Chapter 48: Caught Cheating
To be honest, in high-society marriages, many are just for show.
Shen Shuyi had grown up seeing too much of this world. With wealth and power at their level, marriage was never really about personal choice.
Even Shen Shuyi was no exception.
After marriage, a respectful distance—each playing their own game—was considered the best outcome.
Some couples, however, would tear each other apart over their mistresses, making a public scandal covered by media.
Having just one mistress was almost considered “good”; some situations escalated to include second, third, or even fourth mistresses.
Shen Shuyi’s uncles were like that: aside from their first wives, they also had second and third wives.
In Hong Kong, the law is monogamous, but due to historical reasons, it was common in the previous generation to have multiple wives at home.
Shen Shuyi had seen it all—but never expected this fate to fall upon himself.
Girlfriend?
Shen Shuyi forced a bitter smile.
Fantastic. Even before marriage, the so-called fiancé already had a lover showing up at the door.
“Wait, you’re Zhao Yuheng’s girlfriend?”
After a long moment to process, Shen Shuyi finally spoke.
“…Yes.” Xiao Wen looked at Shen Shuyi, her heart uncertain.
It was normal for a boyfriend to have friends, but someone this good-looking naturally made one’s heart skip a beat.
Everyone knew what men were capable of.
Having such a good-looking friend around—who knew what kind of friend they really were?
Xiao Wen forced a smile and asked, “A Heng… hasn’t come home yet?”
Oh. Listen to that.
So intimate, calling him “A Heng.”
Even Zhao Yuheng hadn’t let her call him that.
That Zhao guy—one boyfriend, one girlfriend, and apparently he was making the monogamy system look like a game.
Shen Shuyi didn’t even know how he felt—there was a strange mix of anger and a weird calmness as he faced everything in front of him.
He hadn’t slapped Zhao Yuheng yet, and Shen Shuyi considered that almost the ninth wonder of the world.
After he said this, the atmosphere at the door fell silent.
Xiao Wen’s sixth sense was tingling; Shen Shuyi’s presence was overwhelmingly strong, sharp even in appearance.
She realized the situation might be more complicated than she thought. Xiao Wen had been studying abroad, and had only been dating her boyfriend this year.
Previously, Xiao Wen had always known of Zhao Yuheng but he had always been indifferent toward her.
She had assumed she had no chance.
But a few months ago, she hadn’t given up and had asked her parents to make a connection—her parents were Zhao Yuheng’s uncle’s bosses. With such a connection, she was able to approach Zhao Yuheng more easily than other girls.
Xiao Wen had prepared herself for the possibility of complete failure.
She had seen Zhao Yuheng from afar once before and had remembered that heart-fluttering feeling.
Unexpectedly, this time, Zhao Yuheng actually responded.
He not only added her on WeChat, but they even kept in daily contact, confirming their relationship last month.
Because of this, Xiao Wen couldn’t focus on her studies abroad and had packed up to return home early.
Earlier, she had seen a photo Zhao Yuheng sent her, showing the location of this complex.
Hoping to surprise her boyfriend, she hadn’t asked for the exact address.
After asking the security downstairs for a while, she finally found the building.
Thus, the scene in front of her unfolded.
For a few seconds, Xiao Wen even doubted if she had the wrong door.
Or maybe it was just a coincidence—perhaps someone in the same complex shared the same name.
Shen Shuyi looked at her expressionlessly, yet for some reason, Xiao Wen, standing outside her boyfriend’s apartment, felt guilty and uneasy.
“Excuse me, could you have him call me when he comes back? Just tell him I returned to the country today and came to see him.”
Shen Shuyi said nothing, his cold expression impenetrable.
Xiao Wen felt she couldn’t persist and turned to leave.
“Sorry to bother you.”
She entered the elevator and sent a message to “Zhao Yuheng.”
[Are you at home or at work? I’m in your complex looking for you, but there’s a stranger man in your home. I think you better explain what’s going on?? (smiley emoji)]
Zhao Yuheng replied quickly, sounding a bit flustered.
[Wenwen, did you go to Rongshu Garden? Why didn’t you tell me you were coming back to the country?!]
After Xiao Wen left, Shen Shuyi stood at the door for a long time without moving.
After a while, he realized his whole body was cold, especially his legs—they had become numb from standing so long, tense and stiff.
Being cheated on by a boyfriend wasn’t the first time.
A few months ago, Li Sijia had flirted with his mistress right in front of him, and Shen Shuyi had barely reacted, only feeling speechless.
Later, he mercilessly broke up with Li Sijia.
Now, calling Zhao Yuheng to confront him, or waiting for him to come home to slap him, should be the best course of action.
No matter what, the young master must first vent his anger!
But as his fingers hovered over Zhao Yuheng’s number, Shen Shuyi found he didn’t have the courage to dial.
If he called and confronted him, then what?
If the answer confirmed he was indeed two-timing, what should he do?
