039 Killing the Chicken to Warn the Monkey

"Why?" The moment Gu Yan stepped into room 521, Shen Hong’s voice rang out.

"Huh? Why is President Shen here?" Wei Hao, oblivious to the tense atmosphere, asked naively. Shen Hong ignored him, his eyes locked onto Gu Yan’s indifferent face. "There’s no need for this." She didn't look at him as she spoke. She might have once harbored fantasies of reconciliation, but after that night, her heart had died completely. Even if a stranger were suffering from a stomach ailment in front of you, you wouldn't remain indifferent, let alone toward a legal wife. That could only mean one thing: he did not love her.

"You two know each other?" Only when Shen Hong slammed the door on his way out did it dawn on Wei Hao.

"We aren't close."

The air was thick with the smell of smoke and alcohol, and the music was cranked up to a deafening volume. Men and women writhed wildly on the dance floor, their bodies pressed together. Glamorous women laughed and mingled among the men, teasing those who couldn't control their impulses with flirtatious words. Women nestled seductively in men's arms, whispering sweet nothings, while the men drank and caroused. This was the pinnacle of the city's nightlife: the bar.

Under the dim lights, a bartender swayed gently, elegantly mixing a colorful cocktail. A man in a suit sat at the bar, downing drink after drink.

"Well, well! Our Mr. Shen actually has moments of loneliness? Do you need me to find a few girls for you?" This was the scene Luo Xiaomeng saw when she walked in. It wasn't that she wanted to kick him while he was down, but she was simply too angry to stay silent.

Shen Hong glanced at her and continued to drink.

"Speak. Why did you call me here?"

"Tell me about her." Perhaps due to the excess of alcohol, his voice was raspy.

"Ha!" Luo Xiaomeng couldn't help but sneer. "Should I be happy for Gu Yan? Her ex-husband is actually drowning his sorrows in a bar over her."

"Tell me about her." He ignored her tone, repeating the same line. He couldn't understand why, even though she was the one who asked for the divorce, it seemed the whole world blamed him.

"You’re asking the wrong person." Perhaps startled by his tone, Luo Xiaomeng stopped mocking him. "Truth be told, I owe Gu Yan an apology. I have no right to call myself her friend. Three years ago, when she was at her lowest, we so-called friends weren't the ones by her side. He would know, but I doubt he’ll tell you."

Shen Hong set his glass down. "Who?"

"Zheng Yingqi. At the time, Cai Meiyuan was in Korea, Xu Xian was in a coma from severe injuries, and Yilin and I were actually blaming Gu Yan from the start. I don't know what happened to her during those days, but in the end, she just vanished without a word."

Watching Shen Hong’s contemplative expression, Luo Xiaomeng continued, "You clearly had feelings for her. Even as her bridesmaid, I could feel how happy you both were. Why did your attitude change after the wedding? I know Gu Yan. She loved you, and I know better than anyone the pressure she was under when she married you. With so many eyes on her, I think she wanted to make it work more than anyone, just to show those waiting for a spectacle how happy you were. If you think she divorced you for money, then I feel sorry for her. Think about it—Zheng Yingqi was better than you in every way. Why would she marry you? It’s not too late. Reconciliation isn't impossible. Think it over. I don't want you to live with regrets."

After Luo Xiaomeng left, Shen Hong remained at the bar. *'Why did your attitude change after the wedding?'* He wanted to know, too. Was her virginity truly that important to him? Shen Hong searched his soul, but he still couldn't find the answer.