Chapter 159 From This Day On, I Lost You
Jiang Ranxing's avoidance of him was all too obvious; she was practically trying to avoid him at all costs.
Fu Shenyuan gave another bitter laugh.
He really wanted to ask Jiang Ranxing why he couldn't even smile at him or say something nice.
He can't ask it now.
Fu Shenyuan slowly approached and sat down opposite Old Master Fu, next to Jiang Ranxing.
"Grandpa," Fu Shenyuan called out.
Grandpa Fu nodded and looked up at his own child.
His face betrayed an undeniable weariness and a sense of vicissitude.
He felt a pang of heartache, but he still had to finish what he needed to do that day.
Only in this way can everything get back on track.
Grandpa Fu put down the soup bowl in his hand, took a tissue to wipe his mouth before speaking.
"Shen Yuan, two days are up. Have you made up your mind?"
"Old Master Fu asked."
Fu Shenyuan knew that he had to face it today no matter what.
Otherwise, Grandpa would have many ways to force him to submit, which would be even more difficult then.
He nodded, but couldn't help thinking that even though he seemed to have immense power and stood above everyone else, he was ultimately not in control of his own destiny and was bound by his grandfather in some matters.
Both the marriage six years ago and the impending divorce today are examples of this.
At this moment, Fu Shenyuan had a sudden thought.
If he weren't a member of the Fu family, would he have been able to control his own destiny even more?
He sighed softly.
After hearing his story, Old Master Fu's expression changed slightly. He then asked the butler to help him upstairs. The group eventually made their way to the study.
Jiang Ranxing followed Grandpa Fu and took his seat.
Fu Shenyuan was the last to sit down.
The two of them still sat side by side opposite Grandpa Fu.
Jiang Ranxing took the folder out of his tote bag, opened it, and placed it in front of Grandpa Fu.
"Grandpa, I've already signed the papers, all that's left is for him," Jiang Ranxing said calmly, without any emotion.
"Hmm," Old Master Fu glanced at Fu Shenyuan and asked, "What about yours?"
Fu Shenyuan made no move.
Grandpa Fu coughed and said, "Don't forget what I said. Shen Yuan, you're an obedient child. You know what you should and shouldn't do."
Fu Shenyuan closed his eyes helplessly, and after a while, he took out his phone and dialed Tan Shen's number: "Bring it up."
Tan Shen acted quickly; within minutes, there was a knock on the study door.
The old butler opened the door, and Tan Shen walked in, placing another folder in front of Fu Shenyuan.
Grandpa Fu looked at the blank spaces on both divorce agreements, where Fu Shenyuan's name was.
He tapped the table with his hand and said, "Alright, let's sign the papers today and then go through the formalities."
Grandpa Fu took a fountain pen from the pen rack and handed it to Fu Shenyuan.
"Sign it," said Old Master Fu.
Fu Shenyuan took the heavy pen, but he had never felt that a pen had such an unbearable weight.
He turned his head to look at Jiang Ranxing, but she never looked at him; she was simply waiting for an outcome.
Jiang Ranxing's profile was so beautiful, yet so cold and ruthless.
No matter how close two people sit, their hearts are separated by thousands of miles.
Fu Shenyuan clenched his fist, but finally relaxed it.
If no matter how much you struggle, there's no way to change things, then you can only keep going like this.
His head was spinning, and everything felt so unreal.
Fu Shenyuan mechanically removed the pen cap, and his hand paused just as the pen tip was about to touch the paper.
The pen tip left a black ink dot on the paper.
He said to Jiang Ranxing, "Let's revise the agreement. I'll give you some assets so you don't have to leave with nothing."
Jiang Ranxing snorted coldly. She laughed, a cruel laugh, her voice icy: "No need, I don't want your things."
She never wanted anything from Fu Shenyuan.
Even now, she doesn't want the love she used to desire anymore.
Jiang Ranxing turned his head, looked at him, and gave a sinister smile.
“Fu Shenyuan, if you keep delaying, I will look down on you, and I believe Grandpa will not agree either.”
She said, "We should have ended this wrong marriage a long time ago. Let's end it all today and go our separate ways from now on."
With Old Master Fu present today, no matter what Fu Shenyuan said, he had no choice but to sign.
Seeing the two men on the verge of exchanging blows, Old Master Fu sighed inwardly, but there was nothing he could do to salvage the situation.
Once a mistake is made, it cannot be undone with just a few words.
It's hard to say for sure who was at fault now.
Grandpa Fu said in a deep voice, "Shen Yuan, sign the papers and let Ranxing leave. You can then fulfill your long-cherished wish to be with Miss Lin."
