Shen Moyan pushed the door open and saw her red-rimmed eyes. He paused slightly. “What’s wrong with you?”
Qiao Zhao held up her phone in front of him. “You took my materials and used them for Gu Qingxu’s fireworks?”
Shen Moyan glanced at the screen. “I’ll apply for a new batch for you later.”
Qiao Zhao stared at him. “I asked for your help, and you said you couldn’t. Now you can?”
Shen Moyan frowned. “Qiao Zhao, this isn’t a big deal. If you want it, I’ll find a way.”
Qiao Zhao clenched her phone tightly, her nails almost digging into her palm. “You and Gu Qingxu have been a couple for a long time already.”
It was a statement, not a question.
Shen Moyan’s eyes flickered, then his expression returned to normal. “I only know her brother…”
“Shen Moyan.” Qiao Zhao cut him off. “I want compensation.”
Shen Moyan was taken aback, not expecting her to change gears so quickly, but he was used to it by now. “Fine, tell me what you want.”
Qiao Zhao closed her eyes. “Go out first. I need to prepare.”
Shen Moyan left without another word.
In his view, she was just thinking about what jewelry to buy, or how much money she wanted.
Ten minutes later, Shen Moyan brewed himself a cup of coffee and sat on the sofa downstairs. But he only took a sip before setting it down. It wasn’t the same.
Every day, Qiao Zhao brewed it and left it there.
He thought making coffee was just a simple task with no real skill involved, so he did it himself. But something was off, and he couldn’t figure out what.
Qiao Zhao came downstairs with a stack of documents and held them out to him. “Sign.”
Shen Moyan took them with a faint smile. “Still warm. Just printed?”
“Yeah. A rare opportunity—I had to strike while the iron’s hot.”
He glanced at her. In three years of marriage, she really did love money.
He broke his word, so he owed compensation.
Missed an anniversary, owed compensation.
But for her to say it so openly, he just took it as a joke.
His gaze fell to the documents. It was a property purchase contract worth several million. Her appetite was indeed a bit big, but after all, he had intercepted her supplies.
Shen Moyan said nothing, flipped to the last page, and signed.
Opening the next document, Shen Moyan’s pen paused. “Your father’s treatment notice? You can just sign this yourself.”
Qiao Zhao said, “It’s Shen Corporation’s hospital. Your signature can waive a lot of the fees.”
Shen Moyan nodded.
Just as he was about to flip to the next page, his phone rang. “Moyan, I have a fever…”
Qiao Zhao caught a few words.
“I’ll be right there.” Shen Moyan’s expression turned slightly serious. He hung up and looked at Qiao Zhao. “We’ll talk when I get back.”
Qiao Zhao pressed her hand on his arm, her gaze insistent. “Sign before you go.”
Shen Moyan looked at her for a moment, then quickly signed the remaining documents without even glancing at them. He stood up and left.
As he changed his shoes at the entrance, he turned back to look at Qiao Zhao, who had her head lowered.
In the past, if they missed a special occasion together, she would nag about it for a long time. But yesterday was his birthday, and he hadn’t come home—she hadn’t mentioned it at all.
He noticed the untouched meal on the dining table from last night. Though it was a day old, he could tell she had prepared it with care.
For some reason, his chest ached slightly. He had already compensated her, after all.
He paused, then opened the door and nearly ran into Aunt Lin face-to-face.
“Young Master.” Aunt Lin greeted him.
Shen Moyan gave a slight nod.
Aunt Lin walked into the living room and immediately spotted the gauze on Qiao Zhao’s forehead. “Young Madam, what happened to you?”
Qiao Zhao let out a self-deprecating laugh.
Although she tried to cover it with her hair, Aunt Lin still saw it—but he didn’t.
This wasn’t a matter of seeing or not seeing; it was the difference between love and indifference.
“It’s nothing. I bumped into something yesterday.”
She looked down at the documents in her hands—among a stack of property transfer agreements was a divorce agreement and a divorce authorization letter.
The import review for High-Cesium Copper was extremely strict. Even the Shen family would have to wait until next month.
