Café.
It was mid-afternoon, and at a slightly secluded spot close to the floor-to-ceiling window, two women were sitting facing each other.
Both women were quite young, looking around 23-24 years old. One had waist-length pink curly hair, a melon-seed face, and a teardrop mole under her eye, giving her a lazy and beautiful look. She was currently stirring her coffee with a spoon.
The other woman wore a black baseball cap and had chestnut curly hair down to her waist. She had her head slightly lowered, so her face couldn't be clearly seen, but she had a great figure and fair skin. In the reflection of the sunlight from outside, she looked as if she would glow.
The two were none other than Ji Xi and Wensoft.
Ji Xi was still concerned about Wensoft and afraid that something might happen to her. Even though she had spent the whole night writing, she still arranged to meet her. However, upon hearing Wensoft's words, she woke up completely and, regardless of their current location, said forcefully, "What, you want a divorce?!"
They both had great figures.
Many people had already noticed them when they entered the café. Now, upon hearing such explosive words, all heads turned towards them.
Luckily, it was a weekday, so the café wasn't too crowded.
Apologizing with a nod to the onlookers, Ji Xi lowered her head further and asked Wensoft in a subdued voice, "Did Lin Qinghan suggest it? It must have been him. That dog, did he genuinely fall for that little slut, Su Lanlan?"
"Is he blind or cursed?"
"No way!"
Frowning, she pursed her red lips and, even angrier now, continued, "I can't let him bully you like this. Come on, I'm taking you home. I want to know what's going through his mind. He's leaving behind a treasure like you for something you can't even identify from a garbage heap."
She was genuinely outraged.
Without thinking, she picked up her bag with the intention of dragging Wensoft to the Lin family. However, just as she was getting up, Wensoft, who had been sitting with her head down since they arrived at the café, spoke, "I suggested it."
"What?" Ji Xi didn't quite hear it.
Wen Ruan lifted her head, looked at Ji Xi, smiled, and repeated, "It was me who suggested it."
This time.
Her voice was much clearer.
But Ji Xi seemed to be struck by lightning. She stared blankly at Wen Ruan, unable to react for a long time. She returned to her seat, unsure whether to put down or hold onto her bag. She held it for a while before tossing it aside. Then she picked up her coffee cup and drank the whole cup as if pouring water, needing to calm down.
She needed to be calm.
This world is too surreal.
Soft actually asked for a divorce from Lin Qinghan. Did she not wake up? Or did Soft not wake up?
Carefully placing the cup down, Ji Xi hesitated, looking at Wen Ruan and said, "Soft, are you sure you're awake right now? Or, pinched me to see if I'm dreaming?"
Wen Ruan put down the lemon water in her hand and sighed lightly.
She knew that no one would believe it. Just as she couldn't believe that one day, she would ask Lin Qinghan for a divorce.
"Xiao Xi, I am very awake, and you are not dreaming either."
"This can't be happening," Ji Xi was incredulous. "How could you ask for a divorce from Lin Qinghan? You've liked him for over ten years. Didn't you say you would never leave him for the rest of your life? Even if there was a proposal, it should have been Lin Qinghan asking for a divorce, not you."
She didn't finish her sentence.
But Wen Ruan knew what she meant. Even if there was a proposal, it should have been Lin Qinghan asking for a divorce.
They had been married for three years.
In these three years, countless people were waiting for them to get divorced. Especially in recent years, Lin Qinghan's position in the Lin family had become more and more stable, so there were more and more such discussions.
"No family background, no qualifications, how can she be worthy of Lin Qinghan?"
"She is good-looking, but there are many people who are better looking than her. If it weren't for the old man in the Lin family, Lin Qinghan would never have married her."
"Wait and see, they will definitely get divorced. A sparrow is just a sparrow. Even if it perches on the wutong tree, it cannot become a phoenix."
Everyone was waiting to ridicule her, waiting for Lin Qinghan and her to get divorced.
With both hands holding the water cup, Wen Ruan lowered her head, and her slightly curved eyelashes conveniently hid the emotions in her eyes. Facing Ji Xi's worried and anxious gaze, her emotions were calm. "Yesterday, I told him that I did not push Su Lanlan. His reply was 'the matter has been resolved.'"
"He doesn't believe me."
Ji Xi frowned, took Wen Ruan's trembling hand, and said in a cold voice, "I'll go to the hospital and make Su Lanlan tell the truth about the matter."
