Chapter 31: Out of Control

Chapter 31

In the quiet banquet hall corridor, Su Anning carried her skirt and angrily found Bai Yin.

She was so angry that her whole body was trembling, and she could barely restrain her emotions. She questioned loudly, "Bai Yin, today's trending search keyword - was it premeditated by you to undermine me?"

"Those who live by the knife die by the knife. Sister, how could you not understand even such a simple principle?"

Bai Yin looked at her calmly and said, "You invited me to the celebration banquet of The Assassin to show me the difference between you and me. I came, so why are you impatient now, sister?"

Su Anning was spoiled like a little princess by her parents. She had never suffered such humiliation before. Her expression was fierce due to extreme anger. She raised her hand to hit Bai Yin.

Bai Yin was quick-eyed and seized her wrist.

Su Anning struggled, but unexpectedly, Bai Yin's grip was astonishingly strong. Not only could she not break free, but her wrist was also squeezed painfully by Bai Yin.

"Bai Yin, let go. You're hurting me!"

"Remember the pain. All of this is your own doing." Bai Yin stared into her eyes, speaking with great deterrence, "Su Anning, we have a long way to go."

After saying that, she flung away Su Anning's hand and left.

Su Anning staggered a few steps. Unresigned, she shouted at Bai Yin's back, "Do you think you'll get your way just because you married Chen Huaixiao? Do you know why he married you? It's because you look like..."

Before she could finish, Bai Yin glanced back sharply and smiled, "His first love, right?"

Su Anning was stunned for a moment.

This was the best card in her hand that she wanted to play at the most critical moment.

At this moment, Su Anning had lost her senses due to anger. The only thought in her mind was to make Bai Yin suffer beyond endurance.

But she didn't expect that Bai Yin had already known about it!

"That's right! He doesn't love you at all! If he's good to you, it's only because you look like the one in his heart! You're just her substitute!"

Su Anning viciously threw out these words, then tried her best to find even a trace of pain on Bai Yin's face.

However, disappointingly, she didn't find even a tiny bit.

Bai Yin stood elegantly in front of her with a gentle temperament. Her eyes were as clear as black jade. She looked as if she was watching a joke, staring at Su Anning.

After a while, she raised her eyebrows lightly, "That's all?"

Seeing her killer card had no effect at all, Su Anning's expression became even more hideous, "You...you don't care at all! Chen Huaixiao doesn't love you at all!"

"Why would I care if I don't love him?" The corners of Bai Yin's bright eyes curved up, "Sister, don't be silly."

"Then you..."

"The benefits of marrying Chen Huaixiao are probably something you won't experience in your lifetime."

Bai Yin didn't want to waste time with Su Anning anymore. As she turned around, the smile on her face vanished instantly.

...

She walked out of the banquet hall building and went down the steps. But at the corner, she saw a lonely figure.

In the dim light, the man leaned against the railing of the steps. His handsome profile was buried in the shadows.

He lowered his head to light a cigarette. The corner of his mouth flashed orange for an instant, then vanished again.

He bit the cigarette lightly with his lips. His left hand casually fiddled with an exquisite silver lighter.

Chen Huaixiao glanced at Bai Yin, like a gust of cold and murderous wind sweeping in from the endless dark night.

Then he pressed the cap of the lighter which made a crisp click in the darkness.

He turned and left.

Bai Yin watched Chen Huaixiao's figure and knew he must have heard everything.

She casually shrugged.

Let him hear it then. After all, they were just fake husband and wife. Whoever falls in love first loses.

...

Chen Huaixiao returned to the Maybach sedan. Shen Bin asked doubtfully, "Master Chen, where is Madam?"

"Drive the car," the man said in a low voice.

Shen Bin glanced at Chen Huaixiao through the rearview mirror.

He was always calm and composed. It was rare to see him looking so gloomy. Even the dark clouds in his eyes seemed to spill out.

An hour ago, when President Chen heard that Madam was invited to the celebration banquet of The Assassin, he couldn't even wait for the meeting to end and rushed over, worried that Madam would suffer the slightest grievance.

