Chapter 72: Borrowing Your Husband for Half a Day

They moved slowly along the banks of the Pearl River. The cool evening breeze slipped in through the car window, gently stirring the ends of Su Qianqian’s hair. Every so often, she turned to glance at Lu Ye, convinced that something about him seemed different tonight—a particular intensity in his expression. He’d been this way ever since their return from Licheng, and it hadn’t faded even now.

Could he still be hung up on that brazen, flirtatious ex-girlfriend of his?

With that, Su Qianqian broached the topic. “You said Cai Yueyao used to be your comrade?”

Lu Ye nodded. “Yeah, but she only stayed for three years.”

“I can hardly imagine Miss Cai crawling through mud and brambles like the rest of you.” On this point, Su Qianqian actually admired her a bit.

“So, when did you start dating her?”

“The very first day she arrived as a rookie, she latched onto me relentlessly. She even spread rumors everywhere, telling people I was her boyfriend. The gossip flew so wildly it eventually reached our captain. She went so far as to accuse me of leading her on, so the captain stood up for her and gave me a good beating.”

“In the end, I had no choice but to follow orders and be her boyfriend.”

“Sigh, really, it’s all my mother’s fault for making me so handsome.”

Lu Ye’s helpless tone made Su Qianqian laugh out loud.

Thank goodness I never fell for that woman’s tricks.

And to think she had the nerve to say there was no love between me and Lu Ye, trying to convince us to divorce. Turns out, she’s the one who’s been pining after Lu Ye all along. How hilarious.

How satisfying!

“So, you never once had feelings for her?”

“Cai Yueyao is the richest woman in Licheng and not exactly bad-looking. You never felt a thing for her?”

Lu Ye smiled. “The first time I saw you, my heart pounded like never before. I never felt like that with Cai Yueyao. So I’m sure—I never had feelings for her. All I ever thought about was how to shake off that burden.”

A blush crept across Su Qianqian’s cheeks, making her all the more radiant in the moonlight. She chided him, “Smooth talker! Flattering me by stepping on your ex-girlfriend—don’t you think that’s shameless?”

“I’m telling the truth,” Lu Ye replied, sitting up with mock solemnity, though inside he was secretly amused.

Sure, it was a little shameless to please his wife by trampling on his ex, but wasn’t it effective?

Just look at how happy this old lady is.

...

The next day.

Su Qianqian went off to work alone.

Once she’d left and was well out of sight, Lu Ye nervously dialed Liu Yiyi’s number. He wanted her help sorting through any useful intel on the Y6 website.

“Yiyi, are you free today?”

On the other end, Liu Yiyi didn’t sound pleased. “Captain, I’m not free today.”

Lu Ye asked, “What’s wrong?”

Liu Yiyi complained, “My parents set me up on a blind date, but I really don’t want to go. The guy is so annoying—I’ve already told him I’m not interested, but he keeps pestering my parents to talk me into it. This is the third time this week he’s asked me out.”

“Captain, could you come pretend to be my boyfriend and help me get rid of this guy?”

Lu Ye thought for a moment—he had nothing else to do anyway. “Alright, where are you?”

“At home. Could you come pick me up?”

“Sure.”

Half an hour later.

Lu Ye pulled up to Liu Yiyi’s apartment complex in a Wuling Hongguang.

The spring air was warm and the sun was bright. Liu Yiyi couldn’t wait—she put on a short skirt and styled her hair in a bouncy bun. She stood by the roadside, lively and pretty.

She was actually two years older than Su Qianqian, but she didn’t look at all like a twenty-seven-year-old spinster—more like a university girl fresh out of college.

When the Wuling Hongguang stopped in front of her, Liu Yiyi was still slow to react, until Lu Ye rolled down the window. “Hey, beauty, hop in!”

“What the—Captain, where’s your Passat?”

Lu Ye boasted, “I accidentally wrecked the Passat yesterday. This is the new car my wife bought for me.”

“Ew!”

As soon as Liu Yiyi got in, she couldn’t help but marvel. The interior’s texture, the comfortable seats—could rival a Maybach.

But instantly, a warning sounded through the cabin!

