Early in the morning, no, it should be around five o'clock, Li Ze received a call from his boss, Lin Qinghan. The content of the call was simple, asking him to wear a clean suit to the company. Although he was confused, his years of obedience had made him accustomed to his boss's orders.
He responded with a crisp "Yes."
And then the call ended.
Although he was not sure about the reasons for his boss's early morning call, Li Ze quickly got up, contacted someone he knew, and brought a suit, shirt, and tie of his boss's size. When he arrived at the company, it was almost seven o'clock.
The sun had already risen.
But the Lin Group was still very quiet.
At this time, even the cleaning lady had not arrived.
The elevator went straight to the top floor office, as he expected, the boss was already there.
Li Ze felt strange. This was the second night in a row. Although the boss had often stayed in the office due to work before, this time it was definitely not due to work. If yesterday was because of his wife, then what was the reason today?
Hadn't he already bought flowers and jewelry?
According to his wife's personality, even if she was furious, she should have calmed down by now.
Moreover, he had followed the boss for three years, and had never seen his wife angry. Suppressing his doubts, he put his hand on the glass door and gently knocked, "Boss."
After a while.
A voice came from the office, as desolate as ever, with a hint of unavoidable hoarseness, as if the words were being forced out from deep within the throat, deep and low, "Come in."
Li Ze opened the door and the room was filled with the smell of smoke. Even he, as a smoker, couldn't help but frown at the smell and coughed lightly, waving his hand in front of him. But his heart skipped a beat.
He had a gut feeling that something bad had happened.
The boss never liked to smoke. Even when faced with difficult cases in the past, he would only occasionally smoke to relieve fatigue. But a situation like this had never occurred before.
The lights were off.
Lin Qinghan was sitting with his back to Li Ze, and the office was still quite dim. His suit was carelessly thrown on the table, the sleeves of his white shirt rolled up to his forearms, revealing seemingly thin but actually strong and powerful arms.
In his slender and clearly articulated hand, was a cigarette.
"Did you bring it?" Lin Qinghan asked absent-mindedly with closed eyes.
Li Ze softly answered, casting his eyes on the desk. The ashtray was full, he furrowed his brows and took another look at the boss sitting with his back facing him. According to etiquette, he should not ask about the boss's silence.
"But boss, this situation is too strange."
He was a little worried.
In the end, he finally spoke up, "Boss, what happened?"
Lin Qinghan did not speak, he did not even change his posture. Just as Li thought the boss wouldn't speak, he finally said, "Wen Ruan asked for a divorce."
"What?!"
For the first time, Li couldn't control his volume. After reacting, he hurriedly apologized for his loss of control, then continued in a tone of surprise and disbelief, "How is this possible? How could madam ask for a divorce from you?"
Although Madam had rarely come to the company in the past three years, as the boss's special assistant, he had many opportunities to interact with her privately.
In his memory, she was a very gentle woman who always put the boss first. No matter where the boss went, no matter the time difference, she would always call when they got off the plane to ask if they had arrived safely and about the boss's health.
How could a woman like that ask for a divorce from her husband?
There finally appeared some emotion on Lin Qinghan's insipid face. Yes, how is it possible? Even now he couldn't believe it. The gentle and obedient Wen Ruan actually asked for a divorce.
Decisive.
Without hesitation.
To divorce him.
"Is it because of Miss Su?" Li hesitated and asked. Besides the matter of Miss Su Lanlan, he couldn't think of any other reason why Madam would want a divorce from the boss.
This question.
Lin Qinghan had also asked Wen Ruan.
And how did Wen Ruan respond? She looked at him, smiled, and said, "Indeed, that's part of the reason, but it's not the fundamental issue."
What is the fundamental issue? Lin Qinghan's eyelids trembled lightly as he recalled what Wen Ruan had said to him, "Qinghan, we grew up together and have been married for three years. What kind of presence am I in your heart?"
This wasn't the first time Wen Ruan had brought up this question.
