Chapter 7 Poaching Someone’s Husband

“Just now you said you lost something at my wife’s place?”

“A bracelet. It was left to me by my grandmother. It’s not expensive, but it’s incredibly meaningful and very important to me.”

Yu Xiangqiao made a small “hey” sound, about to ask what surprise Xu Lianghan had prepared for her, when a familiar voice came from across the way.

She let out a surprised “huh?”—why was Bing Qingxue with her husband? Were they planning to give her a surprise together?

Then she heard Xu Lianghan say, “Is that so? Something so important got lost—and it ended up in my wife’s bag? What a coincidence. And you specifically came while my wife is in confinement. Tell me, are you really looking for the bracelet… or… for me?”

Yu Xiangqiao: Is her husband too self-absorbed? Would Bing Qingxue even be interested in him? If she liked him, she wouldn’t constantly speak ill of Xu Lianghan in front of her, teaching her how to prevent him from cheating and hurting her feelings.

Bing Qingxue flinched, smoothing the stray hair by her ear, turning her best side toward him to cover her nerves. “Y-You… why would you think that? I really am here for the bracelet. The reason I came at this moment is just because I suddenly remembered. I hadn’t noticed it before… I also came to see you while I was at it.”

“Such an important bracelet, and you could forget it? Then it doesn’t seem that important after all. Since it ended up in my wife’s bag, you could have just asked her directly. Why come to me? What, you think I, as a man, know exactly how many bracelets my wife has?”

Yu Xiangqiao: Right, if you lost something, you could ask me. Why do you have to ask my husband?

Only now did Yu Xiangqiao become alert, sensing something was off.

It couldn’t be that Bing Qingxue came to “test” her husband, deliberately choosing the moment when she was ten months pregnant, in confinement, to see how he would react, could it?

“Xiangqiao is in confinement. She doesn’t need to worry about these little things. I already know you care for your wife. Don’t you know how to care for yourself too?”

Xu Lianghan smiled, tugging at his tie lazily, leaning back in the chair behind his desk, speaking slowly and deliberately: “Well, I really must thank you. My wife is going through such a hard pregnancy, and you’re here caring for me—good morning, good night, reminding me to dress appropriately with weather changes… I thought you had some ulterior motive, but looks like I misunderstood.”

With a teasing smile, his tone became casual: “Since that’s the case, forget it. You’d better leave, so my wife doesn’t find you here, alone with me, and misunderstandings don’t happen.”

A mature man is incredibly charming, especially one so rich and handsome.

Xu Lianghan was strikingly handsome, bearing a strong resemblance to his mother—otherwise, his father would never have been won over by her, fooled into marriage, and fathered Xu Lianghan.

Sadly, beauty and fate are cruel. After learning she had been deceived, Xu Lianghan’s mother fell into depression and passed away prematurely.

His neat short hair, sword-like brows, phoenix eyes… when he smiled, the corners of his eyes lifted slightly, full of charm.

And with a deliberately teasing glance, it was enough to make hearts flutter.

Bing Qingxue, already guilty in her heart, felt a flutter at the sight, her face flushed, her voice softening as she spoke: “I said, Xiangqiao is in confinement. She doesn’t need to be troubled. You could have come with me to her room to look. If you really find it, I’ll be sure to thank you properly. You can decide how I thank you, it’s just…”

She paused, as if embarrassed: “No matter what, Xiangqiao and I are best friends. I don’t want to hurt her. So even though I like you, I didn’t dare show it, always speaking ill of you in front of her, just in case she noticed my feelings.”

Yu Xiangqiao was shocked.

What?!

Bing Qingxue deliberately spoke badly about her husband in front of her because she liked him?!

Yu Xiangqiao felt completely unsettled.

“You really are… cunning, aren’t you?” Xu Lianghan laughed, confident that his wife had heard everything.

He just didn’t know how she would react.

Xu Lianghan said, “No wonder my wife always thinks we don’t get along, always praising you in front of me—how kind, gentle, and virtuous you are. Her ‘best friend in the world,’ huh? Turns out, a best friend is someone who tries to steal someone else’s husband?”

Bing Qingxue’s eyes instantly reddened. “How can you say that? When did I steal someone else’s husband? I just… had feelings, but I didn’t… I can’t control my emotions. I did like you, but I kept my distance from you, didn’t I? When have I secretly gotten close to you behind her back? I never did. I only liked you—I’m not some lowly person. I tried so hard to control myself, and yet you say this? It’s too hurtful…”

A beauty crying is still beautiful.

Bing Qingxue knew the angles, how to cry to appear most pitiful, with “pear blossom tears.”

So she positioned her face toward Xu Lianghan to maximize her vulnerable appearance.

She displayed her fragility and inner struggle to him. Most importantly, the sense of guilt and moral conflict pierced her heart, keeping her tossing and turning night after night.

She only regretted that she hadn’t met him before she was married—it would have been wonderful if she had met him earlier.

She would compete fairly with Yu Xiangqiao.

“Too bad I met you too late.”

“It’s my fault, I shouldn’t have let my heart feel this. Don’t worry, I won’t let her know. Knowing that you love her, I will love her too, keep her happy, and treat her well for you…”

“I ask for nothing, just that you occasionally notice me, let me know you are aware of my feelings, so I can silently watch and accompany you from the corner. That’s enough.”

This utterly devoted confession infuriated Yu Xiangqiao on the other end of the phone.

She shouted, “Bing Qingxue, you vile woman! You actually tried to steal my husband?!”

“I’ve treated you so well. Are you worthy of me?”

“Bing Qingxue, are you worthy of me?”

Overcome with emotion, Yu Xiangqiao lost control, her anger surging, and she slammed the phone down.

She missed the latter half of the conversation.

Xu Lianghan clicked his tongue several times, clapped for Bing Qingxue, and mockingly lifted his chin: “Brilliant! Truly brilliant. But… what if your words were heard by my wife?”

Bing Qingxue froze, not understanding what he meant.

Xu Lianghan mischievously picked up the phone from the desk. “Sorry to say, I just called my wife, originally to ask if she found your things, but… it seems she heard everything. What should we do?”

Bing Qingxue’s eyes widened, face turning pale. “Y-You… how could you do this?!”

Panicking, she shouted into the phone: “Xiangqiao, don’t misunderstand! I do like your husband, but nothing happened between us. We’re both innocent—nothing happened. Really, Xiangqiao, speak! You know me. We’ve known each other for so many years. When have I ever lied to you? Xiangqiao, please… speak!”