Xia Chu didn't speak.
She just pulled out her phone from her bag, turned it on, and then pulled up the photo that she had only glanced at once before feeling too disgusted to ever look at a second time.
The photo wasn't overly explicit—it was just Xu Pei shirtless, soundly asleep on the bed.
But the ambiguous scratch marks on his back and the scattered clothes in the background clearly told an undeniable fact.
Moreover, the photo had been sent to Xia Chu by another woman.
So, the evidence was irrefutable, leaving no room for Xu Pei to deny it.
Jiang Ziyao also only glanced at the photo once before she too felt too disgusted to look at it a second time.
She asked Xia Chu in a heavy voice, "Is this Xiao Zhao the intern lawyer from your law firm? From her looks and figure to her temperament and abilities, you are leagues ahead of her. What was Xu Pei thinking, has he gone blind?"
The more she spoke, the angrier she got, "And not sending it to you earlier or later, but precisely today, she must have known this was your and Xu Pei's anniversary, this day means a lot to you. Xia Chu, don't be sad, I'm going to your law firm right now to tear those dogs apart and vent for you!"
But Xia Chu shook her head, "No need, Ziyao, I actually should thank her. If she had even sent it half an hour later, I would have already registered our marriage with Xu Pei, and then all I could do was swallow my own blood and bear the pain and disgust. So I don't want to make a fuss anymore, let the cheating dogs rot together."
Jiang Ziyao clenched her teeth, "Why shouldn't we hold them accountable? They caused you so much pain, I can't swallow this!"
She cursed Xu Pei, "You bastard, how did you talk when you first got together with her? How have you treated him over the years, you nearly handed your heart to him! And still, he mistreated you like this, messing around under your nose even when you are about to get married, his conscience must have been eaten by a dog!"
Aside from anger, Jiang Ziyao felt heartache for her best friend and was overwhelmed by doubt and collapse.
Back in university, everyone knew that Xu Pei, the most handsome guy in the law school, and Xia Chu, the belle, were a match made in heaven—both extremely attractive, highly intelligent, and equally hardworking.
Their love was pure and beautiful, and since they came from the same place, everyone who knew them believed that the curse of 'breaking up after graduation' could never touch them.
And indeed, that was the case. They not only stayed together after graduation but also started a law firm together and continued smoothly to this day, becoming a favorite 'success in love and career' story among all their classmates.
People often joked, "Whenever you stop believing in love, look at Xu Pei and Xia Chu, and you'll believe in love again."
But now, even Xu Pei was cheating. Despite having such a wonderful fiancée like Xia Chu, he still chose to cheat.
Are there any good men left in this world, any truly faithful love?
Xia Chu saw Jiang Ziyao's eyes red and swollen. Such a lively person seemed so distressed, and after all, it was because she cared about her deeply.
She patted Jiang Ziyao's hand, "Ziyao, I'm really okay. Compared to living every day in a mess and struggling in pain like a dull knife cutting flesh, this pain now though sharp is short-lived. I can endure it."
Jiang Ziyao looked at Xia Chu, knowing it would be strange if she really were alright. Didn't she know she was enduring hard?
But thinking about it, what Xia Chu said was right, better a short pain than a long one. So she nodded, "Indeed, getting married to a cheating jerk would really be the end. Now, about you... getting married to a stranger, what's that about? You're joking, right? It can't be true?"
Xia Chu's response was to take out a bright red marriage certificate from her bag, "Here, see for yourself. Solid evidence like a mountain, how could it be a joke?"
Jiang Ziyao hurriedly took it and opened it.
On the half-body photo with a stamped seal, it was indeed Xia Chu and an unknown man, alongside were the basic information of both and the words "In accordance with legal regulations, registered and issued this certificate."
Jiang Ziyao's face changed dramatically, "Xia Chu, how could you be so foolish? Even if you hate that scum, you shouldn't joke around with your own marriage. Aren't you afraid you'll chase away a wolf only to welcome a tiger? This man… what's his last name? Just met and already willing to register for marriage, he must have ill intentions seeing how beautiful you are!"
"What now? Do you have his contact information? …Good if you do, I'll help you talk about the divorce. Don't worry, I will negotiate it as fast as possible, and as soon as that damn cooling-off period is over, we'll immediately go get the divorce certificate!"
A warm current surged through Xia Chu's heart, "Ziyao, it's so good to have you! But no need, I'll talk to him. He looks very good, and at first glance, he seems well-educated. He even had an Audi parked beside him, which must be his own, showing that besides his appearance, his financial base must also be solid."
"So getting him to agree to a divorce shouldn't be difficult. I had already agreed to compensate him afterwards, so let me talk to him first, if I really need help, I will ask for your help later.
Jiang Ziyao sighed, "Alright, you try to handle it first, and I'll be ready to support you any time. But you are still too impulsive, there are other ways to get back at a scumbag, why hurt yourself too? Maybe you won't even hurt him, and it might just play right into his hands."
Xia Chu smiled bitterly, "At that moment, I was in so much pain and hatred, I indeed harbored thoughts of revenge, but it was only a part. You know my family situation, Ziyao. Even if my parents knew about Xu Pei's infidelity, they would still do everything to force me to marry him, without caring about my feelings and pain."
"Xu Pei was sure of this, so he was fearless. Moreover, the wedding photos and invites had been sent, the house and properties were already mixed up, he felt even more secure. I thought about it over and over, and aside from registering with another man in front of him, I found no other way. So even if harming myself a thousand is only for his five hundred, I accept it."
Jiang Ziyao's eyes reddened again.
Xia Chu's family situation was indeed too well known to her.
Her father, meant to be a husband and dad, indulged in drinking, gambling, and infidelity, severely patriarchal, never treating his wife and daughter as humans, while her mother, though a wife and mom had endured and accepted it as if it were sweet for decades.
This had caused her daughter to suffer endlessly as well, yet she couldn't escape because her mother was her soft spot, the hostage used to coerce her!
Jiang Ziyao gently grasped Xia Chu's hand, "Xia Chu, if you want to cry, just cry it out. It might make you feel a bit better. Everything was so good initially, how could it change so suddenly?"