Substitute Girlfriend Contract (GL) - Chapter 29

Lin Ke blurted out in shock. “Qiqi, what are you doing here?”

“What am I doing here? You tell me—what am I doing here?” Zhuo Shaqi hurled the teacup to the floor. “Lin Ke, look me in the eye and tell me—over all these years, how have I treated you? And this is how you repay me? Framing me, claiming you don’t love me anymore? You’d throw away our marriage for a measly piece of land?” She jabbed a finger at Lu Mengxiao. “And you’d even hand me over to this lunatic?”

“Qiqi, calm down,” Lin Ke said in a low voice. “It’s not what you think. That piece of land is critical—it’s tied to the company’s survival. Without it, everything I’ve worked for all these years will go up in smoke.”

“I don’t care about any of that. You’d sell me out for land, frame me on top of it—how can you even call yourself human?” Zhuo Shaqi lunged forward, hands reaching for his neck.

He shoved her away. “You crazy woman—didn’t you hear me telling you to calm down?”

She stared at him in disbelief. “Lin Ke… you’re yelling at me? You actually yelled at me?”

“Yes, I yelled at you. So what?” His voice rose. “What makes you so untouchable? You think you’re some kind of saint? Drop the act—you weren’t exactly innocent before. And besides, someone as high and mighty as President Lu—do you know how many people would kill for a chance to warm her bed? So she asks you to serve her for a few days—big deal! Stop being so narrow-minded.”

“Lin Ke…” Tears welled in her eyes. “How is it only today that I’m seeing what kind of man you really are…”

The sitting room was in chaos—shouts, accusations, shards of porcelain everywhere.

Lu Mengxiao flicked her ear and rolled her neck. “Xiao Rourou, do as I just told you.”

“Yes, President Lu.”

Lu Mengxiao stood, glancing at Lin Ke. “Boss Lin, I really don’t think much of you—or your wife. Let’s just leave it at that. And from now on, I’d rather not see either of you again.” Without another word, she walked out.

“President Lu, please, let me explain! Give me another chance!” Lin Ke chased after her.

A bodyguard blocked the door. “Sorry, Mr. Lin. President Lu doesn’t want to see you.”

Lin Ke grabbed the guard’s arm, craning his neck to shout desperately, “President Lu, please! Just one more chance! President Lu! President Lu!!”

******

“Heading home, Secretary Tao?” A passing colleague greeted her with a smile.

“Yes. You all get some rest too.” Tao Anyu nodded warmly.

“Thanks, Secretary Tao.”

She took the elevator down, crossed the lobby, and kept exchanging greetings along the way.

Behind her, whispers floated in the air.

“Hey, did you know? That secretary—she comes and goes with President Lu every day, in her personal car. I heard they even live together.”

“Maybe she’s a distant relative of the Lu family?”

“I doubt it… looks more like she’s the girlfriend.”

“Exactly. I saw it myself once—President Lu kissing her, even holding her on her lap.”

“Wow… lucky her. Honestly, if my partner was President Lu, I wouldn’t mind she’s a woman either.”

“Shh—better not let your husband hear that.”

Tao Anyu’s lips curved faintly.

They’d only guessed half right.

Yes, she was Lu Mengxiao’s girlfriend.
But the part they didn’t know—was that her “girlfriend” status had an expiration date.

The contract said one year.

And if she counted the days… there wasn’t much time left.

Lu Mengxiao had told her to wait in the parking lot; they’d go have a beach barbecue together that night.

She had just stepped out of the office building when someone called from behind.

“Xiao Jing.”

Tao Anyu paused, then turned with a polite smile. “Oh, it’s Miss Zhuo. Can I help you? If it’s about Lin Ke’s company, you’ll need to speak to Assistant Tian. I have no authority to handle business matters.”

Zhuo Shaqi took a step closer, eyes brimming with tears, reaching for her hand. “Xiao Jing…”

Tao Anyu stepped back out of reach. “Sorry, Miss Zhuo. My name is Tao Anyu—Anyu for short. You can call me Peach, but I’m not Xiao Jing.”

“Xiao Jing, I know you’re still angry at me. But can’t you understand? A woman eventually has to find a man to rely on. I couldn’t depend on you forever—one day, you’d still have to—”

“Miss Zhuo,” she interrupted evenly. “I’ve made it clear—my name is Anyu, not Xiao Jing.”

“I know you staged that ‘death’ incident because I got married. But even after marriage, we could have stayed together. Why wouldn’t you hear me out back then? Why did you have to be so stubborn?”

A sudden weariness washed over Tao Anyu.

“You really have me mixed up with someone else,” she said at last. “Maybe I look like this Xiao Jing you knew, but I’m not her.” With that, she turned to go. “I have somewhere to be.”

“Ai Yun­jing!” Zhuo Shaqi shouted. “Where are you going? To see Lu Mengxiao? Ha—do you really think you can be with her? What is it you’re after? Her money? Her power? Sure, she spoils you now, but it’s all fake, temporary. Rich people love their games—once she’s tired of you, she’ll toss you aside.”

Like you did?

Tao Anyu’s smile was cool.

Zhuo Shaqi, you’re no different from the rich “players” you despise—once you’ve had enough, you toss people away. If that’s the kind of person you are, why condemn others for being the same?

And if she tossed her aside—so what?

She fed her, clothed her, housed her, slept with her, handed her wads of cash, stood up for her, made her laugh, held her when she was upset, and with infuriating arrogance told her, “You’re supposed to love me.”

With someone like that, even if she threw her away—so what?

It was a good deal.

Because no matter how you did the math, the one at a loss would be Lu Mengxiao—not Tao Anyu.

Tao Anyu walked on with a smile, letting the wind swallow Zhuo Shaqi’s voice.

Zhuo Shaqi stared after her for a moment, then quickened her steps, breaking into a run to grab her from behind. “Xiao Jing, you still love me, don’t you?”

Tao Anyu froze.

She pressed her face to Tao Anyu’s back, voice trembling. “Lin Ke doesn’t want me anymore—he’s divorcing me. Lu Mengxiao’s cut off all my business ties. I have nothing left now. Xiao Jing, you’re all I have. You still love me, right? I know you do.”.

Suddenly, Tao Anyu’s body trembled violently.

Zhuo Shaqi thought she was moved, and burst into laughter. She was about to continue, but she heard Tao Anyu call out blankly:

 “Xiaoxiao…”