imagined what she would look like in a wedding dress. Her lips curved, and a hint of sadness filled her heart.
When Qin Shu looked up and saw Su Huai staring at the wedding dresses in a daze, she smiled and said, "If you like, try them on. Try as many as you want. Whichever you like, Mom will give it to you."
Su Huai's gloomy mood suddenly brightened, and her big eyes sparkled. "Can I really try them?"
"Of course." Qin Shu smiled tenderly, looking at her with eyes full of love and indulgence, like a mother looking at her own daughter.
Just as the assistant knocked on the door and entered, taking the wedding dress off the
display model, Su Huai couldn't help but feel excited. "Then I'll really try them?"
"Of course, feel free to try."
Wearing a wedding dress was a bit troublesome, and the assistant helped Su Huai put it on.
After more than ten minutes, Su Huai walked out of the fitting room gracefully.
The white, fitted wedding dress highlighted her slender waist, standing tall and graceful. Her small melon-seed face was fair and symmetrical, with watery, large eyes, cherry-red lips, and a delicate nose.
With a backless design, it just revealed her beautiful spine and butterfly bones perfectly.
Looking in the mirror, Su Huai felt that she looked beautiful.
Indeed, a wedding dress was the most beautiful attire.
Gu Beixian, with his long legs crossed, casually sat on the sofa, watching from afar. His expression was calm, but a touch of amazement flickered in his eyes.
Qin Shu walked over, helping Su Huai adjust the skirt. "My daughter-in-law has a slender waist and long legs, a swan-like neck, fair skin, and a good temperament. Wearing this wedding dress, you're even more beautiful than celebrities. In the future, you might as well come and be my model."
Gu Beixian raised his lips. "Our Su Huai makes good money restoring ancient paintings. If she becomes your model, how much will you pay her in a month? It's a waste of talent."
Su Huai remembered telling him not long ago that she earned good money restoring ancient paintings and even vowed to support him. Her ears turned red instantly.
Qin Shu frowned at Gu Beixian. "Yes, my daughter-in-law is talented and beautiful, but someone here, with a bad look in his eyes, insisted on getting divorced."
Su Huai whispered, "It's not his fault."
Qin Shu scolded, "Don't speak up for him. His father may be at fault, but he bears the greatest responsibility."
Su Huai was deeply moved.
What kind of fairy mother-in-law was this? Other mothers-in-law sided with their sons, but she sided with her daughter-in-law.
After trying on the wedding dress, the assistant helped Su Huai take it off.
Qin Shu took a glass of water, walked over to Gu Beixian, sat next to him, and looked at him silently for a while. Her tone carried a hint of sadness. "Clearly, you like her, so why didn't you find a way to keep her?"
Gu Beixian seemed distracted. He picked up the coffee, took a sip, and absentmindedly said, "My dad disagrees. If she stays, she'll suffer."
"Your dad disagrees, but with your ability, even without relying on him, you can live well. In life, one still needs emotional support. Material things serve our desires. At my age, you'll understand that money, power, fame, and profit are secondary; love is the most important. Some people, once missed, will regret for a lifetime." Thinking of the past, Qin Shu's eyes looked distant, sighing softly.
Gu Beixian's eyes deepened. He raised his gaze, looking towards the direction of the fitting room, silent for a long time before saying, "That was her decision, and I respect it."
The real reason, he knew very well.
Su Huai had someone in her heart.
She didn't love him.
He didn't want to trap her, making her suffer nightmares every night, crying out for her brother, A Yao, in her dreams.
There was a kind of love called letting go.