Chapter Fifty-Two: I Could Be Your Lover

Xue Tian’ai clapped his hands in satisfaction, and a figure emerged from the shadowy corner, heading straight toward Gan Bingning, who was still waiting for him. With a gentle smile, he said, “Let’s go, Bingning!”

“Ah... Oh, where’s Director Xia?” Gan Bingning looked at Xue Tian’ai in confusion. Just moments ago, Xue Tian’ai had gone in with Xia Shuxiao, so why was he now coming out alone?

“Don’t worry about him, let’s leave first.” Xue Tian’ai replied with a triumphant smile.

The night was already late, and the street beside the police station was sparsely populated. Under the dim streetlights, Xue Tian’ai and Gan Bingning walked side by side, their shadows stretching long behind them.

“Tian’ai, do you have some sort of relationship with Director Xia from the police station?” Gan Bingning asked, hands clasped behind her back, her head lowered, avoiding Xue Tian’ai’s gaze.

“What relationship?” Xue Tian’ai inwardly cursed his luck. He hadn’t expected Gan Bingning to ask about this after all.

“I can’t say for sure, but it feels like you two are more than just acquaintances.” This time, Gan Bingning lifted her head and looked directly at Xue Tian’ai.

Xue Tian’ai was clearly taken aback by her words. He hadn’t anticipated her question to be so direct, nor had he expected her insight to be so sharp.

“I’m just an ordinary citizen, muddling through life. Director Xia is just my mahjong partner. We play together sometimes, nothing as complicated as you imagine.” Xue Tian’ai decided to lie.

“That’s impossible! If it were just a casual friendship, Director Xia wouldn’t have spoken or looked the way he did just now!” Gan Bingning stared intently at Xue Tian’ai’s face, unwilling to miss any detail.

“What words? What expression?”

“He said something with surprise and joy, like, ‘It’s really you, you’ve come back, you really have come back,’ and so on.”

Hearing this, Xue Tian’ai’s face darkened. Damn it, Xia Shuxiao was supposed to be the elite of the nation, yet a few careless words had exposed him! If only he’d landed a few more punches earlier!

…

At that moment, Xia Shuxiao, rubbing his eyes, also emerged from the shadows, muttering under his breath, “Damn it, couldn’t the guy go easy on me?”

“Director Xia?” Shen Xinyi, now calm and ready to leave for the day, caught sight of Xia Shuxiao just as she stepped out.

“Ah, done reflecting?” Xia Shuxiao instantly switched to a stern demeanor.

“All finished. I promise I won’t make the same mistake next time!” Shen Xinyi said through clenched teeth, though her heart was brimming with defiance. Next time she saw Xue Tian’ai, she’d make sure he paid!

Yet, Shen Xinyi noticed something and stared at Xia Shuxiao’s eyes. “Director, your eye circles look bruised. What happened?”

Xia Shuxiao’s mouth twitched. Bruised already? Was Xue Tian’ai’s punch really that fierce? “Ah, I just accidentally tripped and fell.”

“You can bruise your eyes by tripping?”

“Yes, hahahaha…” Xia Shuxiao’s face darkened further. Couldn’t this girl ask fewer questions?

While Xia Shuxiao stood there with a grim expression, Xue Tian’ai wasn’t much better off, racking his brain for a plausible lie to explain the earlier incident to Gan Bingning.

“Tian’ai, who exactly are you?” Gan Bingning pressed further. Who could show such sorrow, who could savor fine wine, dance with elegance, possess such remarkable skills, and inspire near-reverence from the police chief?

Although Gan Bingning hadn’t spent much time with Xue Tian’ai, tonight’s series of events proved that this man was far from the carefree, frivolous persona he presented.

But why would someone like him become a mere assistant to the president at Menghua Group?

…

“Phew…” Xue Tian’ai gazed at Gan Bingning, who was scrutinizing him so earnestly, and let out a long sigh. His expression grew complicated as he said, “Bingning, sometimes it’s better not to know certain things. All I can tell you is that right now, I’m just an ordinary citizen named Xue Tian’ai, nothing as complex as you imagine.”

Upon hearing this, Gan Bingning’s eyes betrayed a hint of disappointment. Xue Tian’ai’s reluctance to confide in her underscored the distance between them.

She forced a bitter smile. It was true, after all. Although they’d shared an intimate encounter, it had been nothing more than an accident. Why would he share his story with her? She wasn’t anything special to him. Gan Bingning couldn’t help but feel dejected.

For the first time, she wanted desperately to understand a man, but he closed the door and refused her.

The atmosphere between them grew awkward, but at that moment, a pleasant ringtone shattered the silence.

It was Xue Tian’ai’s phone. He quickly pulled it out, and upon seeing the caller ID, a bead of cold sweat appeared on his forehead.

Gan Bingning watched him curiously, wondering who could elicit such a reaction from Xue Tian’ai.

Though he dreaded answering, Xue Tian’ai pressed the button. Before he could utter a word, an angry feminine voice burst from the phone.

