Like?
Bai Xiaoyu's eyebrows tightened, and his heartbeat stopped for a moment. His hands, hidden in his trouser pockets, clenched into fists, sweat forming in his palms. He had a cleanliness obsession and always detested this sticky, wet feeling.
Lin Baiyao's words echoed in his mind, with no outlet for release.
Do you like Gu Xiaoer? But what is 'like'? Does this word even exist in his world?
How could he possibly like her, she is Luoli's wife.
He and Han Luoli were brothers in life and death, bound by an ironclad friendship that would never see them on opposing sides in this lifetime.
Even knowing it was all pretense, he found it difficult to say he liked her.
Gu Xiaoer tilted her head to glance at Bai Xiaoyu's troubled frown, leaned in, and hurriedly tugged on his sleeve, whispering, "Minister Bai, you don't want to ditch her anymore!"
Her large eyes squeezed tightly, the message clear as day.
Just say 'like', and that's it. Why so tangled up? The key is, after saying it, you can send that woman away, right?
This time Lin Baiyao didn't act impulsively, her lips curled into a knowing smile, "Little flat chest, Mr. Bai didn't even reply. I think it's really you who wants to have one at home and go after another on the side! A woman who doesn't respect herself, why haven't they drowned you in a pig cage yet!"
"Like it or not, what's it to you?" Bai Xiaoyu's indifferent voice suddenly rose, his demeanor changing sharply, the tone icy.
He reached out, pulled the girl beside him into his embrace, and bent his head to place a faint kiss on her soft hair. The motion was fluid, startling both women present.
Lin Baiyao kept stepping backward, her heavily made-up face in complete disbelief. Why, why? Her figure was a thousand times better than that flat-chested girl, and many men had fallen for her before!
She had consoled herself that Mr. Bai, being the President of Shenghan, was aloof and dominant, which was why he ignored her. But what was happening now? He, he actually liked a married woman?!
Bai Xiaoyu was indifferent, his tone forceful and cold towards Lin Baiyao, "Have you seen enough? If you have, then get lost!"
At the peak of humiliation, Lin Baiyao ultimately covered her face and ran away in a frantic sprint.
Gu Xiaoer's gaze turned vacant as she mechanically pushed the arm off her shoulder, standing there like a wooden puppet, stiff and lifeless.
"Minister... Minister Bai..." She had only asked him to say it, not to take any action. That hug, that kiss just now had exploded in her mind, conjuring three words: unspoken rules!
The big leader aiming to take advantage of her, seizing the opportunity to take liberties!
But then she thought, no, that's not right, Minister Bai and Da Luoluo are brothers; he wouldn't have such heavy tastes as to go for a threesome, which reassured her.
Bai Xiaoyu swiftly withdrew his arm, quickly returning to his usual posture with hands in his pockets, the tumult in his eyes suppressed, leaving only calm.
"Sorry."
"No worries, no worries! It's all for show, right? I get it!" Gu Xiaoer waved off, looking unconcerned, but she inched away from him by half a meter with tiny, shuffling steps.
Bai Xiaoyu pursed his lips.
True, there was an element of pretense, but there was another reason: he couldn't remain indifferent to her being bullied and slandered.
The impulsive action had even startled himself. It must be because she was his good brother's wife, my love for my friend extended to her by association! It must be that!
But seeing how unconcerned she appeared, why did he feel so uneasy...
"Minister Bai, why don't you treat me to a meal then? We'll call it even," Gu Xiaoer reverted back to her nonchalant persona.
"Let's go."
In the restaurant.
Gu Xiaoer was a bit more relaxed than before, chatting while eating, "Minister Bai, does Shenghan have any job openings? Could you help Da Luoluo find a position?"