After Being Cheated, I Had a Flash Marriage with My Ex's Aunt - Chapter 6

Li Sui had only just hit “send” on her message agreeing to the marriage when her phone began to ring. It was Bai Shuyi.

Shuyi’s voice over the line was slightly raspy, the background behind her perfectly still. “When are you back in Gandu?”

Hearing that voice made Li Sui’s heart soften instinctively. “I’m on the morning flight tomorrow. I’ll be free after that.”

“I’m heading back tomorrow afternoon,” Shuyi said, her tone turning serious and professional. “If you have no objections, let’s meet at the Civil Affairs Bureau first thing the morning after next.”

“Alright. See you then.”

After the call ended, Shuyi’s voice continued to echo in Li Sui’s ears. Her memories of that night were fragmented, but she found herself thinking that if Shuyi looked that good, her voice surely must have sounded incredible that night too.

Cough. Li Sui quickly checked her wandering thoughts. To her, marriage was a lifelong commitment. Even if there wasn’t much “love” between them yet, since she had decided to do this, she intended to take it seriously.

As she headed to the bedroom, she noticed the gift bag on the sofa containing Shuyi’s sweatshirt. She pulled it out to inspect the stain; it was an eyesore. The hotel offered dry cleaning, but since she was leaving early, she decided to handle it back home.

She noticed the fabric was exceptionally high-quality and, upon checking the tag, realized it was a luxury brand. She only recognized the label because Liang Xiaona had been obsessed with it; Li Sui had once spent months saving up just to buy Xiaona a hoodie and sneakers from this very house.

As she went to put the shirt back, a small, red triangular protective amulet—a ping’an fu—slid out of the pocket. It was beautifully embroidered, though it looked somewhat weathered by time.

This must be important to Lawyer Bai, Li Sui thought. It was lucky she had checked the pockets. The amulet looked strangely familiar, much like the one her grandmother had given her years ago. She decided to return it when they met.

*****

The moment Li Sui returned to Gandu, she buried herself in work. After slacking off for a few days, she was under immense pressure to meet her publication deadline.

Time flew, and soon the day of their appointment arrived.

Li Sui pulled an all-nighter to finish her manuscript, then spent the remaining hours scrubbing herself clean and applying light makeup. She grabbed her documents and headed out. Within thirty minutes, she was at the Civil Affairs Bureau.

To her surprise, Shuyi was already there, looking cool and elegant.

“Have you been waiting long?” Li Sui asked, hopping out of her car.

Shuyi’s gaze lingered on Li Sui for a few beats. “I just arrived. Have you had breakfast?”

“I ate at home.”

Because it was early, the bureau was quiet. Li Sui looked at Shuyi, a sudden wave of nerves washing over her. “Lawyer Bai… are you absolutely sure about this?”

Shuyi seemed surprised by the formal title, then noticed Li Sui’s hesitant expression. Her voice softened. “If you haven’t fully made up your mind, I’m not in a rush.”

“It’s not that,” Li Sui said, choosing her words carefully. “It’s just… my family situation isn’t great. My parents passed away long ago, and my only close relative is my grandmother.”

Shuyi didn’t blink. “I make my own decisions regarding marriage. You have a wonderful personality; my family will like you.”

Li Sui nodded, took a deep breath, and fished a small box from her pocket. “Should I… put this on you?”

Inside the velvet box sat a pair of twisted-gold wedding bands. They were bright, simple, and refreshed—around six or seven grams each.

Shuyi was visibly surprised. “Alright. Put it on.”

It was the first time Li Sui had ever put a ring on someone. Her hand shook as she touched Shuyi’s skin, and the temperature of Shuyi’s finger felt startlingly hot. Still, she managed to slide the ring into place. Shuyi followed suit, placing the matching band on Li Sui’s finger.

Li Sui held up her hand to admire the ring. In the morning sun, the gold sparkled brilliantly. Even though she’d bought them in a hurry, she liked them far more than the diamond rings she’d picked out with her ex.

“Send me a photo of that later,” Shuyi reminded her.

“I will. Let’s go in.”

Inside the hall, the atmosphere was thin. A few young couples were queuing for divorces at the adjacent window, but the marriage counter was empty.

The clerk behind the desk frowned as the two women approached. Neither of them was beaming with the typical “newlywed” joy. Out of professional kindness, the clerk pointed toward the next window. “Divorces are handled over there, dear. This window is for weddings.”

Shuyi blinked, but before she could explain, Li Sui had already pulled out their IDs.

Li Sui offered a shy smile. “Hello. We’re here to get married.”

