As usual, before his wife, Zhao Xinlian, came back, Chen Wei had already prepared dinner early.
The sound of the door lock turning.
Zhao Xinlian's arrival time was exactly as Chen Wei had anticipated. He approached, took her overcoat which she passed to him with practiced ease, and while he was hanging it up, he said, "Wife, you must be tired from a day of work? I made your favorite Four Happiness Meatballs for you."
However, Chen Wei's enthusiasm was met with an emotionless "Oh" from Zhao Xinlian.
The atmosphere at the dining table was completely absent, cold as the Antarctic.
Chen Wei was about to speak, but looking at Zhao Xinlian's expressionless, icy face, he thought better of it and said nothing.
Zhao Xinlian had a small appetite. In the three years since they were married, Chen Wei had seldom seen her eat a second bowl.
Seeing Zhao Xinlian stand up, Chen Wei stood up too. "Wife, are you going to take a bath? Shall I go run the water for you?"
Zhao Xinlian didn't respond. She picked up her briefcase and pulled out a stack of white papers, tossing them casually at Chen Wei. Her thin lips parted as she said, "The three-year term has expired. This is the divorce agreement. We'll go to the Civil Affairs Bureau to get divorced tomorrow. You won't take anything with you!"
"Divorce?" Chen Wei could hardly believe it. He was certain it wasn't April Fool's Day.
"What else? When you came to me out of the blue with a marriage contract to get married, although I had no idea why the old man would do such a thing, it was, after all, his dying wish, and I didn't want to go against it. Now that three years have come to an end, it's time for us to be done with this. You know very well that our relationship isn't even as good as strangers'," said Zhao Xinlian very seriously.
"Not even as good as strangers, huh?" Upon hearing this, Chen Wei laughed, "Three years, three whole years! Even if one had a dog, they would have developed some feelings by now, right? In your eyes, I'm probably not even as good as a dog, am I?"
Zhao Xinlian did not respond, nor did she deny it.
She truly felt no affection for Chen Wei.
Zhao Xinlian was an elite woman of River City. At twenty-five, she had already earned dual doctorate degrees and started a company valued at over a hundred million. In contrast, what did Chen Wei have? He could only cook and do housework. In three years, he hadn't earned a penny. Zhao Xinlian deeply despised such a man, believing he wasn't worthy of her.
"Fine! You want a divorce? I agree!" Chen Wei's words were filled with anger.
This caused Zhao Xinlian's beautiful eyes to widen in some surprise; this was the first time she had seen Chen Wei angry in three years.
But this novelty quickly passed.
The bowl still had half of its meal untouched, but Chen Wei had no appetite. After signing the contract, he walked towards the front door.
"Where are you going?" Zhao Xinlian asked in a questioning tone.
"It's none of your business! I'll go to the Civil Affairs Bureau tomorrow morning; you don't need to worry!" After saying that, Chen Wei slammed the door shut.
"..." Zhao Xinlian said nothing, just glanced at the lavish spread on the table, each dish tailored to her own tastes, but she didn't think much of it nor did she intend to clean up.
The fact that Chen Wei left all this behind wouldn't make Zhao Xinlian feel like she needed him. In her opinion, any hired housekeeper could do these tasks perfectly and to her satisfaction.
After a quick wash, she went straight upstairs. She could hardly wait to speed up time through sleep and welcome a new tomorrow, a new life, a life without Chen Wei!
There would be no one to humiliate her with such a good-for-nothing anymore. Chen Wei was the only blemish in Zhao Xinlian's life.
The streets were bustling with traffic and bright lights.
Chen Wei walked alone aimlessly, occasionally showing a self-deprecating smile, muttering to himself, "Master, oh master, what were you really thinking? With my peerless martial arts, Heavenly Medical Skills, you had me hide my abilities to become a live-in son-in-law to such an ice block. Three years, I've wasted a whole three years on her!"
"Sigh... Three years have passed; I wonder if anyone has broken the records I once set?"
Ever since he joined the Zhao Family, Chen Wei had not paid any attention to the affairs of the martial world.
Once, he had many titles. Some called him the Dark Dragon King, some the God of Assassins, and others a business tycoon, easily making a fortune every day…
Perhaps it was because his path to success had been too easy that his master worried Chen Wei might lose himself and go astray, so he arranged this marriage for him, aiming to temper his mind.
For three years, Chen Wei had been enduring in silence, never revealing his true identity or capabilities. Everybody had to admit that his act as a good-for-nothing was genuinely convincing, so much so that his ice queen wife truly believed it. For three full years, Chen Wei hadn't even touched her hand, let alone consummated the marriage.
Even one extra glance at Zhao Xinlian would result in her chastisement and revulsion.
"Indeed, bootlickers never meet a good end!" Chen Wei convinced himself, and he resolved never to play the role of a sycophant ever again.
"The little princess of Gentleman Country, the Empress of Wall Street, international superstars... aren't they all better than that ice queen?" Chen Wei shook his head speechlessly, lamenting how he had forsaken all the outstanding women who pursued him to play the sycophant son-in-law to her for three years—he was truly foolish.
A night passed.
Early in the morning, Chen Wei arrived at the Civil Affairs Bureau.
Now, he was more eager than Zhao Xinlian to end everything and return to the life of a "king" that was rightfully his.
A good-for-nothing? He was no longer in the mood to play that role.
At nine o'clock and one minute, Chen Wei saw Zhao Xinlian's car.
Today Zhao Xinlian was dressed in a fitted office lady outfit that showcased her perfect figure even more strikingly.
Even Chen Wei couldn't help but take a few more looks.
Sensing Chen Wei's gaze toward her, Zhao Xinlian's eyes grew even colder.
But this time, Chen Wei didn't dodge.
I'll look wherever I like!
Zhao Xinlian shook her head in disappointment, considering him a hopeless mess not worthy of any effort.
"Let's go, don't waste my time," Zhao Xinlian said without even giving Chen Wei a glance, walking past him into the Civil Affairs Bureau.
"The feeling is mutual," Chen Wei retorted.
"You!" Zhao Xinlian stopped in her tracks, turning to look at Chen Wei with sharp eyes and her chest heaving in anger.
Chen Wei had no interest in her reaction and continued walking forward.
...
When he got his divorce certificate, seeing the stamp on it, Chen Wei knew that his relationship with Zhao Xinlian had come to a complete end.
From now on, he would no longer need to pretend to be a good-for-nothing!
"The PIN is six zeros, here's a bank card with a hundred thousand in it. I think it should be enough for you to find a new wife in the countryside," Zhao Xinlian said as she took out a bank card from her bag.
"I don't need your charity!" Chen Wei ignored the bank card. A hundred thousand—was it a lot? His savings at International Bank had more digits than Zhao Xinlian's phone number.
"I know what kind of person you are, there's no need to put on a show and act above it all here. Only you will suffer," Zhao Xinlian advised with good intentions.
Chen Wei laughed coldly and strode out of the Civil Affairs Bureau.
Zhao Xinlian shook her head and sighed, "Some people bury themselves in their own pride!"
She had no desire to waste any more effort on this man. As she followed him out of the Civil Affairs Bureau, she then saw a procession of incomparably luxurious cars rolling in!
The cheapest among them must also be worth over a billion!
Even Zhao Xinlian couldn't help but wonder who exactly these important people arriving were?