A Favor Done, A Husband Won-Chapter 419 - 413: Where the Heart Belongs

Shi Su finished a large cup of cold tea, picked up the glass jug on the coffee table, poured herself another cup, drank it, placed the cup back on the table, and looked up at the three people silently watching her.

"What are you looking at? Wasn’t I told to come over this morning to look at the ad sponsor’s materials?"

"Shi Su, that tea was left out overnight; we didn’t have a chance to change it this morning. You’re usually a health enthusiast who rarely drinks anything cold. What got you worked up today?" Chu Jiu asked, observing Shi Su’s demeanor, even sneakily glancing at Shi Su’s neck.

After all, Shi Su and Mr. Jing surely left the shopping center together yesterday. Who knows if they reignited some old flames of love.

She had heard some... heart-racing sounds outside the dressing room door at the time. Although it was all just mental imagination, she saw Shi Su’s demeanor clearly when she came out of the dressing room yesterday.

While lamenting that Shi Su and Wei Sinan’s pairing was indeed thoroughly broken, she was also thrilled about Shi Su and Mr. Jing’s reconciliation.

However, looking at Shi Su now, she appeared in good spirits; it didn’t seem like she had a passionate night, but she was definitely different from her usual self.

Shi Su glanced at the glass jug on the coffee table, quickly withdrew her hand, maintaining a calm expression: "I’m hot."

Chu Jiu: "?"

Jun, sitting behind the office desk, looked at Shi Su with a meaningful expression: "Today’s temperature in Jiang City is only three degrees; I’m wearing my wool coat, where’s the heat?"

Miss Chen nodded: "Indeed, I also threw a down jacket in the car just in case; the temperature has dropped drastically recently, it’s truly cold."

Shi Su looked off to the side at the three of them: "Can’t I be heated inside?"

Miss Chen placed her phone on the table: "Facing the media attack of black marketing again is understandable, it’s excusable to be stressed. Tell the housekeeper to alternate entries to and from the kindergarten with Mianmian, as she might attract attention again soon."

Shi Su got up, went over to pick up Miss Chen’s phone, glanced at the content, then turned toward Jun.

Jun spread her hands, indicating that regarding Mianmian’s matter, the studio had dealt with public relations many times, the old method would eventually fail over time.

"You must know how popular your TV dramas are in recent years. Your fans love pairing characters, not just with Wei Sinan; fans also ship you with others from different shows. Due to your married status, the pairings don’t succeed, leaving fans with grievances and growing curiosity about your mysterious husband who they’ve never seen."

Miss Chen, meanwhile, opened her phone to show more content to Shi Su: "Combined with the business opportunities that have recently sought you out, it’s likely you accidentally offended someone with a very solid backing in the circle, and capitalists use their muscles behind the scenes to uncover the truth about you giving birth to your daughter abroad. Many doubt you actually got married; some claim you were kept, became a mistress, secretly birthed the man’s child but failed to rank up, were driven back home by a spouse, and that your marriage is merely a facade. You publicly claim a married status without actually being married."

Shi Su frowned: "Where did these claims about being kept and becoming a mistress come from?"

Miss Chen looked at the content on her phone and said: "Currently, there are so-called informants stating that you studied at Princeton University during your years in the United States, which has substantial tuition fees. If you were truly desperate at that time, how could you have entered such a school."

Shi Su responded candidly: "Princeton University focused heavily on arts around those years, expanding their arts enrollment globally. They could easily verify all my art awards within the country. Alongside straight A’s in written and interview exams, they gave me time to apply for loans and scholarships. Although I eventually relinquished the art department, selecting other courses, the scholarship documentation can still be verified over there."

"Since there’s evidence for this, that aspect becomes easier to manage. Later, we can request Princeton University to provide a scanned document for help." Miss Chen spoke softly: "But now, speculation around Mianmian’s origins is increasing, along with numerous fabricated stories. Although these claims lack evidence, the narratives look very credible. Rumor-mongers have no proof, but you also lack substantial evidence to clear this matter. What started as mere speculation has escalated because certain capitalists fuel the fire from behind, coupled with numerous actresses in the circle who hold grudges against you adding to it via various channels, intensifying the claims to brainwashing levels. Fame brings conflict, and you’re inevitably caught in this turmoil."

Miss Chen turned her glance toward Cen Jun, then back to Shi Su: "Jun and I have already contacted the public relations team to intensify efforts in clarifying the rumors online, but mere clarifications aren’t productive unless you present compelling evidence to silence those people."

Jun raise an eyebrow: "Compelling evidence? At this point, perhaps the most effective measure is throwing a marriage certificate in their face, but Shi Su, you don’t have one."

Shi Su paused as she was about to reach for her phone, her eyes mysterious as she looked at them.

"...What if I do?"

As soon as the words fell, indeed she saw three bewildered faces.

She didn’t have one before yesterday.

Today.

She actually does.

"What do you have? Now the fans online are tougher, their eyes sharper. If you play tricks with a fake certificate, you’ll be ridiculed out of the industry, believe it or not!" Jun frowned.

Shi Su was about to speak when the phone still in her bag vibrated twice. She took it out and saw the WeChat message from Jing Jihan.

Jing Jihan: [(photo)]

Jing Jihan: [(photo)]

Jing Jihan: [Use it. No need to thank me.]

He sent two photos of a marriage certificate.

Shi Su looked at those two photos, quietly opened them, enlarged them, and saved them into her phone’s photo album.

Since breakfast when she saw these two little red books until now, it was unclear whether it was the effect of the cold tea or the flooding of suppressed emotions buried for two years. From shock to immediate digestion until now, Shi Su had already returned to a state of rational calm.

What else is there that Jing Jihan couldn’t foresee?

The marriage certificate, they have already obtained, although she was coaxed into it by Jing Jihan while drunk. Although she still doesn’t know how to explain it to Mr. Jing.

Though she couldn’t understand why Jing Jihan, who respected her decision and refrained from forcing her in the past, suddenly pulled her back into his world today, decisively and without hesitation.

But since it’s a done deal, with no way back, why not move forward?

She’s not devoid of love; she just doesn’t dare to love.

Having endured for so long, her heart’s desire is sought ahead. Since there’s no way back, what’s the reason for looking back?