Gu Nanzhou's grip was strong, and Su Wan felt uncomfortable, so she moved her wrist.
The young girl had been raised delicately, her skin soft and fair. A few rough rubs from the tips of his fingers were enough to produce fine red marks.
Gu Nanzhou became aware of his strange state and stared at the red marks, his Adam's apple bobbing. Eventually, he let go of her hand.
His long eyelashes lowered, and he suddenly felt weak. In a hoarse voice, he said, "…Sorry."
Su Wan rubbed her wrist but didn't mind much. Her gaze was calm, her eyes glimmering with a soft halo.
Her voice was extremely gentle, yet maintained a just-right distance that was neither too close nor too distant, "Then I'll be leaving first, Mr. Gu, goodbye."
Gu Nanzhou watched the young girl's retreating figure. From marriage up to the present, he had had hardly any real interaction with Su Wan. Yet, he had gradually grown accustomed to their plain life and, unknowingly, to her presence.
And now, she suddenly wanted a divorce. Why did he feel somewhat panicked?
Gu Nanzhou snapped back to his senses, watching Su Wan's departing back, like something scratched over his heart, causing a barely noticeable, subtle pain.
The only person probably happy with Su Wan's mention of divorce at the scene was Shen Lin.
The news came so suddenly that her joy made her completely forget the slap Su Wan had given her.
Shen Lin pinched her own thigh under the table and immediately tears welled up in her eyes, her nose turning red.
Tears hung on her lashes, not quite falling, looking indeed quite pitiable.
She squeezed her hands, her voice sweet and coquettish, as she looked up at him with pitiful eyes, "Brother Nanzhou..."
Gu Nanzhou's mind was still on Su Wan. Hearing her, he was reminded of the subtle sobs of the young girl when Su Wan's mother was in trouble, and he felt even more irritated.
Gu Nanzhou lifted his eyelids, giving her a cool, contemptuous glance.
The corner of his mouth curved with a touch of mockery, his voice very cold, "Miss Shen, I don't recall having a sister."
"Miss Shen intentionally hurt my mother-in-law. Does the Shen Family really not take the Gu Family seriously?"
Shen Lin trembled, and the tears she pinched out were really scared into falling.
She shakily lifted her face, only to see Gu Nanzhou's cold, indifferent face, his features sharp and thin, his dark eyes carrying a bone-chilling coldness.
A coldness that seeped into her marrow spread from her heart to her limbs, scaring Shen Lin so much that the words stuck in her throat, leaving her unable to speak a single word.
Gu Nanzhou scoffed lightly, shifting his gaze away from her, his lips moving slightly before he turned and left.
Shen Lin slumped into the chair, her body limp. Her eyelashes fluttered as she understood what Gu Nanzhou had said.
Gu Nanzhou had said, "Wait for it."
What happened afterward Su Wan had no knowledge of, as she had already taken a taxi to the hospital to visit her mother.
Su Wan's mother was in a pretty good mood today, which lifted Su Wan's spirits. She sat beside her mother, peeling an apple. Suddenly, she thought of Gu Nanzhou. Her hands paused for a moment, just two seconds, then resumed as normal.
She spoke nonchalantly as she lowered her head, "Mom, I miss Dad, let's go back and stay at the Wan Residence together, shall we?"
Before the Su Family fell on hard times, Su Wan's father had owned a house in the city center, prepared as a dowry for Su Wan.
When the Su Family ran into trouble, nearly all their properties were mortgaged, leaving only this house. Su Wan's father was adamant about not mortgaging it, as it was the only thing he could leave for his daughter's security.
He also feared that if his daughter ever faced hardship, she would at least have a place to go.
After Su Wan married into the Gu Family, she lived with Gu Nanzhou in Qingshui Bay, so that house remained vacant.
Now that she wanted to divorce Gu Nanzhou, she and her mother would at least not be without a home.
Hearing her daughter's words, Su's mother also vaguely understood something, even though she never said it, she knew her Wanwan had suffered a lot of grievances in the Gu Family.
"It's all Mom's fault," Su's mother stroked Su Wan's head, "I originally thought that once you married into the Gu Family, you would at least be happy and blessed, it's all because Mom dragged you down."
Su Family had an accident, Su's father was no longer there, and her own health was not good. When the old Master Gu proposed that the two children marry as soon as possible, she thought that once her daughter was married into the Gu Family, she would have someone to love her, at least a place to belong, even if she wasn't around anymore, she wouldn't need to worry, but it seemed...
Thinking of this, Su's mother's face showed deep heartache.
"Mom hopes our Wanwan remains a proud little princess. If Wanwan is unhappy, then forget it, your father surely would have thought the same."
Hearing her mother's words, Su Wan felt as if something was stuck in her throat, and a sour emotion emerged densely.
She cast down her gaze and gave a muffled "hmm" in response, too embarrassed to let her mother see the redness in her eyes.
Su's mother continued, "When your Grandpa Gu was still around, afraid that you would be bullied and worried that you and Nanzhou wouldn't develop feelings, he prepared for this day in advance."
Su Wan did not quite understand her mother's meaning and blinked in confusion, "Grandpa Gu? What did he prepare?"
"The day before your wedding, didn't the old master give you a box?"
Su Wan carefully searched her memory, belatedly realizing that there seemed to be such an incident.
"I remember, Grandpa said that if I ever had a hard time in the Gu Family, to open it."
She had just married and was full of confidence, believing she could win Gu Nanzhou over with her sincere heart, thinking she would never need it, so she didn't pay much attention to it.
Who knew Gu Nanzhou would be a cold piece of stone, impossible to warm up.
"The password is your birthday, open it and take a look when you get home today."
Triggered by her mother's reminder, something seemed to hook onto Su Wan's heart immediately.
When she left the hospital, she instructed her mother, "Mom, I will come to get you after I arrange everything in a few days; take good care of yourself for now."
"Okay, I understand, don't worry, Wanwan."
Seeing that her mother looked much healthier than before, and her spirits were good as well, Su Wan was able to leave with peace of mind.
When she got home, the first thing she did was to look for the box Grandpa Gu had given her.
Even though she never thought she'd open it, being a gift from the old master, the box had been well-preserved by the young girl.
Su Wan carefully pulled the box out from the bookshelf and placed it on the table. The box wasn't large, the decor style was vintage, but the patterns were exquisite.
Su Wan did not rush to open it, her fingertips gently traced the carved openwork flowers on top.
It felt very light when she had held it in her hands, not like it contained any heavy items such as gold, jewels, or other valuables.
Could it be... A tremor went through Su Wan's heart, and her hand shook as well.
She took a deep breath and cautiously entered the password. With a soft click, the box opened, revealing a document with black letters on white paper.
It read: Divorce Agreement.