After Being Cheated, I Had a Flash Marriage with My Ex's Aunt - Chapter 40

The moment the car door opened, Li Sui was met with Shuyi’s stunning face. Her heart skipped a beat, and a wave of guilt washed over her. Terrified that Shuyi would misunderstand, she offered a slightly awkward smile.

“Sister Shuyi, what are you doing here?”

“I’m here to take you home.” The tension in Shuyi’s body hadn’t dissipated. She stared at Cao Ying—who was standing nearby, posing slightly—with a tight jaw and a cold gaze. “Is she your friend?”

Li Sui shook her head frantically, drawing a clear line. “No! We definitely aren’t friends. We have no relationship whatsoever.”

Well, they did have a connection, but it was all tangled up because of Liang Xiaona. Li Sui just needed a second to figure out how to explain it.

“Hello, Lawyer Bai,” Cao Ying said. She felt a sudden chill, realizing Shuyi’s reputation for being icy was well-earned. She let out a dry, mocking laugh. “I’ve heard so much about you. You might be misunderstanding; Ms. Li and I were just discussing some business. But since she’s busy now, I’ll take my leave.”

Li Sui watched Cao Ying’s silhouette disappear before turning back to Shuyi. “Sister Shuyi…”

Shuyi interrupted her, her tone flat. “Get in the car. I’ll drive.”

“Oh.” Li Sui nodded dumbly, thinking she could explain once they were moving. As she tried to climb into the back, Shuyi caught her wrist and firmly ushered her into the passenger seat.

Shuyi leaned into the car, hovering over her. The space suddenly felt incredibly cramped. Shuyi’s breath brushed against Li Sui’s cheek, making her go rigid, her eyelashes fluttering uncontrollably. Her heart was racing like a trapped bird, and she felt a flush creeping up her neck.

Just as Li Sui thought Shuyi was going to do something… bold, she heard the sharp click of the seatbelt being fastened.

Li Sui: “…”

Shuyi walked around and got into the driver’s seat, clicking her own belt in silence. The atmosphere was heavy. It was obvious Shuyi was sulking. Li Sui watched her cautiously, wondering how to start.

As Shuyi reached for the ignition, Li Sui pressed her hand down to stop her. “I really have nothing to do with her.”

Shuyi looked at her, remaining silent.

Li Sui shifted uncomfortably in her seat, her voice turning soft and urgent. “Sister Shuyi, you didn’t misunderstand, did you? Don’t be angry.”

Hearing that soft, pleading tone, Shuyi let out a tiny sigh and reached over to pinch Li Sui’s cheek. “What are you thinking? I’m not angry.”

“I’m being serious,” Li Sui insisted. She didn’t want Shuyi driving while upset; it was dangerous. She blurted it all out: “That was the first time I met her. She told me she was one of Liang Xiaona’s exes—the one she was cheating on while she was already cheating with Su Tan.”

Shuyi tilted her head and offered a satisfied smile. “I know.”

Li Sui froze. “Huh? Since when?”

Shuyi’s tone turned serious. “I told you last night. I found out it was Cao Ying who sent you those photos. She was Xiaona’s partner too, and she wants revenge. I was worried she would target you, and then I show up to find you sitting in a car with her.”

Li Sui let out a massive breath of relief. She had been so afraid of a misunderstanding. It turned out Shuyi wasn’t angry at her—she was worried for her.

“I’m being careful,” Li Sui said, turning her head so Shuyi could see the recording hair clip. She grinned. “Cao Ying sent me a ton of evidence showing Xiaona’s serial cheating. She wants to team up to ruin her. I think it’s a good idea, though it has its risks.”

Li Sui suspected that the original email revealing the “Bet Game” had also come from Cao Ying.

Shuyi frowned slightly. “You want to handle this yourself?”

Li Sui nodded firmly. “Yes. I want to do this one on my own.”

