Chapter 79 Love, Duty, and Choice

Chapter 79 Love, Duty, and Choice

Yan Ruozhe rarely smiled. At least, Li Xin had only seen Yan Ruozhe smile a handful of times. Yan Ruozhe's smile was beautiful; in Li Xin's eyes, the story of King You of Zhou lighting beacon fires to amuse his concubine Bao Si was completely understandable. A smile like that was worth kingdoms.

"You should smile more. You look beautiful when you smile," Li Xin said, her gaze burning into Yan Ruozhe's face. If only Yan Ruozhe would always smile at me like that, she thought, I would have everything.

Yan Ruozhe, made uncomfortable by the intensity of Li Xin's stare, stifled her smile, the warmth receding from her face like a tide.

"Drive," Yan Ruozhe said curtly.

Li Xin, this time obedient, continued driving. Afterward, Yan Ruozhe simply stared out the car window, a silent, unreadable wall, saying nothing more. Li Xin glanced at Yan Ruozhe's profile, then returned her gaze to the road. She felt the distance between her and Yan Ruozhe's heart, a vast, unbridgeable chasm. Li Xin hated this feeling of distance. When would she finally be able to enter this woman's heart? When would she finally possess her completely? She had already spent five years on this woman. How many five-year periods did a person have to squander? And what if it was all for nothing?

Yan Ruozhe watched the scenery fly by outside the car window. The rest of my life will likely be entangled with this woman, she thought, this woman who is both a torment and a strange, undeniable need. She should try to understand her, to decipher the enigma that is Li Xin. Otherwise, spending so much time with someone she didn't understand would be a terrifying prospect, a slow, agonizing torture.

"Li Xin," Yan Ruozhe's voice was soft, but Li Xin, her senses hyper-attuned to any sign from Yan Ruozhe, heard it clearly.

"Hmm?" Li Xin waited, her heart pounding with anticipation, for Yan Ruozhe to say something more.

"I will try to understand you," Yan Ruozhe turned her head to say these words, feeling a strange awkwardness, a vulnerability she rarely allowed herself. She turned her head back to the other side, retreating behind her wall, and fell silent again.

Li Xin was momentarily stunned, then a radiant smile bloomed on her face, a smile of pure, unadulterated joy. This was undoubtedly a good start, a crack in Yan Ruozhe's defenses. Li Xin began to envision a future of happiness with Yan Ruozhe, a future where Yan Ruozhe was completely hers.

Happy times were always fleeting. Zuo Qinghuan felt that time was passing too quickly. These past few days, much of their time had been spent in bed, consumed by a lust that seemed to know no bounds. This wasn't Qin Wanshu's original intention, but Zuo Qinghuan was exceptionally persistent, bordering on obsessive, when it came to sex, insatiable in her desire for Qin Wanshu. Qin Wanshu, therefore, had to indulge Zuo Qinghuan, yielding to her demands, her own desire a willing accomplice. Qin Wanshu was exceptionally indulgent towards those she truly cared about. This was true not only for Shi Yunyang and Qin Teng, for whom she had cleaned up countless messes over the years, but even more so for Zuo Qinghuan. But with Zuo Qinghuan, there was an added layer of spoil a spoiling, doting affection, a willingness to give her anything she wanted, even her own body.

"Do we have to go back?" Zuo Qinghuan buried her face in Qin Wanshu's chest, speaking with reluctant, almost childish despair. If she could live here forever, never returning, how wonderful that would be, a perfect, isolated world of just the two of them.

"Yes. The divorce proceedings with Han Shibin haven't been finalized. It feels like something is constantly hanging over me. I need to resolve this matter," Qin Wanshu said softly, stroking Zuo Qinghuan's smooth hair. It was a practical matter, a loose end that needed tying up, but it also represented a severing of ties, a finality she both craved and dreaded.

"Qin Wanshu, let's elope," Zuo Qinghuan said, half-seriously, half-jokingly, a desperate plea disguised as a lighthearted suggestion.

Qin Wanshu simply smiled faintly, a noncommittal, almost sad smile, offering no answer. The idea was absurd, a fantasy.

"Just kidding," Zuo Qinghuan said casually, trying to mask the flicker of disappointment in her eyes. It was just a joke, of course. In reality, Zuo Qinghuan knew that there was a part of her that truly wished for such a thing, to run away with Qin Wanshu and leave the world behind. But she also knew that it was an impossibility. She was alone, with no attachments, a solitary wanderer. But Qin Wanshu was different. She had many relatives, many responsibilities, a whole network of obligations she could never abandon. She would never do something so reckless, so selfish.

Qin Wanshu looked at Zuo Qinghuan's face earnestly, still not speaking. Her personality dictated that she could never abandon everything for love, her sense of duty and responsibility were too strong.

"If you had to choose between your family and me, what would you choose?" Zuo Qinghuan asked, feeling a surge of insecurity, a fear of being the lesser priority, looking at Qin Wanshu's serious expression.