Lin Qinghan didn't understand why Wen Ruan was so fixated on this issue. He had treated her like a sister before, and now as his lifelong companion. He would solve all her troubles. Everything he had - reputation, wealth, glory - half of it belonged to her. He would never betray her.
"You say—"
Lin Qinghan spoke, his voice strained, "Am I not good enough to her?"
Li was stunned by the question. He wanted to say, "You are very good to Madam," but he remembered several anniversaries and even Madam's birthday, when the boss worked overtime at the company and it was only him who brought flowers and jewelry to her hands.
That gentle woman still wore a smile, but there was a hint of sadness in her eyes and at the corners of her mouth.
Maybe it's because of this?
He pursed his lips, hesitated for a moment, and softly replied, "You have given Madam the respect she deserves, but as a husband, you have lacked the care she should have received."
The care a husband should provide?
Lin Qinghan's eyebrows slightly furrowed, and his drooping eyelids revealed a visible confusion.
What exactly is the care a husband should give?
He had given her wealth and respect. Wasn't that enough? Lin Qinghan didn't understand. He had never had a stable family since childhood. His father was indulgent, with countless women outside, and his mother was always hysterical.
Compared to the people he knew, most of them had arranged marriages without any emotional foundation. He considered himself much better than those who caroused outside, yet Wen Ruan was still not satisfied.
No response was heard.
Li stood aside, hesitated for a moment, then asked, "Boss, is there still room for maneuver in this matter?"
Divorce is no small matter, especially for companies like theirs. If the boss and Madam divorced, it would involve too many things. With the company just settling down, if Madam took away half of the shares after the divorce, it would be a problem. There were also those with malicious intent to consider.
"Sss—"
Lin Qinghan was lost in thought. By the time he realized it, the cigarette in his hand was almost burnt out and had burnt his fingers holding it. It hurt a bit, and he brought his mind back. He pinched out the cigarette and slowly exhaled, "No need."
Since she had made up her mind, he would respect her wishes. Although it was regrettable, this was ultimately the boss's personal matter. "Then I will contact the legal department."
Some post-marital assets still needed to be settled.
"No need." Lin Qinghan stood up, and the bright morning sun was already outside the French windows. He hadn't slept all night and found it hard to open his eyes facing the sunlight.
"The shares my grandfather gave me, I didn't want them, and those I acquired during our marriage, I don't want either."
"I haven't done anything for you in these three years. You've worked hard. It wasn't easy to get to this point, and I don't want Lin Corporation to suffer as it did years ago because of our divorce."
That's what Wen Ruan told him yesterday, and she really did think of everything.
A breeze blew over his fine hair, the smell of smoke in the room was gradually dissipating, replaced by the unique scent of early morning. Lin Qinghan took a deep breath, "Convert her portion into money into her account, and apart from the old Lin family estate and the set in Tan Mountain, all other properties under my name will be given to her."
She had never experienced hardship from a young age.
Since they're parting ways, he also hopes that she can live a comfortable life afterwards.
***
In front of the Civil Affairs Bureau.
Wen Ruan had been waiting for quite some time already. She was dressed very casually today, wearing a black baseball cap, a denim jacket over a white T-shirt, and a pair of black wide-leg pants underneath, not looking like a wealthy housewife, but rather more like a college student still in school.
And indeed, she had the capital for it.
Even though her face was partially hidden by the cap's brim, it was still evident that her skin was flawless to the extreme. Under the sun, it appeared as porcelain white, without a single flaw to be seen.
And then there was her aura.
Many people were intentionally or unintentionally casting glances at her.
It was still before the doors had opened.
However, there were already quite a few people waiting outside.
Lin Qinghan had yet to arrive. Wen Ruan sat to one side, somewhat bored, propping up her cheek and gazing at the scene in front of her. Her face displayed joy and shyness, her eyes and eyebrows held an uncontrollable smile, clearly the look of someone about to get married.
As for those with sour expressions, wishing to keep their distance, they were definitely here for a divorce.
Thinking back to three years ago.
When she and Lin Qinghan had come to register for marriage, the scene she was seeing now was not too different from what she had witnessed back then.
