Su Ling gently bit his lip as his ebony eyes ablaze with stubbornness. “I must go, Xiao Zhou.”
He knew he could not remain in the suffocating walls of his home any longer, as he was terrified of being engulfed by the shadows of depression and also feared that his once-blossoming love might wither into bitter resentment.
Just two nights back, he was struck by a high fever. Battling his weakened state, he summoned every ounce of energy to search for some aspirin. The next day, he succumbed to weakness, leaving him bedridden. As soon as the housekeeper caught wind of his illness from the previous night, panic swept through her as she hastily arranged for him to be taken to the hospital.
At this moment, Su Ling was lying alone in his hospital bed with an IV drip attached to his arm. Amidst the housekeeper’s incessant nagging, everything became clear to him.
No matter how deeply etched in one’s heart, love would eventually fade with the passage of time. When the flames of passion dwindled, the bond between two individuals would dissipate as well.
In time, the marriage certificate would become a shackle, so it was wiser to part on good terms and let go, rather than meeting without genuinely knowing one another.
Lin Zhou smoothly drove the car on the highway, maintaining a steady speed of 100 miles per hour1 100 miles per hour is approximately 161 kilometers per hour. .
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“Rp vbyv okzz qasx uswa plnsde taydeqyvbla alzkyczl?” kdiwkale Nkd Hbsw, bkp hsknl zyeldle okvb pjlrvknkpx.
“Rv pbswze cl,” ydpolale Fw Nkdt.
Mos olljp yts, bl alnlkhle yd wdlmrlnvle nyzz qasx y zyoula cyple kd Ukvu T. Tl kdvasewnle bkxplzq yde pbyale pvyavzkdt dlop — Fw Nkdt’p plnsde taydeqyvbla bye wdvkxlzu rypple yoyu, zlyhkdt clbkde y pktdkqknydv kdblakvydnl lmralppzu cliwlyvble vs Fw Nkdt kd y okzz.
Mblal oyp ds eswcv ycswv vbl lmkpvldnl sq Fw Nkdt’p plnsde taydeqyvbla. Tl oyp vbl uswdtla nswpkd sq Fw Nkdt’p ryvladyz taydeqyvbla yde bye yzoyup alpkele kd vbl nswdvaupkel. Ebld Fw Nkdt oyp yaswde qkhl sa pkm ulyap sze, bl sdnl ynnsxrydkle bkp qyvbla sd y hkpkv vs vbyv rzynl yde bye y plaldekrkvswp ldnswdvla okvb bkp plnsde taydeqyvbla.
Kwpv vos eyup yts, Fw Nkdt bye ds kdvlalpv kd bkp plnsde taydeqyvbla’p kdblakvydnl. Lso, bl nswze byaezu oykv vs vayhlz vs Ukvu T yde lpnyrl vs vbl nswdvaupkel qsa psxl rlynl sq xkde.
Gp psxlsdl nypv swv qasx vbl Fw qyxkzu, bl bye dsoblal vs ts yqvla vbl ekhsanl. Kwpv obld kv pllxle zkjl yzz bsrl oyp zspv, bkp plnsde taydeqyvbla’p okzz nyxl yp y tseplde, sqqlakdt y clynsd sq bsrl kd bkp eyajlpv bswa.
Lsvknkdt vbyv Fw Nkdt bye qkaxzu xyel wr bkp xkde, Nkd Hbsw okplzu alqaykdle qasx ydu qwavbla yvvlxrvp vs ekppwyel bkx.
“Nkql kd vbl nswdvaupkel kpd’v yp nsdhldkldv yp kd vbl nkvu. Rq usw lhla qkde kv vawzu wdclyayczl, esd’v blpkvyvl vs tkhl xl y nyzz. R’zz xyjl pwal vs yaaydtl y rzynl qsa usw vs pvyu.”
“Thanks,” Su Ling expressed with heartfelt gratitude.
After getting married, his circle of friends gradually dwindled, but Lin Zhou remained a constant presence in his life. A call was all it took, and Lin Zhou would always show up at the drop of a hat. This time around, Lin Zhou had been particularly helpful, lending a hand in numerous ways.
“C’mon, there’s no need for thanks. We’re friends, after all!” Lin Zhou’s lips arched into a mischievous grin. “You’ve got quite the trust in me, huh? Just so you know, that bank card with the ten million is registered under my name.”
With a quick glance at the diamond ring on his hand, Su Ling shook their head and chuckled, “Why would you even think of coveting this small amount of mine when you and CEO Fu have a net worth of billions?”
Fully aware of Lin Feng’s uncanny ability to track him down, Su Ling cleverly obtained a new mobile phone number and bank card with Lin Zhou’s ID card. Since they were getting divorced, he aimed for a clean break.
As the car approached the tollbooth, it slowed down and joined the line of vehicles, each slowly inching forward.
Lin Zhou sighed softly, “If you’re short on money, give me a shout.”
Su Ling’s brows drew together as he grumbled discontentedly, “The cost of living in the countryside is lower, so I won’t have to spend that much money. As long as I live more frugally, I can pull it off without breaking the bank. Besides, I left all those fancy custom-made outfits behind, and the trench coat I have on is the same one I bought two years ago.”
Packing his belongings turned out to be such a strenuous task for him.
After sending the housekeeper home last night, he took it upon himself to sort through his things this morning. Consequently, the room was left in a state of disarray. Nevertheless, he managed to pick out some inexpensive, lower-quality clothes and crammed them into a suitcase.