"I don't think the two are necessarily contradictory. And I believe I can reconcile this relationship. They might not be able to accept my choice at first, but I believe they will eventually accept it," Qin Wanshu believed there were no unsolvable problems. She was a master strategist, always finding a way to get what she wanted.

"Will you abandon me?" Zuo Qinghuan still felt uneasy. She was only one person, but Qin Wanshu had so many relatives: a father, a mother, a grandfather, a brother, a younger brother, and countless others. Zuo Qinghuan felt she had no advantage at all, no leverage in this unequal equation.

"No. I've chosen you. I believe my family will eventually respect my choice," Qin Wanshu knew about Zuo Qinghuan's insecurity. Zuo Qinghuan had no one, a lone wolf. Since she had accepted this relationship with Zuo Qinghuan, she would certainly not abandon her. Qin Wanshu was a person of firm resolve. Once she made a decision, she wouldn't change it, and she had the ability to force others to compromise, to bend them to her will.

"I believe you." Zuo Qinghuan believed whatever Qin Wanshu said, her faith in her unwavering, even if it was sometimes blind.

"Let's pack up. We'll head back now," Zuo Qinghuan, for once, proactively detached herself from Qin Wanshu's body. The sooner Qin Wanshu was free of Han Shibin, the better. She also hoped Qin Wanshu and Han Shibin would get divorced soon.

"Okay," Qin Wanshu nodded.

"Qin Teng, how's it going?" Qin Wanshu called Qin Teng.

"Almost done," Qin Teng had always thought his sister was the most calculating person, a master manipulator. There was nothing she couldn't accomplish. Long ago, Qin Wanshu had asked him to find a stand-in for her to send to Han Shibin. Sure enough, he had just sent a low-quality double, only vaguely resembling his sister, to Han Shibin, and Han Shibin, the pathetic fool, had taken the bait. He guessed that his sister would definitely try to persuade Han Shibin to divorce peacefully. If she couldn't persuade him, she would definitely have him, Qin Teng, play the bad guy, using this stand-in to create a scandal and force Han Shibin to give in. His sister wouldn't have to get her hands dirty with Han Shibin, and she wouldn't have to drag Zuo Qinghuan into it. It was a win-win. Classic Qin Wanshu. But his sister was really protective of that woman, that weakling. Qin Teng's disdain for Zuo Qinghuan grew. He hated weakness, and the fact that she needed his sister's protection so much proved she was utterly pathetic.

"Thank you for your hard work," Qin Wanshu suddenly understood why Shi Yunyang liked to boss Qin Teng around. Qin Teng was absolutely capable of being a willing accomplice, and he was very efficient.

"Although I really can't understand why my sister likes that woman, I will definitely help my sister with her affairs," Because you're my sister, and I'll do anything for you, even if I think your taste is atrocious. At least his sister knew he worked hard, unlike that heartless woman, Shi Yunyang, who always ordered him around as if it were his duty.

"You go back first. I'm going to meet Han Shibin this afternoon to discuss the divorce. I'll find you after it's resolved," Qin Wanshu's first order of business upon returning was to summon Han Shibin to the Tianyu Villa.

"How long will it take?" Zuo Qinghuan asked. She didn't want to be separated from Qin Wanshu for even a moment, her newfound attachment bordering on obsession.

"If it goes smoothly, just one afternoon. If not, it might take some time. I can't say for sure," If Han Shibin could be persuaded, it would only take an afternoon. If not, she would have to resort to some less-than-savory tactics.

"What if it takes a long time?" Zuo Qinghuan grasped Qin Wanshu's hand, unwilling to let go. Her mind told her to be reasonable, to not be clingy, but her heart, her newly awakened desire, refused to cooperate. In the throes of passionate love, any separation was unbearable.

Qin Wanshu looked at Zuo Qinghuan, acting like a child who couldn't be separated from its mother for even a moment, and found it somewhat amusing, a touch of tenderness softening her usually controlled demeanor.

"Then do you want to come back to the Tianyu Villa with me?" Qin Wanshu asked. She would be careful, making sure Zuo Qinghuan stayed out of sight. So much for her resolve; she was already spoiling Zuo Qinghuan rotten.

"Okay," Zuo Qinghuan replied happily, her face lighting up.

At the Tianyu Villa, Qin Wanshu arranged for Zuo Qinghuan to stay in a guest room. Han Shibin wouldn't enter the guest rooms, and there were many of them, so Han Shibin and Zuo Qinghuan wouldn't run into each other. The Tianyu Villa was a wedding gift from Qin Zheng to Qin Wanshu and Han Shibin when they got married.

"You can take a nap, or read a book. Just don't come out. I'll come get you when it's over," Qin Wanshu instructed carefully, like a mother hen clucking over her chick.

"Okay," Zuo Qinghuan naturally knew she shouldn't cause any trouble for Qin Wanshu, that she had to be patient, even if it killed her.

Qin Wanshu closed the door to the guest room and went to the study to print out the divorce agreement she had prepared long ago. She then called Han Shibin.

