0141 150 The Eternal Bride
Upon hearing this, Wei Luochen forced a smile that was more like a grimace. "You sent someone to follow me?"
"I'm afraid something will happen to you," Ling Xingzhi said without looking at her, his hands on the steering wheel. He made a turn, and the road conditions were good.
"Thank you for your concern, Mayor Ling," Wei Luochen said, looking out the window. "Knowing that I'm not pregnant, you must be relieved."
Ling Xingzhi smiled but didn't say anything more. The two remained silent all the way home. The housekeeper, who hadn't seen Ling Xingzhi for a while, was somewhat surprised to see her husband and wife return. Wei Luochen tossed the keys on the cabinet and sat down on the sofa without even taking off his shoes.
Ling Xingzhi followed behind, carrying large and small bags. He put the paper bags on the coffee table, then turned to the nanny and said, "Go prepare dinner. Go to room 503 and see what fresh ingredients they have. The crabs from Yangcheng Lake should be plump this season. Bring back two of them, and also cook two dishes that Madam likes."
The nanny nodded, her palms sweating slightly, and wiped them on her apron.
Sunlight streamed in through the floor-to-ceiling windows, casting a warm orange glow on the walls. Ling Xingzhi stood to one side, while Wei Luochen leaned back on the sofa with his legs bent; the two looked like a loving couple.
Mr. Ke hasn't been home for a long time.
After explaining everything, Ling Xingzhi sat down on the sofa next to Wei Luochen, took out his phone, looked at the messages he had typed but hadn't sent yet, hesitated for a moment, and then deleted them one by one. Just as he looked up again, the nanny closed the door.
Wei Luochen and Ling Xingzhi exchanged a glance, both remaining silent as they looked at each other. After a few seconds, Ling Xingzhi stood up. "I'll go get a glass of water. What would you like to drink? Tea? Coffee?"
"water."
After speaking, Wei Luochen closed his eyes, leaned back on the sofa, and used his ears to judge what Ling Xingzhi was doing—footsteps, the sound of a cup hitting the table, the sound of water hitting the glass, and then more footsteps…
"Your water."
Wei Luochen opened her eyes and saw Ling Xingzhi holding two glasses of water. Her heart ached, and she reached out to take the glasses. "Thank you."
"Need not."
Ling Xingzhi sat down on the sofa next to her, took a sip of water, and looked at the reflection of the potted plant on the ground. "I came to talk to you about the divorce," he said, looking at Wei Luochen. "Whatever your request, I will fulfill it if I can."
Wei Luochen gripped the water glass tightly, the veins on his fingers bulging whitely. "I won't get a divorce, I've said it many times."
Ling Xingzhi nodded and looked at Wei Luochen. "Yes, I know," he chuckled. "But is this marriage something you can avoid just because you don't want to get a divorce? I've already done a great job by helping you preserve the Wei family. If you want to go abroad and live a carefree life, I can grant your wish. If you want to be your editor-in-chief, I can grant that wish too. Wei Luochen, life is more than just love."
“I understand,” Wei Luochen stared at Ling Xingzhi, “but if I weren’t Mrs. Ling, my life would be much less fun.”
"People should know how to be content."
"Contentment!? Hahahahahaha" Wei Luochen tilted his head back and laughed, "Contentment? Ling Xingzhi, it's ridiculous to hear you say that."
Looking at Wei Luochen's frenzied state, Ling Xingzhi felt a pang of pity, but he knew that some things had to be decided decisively. He took the water glass and swallowed it down in one gulp, swallowing the sourness in his throat.
Wei Luochen stopped laughing and turned to look at Ling Xingzhi. "Do you think I only got pregnant to avoid a divorce?"
Ling Xingzhi turned his head to look at her.
Wei Luochen rested his hand on the back of the sofa, turned sideways to meet Ling Xingzhi's gaze, "I've been an official's wife for so many years, watching you all scheme and plot against each other every day. I may not have eaten pork, but I've seen pigs run. I've learned a lot from you about how to scheme against people and how to manipulate others."
At this moment, Ling Xingzhi, contrary to his usual self, showed a hint of admiration in his eyes. "Tell me, what could possibly stop me from divorcing you?"
Wei Luochen had dark eyes and crimson lips, looking like a demon from hell. Her mouth opened and closed, "Ling Xingzhi, your Ling family has smuggled weapons and stockpiled trillions of dollars overseas. If I were to say any of these things, your family would be utterly disgraced."
Ling Xingzhi raised an eyebrow, then relaxed, assuming Wei Luochen really possessed something crucial. He countered, "Do you know who's involved in the arms dealing with the Ling family? Do you know who's holding the trillions in assets? Revealing these things will only lead to your demise, while the Ling family remains unscathed. Wei Luochen, you know nothing. For all these years, you've been a caged canary I've kept, jumping around at the slightest disturbance."
