Ming Li said it all in one breath. She pushed the contract back toward Gu Qingshuang, her lips curving into a smile even as her eyes grew misty. “President Gu, are there any other requirements? Let’s talk openly tonight.”
“Are you unhappy?” Gu Qingshuang asked, frowning.
“How could I be?” Ming Li laughed. “President Gu offering me a renewal means I’m doing a good job. In a regular workplace, this would be like winning Employee of the Year. What is there to be unhappy about?”
Provoked by Gu Qingshuang’s tone, Ming Li’s words were laced with resentment. She knew she shouldn’t speak this way, with such hidden thorns, but she couldn’t help it.
“That’s not what I meant.” Gu Qingshuang stopped halfway through her sentence, unsure how to explain. She was used to making decisions, not explaining them. After a moment, she said, “I think I understand your point. I have no other requirements.”
Ming Li nodded to her. “Then I’ll go back to the room and rest.” She turned and walked out, not daring to stop for a second.
The moment she stepped out of the study, a tear fell.
Gu Qingshuang watched her back disappear. When the door shut, her heart tightened in sync with the sound, as if she could feel Ming Li’s coldness.
Ever since she had met Ming Li, the woman had always been gentle. Though she was younger, she possessed a maturity that surpassed her peers. During their time together, Gu Qingshuang often forgot Ming Li was five years younger than her.
This was the first time Ming Li had acted like a hedgehog. Even though she was trying her best to hide them, her quills kept poking out. For some reason, Gu Qingshuang felt a weight in her chest.
In fact, she hadn’t intended for things to go this way. From the moment she had asked Ming Li if she wanted a divorce, everything seemed to have veered off track.
That night at the banquet, after she had lost her mind and beaten those gossiping people, she had been dreaming while unconscious in the hospital. In her dream, Shen Lideng was carrying her through a fog-shrouded forest while she was unconscious. She had been having this dream since she was fourteen. It had been sixteen years, and every time she felt fear, the dream would return.
Since getting married, the dream hadn’t occurred as frequently. Dr. Wei—Gracia—had explained that it was because her emotional life had become more stable, so the frequency of the dream naturally decreased.
Gu Qingshuang understood that Ming Li had shouldered everything for her. Ming Li was an emotionally stable person; no matter how difficult things were, she could carry the burden in silence. Just like when her family went bankrupt—everyone thought Ming Li wouldn’t be able to carry the Ming family. But Ming Li had proven them wrong. From a rich heiress to a fallen worker, she had silently fulfilled her responsibilities from start to finish.
That was exactly what Gu Qingshuang had seen in her back then. Specifically, back then, no matter who Gu Qingshuang entered into an arranged marriage with, she would have been controlled. But with Ming Li, she didn’t have to worry about that; she could enjoy complete freedom. That was why Gu Xueqiang didn’t approve of Ming Li. Despite that, Gu Qingshuang had married her against all opposition.
Three years had passed, and Gu Qingshuang had become more and more satisfied with her current life.
But in her dream that night, near the end, the fog had blurred everyone’s faces. When the wind blew again, the person she saw wasn’t Shen Lideng, but Ming Li. A grown-up Ming Li.
Gu Qingshuang had woken up in a state of shock. Gu Xueqiang had scolded her for being impulsive, for never knowing the limits of her strength. Gu Qingshuang had only leaned back against the hospital bed and said coldly, “Who can control themselves when their illness flares up?” Gu Xueqiang had gone silent.
But deep down, Gu Qingshuang felt a sense of insecurity. She spent the entire day locked in her room, the curtains drawn, refusing to see the light or anyone else. She was afraid her current lifestyle would change, and even more afraid that she was becoming a betrayer. Though, in reality, she had already become one.
But it was Shen Lideng who had betrayed her first, she told herself. The comfort didn’t work. Her heart sank further, and Gu Qingshuang was terrified. So she forced herself to change.
After struggling all day, she rushed to Nanshi on a business trip that very night. Finally, in Nanshi, she had come up with this plan: Renew the contract with Ming Li and maintain the status quo.
She hadn’t expected that upon her return, she would see Zhu Hanxing bringing Ming Li home, with Hanxing even provoking her downstairs. Combining that with Ming Li’s reactions over the past few days, there was only one conclusion: Ming Li had fallen in love with Zhu Hanxing and wanted a divorce.
Yet when she asked, Ming Li denied it. She thought everything would be fine once it was said, but Ming Li’s reaction was abnormal. Gu Qingshuang couldn’t quite put her finger on what was wrong; she was still smiling, still calm and gentle, but her smile was tragic. She was covered in quills.
Worse, those words weren’t a discussion. They were a notification. At the same time, Ming Li was saying she wasn’t happy in the Gu family.
These weren’t things Gu Qingshuang was supposed to manage, but in her heart, she knew that after living together for three years, they were closer than when they first met. They weren’t exactly friends, but they shouldn’t have this kind of hostile relationship. Furthermore, Gu Qingshuang wanted to maintain the status quo.
To do that, she needed Ming Li to change her mind.
Gu Qingshuang suddenly remembered the other night, when Ming Li had been dancing on stage, every movement and smile carrying a unique charm. It was a completely different Ming Li from the one she saw in daily life. Chun Liuyi had danced excellently that night, but her eyes had been unable to leave Ming Li.
Everyone had their own pursuits. Clearly, Ming Li’s heart wasn’t in business. It was like a fork in the road—Gu Qingshuang and Ming Li were on two different paths, destined to part ways.
But Gu Qingshuang was hesitating. She truly feared trouble, she didn’t want change, and she had grown accustomed to Ming Li’s presence in the Gu family. She had even grown accustomed to having someone else in her bed. She hadn’t slept well in Nanshi, not to mention staying up all night in the study last night.
Gu Qingshuang’s mind was a mess. She wanted to smoke a cigarette to clear her head. Suddenly, she remembered a conversation from not long ago.
“Maybe I should try to quit smoking.”
“I’ve heard people can quit sex, but they can’t quit smoking.”
“Fine. Whenever I want to smoke, I’ll just drag you into bed.”
“Sure, baby. I’m happy to oblige.”
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