Huo Xiyao was thinking about the person he was waiting for—his best brother and most capable assistant, Han Ye, had returned, "Brother Xiao, everything's been taken care of, we can leave now. If we head back now, we'll make it just in time for the board meeting at ten... Brother Xiao, what are you holding? A marriage certificate? Whose is it?"
Huo Xiyao quirked his lips, "Why don't you take a look and find out?"
Han Ye then took the marriage certificate from his hand.
The very next second, he exaggeratedly inhaled, "No way, Brother Xiao, I stepped away for just half an hour, and you registered a marriage with someone? It must be my eyesight playing tricks, it must be! Besides, didn't you say you'd never marry in this lifetime? If Sijia finds out about this, won't she flip out?"
Huo Xiyao spread his hands, "Let her flip out, I've already registered the marriage. I never said that I definitely wouldn't marry in my lifetime. If I want to get married, I will; if I don't, I won't. Nobody can tell me what to do."
Han Ye drew in a breath as if his teeth ached, "Indeed, nobody can tell you what to do, but this is simply too, too... Still, sister-in-law is quite beautiful. Brother Xiao, when did you meet her? I haven't heard anything about her before and I've never seen sister-in-law either. Where is she now?"
Huo Xiyao retracted his marriage certificate, "She had something to do, and left first. It's not strange that you haven't heard anything, because today was also my first time meeting her. Let's go, back to the company."
"Okay..."
Han Ye responded and only halfway through did he realize what Huo Xiyao had just said.
He nearly stumbled, "What did you just say, Brother Xiao, today was also your first time meeting sister-in-law? You registered the marriage upon first meeting her, have you gone mad, or has she? Who brought up the idea of registering, you or her? Just because the Civil Affairs Bureau was next door, the world has gone mad!"
The corner of Huo Xiyao's mouth curled up, "She suggested it. She asked if I had a girlfriend, and if not, whether I'd mind registering with her? I said no, I don't mind, so we registered."
Han Ye was already numb from shock, "So, you just registered? Marriage is such a significant matter, and yet you make it sound as if it's like buying a head of cabbage. You are the president of the Huo Corporation; shouldn't your marriage be the union of the century, the wedding of the century?"
"To just get married like that, aren't you afraid that once it spreads, the masses will create eight hundred different versions of the story? And why do I feel like something's off about this whole situation, there's not some plot behind it, is there?"
Huo Xiyao replied irritably, "It's not a man, is it? There is no plot. I did indeed meet her for the first time today, but to be precise, it was the first time seeing her all grown up. So I know what I'm doing, Ah Ye, don't overthink it. Also, remember to keep it a secret for me, especially from Sijia."
Without reason, why would he seriously register a marriage with a woman he had met for the first time?
Even if that woman looked pale at the time and appeared helpless and pitiful.
Of course, it was because he recognized Xia Chu; he first felt she looked familiar, and when he heard Xu Pei call her 'Xia Chu,' it further confirmed that she was indeed the same person from his memory.
Otherwise, why would he care about affairs or betrayal, what did that have to do with him?
That was when Han Ye finally understood that his newly minted sister-in-law was an old acquaintance of Brother Xiao. He exhaled, "Okay, as long as you know what you're doing, Brother Xiao, I'll definitely keep it a secret for you. When can I meet sister-in-law, maybe have a meal together? As the 'family,' I should at least vet her for you, right?"
"Get out of here, what family?"
Huo Xiyao laughed and cursed, "If anything, you'd be from the husband's family. But now's not the time, let's wait until the right moment comes."
Perhaps they might never get to have that meal, considering his freshly minted wife was already thinking about divorce right after getting the certificate.
Han Ye finally started the car. "Then, Ah Ye, hurry up. I'm too curious..."
As the designated driver drove off, Xia Chu, who had been desperately holding back her tears, refused to let them fall in front of Xu Pei and a stranger, but now they breached the dam.
Her confidant and partner of five years, who should have become her lawful husband at this moment, and with whom she was supposed to enter the sacred hall of matrimony next month in the presence of all their friends and family to spend a lifetime together, had already betrayed her, betrayed their love.
How could Xu Pei do this to her; what had she done wrong?
What did five years of affection mean to him after all?!
Groggy, Xia Chu returned home, too lazy to remove her makeup or change her clothes. She simply drew the curtains and buried herself under the covers.
But the pain was too much, her head ached, her eyes hurt, and her heart felt as if it were being shredded by knives... The pain was so intense that she couldn't fall asleep, and she suspected that even if she managed to sleep, she would undoubtedly cry in her dreams.
Maybe only in death would she not feel pain, right?
She didn't know how much time had passed when suddenly someone started knocking fiercely on the door.
Xia Chu originally intended to ignore it with her head covered, but soon, in addition to the banging, she also heard the voice of her best friend Jiang Ziyao, "Xia Chu... Xia Chu, open the door. I know you're home... You wouldn't do anything foolish, right... You're scaring me... Please open the door, I'm begging you..."
As she called out, her voice clearly carried a sobbing tone.
In the end, Xia Chu could not bear it. She struggled to get out of bed and staggered to open the door with her head heavy and feet light.
As soon as Jiang Ziyao saw her, she started to cry. "Xia Chu, you finally opened the door. You scared me to death... You look so pale; are you feeling unwell? Let me help you inside to sit down first."
She carefully helped Xia Chu to the sofa and then asked, "Do you want a cup of hot milk, or should I cook you a bowl of noodles? It will be quick."
Xia Chu shook her head. "Ziyao, I'm fine. Why are you here? Aren't you supposed to be busy with the new case to the point of exhaustion? Was it Xu Pei who asked you to come?"
After she blocked all of Xu Pei's contact information, she turned off her phone. Besides him, who else could have informed Jiang Ziyao?
Xu Pei must have seen her so crazed, daring to register with a stranger, and feared she would do something even more extreme, from which he could not extricate himself.
As expected, Jiang Ziyao nodded. "Yes, he called me and said you wanted to break up with him, and even registered for marriage with a man you just met... He asked me to come and check on you quickly, lest something happened. Xia Chu, what exactly is going on? Today was supposed to be the day you and Xu Pei got your marriage certificate, right?"
Xia Chu sneered mockingly. "He only told you that I wanted to break up with him and that I registered with a stranger. Didn't he tell you the reason? It seems that he knows what he did is shameful, which is why he can't say it out loud!"
Jiang Ziyao's expression changed. "What do you mean, Xia Chu? Did Xu Pei really do something to wrong you? I suspected something was wrong. Otherwise, why would you break up with him all of a sudden, that bastard!"
Before Xia Chu could speak, Jiang Ziyao pressed on, "Do you know who the other woman is? And how did you find out about it? The scumbag and his mistress dare to betray my sister; I won't let them off!"