Chapter 23: For her, divorce was a long execution.

The driver drove the car into the yard while Jiang Yi was typing.

The drivers who drove for Jiang Yi and Gu Lai were fairly familiar with each other. The driver for Jiang Yi, surnamed Feng, never asked much about his employers' affairs. This time, when he saw Gu Lai's usual white SUV, he had no interest in going over and just kept looking down at his phone.

After waiting for about half an hour, she finally saw her employers arrive.

One in front and one behind, Jiang Yi looked down at his phone, trailing behind Gu Lai, the distance between them growing longer and longer.

Old Feng watched as the driver opened the car door. Gu Lai silently walked towards the car, not saying a word to anyone or exchanging glances. Jiang Yi only walked to Old Feng's side when Gu Lai got into the car.

She was about to open the back door when Jiang Yi stopped her.

“Wait a minute,” Jiang Yi said, “I’m going to have a smoke.”

Old Feng was used to carrying cigarettes and a lighter for Jiang Yi. She opened the cigarette case, watched as Jiang Yi took one, lit it in her hand, and then looked up at the front, his red lips holding the thin cigarette, slowly exhaling a puff of white smoke.

Old Feng stood quietly to the side, watching the white SUV slowly start, its rearview mirror pointing directly at Jiang Yi. The exhaust fumes from the rear of the car quickly dissipated, casting a dim, indistinct reflection in Jiang Yi's eyes along with the white smoke.

Jiang Yi watched the car drive away, her expression remaining indifferent, as if she were lost in thought, or perhaps simply daydreaming. When the car had completely disappeared into the night, she stubbed out the half-smoked cigarette, turned around, opened the passenger door, and got in.

The car had a distinct scent of Sharon rose, which had just been mixed with a hint of tobacco, creating a slightly pungent, sweet and spicy aroma.

As Lao Feng started driving, she heard the passenger window roll down halfway. She looked in the right rearview mirror and met Jiang Yi's gaze.

Old Feng instinctively wanted to say something: "Should I turn on the air conditioning for ventilation?"

Jiang Yi said, "It smells bad, let's forget about it."

Actually, I guessed he probably wouldn't drive after Lao Feng finished speaking. When the boss is in a bad mood or has just finished working, he always likes to sit in the car with the cold air blowing to calm himself down. Most people, even in the south, can't stand that kind of car interior environment in winter. Luckily, I was wearing gloves while driving.

I guess I'm in a bad mood today.

She had been driving for Jiang Yi for longer than Jiang Yi had known Gu Lai, not to mention later executives like Ge Li, who naturally had a relationship with their boss. But after so many years of driving quietly, she had gotten used to it and, though she wanted to offer some comfort, she didn't know how to start.

Old Feng's hesitant manner was too obvious, but Jiang Yi spoke up instead, saying casually, "I'm not used to sitting in the passenger seat?"

"No, I was just wondering how to ask," Old Feng replied casually. "The back seat is spacious."

Jiang Yi was amused by this reason: "Is everything alright? So, those racing cars from the last century at home can't be used for passengers anymore?"

Old Feng said, "Are you kidding? Those antique cars are meant to be collected. You have to drive them yourself. It's no fun just sitting in them."

She drove very steadily, keeping an eye on Jiang Yi beside her without making a sound while holding the steering wheel. At this moment, she saw Jiang Yi just smile and rest his elbow on the car window.

The cold wind blowing in made her hair fly back, and even Lao Feng felt it, brushing a stray hair behind his ear. Just as his hand rested on the gear shift, the side window rolled up.

Jiang Yi said, "If you're interested, you can choose one and take it home; it'll be like winning the lottery at the end of the year."

Old Feng wasn't scared or tempted, even though he knew the starting price of those cars was equivalent to an apartment in the city center. She was surprised for a moment, then smiled and declined, "There's no point in me collecting them."

Jiang Yi seemed interested and glanced at her sideways: "The insurance premium for antique cars is indeed a bit high... What are you usually interested in for your family's big purchases or investments?"

Old Feng really thought about it carefully for a while, and when he stopped at a red light, he said, "It's mainly about the gold."

