The quick resolution and investigation, which were a result of Shang Lu’s intervention, had a significant impact on Mu Ruxue, and it was a consequence of her own actions.
In the evening, around nine o’clock, Su Banxia initiated a video call with Shang Lu.
Shang Lu was not wearing a suit jacket but had on a black dress shirt and trousers. He looked exceptionally handsome in the dim lighting.
Once the video call was connected, they gazed at each other.
Su Banxia stared at his face and said, “Shang Lu.”
“Hmm?”
“You’ve lost weight, haven’t you?”
His face was clearly visible in the video, with smooth lines. He appeared slightly leaner compared to how he looked at home before.
Being lean also suited him, but it gave him a sharper appearance.
She leaned closer to the camera and asked, “Did you not eat properly? I’ve told you that even when you’re busy with work, you should eat on time. Shang Lu, if you don’t listen, I’ll get angry.”
“Banxia,” Shang Lu’s deep and slightly magnetic voice was husky.
Su Banxia noticed that his gaze was unusual, especially the signals in his dark eyes, which were not typical of him.
After being separated for so long, it was only natural that he would feel this way.
However, this was during a video call…
“You…”
She was about to say something when suddenly a voice came through, “Shang Lu, want to come out for a drink?”
The video suddenly went dark, with the sound of the phone hitting the table. She heard Shang Lu refuse in a cold tone, “I have something to do.”
The man’s nonchalant voice replied, “You’re on a video call with Su Banxia again? Sigh, once you get a wife, you forget your friends. Shang Lu, you have no heart.”
“Get lost!” Shang Lu’s voice unexpectedly became quite irritable.
Qi Jiashu left, closing the door with a bang.
The video call resumed with light, and she saw Shang Lu’s dark and unrestrained expression that he hadn’t had time to conceal. Well, she had thought he had turned into a little deer, but in reality, he was still that fierce beast.
However, why was Qi Jiashu also at the hotel?
“Shang Lu,” she asked, “Why is Qi Jiashu at the hotel too? Is he on a business trip with you?”
Shang Lu pursed his lips and said, “No.”
“He came over yesterday and will be leaving tomorrow,” he added, as if to reassure her that there was nothing going on.
Su Banxia didn’t think too much about it and asked, “So when are you coming back?”
“Tuesday.”
“In the morning or afternoon?”
“In the afternoon.”
Su Banxia changed her position, lying on the bed and video chatting with him. “Tell me your flight details. I want to pick you up.”
She was wearing a strap nightgown, exposing a large expanse of fair skin, her slender collarbone and voluptuous figure particularly alluring. The soft lighting scattered over her body made her look even more enticing.
Shang Lu felt a loss of control. He lowered his long, black eyelashes, concealing the wicked thoughts in his eyes. His wife, innocently displaying her seductive side in front of him, made it difficult for him to restrain himself.
Despite the thousands of kilometers separating them, his desire for her was all-consuming, and the distance only seemed to intensify his longing.
Su Banxia didn’t hear Shang Lu’s response. “Don’t you want me to pick you up?”
Shang Lu had broken into a sweat, his arm on the armrest tightened, and faint veins bulged beneath his skin. His voice was husky as he said, “If you want to come, then come.”
Upon hearing his response, Su Banxia was not pleased. She pouted and said, “What do you mean by ‘if you want to come, then come’? Shang Lu, have you changed? You’re not cute anymore, and your words are hurtful.”
Shang Lu suddenly raised his gaze, trying his best to focus on her face. “I didn’t mean it that way.”
Su Banxia asked, “Then what did you mean?”
Hearing her question, Shang Lu pursed his lips and said, “I really want you to come.”
When Su Banxia met his deep black eyes, she suddenly felt a bit uncomfortable and moved. She whispered, “Shang Lu, are you feeling very uncomfortable?”
