Chapter 19: Her Husband Heard Her Confession

"Yun Manxia, how are you getting home? Don't tell me you're taking a taxi?"

"No way, no way-does your husband's family not even own a car??"

Listening to their mocking tones, Yun Manxia lazily lifted her gaze. "Whether my husband's family has a car or not is

none of your business. Don't any of you have boyfriends? Why are you so invested in someone else's husband?"

A passerby happened to overhear and cast a glance at Yun Yiyi's group, the look in their eyes decidedly subtle.

"You-!" The girl who'd spoken flushed crimson, impossible to tell if it was embarrassment or rage. "Who's invested in

your husband? As if anyone would want a man who can't be seen in public, is too embarrassing to bring out, and doesn't

even own a car!"

Yun Manxia's mouth twitched. Her expression went strange for a moment.

-Bai Hedu can't be seen in public? Too embarrassing to bring out? Doesn't even own a car?

If the man himself heard those words, she could only imagine his reaction!

She shot a glance at Yun Yiyi.

These people didn't know who she'd married, but Yun Yiyi wasn't mute. How could they still be under such a

misconception? So thoroughly convinced that she'd married some short, ugly, broke man? To say this had nothing to do

with Yun Yiyi-she didn't buy it for a second!

It seemed her dear stepsister really couldn't stand seeing her do well.

"Let me clarify something," she said, lifting her chin slightly, looking rather proud. "My husband is gorgeous. More

presentable than anyone you'll ever meet. I don't know exactly how many cars he has, but definitely more than what's in

your garage! And of course you don't want him-because you don't have the right to want him!"

The other side fired back: "Ha, that's hilarious! If he has so many cars, why didn't he come pick you up? Why are you

still taking a taxi home?!"

Yun Manxia was about to reply when suddenly-

"Madam."

A voice cut in from behind her.

Yun Manxia whipped around to find Lin Shen standing behind her, respectful and composed.

She was stunned. "Why are you here?"

"To take you home, of course." He gestured toward the car behind him.

Yun Manxia followed his gesture and her eyes widened with delighted surprise.

The car window wasn't fully closed. Through the gap, she caught a glimpse of a figure in the back seat-and recognized

him instantly. It was Bai Hedu!

Her delight was immediately followed by a sudden flush creeping up her small face.

She'd been speaking so loudly just now. Had he heard everything?

"Please get in, Madam," Lin Shen said.

The group opposite stood dumbfounded, staring at Lin Shen in his immaculate suit and deferential demeanor, then at the

car.

"My husband came to pick me up. Goodbye!" Yun Manxia said without a second's hesitation.

She walked briskly toward the car, her steps light.

Lin Shen opened the door for her.

Just as she was about to get in, Yun Manxia suddenly paused and looked back. "Second Sister, you've met my husband. You

know exactly who he is and what kind of man he is. So how could you let them talk about him like that?"

She slid into the back seat and the door closed.

Watching the car pull away, the girls stood frozen, uneasy and uncertain.

Yun Yiyi's eyes were filled with shock and jealousy.

She hadn't been mistaken. That was the Ninth Master in the back seat!

The Ninth Master had come to pick her up personally?!

What had Yun Manxia done to deserve that?!

"What did she just mean? You lied to us?" The girls around her turned hostile, demanding answers.

They'd only just started doubting Yun Yiyi over the dress incident, and now their trust in her was plummeting.

"I didn't..." Yun Yiyi scrambled to deny it.

"Didn't? Do you think we're idiots? You said Yun Manxia's husband was broke! Does that look broke to you?!"

They didn't know much else, but that car-that was not something money alone could buy.
"I never said he was broke." Yun Yiyi's voice carried a note of wounded innocence. "I only said his situation was...

inconvenient to discuss..."

Her gaze shifted subtly. "I can't tell you the specifics, but I can say this-he can't easily appear in public. His

reputation isn't great. Many people wouldn't marry him. Manxia only married him because of a prior engagement-she had no

choice."

Once again, the group was successfully led astray.

So Yun Manxia's husband was someone who came from money but was either hideously ugly or physically disabled?

That would explain a lot! Why else hadn't he even gotten out of the car just now?

In the car.

"Why did you come pick me up? I could've taken a taxi back. It's not that far." Yun Manxia looked at the man beside her,

part embarrassed, part thrilled.

"It was on the way," Bai Hedu said.

"When did you get here?" she asked in a small voice, testing the waters.

Bai Hedu was silent for a moment. Then he said tactfully, "When you were refuting them."

Boom-!

Yun Manxia felt like steam was about to shoot out of her ears. Her cheeks blazed. She looked up in a panic.

"Y-you heard everything?!"

"Mm." Bai Hedu's deep gaze rested on the girl beside him. Remembering her proud little display just now, a barely

perceptible itch stirred in his heart. She was impossibly endearing.

Yun Manxia could barely bring herself to meet his eyes. She feigned composure. "I wasn't wrong. My husband is

gorgeous..."

Not wanting to linger on this excruciating topic, she didn't wait for his response. She opened the box she'd been

clutching and revealed the thick stack of documents inside, showing them off to him-

"Look! My haul for today!"

Sensing her embarrassment, Bai Hedu played along. "What is this?"

"Company shares my mother left me! I got them back from my stepmother!" she announced proudly, looking at him

expectantly.

Somehow, Bai Hedu understood what she wanted. He paused, then nodded. "Mm. Well done."

The urge to praise her had been instinctive. But actually hearing those words from him, Yun Manxia's ears quietly burned

again. She turned her head away, flustered. "It wasn't that impressive. I was so stupid before-I let people trick me out

of everything..."

Bai Hedu's deep, dark gaze traced the elegant curve of her profile. "But you're not stupid anymore. You're very clever."

The atmosphere inside the car thickened without either of them noticing.

From the front seat, Lin Shen: "..."

He shouldn't have been in the car. He should have been under the car.

Flustered by his praise, Yun Manxia placed the box solemnly in his lap-

"For you."

"Mm?"

"Consider it my dowry." Her small face was flushed crimson. "I wanted to give you something else too... but this is the

most valuable thing I have right now."

Her voice grew quieter toward the end, trailing off into nothing.

Jiahuang Entertainment was a well-known company in the industry. But compared to Bai Hedu's fortune, it barely

registered. A gift that so many people coveted was, by his standards, nothing remarkable at all.

"For me...?" Bai Hedu was momentarily taken aback.

In his twenty-seven years, he had received countless gifts. But not a single one had ever moved him the way this stack

of paper did today.

Because it was nearly everything she had.

And she'd given it to him without a moment's hesitation.

Seeing him go quiet, Yun Manxia patted her chest and declared with conviction, "When I'm richer, I'll definitely give

you something better!"

If anyone else had said those words to Bai Hedu, it would have been laughable.

Money? That was the one thing the Ninth Master lacked least of all.

But looking into the girl's sincere, luminous eyes, he didn't find it ridiculous at all.

He was, instead, quietly stunned.