Volume 1, Chapter 31: I Really Want a Divorce

Min Yanhua looked at her grandson, her heart aching visibly in her eyes, yet she still spoke in a deep, firm voice:

"Back then, it was Qingqing’s grandfather who saved your own grandfather. That debt of gratitude is heavier than a thousand catties. You entered into a marriage contract with her, and furthermore, you were the one who nodded in agreement to register the marriage. Even if your heart now lies elsewhere, you cannot blame anyone else."

She paused, her tone hardening with an air of absolute authority: "What you carry on your shoulders now is not just the responsibility of a husband, but the entire Xie family’s debt to Su’s grandfather. Do not mention divorce again; I will never permit it."

The images from the battlefield that year still made her heart tighten whenever she recalled them. Su Wanqing’s grandfather had shielded Xie Yanchen’s grandfather, taking a bullet with his own body. Although the bullet did not pierce his heart, it struck mere inches away, leaving him bedridden for the rest of his life and claiming his life at the age of forty.

If not for that savior who risked everything, there would be no father for Xie Yanchen, and no Xie Yanchen himself—let alone the immense wealth the Xie family enjoys today. This debt of gratitude could no longer be repaid by a single life. She would never tolerate Xie Yanchen being so ungrateful. Moreover, the two even had a child together; even if the child had some issues, they were still connected by blood. To propose a divorce now—wouldn't that invite the world to point fingers at the Xie family’s backbone?

However, to her surprise, Su Wanqing, who stood beside her, gently tugged at her hand and slowly crouched down. Through tear-blurred vision, her eyes were strikingly bright, filled with a stubborn resolve: "Grandmother, I agree to the divorce."

Min Yanhua felt a sharp pang in her heart. How could she not know the grievances this child had suffered? When she was working hard in Ming City with Xie Yanchen’s grandfather, she had no idea that the scoundrel Su Guoxing was keeping a mistress behind his wife’s back, or that he had even cast Su Wanqing away to the countryside to be mistreated for the sake of the mistress’s child. Had they known about this earlier, they would never have allowed Su Wanqing to endure such hardship.

Five years ago, when she learned that the girl who had replaced the bride was the mistress's daughter, she had been so angry she nearly fainted. Later, when she heard that the real Su Wanqing had been brought back, she would wake up from her sleep smiling. Just based on the noble character of Su’s grandfather, she knew his descendants could not be anything but honorable. Even if the entire Xie family opposed it, she was determined to shield this child under her wings.

Seeing her reddened eyes, and watching her force herself to "grant" the divorce despite her clear reluctance, Min Yanhua’s own eyes could not help but grow hot.

"Qingqing, get up!" She helped the girl up with trembling hands, her voice thick with emotion. "In all the years you’ve been in the Xie family, haven’t you suffered enough? In the past, I always thought this was a matter between the two of you and didn’t want to interfere too much. But now that it has come to this, I will certainly see justice done for you!"

Su Wanqing shook her head, tears streaming down her cheeks. "It’s not like that, Grandmother. I truly want to divorce. In this marriage, he is unhappy, and I am suffering. I don’t want to keep making the same mistake..."

She knelt before Min Yanhua, her forehead pressing against the cold floor. "Though I never met my mother or grandfather, I know that when they saved someone, it was out of the goodness of their hearts, never for the sake of reward. Even if they had foreseen this outcome, my grandfather would surely have made the same choice."

"I do not want their kindness to become a burden for you and Mr. Xie. This marriage... I beg you to grant my request."

Mentioning the kin she had never met, Su Wanqing’s throat constricted, her eyes reddened to the point of bleeding. Fearing that Min Yanhua might see the fragility in her gaze, she lowered her head, and stray locks of hair fell, perfectly concealing her trembling eyelashes.

Seeing her resolute attitude and glancing at Xie Yanchen, who was kneeling to the side, Min Yanhua was momentarily speechless, eventually letting out a heavy sigh: "You two... oh..." Both children seemed determined, yet looking at Su Wanqing, she felt she owed her so much, though she knew not how to make amends.

Although the study was large, the distance between Xie Yanchen and Su Wanqing was small. Every word she spoke drilled clearly into his ears, leaving his heart in deep shock. He had assumed she would play the victim before his grandmother, counting her grievances and begging for support. He never expected her to turn around and persuade his grandmother to agree to the divorce, presenting her arguments so logically that he felt momentarily dazed. Could it be that he had truly misjudged her?

Just as Xie Yanchen was deep in thought, Min Yanhua finally made her decision: "If you must divorce, so be it."

Just as Su Wanqing breathed a sigh of relief, she continued: "In any case, there is a thirty-day cooling-off period. During these thirty days, you must move back to the old mansion. I want to see for myself exactly what is so discordant about this marriage."

"If, after the thirty-day cooling-off period, you still wish to divorce, I will absolutely not stand in your way."

Su Wanqing was stunned. The Xie family had never split up; the Xie manor was so large that even with the whole family living there, there were still empty rooms. The only reason they had agreed to let Xie Yanchen move out years ago was because Min Yanhua had sensed the Xie family’s prejudice toward her and had arranged it to protect her. But now, she wanted them to return...

Living in the old mansion meant not only facing those unreasonable Xie family members but also being in constant proximity to Xie Yanchen. At the mere thought of this man kissing Su Wanning at the Su house yesterday, her stomach churned.

"Grandmother, there’s no need. I really do want to divorce..." She refused without a second thought, her voice ringing out faster than Xie Yanchen’s.

Xie Yanchen frowned deeply at this. Wasn't living with him what she had always dreamed of? In the past, she would find all sorts of ways to urge him to come home every week, claiming she was sick or that Xie Kexin was unwell, using every trick in the book. Now that she had the chance, she should be secretly delighted; why refuse so decisively? Or was she playing hard to get?

After weighing the options, Xie Yanchen found this the most plausible explanation. He cast a dark, thoughtful look toward Su Wanqing and suddenly responded, "Very well. But after thirty days, you must not go back on your word."

Upon hearing this, Min Yanhua breathed a sigh of relief. "That’s more like it. You’ve made it through five years; can’t you manage thirty days?"

"Spend these thirty days well. As long as you don’t break your word, I certainly won't break mine."

Su Wanqing turned to look at him sharply, her eyes full of shock and confusion, with a hint of an emotion he could not read. But he could guess it was surely unhappiness. Seeing her unhappy, he felt a spark of satisfaction. He didn't truly want to live with her; he just wanted to spite her now. At worst, he could find excuses to stay at the company every day for the next thirty days.

With this thought, Xie Yanchen’s expression grew more resolute, and he looked at Su Wanqing with a trace of a spectator watching a show. Deep down, he actually felt a faint sense of anticipation for the thirty days ahead.