Chapter 29

The man on the other end of the line fell silent.

The group standing with Ning Yuxuan exchanged glances. Tao You’s eyes widened. She had never taken the rumors in their group chat about Ning Yuxuan being married seriously, assuming it was just a convenient excuse Ning Yuxuan used to fend off unwanted attention. Seeing Ning Yuxuan call out "hubby" so casually, Tao You was stunned. The others were equally dumbfounded, unsure of how to interpret this.

Logically, it was common for young couples to refer to each other as "hubby" or "wifey," so a mere title didn't prove much. However, given that Ning Yuxuan had already told Shen Chipeng she was married, and now deliberately used the term while taking a call in front of them, it was hard not to suspect she was intentionally emphasizing her marital status.

Shen Chipeng was the most shocked of all. He stared at Ning Yuxuan, unmoving, waiting to see her reaction.

Amidst their scrutiny, Ning Yuxuan remained completely composed. These people couldn't hear what Xie Zhiyan was saying; if he played along, that was great, but even if he didn't, her own solo performance would suffice. In those few seconds, she had already mapped out the rest of the script.

The man on the phone finally seemed to collect himself.

"Xuanxuan?" Xie Zhiyan’s voice sounded somewhat serious. "Are you in some kind of danger?"

Ning Yuxuan: "..."

She hadn't expected Xie Zhiyan to be so security-conscious. Indeed, if a familiar person suddenly called and said something strange, one’s first thought would be whether the other party was in trouble. It seemed that in Xie Zhiyan’s eyes, her calling him "hubby" was so bizarre it sounded like a distress signal. While she understood his line of reasoning, she still found it somewhat amusing. They were already legally married—was the title really that alarming?

To prevent a misunderstanding that might lead to him calling the police, Ning Yuxuan quickly said, "No, hubby. Tao You and I just finished dinner at Silverer. I’m calling because I have a favor to ask—"

The line was silent for a second before the man’s deep voice came through: "What is it?"

Ning Yuxuan’s voice softened by a degree: "I heard there’s a new shopping center open in the north, a really huge one. We want to go check it out, but we can't catch a cab. Could you drive over and pick us up?"

To make it sound more convincing, she paused and added in a coaxing tone, "Can you, hubby?"

Even if Xie Zhiyan didn't come, she had other ways to handle the situation, but his presence would be better. Letting these people see her being picked up by her husband would be the ultimate deterrent, saving her from future harassment.

Two seconds later, Xie Zhiyan replied, "I'm leaving now. I'll be there in ten minutes at the latest."

Ning Yuxuan’s eyes curved into crescents: "Great, I'll be waiting, hubby."

Hanging up, she turned to Tao You: "Let's go downstairs. My husband will be here to pick us up soon."

They had planned to visit a nearby mall after dinner. The original plan had been the department store next door; now, they were simply changing the destination. Tao You was brimming with questions, but she knew now wasn't the time. The priority was shaking off the three annoying men nearby.

Tao You nodded: "Right, let's go."

As they turned, two male voices spoke in unison behind them: "Wait—"

Ning Yuxuan and Tao You rolled their eyes simultaneously. They knew these guys wouldn't give up so easily.

Shen Chipeng and Chu Bowen exchanged a look; they saw mutual dislike in each other's eyes, yet felt a strange sense of camaraderie as fellow outcasts. Ning Yuxuan had been indifferent and impatient when speaking to them earlier, but her tone had shifted completely while on the phone.

Shen Chipeng felt the fire of jealousy burning. Years ago, when he was at A University, he would send Ning Yuxuan "good morning" and "good night" messages every day, only to receive no reply. That sense of frustration had returned, even more intensely. Back then, he heard she had her heart set on a wealthy second-generation heir, which was why she ignored all her suitors. But he had never seen her with that person, and since she was cold to everyone at school, his ego remained intact. Seeing her act so coy with another man made his envy and frustration skyrocket.

He nearly crushed his own fists. He might not even like her that much, but the competitive urge to conquer made him unwilling to give up. He didn't want to retreat without a fight; at the very least, he wanted to see who he had lost to.

Chu Bowen felt much the same. He thought perhaps he had been beneath her notice before because he wasn't wealthy enough, but now he had a house, a car, and seven-figure savings. Did he really not have a chance? He refused to accept it; he wanted to see what kind of person this "husband" was.

Driven by similar motives, the two men, who had been undermining each other moments ago, formed a temporary alliance.

Shen Chipeng forced a smile: "Yuxuan, your husband is picking you up downstairs, right? We'll walk you down."

