Meng Jianchen drained his coffee in one gulp, picked up a napkin to wipe his mouth, and said, “I’m going to the office.”
It was as if Chen Luoru had just said she was going out shopping for the day rather than asking for a divorce—completely casual and unremarkable.
“You won’t even sit down and talk to me,” Chen Luoru complained.
Talk? How to talk?
If he didn’t like her, she wanted a divorce. If he liked her, she still wanted a divorce.
This was even more impossible to solve than the question of “if his mother and she fell into the water at the same time, who would he save first,” because Meng Jianchen’s mother had died when he was ten.
“The Certificate of Marriage has both our parents’ names on it. You convince them first, then I’ll talk to you,” Meng Jianchen said, dumping the problem on both sets of parents while he himself remained like a nonstick pan—nothing stuck to him.
Unlike the little red marriage booklet from the mainland, Hong Kong’s marriage certificate is a paper document.
It not only lists the names of the couple, but also the names of both sets of parents.
In the mainland, if two people are in love, they can sneak out with the household registration booklet and get married. In Hong Kong, that wouldn’t work.
Their marriage registration ceremony had been full of a sense of family duty—both sets of parents had been present as witnesses.
“Our marriage certificate isn’t valid in the mainland,” Chen Luoru crossed her arms and looked at him askance. “Here, I’m still single.”
The two marriage registration systems don’t connect with each other, and thinking of that made her feel wonderful.
Didn’t that mean she could pretend to be a single young beauty and go flirt with handsome younger guys?
“You’ve just reminded me—we should go to the Civil Affairs Bureau another day and get a little red booklet,” Meng Jianchen said leisurely as he adjusted his cufflinks. “If it weren’t such a hassle, I could register our marriage with you in any country or region in the world.”
In short—dream on if you want a divorce.
Chen Luoru: “…”
Chen Luoru: “Aren’t you going to the office? Why aren’t you getting lost already?”
Meng Jianchen: “I’m going now.”
After Meng Jianchen left, Chen Luoru went upstairs and rummaged around for a long time before finally finding that shameful marriage certificate.
Holy shit! She’d actually signed her name on it back then.
Holding the certificate, a silly idea popped into her head—if she burned this thin piece of paper, would their marriage no longer exist?
Marriage was such an easy thing—just one sheet of paper could tie two people together. This piece of paper wasn’t some magical binding rope—what was there to be afraid of?
【Chen Luoru: That dog of a man won’t divorce me. Aside from burning the marriage certificate, I can’t think of any other way.】
【Chen Xiao: I’m sure your marriage certificate is real, but I suspect your Cambridge diploma is fake.】
【Chen Xiao: Your marriage is recorded in the system. Burning it won’t help.】
【Chen Xiao: Even if you burn yours, he still has a copy.】
【Chen Xiao: Even if you die, turn into a ghost, or get reduced to ashes, you’ll still be his woman!】
【Chen Luoru: …Where did you learn that domineering nonsense?】
【Chen Xiao: From the domineering CEOs in romance novels.】
【Chen Luoru: So what do I do now?】
【Chen Xiao: I think your current problem can be summed up in one sentence.】
【Chen Luoru: Which is?】
【Chen Xiao: You’re just bored out of your mind.】
【Chen Xiao: (Yuan Longping decides to reduce rice yields.jpg)】
【Chen Xiao: Seriously, find something to do. Stop messing around every day.】
【Chen Luoru: What can I do? Go shopping?】
【Chen Xiao: This is a domineering CEO romance I’ve treasured for years. I guarantee you won’t be able to stop reading it, and you won’t have time to stir up trouble.】
Chen Xiao sent her a link. Chen Luoru clicked it and saw a gaudy green website—looked pirated.
【Chen Xiao: The site’s ugly, sure, but the novel’s great. The official version is three cents per thousand words, fair to all.】
【Chen Xiao: Enjoy! I’m off to work.】
With nothing better to do, Chen Luoru casually clicked on a novel titled When I Woke Up, I Was the CEO’s Wife.
The opening read: The heroine had lost her memory. When she woke up, she found that the day before she had still been a high school student, but now she was actually a married young woman.
And her husband was none other than Long Aotian, CEO of the “Number One Rich” Group. The heroine couldn’t believe her eyes!
The CEO was very unhappy about her amnesia, constantly reminding her of their marriage.
Chen Luoru fell into thought.
As ridiculous as it sounded, wasn’t Jinghong exactly the “Number One Rich” Group?
And her husband… well, he did bear a few similarities to that Long Aotian.
At that, Chen Luoru’s imagination went wild.
If she pretended to have amnesia, wouldn’t that mean she didn’t have to acknowledge her marriage to Meng Jianchen?
Heavens, this novel’s author was a genius!
Chen Luoru was so pleased that she casually topped up 10,000 Jiji Coins and tipped the author, pen name “Daydreamer.”
Meanwhile, her husband had already arrived at the “Number One Rich” Group. Gao Qian was briefing him on the day’s schedule.
“At ten a.m., Director Zhou from Marketing will report on work. At three p.m., there’s a board meeting. At seven p.m., you have a dinner with President Peng of Kang’erxi at the Biyuntian Club.”
