The Wife From the Contract Marriage Does Not Want to Get Divorced - Chapter 13

11:00 PM. Guest Bedroom.

In the depths of the night, Lu Yanqing touched her lips for the third time. That accidental kiss in the elevator refused to leave her mind.

She murmured to herself, “She probably doesn’t mind, right?”

Rolling over to sit up, Lu Yanqing crossed her legs. The blue light from her laptop illuminated the brands withdrawing from the Twin-Cloud Realm Mall; the red deficit figures on the Elis storefront report were particularly glaring.

Back then, the Xie family’s capital chain had snapped, which was why they pushed Xie Siyu forward into the strategic marriage.

Three years.

Xie Siyu had managed the Lu Group exceptionally well, even taking it to new heights. This proved she possessed extraordinary talent in management so why was the Xie family’s own clothing brand deteriorating day by day?

Unless… Xie Siyu was letting it happen on purpose.

“But why?”

Lu Yanqing realized she truly didn’t understand Xie Siyu at all. Her second uncle and Lu Yanzhao had clearly intended to drive a wedge between her and Xie Siyu at Friday’s shareholders’ meeting. The reason she chose to trust her was largely because of her grandfather.

Knock, knock.

There was a tap at the guest room door.

Lu Yanqing stepped barefoot across the heated floor tiles. The breeze from opening the door disturbed the Orange Barbie roses in the glass vase on the bookshelf fresh ones Xie Siyu had replaced when they returned, with water droplets of preservative still clinging to the edges of the petals.

Outside the door.

Having finished her nighttime routine, Xie Siyu wore a silk nightgown. Her smooth, jet-black hair was tied loosely with a hair tie. Her makeup was gone, but her bare face remained stunning. It was likely because of her fine bone structure and fair, clean complexion.

“I saw your light was still on. Can’t sleep?”

Lowering her gaze to see Lu Yanqing’s bare feet, Xie Siyu reminded her gently, “Even though the floor heating is on, you should still put on your slippers.”

Lu Yanqing paused, then slowly turned back to put on her shoes. “Yeah. Did you need something?”

Xie Siyu nodded. “In a way. Want to come out and sit for a bit?”

In the Living Room.

Lu Yanqing sat on the sofa, watching Xie Siyu in the kitchen. She asked casually, “I just looked at the data Wei Jie sent over. A third of the Elis stores in Twin-Cloud Realm are at risk of closing. How… do you plan to handle it?”

Xie Siyu handed Lu Yanqing a carton of yogurt and sat down in the single armchair to her right. Her ankles beneath the silk hem were as pale as bone china.

She wasn’t in a rush to provide an answer, instead bringing up an old story: “I am not the Xie family’s adopted daughter. My mother was Xie Mingyuan’s first love. They were originally supposed to marry, but my mother was ill-fated; she passed away less than six months after I was born.”

Lu Yanqing’s hand tightened around the straw. She remembered the personal file her grandfather had given her; it explicitly stated Xie Siyu was an adopted daughter?

“You haven’t had a good life in the Xie family all these years.”

Lu Yanqing’s straw was inserted into the yogurt, but she didn’t drink. Her tone was one of simple statement.

Xie Siyu pulled back her collar, revealing a burn scar the size of a coin just below her collarbone. “When Mrs. Xie discovered my existence, that cup of hot tea was meant for my face.”

Thinking of something, she smiled tenderly; the girl she loved was very clever. “Indeed. The state of the Xie family today is the result of my intentional neglect.”

The yogurt had come from the fridge, and over time, a thin layer of condensation formed on the outside. Lu Yanqing didn’t pry further, simply asking, “What do you need me to do?”

Xie Siyu suddenly chuckled.

The moonlight reflected in the corners of her eyes like shattered light. “Two weeks from now, at the brand merchants’ meeting, announce the closure of one-third of the Elis stores.”

Lu Yanqing leaned back against the soft sofa. “That’s simple enough.”

The cool yogurt slid down her esophagus into her stomach. Suddenly, she thought of her marriage to Xie Siyu and unconsciously gripped the yogurt carton tighter. “Then why did you agree to the marriage alliance with me?”

If Xie Siyu had such a miserable life in the Xie family, why would she help them fill their financial holes?

Wouldn’t it have been better to just stand by and watch them fall?

Xie Siyu’s fingertips sank into the crevices of the sofa. She lowered her head to avoid Lu Yanqing’s direct, honest gaze, forced to lie: “Mhm… because I owe Grandpa Lu a very large favor.”

So it was because of Grandfather.

Lu Yanqing was lost in thought. Her yogurt was already finished, making a gurgling sound as she tried to suck the last bits through the straw.

“I’m sorry.”

She suddenly felt like a cruel executioner. After deep deliberation, she offered a suggestion: “You’ve guarded the Lu Group for me for three years; you’ve more than fulfilled your duty. I even suggested extending the marriage contract… how about we terminate the agreement early?”

Xie Siyu’s heart jolted violently. Her back stiffened involuntarily, the corners of her eyes reddened, and her voice trembled as she pressed: “Why?”

Lu Yanqing looked up at Xie Siyu. After a moment of hesitation, she spoke truthfully: “I heard from Wan-yi that you have someone you love. You married me to repay Grandpa’s kindness. Three years is enough. I—”

“It’s not enough.”

Xie Siyu interrupted her. She stood up abruptly, her silk hem rippling in a broken arc. Her usual restraint and endurance were on the verge of collapse.

She had worked so hard to bring this marriage alliance to fruition. This person had vanished for three years, only to return for a few days and demand a divorce.

There was no such justice in this world.

The dining room light stretched Xie Siyu’s thin shadow. She looked at Lu Yanqing with red eyes, her hands at her sides clutching her dress tightly. She spoke a sentence that was half-truth, half-lie: “She’s married.”

