Volume One, Chapter One: Divorce—I'll Set You Free

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For three years, their marriage had been a quiet arrangement, fulfilling their duties as husband and wife in this very manner. Today was the fifth day of the lunar month. As usual, Bei Chen Fu instructed the butler to bring Xing Nian Gu to the Nianxin Pavilion. She had always adored the pavilion’s garden, filled with pure white lilies whose fragrance permeated the air, so dreamlike and exquisite.

But the three-year term was up; today was the last day. Not only had she come for their final meeting, but she also brought a divorce agreement with her.

As she entered the room, Bei Chen Fu was stepping out of the bathroom. Shirtless, his broad shoulders and narrow waist formed a perfect inverted triangle, every inch exuding strength. A loosely tied towel hung at his hips, water droplets tracing the smooth lines of his muscles. His sculpted abs and deep V-line disappeared beneath the towel’s edge, igniting the imagination.

His handsome face was a masterpiece, seemingly crafted with painstaking care by the Creator.

At that moment, his thin lips were pressed tight, flushed from just stepping out of the bath, but no softness softened his expression—only a cold aloofness warning others to keep their distance.

Without a word, he lifted Xing Nian Gu into his arms and strode toward the bed. She gasped, instinctively wrapping her arms around his neck.

Bei Chen Fu said nothing, leaning down to kiss her lips before reaching to unfasten her cheongsam.

Holding his neck, she caught the familiar scent of tobacco mingled with a faint trace of alcohol, making her a little dizzy.

Tonight, as always, he was impatient and rough in his movements—perhaps because they had been apart for so long.

His kiss was fierce, as if he wanted to swallow her whole.

The temperature in the room rose steadily.

The air was thick with a charged intimacy.

The fifth and twenty-fifth of each lunar month were the days Bei Chen Fu and she had agreed to be together.

On those days, the butler would fetch her to Nianxin Pavilion, though they never lived together.

It was time. She remembered the divorce papers in her bag.

Perhaps this was the fate of her marriage—her life merely loaned to him for three years.

In the dead of night, Xing Nian Gu woke from hunger.

The man beside her had long since vanished, and even the warmth of his body was gone.

Her whole body ached as she struggled out of bed, slipping into a robe before heading downstairs.

The butler greeted her.

“Madam, you’ve woken. You must be hungry. Before leaving, Mister instructed us to prepare bird’s nest porridge for you.”

“Thank you,” she replied.

Sitting down, she sipped the porridge unhurriedly.

Glancing at her phone, several trending headlines suddenly popped up:

#Mr. Fu Hosts a Multi-Million Birthday Banquet for the Jiang Family Heiress
#Good Things Coming Soon: Bei Chen Fu and Ke Xin Jiang Officially Engaged in Country F

Her pupils constricted sharply—clearly startled by the news.

Suddenly, dizziness overcame her.

Jiang Ke Xin!

So his true love was Jiang Ke Xin.

This beautiful Nianxin Pavilion was a constant torment to her heart.

Her eyes reddened as she stared at the exquisitely handsome face in the photo—that of her husband, Bei Chen Fu.

He held a beauty in his arms, smiling brilliantly.

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She once believed him to be naturally cold and incapable of smiling.

It turned out, he simply never smiled at her.

Jiang Ke Xin wore a fiery red chalcedony necklace shaped like a lily, piercing her eyes with pain.

She put down her spoon and went upstairs to change.

Looking at the empty bed, a chill deepened in her gaze.

This man was truly inexhaustible: they had been intimate that afternoon, yet tonight he was off celebrating a birthday for his mistress in Country F.

Ten minutes later, Xing Nian Gu went downstairs and asked the butler to send her home.

She would never return here.

Back at home, she took out the divorce agreement she had prepared a month ago, always kept in her bag. She had intended to give it to Bei Chen Fu today but hadn’t expected him to leave.

The next noon, she was awakened by the ringing phone.

Her best friend Wei Wei Sheng had called more than twenty times desperately—what had happened?

She hurriedly called back.

“Miss, you finally answered! I thought you’d lost hope—scared me to death,” Wei Wei complained, causing Xing Nian Gu to smile wryly and tap her forehead.

“Don’t worry. I love life and cherish it dearly.”

After a nap, her heart felt less heavy.

“Wait for me—I’m flying back to see you right away,” Wei Wei said urgently.

“All right, I’ll wait!”

