29 Divorce Judgments

After Wen Xueyan got up and washed, her phone suddenly vibrated. The call from the police station came abruptly; the officer only said that a family member needed to pick up Song Tiancheng before quickly hanging up.

The autumn morning breeze was cool, and Wen Xueyan wrapped her trench coat tightly around herself as she stood by the roadside trying to flag down a car.

"Xueyan!" Ning Zhiyi called. "Your divorce case is in court this afternoon, right? My new doctor boyfriend and I are going to sit in on it to cheer you on! And also, you can give me your opinion on him."

"Thank you, but I need to go to the police station to pick up Song Tiancheng first."

"Oh my god! The police station? Could he have been arrested for soliciting prostitution?" Ning Zhiyi blurted out. Her ex-husband had been to the police station for the same reason, which was one of the reasons for their divorce.

Wen Xueyan was taken aback. "I'll go check first. He needs to be released from the police station before he can appear in court."

Half an hour later, Wen Xueyan arrived at the police station.

Song Tiancheng sat on a bench, his left arm wrapped in a white bandage, and dark red scabs forming at the corner of his mouth. When he saw Wen Xueyan, his eyes lit up for a moment, then quickly dimmed again.

The police officer explained, "He was at a bar last night, and during a fight, he was cut by a bottle. The other person attacked first, so your husband acted in self-defense."

"Xueyan, you haven't been answering my calls. Don't you forgive me? Don't tell my mother about us." Song Tiancheng's voice was pleading. "If you keep it a secret, I'll agree to anything you ask today, including a divorce."

"Why?" Wen Xueyan seemed to sense that Song Tiancheng was very afraid that his mother-in-law would find out about this, and it might not be entirely out of filial piety. After all, when his mother-in-law was critically ill before, only Wen Xueyan was waiting outside the operating room.

Song Tiancheng still didn't give a reason: "I have one more favor to ask. Next weekend is my mother's birthday. She hasn't been feeling well since being discharged from the hospital. Could you come over to my mother's house for a meal? I can drive and pick you up."

"We'll see." Wen Xueyan originally wanted to refuse, but considering that her mother-in-law supported her divorce and offered to make her her goddaughter, and since her mother-in-law had treated her well, she didn't refuse outright.

As they left the police station, Song Tiancheng said softly, "Xueyan," "Last spring, on this very road, I took you to that noodle shop several times on weekends."

His gaze drifted to the street corner, where there was indeed a long-established noodle shop. Last March, cherry blossoms had covered the steps in front of the shop, and they had eaten beef noodles together by the window.

Back then, Song Tiancheng would carefully place the soft-boiled egg from the bowl to her lips, his fingers occasionally brushing against her cheek, carrying the scent of sunshine.

At that time, Su Yunzhu had not yet appeared in their lives. Every weekend morning, he would run along this street, and if Wen Xueyan did not get up early with him, he would definitely bring back takeout from that noodle shop.

Looking at the fallen leaves on the ground, Wen Xueyan said, "Don't be late for the court hearing this afternoon." Then she got into a taxi and left.

Wen Xueyan felt that divorce was not a sudden downpour, but rather the result of years of dampness that eventually eroded the pillars of their relationship.

Just like this autumn, it didn't arrive suddenly; its fate was sealed from the very first fallen leaf.

The afternoon court hearing went more smoothly than Wen Xueyan had imagined.

Attorney Zheng presented a complete chain of evidence of infidelity. The timestamps on the hotel surveillance screenshots clearly showed the dates when Song Tiancheng took Su Yunzhu to hotels time and time again, including footage of them kissing in the corridor. Most of these incidents occurred after get off work on weekdays and before 10 p.m.

Evidence shows that Song Tiancheng has been having an affair for over a year.

It turns out that all those cold and distant nights he spent weren't because he was really tired or exhausted, but because he was channeling his energy into other people.

Song Tiancheng stood in the defendant's dock, his fingers repeatedly tracing the edge of the divorce agreement.

Seeing Song Tiancheng's lingering affection, the judge required proof of irretrievable breakdown of the marital relationship before a divorce could be granted. Therefore, the plaintiff's lawyer continued to present evidence. Cheng Boyan's lawyer for Wen Xueyan was very meticulous, preparing a large stack of evidence.

"I agree to the divorce. No further evidence needs to be presented, and the property division can be handled according to Wen Xueyan's wishes." Song Tiancheng interrupted the lawyer's statement, his red eyes fixed on the plaintiff's seat. "But Xueyan, I still love you. Furthermore, regardless of whether you accept me in the future, that new apartment in Platinum International belongs solely to you."

Wen Xueyan looked up in surprise. She had always thought that Song Tiancheng was just talking casually about the house.

Attorney Zheng's hand also paused. Since the matter had already reached the courtroom, he had seen most of the cases where both parties were fighting over property, so he had prepared a lot of evidence. However, he did not expect that Song Tiancheng would take the initiative to give up the property.

"Why?" Wen Xueyan asked.

Song Tiancheng simply shook his head, tears blurring the surface of the document: "It's my fault. Consider this a little more chance for you to forgive me in the future."

Wen Xueyan did not respond further, because she could not discern the true meaning behind Song Tiancheng's words.

The night she was beaten shattered her last remaining hope.

After the court hearing, Ning Zhiyi arrived with a tall, handsome man. Ning Zhiyi took his arm and said, "This is Dr. Qi. He insisted on coming with me, saying he wanted to cheer you on."

Qi Wenmu's voice was gentle and warm: "I often hear Zhiyi mention you."

