Chapter 171: I Want a Divorce (9)
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
What are you crying for, An Xiaoning? Crying for the sorry plight you’re in? she asked herself
Perhaps she was taking pity on herself for the string of unfortunate events she had faced since birth. First, she was abandoned by her biological parents and adopted by her foster ones, who then accused her of jinxing her adoptive family. As a result, she was again abandoned and sent to the mountains.
Fortunately, she was taken in by her master, Nun Junxin, who singlehandedly raised her until adulthood.
However, her master unfortunately pa.s.sed away, leaving her all alone to fend for herself, after which she left the mountains to get married to s.h.i.+ Shaochuan. Yet, they were only married in name, and she continued to live the next two years of her life stuck in a meaningless and empty marriage, which ultimately ended dismally.
Then came her second marriage, which happened all too quickly, before she could even take the time to consider it carefully.
Once again, it had to be put to an end, soon enough.
Will a third marriage exist in her life? Perhaps not, for she was determined to stay single for the rest of her life.
She whipped her phone out and sent Jin Qingyan a text message: “I’ll be making a trip down to your place to collect my luggage and belongings. Let’s get the divorce proceedings settled as well.”
It was not until An Xiaoning arrived at her doorstep that she finally received his single-worded reply: “Okay.”
——
Fan s.h.i.+xin entered the wine cellar, only to be greeted with a strong smell of alcohol, which infiltrated his senses as soon as he opened the door.
Upon noticing that Jin Qingyan had drunk a great amount of alcohol, unlike his usual self, Fan s.h.i.+xin stepped forward to grab the bottle of liquor away from the latter’s hands. “Young Sir, you can’t go on drinking like this. Let me help you to bed upstairs, alright?”
“I’m not drunk, get out.”
Fan s.h.i.+xin stayed put and said instead, “Look how drunk you’ve become, yet you still claim to be sober.”
“Give me the liquor.”
“No,” Fan s.h.i.+xin refuted as he took a step back and gestured for the four other bodyguards, Xiao Huang, Xiao Lu, Xiao Bai, and Xiao Zi, to enter. “Quick, bring Young Sir to his room,” he instructed.
Just as they were stepping closer towards him, Jin Qingyan began to point a finger at them with his eyes gla.s.sed over. “Don’t you dare touch me,” he muttered in a drunken stupor.
At that instant, none of them dared to move an inch and, instead, they froze on the spot. Jin Qingyan stood up, swaying unsteadily from side to side as he slowly walked towards Fan s.h.i.+xin and s.n.a.t.c.hed the bottle of liquor back from his hands. He then sneeringly said, “You guys don’t know anything. You don’t understand at all, just how upset I am right now!”
“Young Sir, we understand…”
“What do you even understand?” he retorted as tears welled up in his eyes all of a sudden, startling the five bodyguards. For the first time in their lives, they witnessed with their very own eyes the usually emotionless Young Sir of theirs tearing up right in front of them.
“She’s going to divorce me, we’re getting a divorce tomorrow!” he yelled in a sudden outburst.
The five bodyguards looked at each other in dismay, not knowing how they could help his plight. Fan s.h.i.+xin then gestured for them to leave, after which he followed behind and said softly at the door, “Let him drink to his heart’s content. He won’t have to think about the unhappy matters once he’s drunk. Carry him back to his room later, when he’s drunk out of his senses and becomes unconscious.”
“Yes, Chief.”
Fan s.h.i.+xin exited the wine cellar and stumbled upon Long Tianze, who was still dressed in the clothes he had worn to attend Jin Qingyue’s wedding in the day.
“Where’s Qingyan?”
“He’s in the wine cellar.”
Without another word, Long Tianze proceeded to enter right away.
He sat down beside Jin Qingyan and reached out to open a bottle of liquor for himself. “Take it easy. Take me for an example, I’ve carried a torch for your sister for so many years, but still, I’ve managed to put it all behind me, haven’t I? Actually, I realized that I had made the right decision to let go after I decided to give up, because only then could I allow myself to be open to other options. I never thought I would live to see the day when you’re this upset. How rare to see you like this, indeed,” he said, clinking his bottle against Jin Qingyan’s.
Jin Qingyan then drank another few mouthfuls of the liquor and murmured, “Tianze.”
