1. Forced kiss

◎I married someone who hates me◎

Lancheng is certainly a big city, with a permanent population of 12 million, towering buildings, and luxury cars everywhere...

Even in the biggest cities, the circles of wealthy people are only so small.

If any scandalous news breaks today, within three days, all the wealthy people in Lancheng will know about it.

So, sitting in the lobby of the Lancheng Hotel, facing the menacing Chen Sujuan and Zhuang Xiaomeng, Song Qinggui was mentally prepared.

“Our Xue family has been glorious for hundreds of years, but this is the first time we’ve been so humiliated.” Chen Sujuan, dressed in a rose-red cheongsam, glared at Song Qinggui with her eyes narrowed and said sharply, “I didn’t take it seriously when Mrs. Yan said bad things about you at the mahjong table, but now it seems you really don’t respect yourself.”

Song Qinggui was used to such scenes. He calmly sipped his coffee without making a sound.

This calm silence infuriated Chen Sujuan. Just as she was about to explode, Zhuang Xiaomeng quickly pulled her back: "Auntie, the matter hasn't been clarified yet, please don't be anxious."

After Chen Sujuan was calmed down, Zhuang Xiaomeng turned to Song Qinggui and pleaded pitifully, "Sister Qinggui, don't blame your aunt for being anxious. Your video with Yan Fengqian has been on the news. Xue Lu was inexplicably cuckolded by the two of you, so of course your aunt is angry. At the very least, you should have some explanation."

Song Qinggui gently placed the coffee cup on the coffee table in front of him, watching the two people opposite him playing good cop and bad cop, and felt a sense of weariness.

Chen Sujuan, her husband Xue Lu's mother, her mother-in-law; Zhuang Xiaomeng, Xue Lu's childhood sweetheart. Now they've joined forces, eager to make her admit to infidelity, but claiming that she's the one who cheated on Xue Lu.

"The video was on the news." Song Qinggui said slowly, "But the report clearly stated that Yan Fengqian got drunk at a KTV and got into a fight with someone. His female companion was afraid that something would happen, so she took his phone and randomly dialed a number, which happened to be me. After hearing what happened, I went with Attorney Xue to resolve the issue. Attorney Xue was present throughout the whole process, it's just that the news headline was a bit outrageous."

Song Qinggui recalled the trending topic on social media about the farce two days ago—"The Strongest Beauty Barrier: Xue Luyan and Fengqian Turn Against Each Other for Love," accompanied by three exclamation marks.

It's infuriating that a perfectly good official newspaper account has been turned into something like a gossip marketing account.

"But shouldn't you avoid suspicion?" Zhuang Xiaomeng questioned with the most rational expression and the gentlest tone, "You and Yan Fengqian dated for four years, and now that you're married to Xue Lu, you're dragging him along to clean up your ex-boyfriend's mess. Do you think that's appropriate? Is that respectable?"

“Zhuang Xiaomeng.” Song Qinggui smiled, his expression full of contempt. “You’ve been a rich heiress for over twenty years. Do you think I, a small-town tutor, need to teach you the rules of the business world? The Yan family is an important partner of the Xue family. As long as the cooperation continues, we share the same fate. If Yan Fengqian gets into trouble, as long as it’s not a matter of principle, it’s Xue Lu’s job to help him out. And…”

At this point, Song Qinggui raised an eyebrow: "On what grounds do you have the right to criticize my marriage with Xue Lu?"

“You…” Zhuang Xiaomeng’s seemingly harmless face finally showed signs of anger.

Chen Sujuan then spoke up to defend Zhuang Xiaomeng: "Song Qinggui, what are you pretending to be so high and mighty for? If you hadn't seduced my son and blinded him to marry you, Xiaomeng would be my daughter-in-law now."

"Really?" Before Song Qinggui could speak, a clear male voice rang out: "How come I didn't know?"

Cheng Cheng, the owner of Lancheng Hotel, is a friend of Xue Lu. The lobby manager is very familiar with the people around Xue Lu. When Song Qinggui and his two companions entered the room, they sensed that something was wrong and the manager immediately reported to the owner.

