4
Have You Decided to Get a Divorce?
In the private room of a bar.
Feng Zixu filled a glass with wine, his face glowing with excitement as he raised it. “Come on, let’s congratulate our dear Fu, the crown prince, on his return to the life of the elite!”
No one in their circle of friends from the capital quite understood why the word “return” was used, but they all raised their glasses in cheerful support.
It was said that Fu Tingchuan’s return to the country this time also involved shifting the core operations of the Fu Group back to the domestic market.
As long as they could flatter him appropriately and make a favorable impression on Fu Tingchuan, why worry about not getting a share of the benefits?
The man himself sat in a corner of the sofa, his slender fingers holding a wine glass. Hearing the commotion, he gave a slight nod, though his expression seemed somewhat off.
Everyone then turned their attention to Qin Ruoshi beside him.
This Miss Qin was Fu Tingchuan’s true love.
If not for Fu Tingchuan’s later downfall at the hands of a woman who had climbed into his bed, Miss Qin would have been the rightful Mrs. Fu.
It was truly lamentable to think about.
Fu Tingchuan had been born with a silver spoon in his mouth, and the first twenty-plus years of his life had been smooth sailing. His only failure turned out to be because of a woman.
They still remembered the spectacle back then.
Someone had leaked the information, and early in the morning, a swarm of media rushed to the penthouse of the Marriott Hotel in the city center. The moment the door opened, they caught Fu Tingchuan in bed with a woman.
This incident undoubtedly put Fu Tingchuan in a tight spot.
Without a reasonable explanation, he would be suspected of hiring a prostitute, and the Fu Group’s stock price would likely plummet.
Fortunately, businessmen prioritize profit, and Fu Tingchuan was bold enough to marry the woman on the spot, even producing a marriage certificate.
The extent of Fu Tingchuan’s loathing for that woman was evident from his decision to leave for the United States.
No one knew why, after seven years, Fu Tingchuan had suddenly returned to the country.
“Miss Qin, care for a drink?”
A bold young man took the initiative to extend a friendly gesture.
Since Fu Tingchuan was in a bad mood, winning over Miss Qin was just as good.
“Sure.”
Qin Ruoshi’s face lit up with a bright smile as she stood and walked to the bar, filled a glass with red wine, and downed it in one go.
Seeing how approachable Miss Qin was, everyone immediately sensed an opportunity.
They crowded around, praising, “Miss Qin, you have quite the capacity for drink!”
Dressed in a gold-embossed silk dress, Qin Ruoshi handled each person’s remarks with ease, exuding perfection down to the last strand of her hair.
In the corner of the private room.
Feng Zixu, holding his glass, plopped down next to Fu Tingchuan and teased, “Did the ice water in America turn your face into an ice block?”
The change in his good friend since returning from the U.S. was undeniable.
He used to be like a perfect business machine, never showing his emotions in front of outsiders, but now he was openly cold-faced.
When Fu Tingchuan remained silent, Feng Zixu ventured another guess, “Could it be that you’re really not used to the elite life anymore?”
Outsiders didn’t understand why the word “return” was used, but Feng Zixu knew perfectly well.
During his years abroad, Fu Tingchuan hadn’t hired a single person—no housekeeper, no driver, and he lived in a mere 500-square-foot apartment.
Feng Zixu couldn’t comprehend why he would choose to exile himself like that.
Had he grown tired of the good life?
Feng Zixu coughed lightly, leaned closer to Fu Tingchuan, and whispered, “Have you come back this time because you’ve decided to get a divorce?”
The indoor lighting cast Fu Tingchuan’s sharp, handsome face into contrasting shades of light and shadow, his eyes unreadable.
Abruptly, he stood up and tossed out a remark, “No one would mistake you for mute if you kept quiet.”
Feng Zixu was left speechless.
The next second, he noticed a glint of light from the ring finger holding the wine glass on Fu Tingchuan’s hand.
A ring?!
They weren’t even divorced yet, and he was already rushing to marry Qin Ruoshi?
Not good!