Selfishly, she didn’t want Shuyi to see the “vengeful” side of her. She wanted to remain the “sweet and kind” girl in Shuyi’s eyes. She didn’t want to be loathed for having dark thoughts.

“It’s dangerous,” Shuyi said, trying to persuade her. “You don’t need to take risks. I could just find a way to keep her overseas forever.”

Li Sui leaned in and whispered softly into her ear, “If I can’t handle it, I’ll ask you to clean up the mess for me, okay?”

Shuyi’s eyes flickered. She knew she couldn’t win this argument. “Fine. I’ll have someone keep an eye on things.” As long as they didn’t kill anyone, she could fix whatever happened.

Li Sui chirped happily and gave Shuyi a quick “peck” on the cheek. “Then let’s go! Sister Shuyi, homeward bound!”

That afternoon, Shuyi took Li Sui to the studio of the famous wedding dress designer, Zhu Mo.

Since the wedding was becoming a reality, Bai Zhilan had been busy with the grander preparations, but Shuyi had taken over the smaller details herself to save Li Sui from the stress. Zhu Mo, known as the “Wedding Queen,” was a celebrity designer whose luxury gowns were every woman’s dream.

When they arrived, Zhu Mo and her assistants were already waiting. “Lawyer Bai, Ms. Li, welcome.”

The process was smoother than Li Sui expected. She had already discussed the styles with Shuyi the week before, but seeing the physical gowns made it feel real. Today was for fittings and promotional “test shots”—a condition Zhu Mo had insisted on because she was so taken with the couple’s visuals.

Li Sui had to try on at least ten gowns. It was exhausting work that required multiple assistants to help her in and out of the heavy fabric. But despite the fatigue, seeing herself in a wedding dress next to Shuyi made her heart swell. It was the most unforgettable afternoon of her life.

She noticed every gown fit her perfectly—waist, bust, everything. She remembered Shuyi saying she “already knew” the measurements. At the time, she hadn’t thought much of it, but now she wondered… How did she know?

Shuyi’s gowns were part of a matching series. Every time they changed, they had their hair and makeup redone. At first, Li Sui was mesmerized. When Shuyi stepped out in a unique, avant-garde gown with a massive train, Li Sui couldn’t look away. She had no resistance to Shuyi’s beauty.

“Do I look okay?” Shuyi asked, though her eyes were on Li Sui. “I think you look stunning in that one.”

“Lawyer Bai, Ms. Li!” Zhu Mo ran over, beaming. “I love you two! Only elegant, intellectual women can bring out the soul of my designs.”

By the sixth gown, however, Li Sui was flagging. She was yawning uncontrollably. This was harder than a twelve-hour drawing session. She started to dread the multi-city photo tour starting the next day.

Their first stop was Xiamen—the place where they had met at the matchmaking event. Li Sui wanted to revisit the place where it all began.

Shuyi noticed her exhaustion and signaled the makeup artist to stop. She sat next to Li Sui, her voice tender. “Sui Sui, are you worn out?”

“Mhm?” Li Sui opened her eyes groatily and stretched. “I’m okay. What about you, Sister Shuyi?”

Shuyi looked at her thoughtfully. Li Sui’s makeup was perfect, but her lip color had faded from eating snacks earlier. Her lips looked soft—sweet. Shuyi knew exactly how they tasted.

Acting on impulse, Shuyi picked up a lipstick from the vanity. Her cool fingers touched Li Sui’s cheek as she began to apply it for her. “How about we save the last four sets for another day? We can push the photo shoot back a few days. Your health is more important.”

Li Sui went still, allowing Shuyi to touch her, but her hand gripped the armrest of the chair as a subtle tension took hold. “But… is that okay? You put so much work into the schedule.”

She knew a change like this meant the staff would have to work overtime to rebook flights and hotels.

Shuyi finished the application, admired her work, and handed Li Sui a mirror. “It’s more than okay,” she whispered. “As long as it’s what you want.”

“Okay.”

The next second, Li Sui took the lipstick from Shuyi’s hand. She leaned in slightly, her breath hitching as she carefully applied the color to Shuyi’s lips.