Han Shibin was surprised to receive Qin Wanshu's call and arrived at Tianyu in the shortest possible time.

"These past few days, I went to the Qin house, but you were always avoiding me. I really missed you," Han Shibin didn't know that Qin Wanshu hadn't been at the Qin house these past few days. The Qin family had said that the eldest miss was not in, and Han Shibin had thought it was just an excuse for Qin Wanshu to avoid him. But seeing two copies of a divorce agreement on the table, he frowned slightly. Was Qin Wanshu really determined to get a divorce? Was this the end of their carefully constructed facade?

"I went out to relax and think things over between you and me," Qin Wanshu said calmly, her voice devoid of emotion.

"And what was the result of your thinking for so many days?" Han Shibin asked, already knowing the answer, the dread a cold knot in his stomach.

"We should still get a divorce. I don't think I'm right for you. I'm not like other women who can love you so passionately. It's not fair to you," Qin Wanshu said very seriously, every word carefully chosen, calculated.

"I've told you, I really don't mind," Han Shibin said, not giving up. Although he was a little infatuated with the woman he had recently met, she was far inferior to Qin Wanshu, a pale imitation of the real thing.

"I've told you, I don't like that aspect of things. I probably won't let you touch me again. You can tolerate me like this now, but what about later? A lifetime is very long. Do you just want to look at a woman you can't use? Will you really have no complaints against me? Even if you don't resent me, what if you cheat on me? I would resent you. I really hope we can keep the memory at its most beautiful moment, not end up hating each other," Qin Wanshu sighed softly, a carefully crafted sigh of resignation.

It seemed that Qin Wanshu was really determined to get a divorce. A lifetime was indeed very long. Facing a woman he wanted but couldn't use was simply torture. He couldn't convince himself that he wouldn't mind. Compared to the woman he had met a few days ago, who was so passionate in bed, a fiery contrast to Qin Wanshu's frigidity, Qin Wanshu was indeed stiff in bed. But apart from the bed, Qin Wanshu was perfect, so perfect that Han Shibin was unwilling to let go. She was a prize, a trophy wife. Han Shibin was hesitant. He had truly loved this woman, but this woman always felt so distant, as if she really didn't love him, unlike other women, whose love for him was palpable.

"Are you sure there's no one else in your heart?" Han Shibin asked, as if he had made up his mind, a desperate attempt to salvage some pride.

"Yes," Qin Wanshu nodded without any flaw, a perfect lie.

"Even if we divorce, you won't marry anyone else?" Han Shibin continued to ask. He could tolerate Qin Wanshu not loving him, but he absolutely would not accept Qin Wanshu loving someone else and leaving him. His pride, his possessiveness, wouldn't allow it.

"No," Qin Wanshu knew she had succeeded for the most part. She had played him perfectly.

"I can sign the divorce agreement, but I also want you to sign an agreement," Han Shibin proposed a condition, a final, desperate attempt to exert control.

"What agreement?" Qin Wanshu asked, although she already had a pretty good idea. Honestly, she was a little disappointed in Han Shibin. Her last bit of guilt had vanished, replaced by a cold, calculating satisfaction.

"An agreement that you will never marry anyone else in this lifetime," In Han Shibin's mind, Qin Wanshu was also a goddess. Since he couldn't have her, no one else should either. If he couldn't possess her, he would at least ensure no one else could either.

"Okay," Although she and Zuo Qinghuan were both women and couldn't get married in China, signing or not signing the agreement didn't matter. But Han Shibin proposing such a condition, that he could remarry but she couldn't, showed that this man was even more selfish than she had thought. He was a man who cared only for himself, his pride, his possessions.

Qin Wanshu quickly drafted an agreement, signed her name, and then handed the divorce agreement to Han Shibin.

Han Shibin could now be sure that Qin Wanshu hadn't been with any other man, but he was in a bit of a bind. He still felt a bit reluctant to divorce Qin Wanshu, the thought of losing her still stung. But under Qin Wanshu's urging gaze, he steeled himself and signed his name. This was for the best, he thought. He was single again, and he could be with other women without feeling guilty. Anyway, Qin Wanshu wouldn't marry anyone else, wouldn't belong to anyone else. He had, in his own twisted way, ensured she remained his, even in separation.

Qin Wanshu saw Han Shibin sign his name, and a barely perceptible smile flashed across her face, a fleeting glimpse of triumph.

"You should have a lot of things to do at your company. Do you want to leave first?" Qin Wanshu asked with feigned concern. Now that she had the divorce agreement, she couldn't wait for Han Shibin to leave immediately. She would send someone to retrieve her belongings from Han Shibin's place, and her lawyer would follow up on the remaining matters. But she wouldn't tell Han Shibin these things now, lest she appear too eager and provoke him. It was best to let him leave believing he had some control.

Han Shibin remembered that he did indeed have things to do at his company, so he left. In the car, the more he thought about it, the more he felt that something was wrong. He drove halfway and then turned back, a nagging suspicion gnawing at him.

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