As the words left her mouth, she seemed to see that his face had turned entirely red from his neck to his ears. Then, with a loud thud, his phone fell, and the video became dark.
“Go to bed early,” his hoarse voice came through.
Su Banxia cradled her flushed face and felt a little shy. She lowered her head and noticed her exposed cleavage, which made her cry out.
No wonder… Shang Lu must have been tormented.
She didn’t mean to do that. She couldn’t believe she had been video chatting with him for over half an hour like that.
…
On the day Shang Lu returned to China, Su Banxia specifically ordered a bouquet of flowers. Who said men didn’t need flowers? She insisted on giving him flowers.
Not only that, she had also prepared a surprise for him.
She took a leave of absence in advance and rushed to the airport, holding the flowers and waiting at the exit. Her heart was pounding, and she couldn’t calm down.
To be honest, it was her first time waiting at the airport with flowers in hand, eagerly anticipating someone’s arrival.
Even though she knew the flight’s arrival time, she still felt a bit anxious deep inside, and her gaze occasionally turned to the airport clock.
As the crowd emerged from the exit, she spotted Shang Lu in his wheelchair. Without hesitation, she ran over to him. “Shang Lu.”
Xiang Lei and Zhou’s assistant couldn’t help but twitch their lips when they saw Su Banxia running towards them with a bouquet of flowers. Miss Su had actually brought flowers to welcome Shang Lu at the airport.
The people at the airport had already noticed Su Banxia, and they cast looks of surprise and envy towards Shang Lu.
As Su Banxia approached Shang Lu, she bent down, her smile radiant, and handed him the bouquet. “Welcome back.”
Shang Lu glanced at the bouquet, accepted it, and held her hand. “How long have you been waiting?”
“Not long,” Su Banxia replied. “Let’s go, we’re heading home.”
….
A discreet yet luxurious car was parked downstairs at the apartment. Su Banxia got out of the car first, watched Xiang Lei move the wheelchair over, and then Shang Lu got out of the car and sat in it.
Zhou’s assistant didn’t go up; he sent the luggage to the apartment before leaving.
Su Banxia pushed Shang Lu into the bedroom. “You take a shower first. Without my permission, you’re not allowed to come out.”
Shang Lu had noticed her different mood since the airport and was curious about what she had in mind. He obediently went to take a bath.
Su Banxia heard the doorbell, so she took the takeout and arranged it on a finely decorated plate at home. She lit the candles, turned off the crystal lamp, and switched on the mood lighting.
“All set!” She hurriedly ran into the dressing room and changed into a dress.
Shang Lu came out of the bathroom.
He saw her in a black cocktail dress, her skin milky white, hair elegantly tied at the back of her head, and her cat-like pupils slightly narrowed, exuding a seductive charm.
Suddenly, the words ‘enchanting fairy’ popped into his mind.
Seemingly shy, Su Banxia bit her red lips and called out to him, “Husband.”
Shang Lu suspected he might be hearing things. Her voice was so melodious, it was like listening to an enchanting melody, and it had captivated his soul.
Su Banxia walked behind him and pushed the wheelchair, saying, “Are you hungry? Let’s have dinner.”
Only then did he notice that the dining table had been moved to a new location, near the large floor-to-ceiling window. The room was bathed in soft lighting, and outside, the stars twinkled. White candles, a Western meal, and the subtle aroma of red wine had created an atmosphere that was both enchanting and intimate.
Su Banxia pushed him to the dining table and stood beside him, supporting her head with her hand. She asked, “Do you like this surprise?”
Shang Lu’s throat felt dry, and his sexy Adam’s apple bobbed as he spoke in his husky voice, “I like it.”
His voice was low and gentle, and it was unclear whether he was referring to the evening or someone else.
“Let’s eat first,” Su Banxia poured wine for him.
The red wine flowed into the glass, creating enchanting ripples, and its pure fragrance filled the air, making it intoxicating.
