Fu Xingyun listened to the drunken words on the other end and felt a sudden softness in his heart.
"Is it because of this that you want a divorce?"
Lin Qiong nodded, not sure why he was nodding.
"I want a divorce."
Once again, these words made Fu Xingyun pinch his brow, "Why do you want a divorce? Is Fu Xingyun treating you badly?"
Lin Qiong didn't answer immediately, and this pause brought some anguish to the man waiting for a response.
He asked again, "Does he treat you badly?"
Lin Qiong finally spoke slowly, "No."
He continued, "He spends money on me."
"Spending money on you is being good to you?"
Lin Qiong chuckled, "Yes, money is what I love the most."
He gestured in the air, "You know, money can buy a lot of good things."
Fu Xingyun listened carefully, but suddenly felt a sense of crisis in his heart, "Apart from Fu Xingyun, is there anyone else giving you money?"
"Yes."
There was a pause, "Do you like it?"
Lin Qiong didn't hesitate, "Of course."
Fu Xingyun took a deep breath, "Who is it?!"
Lin Qiong said, "The country."
"...You mean the government?"
Having grown up in an orphanage without parents, he had received scholarships and financial aid from the government during his school days.
Every time he received money, it felt satisfying and comforting.
Lin Qiong sometimes wondered why others' lives were so good, born with parents and money. But gradually, he stopped thinking about it.
Fu Xingyun breathed a sigh of relief after hearing this, then started to lead the conversation, "If you get a divorce and he stops giving you money, what will you do?"
Lin Qiong, drunk and calculating, had no guard up at all, "It doesn't matter. I have the money I'll get after the divorce."
Fu Xingyun:...
Hearing about the other's fallback, the man remained silent for a long time.
In the end, Lin Qiong didn't know how to hang up the phone. He hung up in a daze and returned to the hotel with Wang Cheng.
----
The next morning, he woke up with a splitting headache, lying on the bed groaning for half a day.
But fortunately, work was scheduled for the day after, or he wouldn't have been able to recover in time.
Lin Qiong struggled to get up after rolling around like a salted fish for a long time. After washing up, he heard a knock on the door not long afterward.
Walking towards the door with heavy steps, Lin Qiong opened it to see an unfamiliar face.
"Hello, Mr. Lin."
Lin Qiong was stunned, "Hello."
Before Lin Qiong could ask, the man introduced himself, "Hello, I am Mr. Fu's lawyer. I am here to discuss the divorce with Mr. Lin."
Divorce?! All of the sudden Lin Qiong wasn't sleepy anymore.
Lin Qiong instantly perked up and gestured for the lawyer to enter, "Please come in."
The lawyer nodded politely, "Thank you for your hospitality."
Once inside, Lin Qiong poured a glass of water for the lawyer, who immediately got down to business without drinking.
"As far as I know, it was Mr. Lin who proposed the divorce."
Lin Qiong nodded, "That's correct."
Feeling a bit nervous, he asked, "Do you think I can get a divorce?"
The lawyer nodded, "Certainly, marriage is a personal choice."
He then took out the prepared documents, following Fu Xingyun's instructions, "But if Mr. Lin divorces, there might be significant losses in terms of property distribution."
Lin Qiong wasn't bothered, "It's fine."
The lawyer swallowed, "It might only be a drop in the ocean."
Upon hearing this, Lin Qiong's eyes instantly sparkled, "Really? That's great."
The lawyer:...
"I was just making a metaphor, Mr. Lin. The money you'll get might be much less than that." The lawyer tried to remedy the situation.
Lin Qiong asked, "Is there a possibility of not getting any at all?"
The lawyer shook his head, "No, because family contributions involve both parties. Fair distribution of property is only reasonable."
Lin Qiong sighed in relief, "As long as I can get some money."
The lawyer quickly changed his tone, "But there's hardly anything truly fair in this world, right?"
"..."
The lawyer continued, "May I ask what caused the breakdown in your relationship with Mr. Fu? From what I know, your marriage seemed healthy, with no financial or extramarital issues."
Lin Qiong shook his head, "It didn't break down."
The lawyer was puzzled, "Then why do you want a divorce?"
"Because there's no love."
"..."
Lin Qiong felt ashamed as he remained silent for a while before saying, "Can you pass on a message to him for me?"
Lawyer: "I can't."
Lin Qiong: !
The lawyer then took out a voice recorder from his pocket, "But it can."
"..."
"What is it that you can't tell Mr. Fu in person?"
Lin Qiong tightened his grip on his clothes, "Because I'm ashamed, I can't say it."
His marriage with the other party began as a ridiculous affair driven by his love for money and desire for a comfortable life. He felt it was time to tell Fu Xingyun the truth, but for some reason, he lacked the courage to say it in person.
He was afraid—afraid of the expression on Fu Xingyun's face. Although it hadn't happened, Lin Qiong had imagined it countless times—disappointment, disdain, anger, sadness...
He knew that after saying it, he would find excuses for himself. Yet, these excuses were ultimately just excuses. No matter what he said, it wouldn't change anything. He felt that this absurd affair should come to an end.
Fu Xingyun had the right to know, even if he only received a few thousand yuan after the divorce. Lin Qiong wanted to tell Fu Xingyun everything.
Watching the lawyer open the voice recorder, Lin Qiong nervously swallowed and spoke. The address was the same as the one he had been using for over a year, "Xingyun."
After this, he remained silent for a long time before continuing, "I'm sorry for lying to you. Actually, I didn't marry you because of love. Those were all lies I made up. I married you because of money. I'm sorry."