After saying this, he stood up, looked down at Wei Luochen, and said, "Listen to me, even after the divorce, I can still let you run rampant in the capital. You can still live a carefree life. I won't let my ex-wife be looked down upon. You can have anything you want... except for that piece of paper."
Wei Luochen looked up and carefully examined Ling Xingzhi's face. She had looked at it for many years and never felt unfamiliar with it. Even now, she felt incredibly close to it.
“But…only that piece of paper can prove I’m Mrs. Ling,” Wei Luochen said softly, staring at Ling Xingzhi. “You gave your love to someone else, and all I have is that piece of paper.” She smiled. “That’s the most crucial thing to prove I’m Mrs. Ling, and you’re saying it’s just a piece of paper…”
Wei Luochen's eyes reddened, and she slowly stood up. "The Wei family fell because they offended Ye Lifeng... I am the culprit who brought down the Wei family, but do you know that Ye Rouxin used the Ling family's arms smuggling and Ling Xingxi's matter to threaten me? I agreed to his demands for the sake of the Ling family... I lost my home, and now you don't want me anymore, do you? Now you won't even give me a piece of paper, will you?"
This was the first time Ling Xingzhi had heard Wei Luochen mention this matter. He opened his mouth, his eyes filled with surprise, and then he sighed softly, his shoulders slumping. "If that's really the case, and you provoked Ye Lifeng for the sake of the Ling family, then I won't abandon you. But... now that he's dead, what evidence do you have to prove that everything you're saying is true?"
Tears streamed down Wei Luochen's face. "Can't my love for you prove it? Ling Xingzhi, how can your heart be as hard as a rock? What's so good about them? What makes them better than me? Am I not loving you enough?" She shook her head. "No, I'm the one who loves you the most. I don't understand why you don't love me. I did something wrong, you can tell me. This is my first time loving someone, my first time being someone's wife. How can you expect me to be perfect?"
Ling Xingzhi was speechless, letting Wei Luochen's tears fall.
“We’re not enemies, Ling Xingzhi, I don’t understand. I’ve given you my whole heart, what’s so great about those other women? I’d die for you, could they? Would they die for you? Yes, the Wei family is not doing well now, but out of old friendship, out of gratitude for the help the Wei family gave the Ling family, are you still going to divorce me? Even raising a dog will develop feelings, how can you treat me like this?”
Wei Luochen looked at Ling Xingzhi helplessly, tears falling like pearls onto the hem of her skirt. She was wearing a beautiful dress and looked like a pretty doll.
Ling Xingzhi's Adam's apple bobbed, his nose tingled, and he turned his head to look at the smooth ground, unable to look at Wei Luochen.
“Wei Luochen…we can’t judge how we’ve come to this point just by right and wrong…” His voice trembled slightly. “This is for the best for both of us…our marriage wasn’t just about the two of us back then, and it certainly isn’t…I have the Ling family behind me…”
Other words, however, were impossible for Xingzhi to utter.
In the eternal conflict with reason, emotion has never lost. Even after countless calculations and deliberations, with a living, breathing person standing before him, those sharp blades cannot be drawn, and he cannot harm her.
Wei Luochen smiled again, tilting her head to look at Ling Xingzhi. Tears left streaks on her cheeks. She was breathtakingly beautiful, and her words were like knives, stabbing into Ling Xingzhi's heart. "I've always known you're soft-hearted. You'll soften when I cry, and you'll comfort me. But I'm so proud. I can't lose face in front of you. I can't cry."
Ling Xingzhi shook his head, as if he had made up his mind. He turned to look at Wei Luochen, raised his hand and put it on her shoulder. "Wei Luochen... even after we get divorced, I will still treat you well. You will have everything you need, fame, fortune, and status, okay?"
"Don't be like this. I've put you in a difficult position, haven't I?" Wei Luochen stroked Ling Xingzhi's cheek, gazing at him with adoration. "Have I put you in a difficult position?"
Ling Xingzhi let out a long sigh, his eyes reflecting Wei Luochen. "No."
Wei Luochen lowered his hand and stood there, his tear tracks dried. "Hug me, okay? Hug me... We always argue whenever we meet, just hug me."
Ling Xingzhi's hand slowly slid down her shoulder, and he walked closer, pulling Wei Luochen into a tight embrace.
As the sun sets in the west, its light quietly departs.
Wei Luochen's tears had all dried up. In her ears, she heard the wedding vows he had recited when they got married: "On this auspicious day, our wedding ceremony is completed, and our good marriage is established. May our love be as beautiful as the poem 'Guan Ju' and the elegant song 'Lin Zhi'. May our descendants prosper for five generations, and may our blessings spread throughout the land. May we be of one heart and one mind, a harmonious and loving family, respecting each other like guests, and forever enjoying the bliss of love. May we support each other with sincerity and vow to be a perfect couple. This is our witness."
