## Chapter 21
Zuo Qinghuan looked at the cover of the gossip magazine in her hand. The bold headline on the cover read, "Mrs. Qian, Yan Ruohan, Suspected of Being a Lesbian." The cover also showed Yan Ruohan and Li Xin walking arm-in-arm, looking intimate. Judging by the closeness in the photo, it didn't seem like much; it could easily be dismissed as a gimmick by the gossip magazine. However, the content inside was indeed rich. Yan Ruohan's romantic history was quite simple, with nothing much to dig into. What the magazine delved into, instead, was Yan Ruohan's background—how she transformed from a Cinderella into Mrs. Qian—and the behind-the-scenes power struggles within high society. As for Li Xin, her romantic affairs were the main focus of the article. It must be said that the power of gossip magazines is formidable; they thoroughly unearthed Li Xin's romantic history, vividly depicting her love life from her first relationship to her current involvement with Yan Ruohan. And without exception, every single one of her partners had been a woman.
The magazine fixated on Li Xin, questioning if she was a lesbian. Li Xin openly admitted that she indeed was, but when asked whether she and Yan Ruohan were a couple, Li Xin hesitated for a moment before saying they weren't. However, when questioned about the nature of her relationship with Yan Ruohan, Li Xin remained silent.
A few days had passed since Zuo Qinghuan learned about this news, yet Li Xin and Yan Ruohan continued to dominate the cover of a popular gossip magazine. Li Xin had a seductive appearance, making it hard to believe she was a "good woman." If the rumors were about her and some wealthy man, the story would soon be buried under new gossip. But instead, she was linked to the Qian family's daughter-in-law, a modern-day Cinderella, which kept people captivated for several days. However, many criticized Li Xin, with the most common remark being: "A lesbian flaunting it so brazenly is truly disgusting." Most of this disdain came from women, as Li Xin's looks didn't win her much favor with other women.
Yan Ruohan, on the other hand, remained silent throughout. She was often seen in public with Qian Shaowen, appearing very much in love. Although Qian Shaowen wasn't in the best of health, he was quite handsome. Together, they made a good-looking pair, fitting the idealized image some girls have of a Cinderella story. After all, Qian Shaowen resembled a Prince Charming, making the narrative somewhat convincing. Gradually, public interest in the scandal began to die down.
Zuo Qinghuan hadn't reached out to Li Xin these past few days. Li Xin was constantly hounded by the magazines, and Zuo Qinghuan worried she might attract the same attention if she got involved. Nonetheless, she was concerned about Li Xin. Zuo Qinghuan had called her several times, but Li Xin hung up each time, only responding with a text saying she was fine. Zuo Qinghuan knew that, in situations like these, outsiders couldn't do much. She also thought that this scandal might not necessarily be a bad thing for Li Xin. Either it meant things were really over between her and Yan Ruohan, or perhaps it was the start of a new opportunity. However, Zuo Qinghuan believed the chances of Li Xin and Yan Ruohan ending things were higher. If their relationship was over, it would be better for Li Xin. Yan Ruohan dragging things out would only be more cruel. But Zuo Qinghuan couldn't help but wonder how someone like Li Xin, who believed in love above all, would endure this heartbreak. Sighing at the thought, Zuo Qinghuan reflected that sometimes things must fall apart before they can get better.
Worried about Li Xin, Zuo Qinghuan hadn't been thinking about Qin Wanshu much. Moreover, Han Shibin was due to return any day now, and she didn't want to risk being caught visiting Qin Wanshu. The thought of Han Shibin finding her there was amusing, but Zuo Qinghuan wasn't bold enough to provoke him intentionally. She'd just wait for him to come back and see what happens.
"I didn't expect Qian Shaowen to continue protecting Yan Ruohan, even after being made a fool. He's usually such a low-key person, but now he's flaunting their love so publicly. Yan Ruohan hasn't made a single statement about all of this. She really knows how to keep calm, what a pity…" Shi Yanyang remarked with regret, disappointed that there wasn't more drama to enjoy.
