Chapter Twenty-eight

The young couple sat quietly across from Qiao Nan. Qiao Nan held a cup in one hand, seemingly gazing down as he tasted the tea, but in reality, his peripheral vision was carefully observing the two young people in front of him. He felt a bit helpless, and a little headache as well.

To be honest, Qiao Nan didn't want to get involved in the quarrels of others at all. But by coincidence, when these two were in the middle of their argument, other people attending the meeting on the same floor had just finished breakfast and were returning to their rooms. Qiao Nan was worried that if he didn't intervene, things might escalate, making them both lose face. Furthermore, leaving aside the fact that Fang Cheng was now his subordinate, this kid had been someone he had watched grow up, and the two families had deep ties. For both personal and professional reasons, Qiao Nan felt it was his duty to "guide" these two.

On the surface, the two of them seemed quite a match. Anyone who saw them would have to admire how well-suited they were, a perfect couple. The man was tall and handsome, while the woman was gentle and beautiful. Together, they were a sight to behold, an enviable young couple that anyone would be jealous of.

As Qiao Nan quietly observed them out of the corner of his eye, Su Xiaobai was also calculating things in her mind. After all, the scene just now was a moment of heat, and now that she had calmed down and reflected on her childish outburst, she realized how domineering she had been. If it were just in front of Fang Cheng, it might have been fine, but today, she had let Qiao Nan witness it. Who knew whether he would bring it up in front of Fang Cheng's family?

Haha, only Su Xiaobai would think like this. If Qiao Nan knew that in Su Xiaobai's mind, he was the type of person who liked to gossip with elders for no reason, Qiao Nan would probably be both amused and exasperated.

Su Xiaobai, fidgeting with her fingers, initially had her gaze on her toes, but it eventually drifted up to Qiao Nan's face.

Su Xiaobai wasn't unfamiliar with this person. She remembered that on the day of her wedding, Su Bai and Fang Cheng had raised their glasses to this man. She remembered that when he entered the venue, a large group of people surrounded him, treating him like the center of attention. After sitting down, many came up to offer him toasts, all their faces filled with flattery, respect, admiration, and even jealousy, as though he were the real protagonist of the wedding.

But Su Xiaobai's memory wasn't particularly sharp. She only recalled Qiao Nan being surrounded by people at the wedding, but she couldn't recall the man who she had briefly brushed past in the hallway. Little did she know, Qiao Nan had already noticed her at that time. If he hadn't, it would have been hard to miss her muttering a curse under her breath when passing by, especially since she was the bride at the time.

Su Xiaobai wasn't one to sit still, and she couldn't stand the stagnant atmosphere. After having been in Qiao Nan's room for about ten minutes, the three of them maintained a tense silence, as if waiting for someone to break it. Fang Cheng and she were both invited by Qiao Nan, but no one expected that once they entered, Qiao Nan would calmly let them sit, pour tea for each of them, and then just stay seated, not saying a word. Fang Cheng, in contrast to his earlier impulsiveness, also remained silent, seemingly waiting as well.

This left Su Xiaobai in a difficult spot. She couldn't sit comfortably, nor could she leave. She could only sit there, growing increasingly irritated. When Qiao Nan lowered his head to taste the tea, Su Xiaobai quickly threw him a resentful glance. To her surprise, Qiao Nan caught it perfectly.

When he lifted his gaze, Qiao Nan had already noticed the slight impatience in Su Xiaobai's expression.

Su Xiaobai was startled. She still felt a bit guilty, but she managed to keep her face calm. She glanced at Fang Cheng, and unable to stand it anymore, she suddenly stood up, causing her chair to scrape loudly against the floor.

Fang Cheng instinctively furrowed his brow, his gaze fixed on her. The fingers resting on his lap tightened, but he quickly responded, standing up with her. His gaze shifted to Qiao Nan, steady and unwavering.

