After Being Cheated, I Had a Flash Marriage with My Ex's Aunt - Chapter 1

The wind chimes let out a crisp, melodic tinkle, followed immediately by a cheery greeting.

“Welcome to Coco’s Florist!”

The shop owner, Li Ke, looked up. Her face brightened when she saw Li Sui. “Sui-sui? What brings you by today?”

“I was just in the neighborhood.” Li Sui set a cup of milk tea down on the counter in front of her.

“Aw, thanks for thinking of me!” Li Ke beamed, happily popping the straw into her drink.

It was only then that Li Ke noticed how radiant Li Sui looked. Usually, Li Sui looked a bit washed out from pulling all-nighters over her manuscripts and rarely seeing the sun. Today, however, she had clearly put effort into her appearance.

Li Sui had a classic oval face, made striking by two beauty marks tucked near the corners of her eyes. Dressed in a simple, elegant white dress, she looked like a pristine blossom—natural, pure, and possessing a beauty that felt entirely unpretentious.

Used to being bare-faced, Li Sui felt a bit self-conscious under Li Ke’s gaze. “Xiaona’s flight gets in at four,” she explained softly.

“Oh, you’re picking her up!” Li Ke realized instantly. She hopped up to clear some clutter off a nearby chair. “Have a seat, then. I’ll go get your flowers ready.”

“It’s fine, I’ll pick them out myself,” Li Sui said with a smile, patting the girl’s shoulder before heading toward the flower beds.

Li Ke sipped her tea, watching Li Sui meticulously select stems. Every time Li Sui came in, it was for her girlfriend, Liang Xiaona.

Li Ke knew a fair bit about them because her older sister had been Li Sui’s college roommate. Liang Xiaona came from a wealthy family in Gandu. After graduating from Gandu University, she had become the General Manager of 3D Exhibition Planning at one of the city’s top ten firms. She was the “golden girl” of the business world, with a limitless future.

And yet, this privileged woman had supposedly fallen for Li Sui at an art gallery. She had spent months pursuing Li Sui relentlessly and had treated her with nothing but tenderness ever since they started dating. Most people said Li Sui was lucky to have “captured” such a woman with her looks, but Li Ke knew the truth.

Li Sui was a romantic at heart. She adored Xiaona and gave her everything. She saved up to buy little trinkets to make her smile. Knowing Xiaona had a weak stomach, Li Sui had studied medicinal cooking just to bring her nutritious lunches. Knowing Xiaona loved flowers, she learned the language of every bloom and insisted on hand-wrapping every bouquet herself.

Even when Xiaona was away on business, Li Sui called every day to check in. She never missed a holiday or an anniversary, buying expensive gifts without blinking an eye. It seemed that if Liang Xiaona so much as mentioned the moon, Li Sui would find a way to climb up and fetch it for her.

“Coco?” Li Sui returned with a bundle of roses, a hint of nervous anticipation in her eyes. “I actually have a favor to ask.”

Li Ke straightened up. “Anything! You know I’ve got your back.”

Li Sui leaned in and whispered a few instructions before quickly texting her an address.

“A proposal?” Li Ke gasped. “You’re going to propose today?”

Li Sui nodded shyly, picking up a pair of shears to trim the thorns. “The venue is already booked. I was hoping you and Mimi could come by tonight to be my witnesses.”

Li Ke blinked, then offered a slightly awkward smile. “Of course. Congratulations, Sui-sui.”

“Thank you.”

Just then, Li Sui’s phone buzzed. It was a bank notification for her monthly royalties. The adaptation rights for her manhua had brought in a figure even higher than last month’s.

Li Sui was a manhua artist. She often joked about being a “starving artist,” but her fans—including her best friend and #1 fan, Li Mimi—treated her like a god.

Mimi: Sui-sui! You’re incredible! You’re trending again!

Mimi: [Link: “The Cat Lady of the Museum” to be Adapted into TV Drama]

Mimi: Sugar mommy! Support me!

Li Sui could practically feel Mimi’s excitement through the screen. She laughed and sent Mimi a digital red packet.

Li Sui: Let’s celebrate together! O(∩_∩)O

Li Sui: By the way, I need you and Coco to be witnesses tonight~

Right on cue, she received a text from a real estate manager at Ningcheng Villas. They had a viewing scheduled for tonight.

Li Sui: I’ll be there by 6:30 PM. I’ll be coming with my girlfriend.

As she finished wrapping the bouquet, Li Sui’s mind drifted to the surprise she had planned. She wanted to take Xiaona straight from the airport to see the house. The ring was custom-made, the venue was set—everything had to go perfectly.

Ever since her mother passed away and her father abandoned her, Li Sui had lived a life of feeling like a burden in her aunt and uncle’s home. She had craved a place of her own for years. Liang Xiaona was her first love, and for two years, Li Sui had worked herself to the bone to save money. Since same-sex marriage had been legal for years, she wanted to make it official.

Xiaona had often mentioned how beautiful the Ningcheng Villas were and how happy they would be living there together. Li Sui had taken it to heart. Between her shop dividends and her new manhua contract, she finally had enough to buy it outright.

Smiling to herself, Li Sui left the flower shop early to beat the traffic. She sent Xiaona a message, but there was no reply. She must still be on the plane, Li Sui thought.

Her aunt called while she was driving. Li Sui hesitated before answering the Bluetooth headset.

“Sui-sui!” her aunt’s voice chirped. “Your cousin told me you’re proposing to Xiaona tonight?”

“…Yes.”

“Wonderful! Xiaona is such a catch; you have to lock that down. Once you two are married, our families will be connected. We’ll finally see some better days…”

Li Sui gripped the steering wheel, her mood cooling. “Auntie, I’m driving.”

“Right, right. Be careful! Your grandmother and I are waiting for the good news!”

