Transmigrated As The Villainous Scumbag Wife Of A Disabled Tycoon - Chapter 81
81
After Lu Xishi quieted down, the curtain fell on this drama.
However, the dinner continued. The people at the table were all natural-born protagonists, none willing to stoop to liven up the atmosphere.
Even Cheng Zijing, who was usually adept at socializing and smoothing things over, remained silent.
Cheng Zijing used the serving chopsticks to place food in Cheng Xing’s bowl several times, his protective intent glaringly obvious.
Meanwhile, Cheng Xing picked the most beautiful crystal jelly and placed it in Jiang Ciyi’s bowl.
The gears turned slowly, at an almost imperceptible pace.
Only Xu Congshi seemed unaffected, though her gaze would occasionally drift toward Gu Qingqiu as she ate.
Gu Qingqiu, however, offered no response.
In this stifling atmosphere, they barely managed to finish the meal.
As Cheng Xing pushed Jiang Ciyi’s wheelchair past Lu Xishi on their way out, she lowered her eyes and said softly, “Miss Lu, don’t you think you should clarify the reasons before standing up for someone?”
Lu Xishi’s throat tightened, but she said nothing in the end.
Back in the lounge, Cheng Xing handed Jiang Ciyi a cup of warm water and took a few sips from her own thermos, finally calming down.
They were close to the cemetery where they had been arranged to go, so they could only find a lounge to rest for a while.
Cheng Xing hadn’t eaten her fill. She rummaged through the cabinet, pulled out a few packs of snacks, and asked Jiang Ciyi if she wanted any.
Jiang Ciyi only shook her head.
Seeing that Jiang Ciyi still seemed lost in thought, Cheng Xing didn’t disturb her and quietly ate for a while.
When she was nearly done, she looked up and noticed Jiang Ciyi was still in the same position as before.
Pretending to be casual, Cheng Xing asked, “What are you thinking about?”
“Hm?” Jiang Ciyi paused, as if pulling herself out of her thoughts. Her voice was slow and cold. “Some old matters.”
Her tense nerves were evident in her tone.
“About Lu Qi?” Cheng Xing asked.
Jiang Ciyi nodded, then shook her head.
“Yes, and no,” she said, her voice softening considerably.
At the dinner table earlier, it was a scene of myriad expressions.
Though Jiang Ciyi had been eating, she had also been quietly observing everyone’s expressions, occasionally meeting Lu Qi’s gaze before quickly looking away.
She had also caught Lu Qi’s warning glance.
Jiang Ciyi didn’t take it to heart, but she felt a deep-seated fear of Lu Qi, etched into her bones.
It was likely the lingering effect of those piercing looks from her youth, cutting her to pieces time and again. Even after not seeing Lu Qi for so long, those eyes still haunted her nightmares.
Such things were hard to say out loud.
Jiang Ciyi was thinking about many things—Lu Qi, and Lu Xishi, who had stood up for her without question.
Then there were Shen Qingxue and Gu Qingqiu, who had also been at the table.
Especially their voices—hers and Gu Qingqiu’s.
She couldn’t tell the similarity herself, having heard her own voice for too long, but Xu Congshi’s comment had shaken her.
Her appearance bore some resemblance to Gu Qingfeng, and her voice was similar to Gu Qingqiu’s.
Could this… be a coincidence?
Jiang Ciyi was lost in thought until Cheng Xing waved a hand in front of her. “Who else were you thinking about?”
“A lot of people,” Jiang Ciyi replied, not hiding anything.
But she refused to elaborate further.
Cheng Xing didn’t press her. Instead, she relayed what Cheng Zijing had told her earlier—that Jiang Ciyi could go shopping with Xu Congshi in the afternoon or take some time alone to read.
Jiang Ciyi, overwhelmed by her thoughts, didn’t refuse Cheng Zijing’s suggestion.
Once Cheng Zimo and the others had finished seeing off the guests, and the luxury cars drove away one by one, Cheng Xing got into the car headed for the cemetery.
As expected, not many people went to the cemetery—just close family members.
People like Gu Qingqiu and Lu Xishi had already left the Cheng family.
