Chapter Sixty-Seven: If You Like Her, Divorce Me

"I'm not going back."

Su Xiao took a half step back, her back taut and her eyes filled with a coldness he had never seen before.

"Yan Mingshen, if you like Xia Zhi, you should divorce me, instead of trying to have both of us like this."

"Divorce?" Yan Mingshen seemed not to have heard clearly, his brows furrowed tightly, his tone full of obsession.

“Su Xiao, you…”

Xia Zhi, who was listening nearby, grew anxious and, grabbing Yan Mingshen's arm, interrupted him in a sharp voice:

"Su Xiao, don't make baseless accusations! Ming Shen and I are completely innocent. You're the one who's never satisfied, always clinging to President Xu! And now you're hooking up with this greenhorn. Are you that desperate for a man?"

Qin Yu clenched his fists in anger, about to say something, when a series of steady footsteps suddenly came from the restaurant entrance.

Xu Bozhou wasn't wearing the suit he wore during the day; instead, he was wearing a black turtleneck sweater with a short leather jacket over it, exuding a cold aura.

He walked up to Yan Mingshen and shielded Su Xiao behind him.

He placed his palms on the table, supporting her waist with just the right amount of pressure.

"Miss Xia."

Xu Bozhou spoke, his gaze sweeping over Yan Mingshen's hand, which was still frozen in mid-air, his voice devoid of any warmth:

"Defamation can land you in jail."

Yan Mingshen looked at Xu Bozhou, and the atmosphere between them instantly became so tense that it was hard to breathe.

"Xu Bozhou, this is between Su Xiao and me, it has nothing to do with you!"

"It has nothing to do with me?" Xu Bozhou scoffed.

"Does this have anything to do with you?"

Seeing that Yan Mingshen was at a disadvantage, Xia Zhi hurriedly grabbed his arm:

"Ming Shen! Don't waste your breath on him, Su Xiao is doing this on purpose, let's go!"

But as soon as her hand touched Yan Mingshen's sleeve, he shook her off.

Xia Zhi bit her lower lip in frustration.

Yan Mingshen had no eyes for her at all; there was only Su Xiao, who stood behind Xu Bozhou and wouldn't even glance at him.

Yan Mingshen softened his voice, looking at Su Xiao with what he thought was deep affection:

"Xiaoxiao, I'll have Xia Zhi move out. You can come home with me, and we can go back to how things were before, okay?"

"before?"

He even had the nerve to bring up the past. If it weren't for the inappropriate occasion, Su Xiao would have loved to slap him.

He showered her with sweet words when he was pursuing her, but he forgot them all in just three years.

Since he wouldn't let her be with him, why is she pretending to be so affectionate now? It's disgusting.

Is there any past between us?

Or did he think that making her stay alone in an empty room for three years with that vague and illusory love was a favor bestowed upon her by the Yan family?

That's incredibly shameless of him.

Her words were like a knife, piercing straight into Yan Mingshen's heart.

He opened his mouth, but couldn't utter a single word. He had done all those things himself, leaving no room for explanation.

Xu Bozhou raised his hand to wipe the moisture from the corner of her eyes, then looked up at Yan Mingshen, his tone carrying a final warning.

"If President Yan doesn't want to fight to the death with the Xu family right now, then he shouldn't be standing here."

Yan Mingshen's face was frozen in an unpleasant, ashen expression.

He knew that Xu Bozhou was capable of anything, but he couldn't.

He was the undisputed heir of the Yan family from a young age, and the entire Yan family paved the way for him.

Only after the two figures completely disappeared from the restaurant entrance did Su Xiao slowly breathe a sigh of relief, her tense back instantly slumping.

The crab roe tofu that had just been served was still steaming hot, but her stomach felt bloated and she found even the aroma too cloying.

She felt sorry for herself.

"Senior sister, are you alright?" Qin Yu asked worriedly, handing her a glass of warm water as he looked at her pale face.

Su Xiao took the cup, her fingertips touching the warm cup, before she managed a weak smile: "I'm fine."

Xu Bozhou stood beside her, his palm gently resting on the back of her cold hand.

The meal ultimately lost its flavor.

Qin Yu glanced at the two people with the awkward atmosphere, and wisely refrained from asking any further questions. He simply waved his hand and said they would meet again next week before leaving with his bag.

The two walked one after the other in the mall's corridor.

Su Xiao could sense that Xu Bozhou's emotions were off. From the moment Yan Mingshen mentioned "wife," the atmosphere around him became frighteningly tense.

She knew what he cared about, but what difference would it make if she got a divorce?

Xu Bozhou and she were ultimately not a good match.

Perhaps continuing to live like family is the best ending for both of them.

The two walked silently to the counter.

The glass cabinets in the knitwear section are filled with all kinds of scarves, cashmere, wool, and colorful styles that are dazzling to the eye.

Su Xiao picked up a light gray cashmere scarf and touched it; the soft texture made her feel a little more relaxed.

What do you think of this one?

She turned to Xu Bozhou with the scarf in her hand, trying to break the silence.

Xu Bozhou leaned against the display shelf next to him, his gaze fixed on the shop window in the distance, without even lifting his eyelids:

"Good."

Perfunctory.

Su Xiao couldn't help but sigh when she saw him like this.

She put down the scarf in her hand, her gaze swept across the counter, and stopped on a bright red scarf.

She asked the sales assistant to take off the scarf, then turned around and walked to Xu Bozhou, who was still lost in thought. She stood on tiptoe and, without saying a word, draped the scarf around his neck.

The soft cashmere brushed against his chin, and Xu Bozhou finally reacted, looking down at her.

Su Xiao tilted her chin up, a sly smile in her eyes: "National Day is coming soon, let's wish for good luck."

"you……"

Xu Bozhou stood frozen in place, letting her do as she pleased.

The faint scent of cashmere from the scarf lingered around my nose, mingling with the ink fragrance on her body, instantly dispelling the gloom in my heart.

He looked down at her serious profile, her long eyelashes casting a small shadow under her eyes.

"...For me?" His voice was a little hoarse.

It has been 2,592 days since I last received a gift from her.

The last gift he gave her was an inkstone she didn't want, which he now keeps locked in the villa's safe.

Before he could see her, he would sit in his study as soon as he got off work, carefully wiping down each and every item she had given him.

Even a glass that was casually tossed to him, he secretly kept for many years.

Su Xiao adjusted her scarf, took a step back, and looked him over.

The red scarf made his skin appear even whiter, and the dark mole under his eye looked even more alluring.

She couldn't help but curl the corners of her mouth into a smile: "Otherwise what?"

Looking at the smile in her eyes, Xu Bozhou's gloom instantly vanished.

Seeing that it fit him well, Su Xiao prepared to take it off and asked the shop assistant to take it to the counter to pay.

But then he tensed up, grasping her hand that was still suspended in mid-air, his fingertips gently tracing her fingertips. The coldness in his eyes was completely replaced, and even his voice softened:

"Once something is given away, it cannot be taken back."

"I'm not backing out. I'm going to pay the bill."

Su Xiao patted the back of his hand reassuringly.

"Need not."

Xu Bozhou pursed his lips; he was going to wear it.

"Could you please pack up all the accessories you have for this season?"

He beckoned the teller over and handed her a card.

"Let's get married together."