If Shen Xiaoxiao caught sight of that ring, he’d probably end up beaten to a pulp.
Lin Yuxi was Shen Xiaoxiao’s closest friend.
Years ago, he had merely mentioned that someone who climbed into others’ beds wasn’t fit to be a friend, and the next thing he knew, Shen Xiaoxiao had sent him to the hospital.
Thinking of this, Feng Zixu immediately pulled out his phone and made a call: “Xiaoxiao, no need to pick me up tonight. I’ll take a taxi back.”
The voice on the other end readily agreed: “Perfect. I don’t want to see that hypocrite Qin Ruoshi either. I’ll leave the door unlocked for you until ten.”
Feng Zixu swallowed his anger, not daring to voice it.
No matter how flawed Qin Ruoshi was, she couldn’t be worse than Lin Yuxi.
How could an orphan who climbed into beds ever be worthy of the heir to the Fu Group?
But these thoughts could never reach Shen Xiaoxiao’s ears, or their engagement would be off.
In the center of the private room.
Fu Tingchuan wore a cold expression as he casually brushed off a few people who approached him and retrieved his suit jacket.
He was preparing to leave.
The crowd tactfully made way for him.
Seeing this, Qin Ruoshi set down her glass and followed him out.
“Tingchuan, did you call the driver?”
Fu Tingchuan gave a noncommittal “Hmm,” his expression indifferent.
In truth, today’s welcome banquet had been Qin Ruoshi’s insistence.
Outsiders didn’t understand Fu Tingchuan, but having spent over twenty years with him, Qin Ruoshi knew his temperament—he disliked crowded gatherings.
As the CEO of the group, however, many social obligations were unavoidable.
She was willing to share his burdens.
Because Fu Tingchuan had always looked out for her.
During her seven years in the U.S., Fu Tingchuan had been based in New York.
Hearing that her doctoral advisor wasn’t ideal, he had proactively introduced her to a professor in New York, transferring her from a lesser-known university in the outskirts to the heart of the city.
After seven years of diligent effort, she had finally earned her Ph.D. in Computer Engineering.
Moreover, during her studies, Fu Tingchuan had arranged a high-end apartment for her, with a monthly rent of 70,000 RMB, just a five-minute walk from campus.
He himself, however, lived in a modest apartment.
All the kindness Fu Tingchuan had shown her over the years, she had taken to heart.
Qin Ruoshi glanced at his profile, hesitating for a few seconds. “Tingchuan, I’d like to work at Yuntu. Could you arrange that for me?”
Fu Tingchuan was one of Yuntu’s investors. With his approval, she was sure to land a good position.
Fu Tingchuan seemed momentarily distracted. “I recall you studied hardware.”
Yuntu’s strength lay in algorithm model development, which belonged to the software field—a significant difference from hardware.
Qin Ruoshi remained unruffled. “Yes, but artificial intelligence is the current trend, with much better career prospects than hardware. I’d like to give it a try.”
Fu Tingchuan fell silent for a long moment, his impassive face revealing nothing.
“I’ll arrange it.”
Qin Ruoshi’s heartbeat finally steadied. She had been afraid he would refuse, but he had agreed so readily.
After earning her doctorate, she had always intended to return to China to work.
One day, while having a meal with Fu Tingchuan, she had casually mentioned that she wasn’t used to the food abroad.
To her surprise, a week later, she received news that Fu Tingchuan was planning to return to China.
She didn’t believe it was a coincidence.
Qin Ruoshi’s voice carried a note of delight: “Then I’ll trouble you with it.”
Fu Tingchuan pulled out his phone, his fingers tapping a few times on the screen. “It’s only right.”
Qin Ruoshi withdrew her gaze, and as she lowered her eyes, she caught sight of the ring on his ring finger. Her pupils contracted sharply.
During the seven years in the United States, Fu Tingchuan had never worn any accessories on his hands.
Could it be that he wanted to… with her…
Nowadays, divorce procedures are quite complicated, especially when one party disagrees—it takes a considerable amount of time.
No matter. She had patience.