Dinner was at a Cantonese restaurant across the street from the courthouse.

Dr. Qi pulled out chairs for the ladies, and Ning Zhiyi giggled as she served him food. During the meal, Xueyan discovered that Dr. Qi was very knowledgeable, not only possessing rich clinical medical knowledge but also having a deep understanding of Song Dynasty poetry, displaying the air of a highly educated student.

When Dr. Qi went to the restroom, Wen Xueyan asked, "Dr. Qi is so outstanding, yet you've never been married. How come you've always been single?"

He said he'd been too busy with his career and that only now, after meeting me, did he realize that the best things are always worth waiting for.

"Do you believe it?" Wen Xueyan asked with concern.

"I'm half-believing, half-doubting. We've discussed this before; good men are rare. Your Mr. Cheng is unlikely to be readily available..." Despite being immersed in love, Ning Zhiyi still maintained a clear head.

Ning Zhiyi touched up her makeup in front of the mirror: "Let me look at what's in front of me first. He helped me tutor my child yesterday."

When I returned to the private room, Dr. Qi was replying to work messages. Looking up, the cold light from his phone reflected off his gold-rimmed glasses: "Something came up at the hospital, I have to go. The bill has already been paid." He stood up and put on his coat, the faint smell of disinfectant emanating from him carried away by the autumn breeze.

Wen Xueyan looked out the window.

The tall and handsome Dr. Qi walked through the fallen sycamore leaves to the parking lot, then drove away. Ning Zhiyi watched his retreating figure, and the thought crossed her mind again: how could such a dazzlingly handsome man fall in love with a single mother with a child?

"How did you two meet?" Wen Xueyan asked.

"I took Hao Hao to the hospital for a checkup, and we met in the emergency room. He was on duty that day, so his doctor status is definitely genuine. Do you think Dr. Qi might have some fatal flaw?"

"What do you mean? How far have things progressed between you two? Is there something wrong with him in that area?" Wen Xueyan asked. After all, being a doctor is a profession that many people consider a plus when dating, and Dr. Qi has thick hair and is handsome. She really couldn't think of any problems Dr. Qi could have.

"It hasn't come to that yet. We'll discuss it with you later if things develop. I have to go pick up my child from school." Ning Zhiyi glanced at her watch.

After Ning Zhiyi left, Wen Xueyan stood alone at the restaurant entrance, looking down at the map on her phone.

Faced with the evening rush hour traffic, she hesitated between taking the subway or a taxi.

"Snowy Beauty."

Song Tiancheng stood three steps away. Wen Xueyan subconsciously stepped back, her high heels making a crisp sound as they stepped on the fallen leaves.

"Don't be afraid," he stopped immediately, raising his hands slightly, "I swear I won't hit you again. I just want to apologize."

"Three years and four months," he said softly, his gaze lingering on her cheek, "I've only ever loved you. Those things, I was just confused for a moment. When the passion in our marriage faded, I did think about seeking excitement, I couldn't resist the temptation, but I never considered divorce."

"I went drinking last night because the thought of getting a divorce today filled me with unbearable reluctance." His voice broke in the wind. "What do you want me to do for you to forgive me?"

Wen Xueyan lowered her head and opened the ride-hailing app.

"Next weekend," he took a half-step forward, then immediately stopped, "it's my mom's birthday, you absolutely have to come. She's been talking about you."

Wen Xueyan finally spoke, "We'll see then. Please wish Auntie a happy birthday for me."

The ride-hailing car arrived quickly. As she got in, she saw through the rear window that Song Tiancheng was still standing in the same spot, the setting sun casting a long, long shadow of him, like a lonely tree.

"Driver," she suddenly said, "could we take a detour along Jianghe Road? I want to see the sunset over the river."

Wen Xueyan felt a car following her, but it wasn't Song Tiancheng's car. She thought it might just be her imagination.

"The Platinum International house is yours alone. I'll cooperate whenever you're free to complete the transfer of ownership," Song Tiancheng sent via WeChat.

Wen Xueyan felt that even if she actually got the house, she didn't plan to live there for the time being, otherwise Song Tiancheng might come looking for her again.

Back in the apartment complex, Wen Xueyan walked up the old staircase. The motion-activated lights flickered, casting swaying shadows on the mottled walls. She kept feeling footsteps behind her, but each time she turned around, she only heard the autumn wind whistling through the cracks in the stairwell windows.

She told herself, "I'll go house hunting this weekend and move next week."

The moment the key was inserted into the lock, a large hand suddenly gripped her waist tightly from behind, while another hand covered her mouth.

She felt that this person was not Song Tiancheng.

Before Wen Xueyan could even cry out in surprise, she was pulled into the house by a brute force.

Welcome all readers, teachers, and darlings to leave comments and vote! Thank you for your support.

The woman must be resolute. She cannot forgive her ex-husband. Domestic violence cannot be changed, no matter how sincere the promises.

Getting a divorce is so difficult! Even if someone cheated, they still have to prove the relationship has broken down.

Yes, I feel the same way! I've seen so many court cases like this, especially that domestic violence case that went viral last year—it's so difficult to get a divorce.

Thank you for your comments, readers! Feel free to leave more messages!

Yes! You've been very observant; this process sometimes takes a long time. Thank you for your comment, reader! Feel free to leave more comments!

I want to see more, please update quickly!

Is this doctor's flaw that he doesn't love women?

Thank you for your comments, readers! Feel free to leave more messages!

Thank you for your comments, readers! Feel free to leave more messages!