Wen Ruan shook her head, "Even without the matter of Su Lanlan between me and Lin Qinghan, there would be other things. In his eyes, as long as the problem is solved, it won't be an issue, regardless of whether I did it or not."
"He doesn't care whether I'm good or bad, and he doesn't care about the truth of the matter. For him, as long as the trouble is removed and there are no issues left, it's fine."
"But what I want—" she paused, her slender and delicate fingers holding the stirring spoon, "from start to finish, is only his trust."
"Soft..."
Wen Ruan raised her head, smiled at Ji Xi, still very gentle. It was just that there was a slight hint of desolation at the corners of her eyes and eyebrows. "Later, I asked him, 'what am I in your heart?'"
Ji Xi had a bad premonition and lowered her voice. "What did he say?"
"He said, 'I'm his wife,'" Wen Ruan smiled. "It's a very perfect answer. But when I saw him frowning and looking at me as if I were making trouble unreasonably, I suddenly gave up."
"Xiao Xi, do you know what I was thinking at that moment?"
Wen Ruan didn't look at Ji Xi. She turned to look at the sky outside, which was sunny. "I was thinking, that this is how it feels when one gives up on someone. There was no argument, no affair, no hysterical yelling. It was just when I looked at him, I suddenly felt that this man was so unfamiliar to me."
"He's clearly so close to me, just within reach to hold, but I just felt so far away from him."
"I don't know what he's thinking, and he doesn't know what I need. The two of us lie on the same bed and even the most basic communication is lacking."
"Soft..."
Ji Xi didn't know how to comfort her. Her usual eloquence was useless at this moment. She could only hold Wen Ruan's hand and call her name.
"I'm fine," Wen Ruan turned her head and smiled at her. She really was fine. Sometimes, realizing and giving up on someone is just a momentary thing. Just like right now, sitting here, she could calmly and peacefully talk to Ji Xi about Lin Qinghan. "Actually, he's not at fault."
"He hasn't had an affair or any scandals, which is already very good compared to many people in the industry."
"It's just that for him, all he needs is a wife, one who is obedient, can alleviate his worries, and bear and raise children."
"Whether that person is me or someone else, it doesn't matter."
This was the biggest problem between her and Lin Qinghan. Lin Qinghan only needed a wife, but she needed love.
She had started liking Lin Qinghan when she was in her teens.
From being the most proud princess in the local social circles to later becoming bankrupt and being brought into the Lin family, she concealed her love for him and carefully handled her relationship with Lin Qinghan. After ten years, her love for him had not diminished at all.
So she was willing to give up everything, marry him, and stay by his side to take care of him.
But everything she did was because she loved him. Similarly, she also hoped to receive the same affection from Lin Qinghan.
Now.
The dream has ended.
She should let go too.
Lin Qinghan never loved her, from beginning to end, he never loved her.
Wen Ruan stopped stirring the coffee, smiled and said, "It's really like that, there's no way."
Ji Xi pursed her lips and asked after she finished, "Have you really thought about it, divorcing Lin Qinghan? Ruan Ruan, can you really let go?"
Wen Ruan blinked, a gentle smile spreading on her fair face. "I thought about it all night, even before I said those words just now, I was still hesitating. But after I said them, I found that letting go doesn't seem that difficult. I'm still young, I still have many things to do."
She might not be used to leaving Lin Qinghan at first.
But she would try to get used to it, just like when her parents left her.
"Okay."
Ji Xi smiled and walked over, hugging Wen Ruan and gently patting her back. She said softly, "I respect all your choices. We're so great, in the future, he'll regret it." She snorted, "I never liked Lin Qinghan, I used to be considerate of you and didn't scold him."
"I won't have to worry about it in the future. He and Xu Zhi are cut from the same cloth."
Wen Ruan smiled.
The two of them talked for a while.
When they parted, Wen Ruan got in the car, and Lao Li asked her, "Madam, are we going home, or?"
She glanced at the scenery outside the car window. "Let's go to the nursing home."
***
At the Lin Group at this time.
The air pressure on the top floor was very low today. Although the boss was not very talkative before, it had never been like this today. He had a stern face, and he had lost his temper in the meeting room, and later, the finance manager, the HR manager, and the marketing department manager all got scolded by him.
Several secretaries kept their heads down, trying to keep a low profile so as not to attract the boss's attention or get a scolding.
The chat group, on the other hand, was very lively.
[Boss, what's wrong today? The air pressure is so low, I don't even dare to go to the restroom.]
[I don't know. Even though they've managed to secure such a difficult project in France, why is the boss still not happy?]