Li Sui exhaled in relief when the call ended. She rarely visited home. Whenever her aunt called, it was always to probe about how much money she was making or to ask for “medical funds” for her grandmother.

She shook off the annoyance and focused on the excitement.

At the airport, Li Sui spotted Liang Xiaona immediately. She stood out in the crowd, looking chic in a beige sweater and wide-leg jeans, her long black hair flowing as she talked animatedly on her phone.

Li Sui’s heart hammered. She’s so beautiful. Look at her smile.

She imagined the look on Xiaona’s face when she saw her waiting. They had been together for two years, but they hadn’t quite taken “the next step” in their intimacy. After tonight, everything would be different.

Li Sui coughed to settle her nerves, planning to sneak up and surprise her. But then, she froze.

An unfamiliar girl was waving enthusiastically at Xiaona. She was also carrying a bouquet of roses.

Xiaona’s face lit up. She walked over and accepted the flowers, saying something Li Sui couldn’t hear. They looked like they had known each other for a lifetime.

The girl opened her arms, and Xiaona stepped into her embrace without a second of hesitation. Then, the girl grabbed Xiaona by the collar and pulled her into a deep, aggressive kiss.

Li Sui felt her heart drop into her stomach. Xiaona didn’t pull away; she pulled the girl closer, deepening the kiss.

The terminal was noisy, but the sound in Li Sui’s head was a deafening roar. She wanted to move, to scream, but her feet felt like they were made of lead.

She had come here with a ring in her pocket and a heart full of hope.

Since when? How long has she been with someone else?

She stood there long after they had walked away, hand-in-hand. She looked down at the roses in her hand, then at the velvet ring box in her pocket.

What a joke.

******

At 10:00 PM, Li Sui finally got a text from Xiaona.

Xiaona: Meet me at our usual spot. We need to talk.

Li Sui felt a cold, hard lump of anger in her chest. She grabbed a small jacket and headed out to the cafe near her apartment.

The lighting inside was dim and amber-hued, playing soft jazz. Li Sui sat across from Xiaona and dropped a plastic bag on the floor by her feet.

Seeing Li Sui’s pale face, Xiaona started to speak. “Sui-sui—”

“You said you had something to tell me,” Li Sui interrupted. “Go ahead.”

“Sui-sui…” Xiaona caught the edge in her voice and rubbed her nose nervously. “I’m sorry. I was so busy on this trip. I came to see you as soon as I got back to Gandu. Are you mad?”

“Don’t lie. It’s pathetic.” Li Sui’s smile was sharp and mocking. “I saw you at the airport, Xiaona. I saw the cheating with my own eyes.”

Panic flashed across Xiaona’s face, but it was quickly replaced by a strange sort of calm.

“I’m sorry,” Xiaona said, her voice dropping into a tone of “sincere” regret. “But Sui-sui, I really did want to be with you. It’s just… I want a certain kind of life. Su Tan is wealthy, and her family loves me. Being with her gives me the future I actually want. You understand, right?”

Every word was a jagged blade. Li Sui stared at her. “Oh. So you think I’m poor.”

Xiaona frowned, her voice softening into a patronizing plea. “I know I hurt you. But believe me, I still like you. If you want, we don’t have to end our… arrangement.”

“Who would want to continue anything with you?” Li Sui felt a wave of nausea. She grabbed the plastic bag from the floor and slammed it onto the table. The heavy thud cut through the cafe’s music, drawing stares from other patrons.

“Liang Xiaona, we are done.”

“I…” Xiaona stood up, trying to save face. “Wait, let me explain. I don’t want to break up with you.”

When Xiaona tried to grab her wrist, Li Sui recoiled as if burned. “Don’t touch me. You’re filthy.”

“Li Sui!” Xiaona’s voice hardened. “Calm down. Do you really have to make a scene?”

“You’re the one who cheated, and you’re worried about a scene?” Li Sui’s eyes darted to the coffee cup on the table. She reached for it.

Xiaona paled, flinching as if she expected a face full of hot liquid. “You… you’re going to regret this!” she hissed before turning and fleeing the cafe.

Li Sui watched her run, finding it almost funny. Regret? She only regretted not leaving sooner.

Walking out into the night air, Li Sui felt a crushing sense of loneliness. She didn’t want to go home to an empty apartment. She wandered until a neon sign caught her eye: The City That Never Sleeps Bar.

She had never been the type to drink away her sorrows, but tonight, she wanted to forget.

She ordered the strongest thing they had. One glass became two, then three. She was tipsy, but the image of Xiaona’s smug, cheating face remained crystal clear. Tears began to track down her cheeks.

“This is fake alcohol,” she muttered. “I’m not even drunk yet.”

A waiter passing by noticed her crying and tried to be professional. “Ma’am, I think you’ve had enough. Should I call someone to pick you up?”

“I don’t want to go back…” Li Sui’s head spun. “I’m so talented, but she doesn’t like me… says I’m poor… I’m not poor…”

Muttering to herself, she tried to stand up to head to the bar, but her knees buckled. Reaching out blindly, she grabbed someone’s arm. The momentum pulled both of them down onto a nearby velvet sofa.

“Oof!” Li Sui cried out.

The “victim” was Bai Shuyi. She had been at the bar handling a legal case for the owner and was just about to leave when she was tackled from behind.

Bai Shuyi looked down at the “culprit” in her arms—a young, beautiful girl with tear-streaked cheeks.

Their eyes met.

The shock of the fall cleared Li Sui’s head for a split second. She realized the gorgeous woman beneath her had actually shielded her during the fall.

Li Sui stared, dazed by the woman’s elegance. “Sister… you’re so pretty. Are you single?”

Support After Being Cheated, I Had a Flash Marriage with My Ex’s Aunt