Gu Mian felt as if all the blood in her body had frozen solid. A chilling cold spread from the soles of her feet to every limb in an instant, nearly freezing her completely.
She had been too naive.
She thought she could fight for this, believed that he might, as Aunt Yang said, settle down for the sake of their child.
But it turned out that in his heart, even their child wasn’t as important as Yin Luoxue.
Her child was unwelcome by its own father.
Gu Mian closed her eyes in agony, tears streaming down her face.
“I know you don’t like Luoxue, but she really isn’t in good health. Please try to be understanding,” Li Tingshen said, looking at her pale face as he tried to comfort her. “If you want a child, we can plan for one after she gets better. There’s no hurry.”
Gu Mian forced a bitter smile.
If she told Li Tingshen now that she was pregnant, he would surely take her to the hospital for an abortion immediately, wouldn’t he?
This child was one of her few remaining family members. She absolutely couldn’t let it be aborted because of Yin Luoxue!
“Understood,” Gu Mian wiped the tears from her face. “You must be busy. I won’t disturb you any longer.”
Gu Mian fled in defeat, returning to Yun Yue Bay to pack her belongings. After giving a few instructions to Aunt Yang, she dragged her suitcase out the door.
She had intended to find a hotel to stay in temporarily, but during the taxi ride, she received a call from her uncle and immediately headed over.
Her aunt, Wang Shulan, opened the door. The moment she saw Gu Mian, she eagerly welcomed her inside. “Mian Mian, you’re finally here! Your aunt has missed you so much!”
But when she noticed Gu Mian’s empty hands aside from the suitcase, the smile on her face instantly stiffened.
Gu Mian quickly explained, “Aunt, I’m sorry. I came in a hurry and didn’t have time to buy you a gift.”
“Mian Mian, come in quickly,” her uncle, Gu Zhiyuan, walked over. “You’ve never visited without bringing something before—no need to be so polite. Why didn’t you notify me after you were released from prison? I could have picked you up.”
“It was raining, so I didn’t want to trouble you. Uncle, how have you been lately?”
“Same as always.” Gu Zhiyuan noticed the suitcase in the entryway and asked, “Why are you carrying a suitcase?”
“I’m getting a divorce. I’ve moved out of Yun Yue Bay.”
“What? A divorce?” Wang Shulan’s sharp voice rang out. “Did Li Tingshen propose it?”
Gu Mian shook her head gently. “I’m the one who wants the divorce.”
“Have you lost your mind?” Wang Shulan said anxiously. “The Li family is the wealthiest in the country! Countless people are scrambling to marry into it, and here you are, initiating a divorce? Did prison make you stupid?”
“Shut up!” Gu Zhiyuan glared at his wife, then spoke indignantly, “Back then, Li Tingshen sent Mian Mian to prison without even verifying the video’s authenticity. Anyone would be heartbroken after that. So be it—divorce it is! Even though Grandma is gone, your uncle will stand by you. Move in here, and I can take care of you.”
Gu Mian hurriedly refused, “No need. I’ll rent a place on my own and find a job. Uncle, you don’t need to worry about me.”
“There’s plenty of room at home—why waste money on rent?” Gu Zhiyuan went to take her suitcase. “It’s settled then.”
“Yes, listen to your uncle,” Wang Shulan chimed in, then immediately asked, “Mian Mian, a divorce is fine, but how much of the Li family’s assets are you planning to ask for?”
“I’m leaving with nothing.”
“What did you say!” Wang Shulan immediately exploded, “I think you’ve truly gone mad! How could you leave with nothing? Without money, how are you going to survive?”
“Aunt, I signed a prenuptial agreement. It was never possible for me to take any of the Li family’s assets anyway.” Gu Mian changed the subject, “By the way, Uncle, before Grandma passed away, she gave me a jade pendant and said something about my origins. What was that all about?”
Gu Zhiyuan’s eyes flickered for a moment, but he quickly regained his composure, “Since Grandma gave it to you, you should keep it safe. As for what she said about your origins… she was just lamenting how pitiful your circumstances are.”
