Su Nanxing had not yet opened her eyes when a familiar languidness spread through her limbs, accompanied by a faint tiredness.
Last night, Lu Beiyuan returned from a business trip. The couple hadn't seen each other for half a month, and absence had made the heart grow fonder, almost like a second honeymoon. Plus, Lu Beiyuan had always had a robust desire, and he didn't let her go until dawn.
Lu Beiyuan was the rightful heir to the esteemed Lu Family of Mocheng, dignified and solemn, cold and indifferent.
In the high society, full of lavish decadence and debauchery, Lu Beiyuan was like a breath of fresh air, not indulging in affairs with women, having no desires or demands—at least that's what Nanxing thought before marrying him.
It wasn't until they became husband and wife that she realized their life was quite different.
The notions of him not indulging in women or being without desires were nothing but jokes.
Once the cover of his business suits was torn away, the man's deep and fervent desires became apparent.
The sound of water from the bathroom ceased, snapping Nanxing back to reality.
Regaining her senses, she reached out and took out the prenuptial agreement from the drawer beside the bed.
Below the agreement lay the anniversary gift she had prepared with great care.
The bathroom door opened and out stepped a tall, long-legged, handsome man—it was none other than Lu Beiyuan.
Wrapped only in a towel around his waist, his broad shoulders and narrow hips, along with his pronounced merman lines and beautiful abs, were boldly exposed.
"Awake?"
Lu Beiyuan looked over, his gaze falling on the document in her hands, where the words "Prenuptial Agreement" were prominently visible.
A chill flashed in the depths of his eyes, but he quickly concealed it.
He spoke, "Assistant Zhou has arranged a meeting with the law firm. Get dressed and freshen up; we'll leave shortly."
For a moment, Nanxing wondered if she was hearing things.
She asked, "Assistant Zhou... arranged a meeting where?"
Lu Beiyuan strode forward, casually shedding the towel in front of her.
"The law office," Lu Beiyuan said. "Given the extensive personal assets involved and numerous business secrets, we need to leave at ten twenty to proceed with the paperwork."
Nanxing's mind reeled, a sharp icy coldness gripping her body, her heart suddenly pierced by a sharp pain.
She felt unable to think clearly and asked with difficulty, "What paperwork are we going to process at the law office?"
Lu Beiyuan had already turned away and walked over to the adjoining dressing room.
From Nanxing's perspective, the beautiful lines of his muscles were faintly visible as he moved.
It crossed her mind that even if Lu Beiyuan were not the heir to a wealthy and prominent family, with his looks and figure, he would have found great success in the entertainment industry.
"You have twenty-six minutes left," said the man with his deep and pleasant voice.
Just a moment ago, this same voice had been whispering her name so tenderly and passionately in her ear.
"Why?"
"Why are we going to the law office?"
She already had an answer in her heart, one that seemed to cause her to step into the void, sending her body and soul into an unspeakable sense of weightlessness.
Lu Beiyuan turned back, his slender, attractive fingers nimbly fastening the buttons on his shirt.
Nanxing got out of bed too quickly, her body swaying a bit.
Lu Beiyuan reached out and swiftly wrapped his arms around her waist.
His palm was burning hot; where he touched her, there was a slight tremble.
Nanxing looked up to see his clearly defined jawline.
His thin lips were tightly pressed, and his jaw was tense.
The man exuded an inherent haughtiness and aloofness as if no one could ever get close to his heart.
He let go of her, looked down, and hid any feelings he couldn't reveal before saying, "We're going to the law office to sign a divorce agreement. Three years have passed, Nanxing, it's time to end this."
After finishing his statement, he looked at the agreement in Nanxing's hands as if blaming her for asking a question to which she already knew the answer.
Nanxing's fair fingers clenched tightly onto the papers.
In an instant, it was as if her heart was being sliced open.
Three years ago, she and Lu Beiyuan had married for business reasons, in an alliance between their families.
Lu Beiyuan approached her and had her sign a prenuptial agreement.
For the sake of their families' businesses, they agreed to marry for three years.
After three years, they were to go their separate ways, owing nothing to each other.
