Chapter 1: Divorce Decision

When Rong Ci arrived at the airport in Country A, it was already past nine o'clock in the evening.

Today was her birthday.

When she opened her phone, she received a pile of birthday wishes.

They were all sent by colleagues and friends.

Yet, on Feng Tingshen's side, there was not a single message.

Rong Ci's smile faded.

By the time she reached the villa, it was already past ten o'clock at night.

When Liu Shen saw her, she was stunned: "Madam, you... why have you come?"

"Where are Tingshen and Miss Xin Xin?"

"Sir hasn't returned yet, and the Young Lady is playing in her room."

Rong Ci handed her luggage to her, and when she went upstairs, she discovered her daughter wearing small pajamas, sitting intently in front of a small table, not knowing what she was tinkering with, very focused, not even noticing that someone had entered the room.

"Miss Xin Xin?"

Feng Jingxin heard her, turned her head, and called out happily: "Mom!"

Then, she turned back to tinker with the things in her hands.

Rong Ci went over and pulled her into her arms, but just as she kissed her, she was pushed away: "Mom, I'm still busy."

Rong Ci hadn't seen her daughter for two months and missed her very much; no matter how much she kissed her, it wasn't enough, and she also really wanted to talk to her daughter.

Seeing her so focused, she didn't want to dampen her spirits: "Is Miss Xin Xin making a seashell necklace?"

"Mm!" Speaking of this, Feng Jingxin clearly became interested: "In one week, it will be Aunt Wuwu's birthday. This is the birthday gift that Dad and I prepared for Aunt Wuwu! These seashells were carefully polished by Dad and me using tools. Aren't they beautiful?"

Rong Ci's throat choked up, and before she could speak, she heard her daughter say happily with her back to her: "Dad also customized other gifts for Aunt Wuwu. Tomorrow—"

Rong Ci's heart felt stifled, and she could no longer hold it back: "Miss Xin Xin... do you remember Mom's birthday?"

"Ah? What?" Feng Jingxin raised her head to look at her, then immediately lowered her head to look at the bead string in her hands, complaining: "Mom, don't talk to me, the order of the beads is all messed up—"

Rong Ci let go of the hands that were holding her and didn't speak again.

She stood for a long time, and seeing that her daughter didn't raise her head to look at her once, Rong Ci pursed her lips, and finally left the room without saying a word.

When Liu Shen saw her, she said: "Madam, I just called Sir, and Sir said he has something to do tonight, so he asked you to rest first."

"I know."

Rong Ci responded, remembered her daughter's words just now, paused, and dialed a call to Feng Tingshen.

It took a long while for the other side to answer the phone, but the voice was very cold: "I still have things to do, let's talk tomorrow—"

"Tingshen, it's so late, who is it?"

It was Lin Wu's voice.

Rong Ci gripped her phone tightly.

"It's nothing."

Without waiting for Rong Ci to speak, Feng Tingshen had already hung up the phone.

They, as husband and wife, hadn't seen each other for two or three months; she had finally come to Country A, and not only did he not rush home to see her, but even for a phone call, he didn't have the patience to listen to her finish...

After being married for so many years, he had always been like this toward her: cold, distant, and impatient.

She was actually already used to it.

If it were in the past, she definitely would have called him again, patiently asking where he was and if he could come back.

Today, perhaps she was too tired, and she suddenly couldn't muster the interest to do so.

Waking up the next day, she thought about it and still called Feng Tingshen.

Country A and the domestic side had a time difference of seventeen or eighteen hours; in Country A, today was her birthday.

This time she came to Country A, besides really wanting to see her daughter and Feng Tingshen, it was because she hoped their family of three could have a nice meal together on this special day.

This was her birthday wish for this year.

Feng Tingshen did not answer the phone.

A long time later, he sent a message over.

【Something up?】

Rong Ci: 【Do you have time at noon? Bring Miss Xin Xin, and the three of us will have a meal together?】

【Got it, tell me once the address is set.】

Rong Ci: 【Okay.】

After that, Feng Tingshen had no more messages.

