After Being Cheated, I Had a Flash Marriage with My Ex's Aunt - Chapter 8

Li Sui and Li Mimi parted ways at the mall. Mimi, still fuming over Liang Xiaona’s thick-skinned behavior, offered one last piece of advice: “Next time you see her, don’t be polite. Just hit her.”

Li Sui nodded. “Don’t worry. I won’t be.”

Seeing that Li Sui genuinely looked better, Mimi patted her shoulder. “I’m just glad you’ve actually moved on. I was terrified you’d end up crawling back to her.”

“I won’t.”

Just as the words left Li Sui’s mouth, her phone rang. It was her assistant, Wenwen. A brand advertisement deal had been finalized, and they needed her to coordinate the content immediately. With a quick goodbye to Mimi, Li Sui rushed home to her computer.

She worked until she was cross-eyed. When her phone buzzed again and showed the caller ID “Lawyer Bai,” she hesitated for a few seconds before answering.

“Li Sui,” Shuyi’s characteristically gentle voice came through. “It’s me.”

“Ah, yes. Lawyer Bai, is something wrong?”

“Actually,” Shuyi said, her tone slowing slightly, “the sweatshirt you washed for me… there was a small protective amulet in the pocket. Did you happen to see it?”

“I did!” Li Sui remembered it immediately and felt a pang of guilt. “The jacket is clean and I have the amulet safe in a box. I meant to give it to you this morning, but I forgot it in my rush. Should I bring it over to you now?”

As she spoke, Li Sui’s hand habitually saved her latest manga drafts.

“No need,” Shuyi said softly.

“Oh? Is it not urgent?”

She could hear the hint of a smile in Shuyi’s voice. “I’m about ten minutes away from your neighborhood. Is it convenient for you to come out?”

Li Sui hung up the phone in a daze. She’s coming here? Now?

A second later, she shook her head to clear the cobwebs. She snatched the sweatshirt from the balcony and grabbed the small box containing the amulet. She was halfway out the door when she caught her reflection in the mirror and skidded to a halt.

Compared to the clean, put-together woman who had stood at the Civil Affairs Bureau that morning, the woman in the mirror was a mess. Her makeup was gone, her hair was a bird’s nest, and her oversized loungewear screamed “shut-in artist.”

She couldn’t let Shuyi see her like this.

She scrambled to tidy her hair and threw on a decent long-sleeved dress before racing out of the house.

The security at Ningcheng Villas was top-notch, and the environment was famously serene. As Li Sui stepped outside, she saw Shuyi’s familiar black sedan pulling toward the parking lot.

At this hour, the area was buzzing with activity. A nearby basketball court was filled with teenagers, their voices echoing through the sunset-drenched air. Soon, Li Sui spotted Shuyi standing near the court, her head tilted slightly as she watched the game.

That morning, Shuyi had been a powerhouse in a sharp white suit. Now, she was dressed in a simple white T-shirt and joggers. It was a casual look, yet she carried a sense of effortless, relaxed grace. The setting sun behind her cast long shadows on the ground, bathing her in a warm, golden glow.

She really is beautiful, Li Sui thought, her heart giving a little flutter. And she’s my wife. I really hit the jackpot.

Li Sui’s steps felt lighter as she approached. “Did you just get off work?”

Shuyi’s gaze lingered on her for a moment, her eyes softening. “Yes. Just now.”

Li Sui handed over the bag. “I’m so sorry. I forgot to give these to you earlier.”

“It’s not too late,” Shuyi said, taking the bag. She looked at Li Sui with a serious, focused intensity. “I’ve been thinking… I’d like to move my things in today.”

Li Sui paused. So soon? She didn’t ask why. Instead, she nodded with a smile. “Of course! Is your luggage in the car? I’ll help you carry it.”

Li Sui looked toward the parking lot and saw a middle-aged woman in a professional suit walking toward them.

“Hello, Boss’s Wife!” Xiao Li, the secretary, greeted her with a cheery, practiced familiarity. “I’m Xiao Li. If you need anything, just let me know.”

Li Sui realized this must be Shuyi’s secretary. “Hello. I’m Li Sui. You can just call me by my name.”

“You got it, Boss’s Wife!”

Li Sui: “…”

At Xiao Li’s signal, a moving van opened its doors. Four or five workers began efficiently moving large boxes into the villa. Shuyi’s luggage was surprisingly sparse; everything was moved in within two trips. Before Li Sui could even offer them a drink, Xiao Li had expertly ushered the movers away, leaving the two of them alone.

“That was fast,” Li Sui noted.

“I don’t have much,” Shuyi explained. “And it’s past Xiao Li’s clock-out time; she’s very efficient when she wants to get home.”

“I can see that.” Li Sui gestured for Shuyi to come inside.

The villa was spacious and well-designed, with three floors, a private garage, and a courtyard perfect for gardening. As Li Sui showed her around, she told Shuyi to pick whichever room she liked and to let her know if they needed any new furniture.

Shuyi seemed pleased with the arrangement but looked around curiously. “Where are the two cats you mentioned?”