Beep, beep, beep!

The central screen lit up with a video call from the old lady herself…

Damn, he’d let his guard down! He never expected Su Qianqian to have installed a stranger detection system in the car, one that targeted only women.

On the screen, Su Qianqian raised an eyebrow and snorted, “I knew you’d sneak out to fool around the moment I left the house!”

“Come on, tell me—who’s that woman beside you?”

Lu Ye stiffened in his seat.

He was done for. The old lady had always suspected something between him and Liu Yiyi.

But Liu Yiyi, unruffled, leaned into the camera and greeted her, “Morning, Qianqian!”

“Haha, I knew it had to be you, Yiyi!”

“You little scoundrel, just wait till you get home tonight!”

Though her words sounded threatening, Su Qianqian was already grinning—there wasn’t a hint of anger on her face.

Liu Yiyi took the initiative to confess, “Qianqian, I’m borrowing your husband for half a day. My parents arranged a blind date for me, but I really don’t want to face the guy alone.”

“So I asked Captain to pretend to be my boyfriend. Once we send the guy away, I’ll return him to you.”

Su Qianqian replied generously, “No problem. You little rascal, you’d better do a good job!”

Lu Ye breathed a sigh of relief. “Yes, ma’am!”

Done!

The blind date was set for Yijun Bar.

Coincidentally, it was the very bar once used as a base by the Hongying Society, before Meng the Beauty smashed it up. It had changed owners and reopened since.

As soon as the Wuling Hongguang pulled up to the bar, they spotted a flamboyantly dressed man waiting by the roadside—a man well past his thirties, decked out in a floral shirt, holding a bouquet of roses.

The sight was oddly familiar to Lu Ye…

Liu Yiyi wrinkled her nose. “That’s the sissy. He’s well into his thirties and still pretends to be some dashing young man.”

Lu Ye nodded and parked beside him.

As he got out and walked around the front of the car, he accidentally made eye contact with the man.

Instantly, they both exclaimed, “What the—?”

“Lu Ye?”

“Tan Dong?”

No wonder he’d looked so familiar…

Liu Yiyi was still clueless. She got out and immediately took Lu Ye’s arm. “Honey, what’s the matter?”

Tan Dong stared, dumbfounded. “Liu Yiyi, who is he to you?”

Liu Yiyi replied calmly, “He’s my boyfriend! Tan Dong, I came today to tell you I already have a boyfriend. Please stop bothering my parents, alright?”

Tan Dong couldn’t help but laugh. “Since when did Su Qianqian’s husband become your boyfriend?”

Only then did Liu Yiyi realize they knew each other.

Damn, this was awkward!

She was still racking her brain for an explanation when Lu Ye scoffed, “I’m both Su Qianqian’s husband and Liu Yiyi’s boyfriend. Got a problem with that?”

“Cai Yueyao is my ex-girlfriend, too—got a problem with that?”

Liu Yiyi chimed in, nodding, “That’s right! I’m happy being the mistress—got a problem with that?”

Tan Dong’s mouth twitched.

Cai Yueyao really was Lu Ye’s ex. She’d even called to warn him about it yesterday.

But why did all these beautiful women circle around Lu Ye?

He’d finally managed to get a blind date, and it turned out to be Lu Ye’s mistress?

He was done for.

Tan Dong snapped, “Lu Ye, aren’t you afraid I’ll tell your wife?”

Lu Ye shrugged indifferently. “Go ahead if you’ve got the guts.”

“Fine, you said it!”

He didn’t want this mistress anyway. He’d call Su Qianqian right now.

He was going to catch Lu Ye in the act!

Then, surely, Qianqian would be heartbroken. If he comforted her at the right moment, maybe she’d even fall into his arms.

Heh heh heh…

With that, Tan Dong whipped out his phone and called Su Qianqian.

Lu Ye couldn’t be bothered with the fool. He and Liu Yiyi headed to the beach, chose an outdoor table, and sat waiting.

Soon, Tan Dong came running over, elated, pointing at Lu Ye and laughing wildly. “You’re finished!”

“Qianqian said she’s on her way!”