Her client wouldn’t give her that much time.
Rather than crying and making a scene, it was better to secure something practical for herself.
After all, her father’s medical expenses still required a lot of money.
Aunt Lin changed her clothes and went into the kitchen. Seeing the untouched meal on the table, she sighed. “Did the young master not come home again last night?”
“Aunt Lin, no need to make breakfast.” Qiao Zhao rose and headed upstairs, her voice faint.
“Madam, would you like to go to the hospital for a check-up?”
“No need.”
After changing clothes, Qiao Zhao left the villa with the divorce agreement and authorization letter, intending to go to the Shen Group. But halfway there, she received a call from Gu Qingxu. “Zhao Zhao, let’s meet.”
Qiao Zhao: “No need.”
Gu Qingxu: “Don’t you want to know what role you’ve been playing in this marriage?”
Qiao Zhao paused. “Send me the address.”
The location was a Western restaurant with excellent privacy.
When she arrived at the private room, Gu Qingxu was already seated there.
She wore a pink spring dress, her demeanor gentle and refined, like a celestial being untouched by the mortal world.
“It’s been three years. You’ve become more beautiful.” Gu Qingxu stood up.
Qiao Zhao sat across from her. “There’s no need for us to catch up.”
“Because of my brother, I’ve known Moyan since childhood. We dated five years ago, but his family disapproved. The Shen family has a rule: rather than marrying a poor woman, never touch the entertainment circle.” Gu Qingxu set down her water glass, her smile sweet. “But in a couple of years, I’ll retire from the entertainment industry.”
So, she was that poor woman.
They married her to occupy the position of Mrs. Shen, to avoid being forced into a match with some other woman, and once his beloved had successfully stepped down, she would vacate the position.
And because she was poor, she was easy to get rid of.
Qiao Zhao sat there, her face expressionless, but her nails had already dug deep into her palms.
All the grievances, neglect, and dismissiveness of the past three years now had an answer.
Fine. What a brilliant scheme.
Gu Qingxu’s eyes reddened. “Zhao Zhao, I’m sorry. Before I went abroad, he said that no matter who he married, he wouldn’t touch her. I thought he was joking. I never expected…”
At that moment, the door to the private room was pushed open. Shen Moyan appeared at the entrance. Seeing Gu Qingxu’s swollen eyes, he walked in with a face like frost. “Qiao Zhao, there’s no need for you to target her.”
Half an hour ago, he had gone to Gu Qingxu’s apartment but found her gone, with only a note left behind:
—Qiao Zhao knows about our past. I’m going to explain it to her.
“You didn’t see anything, and yet you assume I bullied her?” Qiao Zhao looked at him, the last glimmer of light in her eyes dying out. “In your eyes, am I really that kind of person?”
“I…”
Gu Qingxu tugged at Shen Moyan’s trench coat. “Moyan, I was just explaining our situation to Zhao Zhao. She didn’t say a word.”
Shen Moyan pressed his lips together and looked at Qiao Zhao. “I’m sorry. I didn’t understand the situation.”
“No, you were just too concerned.” Qiao Zhao picked up her bag, straightened her back, and walked away without looking back.
Shen Moyan watched her retreating figure. In the moment she turned, it seemed like there was a faint glimpse of gauze on her forehead.
She was hurt?
His Adam’s apple moved, and he felt inexplicably restless, wanting to chase after her to ask. Behind him, Gu Qingxu pulled him back.
“Moyan, are you that concerned about her?”
“It’s me who wronged her.” Shen Moyan looked at her and suddenly asked, “When is your brother coming back?”
Gu Qingxu’s voice trembled slightly. “If my brother comes back, you won’t care about me anymore?”
“I promised you back then that no matter who I married, I wouldn’t touch her within three years, and I kept my word,” Shen Moyan wiped away the tears spilling from the corners of her eyes, his fingertip gentle yet devoid of warmth. “But that’s all it will ever be.”
With that, he turned and left.
Gu Qingxu’s manicured nails dug into her palm.
Three years—how could that ever be enough?