The clerk realized her mistake and apologized immediately. The rest of the process was surprisingly fast. They took their photos—though it took a few tries to get the posing right since they weren’t quite at the “lovey-dovey” stage yet—and within minutes, they were officially wives.

Li Sui held the warm, red booklet, staring at the name in the “Spouse” column: Bai Shuyi. A strange, indescribable happiness bloomed in her chest.

As they walked out of the building, Li Sui took a photo of the two booklets and handed one to Shuyi. “This one is yours, Lawyer Bai.”

“You can change the way you address me,” Shuyi said, her voice dropping into a tender, teasing hum. “I preferred what you called me last time.”

Li Sui blinked, her mind racing back to the bar. Wait… did I call her ‘Sister’?

Cough. Wanting to dodge the subject, Li Sui pulled a set of keys from her pocket. “I moved yesterday. These are the keys to my new place.”

Shuyi took the keys, her smile turning meaningful. “Then I’ll move in tomorrow.”

Li Sui froze. “Tomorrow?”

“Is it inconvenient?” Shuyi asked, her voice carrying a hint of feigned hurt. “I thought since we’ve registered, it’s only natural for us to live together.”

“It’s just…” Li Sui hesitated. “Are you allergic to cats? I have two—a cow cat and a blue cat. If we live together, I can’t give them away.”

Shuyi laughed, her worry vanishing. “I’m not allergic. My mother has cats, too.”

Li Sui exhaled in relief. Just then, Shuyi checked her phone. “Stay here, I’ll be right back.”

A minute later, Shuyi returned with a massive, vibrant bouquet of red roses. “I had a feeling you’d like these,” she said, her face glowing. “Happy wedding, Li Sui. I look forward to our life together.”

Li Sui was stunned as she took the flowers. They were breathtaking. It was a strange realization: she had received many flowers in her life, but this was the very first time someone had given her red roses.

“Happy wedding,” Li Sui whispered, her smile radiant. “Thank you. I love them.”

The atmosphere was perfect, and Li Sui was about to suggest they go see the house together, but Shuyi’s phone rang. It was work.

“I’m so sorry,” Shuyi said, looking genuinely apologetic. “I have to get to the office. Can we do dinner tonight?”

“Of course,” Li Sui agreed.

“I’ll drive you back first.”

“No need,” Li Sui smiled. “I have my car here. Go to work.”

“Drive safely, then.” Shuyi turned and headed for her car.

Li Sui watched her leave before heading to the parking lot, clutching her roses. She felt she should probably tell her grandmother and aunt about the marriage. She couldn’t keep it a secret forever.

Fifteen minutes later, she pulled into a shopping mall parking lot. As she looked for a spot, her gaze locked onto two familiar figures walking hand-in-hand.

Liang Xiaona and her new “soulmate.”

What a way to ruin a good day, Li Sui thought. I should have checked my horoscope before leaving the house.

*****

Meanwhile, Shuyi was speeding toward her office for a shareholders’ meeting she had delayed specifically to go to the bureau. As soon as she arrived, her mother called.

“Your second sister is back from her trip,” Bai Zhilan said. “What do you want for dinner? I’ll have the cook start early.”

“I have plans for dinner,” Shuyi said, flipping through her files.

“Honestly, Shuyi,” Zhilan grumbled. “Your sister is rarely home. Can’t the work wait? You have enough money; you won’t starve if you take one night off.”

“It’s not a business dinner,” Shuyi said calmly.

There was a stunned silence on the other end, followed by a burst of excitement. “Well! Bring them home, then! I’m not an unreasonable parent.”

“I’ll ask her opinion first,” Shuyi said with a light laugh. “But I have some bigger news for you.”

“What could be bigger than that?”

“I got the marriage certificate today. We’re official.”

“You… what?!” Zhilan was in shock. “I told you to hurry up, but this? This is reckless!”

“It’s not reckless,” Shuyi said, her eyes drifting to the house keys on her desk. “She’s excellent. I’m very satisfied.”

“Who is she?!”

“You’ll find out soon enough. I have to go to work now.” Shuyi hung up.

Her secretary, Xiao Li, stood nearby, her heart racing. She remembered her boss staring at the girl’s photo a few days ago. She had just discovered a massive secret.

Thirty minutes before the meeting, Shuyi looked down at the gold ring on her finger. She thought of Li Sui’s pure, honest face and smiled. Then, she opened her long-dormant family group chat.

[Image: The Marriage Certificate covers]

[Image: Their hands showing the matching gold rings]

Shuyi: Announcing some news. I am now a married woman.

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