He didn't remember that today was her birthday.

Although Rong Ci was mentally prepared, she still couldn't help but feel disappointed in her heart.

After washing up and preparing to go downstairs, she heard the voices of her daughter and Liu Shen coming from downstairs.

"Madam came over, is the Young Lady unhappy?"

"Dad and I already promised to accompany Aunt Wuwu to the beach tomorrow. If Mom suddenly came over and followed us, we would be very awkward."

"And Mom is too bad, she always scolds Aunt Wuwu—"

"Young Lady, Madam is your mother after all. You can't say things like that, it will hurt Madam's heart, you know?"

"I know, but Dad and I both like Aunt Wuwu more. Can't I let Aunt Wuwu be my mother?"

"..."

Rong Ci could no longer hear what Liu Shen said.

Her daughter was raised by her own hands, but in the past two years, they had spent more time together as father and daughter, and her daughter had become more attached to Feng Tingshen instead. Last year, when Feng Tingshen came to Country A to expand the market, her daughter insisted on following him.

She couldn't bear it, and naturally hoped her daughter could stay by her side.

But she couldn't bear to see her daughter sadder, so she agreed.

She didn't expect...

Rong Ci stood there as if frozen, her face deathly pale, and she didn't move for a long time.

She had pushed aside her work to come to Country A this time, also wanting to spend more time accompanying her daughter.

Now it seemed there was probably no need for that.

Rong Ci returned to her room and put the gifts she had brought from home back into her suitcase.

A while later, Liu Shen called back, saying she had taken the child out to play and asked her to contact her if she needed anything.

Rong Ci sat on the bed, feeling empty and lost inside.

She had abandoned her work to rush over, but in the end, no one really needed her.

Her arrival was simply like a joke.

A long time later, she went out.

She wandered aimlessly in this strange yet familiar country.

Near noon, she remembered that she had an appointment with Feng Tingshen to eat together at noon.

Thinking of what she heard in the morning, just as she was hesitating whether to go home and pick up her daughter, she suddenly received a message from Feng Tingshen.

【Something came up at noon, lunch is canceled.】

Rong Ci looked at it without a hint of surprise.

Because she was already used to it.

In Feng Tingshen's heart, whether it was work or gatherings with friends... anyway, everything was more important than her, his wife.

He always canceled the arrangements he made with her as he pleased.

He never considered her feelings.

Disappointed?

Perhaps in the past, she would have been.

Now she was already numb and couldn't feel it anymore.

Rong Ci felt even more lost.

She had come excitedly, but whether it was from her husband or her daughter, all she received was cold treatment.

Without realizing it, she suddenly drove the car to the restaurant she had been to many times with Feng Tingshen.

Just as she was about to enter, she saw Feng Tingshen, Lin Wu, and Feng Jingxin all in the restaurant.

Lin Wu was sitting on the same side as her daughter, acting intimate.

She was talking to Feng Tingshen while teasing her daughter.

Her daughter was happily swinging her legs, making a scene with Lin Wu, and leaning over to eat the pastry Lin Wu had bitten.

Feng Tingshen was smiling as he picked food for them, but his gaze remained on Lin Wu opposite him, as if his eyes could only hold her.

This was what Feng Tingshen called having something to do.

This was also the daughter she had carried for ten months and lost half her life to give birth to.

Rong Ci smiled.

She stood where she was and watched.

A long while later, she withdrew her gaze and turned to leave.

Returning to the villa, Rong Ci prepared a divorce agreement.

He was her dream during her youth, yet he had never been able to see her.

If it weren't for the accident that night and the pressure from the old man, he would never have married her.

In the past, she naively thought that as long as she worked hard, there would definitely be a day when she would be seen by him.

The reality, however, slapped her hard in the face.

It had been almost seven years.

She should wake up.

After putting the divorce agreement in an envelope and instructing Liu Shen to give it to Feng Tingshen, Rong Ci dragged her suitcase into the car and ordered the driver: "To the airport."