With one heart and one mind.
Suitable for home and living.
Mutual assistance and sincerity...
Ling Xingzhi released Wei Luochen, and both of them calmed down. He raised his hand and touched her hair. "Don't worry, I will keep my word. After the divorce, I will protect you and the Wei family."
Wei Luochen stared blankly at Ling Xingzhi, "But I don't want a divorce. All I have left is that piece of paper."
Ling Xingzhi looked at her and sighed, "You... wait a bit. I'll have the lawyer send over the divorce papers tomorrow. We can discuss any terms... Tomorrow morning at nine o'clock." After saying that, he ran out of the house as if he were escaping, not because of Wei Luochen, but because of the cruel reality.
With a stern face, he lit a cigarette, and soon the car was filled with smoke.
When the nanny returned, the lights were off. She tiptoed in and saw a red glow emanating from the sofa. The wife was smoking; she'd been smoking a lot lately. Her endless worries only lessened slightly when her husband returned.
"You don't need to do it anymore, you can go home."
A hoarse voice came from the darkness, startling the nanny. She quickly put away her things and left.
The next morning, Ling Xingzhi was woken up by his phone ringing. He hadn't gone anywhere and had spent the night in his car. His lawyer called to ask where he was; she had already arrived. Ling Xingzhi hung up the phone, got out of the car, his shirt was wrinkled, his face was unkempt, and stubble had sprouted.
The lawyer looked at him with a surprised expression; she had never seen Ling Xingzhi like this before.
"We can go and talk now. I've brought all the documents you requested."
Ling Xingzhi nodded, raised his hand to wipe his face, and said, "Okay, let's go."
They got into the elevator, reached their floor, and stepped out. They knocked on the door, but no one answered. Ling Xingzhi entered the password, and the door opened with a whoosh.
There was no one in the room, so Ling Xingzhi first asked the lawyer to sit on the sofa. "I'll go wash up. She might not be up yet. Let's wait... no rush."
"good."
He didn't go upstairs; he quickly washed up in the washroom on the first floor and came out looking much refreshed. The two sat on the sofa, and the lawyer took out some documents. "These are the files I've prepared. Please take a look; is there anything I need to add?"
Ling Xingzhi quickly scanned the list and said, "Give her both of my apartments in Beijing, as well as the shares in these film and television companies and magazines."
The lawyer was somewhat surprised, but still complied. "Okay, besides this... is there anything else you'd like to add?"
Ling Xingzhi looked at the document and slowly shook his head, "...That's all, that's all."
"Mayor Ling, do you have a printer at home? We need to print it out after we've finished making the changes..."
"It's in the study, let's go to the study..."
Upon reaching the second floor, Ling Xingzhi led the lawyer to the study. As he opened the door, he glanced sideways at the desolate corridor, where her bedroom was visible in the distance, its door tightly shut.
The lawyers went inside, while Ling Xingzhi stood at the door, glancing at the closed door, his heart still uneasy. "You all go ahead with your work, I'll go check on her..."
For some reason, every step Ling Xingzhi took felt like a relentless pounding on his heartbeat, as if someone were forcefully pounding on his eardrums. He knocked on the door, but there was no sound. As if possessed, he turned the doorknob, and with a "click," the door opened.
A breeze blew by, carrying a deep, elegant wedding march, causing Ling Xingzhi to pause for a moment. The next second, he stepped inside.
The melody of the wedding march lingered in my ears.
There were no signs that anyone had lain on the bed. Ling Xingzhi turned to look at the bathroom door on the other side, where water was seeping out, carrying a strong smell of blood.
He was surrounded by a wedding march that smelled of blood.
Ling Xingzhi walked across the soaked carpet to the bathroom door and gently pushed it open.
He saw his bride.
The white skirt floated on the water.
The red color is eye-catching.
"On this auspicious day, a joyous occasion is celebrated, and a perfect union is formed. May the poem of Guan Ju and the elegant song of the auspicious unicorn's hoof be recited, and may the family prosper for five generations. May this auspicious beginning bring blessings to the two southern regions. May you be of one heart and one mind, a harmonious and loving family, respecting each other like guests, and forever enjoying the bliss of fish and water. May you support each other with sincerity and vow to be like mandarin ducks. This is our witness."
"Divorce? Not unless I'm dead."
"Please... save me..."
"Have I made things difficult for you?"
"Please hug me, okay? Hug me... We always argue whenever we meet, please hug me."
She will always be the bride who commands respect.
Wei Luochen will always be Ling Xingzhi's bride.
With her fervent, reckless, and reckless love, Wei Luochen built a cage for Ling Xingzhi from which he could never find an exit.
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