Xue Lu received a call from Cheng Cheng and drove over. As soon as he entered, he heard Chen Sujuan's words.

He was already in a bad mood when he learned that Chen Sujuan had taken Zhuang Xiaomeng to find Song Qinggui, and upon hearing this, his eyes darkened completely.

His voice was so cold that Zhuang Xiaomeng felt wronged. With red eyes, she bit her lip and looked at the man she had loved for many years.

But Xue Lu didn't even glance at her, just as Song Qinggui didn't even glance at Xue Lu.

When Chen Sujuan saw her son arrive, her attitude softened. She stopped targeting Song Qinggui and instead earnestly advised him, "I'm afraid you'll be deceived. You've never had a proper relationship since you were little, and in the end, you married such a slut. How can I be at ease?"

"Mom!" Xue Lu glared at Chen Sujuan and shouted, "How can you talk like that?!"

"Oh, she dares to do it, so why is she afraid of what others will say?" Chen Sujuan didn't take her son's anger seriously at all: "Who is Yan Fengqian? In Lancheng's bars and karaoke rooms, everyone knows him. Even that playboy from the Meng family, Young Master Meng, has to call him 'Big Brother.' I'm an old man who rarely leaves the house, and I've heard of his womanizing ways. Your wife has been dating him for four years, eating and drinking his food, and probably even slept with him..."

"Mom!" Chen Sujuan spoke rapidly, like a machine gun, but Xue Lu interrupted her harshly before she could say the most hurtful things: "Mom, Song Qinggui is my wife, the person I want to spend my life with. You should treat her well. If you can't do that, you're forcing me to make a choice. You know me; this isn't a difficult problem for me."

Xue Lu's appearance was already cold and stern, and when he lowered his brows, he became even more intimidating. Chen Sujuan was stunned at first, then pretended to cry, slapping her thighs with both hands: "Oh dear, my son has grown up, married a wife and forgotten his mother! You heartless wretch! Your wife only wants your money! You know that the Yan family gave her money back then?! The only one who truly cares about you is your mother! Oh dear, if I had known this would happen, I would have preferred to have died long ago..."

Zhuang Xiaomeng comforted Chen Sujuan from the side, gently patting her back.

Chen Sujuan cried more and more intensely, almost to the point of fainting, attracting the attention of guests passing by the hotel lobby.

Xue Lu frowned, pondering how to calm Chen Sujuan down.

Looking at the farce unfolding before him, Song Qinggui slowly stood up and said nonchalantly, "Dignity? Is this what you call dignity?"

This casual question stopped Chen Sujuan's crying.

Xue Lu looked at Song Qinggui. She was still the same as before, beautiful as a ball of fire, and also like a cloud of mist.

Song Qinggui smiled and stared directly at Chen Sujuan, whose eyes were brimming with tears: "It's the 21st century, and you're still being a concubine to Old Master Xue. Is that respectable? You tolerated Zhuang Xiaomeng provoking me again and again, trying to interfere in my marriage. Is that respectable? And your precious son, Xue Lu, he and Yan Fengqian grew up like brothers. When he snatched me from Yan Fengqian, didn't you think about whether it was respectable or not? What, it's not respectable for me to have a relationship before getting married?"

Song Qinggui sneered, picked up her bag, turned and left, passing by Xue Lu without even blinking.

"You, you, you..." Chen Sujuan started crying again, "What a tragedy, what a tragedy!"

Ignoring Chen Sujuan's repeated curses, Xue Lu caught up with Song Qinggui.

“I’ll take you back to the hospital,” Xue Lu said.

Song Qinggui's expression was ashen, and he remained silent.

The two walked out of the Lancheng Hotel together, and as they descended the steps, they attracted the attention of many people who stopped to watch.

Xue Lu was tall and upright, with broad shoulders and a narrow waist, and had a handsome appearance.

Song Qinggui was also dressed in a well-fitting suit, with long, wavy hair cascading down her shoulders, looking incredibly beautiful.