Li Ze walked out of the office, and Lin's secretary waved to him and whispered, "Li, what's wrong with the boss today?"
Li Ze was also not sure what was wrong with Lin Qinghan.
Today, he came to the company to handle some things and arrived at the office around six o'clock, only to find that the boss's office lights were already on.
He knocked and went in.
He saw the boss leaning back in his chair, the ashtray on the table full of cigarette butts, his white shirt with a few buttons undone, and his tie loose. He had only seen this appearance when Mr. Lin was first ill and when the boss's first business negotiation had failed.
He wasn't sure what was wrong with the boss.
But thinking about the boss looking at his phone from time to time today and asking him with a furrowed brow, "Did Wen Ruan call you?" He guessed that the boss's strange behavior today was related to his wife.
The phone on the table rang.
Lin's secretary saw the number on the display and trembled, quickly answering it, readying herself, "Boss, what's wrong?"
The low, hoarse voice of Lin Qinghan came from the other end of the line, "Let Li Ze in."
The phone hung up.
Li Ze collected his thoughts and turned to walk to the office.
Lin Qinghan was sitting in his chair, reviewing documents and not lifting his head. "Buy a piece of jewelry and a bouquet of flowers." He hadn't slept all night, had been thinking all day, and had been angry all day, until just now, he finally figured it out.
How could Wen Ruan possibly divorce him?
It was just because he hadn't spent enough time with her, making her angry.
It's no problem to be angry.
Wen Ruan had always been easy to handle. If the jewelry and flowers didn't make her happy, then he could consider taking a few days off to travel with her. They had been married for three years and had never traveled together.
She had always wanted to go to Bali, and this time of year would be just right.
Thinking of this, his face, which had been tense all day, relaxed a little.
Seeing that Li Ze hadn't moved yet, he frowned and scolded, "Why haven't you gone yet? Move it, buy them and put them directly in the car. I'm leaving work early today."
His gentle gaze fell on Wensoft, and his hands, with wrinkled skin, rested on her head. His tone, however, was somewhat helpless and full of emotion: "At that time, I was afraid that my illness wouldn't get better, worried that the two of you, you and Qinghan, would be left with no one to rely on. I thought that since you two had grown up together, if you could be together, I could rest assured even in the afterlife."
"I didn't expect—"
He sighed, "I ended up causing trouble with my good intentions."
Wensoft could tell from his words that he felt guilty. She quickly raised her head, "Grandfather, it's not your fault, and it's not his fault either." She pursed her lips and hesitated, "Qinghan, he has been very good to me."
Except that he didn't love her.
Lin Qinghan did fulfill all the duties of a husband.
He gave her status.
He also gave her dignity and respectability.
"Sigh."
Lin Changyan looked at her and sighed deeply, "Since you've already made up your mind, I won't say anything more."
Although he said that, he couldn't help but speak again, "That child Qinghan, due to his parents' issues, has been accustomed to being cold-hearted and indifferent since childhood. He—"
He was about to say a few words to defend the person but looking at Wensoft's downcast face and tightly pressed lips, he ultimately decided against it.
These two children.
They were together at first because of his illness.
Now that they were going to be separated, he couldn't bring himself to say anything to stop it.
He shook his head.
Ultimately, he changed the subject.
Lin Changyan gently stroked Wensoft's hair and asked, "Have you thought about what you want to do? I remember you used to love painting. If you want to open a studio or further your studies, there's money on my side, I can give it to you."
"No need."
Wensoft smiled, "Grandfather, I have money. I haven't decided what I want to do yet, but there's still plenty of time, I'll think of something eventually."
Lin Changyan didn't say anything more, "Take your time then."
His gaze was very affectionate. He held Wensoft's hand and lightly patted it, "Even if you can't figure it out in your lifetime, it's okay. Although Grandfather is getting old and can't take care of you forever, he will never let you suffer injustice."
Wensoft didn't say anything, but her eyes became a little teary again.
When she originally gave up everything to marry Lin Qinghan, it was not only because she liked Lin Qinghan so much, but also because of Grandfather Lin.
When the family went bankrupt, her parents were afraid of something happening to her, so they arranged for her in a place where she was alone. Later, she saw the news of her parents' car accident on TV and fainted on the spot. When she woke up, it was Grandfather Lin who was with her. He had no idea how much effort he had put into finding her, and later he brought her to the Lin family, taking care of her as if she were his own granddaughter, giving her the best, and never mistreating her.
She was very grateful to Grandfather Lin.
