Chapter 9: Di Yunshen, I Have My Eyes on Your Wife

“Oh, I forgot, you don’t understand these things, and Old Qi never taught you. This sort of thing isn’t good—don’t do it with others, understand? Protect yourself.”

Su Qingli nodded in vague confusion, because what she knew was truly very little.

She understood a bit about the matters between men and women, but not fully. The Grand Councillor had wanted to teach her, but how could he? With two grown men, how could they possibly explain it? So… in certain respects, Su Qingli remained half-aware, half-ignorant.

“And yet, your master lets you go out on your own? He really isn’t afraid you’ll be tricked.”

After thinking for a moment, Di Yunshen finally asked the question he’d had in mind, “Why was it that back then, you were the first to come find me?”

Su Qingli turned her head, sitting astride the quilt, and began to ponder earnestly.

But Di Yunshen never heard her answer, for Su Qingli soon drifted off to sleep.

With a quiet sigh, Di Yunshen lay down as well. His arm gently encircled Su Qingli, drawing her close.

He had waited for this feeling for twenty years.

Slowly, gradually, he pulled her firmly into his embrace from behind, breathing in the faint fragrance of her hair.

…

The next day, Su Qingli woke very late, stretching lazily—only for her hand to bump against something. Turning her head, she realized Di Yunshen was still there.

He was never one to linger in bed after waking, yet today he had stayed until noon!

“Awake?”

Su Qingli rolled over to his side and, quite naturally, wrapped her arms around his waist.

The ease of the gesture truly made them seem like husband and wife.

“Mmm… not awake yet…”

That languid murmur jolted Di Yunshen as if he’d been struck by lightning—tense, yet tingling all over.

Su Qingli didn’t notice, but both Di’s mother and father… had already arrived! And were sitting right there on the small sofa!

Seeing Su Qingli like this, how could the two elders remain seated? They stood up at once!

“Perhaps… perhaps we should step outside?”

Upon hearing the unfamiliar voices, Su Qingli shot upright in an instant! The sight of the two elders made every hair on her body stand on end!

“Don’t be afraid, Qingli. We’re Yunshen’s parents. As soon as we heard you’d arrived, we caught the next flight back here overnight!”

“Hello, Uncle, Aunt…”

“Oh, come now! You’ve already registered your marriage! Why still call us Uncle and Aunt? Call us Mom!”

“That’s… not quite proper…”

Di’s mother pulled a check from her pocket. “Old Di, did you prepare the gift for her to change how she addresses us?”

“Of course I did!”

Su Qingli’s eyes sparkled with delight! She hopped off the bed, bowed a perfect ninety degrees, and called out, “Dad! Mom!”

“Yes, yes!”

The two elders handed her the checks, and Su Qingli eagerly took them, rubbing her hands together.

Seeing the large sum written on them, joy bloomed in her heart!

Her eyes seemed to shout: I’ve struck it rich!

In truth, Di Yunshen had told them about this in advance.

He’d said, “Your daughter-in-law has no special hobbies—she just loves money.”

And so, Su Qingli was thoroughly ensnared! After all, the Di family had more money than they could spend!

“Qingli, come with me.”

With money in hand, Su Qingli was easily persuaded. She followed Di’s mother out.

And what a sight it was! Yun Jin Bay looked as though it had been dipped in red dye—crimson everywhere, with double-happiness symbols plastered all over.

Even the trees were draped with red streamers.

This wedding celebration was in full swing!

The entire capital knew that the infamous, formidable Di Yunshen had gotten married!

But no one knew who the bride was.

For a time, the young madam of the Di family became the topic of every conversation.

Though the news spread far and wide, no one realized that the person in question was Su Qingli. Nor would anyone believe that a country girl like her was the long-awaited phoenix bride.

Since they didn’t know, Su Qingli felt nothing of it.

With the geomantic formation nearly finished, Su Qingli sat in the courtyard, snacking on sunflower seeds—when, unexpectedly, an uninvited guest arrived.

The Di family’s illegitimate son, Di Tingxiao.

“So you’re the woman Di Yunshen’s been hiding away?”

Su Qingli ignored him, but beneath the table, her fingers began to fly.

In less than two minutes, she divined the truth.

“What are you doing here? Aren’t you afraid Di Yunshen will break your legs?”

Di Tingxiao’s expression shifted. “You know who I am? No, you can’t possibly.”

“The Di family’s illegitimate son, Di Tingxiao. Just completed some shady deal. Keeps three women on the side. Because you fear Di Yunshen, you’ve always lived outside the city. Three years ago, you set a geomantic trap at Yun Jin Bay—by your calculations, Di Yunshen should have only a few months left. But when he married and stirred up the whole city, you returned earlier than planned. Am I correct?”

Di Tingxiao’s frown deepened as he stared at Su Qingli, murderous intent growing in his eyes.

Meanwhile, Su Qingli’s right hand continued to calculate behind her back.

“Who exactly are you?” Di Tingxiao’s voice turned icy.

Suddenly, Su Qingli’s hand stilled—for Di Tingxiao had already lunged at her with a fruit knife!

Unhurried, Su Qingli dodged to the side, swung her leg, and kicked his wrist! With a swift scissor-kick, Di Tingxiao was flat on the ground.

“Tsk, tsk tsk, that’s all? Pathetic.”

With a casual remark, Su Qingli settled back on her little stool.

Di Tingxiao retreated two steps, eyes full of wariness.

“Who are you, really!”

At that moment, a response came from another direction. “She’s your sister-in-law.”

As soon as Di Yunshen heard that Di Tingxiao had come, he rushed back from the office—leaving his contracts unsigned, for fear his beloved wife might be spirited away. Now, it seemed, he’d worried for nothing.

“You really do care for this woman—enough to abandon your contracts?”

“What’s your purpose here?”

Su Qingli knew the answer to this one! She sprang up and said, all too eagerly, “He wants to see when you’ll be paralyzed—so he can rest easy when you’re dead!”

…

The little girl was so enthusiastic that anyone unaware might think she was hoping for Di Yunshen’s death!

Di Tingxiao looked at Di Yunshen with brazen arrogance and spoke slowly, “Di Yunshen, I’ve set my sights on your wife.”