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Jiang Yi casually flicking the half-smoked cigarette against the car window, his gaze seemingly fixed on the cigarette between her fingers or on the view outside. Hearing this, she casually remarked, "That's a pretty good investment habit. You've been making quite a bit of money lately."

"To be honest, I also took advantage of the situation. Unlike most people who are slow to realize things, I can still make some money. Even if I buy pure gold jewelry, it's not a big loss. Oh!" Old Feng remembered and took the opportunity to show his loyalty, "I was talking about buying jewelry before. My wife liked Gianni, but in the end, we bought gold instead."

Jiang Yi smiled and said, "Buy it if you want."

Old Feng understood and mentally added Gianni's stock to his plan. Before he could fully process it, Jiang Yi continued, "Should your spouse be in charge of purchasing these?"

“Her,” Old Feng said with a smile, “is the manager.”

Jiang Yi nodded: "Aren't you worried?"

“It’s not that I don’t care at all. If I spend too much money, I’ll definitely tell you. I’ll also tell her anything I know or remember.” Old Feng sighed. “I can’t manage it, and I don’t have the talent for financial management—haha, of course I can’t compare to you.”

"I thought you had completely let go."

“Normally, there aren’t that many things to do. Besides, between two people, it’s about discussing things together. If neither of us speaks up, then misunderstandings and suspicions will arise, and eventually, we’ll end up arguing.”

Old Feng paused mid-sentence, unsure of how someone dealing with marital breakdowns would react, and glanced subtly at Jiang Yi. The shop owner, seemingly oblivious, still held the half-smoked cigarette between his fingers.

Speaking of which, although Jiang Yi has collected several antique cars following the trend, her passion for cars is not as great as Lao Feng's. At least she is quite distressed about the car windows now.

Rich people can be incredibly wasteful; there might even be cigarette butts scattered on the floor.

Just as Lao Feng had this thought, she suddenly realized that the boss wasn't just scribbling randomly; he seemed to be writing something in English.

be...my...gain...

We're almost at the intersection.

Old Feng looked away.

She continued, trying to cover up her misunderstanding: "But my family doesn't have much money, so we don't need complicated investments."

Jiang Yi: "Even if it's not complicated, you still have to be selective. There are many arguments because of misunderstandings. I remember you met your spouse when you were in the army? It's been more than ten years, right? The last time I saw you, it felt like nothing had changed between you two."

"Whether you say she hasn't changed or not, she has. As we get older, our expectations change, and we've experienced more. When I first met my partner, I thought she was a real-life supermodel. I didn't even care about my image in front of the police. Now, we both come home and lie down in a mess with our clothes disheveled. She used to have a pure southern Jiangsu palate, but now she eats raw garlic with me when she eats noodles. When we first started dating, we couldn't wait to see each other every day, but now we can be apart for a month."

Old Feng turned his head and glanced at it, then said softly, "It's not as passionate and dramatic as it used to be, but we're actually closer now. We've become a part of each other. Knowing that he's there makes me feel at ease. Over the years, this is the only person I've had."

Jiang Yiping smiled gently and said, "Thank you."

Those two words killed the conversation.

Lao Feng interpreted it as the boss explicitly stating his intention to reconcile, subtly telling her to shut up.

She sighed inwardly, realizing she had been meddling. There was a reason why so many talented people with exceptional intelligence and emotional intelligence had kept quiet and stood by.

She had just finished reminding herself of this when she heard Jiang Yi say, "It's quite rare, 'colorful clouds easily disperse and glass is fragile.'"

"Burn another one," Old Feng replied immediately.

Jiang Yi took a moment to react, realizing she meant to re-fire a glass statue. He shook his head, unsure whether to be speechless or surprised.

Old Feng wasn't sure if the boss was unaware or disapproving, but he forced himself to say, "Actually, I really think it's a pity. Sister Gu probably doesn't want to leave either."

Jiang Yi chuckled: "'Also'?"

Old Feng parked the car and turned off the engine. His voice sounded hollow in the garage: "I remember how Sister Gu rejected people back then."

Jiang Yi smiled and shook his head without replying, saying "Thank you for your hard work." Old Feng quickly drove away in another car.

She sat in the passenger seat, not wanting to move; it didn't matter where she sat.

