After Being Cheated, I Had a Flash Marriage with My Ex's Aunt - Chapter 31

The sound of the water cut off abruptly.

Li Sui grabbed a towel to dry herself, only to be struck by a sudden, realization: she had been in such a rush to get into the shower that she’d forgotten to bring a change of clothes.

If she were living alone, she might have just walked out casually. But she had grown used to Bai Shuyi’s presence in the house. She still felt the need to maintain some sense of modesty.

After hesitating for a long while, she cracked the bathroom door open just a tiny bit and poked her head out.

“Sister Shuyi…?”

There was no answer. The house was quiet enough to hear a pin drop.

Li Sui tried again, raising her voice. “Bai Shuyi, are you there?”

Still nothing. She debated whether to make a run for it wrapped only in a towel, but the memory of the last time her towel slipped made her face burn with shame. She still wasn’t used to that kind of vulnerability.

Just as she was about to risk it, she heard footsteps.

“Sui Sui? I thought I heard you calling. Is everything okay?” Shuyi’s voice sounded urgent, almost apologetic.

Li Sui poked her head out again, only to lock eyes with Shuyi. For a moment, she completely forgot what she was going to say. The scent of body wash filled the room. Everything felt soft, warm, and fragrant.

Shuyi froze, her mind involuntarily flickering back to the “view” she’d caught last time. A strange, fluttering sensation rose in her chest, but she quickly realized she was staring and looked away.

Li Sui didn’t need to see Shuyi’s face to know she’d been looking. Flustered and embarrassed, she ducked back into the bathroom and slammed the door. Living with someone else is so complicated, she thought. Everything is embarrassing.

Before she could speak again, she heard the sound of a chair being moved outside the door. Then, Shuyi’s gentle voice drifted in.

“I put your pajamas on the chair. I’m heading downstairs now.”

“Oh?”

Li Sui was surprised. She hadn’t even told Shuyi she’d forgotten them, yet Shuyi had already anticipated it. She waited until the footsteps faded away before cautiously opening the door again. A set of folded pink pajamas sat quietly on the chair.

Pink?

Li Sui reached out with a damp hand and pulled them in. Not only were they pink, but they were covered in cartoon cats. She couldn’t help but smile; Shuyi really was something else. The silk fabric felt cool and comfortable against her skin. She spent a few minutes admiring herself in the mirror before heading downstairs.

She wanted to grab a glass of water and thank Shuyi, but she couldn’t find her anywhere. Instead, she found her phone lying on the sofa.

Checking her messages, her mood soured. Her aunt was asking about her grandmother’s medical bills and hinting that she and her cousin wanted to move to Gan-Du, subtly asking Li Sui to find them a job and a place to live. Her cousin was even more direct, sending a screenshot of a school trip announcement while “forgetting” to mention the cost of flights and hotels.

Li Sui sighed. Ever since she’d moved her grandmother to a nursing home in the city, her aunt had been calling constantly, pretending to care while actually asking for money. Li Sui felt a deep sense of gratitude toward her aunt for not kicking her out when she was a child, but she wondered when the debt would finally be paid. She didn’t bother replying.

Scrolling further down her list, she stopped at a contact with the nickname “Lazy Cat.” A wave of disgust washed over her.

35 minutes ago:

[Lazy Cat: Sui Sui, let’s meet at our old place.]

Seeing no reply, the messages continued:

[Lazy Cat: It’s Liang Xiaona. Tomorrow at 3:00 PM, I’ll be at our usual cafe. I know you’re angry, but we’re both married now. Since you returned my gifts, I shouldn’t keep yours either. ][Attached: Multiple photos]

Li Sui’s face hardened. She remembered now—this was the secondary account Xiaona had used when they first met. What was she playing at? Had the news about Su Tan’s status finally pushed her over the edge?

Li Sui clicked through the photos. They were gifts she had saved up for, carefully chosen based on Xiaona’s tastes. At the time, she had been so sincere. Now, she realized she’d been a fool, but she didn’t regret being kind; she only regretted who she’d been kind to.

If Xiaona wanted to return the gifts, fine. Li Sui could always sell them. But she knew Xiaona wasn’t just being polite—she was up to something.

She went back to the bedroom and called Qiao Zui.

“You want what?” Qiao Zui sounded shocked. “Are you sure?”

“Yes,” Li Sui said firmly. “A high-definition hidden camera. One that can live stream if possible.”

“Whoa, ‘Carrot,’ who are we taking down?”

“My ex-girlfriend,” Li Sui said tiredly.

“Oh, man!” Qiao Zui was already imagining the drama. “Tell me everything. What did she do?”

Li Sui didn’t hold back. She told her about Xiaona’s betrayal and the complicated reality that Shuyi was now technically Xiaona’s aunt.

Qiao Zui listened intently before offering some professional advice. “Dealing with a woman like that means taking away what she cares about most. But be careful. If you go public, it’s a double-edged sword. People might start digging into your life, your family, and even Shuyi’s. You could lose your privacy.”

Li Sui paused. “I won’t go that far unless I have no choice.”