After hanging up, Xing Nian Gu felt hollow inside. Staring at the ceiling, she recalled all the memories with Bei Chen Fu over the years.

In middle school, he skipped grades and she followed; when he went abroad, she went with him; he studied medicine, and she chose the same without hesitation… even when he fell into the sea, she jumped after him.

Yet he had no memory of her.

Three years ago, after his car accident left him blind, his first love was rumored to have gone abroad.

That was when she arrived.

At that time, Grandma Li used her influence to marry her into the Fu family.

At first, Bei Chen Fu resented her. Later, through Grandfather Fu’s scheme, they became genuine husband and wife. Soon after came constant pressure to conceive, leading to their twice-monthly conjugal meetings.

She remembered that Bei Chen Fu’s eyesight was restored only in their second year of marriage, but when he looked at her, a chilling aura of disgust surrounded him.

She thought she could warm him.

It turned out the spark was never with her.

The phone rang again, pulling her back to reality.

She answered, but the caller spoke only two words before hanging up.

It was the lady of the Fu family, summoning her to return to the ancestral home immediately.

A sense of foreboding crept over her, but before she could dwell on it, she hastily got out of bed.

By four in the afternoon, Xing Nian Gu had returned to the grand Fu family mansion.

The Fu family was the most prestigious household in Ning City, vast and powerful. Patriarch Fu had two sons and two daughters. Bei Chen Fu was the eldest grandson of the main branch, naturally receiving the most attention.

As she entered the hall, Lady Fu immediately rose.

She cast a venomous glance at Xing Nian Gu. “Did you complain to Father? You’re usually so quiet, but now you’re playing dirty?”

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Xing Nian Gu met her mother-in-law’s hostile stare and calmly replied, “Lady Fu, I don’t know what you mean.”

“Bei Chen Fu is in the study, being punished.”

With a glance, the butler escorted Xing Nian Gu upstairs.

Near the study, raised voices became audible.

“You unfilial brat, how dare you talk back? Do you want to kill me with anger?”

Patriarch Fu was so furious he nearly spat blood.

“Grandfather, forced fruit isn’t sweet. Didn’t you promise me that if Xing Nian Gu didn’t conceive within three years, I could divorce her and remarry?”

“You little bastard, you want a divorce? You’re still married to her now. I won’t allow any more rumors about that Jiang woman. Issue a public statement immediately to clear the air!”

“How can I control what spreads online? Grandfather, there’s no need to waste time on the internet!”

“I’ll kill you!”

Clattering sounds rang from inside.

Xing Nian Gu composed herself and knocked on the door.

When Shi Hong Fu saw her, he was clearly surprised.

“Nian Nian is here!”

“Grandfather, please don’t upset yourself.”

She reached out to support him back into the room, offering a gentle smile.

“What are you standing there for? Apologize to Nian Nian!” Shi Hong Fu ordered Bei Chen Fu sharply.

Bei Chen Fu pressed his thin lips tightly, full of disdain. He had deliberately timed the revelation at the three-year mark, confident the woman would understand her place.

“Grandfather, I want to speak to Bei Chen Fu alone.”

Xing Nian Gu said this, and the old man, understanding, left the room.

She looked at him and said, “Bei Chen Fu, let’s divorce. I’ll free you.”

Bei Chen Fu was slightly taken aback, regarding her as if she were a monster.

He thought she would return angry, at least with her grandfather’s backing. He never expected her to mention divorce so casually.

She was willing to surrender the position of Mrs. Fu on her own accord?

She added, “We can start the paperwork first. When it’s convenient, you can explain everything to Grandfather.”

He was silent for a few seconds, then finally asked, “What compensation do you want?”

“No need. Part amicably. This is the divorce agreement I drafted.”

She spoke lightly, without hesitation, pulling the agreement from her bag and placing it on the table.

Bei Chen Fu sneered, his cold gaze pinching her. “Since you’re sensible, I won’t treat you unfairly. Tomorrow morning I’ll be signing documents at the company. I’ll have the legal department draft the divorce papers.”

In other words, what went into that agreement wouldn’t be up to her.

“All right, I’ll go,” she said expressionlessly, casting him a glance before leaving the study.

For her, parting amicably was the most dignified way to end this marriage.

Xing Nian Gu stayed for dinner at the Fu mansion before leaving. As she hugged Grandfather Fu goodbye and prepared to drive off, rain suddenly began to fall, pattering like mournful cries.

After a few steps, a sharp pain hit her abdomen, and warm blood flowed down.

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