“Xue Tian’ai! Are you coming home or not?!”

“Ah, honey, I’m on my way, I’m coming right now!” Xue Tian’ai felt cold sweat trickling down his face.

Gan Bingning, overhearing his reply, was shocked. He was married? It felt as if something had sliced through her heart.

“All right, I’ll be home soon! I’m hanging up now!” Xue Tian’ai, oblivious to Gan Bingning’s reaction, hurriedly ended the call.

“You’re married?” Gan Bingning tried to suppress her inexplicable disappointment, forcing a smile as she asked.

“Yes, I’ve been married for three years…” Xue Tian’ai smiled bitterly. He’d always thought Qin Mengxue was merely his fiancée, but it turned out they were already an old married couple.

Gan Bingning’s expression grew darker. In that moment, she realized she had truly fallen for this man she’d known only briefly. This strange feeling must be love.

But what did it matter? He was already married; she had no place in his life.

“Then you must love her very much!” Gan Bingning sighed softly.

Yet that single sentence stunned Xue Tian’ai. Love? For him, it was a foreign word. His marriage with Qin Mengxue was simply the result of a family alliance.

Xue Tian’ai was indeed somewhat attracted to Qin Mengxue, but that was merely a man’s normal reaction to a stunning beauty. Love seemed far too distant.

A momentary confusion crossed Xue Tian’ai’s face, but he quickly regained his playful demeanor. “Love? Of course I love her. How could I not love my wife?”

Though his confusion lasted only a moment, Gan Bingning’s keen eyes caught it. Seeing Xue Tian’ai’s expression, she felt a surge of hope—perhaps things weren’t as simple as they seemed.

His face and eyes betrayed that his marriage wasn’t so blissful, which meant she still had a chance.

“But you’re married, yet you went out drinking with me, and even touched me in the bar. Seems you’re not so innocent, Tian’ai!” Having made up her mind, Gan Bingning moved closer, grabbing his arm, pressing her soft chest against him.

“Should I file a report to your wife?” She rose on tiptoe, blowing gently in his ear.

“You know I’m married and still try to seduce me? You’re not so innocent either, Bingning~ And you don’t even know who my wife is, so how would you report anything?” Xue Tian’ai smiled calmly, making no attempt to push her away—after all, the sensation was quite enjoyable.

“So, we’re both not innocent, then?” Gan Bingning smiled seductively.

…

“But now, this not-so-innocent man has to behave, since there’s a tigress waiting for me at home.”

“Then you can divorce her and marry me. How about it? I promise I’ll be gentle and caring.”

Even Xue Tian’ai, usually composed, was stunned by her words, staring at Gan Bingning in shock.

Divorce Qin Mengxue? What a joke—if he really did, the Qin and Xue families would probably break his legs.

“Tch, I’m just teasing you. Look at how scared you are.” Seeing his expression, Gan Bingning giggled and pushed him away.

“Bingning, let me ask—could it be you’ve taken a liking to me?” Xue Tian’ai looked at her in surprise. Throughout the evening, Gan Bingning had been teasing him nonstop.

Was it possible that, after that night, he had completely conquered this woman?

“If I said I liked you, what would you do?” Gan Bingning didn’t know why she said it, but she’d accepted that she truly liked Xue Tian’ai.

“Uh… but I have a wife.” Xue Tian’ai was dumbfounded. He’d barely been back in China for two days, and already a woman he’d slept with was pursuing him.

“It doesn’t matter, I don’t care!” Gan Bingning was convinced his marriage wasn’t harmonious.

“….” Xue Tian’ai hadn’t expected her to say that.

“I can be your lover! How could you sleep with me and then pretend nothing happened?” Gan Bingning added, grinning mischievously at him.

“Hey, didn’t you say you didn’t care about that night?” Xue Tian’ai felt Gan Bingning was constantly rewriting his impression of her.

“I never said that!”

“….” Xue Tian’ai was about to speak when the phone rang again. Seeing the flashing caller ID, he felt a faint sense of melancholy.

“Is your wife calling again?” Gan Bingning squinted at him.

“Yes…” Xue Tian’ai nodded with a bitter smile.

“What if I say something inappropriate while you’re on the phone?” Gan Bingning suddenly grinned slyly.

“Sis, don’t do that—Qin Mengxue’s on the other end! If you say anything, she’ll never let me off!”

Especially since Gan Bingning was Qin Mengxue’s employee!

“So, what’s your answer to me?” Gan Bingning licked her lips and beckoned to Xue Tian’ai.

“Damn it, you said it yourself—lover it is! Anyway, I won’t lose out!” Seeing her gestures, Xue Tian’ai felt his blood boiling. At last, he steeled himself and answered.

“Pfft!” Gan Bingning laughed as if he were a martyr, then asked, “Are you going to answer the phone or not?”

At her words, Xue Tian’ai finally snapped out of it and hurriedly answered the call.