After taking a deep breath, he continued, "But I'm also very grateful for your care during this time. You've given me a lot, and you've allowed me to live the wealthy life I've always dreamed of. I know this is unfair to you, but don't think it's your fault. It's all my fault; I'm bad."
"You might not want to see me after hearing these words. I promise that after the divorce, I will never appear in front of you again. I will disappear completely."
Finally, Lin Qiong didn't know how to conclude, whispering, "I'm sorry."
The lawyer turned off the voice recorder after hearing everything.
Lin Qiong: "Thank you."
The lawyer waved his hand, "No trouble."
Turning a blind eye to Lin Qiong's scumbag behavior, he was, after all, a lawyer who had dealt with all kinds of disgusting cases. This was just an ordinary one.
After packing up, the lawyer stood up, "I will help convey your message to Mr. Fu. Thank you for your cooperation today."
As the door closed, Lin Qiong seemed to collapse on the sofa.
He had said it all.
He had finally said the words that had tortured him day and night.
Every time he thought about it, he felt sorry for Fu Xingyun. The guilt had been pressing on his heart, and he had only let it out just now.
Lin Qiong lay on the sofa, staring fixedly at the nearby green plants.
----
Fu Xingyun looked at the recorder in front of him, his gaze darkening.
"He asked you to give this to me?"
The lawyer nodded, "Mr. Lin didn't dare to say these things to you in person, so he asked me to convey the message."
"You can leave."
The lawyer took a step out and hesitated, "Mr. Fu, do you need me to bring your medicine?"
Fu Xingyun glanced at him, "I'm fine now."
The lawyer hesitated for a moment, "I'm afraid you won't be fine after hearing it."
"..."
It was easy to imagine the impact of this recording.
After the lawyer left, Fu Xingyun looked at the voice recorder for a long time. He briefly speculated about what Lin Qiong might be hiding from him or if he had done something wrong.
Finally, he pressed the play button, and Lin Qiong's voice repeatedly echoed.
When he heard Lin Qiong calling his name, Fu Xingyun's mood settled a bit. However, as he continued to listen, his hands clenched tighter, and his expression became increasingly grim.
By the time the recording finished, Fu Xingyun closed his eyes, leaning back in his office chair. Lin Qiong's words echoed in his mind.
He had married Fu Xingyun for money.
He had deceived Fu Xingyun.
In an instant, Fu Xingyun didn't know whether Lin Qiong's care for him in their daily lives was genuine or an act.
He had known from the beginning that Lin Qiong had married him for money. However, in the end, he had lost himself in the words of love and affection that Lin Qiong had spoken.
He had genuinely believed Lin Qiong, believed in the feelings Lin Qiong claimed to have for him.
Then, he lifted his hand and forcefully swept everything off his desk.
Expensive items shattered into pieces, making a broken sound.
----
The next day, Wang Cheng knocked on Lin Qiong's door at six in the morning. "Get ready; we're going to the activity venue soon."
Lin Qiong, still half-asleep, changed into clothes and then left after packing up.
Sitting in the car, Wang Cheng looked at Lin Qiong's exhausted appearance. "Hang in there a bit more; there's a separate rest area for you at the activity venue. You can catch up on sleep there."
Lin Qiong only managed to open his eyes after hearing this.
As expected, when they arrived at the rest area, he immediately buried himself on the sofa.
The stylist on the side remarked, "Not getting makeup done today?"
If it were someone else, Lin Qiong wouldn't care, but the stylist's voice was too familiar. Lin Qiong playfully ran his fingers through his hair a few times.
The stylist: ...
After Lin Qiong proved that he could handle it himself, the stylist left the rest area.
Wang Cheng went out to get the schedule, and on his way back, he noticed the man in front of him.
Not that he wanted to look, but the man was too eye-catching.
With broad shoulders and long legs, dressed in a charismatic black suit, he had a tall figure, a well-defined waist, and a typical inverted triangle body shape.
Wang Cheng sneaked a peek at the man's appearance. It differed from the current popular fresh-faced young actors. Although his features were delicate, they didn't lack ruggedness and dignity. He exuded a masculine charm from head to toe.
With such outstanding external conditions, placed in the entertainment industry, it would be hard to find a second person with such charisma and presence.
If he entered the industry, he would surely become popular.
The man then strode forward. Wang Cheng originally thought he was just passing by, but unexpectedly, he arrived at a certain place.
Seeing him about to open the door of the rest area, Wang Cheng, as the manager, took a brisk step forward. He had intended to ask, but the man's imposing presence forced him to change his tone, "Who are you looking for?"
Fu Xingyun straightforwardly replied, "Lin Qiong."
Upon hearing this, Wang Cheng asked, "Are you his fan?"
Fu Xingyun paused for a moment, then nodded.
It turned out that a fan had sneaked in to see their idol. Wang Cheng then looked the man up and down, surprised that Lin Qiong had such a serious fan.
Wang Cheng then tried to inquire, "What do you like about Lin Qiong?"
"Everything."
Wow! That's quite enthusiastic.
Seeing the imposing presence of the man, Wang Cheng thought that this could be a great opportunity, especially since Lin Qiong had been feeling down due to the divorce. Wasn't this a chance to bring him out of the shadows and into the light?
The man, dressed in an expensive suit, looked wealthy.
Wang Cheng said, "To be honest with you, the Lin Qiong you've been liking recently has been going through some sad times."
The man furrowed his brows, "Why?"
Wang Cheng sighed, "Maybe you don't know, but he has had a very tragic past."
Fu Xingyun felt a moment of unease. Could Lin Qiong have experienced something unfortunate?
"He took a wrong path, and married an old pervert—this old pervert was both elderly and crazy."