"I never imagined their family had so much going on..."Shu Tong sighed.
"I don't think our divorce will be finalized anytime soon. Who knows how long it'll drag on? Shu Tong, you shouldn't wait for me. You're such a catch—you could find any woman you want. Why waste your time on me?
Look at me—I'm so much older than you, and I have a child. Being with me would just be wasting your youth. My youth is gone, but yours is still here..."
As she spoke, Su Qing suddenly noticed something odd about Shu Tong. When she looked closer, she saw his intense gaze fixed on her, his pupils reflecting her image as if he had imprinted her entire being into his eyes.
His slender fingers abruptly grasped her hand, sending her heart racing.
He held her wrist, his eyes lingering on her softly parted lips and the blush spreading across her cheeks.
When Shu Tong first began falling for Su Qing, he couldn't pinpoint what exactly drew him to her. But during their last two months in M Country, his gaze—and his heart—were constantly pulled toward her.
He adored her diligence and curiosity, her kindness, and even the subtle transformation she underwent—like a chrysalis blossoming into a radiant butterfly, wings trembling with newfound grace.
Yuan Hua sometimes teased her, and she'd blush instantly. Whenever Su Qing grew shy, her large eyes would flicker, her lashes lowering demurely over that elegant swan-like neck—a sight that could captivate any soul.
Before, she dressed plainly, and no one noticed. But now that she'd learned to carry herself with confidence, her posture was regal, her neck poised with pride, her entire aura exuding refinement—and a scholarly charm.
Beauty isn't the same as grace, but grace always carries beauty.
These days, girls who blush so easily are rare. Perhaps it was Su Qing's shy, endearing expressions that had ensnared him.
"Su Qing, don't say these things. None of them are valid reasons. Loving someone doesn't need justification. I know you don't love me yet, but I'll wait—for you to be single again, for you to love me."
Su Qing shook her head. "I just don't want you wasting your time on me."
"How is it a waste? Meeting the right person at the right time—that's not a waste. Maybe it took lifetimes of fate to bring us together."
Su Qing hadn't expected Shu Tong to be so eloquent. His words left her speechless, with no retort.
"What if people say I'm an old cow eating tender grass? And who knows if this old cow can even chew through you?"Su Qing joked, pouting playfully.
"Then why not try? See if you can handle this tender grass?"
He leaned in slowly, his face drawing closer. Su Qing flinched and instinctively pulled back.
His nose brushed against her neck, his warm breath ghosting over her skin. Shu Tong's Adam's apple bobbed, and Su Qing swallowed hard, the air between them thick with tension.
"Su Qing, don't worry. I'll wait for the day you truly love and accept me."
With that, Shu Tong suddenly straightened, returning to his seat with perfect composure. He picked up his chopsticks and placed a piece of black pepper beef rib onto her plate.
"Last night, I went to the police station. The officers took them in for questioning. I waited outside until they came out, then watched him and that woman hail a taxi and leave.
So I took another cab and followed them—I wanted to see where they were staying."
"You know their address?"
Su Qing exclaimed, stunned.
"Don't worry, I've got this handled. Since you entrusted me with this task, I'll see it through flawlessly."
"Shu Tong, you're amazing! I never thought you'd solve such a big problem for me so quickly."Su Qing was both thrilled and astonished.
She had long wanted to track Xiao Ji and uncover his nest with that woman, but she wasn't cut out for surveillance.
Her face lit up with delight as she gazed at Shu Tong, whose bright eyes shimmered with unconcealed ardor.
Su Qing's expression softened, her eyes brimming with admiration. A faint smile played on her lips, her gaze clear and luminous, as if sunlight had seeped through the window and pooled in her irises.
For now, the two of them forgot about last night's troubles, savoring this rare, peaceful moment.
That evening, when Su Qing returned home, Shu Tong mentioned that the secret room incident might make the news.
Usually, her father-in-law monopolized the living room TV, so she avoided it when he was around.
He never missed the nightly news broadcast, and tonight's report might just—