Marry by Relying on Favor: Chapter 143 - Are You Still Worth Anything?
In a short span of time, Qu Bixin had already concocted in her head a whole “scumbag chasing his wife to the crematorium” drama plot, and had even worked out how to humiliate him. On what grounds did he think that just because he’d handed over his entire fortune to Shen Tingji, she would be satisfied with only his face?
Before she could lift her chin arrogantly, Shen Fu handed her a folder.
Qu Bixin froze for two seconds, then took it suspiciously. “What is this?”
She opened it. Under the streetlight, she saw a villa property deed inside.
Shen Fu looked at her calmly. His tone was natural, candid—so frank and without calculation that it made him seem more agreeable than usual. “I promised you before that I’d buy you a villa next to President Wen’s.”
He worked efficiently. The villa had been decorated inside and out according to Qu Bixin’s preferences. He had intended to give it to her some time ago.
Holding the few thin sheets of the property deed, Qu Bixin suddenly felt they were too heavy to steady. “I was just saying that casually at the time.”
She hadn’t truly meant to covet Shen Fu’s money. Half a month ago, when they had fallen out, she had even snapped the card he gave her in half and thrown it into the trash.
Shen Fu always kept his word. Once something was given, he wouldn’t take it back.
Qu Bixin couldn’t help asking, “If you give me the villa, where will you live?”
She sounded genuinely concerned, temporarily setting aside their previous unpleasant quarrel.
Shen Fu’s eyes, dark as ink, seemed to smile faintly. “I’m staying at a colleague’s place for now. Once I get commission from my current project, I’ll find somewhere else and move out.”
“You should take the villa back yourself.” Seeing him reduced to lodging at someone else’s home, Qu Bixin felt uneasy accepting it.
She wasn’t Shen Tingji—she couldn’t accept things from Shen Fu without a second thought.
With one hand in his pocket, Shen Fu still didn’t take it. “Or do you want me to compensate you in another way for breaking my promise?”
Her fingers tightened abruptly around the file. It took her three seconds to understand what he meant.
“You think you’re… still worth that price?”
A flicker of anger ignited in her eyes. After all, it was his own fault for giving away his entire fortune.
That night, Shen Fu hadn’t mentioned reconciliation at all. Yet her strong reaction to that one sentence made his thin lips curl in what seemed like self-mockery.
Qu Bixin felt even more unsettled. She would rather he be sharp-tongued; this silent restraint left her not knowing what to say.
He only acted this tolerant when he had an ulterior motive. It was as if he had returned to how he was years ago.
That made Qu Bixin even more wary, afraid she might fall into his trap again. Her expression shifted slightly before turning cold. “I’ll keep the villa for you for now. If you regret it someday, you can take it back anytime.”
Seeing the pressure weighing on her, Shen Fu remained standing where he was, not approaching. His gaze deepened as he looked at her and said simply, “Alright.”
Qu Bixin still disliked his sudden gentleness. She coughed lightly. “If you have nothing else to do, you should go back to your… colleague’s place.”
Pretending not to care, she carried the deed into the villa.
After walking some distance, she glanced back. Shen Fu was still standing under the light.
The sight left her agitated. As soon as she entered, she tossed the property deed onto the coffee table.
This time, not into the trash can—what if Shen Fu fell into poverty later and came to ask for it back? If she had thrown it away again, what then?
The small episode soon passed.
After Shen Fu delivered the villa deed that night, he didn’t appear before her the next day, the day after, the day after that—or even a month later. It was as if he had vanished from the world.
Sometimes this left Qu Bixin at a loss. Compared to how determined he once was to have her—how viciously he had even threatened her—his recent “well-behaved” conduct seemed unlike him.
She poured out her complicated frustration to He Qingchi.
Among her circle of girlfriends, no one could understand her tangled gloom. Only He Qingchi could grasp a little of it.
“Shen Fu? He’s been taking the subway to work every day lately. Where would he find the time to harass women?”
He Qingchi glanced at Qu Bixin’s expression and let out a soft laugh. “He’s staying in the suburbs. It takes him nearly two hours by subway to get to the company each day.”
Qu Bixin lowered her eyes, idly fiddling with the hem of her skirt. “What’s he thinking?”
All these years of effort—was it just so Shen Tingji could live well?
Aside from working at Wen Corporation under Wen Shuchen, he wasn’t even as well-off as when he had just graduated.
He Qingchi said leisurely, “Everyone has the right to choose how they live. Shen Fu’s right just came a little late.”
In his teens, because of a crime committed by his elder brother, he had no choice but to shoulder the responsibility of caring for Shen Tingji. Driven by circumstances, one could imagine how much Shen Fu had sacrificed and what path he had chosen.
Qu Bixin murmured, “I investigated Shen Fu. In school, he was an outstanding student with excellent character and grades, but from a poor family. If his parents hadn’t died early and life hadn’t forced his hand, he would’ve been suited to become a scientist.”
