Chapter 9: The Virtuous Wife's Deception

Tang Qiao'er gripped the steering wheel with one hand, driving stylishly, speeding down the road. The stereo blared the Queen of the Night's aria, "Der Hölle Rache kocht in meinem Herzen." She wasn't afraid of Shen Jingjue investigating her. She simply couldn't understand why a man who had treated her like air for three years, ignoring her existence, would suddenly become curious about her only when their marriage was on the brink of collapse. Men truly were contrary creatures. Chase after them, shower them with warmth and care, and all you'd get was a look of disdain. Ignore them, treat them like dirt, and they'd come crawling back, eager for attention. Suddenly, Tang Qiao'er glanced into her rearview mirror, her delicate brows furrowing slightly. Not far behind, Shen Jingjue's Lamborghini was relentlessly pursuing her! "Trying to follow me? Not in this lifetime." Tang Qiao'er's red lips curved into a wicked smile, and she floored the accelerator. Her Black Night's Whisper drifted left like a bolt of lightning, vanishing in the blink of an eye! "Faster, keep up!" Shen Jingjue, sitting in the passenger seat, urged with intense focus. Han Xian had never driven so fast; his heart felt like it was about to leap out of his mouth! After immense effort, he finally caught sight of Tang Qiao'er's taillights. Shen Jingjue's expression remained impassive, but he secretly breathed a sigh of relief. "Mr. Shen, the Young Madam's driving skills are incredible! That Fujiwara Tofu Shop sticker isn't just for show..." Han Xian couldn't help but exclaim. "What tofu shop?" Shen Jingjue frowned, puzzled. "Look at the Young Madam's rear!" Shen Jingjue's face instantly darkened, making Han Xian break out in a cold sweat. "Slip of the tongue, slip of the tongue... I meant, look at the Young Madam's car's rear!" Shen Jingjue focused his gaze. Indeed, there was a white sticker on the back of the Bugatti. It read "Fujiwara Tofu Shop AE86." It was rather amusing. "Didn't you know? The Young Madam loves anime, especially 'Initial D.' Every time I've seen her, that anime is playing on the living room TV." Han Xian grew more animated. "I never expected the Young Madam to be so multifaceted. I always thought she was a delicate, helpless young lady." He wasn't the only one; Shen Jingjue had been completely fooled by this woman too. What was even more infuriating was that his secretary knew more about his wife than he did! "Oh no! The Young Madam is accelerating!" "Keep up. If you can't, I'll dock your annual salary!" Shen Jingjue gritted his teeth, his handsome face as rigid and pale as a statue. Han Xian feared losing his salary, but he feared a double fatality even more. The result was that after two swift yet elegant sharp turns from Tang Qiao'er, they lost sight of her taillights completely. "We... we lost her..." Han Xian was utterly deflated. Shen Jingjue slammed his fist against the car window, a vein throbbing on his temple. Bai Xiaoxiao, why do you constantly hide behind layers of pretense? Who exactly are you? * As night fell, her elder brothers arrived at their sister's private villa. In the brightly lit open-plan kitchen, Tang Yue was stir-frying while Tang Xu chopped ingredients. Tang Qiao'er, meanwhile, was playing a game, a lollipop in her mouth, enjoying the sight of handsome men cooking. "Okay~ Quad kill!" Tang Qiao'er looked at her in-game stats, proudly clapping her small hands. "Little sister, still got it, huh?" Tang Xu flashed a bright smile, the most approachable of the four brothers. "Of course. I'm the Li Xunhuan of the butcher world, never misses a shot." Tang Qiao'er knelt on her chair, propping her arms on the table, the lollipop in her mouth bobbing adorably. "Heh, big talk. Next time, let's play a round, and I'll teach you a lesson." "Little sister practically wiped you out last time, so don't go looking for trouble again," Tang Yue said, picking up a slice of beef and feeding it to Tang Qiao'er. "Damn it... Last time, it was that unreliable fourth brother who suddenly got a mission and had to quit! Otherwise, we definitely would have won!" Tang Xu protested, clearly unconvinced. "I'm about to start cooking. Little sister, you're allergic to smoke, so go wait in the living room," Tang Yue gently urged. Tang Qiao'er froze for a moment, a pang