Chapter 37

"I remember... that founder, wasn't he quite respectable when he was at the height of his fame a few years ago? He spoke elegantly and held PR events everywhere to fleece investors. How... did he turn into this kind of predatory person?"

"Decent?" Gao Yinxi seemed to be burned by this word that she hadn't heard anyone mention in a long time. Her body moved slightly, and then she sank deeper into the seat beneath her.

She surveyed the noisy surroundings, her tone slightly cold, tinged with a sense of absurdity, "When money is in hand, of course, one's dignity is on their face. When the money's gone, the hole can't be hidden anymore, and dignity is the first thing to run off with the cash, faster than anyone else. People..."

She said in a low voice, each word seemingly squeezed out from between her teeth, filled with piercing mockery, "How can you know the wickedness of people's hearts if you don't suffer a few losses?"

"Is there really no other way?"

Xu Zhuwen and Li Chian always thought Gao Yinxi was omnipotent, but they never expected that she would be cheated in business as well.

“That’s Shanghai, and I now live in Xianghai City.” Gao Yinxi paused for a few seconds, her gaze suddenly becoming deep and somber. She slowed down her speech, as if weighing the weight of each word. “It’s so far away. If we really went to court, the time, travel expenses, and energy would be wasted… Ha, we couldn’t possibly beat those people who had already prepared a bunch of delaying tactics and legal loopholes.”

A tense atmosphere descended upon the area.

After Gao Yinxi finished speaking, she stopped talking and turned her head to look at the staff members.

The gradually westward-moving sunlight reflected off her face, flickering like an unpredictable mask.

Protecting your rights requires costs, time, and energy; once the anger is gone, only ashes remain.

Xu Zhuwen stopped speaking.

The new heels tapped on the cold, hard floor tiles, each step like stepping on a hollow echo.

The newly completed look and the brand-new battle attire now seem ridiculously absurd.

Rushing to a meticulously planned farewell, only to be humiliated by another insignificant "creditor" identity.

That breath was stuck in my throat; I couldn't swallow it down, nor could I spit it out.

She lowered her eyes, her fingertips unconsciously swiping across the cold interface of her contacts.

The name "Qian Song" stood out abruptly from the chaotic list of numerous informational symbols, glaring and conspicuous. My fingertip hovered above those two characters, the cold glass against my palm causing a slight chill to rise on my skin.

These long four hours today—the fragrant spa rooms, the gentle massages on her cheeks by the beautician, the silky feel of her new dress, even her friend's suggestion to "go radiant to see her ex-boyfriend"—were all just grand preludes to this private execution she had long planned.

Spending three thousand dollars to adorn a suit of armor, just to personally end a rotten relationship, thus announcing the beginning of self-healing.

But this carefully constructed castle, which carried the last vestige of tragic ritual, collapsed before even seeing the "enemy"—a sudden, cold blow from life.

Bankruptcy liquidation, creditor filing... what is being taken away is not just the change of a few thousand dollars in the bank account, but also the carefully planned, self-controlled initiative, even if painful.

Anger surged within his chest, burning his throat with scalding heat. Xu Zhuwen felt as if an invisible hand was gripping his throat, leaving him unable to utter even a single accusation.

His lips moved silently a few times, but in the end, only a chilling aura could be released.

"Forget it, let's go." Xu Zhuwen stood up. "We can deal with this later. Let's take care of other things first."

There's a very high chance we won't get the three thousand yuan back today.

Her friends, whether it's Yinxi or An'an, are people whose time is very valuable, so they shouldn't waste it here with her.

The time she had agreed upon with Qian Song was fast approaching, and she didn't want to delay any longer.

"Aren't we going to wait a little longer?" Gao Yinxi noticed the anger and sadness in Xu Zhuwen's eyes.

"No, thank you." Xu Zhuwen glanced around and noticed that several other customers who had suffered the same fate as her had left because they couldn't stand the shopkeeper's rudeness.

There were one or two people who were even tougher than her, still arguing with the store's employees, but so what?

Gao Yinxi and Li Chian stood up together and hooked their arms around Xu Zhuwen's shoulders. "Okay, let's go back first."

Wenwen is dressed up so nicely today, not to argue with unscrupulous merchants.

The three walked out of "Joyful Fingers".

Gao Yinxi said, "I'll take you to find Qian Song. Send me the address you agreed on."

