Chapter 245: Chapter 245

Shi Nian bit on the disposable plastic spoon, her eyes wide with surprise.

Although the two were now practically divorced, and divorce had been her unwavering goal—yet to hear these words come from Xiang Yuan’s mouth, and so suddenly, really caught her off guard.

She had even prepared herself for the possibility that if he didn’t agree now, then according to this state’s law, if they were practically separated for two years, the court would grant the divorce.

She had thought out her strategy for a prolonged battle, never expecting Xiang Yuan to launch such a "surprise attack," which didn’t make her happy, but instead reaffirmed her sense that something was odd tonight?

She pulled the spoon from her mouth, tossed it into the cup, and turned to sternly focus on Xiang Yuan.

"A Yuan, what exactly happened tonight? The way you’re handling things tonight isn’t like you at all. Though I demanded the divorce, I can’t agree to this without understanding why."

In her panic, Shi Nian spoke the truth, which left Xiang Yuan with nothing but a bitter smile and a bowed head.

"Time, you’re mistaken. Tonight’s approach is indeed true to my nature."

He closed his eyes briefly, then silently clenched the ice cream cup: "You find it strange only because I didn’t tell you the reason—Time, Huatai Hall encountered a serious financial crisis; the funds are not circulating smoothly. If I can’t find a way out tonight, the partners will meet first thing tomorrow morning, and I might lose Huatai Hall."

He bowed his head and smiled bitterly, without mentioning Rosa.

"So defending Mark became my last lifeline. Time, I can’t afford to lose this client. But you are my wife, and also the victim, and due to the lawyer recusal rule, I can’t act as Mark’s lawyer... weighing my options, I’m sorry, I could only choose to divorce you."

He paused for a long while, then lifted his eyes heavily, looking at Shi Nian with sorrow: "I’ve always been this selfish person, don’t you remember? In the face of you and my career and interests, I always chose to abandon you. This time, I still couldn’t have been noble."

Shi Nian’s heart constricted, and she quickly lowered her head.

Indeed, Xiang Yuan’s way of handling things had always been in the past... but this time, the fact that Xiang Yuan would admit it outright was indeed odd.

Even though, objectively speaking, only by ending his marriage with her could he not be constrained by the lawyer’s recusal rule and defend Mark... but he had already weighed this decision, and on that night when the three were together, he had unhesitatingly chosen to punch Mark.

Though over these four years, Xiang Yuan had broken her heart countless times... tonight’s circumstances shouldn’t have been .

Shi Nian sniffed: "Is it really just because of this?"

"Yes." He masked his inner sorrow, trying to respond in an indifferent tone: "Apart from divorce, I can’t find any other way to solve the current predicament. Besides, isn’t this what you’ve always been wanting? So why hesitate?"

As he spoke, he pulled a neatly folded document from the inside pocket of his suit jacket, wrapped in an envelope, and laid it flat in front of Shi Nian: "The Divorce Agreement. I’ve already signed it. If you sign it now, I can contact a familiar judge, squeeze it in, and it will take effect first thing tomorrow morning."

He pretended to be casual, clapping his hands: "Sign it. Once you sign, we’ll both be free."

Shi Nian took the divorce agreement, opened the envelope, and lowered her eyes to carefully read through the clauses.

In fact, as long as they could divorce, she didn’t mind leaving with nothing. Originally, everything she had in M Country was given by him, and she didn’t even have a dowry of her own.

The reason she read the terms carefully was to try to see Xiang Yuan’s heart more clearly.

Xiang Yuan tonight was too out of the ordinary, and what he gave her wasn’t the answer she wanted.

Sure enough, the black and white on paper best revealed the truth. Shi Nian looked up: "Since your law firm is facing financial problems, and since we are finally parting badly... given your qualifications as a lawyer, you could have fully protected your own interests, especially economically. So why leave the house for me?"

Caught in a contradiction, Xiang Yuan’s expression couldn’t hold, so he intentionally laughed darkly: "Leave the house for you, do you truly think I’m being kind? Don’t forget, this is M Country, and a house isn’t just an asset, it’s also a huge burden—the property tax alone is a severe test for you."

"As for myself, I’m only too happy to escape the property tax, go back to my parent’s home and live rent-free, and spend some time with my parents, make them happy."

"Is that so," Shi Nian looked down and gave a bitter smile.

