For many ordinary people, several million is beyond reach. If someone suddenly makes a few million overnight, that could be considered hitting the jackpot. However, in high society, if you can only get a few million after a divorce, who wouldn’t find that pitiful?
Let’s put it in simple terms: when an average couple divorces, they might have a few hundred thousand in savings. But if the husband kicks the wife out and only gives her a few hundred bucks, if this were shared on social media, even a scumbag like that would be cursed beyond recognition!
Tong Yuwu was so angry that her hands, resting on her knees, were clenched into fists.
If this tragic situation were to happen to her, she really wondered if in this novel she had already met her end together with Fu Liheng.
She tried to calm herself down and began to carefully evaluate her current situation. In reality, the Tong family and the Fu family couldn’t be considered a marriage of equals.
Starting from their student days, she had a bit of a reputation in the upper-class circles of Beijing. Upon closer reflection, with both her parents gone and living as a dependent in her uncle’s home, carrying the title of the not-so-influential Miss of the Tong family, the hand she had been dealt was extremely bad. But somehow, she managed to marry Fu Liheng, shocking everyone. What was it that Fu Liheng saw in her?
Her grandfather and Fu Liheng’s late grandfather had once jokingly arranged a verbal engagement. Everyone knew it was just a joke after a few drinks. She hadn’t taken it seriously, but three years ago, Fu Liheng proposed to her, and his reason was simple: he didn’t want to overturn the engagement arranged by his grandfather.
She had been with Fu Liheng for two to three years now. To be honest, aside from in bed, they weren’t really that close. But she understood him to some extent. He wasn’t the type to blindly follow the words of his elders. Maybe he wanted to avoid trouble, maybe he didn’t want to deal with a marriage based on societal status compatibility. After all, by marrying her, his life would be much easier.
Even if they didn’t see each other for a month or two, she wouldn’t mind. How convenient and well-behaved of a “virtuous wife” she was! She felt that if someone else were Mrs. Fu, his life wouldn’t be as easy and comfortable.
While Tong Yuwu was fuming with anger, Fu Liheng, who had been resting with his eyes closed, suddenly opened them. “Your birthday is coming up.”
“Yes.” Tong Yuwu thought to herself, she had been with him since she was twenty-two. Now she was twenty-five. If he had any conscience—
No, she was mistaken.
Capitalists don’t possess such things.
“Your birthday is next month, turning twenty-five.” Even though she wanted to berate him for only a few million, Tong Yuwu maintained a cheerful tone. “Time flies. We’ve been married for two years, and looking back on our wedding, it feels like it happened just yesterday.”
Thinking of the grand wedding, Tong Yuwu felt a bit more balanced.
Occasionally, when she was bored, she would review the video footage. From the wedding dress to the formal attire, even the bouquet, everything was exquisite.
She had no idea how much money the wedding had cost, but it was a figure that would make even wealthy people wince.
Fu Liheng clearly wasn’t in the mood to reminisce about the past. Men don’t value weddings as much as women do. At least, now he remembered his fatigue from that day more than anything else.
“What gift do you want for your birthday?” Fu Liheng was straightforward. “Do you like yachts?”
Who wouldn’t like such a gift?
If this were before, Tong Yuwu would have been thrilled. But today, she couldn’t muster a smile.
In theory, even if a divorce occurred within an aristocratic family, it wouldn’t be too miserable. If it were in the past, she would have never believed that someone like Fu Liheng, a second-generation rich kid, could only get a few million in a divorce.
In the hierarchy of Beijing’s upper-class circles, the Tong family was considered middling at best, while the Fu family sat at the top. Especially with her parents gone and only her uncle remaining as an elder, it’s possible that before she established a connection with Fu Liheng, she was already excluded from the socialite circle in the eyes of those wealthy young women.
The inheritance her parents left her was limited. Strictly speaking, Tong Yuwu had no claim to the Tong family’s assets. The Tong family had two sons, and when they split years ago, the company was handed over to her uncle. Her father received a significant sum of funds, which he used to start his own business. It wasn’t a failure, but it certainly wasn’t a success either. In order to save face, after her engagement to Fu Liheng, her uncle gave her some shares, although the annual dividends weren’t substantial.
For unions like hers and Fu Liheng’s, they didn’t need Mrs. Fu’s request; she herself had the foresight to propose signing a prenuptial agreement.
