Volume One, Chapter 27: Bo Xingzhou Is Her Husband?

Buildings flashed past outside the car window as Yu Ting Fu leaned back against the leather seat, her fingertips tapping lightly on the contract in her hand.

“Ting, that was absolutely brilliant this time!” Zhou Lin couldn’t hide his excitement as he drove. “Did you see Xu Qian’s face? She was practically green with envy!”

A faint smile tugged at the corner of Yu Ting’s lips, but she said nothing.

Taking advantage of the red light, Zhou Lin stealthily pulled out his phone and quickly sent a message to Zhou Ye:

“Bro, Ting just secured Xie Yunzhu’s big contract! And he seemed especially interested in her—his eyes never left her the entire time.” (Attached: a candid photo of Xie Yunzhu’s profile, his gaze gentle enough to melt ice.)

No sooner had he sent the message than his phone rang.

“Bro?” Zhou Lin answered, surprised at Zhou Ye’s quick response.

“Invite Ting and go to Xunlou for dinner. I’ve booked a private room,” Zhou Ye’s decisive voice came clearly through the car’s Bluetooth. “We’re celebrating her landing the big deal.”

“Then I’ll make sure to get my money’s worth. Time to settle some scores with you,” Yu Ting replied languidly, rolling her eyes at Zhou Lin for good measure.

“No problem. By the way—” Zhou Ye hadn’t finished when Zhou Lin hung up.

“Should we invite Xie Yunzhu too?” Zhou Lin reasoned that it would only be proper to include the partner in the celebration.

“Up to you.” Yu Ting closed her eyes.

Zhou Lin shot her a helpless look and dialed Xie Yunzhu, who agreed without hesitation.

As the green light flashed, Zhou Lin immediately turned toward Xie Yunzhu’s studio.

At Xunlou.

As soon as they entered the courtyard, a waiter led the three of them to the innermost private room, “Tingyu Pavilion.”

The moment the intricately carved wooden door swung open, Yu Ting’s steps came to an abrupt halt.

Aside from Zhou Ye, there was another man in the room.

Bo Xingzhou?

What was he doing here?

Today, Bo Xingzhou wore a deep gray bespoke suit without a tie, his collar slightly open, revealing a hint of collarbone. He was sipping tea, but at the sound of the door, he looked up, those amber eyes appearing even more profound under the lights.

“Mr. Bo…” Zhou Lin immediately straightened, his voice dropping several octaves, “Didn’t expect to see you here.”

“Mr. Bo?” Xie Yunzhu’s dark eyes appraised him. So this was the “grim-faced King of Hades” of the business world?

Yu Ting quickly composed herself and took the seat beside Bo Xingzhou. “Why are you here as well?”

“I happened to be at Zhou Ye’s law firm, so I came along,” Bo Xingzhou replied, a flicker of unreadable emotion passing through his long, narrow eyes.

A subtle fragrance drifted through the private room.

At the round rosewood table, the atmosphere was so tense it felt as though it could be wrung for moisture.

Yu Ting sat between Bo Xingzhou and Xie Yunzhu.

On her right, Xie Yunzhu had changed into a pale blue patterned Tang jacket, his long hair loosely tied with a jade hairpin, idly spinning a celadon teacup between his fingers.

On her left, Bo Xingzhou’s sharp figure was outlined by his deep gray suit, cold as black ice.

For a moment, the mood was awkward.

Even Zhou Ye and Zhou Lin, sitting across from them, sensed the tension.

Xie Yunzhu broke the silence with a soft laugh, the tassel of his hairpin swaying gently. “Mr. Zhou said his brother was hosting to celebrate your contract, and invited me along.”

As he spoke, his eyes flicked toward Bo Xingzhou, his smile rippling like spring water. “I trust Mr. Zhou’s brother doesn’t mind?”

Before he finished, Zhou Ye delivered a sharp kick under the table to his hapless brother.

Zhou Lin’s features twisted in pain—his brother’s pointed dress shoes hurt the most.

But at that moment, the pain in his foot was nothing compared to the dread in his heart.

Why was Mr. Bo here? This was a disaster!

How could he have known? His brother would surely kill him for this.

And even if his brother didn’t, Mr. Bo would see to it he never lived it down.

With forced cheer, Zhou Ye replied, “Of course not, not at all, hahaha…”

Just then, a waiter entered with the last dish—truffle-baked lobster—interrupting the tension. As he approached Yu Ting’s side, his foot suddenly slipped!

A platter of steaming sauce-soaked lobster, together with half a bottle of opened Burgundy, hurtled straight for Yu Ting’s shoulder!

“Watch out!” Xie Yunzhu, closest to her, reached out to pull her away.

But someone was faster.

A dark figure sliced through the warm light—Bo Xingzhou had already stepped forward.

His left arm, iron-strong, swept in front of Yu Ting, catching the scalding sauce on his sleeve with a loud sizzle, while his right hand deftly stopped the tilting wine bottle.

The dark red wine spilled like a bloody waterfall, soaking his shirtfront completely, but Yu Ting, shielded behind him, didn’t get a single drop on her.

Time seemed to freeze.

The waiter collapsed to the ground in terror. Xie Yunzhu’s outstretched hand hung awkwardly in the air.

Yu Ting felt a sudden warmth at the nape of her neck—a splash of the hot broth Bo Xingzhou had blocked, trickling down her collar.

The man’s chest, drenched in wine, was mere inches from her nose, the heady scent of alcohol mingling with the cool aroma of cedar that clung to him, overwhelming her senses.

“Are you burned?” Bo Xingzhou asked, his breath stirring her hair. His right arm was still raised protectively, the soaked fabric outlining taut muscles beneath.

Yu Ting shook her head, dazed and tight-throated. She saw the edge of his suit sleeve curled from the hot oil; his skin beneath must have reddened.

“Mr. Bo!” Zhou Ye finally snapped out of it, calling urgently, “Get some ice and towels!”

But Bo Xingzhou seemed not to hear, his gaze fixed only on Yu Ting. “Were you frightened?”

He raised his hand, as if to touch her cheek, but paused midway. His wine-stained fingers curled, and instead he grabbed a napkin and pressed it into her hand. “Wipe your neck.”

Yu Ting took the napkin, her expression apologetic.

Bo Xingzhou shrugged off his ruined suit jacket, tossing it onto the chair and revealing a now transparent white shirt.

The wet fabric clung to his waist and abdomen, outlining every defined contour. He glanced at Yu Ting, his look indifferent, then grasped her wrist.

“Let’s go home. Help me change.”

Yu Ting drew a deep breath. Under Xie Yunzhu’s probing gaze, she stood and gave him a polite, apologetic smile. “I’m sorry, Mr. Xie, I must excuse myself tonight.”

With that, she let herself be led out.

Xie Yunzhu watched their joined hands, a flurry of thoughts in his mind.

So Bo Xingzhou is her husband?

Zhou Ye swirled the whiskey in his glass, watching Bo Xingzhou shield Yu Ting as they left, then glanced at the stunned Xie Yunzhu, letting out a cold, ambiguous laugh.

He nudged the gaping Zhou Lin with his elbow, jerking his chin toward Bo Xingzhou.

“Zhou Lin, did you see that?”

“That’s how you properly show interest.”

Zhou Lin, seeing the knowing, faintly mocking smile on his brother’s face, thought back to his own foolishness in inviting Xie Yunzhu to dinner, and felt a chill shoot from his heels to the top of his head.

He let out a despairing wail, burying his face in his hands.

“Bro! Is it too late for me to jump out the window?!”