She had written an article with Ye He about a wealthy man’s two million US Dollar mansion in this city that caught fire. The media, public, and police all assumed it was arson, treating it like a major crime. But it turned out that the wealthy man cleared the misunderstanding himself: it was because he seldom stayed in the house anymore, and according to the law, had to bear the high property tax annually. Over the years, the amount of property tax accumulated to exceed the price the house could be sold for. So the wealthy man, being true to his nature, burned down the mansion himself, just for fun with the beauty he brought along, treating it as a big bonfire.

From this perspective, what Xiang Yuan said seemed rational enough. She couldn’t find any evidence to doubt it, so she could only accept it.

The soft light gently encased her hair. Her hair, like silk satin, reflected a bright and clear halo.

Xiang Yuan allowed himself to indulge, then brazenly stared at her for a while. Because after tonight, he would completely lose such an opportunity. Even if he looked at her in the future, he could only do so secretly, and no longer as her husband.

He took a deep breath, swallowing the bitterness in his heart, and softly reminded, "It’s getting late, sign it. I still have to hand the divorce agreement to a familiar judge before midnight; additionally, I must make a formal visit to the Mark family tonight to pull them back onto my client list, so I can face the partners’ inquiries tomorrow morning."

Shi Nian suddenly looked up, seriously staring into Xiang Yuan’s eyes, "Are you sure?"

Xiang Yuan nodded with effort, "I’m sure."

Shi Nian then reached out to him, "Lend me a pen to sign."

The words "Shi Nian" were simple strokes, not hard to write, but Shi Nian wrote them stroke by stroke for a long time, and after finishing, she scrutinized them for a while, then handed the divorce agreement to Xiang Yuan.

At this moment, the white lights in the store fell on the white paper, reflecting a white halo that directly pierced his eyes...his nose inexplicably felt a bit sour.

He forced himself to bear it, trying to smile, "Alright, Shi Nian, we should both move on." ᴛʜɪs ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ɪs ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ʙʏ novel-fire.ɴet

We should both step into the next stage of our lives, it’s just that...from now on, you won’t be by my side.

After four years of companionship, perhaps this is the last thing I can do for you.

Sharp pain quickly spread in his heart area, he even lost composure, unable to refold the document neatly, or carefully place it back into the envelope, he awkwardly grabbed the agreement and hurried out the door in haste.

The world outside is so vast, the night outside is so dense, but what swept toward him was not a free wind, nor a relief of the soul—instead, it was an empty and vast loneliness.

I’m sorry, Teacher Shi, I couldn’t fulfill the promise I made to you back then.

I’m sorry Shi Nian...The most precious four years you gave me, were wasted by my hesitation again and again, ultimately unable to retain, only watching it slip away through fingers, like flowing water, like fine sand.

After finally signing the divorce agreement, Shi Nian couldn’t find the ease she had once imagined. Xiang Yuan left awkwardly, she didn’t dare to look at his back, only lowering her eyes to his leftover half of an ice cream.

Ice cream is the most fickle to time, in this brief moment it had already melted into water, white, like tears shed by Bingda.

Only after Xiang Yuan’s figure disappeared did she quickly step off the high chair, rushed out the store door to search for Xiang Yuan’s figure...but the night was like a curtain, veiling the world, leaving nowhere to be found.

A strange melancholy suddenly surged from the bottom of her heart, just quietly falling night curtain, dyeing all her mood black.

What exactly happened to him tonight? Why wouldn’t he tell her?

And she just signed the divorce agreement , was it right, or wrong?

Before her eyes involuntarily appeared Dad’s face.

During those days when she was in college in another city, not at home, it was when talking on the phone with Dad, she noticed Dad joyfully telling her he had taken on a good apprentice.

Although the apprentice himself wasn’t becoming a policeman, he was closely related to the legal profession, Dad said the most remarkable thing was that this young man was very talented and diligent.

Seeing Dad so happy, she naturally accompanied him in being happy. Dad also said that when she returned during vacation, he would definitely introduce them.

As a result, when she finally went home to meet Xiang Yuan, and saw Dad...it was immediately followed by that nightmare.

The young man whom Dad once appreciated so much, whom Dad had once solemnly entrusted her and Mom to...after four years, she ultimately signed her name, bidding him farewell in this life.

It’s very sad, really so hard to bear.

Thanks to Jupiter for the red packet

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