If the matter really goes to court, the Fu family will lose even more face.
Therefore, Fu Shenyuan must end this matter today.
Fu Shenyuan understood that Jiang Ranxing showed him no mercy and was determined to stay away from him.
He couldn't hold onto her anymore.
And the long-cherished wish that his grandfather mentioned... he began to doubt his own heart.
Did he really love Lin Xuesha all along?
Is that what everyone else thinks?
Fu Shenyuan's eyes slowly darkened, a faint stinging pain spreading through his heart. He sighed and swallowed the faint bitter taste in his throat.
He glanced at Jiang Ranxing again, wishing she would look at him too, even if only for a fleeting moment.
Now, that's just wishful thinking.
Then, he picked up a pen and, slowly and with never so weak a feeling, wrote his name on the paper.
Two copies of the agreement, one for each party, were signed by both parties, and the agreement officially came into effect.
The hammer of fate finally struck with a resounding crash, announcing both annihilation and rebirth.
Jiang Ranxing looked at the two names on the divorce agreement in front of her, and almost burst into tears.
She thought, "Finally, I'm free."
They will never again suffer the torment and pain of love.
Her mistake has finally come to an end.
Jiang Ranxing smiled calmly.
She looked at Grandpa Fu and said, her voice choked with emotion, "Thank you, Grandpa, for granting my wish today."
That phrase, "to grant your wish," is just like that day six years ago.
Just like when Old Master Fu wanted her to marry Fu Shenyuan.
She also said, "Thank you, Grandpa, for making this possible."
But things are different now. She has grown up, experienced joy and sorrow, and waded through turbulent waters and lava. She is no longer as naive and passionate as she once was, and has become more mature and rational.
She has experienced all the pains of growing up.
She has no regrets about today's decision.
She didn't want to dwell on anything that had happened between her and Fu Shenyuan in the past.
She no longer cared who was right or wrong between them, or who should apologize to whom.
She wanted to let herself go.
She needs to forget all of this and start living her own life anew.
The word "future" no longer includes Fu Shenyuan.
Grandpa Fu nodded, then said to them, "Let's go to the Civil Affairs Bureau."
He then said to Fu Shenyuan, "Come back and find me when you're done. We'll talk about you and Miss Lin then."
Fu Shenyuan didn't say anything, stood up and walked out first.
He walked to the door, and Tan Shen opened the car door for him.
He said, "Wait, let's wait for her to come along."
Tan Shen paused for a moment, then realized that they were talking about Jiang Ranxing.
Tan Shen wondered why his wife would be willing to ride in President Fu's car again.
However, Fu Shenyuan insisted on waiting until he saw Jiang Ranxing's figure appear before him.
Jiang Ranxing held the folder in his hand, his face showing an unprecedentedly relaxed expression.
She walked over slowly, and when she saw Fu Shenyuan, her expression turned cold again.
Fu Shenyuan said, "Let's go together in my car."
Jiang Ranxing wanted to shake his head and refuse.
Fu Shenyuan spoke quickly, "I have something to tell you about the divorce."
In the end, Jiang Ranxing got into Fu Shenyuan's car.
It wasn't because she showed any mercy to Fu Shenyuan.
It is precisely because she doesn't care and is handling the divorce rationally that she doesn't care about these things.
Tan Shen was driving towards the Civil Affairs Bureau in District A of City A, and he slowed down his car.
Because this was Fu Shenyuan's order.
Fu Shenyuan told him not to drive to the Civil Affairs Bureau so quickly.
In the car, Jiang Ranxing glanced at Fu Shenyuan and said rationally, "Speak, what is it?"
Fu Shenyuan said, "You said you'd leave with nothing, that's not right. I'll give you alimony, enough for you to live comfortably."
Jiang Ranxing found it both funny and absurd. She said, "I've said it so many times, I don't want it. Why do you insist on giving it to me? Don't you understand?"
Faced with her questioning, Fu Shenyuan's heart trembled slightly.
He knew that his current behavior was somewhat abnormal.
But no matter what, he was worried about Jiang Ranxing.
It's also possible that he didn't want to lose all contact with Jiang Ranxing.
After the divorce, they truly became strangers.
He understood that Jiang Ranxing would never want to see him again.
But he already had feelings for her.
Even though Jiang Ranxing still rejected him, he didn't want to give up.
Fu Shenyuan lowered his voice considerably and said, "I'll give you the money, just consider it as what I've owed you all these years. It'll be good if I can pay back even a little bit."
Jiang Ranxing laughed after hearing this.
"You owe me something I can never repay in this lifetime. Forget it, you can keep it yourself. I don't want anything else."
When it comes to the matter of owing something...