“Yes?”
“I feel like I love her in a different way, compared to Chi Rui’er.”
“How so?” asked Long Tianze, thinking that he should still be a little sober, to be able to call his name out correctly.
“When Rui’er got together with Gu Beicheng back then, I was somewhat willing to let go of her, thinking that I ought to respect her decision. But this time, I just can’t tolerate the thought of Xiaoning being together with another man, even though we’ve yet to be officially divorced. The thought of it just drives me crazy and makes my heart shatter into pieces,” Jin Qingyan explained as he put down the bottle of liquor and leaned his entire weight against the wall.
After a.n.a.lyzing his words, Long Tianze came up with a conclusion. “I don’t think you actually loved Chi Rui’er, did you? When in love, one becomes selfish and possessive, not wis.h.i.+ng to see another man go near the woman you love at all. But then again, once you’re divorced, both of you will be single and free. You’ll no longer be in any position to restrict her from doing anything or to do anything to her. Divorce is a serious matter, you should really consider it carefully.”
“I’ve already agreed to go ahead with the divorce proceedings tomorrow.”
Long Tianze reached a hand out to poke him and chided, “Are you out of your mind? Why did you agree to a divorce if you don’t wish to go through it at all? Did you do it just to prove how much of a gentleman you are? Or do you not want to appear clingy and annoying? Or are you too caught up with preserving your image?”
“I don’t know, maybe I really just don’t want her to think that I can’t go on living without her.”
“Afraid to bruise your own ego… why is she so insistent on getting a divorce, though? Was it because of the miscarriage, or because your family decided to save Qingyue? Or is it none of the above? I just can’t figure why.”
“I don’t know.”
“If you love her, make her stay.”
“I love her?”
“Do you not? If you don’t love her, what are you vexing about right now?” Long Tianze retorted.
“I have no idea either. But it seems we’re getting a divorce for sure. You know, we had a bet in the past and even signed an agreement. If she could keep her job at the television production unit for an entire month, I would have to grant her any one wish of hers. Otherwise, she would have to become my slave for a day. In the end, she managed to win the bet, and she just told me that her wish is for us to get a divorce.”
‘You’ve really brought it upon yourself. Look what’s happening now, you have no choice but to grant her her wish. I really take my hat off to you for being so silly. Wish I could just stomp you to death,” said an infuriated Long Tianze.
Jin Qingyan closed his eyes as he began to lose his consciousness, before falling into a deep sleep.
Long Tianze did not go home that night but instead slept on the same bed as Jin Qingyan, only because he had been drinking and did not want to drive while under the influence.
However, the drunk Jin Qingyan could subconsciously feel the presence of another person on the bed and, having mistaken Long Tianze for An Xiaoning, he hurriedly embraced him tightly in his arms. Dazed and sleepy, Long Tianze felt a hand continuously rubbing against his chest. He opened his eyes, only to see that Jin Qingyan was hugging him, one hand on his…
Feeling irritated yet amused, he reached out to smack him on his face playfully and said, “Hurry, wake up. Sis-in-law is back.”
Jin Qingyan opened his eyes immediately and sat up straight. He looked around the room only to realize that he had been tricked, after which he reached his hands out in an attempt to strangle Long Tianze. However, the latter managed to dodge quickly and said, “You actually have the cheek to be violent with me? You kept rubbing my chest just now.”
Jin Qingyan ignored him and proceeded to the bathroom to take a shower.
Long Tianze followed suit. After taking a look at the time, he entered the bathroom and turned on the tap to rinse his face with water. He then squeezed some facial cleanser onto his palm and began was.h.i.+ng his face while saying, “Let me tell you, you’d better think it through carefully.”
“Think what through?”
“Quit feigning ignorance, think through your divorce with Sis-in-law, obviously. Ignore the agreement and just ask yourself how you truly feel. Don’t get a divorce as long as you don’t want to,” said Long Tianze, bending forward to rinse the foam off his hands.
“Who said I didn’t want a divorce? I won’t go back on my word. If she’s bent on getting a divorce, then I shall grant her her wish,” Jin Qingyan answered confidently, a complete change in his att.i.tude compared to the night before.
“Seriously, why can’t you just coax and placate her? Women love to be cajoled,” Long Tianze scorned as he turned around to grab a towel.