Ditching those custom-made outfits was a brilliant move — not only would it spare him the hassle of maintaining them, but it also spared his wallet from the hefty dry cleaning bills.
As Lin Zhou gently applied the brake with his right foot, the vehicle meandered down the road at a slow pace. Upon hearing Su Ling’s utterance, a smile tugged at the edges of Lin Zhou’s mouth.
This naive and guileless friend of his seemed utterly oblivious to the fact that the attire he wore today easily amounted to millions of dollars.
Lin Zhou cleared his throat before refuting, “Yes, but don’t be too harsh on yourself either.”
“Don’t worry, I won’t.” Su Ling reassured, taking a deep breath to release the pent-up frustration weighing on his chest. “Thanks to the wonders of express delivery and the sheer convenience of online shopping these days, I can easily buy clothes on Taobao.”
Taobao? Isn’t the decline in his quality of life a little too sudden? It’s like he has plunged headfirst into a pit of grievance.
Lin Zhou reiterated, “As I mentioned before, don’t hesitate to give me a call if you ever need my help.”
Su Ling hesitated, “We’ve been in touch too often, so I’m worried that Lin Feng might… cause you trouble.”
Lin Zhou raised an eyebrow and assured with unwavering loyalty, “Don’t worry, my lips are sealed, so your secret’s safe with me.”
Su Ling responded gratefully, “Thanks, I really appreciate it.”
* * *
Two hours later, Su Ling stood at the airport exit in City H, grappling with four oversized suitcases. Beads of sweat glistened on his face as he surveyed his surroundings, a mixture of anticipation and uncertainty dancing in his gaze.
“Hi, excuse me… Are you Mr. Su?” An unfamiliar voice resonated from beside him.
When Su Ling glanced to the side, he noticed a middle-aged man clad in a black suit, his hair meticulously slicked back. An air of uncertainty surrounded them as their eyes met in midair.
“Hello, you must be Lawyer Zhang?” Su Ling inquired politely.
A spark of awe flickered in the middle-aged man’s eyes as he maintained a polite smile on his face. “Yes, indeed, I’m Lawyer Zhang, Zhang Ping. I apologize for being ten minutes late; I encountered unexpected traffic on my way here.”
Su Ling shrugged it off with a nonchalant smile. “No worries, your timing couldn’t be more spot-on. I had to wait for my suitcases for a good ten minutes anyway.”
Eyeing the four massive suitcases on the ground, Zhang Ping questioned uncertainly, “Are these suitcases yours?”
Su Ling nodded his head and answered, “Yes, they are. I had to leave home in a rush, so I only managed to pack four suitcases worth of clothes and art supplies.”
Only?
Zhang Ping’s expression faltered for a moment, but he recovered quickly, putting on a smile to conceal his surprise. “I’ve parked my car in the parking lot. Shall we head there now?”
“Sounds good to me,” Su Ling replied. Being new to the area, he was thrilled to have the lawyer as a guide, knowing it would make things much easier.
At this juncture, they teamed up to tackle the luggage challenge. Zhang Ping deftly wheeled two suitcases while Su Ling managed the other pair without trouble. The smooth, level ground paved the way for their journey to the parking lot without a hitch, but the oversized suitcases posed an unexpected issue. Since the trunk could barely accommodate two, they had no other choice but to cram the remaining pair in the backseat.
With astonishment written all over his face, Zhang Ping watched in disbelief as Su Ling effortlessly picked up and stuffed the suitcases into the car.
This grandson of Old Su might appear to be a seemingly gentle artist with an air of elegance. However, hidden beneath his artistic exterior lay a surprising reservoir of immense strength!
To be frank, when he first laid eyes on Su Ling, he was genuinely convinced he had mistaken him for someone else. After all, how could a country dweller like Old Su possibly have a grandson with the charm of a noble gentleman?
With two decades of experience as a lawyer, Zhang Ping had encountered a plethora of individuals, many of whom came from affluent and influential families. Yet, not even a single one possessed the inherent aura of aristocratic grace and refinement that permeated every fiber of Su Ling’s being. His perfectly flawless visage seemed intricately sculpted, and his eyes were as clear as water. Even a fleeting glance from him could set hearts aflutter.
How devastatingly beautiful!
The idiom2 In this context, the Chinese idiom, 倾国倾城 (qīng guó qīng chéng), sprang into Zhang Ping’s mind. Much like Helen of Troy, it depicts a woman of such extraordinary beauty and allure whose presence has the potential to cause great upheaval and captivate the hearts of many. unconsciously came to Zhang Ping’s mind.
“Is it alright if the suitcase wheels bump against the back of the front car seat, Lawyer Zhang?”
A melodious voice broke through the silence, bringing Zhang Ping back to the present moment with a start. “No problem at all! My car isn’t worth much, so it can withstand some rough handling.”
“That’s a relief.” Su Ling heaved a sigh of relief.
Shortly after, the duo got into the car and left the airport behind. The engine roared to life, propelling them toward the heart of downtown.
Lawyer Zhang’s efficiency was nothing short of impressive! The moment they stepped into the law firm, he swiftly presented all the necessary documents for Su Ling to sign. And just like that, the validity of the will was set in stone.
As Su Ling’s eyes scanned the will, realization washed over him — his second grandfather had left him a house, ten acres of land, and a mountain under a fifty-year lease in Stone Creek Village, Sylvan Willows Town, City H.
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PS: Please note that merely signing the divorce papers does not finalize the divorce. It is only when the couple visits the Civil Affairs Bureau and obtains the official divorce certificate that all divorce proceedings are considered completed.
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