Lu Yanqing wanted to persuade her further, but the reason Xie Siyu gave left her speechless.

What could she say? Was she supposed to encourage Xie Siyu to snatch someone away? To steal a married woman?

Ultimately, the matter of terminating the agreement early was dropped.

Three days later.

It was the birthday banquet of the CEO of Yang Real Estate in Rongcheng. Since Lu Yanqing was back, she naturally had to attend.

At 2:00 PM, the person in charge of a major luxury brand brought over the formal gowns.

Xie Siyu slowly unzipped the dust cover of the dress. The silk lining shimmered with a pearl-like luster.

Lu Yanqing had already moved into the office next to the CEO’s suite, but she didn’t have a private lounge. Xie Siyu told her to change directly in her inner dressing room: “If the dress doesn’t fit, they can modify it in time.”

“Do you need help with the back zipper?”

Her fingertips brushed over the three-dimensional tailoring at the waist, where chalk marks from yesterday’s alterations still remained.

Lu Yanqing took the dress. For some reason, she thought of that “kiss” in the elevator and instinctively shook her head. “No need.”

However, sometimes one shouldn’t speak too soon.

The frosted glass of the bathroom reflected Lu Yanqing’s shifting silhouette. After a series of rustling sounds, a soft gasp escaped: “You’ve got to be kidding me.”

Inside the bathroom.

Lu Yanqing had been careful, but what she feared most had happened. Her hair was caught in the zipper. Pulling it only made it worse. Even if she found scissors to cut the hair, the strands stuck in the zipper would still need to be removed.

In total helplessness, she had to seek help: “Xie Siyu, are you still out there? The zipper is stuck.”

Xie Siyu brought a cool breeze with her as she pushed the door open, causing a slight shiver to run down Lu Yanqing’s back.

The mirrored tiles reflected her bare shoulder blades. The mermaid gown was stuck at the hip line, the zipper teeth biting into several strands of curled long hair.

“Don’t move,” Xie Siyu’s breath brushed against the back of Lu Yanqing’s neck. “The ends are tangled in the piping.”

Cold fingertips pressed against the indentation of her spine, causing Lu Yanqing to reflexively tighten her waist.

The bracelet on Xie Siyu’s wrist brushed against her skin. Mingled with her usual orange blossom hand cream, the scent was dizzying in the narrow, enclosed space.

“Bear with it,” Xie Siyu comforted her softly as she used a pair of cuticle nippers to gently pry the hair loose.

“Mhm… thanks.”

It was clearly just a dress fitting, yet Lu Yanqing felt her heartbeat grow erratic. Once Xie Siyu helped her pull the zipper up, she fled the bathroom in a slight panic.

Fortunately, the dress fit perfectly and required no further changes.

8:00 PM. Grand Hyatt Ballroom.

Crystal chandeliers illuminated the champagne towers until they glittered like stars. As soon as Lu Yanqing entered, she was surrounded by socialites; she had always been very popular.

“President Lu, it’s been three years. You’re still as beautiful as ever.”

“Zheng Xue updated her Weibo the other night. I saw Sister Qing holding Xie Siyu’s hand. That kind of protectiveness doesn’t look like the rumors at all.”

“President Xie rarely attends such lively banquets. Her presence tonight in full dress must be because of President Lu.”

The three women surrounding Lu Yanqing came from families whose power couldn’t compare to the Lu Group, so they were naturally tactful.

However, someone else was disdainful. The daughter of a private hospital tycoon in Rongcheng swirled her red wine and chuckled: “President Lu should keep her eyes open.”

“I heard President Xie went to the hospital again a few days ago. Don’t tell me it was a ‘bitterness ruse’ specifically because you returned to the country.”

Lu Yanqing smiled thinly, though the smile didn’t reach her eyes. “Is that so? If it’s as Miss Chen says, I’m actually even happier.”

“If Ah-Yu shows weakness in front of me, I couldn’t be more delighted. She… she’s just too stubborn.”

And she didn’t take care of her own body.

Xie Siyu was nearby at the dessert table, selecting macarons. Her mint-green gown swept across the Persian carpet; the cut-out design at the small of her back revealed skin as white as porcelain.

It was unclear if she heard the gossip.

If they were like this while she was present, they must have been even worse during the three years she was away. No wonder Liu Yao said Xie Siyu hated attending events.

Lu Yanqing took a glass of lime passionfruit juice from a waiter’s tray and walked straight to Xie Siyu. Seeing her pick two macarons, she asked, “Do you like these?”

Xie Siyu shook her head slightly and handed the plate to Lu Yanqing. “I picked them for you.”

Lu Yanqing stood still, then heard her add, “Didn’t you say you were hungry?” It was because of a casual remark she had made in the car.

“Macarons are too sweet. Let’s switch to the blueberry cream cake.”

Xie Siyu blinked, showing no sign of impatience. She put the macarons back and used tongs to pick up a square piece of cream cake. The cream was garnished with three blueberries, still glistening with water droplets.

“This piece is the prettiest.”

Lu Yanqing took the plate, her pinky finger unconsciously stroking the rim of the porcelain. She didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “I’m not hungry. I was worried you’d attend the banquet on an empty stomach and your guestritis would flare up again.”

Having said that, she used a silver spoon to scoop a piece of cake and fed it to Xie Siyu’s lips.

Xie Siyu was visibly stunned.

Even if she was worried about her stomach, there was no need to personally feed her. Suddenly noticing the camera flashes nearby, she understood.

The heart that had been in chaos because of Lu Yanqing’s gesture slowly calmed down.

Lowering her head slightly, she ate the cake from the other woman’s hand.

Even if it was just a show for outsiders.

Xie Siyu felt it was the sweetest, most delicious cream cake she had ever tasted.

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