At that time, she was so happy. There was nothing that made her happier than marrying the man of her dreams. On the day they registered, her smile was unceasing, but Lin Qinghan's expression was very subdued—neither unhappy nor dark, just like any other ordinary day.
Even the photo on their marriage certificate was quite plain, without any hint of a smile.
She chuckled.
Wen Ruan didn’t dwell on these matters further. Instead, she continued to prop up her cheek, staring at the tip of her shoe.
By the side of the road, inside a low-key black Mercedes, Li Zhe was surveying outside. After a while, he finally caught sight of what appeared to be Wen Ruan's figure. He looked somewhat surprised at her unconventional attire and hesitantly asked, "Sir, where is madam?"
Following his gaze, Lin Qinghan also noticed Wen Ruan’s figure. In his memories, Wen Ruan had always been elegantly dressed, both before and after the wedding. He had never seen her look like this before, and it gave rise to a strange, indescribable emotion within him.
He arched his brows.
Then, he withdrew his gaze and spoke in a flat tone, "Let's go."
Although the car appeared inconspicuous, many people had already taken notice when it stopped. Even though the car seemed low-key, those in the know recognized it as a limited edition, with only a handful existing around the world.
Now that someone had gotten out of the car, naturally, one by one, heads turned.
Walking towards them under the morning light, Lin Qinghan's commanding aura made everyone lower their heads in his presence.
Only a few young girls blushed and murmured, "He is just too handsome."
"Hey," the boys next to them objected, "Don't look at him, look at me."
Young couples who had just gotten married were still in the midst of their honeymoon phase, so the boys said this, and the girls responded with smiles, "Alright, alright, we'll look at you. But you were also staring at the girl over there just now."
Amidst these youthful voices, Wen Ruan looked up and saw Lin Qinghan approaching under the morning light. She couldn’t help but be momentarily dazzled. She still remembered long ago, when she cried by the lawn after her parents had passed, Lin Qinghan had also walked towards her under the morning light.
Then.
He reached out his hand with furrowed brows.
Even though he had such a desolate and jaded expression, with an air of pride and nobility, she still felt a hint of tenderness.
It was because of that hint of tenderness that she became deeply captivated and unable to free herself.
However, this time, she didn’t need Lin Qinghan to reach out to her again. She stood up with a smile, her face under the cap radiating a brilliant smile, captivating the eyes of onlookers and ensnaring Lin Qinghan's heart and mind. "You're here."
It took a while before Lin Qinghan came back to his senses. He looked at Wen Ruan's beaming face with a complex expression and replied, "Hmm."
Standing to the side, Li Zhe, as usual, called out, "Madam."
Wen Ruan was about to say something, but Lin Qinghan had already spoken, "Let's go in."
Li Zhe had made reservations beforehand and arranged for a passage to be opened, so as to avoid attracting attention from too many people at the crowded and public event; news of their activities would surely spread quickly.
After they left.
Those who had been overwhelmed by their dominant aura finally breathed a sigh of relief and began to gossip, "Who is this man? His presence is just overpowering. I dare not even lift my head, let alone speak."
Someone responded, "He must be rich. Look at his luxurious car and the Armani suit. They even opened a fast lane. But his face looks familiar, I think I saw it in a magazine or something?"
After thinking for a while, they turned to Wen Ruan.
"That young lady is so beautiful. Even though the glance was just for a few seconds, I still saw it. So beautiful, she would surely be a star in the entertainment industry."
"But—"
Someone whispered, "Are they here to get married or divorced?"
As those words left their mouth, the crowd jumped in, "What are you thinking? They must be getting married! Even though the man seems aloof, he still has a good temper. Also, isn't the young lady smiling so happily?"
The murmurs outside have not yet stopped.
Lin Qinghan glanced at the person sitting next to him, who had already taken off his baseball cap, and the smile on her face was warm and gentle, making the complex emotions in his heart increasingly apparent.
The two fingers that had been burnt by a cigarette butt involuntarily twisted together, while the staff were still preparing materials for them.
He looked at the warmth, for the first time in his life, feeling a twinge of regret. He thought, perhaps he could, as Li Ze said, take good care of Warmth in the future, not just materially.