"I'll take a taxi myself." Xu Zhuwen looked at the sky; the sun was already setting. "If you take me there, I'm afraid you'll get stuck in traffic on the way back."

Gao Yinxi put her sunglasses on and swung the Porsche car keys in her hand. "Even if it means blocking the way, we'll still give our princess a ride."

Li Chi'an and Gao Yinxi stood side by side, their fair and delicate faces adorned with gentle smiles, yet their eyes held a shared determination.

For some reason, Xu Zhuwen's eyes suddenly reddened, but the pent-up frustration in her heart gradually dissipated.

"Thanks."

Gao Yinxi immediately bowed, imitating the Western knights in the movies, and gave Xu Zhuwen a salute, saying, "Princess, please get in the carriage!"

Soon, Gao Yinxi and Li Chian took Xu Zhuwen to the vicinity of Qian Song's company.

"I've discovered that what's harder than taking the civil service exam is meeting a normal person and having a normal, healthy, and successful relationship."

"Don't overthink it, Wenwen. Just clean up Qian Song's little mess! Remember to send us a message when you've finished." After the crisp sound of the door closing, the air was filled with the scent of expensive perfume and the clear, high-pitched voice of Gao Yinxi.

Xu Zhuwen smiled and nodded in response, her gaze following the backs of her two friends through the tinted car windows.

She watched the red Porsche quickly disappear into the traffic, like a precious and aloof drop of water vanishing beneath the smooth surface of an unfamiliar lake.

Thinking back to a few days ago, she almost fell out with them because of Qian Song's matter, but now, they have given her a solid support and dignity without holding a grudge.

She suddenly felt that romantic love between men and women might be the most fragile emotion in the world.

I was probably sick before, otherwise how could I have let myself live like that for the sake of money?

She always thought she wasn't love-obsessed, but after witnessing firsthand how she repeatedly became anxious and insecure in intimate relationships because of men, losing her autonomy and even her rationality, she realized that her core mental strength was far from that strong, and that she still had many old patterns in her intimate relationships that hadn't changed.

She still has much to learn in life.

Reading books and understanding principles doesn't mean you understand them; you only truly understand them when you put them into practice.

Xu Zhuwen walked into the coffee shop where she often waited for Qian Song. He straightened his back and found Qian Song already there, sitting in his usual spot by the window, slowly stirring his coffee.

He looked up and saw her meticulously dressed, down to the last hair. His eyebrows twitched almost imperceptibly, and his face darkened, devoid of warmth.

Xu Zhuwen slowly sat down opposite him. She didn't want to look at his face anymore, but thinking that she was determined to make a clean break today, she still restrained herself and sat down.

Qian Song picked up the sugar packets beside him and added sugar to the coffee in front of him one packet at a time, which made Xu Zhuwen frown.

Neither of them spoke. At that moment, the waiter brought over a glass of lemonade and gently placed it in front of Xu Zhuwen.

"Thanks."

His arrival did not ease the tension between the two, but it made Xu Zhuwen feel much better.

The overly sweet smell of coffee in front of Qian Song made her feel somewhat uncomfortable.

I quickly picked up the lemon water, took a few sips, and felt my lungs relax considerably.

"Xu Zhuwen, what do you mean? You're trying to make me disappear, aren't you?!" Qian Song, the other party, seemed to have completely lost his patience after adding sugar to his coffee.

Xu Zhuwen's gaze was fixed on Qian Song's angry face. Surprisingly, she found herself to be quite calm at the moment, and even had the mind to count the countless wrinkles on his face, which looked fierce and menacing due to his anger.

"You're getting old." Xu Zhuwen held the lemonade and took a deep breath.

"What do you mean?!" Qian Song's face looked as if he had been slapped, completely bewildered.

"I said you're getting old." Xu Zhuwen's voice was very calm, as if she were stating a fact. "You have a lot of wrinkles on your face. Haven't you been doing too well lately?"

"You!" Qian Song seemed to finally understand what Xu Zhuwen meant. His face, with dark circles under his eyes, looked as if a palette had been overturned.

However, having already let go of her romantic illusions, Xu Zhuwen decided to stop letting her love-struck mind cloud her judgment of him. "Qian Song, let's break up."

Qian Song froze, as if he had been frozen in place. He stared at Xu Zhuwen, whose expression and tone were perfectly calm, with a face that couldn't hide the fierce aura around him.

