Chapter 1006: Rumors and Gossip Quietly Arise

"Mm, there will be more in the future."

"I don't want it, you keep it as your private stash; the interest from our family's savings is enough for our living expenses." Seeing that his wife could make money without leaving the house, Gu Zhihao was very happy, and he generously indicated that he didn't need his wife to cover living expenses.

Shi Yuke insisted: "Take it. We agreed on splitting costs 50/50; we can't break the rules."

It was a good thing that his wife could earn money, but being so clear-cut with him made Gu Zhihao feel uneasy.

Although she no longer mentioned divorce, she also had no intention of living a proper life with him.

That his wife didn't mention divorce was due to being moved and pressure from her father, but it was devoid of love.

As business got better and better, Shi Yuke expanded her operations and added menswear.

She couldn't be the model for menswear herself, and her husband's own conditions were too poor; he lacked the temperament to be a model.

Thus, Shi Yuke hired part-time male models to come to the house for livestreams!

She was devoted to her career and didn't think much of it.

But when the neighbors saw different men coming in and out of the Shi Family home every few days, gossip started to spread.

This day, Gu Zhihao went out to buy groceries. As soon as he reached the entrance of the residential complex, he was pulled aside by Auntie Zhao, who asked mysteriously: "Little Gu, let me ask you something. Why are there always men coming in and out of your house lately?"

"The young men are all tall and handsome, don't you think anything of it?"

He laughed and said: "What is there to think about? They are models; they are working for my wife."

"Little Gu, I'm only telling you this because I think you're a good person. You should be more careful; don't be so foolish and let your wife do whatever she wants. Are there any good people among models? Don't let your wife run off with someone one day, and then you won't even have a place to cry..."

"That can't be, right? Yuke..."

He wanted to say: Yuke is not that kind of person.

But he couldn't continue after just starting.

Why wouldn't she be?

Before she got sick, wasn't she exactly that kind of person? Now that her memory had returned, would her old habits come back to life as well?

Gu Zhihao walked out of the complex, his heart feeling heavy.

The more he thought about it, the more he felt the auntie was right.

No wonder the people in the complex had been looking at him differently these past few days; it turned out the gossip had already spread!

Feeling troubled, he didn't even buy the groceries; he turned back, intending to have a good talk with his wife.

After putting the grocery basket down in the kitchen and heading upstairs, he heard laughter in the livestream room.

"Thank you, Sis. Sis, you're so good to me. Love you, heart-shaped gesture!"

"Alright, love you too, see you tomorrow!"

He was so angry he couldn't speak.

Fine, it turned out the gossip outside wasn't groundless; it was all true.

Gu Zhihao stomped up a few steps and kicked the door open with a "Bang!"—it was awkward.

The model was facing the phone screen, saying "sweet nothings" to the person on the screen, and his wife wasn't even there.

It was a misunderstanding.

He hurriedly closed the door and retreated, wanting to sneak downstairs, but found his wife standing behind him with an unhappy expression.

"Hehe, why are you here?" His expression was extremely unnatural.

Shi Yuke's face was icy: "I should be the one asking you that, right? Didn't I tell you not to come upstairs when I'm livestreaming? What are you doing here?"

Gu Zhihao covered: "Nothing, that, I came up to get something."

Shi Yuke exposed his lie: "You're worried that Xiao Lu and I are having an affair, aren't you? Gu Zhihao, when will you ever change your habit of believing every rumor you hear?"

She knew all about the gossip in the complex these past few days.

When she took the child out to get some sun, people would point at her behind her back.

But she didn't care what others said, and there was no need to explain to them!

In the past, she was vain and cared about appearances, but what good did that do?

It was of no use at all and only harmed herself and her family.

After her memory returned, Shi Yuke wanted to be herself again, to be a strong and independent woman.

Not relying on anyone, earning money to support her child with her own abilities.

Online livestreaming for sales was a new thing, and the aunties in the neighborhood who used old-fashioned phones certainly couldn't understand it.

She could ignore other people's idle gossip, but Gu Zhihao ignoring their agreement and barging into the livestream room made her very angry.

Gu Zhihao had originally wanted to talk to her, and now that she had brought it into the open, he simply laid it out: "That's right, I do believe every rumor I hear, but you can't blame it all on me."

"You two, a man and a woman, are in a small room with the curtains drawn; it's normal for me to be worried."

He did something wrong but wouldn't admit it, and still looked righteous.

Shi Yuke was so angry her hands were shaking and her face turned pale.

"You don't trust me?"

He hesitated and didn't answer.

If he said he trusted her and apologized, maybe this matter would pass, and his wife wouldn't continue to pursue it, but his plan to drive the model away would be shelved and couldn't be carried out.

But admitting he didn't trust her would inevitably make his wife angry!

"Speak, don't mumble."

He hardened his heart: "That's right, I don't trust you. You two, a man and a woman, are in a small room together; who knows what you're doing..."

"Slap!"

He received a slap on the face from Shi Yuke.

He didn't dodge.

Shi Yuke's eyes were filled with tears; she was very sad but looked up, trying hard not to let the tears fall.

She pushed him aside, entered the live-streaming room, and said to Xiao Lu, "Turn off the mic. I have something to attend to at home, so you should head back first. Tell Xiao Fei when you get back that she doesn't need to come today either."

"Alright, Sister Yuke."

Xiao Lu finished packing up and left quickly.

Gu Zhihao was very happy; he thought his wife had listened to what he said and finally decided not to use anyone else.

When one is happy, it is easy to become smug.

He asked with a beaming smile, "Wife, what do you think of my physique?"

"Actually, you don't need to hire a model; all the money is being earned by others. I can be your model, you won't have to spend a single cent, and I won't fall behind on other chores at home. How about it?"

Shi Yuke: "No."

Of course it wouldn't work.

Did he think any man could be a male model?

Actually, Gu Zhihao's physique was alright; he hadn't gained weight in middle age, and while he didn't have a big belly, he didn't have abdominal muscles either!

He had no looks and no charisma.

With these conditions, using him as a model?

Not a single piece of clothing would sell.

Because the clothing and accessories Shi Yuke acted as an agent for were high-end goods with hefty price tags.

How could people in that consumer bracket be interested in the clothes worn by Gu Zhihao?

But he didn't understand.

Being rejected made him very angry, and he assumed it was for other reasons: "I know you look down on me, no matter what I do you look down on me. You despise me and think I'm not good enough for you..."

The same old story.

This routine again.

Every time the two of them had a conflict, Gu Zhihao would use this as his opening line, and the words that followed were things she had heard so often her ears were calloused; there was nothing new.

When people don't see eye to eye, even half a sentence is too much.

Shi Yuke walked silently into her own room and "bang," shut the door.

At this moment, she felt very desperate.

It was as if her future life was dim and devoid of light.

Staying under the same roof as this man was a torment, even for one more minute.

But divorce meant becoming an enemy to everyone in the world!

She would be labeled "heartless" and "treacherous," a tag she would never be able to tear off for the rest of her life.

Never mind others; her father would be the first to jump out and oppose it.

He had worried about her his whole life and suffered so much; even when she was being such a scoundrel, he never abandoned her. Now, she really couldn't bear to make her father angry again.

But if she couldn't divorce, she could only endure this life, which was suffocating her.