Qin Xingwan had developed the Twenty-Four Solar Terms Perfume Series herself, bit by bit. It was like her child; she would never hand it over to someone else.
Especially not to the person she hated most.
“I’m not discussing this with you. I’m informing you.” Coldness swirled in Chu Li’s deep eyes. “If you don’t want to go, then stay home and rest.”
With that, he went straight upstairs.
Qin Xingwan watched his retreating figure. The crack in her heart slowly widened until, in the end, nothing remained but desolation.
She sank back into her seat, utterly disheartened. The dinner on the table was sumptuous and delicious, but she had no appetite for it anymore.
She didn’t know how long she sat there before rubbing her arms.
It was June, yet she still felt so cold.
“Madam.” A servant brought her a blanket. “Sir said you shouldn’t get chilled.”
Qin Xingwan lowered her eyes, the corners of them damp.
For Qin Yunshu’s sake, Chu Li had driven her out of the company.
He had made her lose her child, and now he wanted to give away another piece of her heart.
He really was cruel.
“Madam, are you all right?” The servant was startled to see tears on Qin Xingwan’s face. She couldn’t understand why Madam was unhappy when Sir cared for her so much.
“I’m fine. You can clear the table.” Qin Xingwan wrapped the blanket tighter around herself and dragged her exhausted body back to her room.
A little over an hour later, her phone chimed again and again as countless messages poured in.
They were all asking about Qin Yunshu joining the R&D department.
After looking through them, Qin Xingwan understood: Chu Li had directly announced that Qin Yunshu would temporarily take charge of R&D.
The sudden arrival of a new leader in R&D had surprised the employees, and they were all speculating about whether the company had made some kind of decision.
Qin Xingwan sent a message to the group: 【I’ll be leaving soon.】
She was going to divorce Chu Li anyway. After the divorce, she would naturally resign, so she was simply bringing everything forward.
She drafted her resignation letter on her phone and sent it to Human Resources. Then she set her phone to silent to avoid any further interruptions.
The next day.
Chu Group headquarters.
Top-floor office.
The HR director wiped the sweat from his forehead as he handed Chu Li the resignation letter Qin Xingwan had sent the night before.
There was no way to read Chu Li’s expression, but anger stirred inside him. Was she trying to threaten him with her resignation?
Did she think the perfume R&D department couldn’t manage without her?
A childish game.
The HR director asked cautiously, “What would you like me to do?”
Everyone in the company knew Qin Xingwan was President Chu’s wife and the backbone of R&D.
Now that the backbone was leaving, he didn’t dare make the decision himself.
“Process her resignation,” Chu Li said coldly.
He wasn’t going to indulge her temper.
“What about the R&D director position?” the HR director asked.
“Give it to Qin Yunshu.”
“Yes, sir.”
When Qin Xingwan woke up, she saw the notification that her resignation had been approved.
She sat on the bed for a long while, clutching her phone and hugging the covers, before finally coming to her senses.
Chu Li had accepted her resignation.
Good.
Yet she had never felt so cold inside.
She messaged her subordinates and asked them to pack up her things for her. She would come by to collect them when she had time.
But they told her Chu Li had forbidden anyone from touching her things. She would have to come in person.
Qin Xingwan had no choice but to change, put on makeup, and drive to the company.
Chu Group operated across many sectors. The perfume division had grown steadily but without much momentum over the years. It wasn’t until Qin Xingwan joined and launched the Twenty-Four Solar Terms series that the entire division came to life.
Now that Qin Xingwan was leaving, the R&D employees were at a loss.
They couldn’t understand why President Chu would replace a hardworking veteran with an unknown newcomer.
The whole department was downcast.
Qin Xingwan offered a faint smile. “I wish you all success in the future.”
“Director Qin.” Someone called after her reluctantly. “Are you really leaving?”
Qin Xingwan nodded gently. “Yes.”
“But your perfume series isn’t finished yet.”
It was such a good series. If someone else took over, who knew whether they could keep it going?
Qin Xingwan finished packing her things and suddenly looked up toward the opposite side.
There, Qin Yunshu and Chu Li stood shoulder to shoulder, one in a white dress and the other in a suit. They made a rather pleasing picture.
But Qin Xingwan wasn’t in the mood to admire them.
She closed the box.
“Sister.” Qin Yunshu came over, her eyes red. “I never meant to take your position.”
Qin Xingwan picked up the box, her gaze calm. “Whether you meant to or not, it’s yours now.”
Just like Chu Li: whether she fought for it or not, Qin Yunshu had a place in his heart.
“A-Li, please talk Sister into staying,” Qin Yunshu said, turning to Chu Li and pleading softly. “If it’s because of me, I can work somewhere else.”
She bit her lip. “Besides, Sister has more experience.”
Chu Li’s expression remained indifferent. He had intended to put Qin Xingwan in her place; there was no way he was going to ask her to stay.
“Yunshu, you studied perfumery under Master Catherine for three years. You’re more than qualified to be R&D director.”
His gaze shifted to Qin Xingwan. “She never even received formal training in perfumery. How could she possibly be responsible for this position?”
His mild sarcasm struck Qin Xingwan in the face in front of so many people.
Qin Xingwan’s face turned pale. It felt as though someone had slashed open her heart, the pain cutting deep into her bones.
She knew she couldn’t compare to Qin Yunshu in Chu Li’s heart, but she hadn’t realized he thought so little of her.
So little that he could trample on her in public.
“A-Li, don’t say that. My sister is very capable,” Qin Yunshu said, frowning in displeasure.
Chu Li scoffed. “You’re always worrying about her, but she doesn’t appreciate it.”
Qin Xingwan put on another smile. “If that’s all, may I leave now?”
She carried the box away.
As she reached the elevator, Chu Li’s deep voice came from behind her. “Qin Xingwan, if you’re willing to swallow your pride and give in, I can give you the deputy director position.”
As if it were a favor.
Qin Xingwan turned back and looked at Chu Li across the not-so-long corridor. Her voice was cool and clear. “No need.”
She stepped into the elevator.
The doors closed, and it descended.
Chu Li stared at the empty corridor. For some reason, he felt as though he had lost something very important.
It made him uneasy.
Qin Xingwan returned to Beicheng Villa, gathered her belongings, and planned to move out as soon as possible.
It was only a matter of time before she and Chu Li divorced.
Rather than stay here until someone threw her out, she might as well leave with dignity on her own terms.
Chu Li came home at dinnertime.
He looked around but didn’t see Qin Xingwan, so he asked a servant.
“Madam is in the study,” the servant replied at once.
Chu Li went upstairs to the study.
He pushed open the door and saw Qin Xingwan curled up in a wicker chair by the window.
She held a book in her hands, her long hair falling smoothly over her shoulders. The setting sun streamed through the window, laying an orange-gold glow across her.
It stirred wave after wave of warmth in his heart.
Qin Xingwan was reading a book about perfumery when, without warning, a shadow leaned over her and the man’s breath brushed her lips.
After a brief moment of surprise, she calmly turned her head to avoid the kiss.
Chu Li wasn’t annoyed. He slipped one hand beneath his wife’s knees, lifted her, and shifted her over before squeezing himself into the wicker chair.
The chair wasn’t especially spacious. It was more than roomy enough for Qin Xingwan alone, but with two of them in it, they were cramped together.