If it weren't for him, she probably would have died in that small room long ago.
Her phone rang.
Wensoft wiped the tears from her face, took out her phone, and saw the words "Husband" on the screen, feeling a little dazed.
For Lin Qinghan, all contacts, whether it was WeChat, phone, or even email, were affectionately labeled as "Husband", it was just a term, but she couldn't help but want to use this way to bring them closer.
"Is it Qinghan?"
Lin Changyan looked at the phone without picking it up, just looking at her expression, he also guessed who the caller was. Thinking of that brat, his tone was a little unkind and his face looked ugly, "Give the phone to Grandfather, let Grandfather scold him for you."
"No need."
Wensoft regained her composure and shook her head with a smile at Lin Changyan.
They couldn't be a couple, but judging from their long-standing relationship, they wouldn't become enemies either. It would be best if they could part peacefully, and just now she was just dazed when she received a call from Lin Qinghan.
Three years of marriage.
It seemed like this was the first time he had taken the initiative to call her.
She informed Grandfather Lin and then answered the phone, "Hello."
On the other end of the line, Lin Qinghan's voice came through, still as cold as ever, but if you listened carefully, there was a hint of tenderness between his words, "I've finished work, where are you?"
Wensoft was always attentive.
Even when Lin Qinghan furrowed his brows on a normal day, she could figure out why.
Naturally, she had heard it this time.
She gripped the phone tightly, looking at her reflection in the window for a long time before answering softly, "At Grandfather's."
"Okay, I'll come pick you up." After speaking, Lin Qinghan hung up the phone.
Lin Changyan, sitting in the wheelchair, saw her hang up the phone and asked, "What did that lad say?"
"He said," Wensoft's voice was low, "He's coming to pick me up."
Over these three years.
She had hoped for many things, hoping that Lin Qinghan would take the initiative to contact her, hoping that he would come to pick her up on his own, rather than through an assistant or a driver. Now that it was suddenly happening, she was not happy, but rather confused.
On the other end.
After hanging up the phone, Lin Qinghan's usually cold demeanor showed a rare delight. He glanced at the beautifully packaged jewelry box on the back seat, along with a bunch of vibrant and dewy roses, causing his expression to relax significantly.
She will definitely like this.
The car had already started, and Lin Qinghan turned the steering wheel several times and drove towards the nursing home.
***
Upon reaching the nursing home, Lin Qinghan had originally planned to go to the ward to pick up Wensoft and then take a look at his grandfather, but unexpectedly, he ran into Wensoft downstairs.
She was wearing a trench coat and walking towards him.
He lowered the car window, frowned, and asked in a somewhat serious tone, "Why weren't you waiting upstairs?"
Wensoft opened the car door, sat in the passenger seat and replied, "Grandpa is sleeping." In fact, this was an excuse; she mainly didn't want to make things too awkward in front of Lin Grandpa. His health was not good, and they should handle their own matters.
Lin Qinghan didn't find her answer strange.
The car stopped by the roadside. The road was wide, and he didn't seem to be in a rush.
As he watched her fasten her seatbelt, Lin Qinghan, for once, seemed hesitant and awkward. He usually drove carefully, and the flowers and jewelry on the back seat were firmly in place, without any movement. It was rare for him to personally give these to Wensoft.
Even on occasions like birthdays and wedding anniversaries, it was always Li Ze who reminded him, and then Li Ze or the secretary directly handed them to Wensoft.
Today was truly the first time in his life.
He did not know why.
Lin Qinghan, who was always unbeatable in the business world and had never withdrawn, at this moment, surprisingly developed a somewhat hesitant attitude, almost like an ostrich mentality.
Strange.
Yet intriguing.
Sitting in the passenger seat, Wensoft caught a glimpse of Lin Qinghan's ever-changing face. She thought he might still be thinking about last night's events. Just then, she also wanted to talk to him but the man beside her suddenly made a move.
As if determined, he reached back and took two things, then stuffed them into her arms with an awkward and hesitant tone, and even avoided looking at her as he dryly uttered, "For you."
After giving her the items, Lin Qinghan became more relaxed. He leaned back into the driver's seat, with a casual hand on the steering wheel. His expression returned to its usual state—
The head of the Lin Group, aloof and composed, showing no emotional fluctuations towards anyone or anything, only with a surprisingly warm voice. "I know I have neglected you during this period."
"It's normal for you to be angry."
"But if incidents like last night happen again, you're not allowed to mention it again."
