Anyone who didn't know better would think she was a matchmaker

"Qiao Hua!"

"Wait! Stop!"

Gu Junxing caught up in a few quick strides and grabbed Qiao Hua's slender arm, forcing her to stop. "Hey, didn't you hear me calling you?"

Qiao Hua's delicate brows furrowed slightly. "What do you want?" she asked irritably.

Gu Junxing was furious. "Are you out of your mind? Can't you tell Jiang Nan did that on purpose? And you actually invited her to stay for dinner at our house."

A hint of appreciation appeared in Qiao Hua's eyes. She looked Gu Junxing up and down and remarked with genuine admiration, "Not bad. Now that your girlfriend's dumped you, you can even spot a manipulative little fake."

"I'm being serious." Her indifference irritated Gu Junxing. Through gritted teeth, he said, "Don't say I didn't warn you. My brother used to like Jiang Nan. If you leave them alone together like this, aren't you afraid his feelings for her will come back?"

Qiao Hua countered, "If I don't leave your brother alone with her, does that mean their old feelings won't come back?"

That stumped Gu Junxing. For a long moment, he couldn't answer.

Qiao Hua shrugged. "Exactly. If their feelings are going to come back whether I'm there or not, what difference does it make whether I try to stop them?"

Gu Junxing felt that Qiao Hua seemed different from before. She used to have eyes only for his brother. Whenever his brother got even a little closer to Jiang Nan, Qiao Hua would make a scene like a madwoman.

But now, Qiao Hua seemed not to care at all. She had even taken the initiative to invite Jiang Nan to dinner.

Gu Junxing cautiously studied her expression. "You really don't mind them being together?"

Qiao Hua's expression didn't change. "Why would I mind? I can't wait for your brother and Jiang Nan to get together so I can get out sooner."

Coming from Qiao Hua, those words were only half believable. Gu Junxing, who had personally witnessed how she had married into the Gu family, was even more skeptical. "Didn't you used to really like my brother? You even did something like dr... drugging him just to marry into our family."

"As you said, that was before. People change," Qiao Hua said carelessly. "I don't like your brother anymore. All I want now is to divorce him, get a share of the assets, and go off and enjoy myself."

For some reason, seeing Qiao Hua take it all so lightly left Gu Junxing feeling strangely unsettled.

He should have been happy.

All along, he had wanted Jiang Nan to be his sister-in-law, not Qiao Hua, a brainless ornament with nothing going for her but her looks.

But after what had happened between him and Tan Ruiyu, perhaps because Qiao Hua had warned him-even if she had only done it in her thoughts-Gu Junxing still felt grateful to her.

If not for Qiao Hua, he might have contracted AIDS without even knowing it.

Seeing Gu Junxing looking slightly dazed, Qiao Hua found it rather odd. "Shouldn't you be happy? Didn't you always go on about wanting Jiang Nan to be your sister-in-law? Now the opportunity's right in front of you."

Something in those words struck a nerve. Gu Junxing said sulkily, "Of course I'm happy. I can't wait for you and my brother to divorce. Then I'll have a sister-in-law who's both beautiful and gentle."

Qiao Hua patted his shoulder, completely unaffected by his words, and even offered him some reassurance. "Don't worry. Your wish will come true soon."

With that, she hummed a little tune and returned to her room. There wasn't a trace of sadness in her retreating figure, as though none of this had anything to do with her.

Watching her leave, Gu Junxing's blustering aggression vanished, leaving only the dejection beneath his bravado. He muttered quietly, "I don't want Jiang Nan to be my sister-in-law anymore."

His words faded into the night breeze, unheard by anyone.

Downstairs in the dining room, silence had settled over the table after Gu Junxing left.

Jiang Nan stole a look at Gu Wenze's handsome face. After a moment's hesitation, she gathered her courage and said, "Wenze, did I do something wrong and upset you?"

Gu Wenze's chopsticks paused. He looked up at Jiang Nan. "Why would you say that?"

Jiang Nan lowered her eyes, her long lashes casting shadows beneath them. Her voice grew quieter. "You've been so distant with me lately. I don't know if I've done something wrong."

She had a gentle, fresh-faced beauty, and her downcast expression made her look even more delicate, inviting sympathy.

In the past, Gu Wenze would always soften when he saw Jiang Nan like this. Today, however, he felt a flicker of irritation instead.

He blamed his unusual reaction on Qiao Hua. It was all because she had taken matters into her own hands and affected his mood.

