Chapter 9: If You Want to Take Care of Her, Just Be Direct and Divorce

Pain tugged at Qin Xingwan's heart; every word they spoke was that it was her fault.

Anger surged up.

"You never taught me that," she curled her lips, smiling sarcastically.

Ever since she returned home, they had always compared her to Qin Yunshu, feeling she was inferior to Qin Yunshu in every way, and nitpicked her at every turn.

Yet they didn't stop to think about who was causing the gap.

Now, how could they have the nerve to speak of upbringing?

"You..." Qin Jianguo was furious, gasping for air.

"Say less," Chu Li grabbed Qin Xingwan's hand, "Let's go first."

Qin Xingwan shook off his hand; since the facade was already torn away, she might as well be direct.

She asked Chu Li: "Do you know why I appeared outside that day?"

A strange feeling rose in Chu Li's heart; he had investigated, only knowing she had driven out herself—could there be some hidden story he didn't know?

Qin Xingwan knew he hadn't investigated seriously just by looking at his expression.

Her heart ached, but it didn't matter anymore.

She said every word clearly: "It was because someone called me saying you had been in a car accident, and I was kidnapped on the way to the Yiyuan."

Chu Li's heart jolted; she had been kidnapped?

Yet from the time she returned until now, she hadn't said a word.

Why hadn't Assistant Xu found out?

"Who are you lying to?" Qin Shen said with disdain and disbelief, "If it was a kidnapping, how did you escape?"

Qin Xingwan breathed deeply, only then holding back the tears of pain and grievance, "Those kidnappers saw no one would answer my calls, so they wanted to bully me; it was my child who protected me."

She placed her palm on her lower abdomen, as if she could still feel the child's presence.

"Those people kicked me, the child was gone, and when they saw me bleeding, they threw me on the road."

If not for the child, she would have been bullied by those people long ago.

So the one who saved her was not anyone present here, but her child.

"And what were you doing at that time? You were celebrating Qin Yunshu's birthday," she grew agitated, unable to control those emotions.

"When my child died, you were celebrating her birthday."

And now, one by one, they blame her for bullying Qin Yunshu.

"That has nothing to do with Yun Shu; she didn't want this to happen either," Qin Shen couldn't understand; Qin Xingwan was completely venting her anger.

Qin Xingwan tilted her head and sneered: "She is innocent, but my child was also innocent."

"Sister, I'm sorry, I didn't want this either," Qin Yunshu apologized while crying.

Qin Xingwan loathed those tears and didn't care for such an apology; she turned and walked out, wanting to leave this suffocating place.

Walking outside, she realized Chu Li had followed her out.

She tidied away all her emotions, and except for the tear tracks on her face, she returned to that indifferent appearance.

"You didn't need to leave."

Chu Li took her hand, his eyes holding an emotion Qin Xingwan couldn't understand, "I came today to buy you a new dress to apologize to her."

Qin Xingwan's gaze was icy; she pulled her hand away and stepped back slightly, "Chu Li, can you act like a man?"

Chu Li's gaze darkened.

"If you want to take care of her, then just be direct and divorce me, and give her a warm home," Qin Xingwan looked up, full of mockery, "You couldn't keep her back then; now that she's broken up and returned to the country, why don't you hurry up and give her a title to keep her?"

"I said, there is nothing between her and me," Chu Li's expression was grim; he gripped Qin Xingwan's wrist and pulled her to the car.

"Besides, you made her a laughingstock over a dress; an apology is due."

"Also, I will reinvestigate the matter of the child and give you an answer."

"But it has nothing to do with her."

Qin Xingwan rubbed her reddened wrist, and tears fell.

The kidnapping indeed had nothing to do with Qin Yunshu, and honestly, the matter of the child couldn't be blamed on Qin Yunshu either.

But whenever she thought of her husband spending this past month by another woman's side, even hanging up her call for help because he was annoyed, her heart felt stifled with pain.

She couldn't get past that hurdle.

She hated both Chu Li and Qin Yunshu.

Along the way, no one spoke.

Returning to Beicheng Villa, Qin Xingwan went upstairs to rest on her own.

After a nap, her mood was a little better.

After washing up and going downstairs, the servant had already prepared dinner and even specifically brought out soup, telling her it was ordered by Chu Li, her words full of envy that she had such a considerate, good husband.

Qin Xingwan ate in silence.

The chair opposite was pulled out, and Chu Li sat down.

He had changed into loungewear, cold and noble, his slender fingers holding chopsticks as he picked up a piece of fish for Qin Xingwan.

"Eat more."

It was as gentle as always, but in Qin Xingwan's eyes, it was all hypocritical pretense.

She didn't touch the fish, drinking the soup in small sips.

Chu Li frowned; in these three years, Qin Xingwan had always been gentle and had never thrown such a big temper.

He wasn't used to it.

He thought that perhaps the position of Mrs. Chu had spoiled her personality too much, to the point where her temper was endless.

"Rest at home for a few days, and go to the company when your health is better."

Qin Xingwan put down her spoon and looked over with a cold, clear gaze, "I know, the Twenty-Four Solar Terms Series is at a critical juncture."

The Twenty-Four Solar Terms Series perfume is a key project for the Chu Group over the last three years; eight solar terms of perfume have been released so far, and the market feedback has been very good.

As the person in charge of research and development, Qin Xingwan has always been devoted to her work.

Even though her health has not fully recovered, she still wants to throw herself back into work as soon as possible.

Moreover, she also wants to change her environment to adjust her state of mind.

Chu Li put down his chopsticks and said indifferently, "I have arranged for Yun Shu to join the research and development work."

The color drained from Qin Xingwan's face, and she stood up abruptly: "What did you say?"

"Yun Shu spent three years abroad learning perfumery under Master Katherine, and now that she is back to develop her career, you should mentor her." Although Chu Li's tone was calm, it was not a request, but a direct announcement of his decision.

"You know I don't like her." Qin Xingwan refused.

Not knowing what else she thought of, the corners of her lips curled up, and she asked directly: "Is it that once her career is well-established, I will have to give up my position as director to her as well?"

"Xingwan, can you not have such great malice toward her?" Chu Li did not understand why Qin Xingwan loathed Qin Yunshu so much.

Clearly, Yun Shu was trying hard to get close to this sister of hers, yet she was always distant.

Qin Xingwan smiled faintly, but her eyes were exceptionally cold: "If it weren't for her, you and I would never have had any intersection in this lifetime."

Qin Yunshu fled her wedding, used her to take her place, and ruined her entire life.

Just when she had finally let go and was managing this marriage well, Qin Yunshu suddenly returned and firmly hooked her husband's heart.

Her three years of dedication had become a joke.

Chu Li frowned, his tone sinking slightly with displeasure: "I have said it before, she and I are perfectly innocent; it is just that now that she has just returned to the country to develop her career, I am helping her out of convenience."

"Once her career is stable, I will naturally keep my distance from her."

This could be considered Chu Li's promise.

Qin Xingwan, however, did not believe such a promise; she curled her fingers and tapped the table, stating with a serious attitude: "She wants to enter research and development, I do not agree."