Meng Jianchen nodded, indicating he understood.
“Oh, and just now, Chairman Ge from Jinyang International called, asking if you’re free this week—he’d like to pay you a visit.”
Meng Jianchen asked casually, “Do we currently have any business dealings with Jinyang International?”
Gao Qian replied, “There’s a free trade zone project under negotiation.”
Meng Jianchen said, “Drop it. Find another company.”
Gao Qian asked, “Then about this visit—”
He cut himself off mid-sentence, because Meng Jianchen’s meaning was obvious.
Not only did he not want to meet Chairman Ge, he didn’t want to have any future cooperation with Jinyang International at all.
Who knew what Jinyang International had done to offend him—Meng Jianchen rarely issued such absolute orders.
At 5:30 p.m., Meng Jianchen was in a board meeting.
The phone on the table vibrated. He glanced at it—it was Butler Wu.
He didn’t think much of it and declined the call.
A minute later, the phone rang again.
Butler Wu rarely called him directly, especially during working hours—so it was probably important.
Meng Jianchen picked up the phone and stepped out of the meeting room.
As soon as the call connected, Butler Wu urgently exclaimed, “Sir, something’s wrong! Madam has fainted!”
“Fainted?” Meng Jianchen frowned, realizing this wasn’t something simple.
“The maid went upstairs to clean and saw Madam collapsed at the top of the stairs,” Butler Wu said. “She’s unconscious right now. The doctor is on his way. Sir, will you be coming back?”
“Take care of her,” Meng Jianchen said without hesitation. “I’ll be there immediately.”
He returned to the meeting room to grab his coat, nodding apologetically to the other board members. “Sorry, something urgent came up. I’ll have to leave first.”
Meng Xiangdong was displeased with his son leaving halfway. “There’s only ten minutes left before the meeting ends.” Get faster updates on g.com.
Even though the Meng family held absolute control over Jinghong, that didn’t mean Meng Jianchen could act willfully.
Meng Jianchen spoke honestly, “I just got a call from home—Luoru fainted.”
Meng Xiangdong was startled. “How could a perfectly fine person faint?”
If word got out, people might think the Meng family wasn’t feeding her.
A board member interjected, “Could it be… she’s pregnant?”
Meng Xiangdong’s expression instantly shifted from shock to joy. He waved his hand at his son. “Hurry home. Whether it’s true or not, you’d better call me back.”
Seeing his father’s expression—like that of a man about to become a grandfather—Meng Jianchen didn’t know what to say.
He knew perfectly well it wasn’t pregnancy—how could she be pregnant when they’d never even shared a bed? Immaculate conception?
He only said, “Got it,” before leaving.
The meeting room was now full of cheer, with everyone congratulating Meng Xiangdong on becoming a grandfather.
Meng Jianchen rushed home. In the bedroom, Chen Luoru was lying on the big bed like a porcelain doll.
A circle of servants stood around her. Butler Wu said gravely, “The doctor hasn’t arrived yet, but sir is here first.”
The servants immediately made way. Meng Jianchen walked to the bed and saw Chen Luoru’s eyes closed, sleeping peacefully.
“Madam, wake up—sir has come to see you,” one maid called loudly.
That seemed to have an effect. Chen Luoru’s long lashes trembled, and she slowly opened her eyes.
“She’s awake! She’s awake!” The servants cheered.
Seeing that she was fine, Meng Jianchen finally relaxed.
Chen Luoru’s eyes flickered slightly. She parted her lips and asked in confusion, “Where is this?”
She sat up, looked around, and appeared completely lost.
“Who am I?” She turned her gaze to Meng Jianchen. “And who are you?”
Everyone gasped. Madam… had amnesia?
Meng Jianchen stared at her for a moment before finally speaking: “You’re my wife.”
“I’m married?” Chen Luoru blinked, seemingly unable to believe it. “And… to you?”
“That’s right,” Meng Jianchen nodded.
“How could that be?” Chen Luoru looked horrified. “You’re so old—how could I have married you? You must be lying to me!”
The servants froze in shock.
Madam just called sir… old?
They were only six years apart. Sir was twenty-eight this year—at the height of his prime. How could “old” possibly apply?
Most people’s first reaction upon seeing Meng Jianchen would definitely be “handsome,” not “old.”
No one dared speak. Meng Jianchen’s expression darkened.
For someone who rarely showed his emotions, this look meant he was feeling something very strongly.
“I’m lying to you,” Meng Jianchen said. “You’re not my wife.”
Chen Luoru let out a long sigh of relief, a faint smile appearing. “I knew it—”
“Your real identity is my household maid,” Meng Jianchen continued expressionlessly. “Today’s task is to clean the entire house, top to bottom. Old Wu, bring her mop.”
Butler Wu had someone fetch a brand-new mop. Meng Jianchen placed it in the dazed Chen Luoru’s hands and told Butler Wu, “She’s been sleeping half the day—make sure to deduct her wages. We don’t keep idlers here. No dinner until the work’s done.”
Chen Luoru stared at the mop in her hands, dumbfounded.
This—this wasn’t how it went in the novel at all!
Sansukini: What a ninny. :-Þ
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