Unknown to Li Sui, Qiao Zui was already looking at a file for another client: Bai Shuyi. Shuyi had also hired her to dig up dirt on Xiaona and Su Tan. It seemed both “wives” were planning the same thing.

Qiao Zui decided to play it safe. “Maybe skip the live stream for now. If you meet her, pick a spot with its own security cameras. Hear what she has to say, get the evidence, and let me handle the rest. I’m a professional.”

“I don’t want to be a bother,” Li Sui said.

“Don’t worry about it. I’m great at ‘anonymously’ leaking dirt. No one will ever know it was you.”

Li Sui felt a wave of relief. “How much do I owe you?”

“Forget about the money,” Qiao Zui said breezily. “I’ll get the camera to you tomorrow. Just remember: lead her on a bit during the conversation, but don’t let her catch you recording.”

After they finished talking shop, Li Sui remembered to ask about Qiao Zui’s grandmother. The line went quiet for a few seconds.

“The funeral was last week,” Qiao Zui said softly.

Li Sui’s heart sank. “I’m so sorry. Please, accept my condolences.”

“It happens to us all,” Qiao Zui said, her voice tinged with sadness before she quickly changed the subject. “By the way, you invited me over for dinner, right? Can I come by this Sunday?”

“Of course,” Li Sui said, her voice brightening. “You’re always welcome.”

As the call with Qiao Zui drew to a close, she suddenly remembered something. “By the way, I found something interesting regarding ‘Luo Zi Wu Hui’ (The Unregrettable Move). I’ve sent it to your email. Take a look when you have a moment.”

A ripple of emotion stirred in Li Sui’s chest. “Really?”

The moment they hung up, Li Sui hurried to her inbox. Sure enough, Qiao Zui had forwarded the findings. The files were extensive, including old chat logs dating back over a decade. When Li Sui saw that familiar nickname and the black Go stone avatar, she felt a wave of dazed nostalgia.

It was the same account!

The very one she remembered so vividly. Li Sui was floored—Qiao Zui was truly incredible to have tracked this down. Qiao Zui had mentioned before that the IP address wasn’t far from her current city, but after all these years, Li Sui had resigned herself to the idea that she’d never get to say “thank you” in person.

She had assumed that chapter was closed forever.

But as she scrolled through the data, her excitement was hard to describe. It turned out that before the account was deleted, the user had participated in an online Go tournament and achieved excellent results. The sudden deletion of the account back then had actually caused a minor stir in the Go community.

Li Sui didn’t remember the online drama; she had been too busy dealing with her mother’s domestic abuse lawsuit against her stepfather. She simply hadn’t had the mental space for anything else.

According to the files, many old-timers still remembered the nickname. Qiao Zui had reached out to some of them privately to piece together a profile of the person behind the screen.

Most remembered her as a “hidden hero,” someone who loved helping others. One player mentioned that she had played against “Luo Zi Wu Hui” and was certain the user was female. Judging by her skill level, most assumed she was a mature woman, likely older.

Within a small circle, she had a pet name: “The Rabbit.”

It was a nod to her playstyle—unexpected and sharp. She looked “soft and easy to bully,” but as the saying goes, even a rabbit bites when cornered. In her matches, she often left her opponents in tears.

There were also clues that she lived with family. During a live-streamed match years ago, she had briefly enabled her microphone to speak with the host for ten minutes. Her voice was lovely, though her face was never shown. In the background, listeners could hear a baby crying and an elderly woman’s voice soothing the child.

Because of this, the general consensus was that she was likely a middle-aged mother. During her time raising her children, she enjoyed Go and had a keen interest in the law, often offering guidance to people online.

Li Sui stared at the screen, whispering the name to herself: “Rabbit…”

It was a cute nickname. Even a rabbit bites when cornered.

Once she calmed down, Li Sui messaged Qiao Zui: “Thank you. This information is more than enough.”

Li Sui had tried to learn Go once, but she never quite grasped it—it was too profound, too deep. Her obsession with finding this person wasn’t about the game, though; it was about closing a loop in her own life. She wanted to say thank you to the person who had helped her younger self. She hoped “The Rabbit” was living a wonderful life somewhere out there.

*****

Liang Xiaona stood on her balcony, the night wind clearing her head. Though Li Sui hadn’t replied to her message from the burner account, Xiaona planned to wait at their “old place” tomorrow regardless.

She was certain Li Sui would show up. If Li Sui had truly moved on, she’d want to take back the expensive gifts she’d given over the years—otherwise, she’d risk Xiaona using them against her later. Xiaona was betting on Li Sui’s practical nature.

But as the minutes ticked by without a reply, Xiaona’s anxiety spiked. Just as she was about to snap and try calling her, Su Tan’s name flashed on her screen.

Xiaona’s eye twitched. She had completely forgotten about Su Tan.

The engagement had been a disaster, and Su Tan was currently the most volatile person in her life. Xiaona forced herself to stay calm; they were both clinging to the same piece of driftwood in a stormy sea. If Su Tan was truly kicked out of the Su family, Xiaona’s marriage would be worthless.

She took a deep breath and answered.

“Honey… can you come pick me up?” Su Tan’s voice was slurred, and the background noise was deafening.