Scold him? Hit him?
Would it make him feel better? Shen Shuyi was confused.
Probably not. His chest felt tight, and his heart was numb.
If he paid attention to his body, Shen Shuyi realized he had been trembling slightly since just now.
When he was younger, watching dramas, he’d see misunderstandings between the leads—something that could be resolved with one phone call dragged across ten episodes.
Back then, he held a pillow in disbelief, suspecting the writers were just dragging the plot. “Why can’t they just ask?!”
Now, Shen Shuyi felt like a boomerang had hit him on the head.
When it comes to love, confronting someone really does take courage.
Love can be frightening.
Of course, Shen Shuyi’s fear lasted only a second.
The next moment, his melancholy passed, replaced by rage that ignited like a galaxy-wide fire.
[Zhao Yuheng, die 🙂 ]
He sent the message without hesitation.
Far away at the airport, Zhao Yuheng paused at the five aggressive characters, then obediently replied:
[Baby, sorry, what’s this about?]
He had considered adding “again,” but instinct told him it might make Shen Shuyi angrier.
[This apology won’t work 🙂 ]
[Would apologizing more help?] Zhao Yuheng replied: [I saw a bracelet that suits you, I’ll bring it later.]
[Useless!!!!!!!]
Shen Shuyi typed: “What bracelet? Show me?”
Then deleted it.
Useless TUT!
Shen Shuyi—would a single bracelet be enough to bribe him?!
So many exclamation marks!
Zhao Yuheng was momentarily confused, wondering what Shen Shuyi had dreamed about this time.
He was the type to demand compensation from Zhao Yuheng for wrongs only in his dreams.
Zhao Yuheng was used to apologizing endlessly for mistakes he didn’t commit.
“I’m in your home. Guess who I saw?” Shen Shuyi said coldly. “Your girlfriend.”
Saying the last half of that sentence stabbed his heart, a sharp pang of both pain and bitterness.
“How did you see her? Was it in the mirror just now?”
“…”
Damn it.
“Don’t try to sidestep with slick talk!” Shen Shuyi paused. “Zhao Yuheng, haven’t I told you I hate betrayal the most? If you’re with me, I don’t care about your past messes, but now everything must end immediately.”
“Shen Shuyi?” Zhao Yuheng sensed her anger, different from her usual tantrums. “I have no other relationships. I only have you.”
Only him.
Shen Shuyi’s heart skipped, then he sneered coldly.
Really? Then who was the woman at the door just now?
Was he seeing things?
“I’m at your place. I’ll come over now.”
“No need.”
Shen Shuyi couldn’t describe his feelings—his mind was tangled, and he didn’t really want to see Zhao Yuheng.
He felt he should calm down and think carefully.
“I left a cake in your fridge. Remember to eat it.”
After saying this, he hung up.
Originally, he had planned to stay and eat it with Zhao Yuheng. Now, he had no mood for it.
Xiao Wen returned from Rongshu Garden and went straight home.
She threw her bag onto the sofa. Her boyfriend was apologizing nonstop on WeChat, but she didn’t want to read a single message.
She had planned to surprise him today, but everything turned into a mess.
Her mood remained stable, but seeing her boyfriend cheating didn’t leave her calm.
Her best friend came out and noticed her mood.
“Weren’t you going to see your husband today? Why are you back so early?”
“See what? I don’t even know if he’s cheating!”
Her friend was shocked: “You’re so beautiful, and he still cheats? Damn, I knew handsome guys can’t be trusted! You were just blinded by his face.”
“Don’t say that, it’s just my guess,” Xiao Wen snapped. “When I opened the door, I saw a man in his home.”
“A man?!” Her friend was stunned: “A male mistress?!”
“…I’m not sure. He didn’t admit it.”
“What does he look like? Do you have a photo?” Her friend asked.
Earlier, Xiao Wen had secretly snapped a photo of Shen Shuyi in the elevator—he was far away, so it wasn’t clear.
She hesitated but showed it to her friend.
“Wow, so good-looking?” Her friend blurted out, then realized her mistake: “Good-looking or not, he’s a mistress! Damn, shameless! Nowadays, men even compete for other men.”
Xiao Wen’s heart was in turmoil. Her boyfriend kept apologizing on WeChat; maybe she had misunderstood?
“I’ll sleep for a while. I don’t want to see him now.”
She lay on the bed, unable to shake off the image of Shen Shuyi’s cold, detached face.
The thought of that face with Zhao Yuheng, together, seemed more fitting than with her.
She was just an ordinary girl. Her bitterness and anger surged like an underground spring.
She posted on social media:
[My boyfriend seems to have cheated. Do I even need to give him a chance to be forgiven? (sad emoji)]
Xiao Wen came from a wealthy background. While abroad, she ran a study-abroad vlog with tens of thousands of followers on Instagram and Little Red Notes, making her somewhat of a celebrity in the study-abroad community.