"Uncle Qiao, I'll take Su Xiaobai back to rest. Sorry to trouble you earlier," he said, as he tried to grab Su Xiaobai's wrist. However, Su Xiaobai gently dodged his hand.

"No need to trouble yourself, I can walk by myself," she replied, but just as she was about to leave, she seemed to remember something. She turned back and sat down again, this time with a composed look, her eyes locking onto Qiao Nan with an unwavering gaze.

"Uncle Qiao," the way Su Xiaobai called out was actually a bit awkward. It felt similar to the first time she called Fang Cheng "Uncle." She always thought it was uncomfortable to address someone only a few years older than her as "uncle," but out of politeness and respect, she had to grit her teeth and say it.

In reality, her actions also surprised Qiao Nan. However, someone of his stature wouldn't show it outwardly. He simply set his teacup down and looked at her with eyes that were steady and profound, but there was a certain hidden cunning, calculation, and even a touch of playfulness behind them.

What a monstrous person...

Su Xiaobai couldn't help but mutter silently in her mind. Of course, she didn't know the true nature of Qiao Nan's "monstrousness." In her eyes, it just meant that this person looked extraordinary—he wasn't an overly handsome man, but there was something about him, a calmness and dignity, decisiveness, yet with a hint of refined elegance mixed with the aura of a general capable of ruthless decisions. He was someone who could effortlessly command a situation, making it seem like the world was just waiting for him to manipulate it.

If it were Su Bai, perhaps she would have hesitated, as she was a woman who understood courtesy and was never one to compete for attention. But right now, she was Su Xiaobai, and she wasn't afraid of him. In fact, she planned to "take a risk." Since Qiao Nan was such an influential person, she believed he had the capability and authority to "make decisions."

In the quiet room, the only sound was a clear yet firm female voice saying, "Uncle Qiao, since you are Fang Cheng's superior and elder, and our families are also close, I believe you can make decisions and help resolve many things. This might trouble you, but I trust you are not someone who cannot distinguish right from wrong. You should understand the contradictions and difficulties involved. Perhaps you might think that what I'm saying is just out of anger, or that it's merely the whining and capriciousness of a woman, unreasonable and hard to tolerate. But I ask you to understand. I've been in a relationship with Fang Cheng for two years and eight months, and we've been married for thirteen days. We've never argued or been apart, and when I married him, I believed he was someone I could trust for life, who would cherish his wife. But marriage is not just a piece of paper—it needs to be worked on by both parties. Now, my marriage with Fang Cheng has come to an end. I don't know if he still has faith in us, but I've lost faith. I can no longer walk through life with him, and I cannot continue to be the wife who respects him. So today, in front of you, I want to divorce him."

Su Xiaobai was clear-headed now, her words coming smoothly as she spoke her mind to Qiao Nan.

The man, on the other hand, remained calm, only rubbing the rim of his cup with his right index finger, his gaze mild but sharp, almost as if he were smiling without smiling. His slightly thin lips curled as he spoke, "If you two want to divorce, then do it. This isn't the civil affairs bureau, and I can't stamp it for you."

His tone wasn't angry, just indifferent, which felt even more disappointing. Su Xiaobai's face turned slightly pale, and she bit her lip, casting a resentful glance at him. Qiao Nan acted as if he didn't see it and continued, "Young people, it's normal to act on impulse sometimes. After the argument, things settle down, and life goes on. There's nothing in this world that can't be overcome, no knot that can't be untied."

Su Xiaobai was furious, her fingertips trembling, and she was about to storm out when the man spoke again. "But if you two truly can't go on, I'll help you out." He then picked up the phone on the coffee table, and his meaning was clear without needing to say more.

Su Xiaobai's eyes immediately lit up with excitement, her enthusiasm unmasked. She didn't notice, however, that Fang Cheng, who had been silent the entire time, had relaxed his previously furrowed brow.

What Su Xiaobai didn't expect was that while she had been trying to play her cards right with this influential figure, she hadn't realized that her husband wasn't as simple as she thought.