Xiaona’s brow furrowed. “Are you at a bar?”

Su Tan wasn’t a bad drinker, but she was a “flirty” drunk. That was exactly how she had seduced Xiaona in the first place.

“I’m in a terrible mood,” Su Tan whined, her voice high and needy. “Waaaah… Honey, can you please come? I want to see you right now.”

“Where are you?” Xiaona asked, suppressing her anger.

Su Tan giggled for a long time before whispering, “Hee hee… I’m at the place where we first met.”

“Stop drinking,” Xiaona snapped. “And stay alert until I get there.” She hung up, her face darkening with frustration. She grabbed her coat and headed for the garage.

The bar was only a ten-minute drive away. When she arrived, the place was in full swing—rainbow lights, loud music, and couples huddled in every corner. As Xiaona walked in, several regulars recognized her as the famous “Lazy Cat” and threw her winks and waves.

In the past, Xiaona would have blown them a kiss and stayed for a drink, perhaps finding a new “conquest” for the night. But today, she had no appetite for it. She scanned the room and spotted Su Tan in a dark corner.

Su Tan was leaning across the table, deep in a slurred conversation with a woman sitting opposite her. As Xiaona approached, she saw Su Tan pout and pick up her phone to dial a number.

Xiaona hurried forward. “I told you to stop drinking and wait for me—”

The words died in her throat when the woman across from Su Tan looked up. Xiaona froze, her heart dropping into her stomach.

It was Cao Ying.

Cao Ying watched Xiaona with a lingering, predatory amusement. She picked up her wine glass and tilted it in Xiaona’s direction, her voice laced with delight. “Hi there, Queen Lazy Cat. Long time no see.”

Xiaona’s expression was a mask of calculated neutrality. Before she had been dared to “win” Li Sui, Cao Ying had been her primary partner. When she’d decided to try and take things seriously with Li Sui, she’d broken it off with Cao Ying.

But every time she came to this bar, she ran into her. The chemistry was always there, and eventually, under the influence of alcohol, they’d resumed their “benefits” arrangement. It wasn’t until Su Tan appeared that Xiaona had made a choice.

Li Sui was gentle, Su Tan was rich, and Cao Ying was pure, unadulterated passion. Not wanting to waste energy on three women, Xiaona had given Cao Ying a massive “breakup fee” and told her to stay away. She hadn’t been back to this bar in six months just to avoid the temptation.

“Long time no see,” Xiaona said, acting as if they were just casual acquaintances. She reached for Su Tan. “Tan-Tan, you’ve had enough. Let’s go home.”

As Xiaona helped Su Tan up, Cao Ying spoke up, her tone lazy and casual. “You know, I wonder if the ‘Great Miss Su’ would be interested in the history of our relationship. After all, we weren’t technically ‘broken up’ when you two started, were we?”

Xiaona went rigid. She turned to stare at Cao Ying, her eyes darkening. “Fine. How much do you want this time?”

*****

The Villa.

Shuyi sat on her sofa, her hair freshly dried. Her face was a mask of calm, but inside, her mind was a chaotic mess. She tried to tell herself not to overthink it, but that message on Li Sui’s phone was a thorn in her side.

Why does Li Sui still have her number? Are they still talking?

Li Sui had said she wouldn’t look back, but Shuyi feared the pull of a two-year history. She worried that Li Sui might go to the meeting without telling her. Where was this “old place”?

In two minutes, Shuyi had made up her mind: she was canceling her work meetings tomorrow. If Li Sui went to see Xiaona, Shuyi would be right behind her.

She marched to Li Sui’s bedroom door, hesitated for a split second, and then knocked firmly.

The door cracked open. “Sister Shuyi?” Li Sui looked surprised. “What is it? Why aren’t you asleep?”

Shuyi struggled to keep her voice steady. “Sui Sui… is there anything you want to tell me?”

“??” Li Sui blinked. At this hour?

Then, catching the intensity in Shuyi’s dark eyes, Li Sui assumed she was just being affectionate. She leaned out with a bright, shy smile. “Um… goodnight, Sister Shuyi. Sweet dreams.”

Shuyi’s eyelashes fluttered as she looked at Li Sui’s radiant face. Her voice dropped. “Mhm. Goodnight.”

Li Sui caught the flicker of disappointment in her eyes. On an impulse, she stood on her tiptoes and pressed a light, lingering kiss to Shuyi’s forehead. “Goodnight, Sister Shuyi,” she whispered, her lips curling into a grin.

Shuyi’s mind went blank.

She stood there long after Li Sui had closed the door, her hand rising to touch the spot on her forehead. The sensation of Li Sui’s damp, soft lips was so vivid it felt like it was burning. A flush spread across her face, hot and uncontrollable.

She could hear her own heart thumping in the silence of the hallway.

A kiss on the cheek at the flower house… and now a forehead kiss? Was that a goodnight kiss?

My wife kissed me twice in one day.

La la la.

Is there anyone in the world happier than me?

Shuyi looked at the closed door, her heart feeling so full she thought it might burst. The grin on her face was so wide it was impossible to hide.

Support