"You're overthinking it." Gu Wenze's tone softened a little. "I've just been busy lately. It has nothing to do with you."

"Really?"

Jiang Nan raised her head, a faint mist of tears in her eyes making her look even more pitiful.

Gu Wenze nodded. "Of course. You've been doing a good job at work. I can't find any fault with it."

Only then did Jiang Nan smile through her tears, the anxiety that had weighed on her for days finally easing.

Sure enough, Gu Wenze wasn't in a bad mood because of her. With herself ruled out, the only possible reason was Qiao Hua.

After all, Gu Wenze had disliked Qiao Hua from the very beginning, yet he had to live with her day in and day out. Any man would be unhappy in his position.

What was more, Jiang Nan was now back at Gu Wenze's side.

A glint of triumph flashed in Jiang Nan's eyes. She glanced toward the second floor and said hesitantly, "Miss Qiao went upstairs so quickly. Is she upset because I interrupted your time together?"

The scene of Qiao Hua inviting Jiang Nan to dinner rose in Gu Wenze's mind. Only he knew that Qiao Hua had genuinely wanted Jiang Nan to stay.

As for the reason, it took no thought at all to figure it out.

After all, Qiao Hua's inner voice had been constantly reminding him lately of her burning desire for a divorce.

At that thought, the irritation Gu Wenze had only just managed to dispel flared up again.

Seeing his expression grow darker, Jiang Nan assumed her attempt to drive a wedge between them had worked. The corners of her lips lifted slightly behind her spoon. She sighed and said, "It's all my fault. I know Miss Qiao has never liked me. I shouldn't have come here and disturbed you."

In the past, Gu Wenze would have comforted Jiang Nan when she said something like that. Today, however, her words left him looking thoughtful.

He had never paid attention before. Only tonight did he realize that Jiang Nan seemed to keep reminding him, deliberately or otherwise, that Qiao Hua wasn't a good person.

Yet tonight, the person who had asked Jiang Nan to stay for dinner was Qiao Hua.

A chill entered Gu Wenze's words that even he didn't notice. "You're overthinking it. If she wanted to make things difficult for you, she wouldn't have asked you to stay for dinner tonight."

Jiang Nan's expression stiffened briefly. Then, as though she had figured something out, she sneered inwardly and ate in silence.

Half an hour later, Jiang Nan left the villa. Once she was gone, Gu Junxing came downstairs.

Gu Wenze glanced toward the second floor. "Why were you upstairs so long?"

Gu Junxing hung his head, looking listless. "I talked to my sister-in-law for a bit. Then I stayed upstairs because I didn't want to interrupt you and Jiang Nan. I waited until she left to come down."

After speaking, Gu Junxing glanced at the staircase behind him. Hesitating, he said, "Wenze, don't you think my sister-in-law's been acting a little strange lately?"

Gu Wenze looked up at him. Lost in thought, Gu Junxing didn't notice his gaze and continued, "It's like she's become a different person. When I was talking to her just now, she kept saying she wanted to divorce you."

"I think she really wants to set you up with Jiang Nan. Look how eager she was earlier. Anyone who didn't know better would think she was a matchmaker."

Wrapped up in his own thoughts, he failed to notice Gu Wenze's expression gradually darkening. Clearly, Gu Wenze was also thinking about Qiao Hua's unusual behavior lately.

"That's between her and me. Stay out of it." Gu Wenze coldly changed the subject. "Don't forget you still have to go home and see Mom tomorrow."

At the mention of that, Gu Junxing wilted. "I know."

Gu Wenze patted his shoulder. "Go home and get some rest."

Head lowered, Gu Junxing walked to the door. Then, as though something had occurred to him, he suddenly stopped and turned back toward Gu Wenze. He said cautiously, "Wenze, my sister-in-law's actually a pretty good person. If you two can make it work, don't get divorced. People will laugh at you."

With that, Gu Junxing beat a hasty retreat, leaving Gu Wenze standing there, lost in thoughts no one could fathom. Then Gu Wenze started upstairs.

When he reached the second floor, Gu Wenze happened to run into Qiao Hua coming out of her room. She held an empty glass, clearly intending to go downstairs for water.

Qiao Hua glanced at him, then looked away and moved to walk past him.

Gu Wenze suddenly seized her wrist and asked coldly, "Why did you ask Jiang Nan to stay for dinner tonight?"