The post exploded with comments instantly.
Shen Shuyi’s mood these days wasn’t great. He still went to work, but colleagues A, B, C, and D noticed his low spirits.
During lunch, colleague A asked: “Shuyi, are you in a bad mood? Want us to take a walk downstairs after lunch?”
The Yinghua branch had an Osmanthus Avenue nearby, perfect this season. Many employees from surrounding companies would walk during lunch to get some sun.
Shen Shuyi shook his head listlessly: “I don’t want to.”
Colleague B teased: “Baby, do you have pre-marriage anxiety?”
He hadn’t hidden it from them. When asked about his upcoming marriage, he had told them.
Hearing “pre-marriage,” Shen Shuyi paused, sneering internally.
Hah, marriage.
He didn’t even know if he was wearing a green hat over his head!
Zhao Yuheng had said he had no other “messy relationships.”
Yet the woman from that day felt like a thorn, stabbing deep in his heart.
Because Zhao Yuheng had been too good to him, Shen Shuyi had assumed he was different from other messy rich kids.
He never imagined Zhao Yuheng could fall for someone else.
Actually, it wasn’t impossible, right?
Shen Shuyi had seen too many marital betrayals in this circle.
He had prepared for a plastic marriage, just maintaining appearances for the families.
He had gotten too indulgent in the meantime, forgetting his original intention.
Shen Shuyi kept telling himself: without expectations, there is no disappointment.
This marriage was arranged anyway—might as well turn a blind eye and muddle through.
Shen Shuyi poked at his rice gloomily, unable to eat.
Yes. It should be like this.
These days, Shen Shuyi hadn’t replied to Zhao Yuheng much, nor picked up his calls.
Zhao Yuheng was busy at work anyway, sending messages at 3–4 a.m.
Their previously clingy stage had cooled, and Shen Shuyi’s mind had cleared.
The calmer he became, the more he reflected on his own past dependence on Zhao Yuheng.
This wasn’t his usual character!
Now, he thought, this state was better.
Even if the “cheap fiancé Zhao” caused scandals in the future, Shen Shuyi could calmly say: “Arranged marriage, each plays their own game—normal!”
Then demand an astronomical hush money from the scumbag husband.
Given how busy he was, he must have earned a lot.
Shen Shuyi would make sure to take plenty.
On Saturday, Shen Lu had a business partner’s daughter getting married—Mia, daughter of the jewelry tycoon Yongheng.
Mia happened to be childhood friends with Shen Shuyi; before he went abroad, their homes were close, and they had played together for years.
Before the wedding, Mia had sent him an invitation on WeChat.
Shen Shuyi had been distracted lately and almost forgot; only Shen Lu reminded him.
Out of family ties and childhood friendship, Shen Shuyi initially wanted to skip it but went with Shen Lu for appearances.
Mia’s engagement hotel was the Qushui Huating under Yinghua, three newly built 50+ story high-end towers connected by a sky garden.
The garden was originally for viewing the Victoria Harbour fireworks but had been transformed into a luxurious banquet hall for Mia’s wedding.
When Shen Shuyi arrived, he parted from Shen Lu.
Shen Lu went to meet business partners; Shen Shuyi was embraced by Mia, excited to see him.
“BB, I missed you! You’re so busy, haven’t come to see me in months! Today you must give me a big red envelope.”
Seeing Mia, unchanged from his memories, Shen Shuyi felt better and teasingly pulled her away: “Be mindful of gender boundaries! I don’t want the media exposing me for interfering in someone else’s marriage.”
Mia stuck out her tongue, introducing a man: “This is Leo, Xu Mingze. Call him Mingze. My husband!”
Shen Shuyi glanced at Xu Mingze, who extended a hand: “Third Young Master, honored to meet you.”
Shen Shuyi shook his hand perfunctorily.
“BB, I’m a bit busy. Sit anywhere; I’ll come find you later!”
At the wedding, champagne flowed and the hall was grand. Mia, in her wedding gown, floated like a white butterfly among the crowd, radiating happiness.
Shen Shuyi felt a twinge of envy.
But then he remembered his own messy arranged marriage, and the recent suspected cheating by his fiancé.
His mood soured. He went outside to the garden to get some air.
He found a nice window—but heard sounds of passion nearby.
“You’re annoying, why here at the wedding? Couldn’t wait until tonight at the hotel?”
“I can’t hold it, baby. You look amazing in the bridesmaid dress!”
What the…
Bridesmaid?
Shen Shuyi froze, unsure whether to leave or stay.
The couple in the adjacent lounge were getting louder, moaning in escalating intensity.
“Baby, you’re amazing,” “So thrilling”—Shen Shuyi wanted to cover his ears.
Finally, he kicked open the lounge door.
The room was a mess, clothes scattered; two people on the sofa were disheveled.
The man was… Mia’s husband.
Today’s groom!