The afternoon rain fell steadily, pattering without end. A black Lincoln cruised smoothly along the road.
Soft, soothing music played in the car. Gu Qingqiu tapped on her phone, and almost the moment her message was sent, her phone rang.
In a rare good mood, Gu Qingqiu’s lips curved as she answered with a smile. “It’s been a while since you called, little sister.”
Gu Qingfeng: “…Are you gravely ill or something?”
Gu Qingqiu’s smile froze, then faded. “If that’s the case, I’ll hang up.”
“Wait!” Gu Qingfeng hurriedly stopped her. “What did you mean by that message you just sent?”
“Nothing much,” Gu Qingqiu said lightly. “I just attended an interesting funeral, and someone told me something. I’m passing it on to you verbatim.”
“Funeral? Whose?” Gu Qingfeng asked.
“An old classmate’s,” Gu Qingqiu replied, then felt something was off and added, “His grandmother passed away.”
Gu Qingfeng scoffed. “Can’t you say things without pausing dramatically? I was about to offer my condolences.”
“I wasn’t close to him. Why would I need condolences?”
Gu Qingfeng was used to Gu Qingqiu’s unconventional way of thinking.
The message earlier had been vague, and Gu Qingfeng wasn’t in the mood to tease her. She cut to the chase. “How did you know about that place?”
The Huaji Hotel, Room 7601.
That was where she had spent a passionate night with a woman she’d met only once at a bar.
Gu Qingfeng was a rational person.
Except for that night, when she lost her rationality.
She hadn’t entirely ruled out the idea of pursuing something more, but the woman seemed like a seasoned player in the game of love.
When Gu Qingfeng thought about asking her name, she saw the mockery in the woman’s eyes.
As if suggesting they get to know each other or start a relationship would make Gu Qingfeng look foolish.
So when her agent called, Gu Qingfeng left a note and walked away.
In the end, neither of them lost anything.
But she hadn’t told anyone about it.
The Huaji Hotel wasn’t under Gu Qingqiu’s management either.
“Did you investigate me?” Gu Qingfeng asked.
Gu Qingqiu chuckled. “It’s rare to see you flustered.”
Gu Qingfeng: “…”
The two had been at odds since childhood, embodying the phrase “love-hate relationship” to the fullest.
“I’m hanging up,” Gu Qingfeng said, pulling out her trump card.
Only then did Gu Qingqiu speak unhurriedly. “I already told you, I went to a funeral, and someone mentioned it. You still think I investigated you?”
Gu Qingfeng didn’t respond.
“You wanted to be a star without even changing your name, insisting on becoming a famous one. If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have gone to this funeral today.”
“What does that have to do with me?” Gu Qingfeng asked.
“Cheng Zimo was looking into you. I gave him a little warning,” Gu Qingqiu said coolly, referring to the matter. “I cut off one of his business deals. But since he’s an old classmate, I couldn’t make things too tense.”
Gu Qingfeng laughed as if she’d heard the funniest joke. “You care about that?”
“Don’t you want to know who came to me?” Gu Qingqiu countered.
Gu Qingfeng’s mocking tone vanished. After a pause, she said, “Tell me.”
“That woman mistook you for me,” Gu Qingqiu said, amused by the other’s certainty. “She even thought you had your mole removed on purpose to avoid recognizing her.”
Gu Qingfeng: “…”
When she didn’t respond, Gu Qingqiu asked, “Did you fall for her?”
Gu Qingfeng remained silent.
But Gu Qingqiu continued, “Don’t forget, you still have an arranged engagement. Xiao Feng, you’ll be meeting them soon.”
“I’m not going,” Gu Qingfeng said. “What era is this? Why isn’t it you? Just because you dated first? But you’re single now.”
“Your resistance is futile,” Gu Qingqiu said. “Accept your fate.”
Gu Qingfeng: “…Bullshit.”
After hanging up, Gu Qingqiu sent another message: [I saw the girl you mentioned. Who is it you actually like?]
Gu Qingfeng: [?]
Gu Qingqiu: [Not into her anymore?]
