Irritation crossed Tang Qiu's face. "You know, my husband heard everything you said yesterday. Haven't I told you before not to speak ill of him? He's not a 'living hell' that I was thrown into!"
Xie Qingqing was taken aback. Had she gotten her friend into trouble? "He heard everything? Was he angry at you?"
"No," Tang Qiu insisted. "He's very good-tempered."
Xie Qingqing blew out an exasperated breath. "What use is that? He's a cripple. He can't give you, or any woman happiness. Why waste your youth on him? He may be rich, but the way his illness keeps dragging out, it's impossible to tell when he'll be gone. Aren't you the slightest bit concerned about your future?"
Tang Qiu looked her friend in the eye. "I'm grateful to him. I'm willing to spend the rest of my life taking care of him. You're my friend, Qingqing, and I'm asking you to trust me. Even if you don't like my husband, for my sake, you should at least try and respect him. This is my choice, and I won't regret it. So stop trying to set me up with Ning Mufan."
Xie Qingqing couldn't help rolling her eyes, but she dropped the subject. "By the way, I heard someone talking behind your back yesterday. They said you married a rich man for his money, and were still shameless enough to try and hook up with Ning Mufan."
Tang Qiu's face darkened. Some people really would do anything for attention…
"Relax. I've already taught that troublemaker a lesson. But they said they weren't the ones who started the rumor. I don't know who it is who hates you so much. It's like they can't stand for you to have a moment of peace."
Instantly, Feng Yao and Tan Yuqi's names came to mind. A laugh burst out of Tang Qiu. "Never mind about them. I have to finish the assignment that Professor Sun gave me." She was too busy to waste time worrying about such childish things.
After class, Tang Qiu quickly made her way to the library and continued studying the materials inside. While doing her research, she came across some cases that were similar to her husband's, and promptly took notes. At that moment, someone knocked on the table to get her attention.
She lifted her head. It was Ning Mufan.
"I have to talk to you. Come out for a while."
Tang Qiu was reluctant to disrupt her research. "Can't we talk here, Senior? I'm busy."
Ning Mufan stared at her, then the materials she had been engrossed with. His face fell. "It's a serious matter. It's close to dinnertime anyway. We can discuss it over a meal."
Tang Qiu stole a glance at the time and found herself unable to argue. She nodded. Judging from her senior's expression, it must be something important indeed.
They sat down in a nearby restaurant. Tang Qiu scanned the prices on the menu, and silently retracted her gaze. "Let's split the bill," she muttered under her breath, which earned a laugh from Ning Mufan.
"Split the bill? I'm treating you to dinner. Does everything need to be so cleanly divided between us?"
Yes, she thought. I need to establish clear boundaries with you. When it came to money, it was always better to make sure things were settled clearly and evenly. You could repay someone with cash, but not necessarily with favor, and she didn't think she and Ning Mufan were on those terms yet. "Senior, even family and close friends split the bill between them. Best that we make sure each of us pays our fair share."
Ning Mufan inhaled through his nose. She could be truly stubborn when she wanted to be. "Sure," he made himself say. "We'll split the bill." The young master of the Ning family had just taken the initiative to ask a girl out for the first time, and she wouldn't even let him treat her. It was frustrating, to say the least.
"So, what did you want to talk to me about, Senior?"
"I've spoken to Xie Qingqing, and I know you didn't get married of your own accord. The Fengs forced you into it. If you want a divorce, I can help you."
Why does everyone want me to get a divorce? Her husband treated her so well; she had nothing to complain about. "Thank you, but no thank you. I'm quite alright."
Ning Mufan was certain that the smile on her face was fake. She had been forced by the Feng family to marry a sick, disfigured cripple. Which woman would be happy with such an arrangement? The more he thought about it, the more distressed he became. The woman of his heart–the one whose hand he yearned to reach out and take in his own–being mistreated like this. He had to swallow down the anger that rose in him.
"You don't need to put on a brave front. If you feel mistreated in any way, you can be honest with me."
Tang Qiu looked baffled. "But I don't feel mistreated!"
"How is that possible, after being forced to marry a man like that? I know you want to be strong. But you won't have a future if you choose to stay married to him, Qiu."
He was worried about her, she knew. She was left momentarily speechless. Ning Mufan was gentle and easygoing, but sometimes, his disposition revealed traces of his status as a young master from a wealthy family, and it simply came off too strong for her. There was a distance she always felt by his side, a chasm between them that she could never quite bridge.
Only, now, he was speaking about her future with her. Back then, Feng Guo'an had used her grandmother to threaten her, leaving her with no choice but to obey him. Fortunately, Jiang Shaocheng had come to her rescue and taken care of her. In some way, she had beaten the odds. She had come out on top of a situation no one would have expected her to.
"Everyone's definition of a future is different, Senior. I think I'm happy with what mine looks like right now."