The agreement stipulated that she was to be a full-time wife during their marriage.
For this, Nanxing had given up her beloved profession in Traditional Chinese Medicine.
But at the time, she had signed her name without hesitation—nobody knew that Lu Beiyuan was Su Nanxing's first love.
He was also the only man she had ever liked as she grew up.
She had thought that, over three years, across more than a thousand days and nights, she would eventually have a chance to warm Lu Beiyuan's heart.
But at this moment, looking at Lu Beiyuan's handsome yet still cold face, listening to his pleasant but overly indifferent voice—
Su Nanxing's heart felt as if it had plunged into a cavern of ice.
Still... not in love?
She had tried so hard, fulfilling her duties as a wife, and even in that aspect, she had tried to cater to him.
But still... had she failed?
Su Nanxing's face was pale, her lips trembling slightly, "Why? Isn't it good... just like this?"
Lu Beiyuan's eyes were as deep and waveless as the ocean floor, hiding many emotions he deliberately concealed.
His cold and proud demeanor once more pierced Su Nanxing's heart, bringing tears to blur her vision instantly.
After a few seconds of silence, Lu Beiyuan spoke, "I'm sorry, Qingxue is back. Our marriage... should end."
Qingxue...
Meng Qingxue.
Upon hearing this name, Su Nanxing was struck to the core, her sorrow flooding her body with an unstoppable force.
She almost couldn't help but clutch at her chest, where it felt so suffocated and uncomfortable that she could barely breathe!
She had always known that Meng Qingxue was Lu Beiyuan's childhood sweetheart, the cinnabar mole in his heart, the First Love in the depths of his eyes.
But in these three years, didn't he have even a trace of affection for her?
This truth was sharp and cruel.
Su Nanxing took a deep breath, using tremendous self-control to keep from crying.
The gift by the bedside seemed like mockery; she didn't even dare to ask if he had any feelings for her at all.
Her remaining pride made her push all in and say, "Fine, let's get divorced."
It wasn't until eleven o'clock that the two of them came out of the lawyer's office.
The driver stood respectfully by the car, having opened the door.
Lu Beiyuan's gaze was as cold and deep as ever, but no longer on her, "You can live in the villa; I won't be returning there."
Su Nanxing's eyes were faintly red as she gently shook her head, "I will move out."
Lu Beiyuan said, "Where will you move to? I can have someone help you."
"No need."
"Nanxing," Lu Beiyuan frowned, his voice carrying a trace of dissatisfaction, "Though we're divorced, the cooperation between our families continues. I hope our relationship doesn't become hostile because of the divorce."
Su Nanxing felt the pain in her heart growing sharper, so intense that she nearly fainted.
Only she cared about this relationship.
Only she had invested emotions in this marriage.
Lu Beiyuan had no heart; he treated everything like a transaction.
For three whole years, just last night, he had eagerly pinned her beneath him, sinking into her body.
Today, he could nonchalantly utter the word "divorce."
Even more casually say things like "the cooperation continues despite the divorce."
Su Nanxing's heart was torn, and she spoke mechanically, "I will maintain an appropriate distance from Mr. Lu."
On hearing this form of address, Lu Beiyuan frowned subconsciously.
But he no longer had the right to correct her and raised his hand, "Get in."
Su Nanxing looked away, "You go ahead; I'll find my own way back."
Suddenly, Lu Beiyuan asked her, "Isn't Tang Shen's law firm also nearby?"
Without much thought, Su Nanxing nodded and hummed an affirmation.
Lu Beiyuan scoffed quickly, his tone carrying a tinge of bitterness and loss, "Now that we are divorced, Tang Shen must be very happy."
After all, it was him she liked.
Lu Beiyuan spoke so swiftly that Su Nanxing didn't even catch what he said.
By the time she looked over, Lu Beiyuan had already stepped into the car.
In the shifting light and shadows, Su Nanxing only managed to catch a glimpse of his striking jawline and the bridge of his nose.
But she couldn't see Lu Beiyuan's lips pressed tightly together, the corners of his eyes reddening.
The car sped away, leaving only her standing alone.