Of course, whether there was a prenuptial agreement or not didn’t matter. The shrewd Fu family had planned this out. Once she divorced Fu Liheng, they had countless ways to ensure she wouldn’t get a penny.
She wouldn’t blame anyone. If she were Fu Liheng or Mrs. Fu, she would do the same.
Now, the mansion wasn’t in her name. The jewelry and accessories Fu Liheng had given her, along with the luxury cars and yachts, could all be taken back if he so desired during the divorce.
“I’d love to, and I’d like to go out to sea with you.” Tong Yuwu said with a clear conscience.
Her mind was preoccupied with a few million.
She wanted to ask Fu Liheng, “Did you lose your conscience?” After all the time she had spent with him, even if she were just a regular mistress, she’d have taken home more than a few million, right?
Fu Liheng chuckled softly. “I might be busy for a while, but don’t worry, I’ll definitely accompany you on your birthday.”
Tong Yuwu looked pleasantly surprised, biting her lip. She acted as though she couldn’t help herself and pulled his hand courageously. “Then you better keep your word.”
She had a clear image of herself: in places where no one could see her, like the bedroom, she didn’t need to be too shy. But once she left that bed, she had to be the cute and shy woman who had just fallen in love when facing Fu Liheng. After all, straight guys were all clueless.
She admired him, liked him, looked up to him. Even the tiniest response he gave occasionally made her blush as though she were a young girl experiencing her first crush. She would be overjoyed, her ears turning red, but she didn’t dare flaunt it.
Fu Liheng reciprocated by enclosing her hand with his palm. “Rest assured.”
Apologies for the confusion. Here’s the continuation of the translation:
—
Encountering his first love and her husband at the mall was something that would usually drive Qin Yi to drink. “There are beautiful women everywhere in the world.” Over the past three years, this phrase had become all too familiar to Qin Yi. Little did anyone know that he was the one who wanted most desperately to move on from Tong Yuwu. He had tried various methods, even getting involved with women who possessed impressive looks and figures. He had come close to it, almost crossing the line. Yet, he remembered back to the days when he was dating her, even just holding her hand would cause his heart to race as though it would burst through his chest…
If it wasn’t her, then what was the point?
He couldn’t forget her. Three years ago, he had been determined to wait for her to divorce. But now, having taken over the family business, gaining a deeper understanding of the intricacies of the market, he realized that unless Fu Liheng rejected her, she would never be the one to initiate a divorce.
Would Fu Liheng reject her?
“Ah Yi, let me be straight with you. Initially, Mrs. Fu had a keen interest in the Xiang family’s daughter. Both families’ parents were in discussions, and it was nearly a done deal. However, Fu Liheng resisted all the pressure. Not long afterward, word started circulating in the social circles that he had taken Tong Yuwu to Japan for a trip.”
“Don’t get upset, but everyone at the time thought that Fu Liheng was treating Tong Yuwu as a lover. That’s just how things are in this circle. People talk about monogamy, but how many actually adhere to it? Rumors were rampant that Tong Yuwu was being kept on the side.”
“Consider this, even the Qin family wouldn’t have accepted Tong Yuwu into their home. The Fu family, with their prestigious background, would be even more selective. Fu Liheng isn’t a fool. Why would he choose a wife who wouldn’t offer him any help and might even hold him back?”
“But he still married Tong Yuwu. Ah Yi, can you really compete with him?”
In the Beijing social circles, many marriages weren’t based on love. More often than not, it was a strategic decision where both families calculated the advantages a marriage could bring and then swiftly made a decision. Yet, Tong Yuwu and Fu Liheng were the exception. No one believed they were entering into a strategic alliance. Even Fu’s wife had once confided to her close friend, expressing surprise that she couldn’t see any qualities of a mistress in her son.
Qin Yi found it amusing how he had momentarily felt elated due to Tong Yuwu’s distraction.
Originally, he hadn’t planned on going to the bar. After leaving the high-end store, he was on his way to the parking lot, ready to return home, when he received a call from a buddy.
“Ah Yi, come over quickly. Seriously, it’s the bar near Yu Chi. Let me tell you, there’s a surprise!”
“I won’t keep you guessing. There’s a female server at the bar, damn, she looks a bit like Yuwu!”
A male voice on the other end sounded slightly annoyed, “Who are you belittling? Going from the Second Ring Road to the Fifth Ring Road, it’s like comparing Sprite with knock-off Sprite!”
