Chapter 14: Just Consider Me Dead

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Liu Zhuyin shivered, the anger in her heart extinguished once again. She had been aware of the crisis at the Liu Corporation. Yet every time, Gu Yichen assured her not to worry. At first, she genuinely worried that Gu Yichen might not be doing well enough. But every time, his efforts were flawless. Eventually, she stopped inquiring about the company’s affairs altogether, gradually taking it for granted, gradually ignoring it. Aside from informing her when the company made money, he shielded her from every other trouble and problem. Over five years, he had protected her so well. Now that the Liu Corporation’s crisis had passed and everything was back on track—much simpler than before—she found herself full of resentment. One could only imagine how Gu Yichen had endured those years. The crucial point was that he never neglected her; his heart and eyes were filled with her. Whenever he was home, there were three regular meals, he would pour water for her to soak her feet, wash her clothes, keep the house clean. In fact, over five years, she had never stepped foot in the kitchen. Now she recalled her mother’s words from that day. What had she taken Gu Yichen for? A nanny? A subordinate? A money-making tool? Though she denied it, judging from the current situation, it was undeniably true. She fell silent, but Lady Liu wanted to awaken the dreamer. “Ah Yin, your favorite Ning Yuanzhou has returned. Now that you and Gu Yichen are divorced, when will you marry Ning Yuanzhou?” The words startled Liu Zhuyin, terror written all over her face. “Mom! When did I say I was going to marry Ning Yuanzhou? I will never divorce Gu Yichen!” Lady Liu craved exactly this reaction from Liu Zhuyin. After all, compared to Ning Yuanzhou, she preferred Gu Yichen. “The divorce agreement is already signed; only the divorce certificate remains. Even if you don’t want the divorce, what can you do?” Lady Liu said this deliberately, and Liu Zhuyin suddenly snapped back to reality. Indeed! The divorce agreement had only been signed, but the divorce certificate had not been processed. That meant it was invalid! The agreement was merely a mutual understanding between spouses; the divorce certificate was the legal basis! Without hesitation, Liu Zhuyin immediately called the company’s legal department to verify. The result was exactly what she expected. “Then you should use legal means to tell Gu Yichen that the divorce agreement is disputed and that he needs to come back to discuss it with me.”

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After hanging up, much of her gloom dissipated, and a smile appeared on her lips. Lady Liu, seeing this, couldn’t help but smile secretly before quietly leaving. Soon, I received a call from the company’s legal department. “President Gu, the young lady said... that there’s a dispute over the divorce agreement. She’s dissatisfied and... well, what do you think?” I furrowed my brows. “A dispute? Apart from the personal assets I’ve earned over the years, the rest was given to her. What dispute could she have?” The legal officer hesitated. “It’s not about the assets, more like... maybe the young lady doesn’t want a divorce.” Doesn’t want it? I couldn’t understand. Ning Yuanzhou was back, and she had quietly withdrawn; she should be happy, right? So why refuse? “If I don’t return, what consequences are there?” The legal officer quickly answered, “In that case, the divorce agreement might be void. You and the young lady would still be legally married. If the young lady uses special means, she could still find you...” Hearing this, I was unsettled. What I wanted was to leave her forever; if she could still find me, then all my efforts were in vain. “Understood.” I hung up, feeling frustrated. After some thought, I called Liu Zhuyin’s phone. At that moment, upon seeing my call, she immediately smiled triumphantly. “Gu Yichen, you finally—” Before she could finish, I interrupted. “Liu Zhuyin, there’s nothing for us to discuss. Regarding property, I’m leaving empty-handed. Regarding the company, I’m returning all authority. In terms of feelings, I no longer love you. If you still feel dissatisfied, there’s nothing I can do! Just pretend I never existed. Pretend I’m dead.” After saying this, I hung up and blocked her number. Liu Zhuyin hadn’t recovered when she heard the busy signal. Furious, she called again, only to find she had been blocked. Her delicate face flushed with anger. “Bastard!” she cursed, then immediately summoned the company’s legal department. “As Gu Yichen’s wife, find his location! Book me the soonest flight available! I’m going to find him! Now! Immediately! Right away!” Liu Zhuyin was utterly thrown off by my call. She had thought this tactic would force me back, but I wasn’t falling for it. Determined, she resolved to come find me herself. The legal officer hurried to make arrangements, and at that moment, Ning Yuanzhou arrived.

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“Ah Yin, what’s wrong?” He looked pale and fragile. “Why are you here? Didn’t you say you’d take good care of your health?” Liu Zhuyin quickly stood and stopped him from sitting down. Ning Yuanzhou gazed at her tenderly. “You’ve been working overtime lately and haven’t had time to visit me.” “It’s fine, as long as you’re here.” Liu Zhuyin showed a hint of apology. “There’s really a lot going on at the company, plus... plus Gu Yichen is sulking with me.” “Sorry.” Ning Yuanzhou’s expression changed slightly but he quickly masked it. “What’s wrong? Are you angry with him?” Liu Zhuyin immediately complained, “He wants to divorce me! I don’t even know where he’s gone!” Ning Yuanzhou was surprised, his voice rising a few decibels. “Divorced? Really?” He hadn’t known the news. “No, I was just tricked into signing a divorce agreement. It’s not official yet.” Without much thought, Liu Zhuyin said, but Ning Yuanzhou listened with intent. “Mr. Gu loves you so much, how could he divorce you? But tricking you into signing the agreement doesn’t seem like a joke.” “It’s over... Ah Yin, maybe... maybe he’s cheating on you?” Liu Zhuyin’s face changed. “Cheating? Impossible!” Ning Yuanzhou knew it wasn’t possible. Yet he wanted to throw this accusation. “You never know. Many men pretend to be good husbands but have affairs behind their backs. Mr. Gu cutting ties quickly to divorce you must mean something’s wrong!” Liu Zhuyin pondered deeply. Could it really be true? Yet she felt it couldn’t be. She knew exactly what kind of person Gu Yichen was—how could he cheat? “Miss, we found it. This is Mr. Gu’s flight from a few days ago and the hotel where he’s staying. I’ve already booked your ticket. Are you leaving now to find President Gu?” Liu Zhuyin immediately nodded. No matter what, she had to see Gu Yichen! But suddenly, Ning Yuanzhou clutched his chest, his face contorted in pain. “Ah Yin, I... I feel tightness in my chest.”