Chapter 91

The two seemed to have made a habit of bickering with each other, as they started quarreling after exchanging just a few pleasant words.

Hou Jingjing pouted, "Is this how you treat a patient?"

Shen Tang immediately stood up straight and bowed 90 degrees, "I'm sorry, I was wrong! Can you forgive me, Miss Hou?"

Hou Jingjing gave a cold snort, "I don't forgive you. I'm in a bad mood today and have decided not to tell you the reason why I was targeting you earlier. I'll save it for next time."

Shen Tang: "..."

"Oh, don't be like that..."

"No matter what you say, I'm not telling you today."

Shen Tang clutched his chest and took a step back, feigning agony.

Don't ask her what kind of mood she was in. She was regretting it now, extremely regretting it.

As they continued chatting, Hou Jingjing couldn't help but think of Shen Tang's former reputation.

She exclaimed, "You're completely different from the rumors now..."

"Rumors can be good or bad. I used to be a rogue before, now I'm a pervert."

Hou Jingjing nodded in agreement, "I didn't expect you to be quite self-aware."

"Birds of a feather flock together. I just can't find any normal people around me."

Hou Jingjing quickly leaned back, trying to keep some distance, but ended up straining her wound and sucked in a breath of cold air.

"Ow!"

"Hey, be careful..."

"I'm fine, I can endure it..."

Shen Tang frowned and rang the bell, "It would be more convincing if you wiped away some tears while saying that."

Hou Jingjing wiped the corners of her eyes, but there were no tears.

She had been tricked again.

Soon, a nurse came to check on the wound. There was no major issue.

After chatting for a while longer, Shen Tang stepped out and found that Gu Huaian was missing.

After asking the nurse, he traced Gu Huaian's steps and found him hugging an elegantly dressed woman at the stairwell.

Shen Tang quickly hid himself, not wanting to see any more.

He couldn't clearly describe what he was thinking in that moment.

It was as if thinking: Oh, so he has such a close relationship with another person too!

So he would be like this with others too!

I'm not special after all.

Shen Tang told himself in his mind that Gu Huaian was only his sponsor father and contract husband. Everything was fake. His previously messy heart instantly calmed down.

On the other side, the woman was being pushed away, but she didn't seem embarrassed.

"Huaian, is this how you treat an old friend after not seeing each other for so long?"

Gu Huaian pulled up the corners of his lips, "Let's just talk. Don't get handsy."

The woman's lips curled up. "What, are you afraid your little girlfriend will misunderstand? She can't be that petty, can she?"

"Don't talk nonsense."

"Yes yes, she's not petty. My mistake." "She's not my girlfriend..."

The woman raised her brows, "Huh? Didn't they all say you've been doting on a female celebrity recently? Could she only be a mistress?"

"Not a mistress. She's my wife."

The woman's expression twisted for a moment before she forced herself to resume normal.

"How could you get married without telling me? I might get upset now."

"The wedding hasn't happened yet. I'll invite you when it does. I have things to do, so I'll get going first."

Gu Huaian didn't want to hear anything more from her and strode away with large steps.

He had heard Shen Tang's inner voice just now. He needed to explain things now. Since humans have mouths, they should be used for speaking.

After searching around for a while, Gu Huaian finally found Shen Tang downstairs.

He was being held onto by an old lady with silver hair. "Xiu Xiu, Xiu Xiu..."

Shen Tang patiently explained, "Grandma, I'm not Xiu Xiu..."

"Xiu Xiu, you've come back! Don't blame your mother. He wasn't a good man..."

Shen Tang looked helplessly at the young nurse, and she seemed just as helpless.

"I'm sorry. She has Alzheimer's disease and sometimes fails to recognize people. Xiu Xiu was her daughter who passed away over 20 years ago."

Shen Tang sighed and squatted down to hold the old lady's hand. "Xiu Xiu doesn't blame you..."

Although she didn't know what had happened, the fact that it still tormented her after over 20 years must have been very distressing.

Upon hearing Shen Tang's words, clarity instantly returned to the old lady's eyes.

"You're not Xiu Xiu..."

"She would never forgive me..."

"Grandma..."

The old lady wiped the tear stains from the corners of her eyes. "Young lady, what's your name? You look so much like my daughter."

"Grandma, my name is Shen Tang."

"Shen Tang... Shen Tang... What a nice name, such a nice name!"