His gaze swept over her from head to toe, as if she were a complete stranger.

"Xu Zhuwen, I originally thought you were somewhat smart, having read a few books, but I never expected you to be so stupid, actually wanting to break up with me at a time like this!" After saying that, he leaned back against the sofa, placing his hands on the backrest. "Are you sure?"

"I'm sure." Xu Zhuwen's words were firm and resolute. "Look at it however you want, I came to see you today to tell you face to face that my moving out isn't about disappearing, but about breaking up with you."

"Break up?" Qian Song seemed to have heard a joke, his fingertips lightly tapping the sofa. "Xu Zhuwen, what are you thinking? You want to break up with me? Don't you even consider how old you are? Almost forty, unable to have children, your menstrual cycle is almost over. Look in the mirror, what's there to be proud of? If my parents didn't know your parents, do you think I would even consider you?" He paused, each word dripping with coldness. "I know why you want to break up with me. Isn't it because the old company is facing some problems?"

He scoffed, looking at Xu Zhuwen with utter contempt. "I used to call you stupid, and you argued with me. Ha! Do you know that our company is about to achieve a leapfrog development through technological empowerment, and is expected to capture 15% of the smart clothing market in the next three years? Do you know how much profit that will bring me? You want to break up with me!"

"As expected of a wild boar, it can't eat fine food; it's incompetent and ignorant!"

The soft background music in the coffee shop made his voice sound low, yet every word was piercing.

The rosy glow on Xu Zhuwen's face, fresh from the beauty salon, vanished instantly, blood rushed to her ears, and then suddenly flowed back to her feet.

That beautiful suit of armor instantly became a shameful symbol of public humiliation.

She dug her fingers into her palm, her unkempt nails causing a sharp pain.

Qian Song seemed quite satisfied with her reaction, and with a cruel sense of satisfaction, he picked up his coffee cup and began to drink.

Looking at the man opposite her, who seemed to have been replaced by a different person, Xu Zhuwen felt the pent-up anger in her throat suddenly dissipate.

It didn't disappear; it fell heavily to the bottom, becoming something cold, hard, and unshakeable.

Previously, when Li Chi'an consulted a lawyer to prepare for the divorce.

The three chatted together, and Li Chian and Gao Yinxi both said that the worst aspects of human nature were fully revealed during the divorce process.

She listened at the time, but that was all; she wasn't really moved.

Now, she feels she can be fair to them, even if it doesn't lead to divorce, just a breakup.

But looking at Qian Song's malicious face and hurtful words, she suddenly felt very fortunate. She was fortunate to have woken up at the critical moment and chosen her friends and herself, instead of this greasy piece of trash who was hypocritical and extremely arrogant because he couldn't see reality.

"Okay, I guess I was blind. I wish you all the best. After we break up, may you become rich and powerful, earn billions, and find ten or eight young girls and have a house full of children and grandchildren."

Xu Zhuwen didn't cry or make a fuss, and didn't even look at Qian Song again.

She slowly turned around, her back straight, and, step by step, walked towards the door in her new, uncomfortable high heels.

She now desperately wants to get away from Qian Song, away from the man she picked up from the trash can.

The glass door opens and closes, revealing the bustling world outside.

However, just when she thought that the two of them had parted ways and would never see each other again.

One hand was suddenly pulled by a strong force.

"Xu Zhuwen, we haven't even finished talking, why are you leaving?"

Xu Zhuwen gripped the doorknob tightly, using considerable force to prevent herself from falling.

"I've said everything I need to say. We're breaking up. Let go of me, don't pull me back."

"You think you can just break up with me like that? Why should you?"

"What do you mean, 'why'? Do you need a reason to break up?"

"Why doesn't a breakup need a reason?"

Seeing that the other party was so persistent, Xu Zhuwen closed her eyes and her expression calmed down. "Fine, I'll give you a reason if you want."

She shook her hand, and Qian Song was forced to release her wrist.

Xu Zhuwen turned around and returned to her seat. She gently opened her purse, took out her phone, found the videos and photos she had hidden in her collection, opened them, and turned them upside down to show Qian Song.

"So that's why you insist on being childless?"

Xu Zhuwen sneered, "You've maintained contact with the old woman who's been supporting you all this time, are you afraid that after you get married, she won't want you anymore and won't support you anymore?"