The word "perfect match" sometimes needs no explanation. Even if the parties involved are unwilling, it is firmly engraved on each other's foreheads, drawing envy from passersby.

Song Qinggui got into Xue Lu's car, sat in the passenger seat, and fastened his seatbelt.

Xue Lu locked the car door but didn't drive it for a long time.

The atmosphere in the car was tense. Song Qinggui knew that Xue Lu was in a bad mood, but she was in an even worse mood.

"I have another patient complaint to handle this afternoon," Song Qinggui said first. "You are the president of the group, and this hospital is your hospital. You should understand the simple principle that your emotions should not affect your work."

Xue Lu remained motionless, his deep eyes fixed on Song Qinggui. He was angry, but upon seeing Song Qinggui's face, his voice softened: "What you said to my mother today was excessive. Don't do that again."

Song Qinggui knew which sentence Xue Lu was referring to, and laughed again: "I said it was too much for her to be a concubine in the new society, and I have to put up with her calling me a slut?"

“The rules are strict.” Xue Lu patiently called her name, “I defended you just now as well.”

Song Qinggui's smile vanished, and he looked at Xue Lu without any emotion: "Playing the role of a good husband in front of your mother, and a filial son in front of me? Xue Lu, you don't need to do all this useless work. Spend your life together? Don't you feel disgusted by yourself? You were the one who proposed our marriage, and you made it very clear from the beginning that I wanted money, and you wanted to escape a business marriage and humiliate me for your own amusement. You don't need to put on any of those sentimental acts."

As Xue Lu looked into Song Qinggui's open yet sharp pupils, his jaw clenched again; he had always hated her eyes the most.

She made no attempt to hide her vanity and ambition, yet she was unwilling to relinquish her pride and self-respect, which could only be described as despicable. Although she was the one groveling beneath his wealth and status, she deliberately used the thorns growing from her back to pierce him until he bled profusely.

Xue Lu's Adam's apple bobbed. He lowered the passenger seat and leaned in to kiss Song Qinggui's lips fiercely.

Song Qinggui's pupils constricted instantly, and he pushed Xue Lu away forcefully with both hands. This was their first kiss, even their first physical contact, and it absurdly began in anger.

Xue Lu held Song Qinggui tightly, and the kiss was almost an overwhelming invasion.

The disparity in strength caused Song Qinggui to gradually give up resisting, and the kiss changed from intense to tender.

After a long while, Xue Lu's tongue successfully pried open Song Qinggui's pearly teeth, and they began a primal yet tender caress.

Only at this moment did Xue Lu feel the pent-up anger in his chest dissipate. His heart pounded rapidly and clearly, and he enjoyed the rhythm. Only when Song Qinggui let out a standard, pleading moan did he finally pull away from her lips, panting.

But he still held her, pressing his forehead against hers, savoring the lingering afterglow of their long kiss.

Song Qinggui was a little exhausted; his lipstick had been smudged by his kisses, and his lips had become moist and slightly swollen.

Song Qinggui was panting, his emotions a mixture of three parts desire and seven parts resentment.

Seeing her like this, Xue Lu spoke in a low, hoarse voice, uttering harsh words that were meant to belittle her, but with a hint of soothing: "Song Qinggui, know your place. I don't always have this kind of patience."

Once Song Qinggui calmed down, he retorted sarcastically, "That's all you're good for."

These words did not anger Xue Lu. He even showed a long-lost smile and finally put his hands back on the steering wheel and started the car: "Isn't this much skill enough? Touch your heart and think carefully about why it is beating like this."

Song Qinggui ignored Xue Lu. She reapplied her lipstick, looked out the car window at the tranquil sea in the distance, her heart rate gradually returned to normal, and her thoughts drifted into the distance.

She had always been cunning and calculating, and rarely had a moment of lapse in judgment. But six months ago, on the day she and Lawyer Xue left the Civil Affairs Bureau, she truly felt like she had gone mad.

She actually married him—her ex-boyfriend's best friend, who had always disliked her.