But it is indeed a bit cold.

Jiang Yi looked out the car window, his face vaguely reflected in the tinted glass, with some small scratches on it, wondering if he had scratched them himself.

She tapped her finger, making a dull tapping sound.

Let's get someone to replace it then, but after the renovation, will it be able to be restored to its original state?

Jiang Yi hesitated for a moment because of this profound thought.

In fact, she regretted her actions and words throughout the entire return trip, mainly because of what she had said and done during their meeting that evening. But upon closer reflection, she couldn't pinpoint exactly what she regretted.

I only wanted to distract myself by talking to Lao Feng, but I didn't expect to feel an indescribable envy instead.

That abrupt "thank you" was less a reflection of her not wanting others to interfere in her relationship, and more a sign of her hasty escape, which she was simply adept at concealing.

Just like tonight in front of Gu Lai, when I couldn't hide the emotions surging within me when I couldn't refuse her touch.

Who can resist the forbidden fruit offered by the devil? Those who have never experienced separation from their loved ones cannot understand the temptation of that moment.

Divorce isn't just a thick stack of papers, a pair of small booklets, or the assets that have shrunk due to the division. Divorce is when she can no longer do anything for another version of herself, when she has no reason to let her lover share her glory and pain, when she can no longer ask for a touch and a hug, when her communications are right there, yet she can no longer share the thrill and joy of the rest of her life.

And she once had all of these.

Divorce is just a legal act; for her, it's a long torture that began with that declaration, and she doesn't know when it will end.

Gu Lai pointed all of this out over the phone.

It was only when Gu Lai told her that she no longer needed to arrange flights for her that she suddenly realized what she had lost.

The moment Gu Lai pushed the door open, she never realized that she would crave a hug so much. How could she refuse Gu Lai's approach?

But it shouldn't have been like this; she knew what to do.

Jiang Yi suddenly realized that she didn't actually know how to love or break up; all she had learned from her surroundings was aggression and possessiveness.

She overestimated her own carefree and generous nature.

The half-smoked cigarette was crumpled beyond recognition; even the most expensive treasure couldn't withstand such abuse. She tossed it directly into the car's storage compartment, then ran her fingertips over the window again.

"'All this I want to do with you, this will be my gain.'"

Occasionally, fingernails would scratch the glass, creating a heart-wrenching sound in the silent garage, with only the cold white lights silently listening.

Jiang Yi stared at the blurry reflection on the glass, her indifference gradually turning into disgust. As if trying to wipe something away, she raised her hand and forcefully wiped the car window.

She scoffed almost inaudibly, "Karma, I guess."

Gu Lai doubted her hearing.

Two weeks after meeting with Jiang Yi and handing over the documents to the law firm, on the day he socialized with the brand and refused to be treated to a meal, director Kong Kang'an contacted him through his executive agent and asked him to have lunch together.

The conversation went smoothly, but the topic seemed to be different from what she had expected.

It's also possible that she misunderstood; perhaps the director, being a cultured person, needs to reconsider his choice of words.

Gu Lai asked, enunciating each word clearly, "What did you say?"

"Actually, Fan Zi likes you." Kong Kang'an raised an eyebrow and smiled. "That's true, Teacher Gu."

Gu Lai looked at this straightforward director who had been the catalyst for conflict between her and Jiang Yi.

It's hard to say what else Gu Lai was thinking at that moment, probably including her dismal Chinese and English listening scores during her student days, the expression on her editor Xu Rui's face when he hinted at something, and Jiang Yi—her jealous version.

Gu Lai narrowed her eyes slightly and looked Kong Kang'an up and down carefully. She realized that she couldn't seem to judge Kong Kang'an's mood and intentions when he said those words, but she was no longer interested in it.

She gestured for me to continue: "Thank you, but I have no intention of having an extramarital affair."

Kong Kang'an clicked his tongue: "Isn't President Jiang a thing of the past?"

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All this I want to do with you, this will be my gain. —"All This I Did without You" by Gerald Durrell (My own translation, so I won't translate the title of the love letter).

Also, there's no melodramatic third party involved. That's all for now... I'll try to update more tomorrow.

Thank you for the one "landmine" in Chongchong's Growth Diary [heart]