Chapter 8 Everyone around Jin Qingyu dislikes her.

Jiang Xingyao and Jin Qingyu were deadlocked for a long time, and unsurprisingly, they failed to reach an agreement in the end.

Jin Qingyu took Jiang Xingyao's mention of divorce as just a childish tantrum. He even warned her directly, "Jiang Xingyao, there should be a limit to your temper. I don't have that much time to play house with you. Just tell me what you want."

Jiang Xingyao had only one request: she was determined to get a divorce. She had already stated it, but Jin Qingyu simply wouldn't believe her.

With the situation at a stalemate, Jiang Xingyao directly uttered the same harsh words she had spoken to Jiang Cancan at Jin Qingyu.

The next day, she was told by Lin's mother that her husband had recently forbidden her from going out.

Jiang Xingyao was almost laughing in exasperation. What a brilliant way to solve the problem at its root!

Jiang Xingyao called Jin Qingyu several times, but no one answered.

The man left early, and when Jiang Xingyao woke up, she no longer saw him. There was only a glass of milk on the bedside table, which had been placed there sometime earlier and was now cold.

As usual, Jiang Xingyao poured the milk directly into the toilet.

In the afternoon, Xu, Jin Qingyu's assistant, came over with a group of people and delivered a batch of seasonal clothes, along with some new formal wear, which filled up Jiang Xingyao's wardrobe, which had been mostly emptied.

After dismissing the people in the mall, Assistant Xu handed Jiang Xingyao a black card: "Madam, this is something Mr. Jin asked me to give you. He said that if you're really bored at home, you can buy something you like online."

"What do you mean? Does he really not plan to let me go out?" Jiang Xingyao asked.

Before, he only brought Jiang Cancan in front of her to disgust her and destroy her self-esteem. Now he plans to directly imprison her freedom?

Assistant Xu said, "President Jin didn't say this, but he said he doesn't want to see you using Mrs. Jin's name to bully Secretary Jiang."

Mr. Jin also said that the matter between you two has nothing to do with Secretary Jiang, and that you should not involve innocent people.

Assistant Xu's voice was calm, like an emotionless machine, relaying what others had said.

Jiang Xingyao felt a tightness in her chest as she listened.

"So in the end, it's all because of Jiang Cancan?"

“If you insist on interpreting it that way, then you’re not wrong,” Assistant Xu said. “Secretary Jiang is responsible in her work and is wholeheartedly devoted to the company. You shouldn’t use her status as Mrs. Jin to make things difficult for her.”

"Are you really protecting Jiang Cancan just because she's hardworking?" Jiang Xingyao sat on the sofa, slowly poured herself a cup of tea, and stared at Assistant Xu with a half-smile in her eyes.

No one knows Jiang Cancan better than Jiang Xingyao what kind of person she is.

The so-called workplace elites and workaholics are all just illusions.

Jiang Xingyao had seen Jin Qingyu stay up all night dealing with the event that Jiang Cancan had ruined.

That was last year's Mid-Autumn Festival, a family banquet for the Jin family, a day for family reunion, but Jin Qingyu had to stay at the old house.

The lights in their room stayed on all night, and Jin Qingyu made phone calls all night.

Everyone says that Secretary Jiang is exceptionally capable and responsible, but in reality, she only has Jin Qingyu behind her to clean up her messes.

Assistant Xu frowned at Jiang Xingyao's words and asked, "Madam, why do you have to be so critical of Secretary Jiang? Everyone in the Jin family has witnessed Secretary Jiang's excellence, and Secretary Jiang has never said a bad word about you."

Jiang Xingyao was unwilling to respond.

She admitted that she was no match for Jiang Cancan when it came to winning people's hearts.

Assistant Xu disliked Jiang Xingyao, or rather, everyone around Jin Qingyu disliked her, Mrs. Jin.

After a brief silence, Assistant Xu said stiffly, "I have conveyed Mr. Jin's words. Madam, please take care of yourself."

"When can I get out?" Jiang Xingyao asked.

Assistant Xu paused in his steps: "President Jin said, 'When you stop being unreasonable...'"

Even though she already knew that her relationship with Jin Qingyu was extremely shallow, Jiang Xingyao's heart was still stung by Assistant Xu's words.

In his mind, her determination was still nothing but unreasonable fuss.

"When will he come back?" Jiang Xingyao asked, suppressing the bitterness in her heart.

She didn't want to waste any more time in this house, and she didn't want to hear one person after another from Jin Qingyu's side criticizing her, as Mrs. Jin.

She still wanted to resolve the issue as soon as possible.

This time, Assistant Xu said nothing and simply left.

Hearing the door slam shut, Jiang Xingyao was a little dazed.

Aunt Lin came over and said, "Madam, please don't be temperamental with your husband. He still cares about you. Look, he only noticed the wardrobe was empty yesterday, and he had clothes delivered today. Why are you so upset..."

"Aunt Lin, do you also think I'm being unreasonable?" Jiang Xingyao asked.

Lin's mother hesitated for a moment, but still nodded: "The master never lets his wife worry about making a living. Every time he goes out, he brings her jewelry. Every season, he has countless clothes delivered to her. Even at home, he personally heats up milk for his wife. Such a life is the envy of many people. Why should your wife be so upset?"

Jiang Xingyao also wanted to know why she couldn't see the light.

In everyone's eyes, Jin Qingyu is no less than a perfect husband, as if the whole world thinks she is just being silly.

Jiang Xingyao clutched her chest, a self-deprecating smile unconsciously curving her lips.

Even though it was Jin Qingyu who cheated, she seemed to have become the betrayer in this marriage.