Warmth is very good.
They grew up together, knowing each other inside out, and most importantly, understanding her personality.
Grandfather liked her.
He was quite used to being with her.
"Warmth, we-"
Lin Qinghan had just opened his mouth when the staff came over, nodded apologetically at them, and then sat down, "Mr. Lin, Mrs. Lin, I still have some routine procedures to go through here, and I need your cooperation."
Warmth nodded with a smile, "Okay."
All the necessary questions were asked again.
Finally, the staff looked at the two of them and asked, "Are you voluntarily divorcing?"
Lin Qinghan's fingers twitched, he looked at Warmth whose lips moved, but the person next to him didn't look at him from the beginning to the end. She sat upright in her chair, her eyes bright and clear, "Yes."
Two light words, but they sounded resolute.
Lin Qinghan's heart suddenly ached, very subtly, but he still furrowed his brow deeply, and the spot on his finger that had been burnt also began to throb with indescribable pain at this moment.
The ten fingers are connected to the heart.
He felt as if this pain was passing from his fingertips to the bottom of his heart.
"Mr. Lin?"
Warmth also turned to look at him, her head slightly tilted, a little confused, "Qinghan, what's wrong with you?"
Lin Qinghan turned to look at Warmth.
He wanted to say, it's not voluntary.
He wanted to say, let's not get divorced.
But as he looked at the expression on her face, devoid of the previous affection, there was only pure concern. His lips twitched, but in the end, he coldly uttered two words, "Voluntarily."
The process ended.
The marriage certificate was taken back, and in its place, two divorce certificates were handed to them.
Warmth looked at the divorce certificate in her hand, unlike the joy of a marriage certificate, the color was a bit dull. Although she had prepared herself for it, when it really came to this point, she couldn't help but sit on the chair for a moment in a daze.
Really didn't expect this.
Lin Qinghan looked at her lost look, tightened his grip on the divorce certificate, and was about to speak.
Warmth had already stood up, she carefully put the divorce certificate into her bag, put on her baseball cap, and smiled at Lin Qinghan, "Let's go."
As they went out, they took the VIP lane, where people were already queuing outside, but no one paid attention to them. Lin Qinghan looked at Warmth and finally spoke, "I'll take you home."
"No need."
Warmth smiled and shook her head, "Ji Xi is coming to pick me up."
As she spoke.
Someone called out to her, "Ruan Ruan, over here!"
Warmth waved to her and then stopped, turned to look at Lin Qinghan. There were still many things she wanted to say, to remind him to take care of himself, not to work late all the time, but then she thought, it was unnecessary.
When she was his wife before, he did not listen.
Now with this appearance.
She smiled, said goodbye to the person respectfully, "You go to work, I'm leaving."
After saying that.
She nodded to Li Ze, turned around and left. Her steps were not fast, her hand still tightly holding her bag. In fact, she was not as composed as she seemed, but fortunately, since she had made this decision, she would not turn back.
Behind her.
Li Ze looked at Warmth, who did not look back, and then looked at the boss who was unclear in his expression. He pursed his lips and cautiously said, "Boss."
"Let's go."
Lin Qinghan said, then turned around and walked away from Warmth.
He walked very quickly, and if you looked carefully, you could see that his steps were hurried.
When he sat in the car.
Li Ze looked at Lin Qinghan, who was sitting in the back seat, and asked, "Boss, shall we inform the public relations department first and have them issue a notice?"
Lin Qinghan looked out of the car window, and the pink sports car by the roadside had already driven far away. He retracted his gaze, rubbed his tired brow, and spoke after a while, "No need."
"Are you going home to rest now, or..." Li Zeli glanced at Lin Qinghan, whose complexion didn't look good. He wanted to persuade him to go back and rest, the boss didn't rest much in France, and returning to the city, his tough body couldn't withstand such suffering.
Lin Qinghan fell silent for a while.
He did want to go home, but looking at the divorce certificate in his hand, and thinking about his current relationship with Wensoft, he frowned, "Back to the company."