Li Sui loved this specific shade.

In that brief moment of focus, as she finished the application, she felt a sudden, primitive urge to just lean forward and kiss her. Fortunately, Shuyi’s voice pulled her back to reality just in time.

“Sui Sui, are you hungry?”

Shuyi had kept her eyes closed while Li Sui worked, a posture of total surrender. Realizing it was almost dinner time, she murmured, “Zhu Mo recommended a barbecue place nearby at the Ganjiang Night Market. Should we check it out? What do you think?”

“Cough.”

Li Sui cleared her throat twice, the tips of her ears turning pink. She quickly put the lipstick back in its place and answered dryly, “Sure. Barbecue sounds great.”

The mere mention of barbecue made Li Sui’s mouth water. She realized she had never actually gone out for street food with Shuyi before. Now that winter was setting in, she found herself craving spicy, savory food more often.

One of the best parts about living with Shuyi was how compatible their palates were. They could truly “eat into the same bowl.”

Li Sui had initially assumed that someone from Shuyi’s wealthy background would find street stalls and night markets unrefined or unhygienic. But Shuyi had proven her wrong at every turn. Whether it was her effortless skill in the kitchen, her dedication to finding the best local breakfasts every morning, or her knack for suggesting exactly the kind of hotpot or skewers Li Sui was craving… Shuyi was full of surprises.

If Shuyi hadn’t told her about her family history, Li Sui might never have guessed she was the daughter of the city’s richest man.

It was a sharp contrast to her time with Liang Xiaona. Xiaona hated spicy food and refused to eat anywhere that didn’t have a high price tag. Their dates were always at luxury hotels or “Instagrammable” trend-chasing restaurants where the lines were long and the food was mediocre.

Li Sui glanced at Shuyi, who was busy tidying up her things, and felt a surge of quiet happiness. She still found it hard to imagine the elegant, poised Shuyi sitting at a greasy plastic table in a night market, but she was dying to see it.

As they were changing into more casual clothes, Li Sui’s phone rang. The caller ID read: “Shorty”.

Li Sui’s heart skipped a beat. “Oh no! I completely forgot!”

Shuyi frowned slightly at the ringing phone and caught a glimpse of the nickname. “Forgot what?”

Li Sui gave an embarrassed laugh. “My friend was supposed to come over today. I promised her, but I completely lost track of time.”

They’d been out since early morning. Li Sui prayed that Qiao Zui hadn’t been waiting at her doorstep all day. How was she going to explain this?

She took a deep breath and answered. “Hello?”

“Carrot, I am so sorry!” Qiao Zui’s voice crackled with frantic apology. “I hope you haven’t been waiting for me all day! Something came up this morning and I completely forgot to check in. I’m still dealing with it, so I won’t be able to make it for dinner. Let’s reschedule, okay?”

Li Sui’s eyes lit up with relief. “Oh! Well, if you’re busy, don’t worry about it.”

“Sigh,” Qiao Zui continued. “I really hope you aren’t mad. I have so much on my plate lately; I didn’t mean to stand you up.”

Li Sui felt too guilty to admit that she had also forgotten. “It’s fine, really! Just let me know when you’re free. You’re welcome anytime.”

Qiao Zui sounded much better after hearing that. She started rambling about her day. “I actually found myself a legendary Master recently! She’s the most incredible, enlightened person I’ve ever met. Truly, our country is full of hidden talents hiding in plain sight.”

“Congratulations!” Li Sui said sincerely, remembering her own apprenticeship. “If you’re already a genius, your Master must be on a whole different level.”

Qiao Zui had been abroad for so long; finding a mentor so quickly upon her return felt like fate. She was bubbling over with excitement. “You have no idea! My Master is a big deal in the metaphysical world. Apparently, she has this incredibly successful ‘Senior Disciple’ too, though I don’t know who it is yet. Master said she’d introduce us tomorrow.”