Shang Lu and she clinked glasses, completely forgetting how many glasses they had already consumed.
Su Banxia’s petite face had a slight blush, and she pushed Shang Lu to an empty space.
She leaned on his shoulder and said, “How about I dance for you? A private dance just for you.”
The young woman wasn’t wearing shoes, her bare feet lightly touching the floor as she gracefully moved to the melodious music. Her seductive gaze seemed filled with affection, occasionally glancing over at him.
Shang Lu’s dark eyes were fixed on her, unable to move away.
How could someone be so beautiful, like a silver butterfly dancing in the moonlight of a clear night sky? He wanted to capture her beauty and keep it all to himself.
Su Banxia danced her way to him, her hands resting on his broad shoulders as she lowered her head to look at him. She asked, “Do I look good?”
Shang Lu grabbed one of her hands and placed it on his face, bringing it to his lips and lightly biting it.
She felt a moist sensation on her fingertips, followed by a slight pain. She narrowed her eyes and said, “No biting.”
The man raised his head to look at her. In the soft lighting, he looked like a painting, his expression no longer cold, his deep and enchanting black eyes as if they could draw her deep inside.
Su Banxia seemed enchanted, and she leaned down to kiss his thin lips.
The next moment, her neck was held firmly by his large hand. She made a soft sound, and he kissed her passionately, his tongue a bit forceful, as if he wanted to devour her, and they tasted the lingering flavor of red wine in each other’s mouths.
After a passionate moment that left her breathless, he finally let her go. Her lips were slightly swollen, and her eyes were filled with a watery glint.
In the bedroom, only a dim wall lamp remained, making the space feel small, as if it could only accommodate two people.
The hem of her dress swayed gently, and her black hair scattered behind her, trembling. In the haze, she saw his handsome face, with disheveled hair slightly damp, and his black eyes seemed like they wanted to devour her.
The next day, Su Banxia got up to go to school. While changing clothes, she noticed the marks on her collarbone, feeling embarrassed yet delighted.
She had clearly told him not to make it too obvious, but he insisted on doing so. It was hard to conceal during the summer when she wore clothes, but he, the annoying man, couldn’t resist.
She had to use concealer to cover up that mark before hastily heading to school.
Since Shang Lu returned from his trip, he seemed even busier than before. In the past, he would come home to have dinner with her, but now, it was almost past eleven, and he rarely came home.
At first, she was busy practicing her dance and didn’t pay much attention to it. Shang Lu came home late every day, even working overtime on weekends. She was preoccupied with accompanying her mother to see the doctor and undergo surgery, so she didn’t notice this at first.
When her mother had surgery to remove the benign tumor, she became physically weak and had to stay in the hospital for some time. During this period, her father didn’t show up even once, and her irresponsible younger brother only visited her mother a few times. She tried to talk to him but was met with impatience and hurtful words.
Her younger brother was currently attending a disorderly high school, and as he neared graduation, he had made friends with some bad influences who took him to questionable places. Before he went to college, she needed to find a way to steer him away from the wrong path.
After her mother was discharged and returned to their villa, she finally had some peace of mind. It was then that she began to notice that Shang Lu was always coming home late.
One day, when talking on the phone with Lin Qingya, Lin Qingya mentioned seeing Shang Lu at a certain hospital with an unfamiliar woman. This raised suspicions in Su Banxia’s mind. She secretly waited outside the company, and with the help of Xiong Da, they followed Shang Lu’s car to a private hospital in Haicheng.
“Wait for me downstairs,” she instructed Xiong Da.
She saw both Xiang Lei and Shang Lu entering the elevator, and she had to take the stairs to catch up. Fortunately, the hospital only had seven floors. The hospital corridor was filled with the unpleasant smell of medicines, and she encountered several patients with physical disabilities. A certain thought in her mind grew stronger as she stood in front of the room where Shang Lu had entered. She took a deep breath and gently pushed the door open.
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