Volume One, Chapter 16: The Infamous Double-Standard Man

I was full of surprise. "Xu Zhengnan? You saw him?"

"Are you still pretending not to know? I saw you both on the livestream," Shen Yixiao said with a dark expression. "If Su Ying hadn't told me, I would have been kept in the dark. Back when you chose me, do you regret it?"

Looking at the stormy expression on his face, I glimpsed a mixture of insecurity and obsession. He was all too aware that his background couldn't compare to Xu Zhengnan's. We had endured hardships together from the start, and he feared I would regret my choice.

After all, if I had chosen Xu Zhengnan, my life would have gone smoothly.

I did regret it, but I could never say so.

Shen Yixiao's background and experiences had shaped a flawed character, one absolutely unable to accept the truth.

If that happened, I wouldn’t be able to stay.

"Show me your chat history with Su Ying," I said, extending my hand.

Shen Yixiao opened the chat. It turned out someone was livestreaming at the art exhibition. Since Su Ying couldn't attend, she watched from home and happened to see me and Xu Zhengnan.

But Xu Zhengnan and I were one after the other, with no interaction—like strangers.

The only greeting moment wasn’t captured on camera.

I feigned surprise. "He was really there? I had no idea. I went alone, and you should have seen—I didn’t even touch him."

"Really?" Shen Yixiao was skeptical. "I gave you two invitations. Su Ying was at home watching the livestream, so she definitely didn’t go. Who did you give the other one to?"

I pulled out the remaining invitation from my bag and looked straight into Shen Yixiao’s eyes without a hint of guilt. "This one is here. I didn’t want to go with Su Ying, so I went alone."

Seeing the invitation in my hand, Shen Yixiao was briefly stunned but then his expression softened.

I truly didn’t know Xu Zhengnan was there, so I had a clear conscience.

I just found it ironic that Shen Yixiao, who had long since emotionally and physically strayed, was so harsh about my every move. Even when Xu Zhengnan and I appeared in the same frame, he rushed over anxiously to pull me away.

Such hypocrisy. Sometimes I admired couples who each did their own thing, at least they gave each other freedom.

Shen Yixiao couldn’t be wholeheartedly devoted, yet feared I would betray him like he betrayed me.

His selfishness was vivid.

"Sorry, I was too nervous," he said, finally relaxing when he saw no sign of trouble on my face. With a helpless look, he took the invitation and changed the subject. "Why didn’t you go with Su Ying?"

I frowned. "That dress was ruined when she tried it on. I almost embarrassed myself, and she won’t admit it. I’m still upset."

Shen Yixiao didn’t like Su Ying. For women he was interested in, he might show some enthusiasm, but for someone he disliked—especially one who occasionally sent him flirtatious signals—he was very repelled.

He wasn’t a fool. He could see through Su Ying’s occasional genuine feelings but only tolerated her out of respect for me.

After all, she had never formally confessed.

Hearing my words, he became angry. "Why did she try it on? Honey, you’re too nice to her. Just make her pay for it!"

"She can’t afford it. By the way, Yixiao, that day Secretary Lu was wearing a white dress similar to mine. I heard it’s from the same brand. How much do you pay her? She can actually afford such things?" I abruptly shifted the topic to Lu Xiaoyun.

Shen Yixiao’s expression changed immediately. "Really? I didn’t even notice when she was beside me."

"You didn’t notice she wanted to give me her dress?" I said, incredulous.

Shen Yixiao smiled wryly. "Honey, you looked so beautiful that day, how could I pay attention to other women? Secretary Lu probably bought a knockoff. Those aren’t expensive."

I pretended to understand. "Right, it must have been a knockoff. That’s why I realized I don’t like wearing clothes others have worn—I just threw it in the trash."

Shen Yixiao frowned. That dress was expensive, and since it was a gift to Lu Xiaoyun, throwing it away would sting.

What if Lu Xiaoyun demanded compensation?

His fondness for Lu Xiaoyun was mostly physical. As for money, he was willing to spend, but there was definitely a limit.

This was something he had confessed to me after I caught him cheating in a past life.

"Well, if you threw it away, you threw it away. If she wants compensation, I’ll pay her directly," Shen Yixiao said, clearly wanting to drop the subject. He tossed the invitation aside and looked at the painting I was holding. "Did you pick this out today?"

I nodded, not saying more, and opened the painting to find a place to hang it.

It was an ink painting with a dark tone: a withered red rose, a woman crying, and in the distance, a gloomy sky. The black coastline seemed ready to swallow her whole.

Seeing the painting, Shen Yixiao was surprised. "Why do you like this style now? It looks... quite gloomy. Honey, I’m worried about you. How about I take you to see a psychologist?"

"I just think the story is a warning: a woman abandoned by love, betrayed, with a world like this. Though I haven’t lived her story, I inexplicably feel for her," I said deliberately, watching Shen Yixiao’s reaction.

As long as I didn’t mention Lu Xiaoyun, Shen Yixiao remained calm. He sighed, "True, but don’t worry, honey, I would never let you suffer like she did."

Then he packed the painting away. "Don’t hang that in our home. It’s unlucky. You suit sunny, bright styles. Don’t bring bad vibes here."

I said nothing, watching him hand the painting to a servant, instructing them to store it safely.

When Shen Yixiao went to the study, I had the servant bring the painting back and hung it in my studio’s most prominent spot, because the woman in the painting really resembled me.

—

After Lu Xiaoyun’s vacation, Shen Yixiao’s time at the company began to delay again.

He lazed in bed like old times, wrapping his arms around me from behind, his breath warm and damp against my ear. His body was hot and hard like iron. I felt uncomfortable but didn’t pull away.

"Honey, it seems we haven’t been intimate for a while. You keep rejecting me," he whispered in my neck. His hoarse voice would sound incredibly sexy to anyone else.

But I was triggered, as if someone had touched a forbidden place inside me. A fire ignited in my heart.

Was Shen Yixiao burning with desire on Lu Xiaoyun’s bed like this?

I threw off the covers, slipped from his arms, and got up, turning my back to him. "I told you I’m on medication and can’t have sex. How come you don’t care about me at all now?"

I struck first to catch him off guard.