Shen Tang lowered her eyes. Her name actually had a simple origin. She was so well-behaved and sweet-talking as a child that the dean's wife felt the character "Tang" looked and sounded nicer, otherwise she would have been called Shen Tang (Shen Sugar).

Still, she also found it pleasant to hear. At least she wasn't named Shen Chunhua or Shen Dog Egg.

Soon after, the old lady failed to recognize Shen Tang again and clung onto her while calling out for Xiu Xiu.

Strong emotions of grief were bad for the elderly's health. Shen Tang took the chance to slip away when the young nurse managed to pacify the old lady.

She took this incident as just a minor interlude and didn't dwell on it.

While walking, she raised her head and found Gu Huaian standing there. He seemed to have been watching for quite some time and looked rather happy.

Shen Tang couldn't help but feel sour. So happy chatting up a beauty?

Gu Huaian lightly coughed into his fist. "Why did you come down here?"

"Wasn't I afraid of disturbing your conversation with the beautiful lady?"

As soon as the words left her mouth, Shen Tang felt she was done for. Just as she was about to explain herself, she saw Gu Huaian sniffing the air.

"Can you smell that?"

"Smell what?" Shen Tang also sniffed.

"The sourness."

"There's no... sour..." Shen Tang instantly caught on that he was mocking her.

"I don't smell anything. Is your nose spoiled?"

"Such a strong smell of vinegar. Maybe someone tipped over a vat of vinegar somewhere."

Shen Tang: "......"

Jerk!

Annoying! "She was my classmate overseas. We weren't very close."

"Who wants to hear you say this!" "She received Western education from young and tends to be more affectionate. Just now when she hugged me, I pushed her away immediately."

Shen Tang added, "And told her that would cost extra?"

Gu Huaian looked blank for a moment.

Shen Tang instantly realized that this was the book's world, different from reality. That joke didn't exist here.

She suddenly felt dejected.

She still hadn't decided whether to stay here or leave. Although there was money and friends here, the other world was where she grew up.

Gu Huaian's eyes darkened for a moment.

"I don't like her."

【Why would I care who you like? You don't like me anyway.】

"I like you."

Shen Tang froze for a second.

Gu Huaian repeated, "I like you, Shen Tang. In the past, present, and future, I only like you."

Now wasn't the best time for confessions, but he was afraid that if he didn't say it now, he would lose his wife.

"How... How could you like me?" Shen Tang stuttered out.

【Ahhhhhhh! How could Gu Huaian like me?】

【Is this real? Or is he just teasing me?】

【This is a bit too sudden. I need time to process this...】

"I thought I was being quite obvious about it. I said something similar last time too. Why haven't you realized yet?"

Shen Tang gave an embarrassed laugh. "Well, it's a little hard to believe..."

She had her doubts before, but that was Gu Huaian! She was very afraid of wishful thinking.

Shen Tang couldn't stop herself from recollecting the various interactions between them, including how he rushed over from thousands of miles away to save her, the drunken kiss, leaning against each other in the cinema, his initial praises for her, and eventually settling on his last line.

— "I like you, Shen Tang. In the past, present and future, I only like you."

Shen Tang's face flushed red all of a sudden.

"It feels a little unreal..."

Gu Huaian slowly lowered his head and lightly landed on Shen Tang's lips.

Shen Tang didn't dodge, filling Gu Huaian's heart with a trace of secret delight.

This was the first light kiss between the two while fully sober. Shen Tang stared wide-eyed until Gu Huaian covered them with his hand.

He slowly rubbed and pressed against her lips, not deepening the kiss.

He kissed her almost reverently—gentle, restrained, lingering.

The touch of their four lips made their souls quiver.

In the darkness, Shen Tang only felt a rush of numbness from her tailbone that softened her entire body, forcing her to cling onto Gu Huaian for support.

After some time, Gu Huaian lifted his head.

He removed his hand and looked at Shen Tang, whose eyes were moist, lips slightly swollen, seeming willing to let him have his way. His eyes darkened.

Shen Tang couldn't comprehend it but instinctively felt a sense of danger.

Gu Huaian's Adam's apple rolled as his hoarse voice asked, "Does it feel real now?"

Shen Tang: "......"

Ahhhhhhh!

What does he expect her to say?

"Tang Tang, be with me, okay? Stay by my side."

Don't leave, alright?