Back then, Shen Fu’s features were cold and refined. Wearing gold-rimmed glasses, slender and tall, with calm detachment in his eyes—he had dazzled her so much she couldn’t tell north from south. If he had put on a white lab coat, how perfect he would have looked.
Now, thinking of all his actions, let alone a white coat—even bleaching wouldn’t wash the filth from his heart.
The illusion shattered in her eyes. Pressing her cheek to a cushion, she said, “He raised that little mute. How could he possibly let go?”
If something happened to the little mute, wouldn’t he be the one panicking again?
Putting herself in her shoes, He Qingchi admitted she couldn’t accept it either if Wen Shuchen had a non-blood-related younger sister who could summon him at any time.
Deep down, every woman has an extreme possessiveness toward the man she loves. No wonder Qu Bixin both loved Shen Fu deeply and resented Shen Tingji’s existence.
That afternoon, Qu Bixin stayed at the villa drinking tea and chatting with He Qingchi.
From her, she heard a lot about Shen Fu’s recent life. For breakfast, he ate sandwiches Song Chao brought from home—though he always paid ten coins each time. Lunch was at a restaurant with Wen Shuchen. After work, he personally went to the market to buy groceries and cook dinner.
They knew such details because the colleague whose home he was staying at was a subordinate in the same department as Song Chao.
So Shen Fu’s daily nine-to-five routine had become gossip material for Song Chao to curry favor with He Qingchi, the “empress.”
Qu Bixin frowned lightly and bit her lip. “Why is Song Chao telling you about Shen Fu’s private life? Isn’t he afraid your husband will get jealous?”
He Qingchi only smiled.
Qu Bixin gulped her tea and forced herself to say, “Serves him right.”
In the evening, before Wen Shuchen returned from work, Qu Bixin set down her teacup and took her leave.
Though Wen Shuchen treated her politely, she instinctively felt he wasn’t easy to get along with. She certainly didn’t want to stay and watch the affectionate exchanges between husband and wife.
She drove herself back to the Qu residence. Stopping at a red light at an intersection, she unwrapped a piece of gum and popped it into her mouth, gazing absentmindedly at the crowd crossing the street. It was rush hour—some people in business suits, carrying briefcases, hurrying past, particularly eye-catching.
Her eyes lingered on the subway sign. She couldn’t help thinking that the subway was now Shen Fu’s commuting method too.
In her brief daze, she thought she glimpsed a familiar figure passing through the crowd. But when she focused, it had already vanished.
Her heart tightened, until the car behind her honked impatiently.
She restarted the car without looking back at the receding crowd.
At six-thirty, she returned home for dinner.
Recently, Qu Yanming had coaxed his wife back home and was in high spirits.
At the dinner table, Father Qu as usual inquired about his daughter’s life, then solemnly reminded his son to prioritize family and maintain harmony between siblings.
Qu Yanming personally served Qu Bixin a bowl of fish soup, playing the attentive older brother. “Dad, how have I treated my sister since childhood? Don’t you and Mom know?”
He handed her the soup himself.
Qu Bixin smiled without showing teeth. “Thank you, brother.”
“No need to be polite, little sister.”
The back-and-forth pleased Father Qu.
Qu Yanming added, “I’m taking Xinxin to a gathering tonight. Plenty of eligible young men there.”
He was also subtly seeking Chen Mo’s approval.
Since being caught cheating last time, Qu Yanming had behaved himself and hadn’t stayed out at clubs overnight for quite a while.
Bringing Qu Bixin along tonight made him appear upright, with no ulterior motives.
Father Qu naturally agreed and had long hoped his daughter would find happiness again.
He put on his authoritative fatherly tone, instructing Qu Yanming to take good care of his sister.
As the head of the household had spoken, Chen Mo smiled as well. “Yanming, don’t let your sister stay out too late. I’ll leave the door open for you until ten.”
“Yes, ma’am,” he replied obediently.
Qu Bixin: “…”
She hadn’t said a word. Otherwise, her father would start nagging again about her not letting go of Shen Fu.
Yet Qu Yanming continued performing in front of their parents like a devoted brother concerned about her lifelong happiness. “I won’t take Xinxin to any smoky, rowdy parties. They’re all respectable businessmen. She’s not getting any younger—it’s time she found a boyfriend.”
Qu Bixin shot him a glare, but he pretended not to see.
After dinner, with their parents present, she had no choice but to grab her bag and follow him out.
“Qu Yanming, if you want to die, just go ahead and introduce your business friends to me.”
As soon as they got in the car, her voice turned sinister in warning. She was certain her dear brother had no good intentions.
He might even be plotting revenge for what happened last time.
He called her “little sister” with a bright smile. “Right now, your lifelong happiness is our family’s top priority—even more important than your sister-in-law giving the Qu family an heir. I’m just being filial by looking after you. As for Shen Fu, forget about him. Even if he crawls here, he won’t step through our door.”
After hearing that, Qu Bixin rolled her eyes. “You’re insane!”
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