Fu Shenyuan truly owes her the life she was given a second chance at.
The value of life cannot be measured by any amount of money.
Fu Shenyuan said he would repay the debt, but Jiang Ranxing found it laughable.
Jiang Ranxing's words were like knives, relentlessly cutting into his heart until it bled profusely and was a horrifying sight.
Fu Shenyuan lowered his head, a rare occurrence for him, and said, "These past six years, you've worked so hard taking care of this family."
It was only then that Jiang Ranxing felt a pang of sadness.
"Yes, for the past six years you haven't thought about the family at all. I've managed everything on my own. I should resent you, but I really don't have the energy to resent you now."
"Fu Shenyuan, I'm tired. If I had known we would end up like this, I would have preferred never to have met you."
Jiang Ranxing looked at Fu Shenyuan and calmly told him everything.
She truly hoped that she had never seen Fu Shenyuan when she was a child, on that beach, in front of that beautiful villa.
However, the past can never be changed.
This time, it was Fu Shenyuan's turn to feel guilty.
He had never thought about these things before.
Until Jiang Ranxing said she wanted to leave him.
At first, he just thought Jiang Ranxing was throwing a tantrum.
Later, he discovered that Jiang Ranxing really wanted to divorce him and leave him.
It was only then that he suddenly realized that he had actually gotten used to having Jiang Ranxing in his life, and that Jiang Ranxing had permeated every aspect of his life.
Unconscious habits are quite terrifying.
Because he had become accustomed to it, and had come to regard this kind of life as an instinctive environment for survival.
That's why you feel even more helpless when you're about to lose it.
Even though he once thought he hated Jiang Ranxing.
But undeniably, his body's instinct is to be accustomed to and fond of Jiang Ranxing, not to dislike her.
But he was like a fool, not realizing it for so many years.
Only when they reached the end of the road did they realize it.
But at this moment, Jiang Ranxing had already let go of his hand and decided to leave alone.
It was too late; what could he possibly do to keep her?
Fu Shenyuan really wanted an answer, but no one could give him one.
It turned out that he was the one who pushed Jiang Ranxing away.
Fu Shenyuan was completely unable to answer Jiang Ranxing's questions.
All he knew was the torment he was enduring inside; regret and remorse filled his heart.
At this moment, he couldn't think of anyone else; his mind was filled with the image of Jiang Ranxing.
However, even though Jiang Ranxing was still sitting next to him, it was as if they were separated by a distant galaxy that he could not cross.
No matter how much he wanted to keep her, he couldn't let her stay.
Looking at her fair face, which was filled with rejection, Fu Shenyuan was momentarily speechless.
He could only silently say, "I'm sorry..."
Hearing these three words, Jiang Ranxing was slightly moved.
But that was all; I was only slightly moved, nothing more.
She won't be easily moved.
She didn't answer.
Even if the car drives slowly, it will eventually reach its destination.
The car came to a smooth stop in front of the Civil Affairs Bureau building.
There are many people coming to the Civil Affairs Bureau to handle business. You can tell what they do just by looking at the expressions on the faces of these couples.
Tan Shen said to the person in the back seat, "Mr. Fu, Madam, please rest for a while. I'll go and apply for the fast track."
Fu Shenyuan nodded.
Tan Shen got out of the car, leaving only Fu Shenyuan and Jiang Ranxing inside.
Jiang Ranxing rolled down the car window and could just see a couple on the steps in the distance. The woman was wearing a white dress and a white veil, holding a bouquet of flowers, and she was snuggling up to the man beside her, happily posing for photos with the photographer.
The man then romantically knelt down on one knee, took out a ring box from his pocket, and proposed to the woman with a diamond ring.
After the woman put on the ring, the two embraced, and anyone who saw them couldn't help but wish them a long and happy life together.
Jiang Ranxing was also somewhat moved when he saw it.
"I haven't given you a ring yet, have I? Do you like them? I'll give you one."
Fu Shenyuan followed Jiang Ranxing's gaze and spoke into Jiang Ranxing's ear.
Jiang Ranxing then realized that she had never owned a wedding ring all these years.
Is it really true that without a wedding ring there is no commitment, and the marriage will not last?
Jiang Ranxing said, "What's the point of a ring that's arrived late?"
If it doesn't appear when it shouldn't, and waits until the deadline has passed, it's long past its expiration date.
Looking at the people outside who came to get their marriage certificates, Fu Shenyuan realized that it seemed like there was nothing in his marriage with Jiang Ranxing.
He never gave her a ring, nor did he ever see Jiang Ranxing in a wedding dress.
There wasn't a single photo of the two of them together, nor anything to commemorate any happy moments.