of sadness rising in her chest. She didn't dare tell her two brothers that despite her smoke allergy, she had been the Shen family's cook for three years, inhaling cooking fumes for three years, and her hands had developed calluses from stir-frying. She had gradually become immune to the smoke. If she told them, her eldest brother might show a sliver of mercy due to his beliefs, but the other three brothers would likely wipe out the entire Shen Corporation. Qiao Qiao was the Tang family's cherished darling, never having to lift a finger. How could the Shen family treat her so poorly?! But thankfully, she had turned over a new leaf. She would never again humble herself for a man she could never truly have. Just then, Tang Yue's phone rang. He quickly wiped his hands and pulled the phone from his apron, then looked at Tang Qiao'er with a complex expression. "Qiao Qiao, it's your ex-husband again." "Damn it! Is he addicted now?" Tang Qiao'er's face flushed with anger, and the lollipop in her mouth fell onto the table. "What do you mean? Does Shen Shimei call you often, Big Brother?" Tang Xu sat beside his sister, naturally picking up the lollipop from the table and putting it in his mouth. "No way, no way. Is it because you two ran into him at the Half-Moon River fireworks display last time that Shen Shimei thinks you're Qiao Qiao's boyfriend?" "Yes." Tang Xu: "What the hell?! What kind of eyesight does he have!" "What? Am I not worthy?" Tang Yue, wearing an apron, smiled with an almost paternal warmth. "Shen Shimei is completely blind. You don't look like a boyfriend at all; you have a definite dad vibe." Her two brothers were even teasing her now. She felt like she was going to explode. Add in her ex-husband, and it was three brothers putting on a show. "Should I answer?" Tang Yue asked. "No!" "Yes!" Tang Yue still listened to his sister, pressing the speaker button. "I'm looking for my wife." Shen Jingjue's tone was more natural than that morning, even carrying a hint of possessiveness. "I'll be damned..." Tang Xu was about to curse, but Tang Qiao'er slammed his head onto the table. "Mr. Shen, Xiaoxiao is no longer your wife. You are divorced," Tang Yue calmly reminded him, carefully changing the name to avoid revealing anything. "She knows she still is. She's well aware," Shen Jingjue's voice was so cold it instantly froze the entire kitchen. "Shen Jingjue, what do you mean by being so aggressive and chasing my car?" Tang Qiao'er cut off the speaker and answered the call, annoyed. "I have something to say to you, alone." Tang Qiao'er found a room, walked in, closed the door, and took a deep breath before answering again. "Hurry up, I'm busy." "Why did you change your phone number?" Shen Jingjue's tone was harsh. "To start fresh, to break ties with the past." "Grandpa will need to reach you in the future, and I won't be able to contact you. Give me your new number so I can reach you," Shen Jingjue said with an air of entitlement. "It's easy to find me. Call Mr. Tang, and you'll naturally find me," Tang Qiao'er's lips curved into a mocking smile. "Bai Xiaoxiao, is this your way of getting back at me?" Shen Jingjue gritted his teeth, forcing out each word. "You leave me, and then immediately move in with Tang Yue? You call yourself Bai Xiaoxiao in front of me, what do you plan to call yourself in front of Tang Yue?" "Shen Jingjue!" Tang Qiao'er was furious too, her fists clenched. "You think this kind of revenge is too naive. Do you think I care which man you're with?" Shen Jingjue laughed in extreme anger. "I just don't want Grandpa to be disappointed in you. I don't want him to discover that the woman he cherished and valued is a shameless one! Even if you want to let loose, please be mindful of your conduct before Grandpa's eightieth birthday. Don't let rumors reach his ears!" Tang Qiao'er was so choked with anger she couldn't utter a word, and she hung up directly. In the darkness, she leaned her back against the wall, gasping for air, but she couldn't calm the pain of being wounded by Shen Jingjue. Why did it still hurt so much? She had told herself he was dead to her. Tang Qiao'er rubbed the corners of her eyes, a bone-deep disappointment gradually reddening them. "Shen Jingjue... how could you see me like that... So, thirteen years of deep affection, it was all a mistake..."