Chu Bowen nodded: "Exactly. It’s not quite the end of the evening rush hour, so traffic is a bit heavy. It’ll take him a while to get here. Yuxuan, Tao You, do you want anything to drink? I'll buy it for you."

Shen Chipeng glanced at him and jumped in: "Right, Bowen, why don't you go get them something? I remember there's a drink shop on the third floor."

Chu Bowen caught on: "Haha, if we're buying, we should all go together. Otherwise, I wouldn't know what kind of drinks they like."

Watching these two play their petty games, Tao You couldn't help but laugh. They were so lacking in class that she felt embarrassed to admit they had all graduated from the same university department.

Tao You: "We don't—"

Ning Yuxuan nudged her arm. Tao You looked over, confused.

Ning Yuxuan smiled: "That sounds lovely. Tao You and I are a bit thirsty and wanted to try the new drinks at that shop on the third floor. But I heard—" She furrowed her brows in feigned distress. "Their new drinks are so popular that you have to order in person, and there’s a limit of one per person. Since both Tao You and I want one, what should we do?"

Tao You understood the hint: "That's right, we both want the new drinks!"

Getting rid of them would finally give them some peace. Chu Bowen and Shen Chipeng looked at each other. There were three of them, and if they needed two drinks... they both turned their eyes toward Chen Jie, who had been silent until now. As long as they could convince Chen Jie to go with one of them, the other could stay behind to see Ning Yuxuan off.

Chen Jie: "..."

Heaven was his witness, he had only tagged along for the entertainment and a sliver of curiosity: he wanted to see what the legendary department beauty looked like now. Now that his curiosity was satisfied and the drama had played out, he had no intention of becoming a pawn in their rivalry. Chen Jie had always been one to play both sides, not someone to facilitate others' romantic pursuits.

He grinned, smooth-talking: "Oh, I’m just here to make up the numbers. Such a great opportunity to serve two beauties, how could I possibly rob you two of the honor?"

...

After some back-and-forth, no one went to buy the drinks. Shen Chipeng and Chu Bowen shamelessly followed Ning Yuxuan and Tao You to the first-floor entrance. Chen Jie, still looking for more drama, tagged along behind them.

On the way, Shen Chipeng tried to probe again: "Yuxuan, it's only seven o'clock. Your husband has time to pick you up? I guess his job isn't very busy, then?"

Ning Yuxuan curled her lips: "Maybe. I don't pay much attention to his work status, as long as the few million in living expenses arrive on time every month."

Shen Chipeng: "..."

Ning Yuxuan said it so nonchalantly that if he hadn't heard the "millions" figure, he almost would have believed her. Shen Chipeng felt a surge of confidence. It seemed this "husband" was likely just an ordinary office worker like them, and probably not one valued by his superiors—otherwise, a high-earning professional would likely be working overtime or entertaining clients at seven o'clock.

This was a perfect opportunity to mock his rival. Shen Chipeng coughed and looked at Chu Bowen with a sneer: "Bowen, did you hear that? The monthly allowance her husband gives her is almost equal to your entire demolition payout."

Chu Bowen’s expression stiffened, but he quickly retorted: "Haha, Chipeng, you're joking. At least I have a few million in demolition money. You, with that salary of yours, you must work pretty hard to earn it, right?"

A scoff echoed through the air—Tao You couldn't hold back her laughter. It had to be said, the sight of these two attacking each other was quite comedic.

Hearing the laugh, Shen Chipeng and Chu Bowen snapped out of it, their expressions darkening further. They were bickering here, but in Ning Yuxuan’s ears, they were likely just a joke.

Finally reaching the entrance, Shen Chipeng and Chu Bowen peered outside.

Shen Chipeng asked: "Yuxuan, what car does your husband drive? Is that the one by the curb with its hazard lights on?"

He pointed to a white car that looked like it hadn't been washed in a while, an older model that probably cost at most a hundred thousand back in the day. He asked this as a trap, waiting to see Ning Yuxuan’s reaction.

Ning Yuxuan gave him a cool look: "No."

Chu Bowen seized the chance to show off: "I just bought an Audi, cost me a few hundred thousand. You don't know until you drive it! You get what you pay for—when you step on the gas of an expensive car, the feeling is just different—"

As he spoke, Chu Bowen suddenly stopped.

For no other reason than a black Rolls-Royce Phantom gliding toward them, coming to a halt before the security gate.

He had been bragging about his new car, but the sight of a top-tier luxury vehicle left Chu Bowen stunned. It was as if fate were intentionally working against him, delivering a stinging slap just as he was feeling most smug.