"You are my wife, and I have never thought of divorcing you. I don't have much to do at the company recently, so if you want to go on a trip, I can accompany you." He was used to negotiation and even when facing Wensoft, there was a hint of negotiation in his tone, "Bali, Hokkaido, or France, wherever you want to go, I can accompany you."
Wensoft looked down, her gaze fixed on the things in her arms. This was the first time Lin Qinghan had taken the initiative to give her something.
For a moment, her heart raced, and she even thought that perhaps Lin Qinghan also had a slight liking for her. Even if it was just a little, she...
But soon, she dismissed the thought.
He was good to her.
Only because she was his wife.
Her sparrow-like eyelashes trembled a few times before returning to calm. Wensoft tugged at the corner of her mouth, wanting to smile but couldn't. As she listened to Lin Qinghan's words, she still kept her head down, and opened the jewelry box to take a look. It was a diamond necklace, of such quality that it probably wouldn't have cost less than seven figures. The style was also very trendy, something girls her age would like.
But clearly, this was Li Ze's doing.
Taking a deep breath, Wensoft looked up at Lin Qinghan, who had finished speaking and suddenly said, "Lin Qinghan, do you know what flowers I like, what jewelry I like, what I like to eat, and where I like to go?"
"What?" Lin Qinghan was dumbfounded. He opened his mouth to answer, but after thinking for a long time, he couldn't figure out what Wensoft liked.
He had known Wensoft since childhood.
Before the Wen family went bankrupt, he knew a little about it. This girl liked the most beautiful dresses, the most exquisite jewelry. Every time she wore new clothes and jewelry, she would show them off to her elders, expecting their praise.
But after the Wen family's bankruptcy.
She was taken in by the Lin family, and as they grew up together, he became less and less aware of what this girl liked.
It seemed she liked everything and nothing.
Careful and obedient, always afraid of saying or doing the wrong thing. Every time she received jewelry and flowers, she would be happy, and she would smile when new clothes arrived at home, but it was always a superficial smile.
Did she really like them?
He didn't know.
Suddenly, Lin Qinghan felt a slight panic in his heart. He rarely felt this way. Perhaps, when he was young, when his parents argued endlessly, he might have felt it, but he wasn't as cold-hearted back then, and his father's affair and his mother's crying would make him panic.
But since they died.
He rarely had such emotions, and in recent years, he never had them once.
But now—
He suddenly felt like something was slowly slipping away, he hated this uncontrollable feeling.
Wen Ruan looked at him softly and said firmly, "You don't know."
She closed the jewelry box, her slightly lowered eyelashes fluttering like two butterflies, her voice gentle, "I don't like diamond necklaces, nor do I like roses."
"Then what-" Lin Qinghan's voice suddenly became hoarse, as if someone was choking him, speaking became extremely difficult, "What do you like?"
"You"
You can tell me.
The sentence was not finished.
Wen Ruan shook her head with a smile, looked up and said, "What I like, you didn't know before, and there's no need for you to know now. As for the places you mentioned, I can go by myself." She calmly and firmly put the thing in her hand on the back seat, then looked directly at Lin Qinghan, her gaze unwavering, and said seriously, "Qinghan, the words I said to you yesterday were not a moment of anger, nor were they coquettish."
"I was serious."
"As for my grandfather, I have already told him, and he agreed."
"As for -"
She took out an envelope from her bag, "ID card, household register, and-" when her gaze fell on the two marriage certificates, Wen Ruan's expression remained unchanged, her red lips lightly pursed, but she still said it, "marriage certificate, I have already prepared."
"If you're available now, let's go to the Civil Affairs Bureau."
Lin Qinghan lowered his eyes and looked at the envelope, his gaze suddenly turning cold, his thin lips lightly pursed as he tightened the hand on the steering wheel, the force making the veins in his hand bulge, "What if I'm not available?"
He hadn't expected that Wen Ruan's words last night were not a joke. She had truly made up her mind. In just one day, she had prepared everything by herself and even informed her grandfather.
Didn't she promise to love him and not leave him for the rest of her life?
Was this her love?!
Lin Qinghan had never experienced such complex emotions before, anger, frustration, as if he had been slapped hard.
He looked at her smile and suddenly wanted to mock her.
But his upbringing from childhood to adulthood ultimately made him say nothing, just looking at her with cold eyes.
Wen Ruan let him look at her as she waited for him to finish speaking, then suddenly smiled, "If it's inconvenient for you, then I'll wait for the day when you are, but I will move out of the Lin family tomorrow."