Li Sui scratched the back of her head. “They’re at my friend’s house. I’m picking them up tomorrow.” Since she’d only just moved in herself, she hadn’t wanted to stress the cats out while she was still unpacking.

By the time they finished the tour, night had fallen. It was dinner time.

Li Sui was a night owl; she usually started her “work day” in the afternoon and had an alarm set for 5:30 PM to remind her to eat. Without a solid dinner, she’d never make it through her night shift.

“Have you eaten yet?” Li Sui asked. “I know a good Sichuan place nearby if you’re hungry.”

Shuyi smiled and walked toward the kitchen. “I usually eat something simple in the evening. Do we have ingredients in the fridge?”

Li Sui watched her, surprised. Shuyi didn’t look like the type who spent much time in a kitchen. “I think I have a pack of frozen dumplings and wontons?”

Shuyi was already opening the refrigerator. She looked over the options and settled on a bag of pork, corn, and shrimp wontons. “How about I make these? You can try my cooking.”

“Sure!” Li Sui’s eyes brightened. She loved wontons.

The kitchen was open, separated by a glass door that allowed Li Sui to watch Shuyi work. Li Sui rarely cooked for herself, and standing by while someone else did the work felt awkward.

“Um,” Li Sui poked her head into the kitchen. “Do you need any help?”

“No, it won’t take long.”

And so, Li Sui sat at the dining table and watched the beautiful woman cook. It was a strange, indescribable feeling. They had known each other for less than a week, and yet here they were. Shuyi, despite her cold, professional exterior, was proving to be remarkably gentle and domestic.

The kitchen was quiet. Shuyi, sensing Li Sui’s gaze, felt a tiny smile tug at her lips as she added sesame oil to the pot. When the water boiled, she dropped the wontons in one by one, stirring them slowly. She began preparing the bowls with seasonings—though she noted the kitchen lacked even a single stalk of green onion.

“Do you want chili?” Shuyi asked, looking back at Li Sui.

Li Sui snapped out of her trance and touched a small blemish on her lip. “No, better not. No spicy food tonight.”

“Alright.”

The savory aroma of the wontons soon filled the air. Li Sui’s stomach growled. Smells amazing.

“I saw the message you sent,” Li Sui said, trying to find a topic of conversation as she watched Shuyi. “I told you about my situation—my grandmother is my only close family. If you have time in the next few days, would you be willing to go back to my hometown with me to visit her?”

Shuyi didn’t stop her movements. “I’m free tomorrow.”

She turned off the stove and deftly ladled the wontons into bowls. Li Sui stood up to set out the chopsticks. “You don’t need to bring anything; just coming with me is enough.”

Shuyi smiled. “Okay.”

She set the steaming bowl in front of Li Sui. “Careful, it’s hot.”

Li Sui’s attention was immediately seized by the food. The wontons were plump and perfectly intact, floating in a clear, fragrant broth.

“Thank you.” She stirred the soup and took a bite. The thin skin and savory filling were a revelation. Lawyer Bai actually has some skills.

Shuyi watched her eat with a satisfied smile before sitting down across from her and beginning her own meal. They ate in companionable silence. As Li Sui reached the bottom of her bowl, she looked up at the woman across from her.

Good food, a beautiful dining companion—for the first time in a while, Li Sui felt completely content. She wiped her lips with a napkin and remembered a conversation she’d had with Mimi.

Mimi: “Did you sign a prenuptial agreement?”

Li Sui: “No.”

Mimi: “Why not? She’s a lawyer; if you divorce, she’ll strip you of everything.”

Li Sui: “I don’t plan on getting a divorce.”

Li Sui looked at Shuyi. She wanted to know where Shuyi stood.

“Lawyer Bai,” Li Sui started tentatively. “Since we’re married, should we sign some kind of agreement? You know, to keep our assets clear? You’d know more about that than I would.”

Shuyi’s spoon paused. She looked at Li Sui for a few seconds and offered a faint smile. “We’ve already registered. There’s no need for a prenup now.”

Li Sui looked at her seriously. “If you ever change your mind, just let me know.”

“I will.”

Dinner ended, and the garden lights flickered on outside. While Li Sui insisted on doing the dishes, Shuyi stepped out to take the trash to the curb. One person cooks, one person cleans, Li Sui thought. A fair division of labor.

When Shuyi returned, she found Li Sui waiting in the living room, looking hesitant.

“What is it?” Shuyi asked with a smile.

Li Sui held out a bank card. “This is for the household expenses. If we need anything for the house, just use this.”

Shuyi looked at the card and let out a soft, amused laugh. First the house keys this morning, now a bank card after dinner. She really is generous.

Seeing Shuyi hesitate, Li Sui added shyly, “I have my own reasons. I travel a lot for work, so I wanted to ask you to help look after the cats when I’m gone.”

“I have enough for the household,” Shuyi said, gently pushing the card back toward her. Then, she looked Li Sui in the eye. “By the way… for the wedding, would you prefer a traditional Chinese style or a Western one?”

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