Gu Mian didn’t suspect anything, “Although I grew up without parents, Grandpa and Grandma gave me all their love. I don’t consider myself pitiful.”
“If you can think that way, their spirits in heaven can rest in peace…”
……
At ten o’clock in the evening, Li Tingshen returned to Yun Yue Bay, but Gu Mian was nowhere to be found in the master bedroom.
He took out his phone to call Gu Mian, but couldn’t get through at all.
Li Tingshen went downstairs and called for Aunt Yang, “Where is Madam?”
“Madam has moved out.”
“What did you say?” Li Tingshen frowned, “When did she move out?”
“This morning.”
Aunt Yang hesitated to speak further. Before leaving, Gu Mian had told her absolutely not to reveal the pregnancy to Li Tingshen, or it would endanger the child, so she didn’t dare say anything.
Aunt Yang handed over a document, “This is the divorce agreement Madam left behind.”
Li Tingshen took it and flipped through it, letting out a cold laugh, “Leaving with nothing? She’s really something!”
“Sir, Madam is determined to get a divorce.”
“This isn’t up to her!” Li Tingshen irritably tugged at his tie, “Where did she move to?”
“Madam didn’t say.”
Li Tingshen strode out directly, instructing the driver to get the car ready.
……
In the guest room, Gu Mian had just finished bathing and was about to sleep when her phone suddenly rang.
It was an unfamiliar number.
Gu Mian answered, “Hello, who is this?”
“Come downstairs.” The familiar, cold voice came from the other end of the line.
Gu Mian’s hand holding the phone stiffened, “I’ve already gone to bed.”
“I’ll give you ten minutes to come down. Otherwise, no one in this complex will sleep tonight.”
Gu Mian looked at the ended call, hesitated for a moment, then changed clothes and went downstairs.
A black Rolls-Royce was parked in front of the building entrance, where a tall, straight-backed man leaned against the car smoking.
Gu Mian approached, maintaining some distance, and spoke calmly, “What brings you here so late?”
“What do you think! Gu Mian, did you take what I said last night as empty words? How dare you draft a divorce agreement and run away from home?” Li Tingshen took a deep drag of his cigarette, “Get in the car and come home with me now, and I might let this slide.”
“Run away from home…” Gu Mian smiled bitterly, “Do you really think that place is my home? If it is, then why would my husband spend nights away accompanying another woman?”
“It always comes back to Luoxue, doesn’t it? Gu Mian, can’t you be less narrow-minded?”
“So what should I do to not be narrow-minded? Smile while watching you be intimate, continue giving her blood transfusions, or go back to prison for a few more years?” Gu Mian looked at him, “Ting Shen, our marriage was essentially an exchange of interests from the start. But I’m a person, not Yin Luoxue’s blood supply machine.”
Li Tingshen curled his lips into a cold smirk. “You know perfectly well this marriage was an exchange of interests. You married me for a wedding to dispel bad luck so your grandmother could receive treatment. Now that she’s gone, you’re eager to divorce. How dare you burn the bridge after crossing the river right under my nose, hmm?”
Gu Mian wearily closed her eyes for a moment. “Then I’ll repay you for all the medical expenses Grandma incurred at Li’s Hospital over these years. That should count as not burning bridges, right?”
Rage instantly ignited in Li Tingshen’s chest. “Say that again!”
Gu Mian met his furious gaze directly. “Calculate the amount, and I’ll give you an IOU first. I’ll pay in installments, and you can set the interest.”
No sooner had she finished speaking than the man threw away the cigarette in his hand and strode forward.
Before Gu Mian could react, she was pulled into his embrace.
The next second, her slender waist was encircled. Gu Mian felt the world spin as she was swiftly pressed against the car door by the man.
“What do you want to… Mph…”
Her words were cut off as the man’s thin lips captured hers in a kiss. His domineering kiss stole her breath, leaving her gasping for air.
“Mph…” Gu Mian struggled fiercely, but her hands were pinned by him.
After a long while, Li Tingshen finally released her reluctantly, the anger in his eyes completely replaced by undisguised desire. His deep voice carried a hint of seduction as he murmured, “If you don’t want me to take you right here, get in the car with me.”