How could he come out alone now with such an unpleasant expression?

"Master Chen, Madam is not wronged, is she?"

"Who dares wrong her."

Previously, he felt he was quite good at guessing his mindset. Chen Huaixiao was arrogant with an impetuous working style. He would not hesitate repeatedly over a determined matter or ponder it over and over.

But after getting married, he realized he understood less and less.

A series of the President's recent actions were a bit...anxious?

Not only anxious, but also quite fickle.

Shen Bin didn't know if this term was accurate, but wasn't this state like falling in love?

Could it be the President was no longer pretending but had really fallen for Madam?

He thought thrillingly, glancing at the handsome yet aloof Chen Huaixiao in the rearview mirror.

Chen Huaixiao gazed out the window expressionlessly, seeming not to look at him but deterred strongly, "If you keep staring randomly, I'll deduct this month's performance bonus completely."

Shen Bin quickly retracted his gaze in fright, and parked the car at the convenience store entrance. He said to Chen Huaixiao, "Master Chen, I'll go in and buy a bottle of icy water to calm down..."

Chen Huaixiao did not respond. Shen Bin got out of the car and went into the convenience store.

When he came out, he happily held an ice cream cone in his mouth.

"Finish eating before getting in the car."

"Yes, Master Chen."

Chen Huaixiao looked at the ice cream in his mouth and said after thinking, "Go buy another one."

"Ah, Master Chen wants to eat ice cream!" Shen Bin exclaimed in shock.

"It's not for me, it's for the housekeeper."

"Okay! I'll go right away. What flavor does Madam want? No, I mean what flavor does the housekeeper want?"

After pondering for a moment, Chen Huaixiao said, "Never mind."

It would have melted on the way back anyway.

Chen Huaixiao's gaze lowered. He recalled a weekend in a small town in southern Yangtze River years ago.

Bai Yin eyed the yogurt ice cream cones in the tourists' hands longingly as they walked on the ancient town's stone-paved scenic streets along the river.

Chen Huaixiao was not a very attentive person but he could tell the young mistress was coveting them. He took out his wallet.

She blocked him and said it was expensive in the scenic area. After walking out of the scenic area for a while, it would be much cheaper at the snack shop.

Chen Huaixiao didn't think the 20-30 yuan ice cream was expensive so he bought one and handed it to her.

Bai Yin felt it was expensive so she clutched it tightly, unwilling to eat it until the ice cream started melting. Only then did she regretfully open the package.

The first lick, she raised to Chen Huaixiao's lips, "Brother, you eat first."

"Afraid I might have eaten from it?"

"I'm not afraid. It's nothing."

Chen Huaixiao was originally not fond of sweets but took a bite and felt the taste was not bad.

The young mistress harmlessly licked the spot he had bitten and also said with a smile, "It's delicious."

...

What feelings Chen Huaixiao had for Bai Yin, even he himself could not articulate clearly.

At first, he really did feel that she bore some resemblance to Qin Yao, and didn’t find her unpleasant to interact with.

Qin Yao came from a wealthy family, a true little princess untouched by the dirt of the world.

Bai Yin was a bit like her, but also very unlike her.

One was a plump white peony nourished by rich soil, the other a stubborn blade of grass tenaciously growing in barren earth.

Chen Huaixiao really disliked Bai Yin.

He disliked her tenacious vitality, able to take root and draw nourishment anywhere.

And every interaction and companionship with her, even their later intimacy... made Chen Huaixiao feel her roots in his heart growing deeper.

He really disliked this feeling, yet was unable to pluck out this annoying weed.

She was burrowing into his heart.

......

Shen Bin looked at Chen Huaixiao's confused expression, and suddenly asked: "Master Chen, do you believe in love at first sight?"

Chen Huaixiao glanced back at him and said indifferently: "No."

"Then do you believe feelings can develop over time?"

"I believe in... feelings developing over time."

Shen Bin: ???