"Yan Ruohan is indeed a smart woman," Qin Wanshu replied calmly. Yan Ruohan had chosen the wisest approach. Most people, like Shi Yanyang, were eagerly waiting to see her make a spectacle of herself. By staying silent, Yan Ruohan had executed the strongest rebuttal.
"It's such a pity for this beauty, though. You weren't there to see it, but when this beauty saw her beloved standing beside her husband, looking so in love, the sorrow in her eyes was palpable. It tugged at my heart. Yan Ruohan, though, was as cold as ice, walking past without even sparing her a glance."
Looking at Li Xin in the magazine, Qin Wanshu remembered the first time she had met Zuo Qinghuan. Zuo Qinghuan had hugged her, mistaking her for this very woman. It was such a small world; after all, everyone seemed to be connected.
Qin Wanshu raised an eyebrow, thinking that Shi Yanyang was a hypocrite, crying crocodile tears. After all, wasn't it Shi Yanyang who had stirred up all this trouble?
"You should stop doing things that harm others without benefiting yourself. You might regret it later," Qin Wanshu advised. Both Shi Yanyang and Qin Teng had a similar attitude, one that made her want to shake her head in exasperation. Why were there so many unreliable people around her? Compared to Shi Yanyang, Zuo Qinghuan seemed far more dependable and even more endearing. As she thought of Zuo Qinghuan, Qin Wanshu realized it had been several days since that woman had pestered her. Perhaps it was because Han Shibin was returning soon, and Zuo Qinghuan didn't dare visit openly. That woman certainly knew how to bide her time. Qin Wanshu didn't notice the faint smile that crept onto her face at the thought of Zuo Qinghuan.
"Karma? Who believes in that nonsense?" Shi Yanyang scoffed. It was a joke to her. After all, she had always gotten what she wanted in life, no matter what. When had she ever faced any repercussions?
One shouldn't be too dismissive of fate, though. Later, Shi Yanyang would get into a car accident, suffer a head injury, and end up mentally incapacitated for a while. A poor woman with a mother-hen personality would take her in and care for her as if she were a child. Shi Yanyang would never have imagined that one day, she would be reduced to such a state, but that's a story for another time.
Shi Yanyang spotted Han Shibin entering the room. He signaled her to stay quiet—he wanted to surprise his wife.
Silently, Han Shibin crept up behind Qin Wanshu and gently covered her eyes with his hands.
Qin Wanshu immediately recognized the familiar scent of his cologne and knew Han Shibin had returned.
"Weren't you supposed to come back on the weekend? Why are you back two days early?" Qin Wanshu asked with a smile. Truth be told, she didn't feel any joy at his return. In the past, when she didn't know about his affair, she sometimes felt happy when he returned from business trips. After all, they had been married for three years. It wasn't necessarily love, but there were feelings between them. Now, though, there wasn't even a ripple of emotion. Even those faint feelings had faded.
"I missed you, so I came back early," Han Shibin said, letting go of her and sitting down beside her. He reached out to hold her, but Qin Wanshu subtly shifted away, avoiding his embrace.
"I bought you a gift. Do you like it?" Han Shibin presented an exquisitely wrapped box.
"You two are so in love, I'm getting goosebumps just watching. I'll leave you to it," Shi Yanyang quipped, standing up to leave, likely off to find someone else to flirt with.
"This is for you," Han Shibin handed her a limited-edition designer handbag he had bought in Europe. Han Shibin knew how to be considerate. Even though Shi Yanyang didn't lack these things, it was still a thoughtful gesture.
"Your husband knows how to treat people well," Shi Yanyang said, inspecting the bag and taking it without hesitation. She winked at Qin Wanshu, then strutted out in her high heels.
In the past, Qin Wanshu had been quite satisfied with Han Shibin. He was considerate, treating everyone around her well. There's a saying: to love someone is not just to treat them well, but to also be kind to those around them. But now, witnessing the scene unfold, Qin Wanshu's feelings were complicated. She didn't fully blame Han Shibin for the affair—after all, she had her own shortcomings. Yet the bitterness from the betrayal still lingered. In truth, she realized, she was an extremely picky person.
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