Gu Qingfeng: [I don’t even know who you’re talking about.]
Gu Qingqiu: [Jiang Ciyi, the married one.]
Gu Qingfeng sent a string of angry emojis, barely stopping herself from driving over to confront Gu Qingqiu.
Finally, she clarified: [I don’t have a hobby of stealing other people’s partners.]
She had only found Jiang Ciyi appealing and thought she’d take a chance.
When Jiang Ciyi rejected her, she let it go.
But in Gu Qingqiu’s hands, it had morphed into some scandalous affair.
Gu Qingfeng asked: [Don’t you think she looks a lot like Mommy?]
Gu Qingqiu’s mind conjured Jiang Ciyi’s face, along with Xu Congshi’s comment.
A face similar to Jiang Ruoci’s, a voice similar to hers.
Could this… be a coincidence?
Suddenly, a sharp pain stabbed through Gu Qingqiu’s head, as if pricked by a needle. Her mind went blank. She closed her eyes, pressed her temples, and leaned back.
Shen Qingxue, sitting beside her, asked with concern, “Sister Qingqiu, what’s wrong?”
It took a while for Gu Qingqiu to recover. She exhaled lightly. “It’s nothing serious.”
“Are you staying up late again?” Shen Qingxue said. “If you keep pushing yourself like this, I’ll have to tell your moms.”
“Don’t,” Gu Qingqiu said casually. “My ears will grow calluses.”
As she responded to Shen Qingxue, she tried to recall—what had she been thinking about?
She couldn’t remember.
It felt like something had slipped her mind.
Gu Qingqiu furrowed her brows, thinking hard, but nothing came to her.
Shen Qingxue had already changed the subject. “Why didn’t you tell Sister Feng that her arranged match is from the Xu family?”
Gu Qingqiu glanced at her. “You know about it?”
“There were only so many people at the table.” Shen Qingxue said with a smile. “During the meal, the way she looked at you was like she wanted to slice you up.”
“She’s not exactly subtle,” Gu Qingqiu said. “Xiao Feng hasn’t really fallen for anyone before. She needs time to figure out her feelings.”
“Or maybe you just want to see her make a fool of herself?” Shen Qingxue teased. “I’m jealous of you sisters.”
“Is Shen Luo bullying you again?” Gu Qingqiu caught the keyword sharply, her tone cold. “You don’t have to keep swallowing your grievances.”
“No,” Shen Qingxue shook her head. “I’m used to it.”
“That’s not a good habit,” Gu Qingqiu said.
Shen Qingxue fell silent.
Her dynamic with Shen Luo was different from the Gu sisters. Shen Luo always outshone her, excelling in everything. Their father favored Shen Luo, and most of the Shen family’s fortune would likely go to her. If Shen Luo married into the Gu family, Shen Qingxue’s prospects would be even dimmer.
Fortunately, no one in the Gu family liked Shen Luo.
Perhaps it was because Shen Luo’s aura clashed with Gu Qingqiu’s, or maybe because Shen Luo had once bullied Lu Xishi, making Gu Qingqiu despise her.
Thus, the chances of Shen Luo marrying into the Gu family were slim.
But the Gu family didn’t care for Shen Qingxue either.
Each of the three Gu sisters had sharp edges and distinct personalities. No scheme or motive could escape Gu Qingqiu’s keen eyes.
So Shen Qingxue didn’t play games; she simply stayed close to them.
Not wanting to seem like a gossip in front of Gu Qingqiu, Shen Qingxue quickly changed the topic. “Is Sister Feng also interested in Miss Jiang?”
“What, you’re interested too?” Gu Qingqiu asked.
Shen Qingxue nodded. “I don’t know why, but seeing her makes me think of Aunt Jiang.”
Gu Qingqiu pursed her lips, saying nothing.
“I chatted with her before. She’s very refined,” Shen Qingxue continued. “I don’t know if it’s because she resembles Aunt Jiang or because she speaks so thoughtfully, but I feel a sense of closeness to her.”
Gu Qingqiu’s expression shifted abruptly. She said sternly, “Qingqing, watch your words.”