While Li Sui listened, she noticed Shuyi standing quietly beside her. Shuyi was holding up her phone, silently gesturing for Li Sui to strike a pose so she could take a quick video.

Li Sui smiled and shook her head, pointing to her ear and mouthing: I’m on the phone!

“I’ll introduce you to her when I get the chance,” Qiao Zui finished before hanging up.

The moment the call ended, Shuyi stopped recording and leaned in close. “Your friend?” she asked, her voice light with curiosity. “That nickname, ‘Shorty’… you two must be very close?”

“Mhm.” Li Sui smiled. “We were classmates in high school. She went abroad and just recently came back.”

“An old friend, then,” Shuyi said casually. “We should make sure she gets a wedding invitation.”

“I already gave her one,” Li Sui replied. She knew Qiao Zui was aware of Shuyi—after all, Shuyi’s reputation was hard to miss.

Shuyi didn’t press further. She offered a small smile. “Alright then. Let’s go.”

They chose a barbecue stall in the night market that looked unassuming but was packed with locals. They ordered a mountain of skewers. Across from the stall was the Ganjiang River, its surface reflecting the shimmering city lights in a hazy, beautiful glow.

Li Sui was in high spirits. When the food arrived, she followed her old habit of taking photos of the spread.

“Want a selfie too?” Shuyi asked. She leaned into the frame, her shoulder pressing against Li Sui’s. “Is this angle okay for you, Sui Sui?”

Li Sui felt her back straighten instinctively at the contact. Once the photo was taken, she looked down to check it.

Shuyi, however, was only looking at Li Sui. To her, her wife looked far more appetizing than the barbecue. The lighting in the stall was dim, but Li Sui’s pale skin seemed to glow.

Li Sui looked up and caught Shuyi’s intense gaze. “Not full yet?”

Shuyi swallowed hard. “Not even close.”

“Then should we order more—”

Before Li Sui could finish, Shuyi leaned in closer, her gaze turning “dangerous.” Li Sui caught the meaning instantly and hid her blushing face behind her hands.

“Hahaha!” Shuyi let out a loose, relaxed laugh. My wife is so easy to embarrass. She made a mental note to keep teasing her—eventually, she’d get used to it.

As they were eating, a young woman walked up to their table. She was cute and had a sweet smile. She nervously held out her phone. “Hi! Sorry to bother you, but… could I get your contact info? I’d love to get to know you.”

Asking for Sister Shuyi’s number? Li Sui looked up, curious to see the “competition.”

Shuyi’s brow furrowed, and her voice turned uncharacteristically icy. “Sorry, I’m married.”

“Huh?” The girl blinked, then realized the mistake. She hurriedly waved her hands and turned to Li Sui. “No, no! I meant her! I think you’re so cute, could I have your number?”

Shuyi: “…”

The atmosphere turned hilariously awkward for a split second.

Li Sui’s smile froze. She noticed a group of girls at a nearby table watching them and giggling. Is this a ‘Truth or Dare’ thing? She hated those kinds of games. She gave a polite, firm shake of her head. “I’m sorry, I’m married too.”

Shuyi’s lips curved into a tiny, smug smirk.

The girl apologized profusely, her face turning bright red, and scurried back to her friends. The next second, Shuyi took Li Sui’s hand openly on the table, making sure their matching wedding rings were clearly visible for everyone to see. She felt a sudden, petty surge of pride.

Someone hit on my wife? Are they blind? Can they not see we’re a couple?

She decided their rings weren’t flashy enough. I’m buying her a diamond the size of a pigeon egg tomorrow. No one will ever doubt she’s taken again.

Li Sui noticed Shuyi’s dazed, calculating look. “What are you thinking about?”

Shuyi looked at her and reached out with a slender finger to wipe a stray crumb from the corner of Li Sui’s mouth. “Just thinking about how my wife is far too cute.”

So many rivals, Shuyi thought. But it’s fine. They’re all just passing distractions. I’m the only true match.

Support