Looking at Lin Ma's disapproving face, Jiang Xingyao felt that even if she said now that Jin Qingyu and Jiang Cancan were having an affair, Lin Ma would only think she was crazy.

Jiang Xingyao didn't want to talk about it anymore.

She got up to go back to the bedroom, but Lin's mother said again, "Madam, I've been through this before. It's normal for couples to have disagreements. Your husband is such a good person, there's no need to go to the point of divorce."

Jiang Xingyao stopped in her tracks as she went upstairs. She gripped the railing and looked down at Lin Ma, asking, "Is Jin Qingyu really that good to me?"

Lin's mother nodded: "I've been in this line of work for many years. Before coming to the Jin family, I worked for other families. I've never seen a husband as considerate as Mr. Jin. He doesn't want his wife to do any work. Isn't that considerate enough? You should be content, Madam."

At this moment, even Jiang Xingyao felt a bitter taste in her mouth.

It turns out that, in other people's eyes, her marriage with Jin Qingyu was not something he was satisfied with.

Seeing that Lin's mother still wanted to persuade her further, Jiang Xingyao said, "According to what you're saying, maybe he's very good to me, but he's even better to others."

"Aunt Lin, he's not just considerate to me, Mrs. Jin; he's considerate to everyone."

Looking down at the sofa, Jiang Xingyao seemed to see Jiang Cancan lying there drunk that day, her husband bending down to cover her with a blanket.

“You are, after all, Mrs. Jin. Others are naturally different from you. Why bother competing with them?” Lin Ma still didn't understand. “The master has never challenged your position, you…”

"Just because he didn't mention divorce, should I be grateful and become Mrs. Jin? Even if someone from outside moves into the house, should I be careful to cater to them?"

"Aunt Lin, I've been through the same thing this past year, but now I don't want to live like this anymore. I just want to change my way of life. Is that wrong?" Jiang Xingyao said self-deprecatingly.

Jin Qingyu is really good at putting on a show.

Many of his housekeepers felt that even if he cheated on her, as long as he didn't mention divorce, she should be grateful and serve him.

If she hadn't considered divorce, Jiang Xingyao herself wouldn't have realized that she had been living in such a distorted environment all along.

Everyone here revolves around Jin Qingyu.

Whatever decision Jin Qingyu makes, it will be right and will be supported by countless people.

Even she herself was once a supporter of Jin Qingyu.

Jiang Xingyao withdrew her gaze from Lin Ma, her tone icy: "From now on, I don't want to hear a single word of blame. If Lin Ma can't do that, she can collect her salary and leave."

"I'm still Mrs. Jin, so firing a nanny would be very easy for me."

Lin's mother lowered her head, her lips twitching slightly, clearly showing some dissatisfaction with Jiang Xingyao.

But Jiang Xingyao was too lazy to care about her reaction.

When she married into the Jin family, everyone thought she had gotten the better deal.

No one around Jin Qingyu liked her.

She used to go to great lengths to please him, but now she doesn't need to.

She no longer cared about Jin Qingyu, nor about anyone related to him.

Jiang Xingyao was awakened by the noise outside.

It was completely dark by then.

She glanced at the time; it was 9:30, the time Jin Qingyu usually came home.

It was too quiet inside.

The quiet Jiang Xingyao could clearly hear Lin Ma's complaints outside.

With a creak, the bedroom door was pushed open, followed by the lights being turned on. The glaring light made Jiang Xingyao raise her hand to shield her eyes.

Jin Qingyu stood at the door, with Lin Ma beside him.

When Lin Ma met Jiang Xingyao's gaze, her expression was a little strange, as if she felt guilty.

It was Jiang Xingyao who looked away first.

She ignored Jin Qingyu's meaning, pulled the thin blanket over herself, and covered most of her face.

Jin Qingyu's brows furrowed deeply, but he still walked over to Jiang Xingyao and said, "I know everything that happened today. If you don't like Aunt Lin, I'll transfer her. There's no need for you to be upset about this."

Jiang Xingyao seemed to realize just then that Jin Qingyu was very good at avoiding the important issues.

If she directly tells him that she doesn't like Jiang Cancan, Jin Qingyu will pretend not to know.

But she didn't like Lin Ma, so he acted like a considerate husband, standing up for her.

Jiang Xingyao felt it was very boring.

She didn't respond to that question, but instead asked, "How long does Mr. Jin plan to keep me locked up?"

This time, it was Jin Qingyu's turn to remain silent.

Jiang Xingyao said, "To protect his mistress, President Jin has imprisoned his wife. He's truly one of a kind in the world."

Since she's so afraid of me causing her trouble, wouldn't it be better to just sign the divorce papers and solve the problem once and for all?

Jiang Xingyao's dark pupils were fixed on Jin Qingyu's eyes, her gaze filled with an indescribable stubbornness.

Jin Qingyu's lips twitched as if he wanted to say something, but he suppressed it. After a moment, he said, "Jin Manchuan's birthday is coming up. Let's talk properly after this matter is over."

The Jin Manchuan that Jin Qingyu mentioned was none other than his irresponsible biological father.

Looking at his cold, hard face, Jiang Xingyao seemed to understand why he was so determined not to get a divorce.

It turns out that she, Mrs. Jin, is the one who needs to deal with the Jin family.

After all, Jin Qingyu only secured his position as president because of his marriage alliance with the Jiang family.

It seemed that after Jin Manchuan's birthday, her divorce from Jin Qingyu would be finalized. Jiang Xingyao breathed a heavy sigh of relief. She finally stopped being confrontational and simply nodded, saying, "Okay."