He missed so much, and it was all his own doing.
He has no one to blame but himself.
Fu Shenyuan could say nothing more.
It's absolutely impossible to have it now.
The two remained silent in the car.
It wasn't until Tan Shen returned and knocked on the car window that the situation changed.
"Mr. Fu, Madam, you may go in now."
Jiang Ranxing got out of the car without hesitation.
Fu Shenyuan watched her quick movements, chuckled wryly, and followed her into the Civil Affairs Bureau.
"After you sign, you will enter a one-month cooling-off period for divorce. If there are no objections during this period, you can come to formally obtain your divorce certificate one month later, at which time your marital relationship will be dissolved."
The staff at the Civil Affairs Bureau window finally completed all the procedures.
She was just surprised when she asked about Fu Shenyuan's assets, and his wife actually chose not to take any of them.
It seems that, just like in those romance novels she read in her spare time, a wealthy wife left heartbroken. It turns out that this can actually happen in real life.
Jiang Ranxing listened attentively to the staff member's explanation, nodded, and said "okay."
Then he stood up and prepared to leave.
Fu Shenyuan chased after her and stopped Jiang Ranxing at the door.
He said, "Let's have a meal together, as a farewell meal."
Jiang Ranxing felt there was no need to say goodbye to Fu Shenyuan.
"Forget it, we're not the kind of people who can sit down and have a meal together," Jiang Ranxing said.
Jiang Ranxing tried to move away, but Fu Shenyuan refused and insisted on blocking her way.
Jiang Ranxing tried to avoid him but couldn't, so she rolled her eyes at him.
"What exactly do you want? We're divorced, what more do you want? Don't do this kind of thing, it makes it seem like you can't let go and I'm still bothering you."
She was simply too tired to continue entangled with him.
Seeing how she avoided him like the plague, Fu Shenyuan felt a pang of bitterness and ache in his heart.
Fu Shenyuan said, "I just want to have a meal with you and have a chat."
Jiang Ranxing said, "What if I just disagree?"
"Then I'll keep asking you for this meal."
Jiang Ranxing was surprised to find that Fu Shenyuan had become so clingy; at least, he had never been like this with her.
Jiang Ranxing didn't agree immediately, but asked, "If I agree, will you stop bothering me? If so, then I'll go have this meal with you."
She added an additional condition, asking Fu Shenyuan to consider it carefully.
Fu Shenyuan nodded: "Okay, I promise you."
“Okay, I believe President Fu is a man of his word and won’t go back on his promise,” Jiang Ranxing said nimbly as he got into the back seat of the car. “I’ll have this meal with you, and from now on we’ll go our separate ways and neither of us will bother the other.”
Fu Shenyuan clenched his fists, feeling helpless at the sight of Jiang Ranxing's resolute expression.
Tan Shen immediately booked a restaurant.
Fu Shenyuan asked Tan Shen to clear out the hotel restaurant, leaving them with a private space.
In the large, quiet restaurant, only Fu Shenyuan and Jiang Ranxing were present.
The waiter handed Jiang Ranxing the tablet computer used for taking orders.
Jiang Ranxing shook his head: "Give it to him, I don't want to eat anything."
After all, she came here only for peace and tranquility in the future, not actually to eat.
The waiter was a little embarrassed before handing the tablet to Fu Shenyuan.
"Please take your time ordering, Mr. Fu. We'll prepare your meal once you've ordered."
The waiter quickly left, leaving only the two of them in the center of the restaurant.
Fu Shenyuan's slender fingers slid across the tablet, but his mind was not actually on the dishes.
He wanted to order some food that Jiang Ranxing might like.
However, he discovered that he had no idea what Jiang Ranxing liked to eat.
I have absolutely no idea.
He seemed to have never paid attention to what Jiang Ranxing liked to eat or drink at the dinner table.
Because at that time, the dining table at home was filled with all the foods he liked.
Fu Shenyuan wanted to ask Jiang Ranxing what she liked to eat, but he guessed that she definitely wouldn't be willing to tell her.
Based on his guess, he ordered some dishes that he thought would be to Jiang Ranxing's liking.
Jiang Ranxing remained silent throughout, only occasionally taking sips of mineral water, and didn't touch the red wine beside her. She didn't even pick up the glass.
Fu Shenyuan picked up his wine glass, swirled it, and tentatively asked, "I remember you like this wine."
He wouldn't be mistaken about this; Jiang Ranxing had mentioned it to him more than once when he was by his side, so he still had a vague recollection of it.
Jiang Ranxing looked at the glass of red wine, then at Fu Shenyuan, and smiled sarcastically.
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