I'm Done with the Elite Marriage - Chapter 11
Fu Xunzhou spent the entire morning in meetings, distracted and unfocused.
The quarterly financial report was displayed on the projector screen, but his thoughts kept drifting back to Zhou Youling’s words. The more he thought about it, the less it felt real.
His usually obedient wife had actually asked him for a divorce?
For three years, Fu Xunzhou had considered himself a competent husband. Sure, his work kept him busy, and he couldn’t always be there for her, but he had been upfront about that from the start. She had assured him she understood.
So, people really are fickle, aren’t they?
Just a month ago, Zhou Youling was bustling around him, talking about preparing his favorite meals. And now, she wanted a divorce?
Did she think divorce was some kind of game?
Fu Xunzhou’s thoughts spiraled, and he couldn’t help but mutter, “Ridiculous.”
The financial supervisor standing at the front of the room froze mid-sentence.
The company’s operations for the quarter were solid, even showing a 20% increase compared to the same period last year. If the bidding process for a particular project had gone smoother, the numbers could have looked even better.
But Fu Xunzhou’s single word-“Ridiculous”-cast a heavy pall over the entire conference room.
His eyes remained fixed on the screen, but no one could tell which figure he was actually looking at.
The department heads seated around the table grew increasingly tense. If Fu Xunzhou decided to hold someone accountable for the bidding fiasco, no one would escape unscathed.
The Fu Group had its roots in manufacturing, specializing in electrical appliances. Over time, the company expanded into producing automotive parts and even launched its own brand of electronics.
In Nanzhou City, Fu Group’s subsidiaries dominated the industrial district, driving the city’s GDP growth.
Three years ago, the former chairman, Fu Deyao, officially stepped down, transferring 38% of his shares to Fu Xunzhou. This made Fu Xunzhou the largest shareholder and the rightful chairman of the Fu Group.
At the time, few believed in Fu Xunzhou’s ability to lead.
Among the Fu Family, he had always been the least favored successor. The reason was simple: he had lost his father at a young age, leaving him without a strong figure to back him.
But three years had passed, and Fu Xunzhou’s sharp investment acumen and uncompromising business tactics had silenced all doubters.
While his career was on the rise, his personal life seemed to be unraveling.
The frustration simmering inside him was hard to shake, and his expression remained as cold as ice.
“Why did you stop?” Fu Xunzhou snapped, his tone frigid.
The financial supervisor quickly resumed the presentation.
After the meeting ended, Fu Xunzhou stayed seated, staring at his phone. He locked and unlocked the screen repeatedly, his mind replaying Zhou Youling’s resolute words:
“Let’s get divorced.”
“I’ve never sought a penny from the Fu Family, so I don’t need any assets.”
“We don’t have children, so there’s no custody to worry about.”
“The Civil Affairs Bureau is open Monday through Friday. Let’s go on Monday.”
“I know you’re busy. I’ll work around your schedule, okay?”
Fu Xunzhou couldn’t believe he had seen such a determined look in Zhou Youling’s eyes.
This version of her was nothing like the gentle, well-mannered woman he had known. For a moment, her defiance had even unsettled him. But he hadn’t agreed to the divorce. He had told her to think it through before making such an absurd decision.
Since leaving the villa yesterday, Fu Xunzhou had thrown himself into work. For the first time in his life, sitting in his office felt suffocating.
“Hey! Snap out of it.”
Two sharp knocks on the desk behind him made Fu Xunzhou turn around.
Yi Bochao adjusted his rimless glasses and smirked. “Wow, something’s definitely up. You’ve been out of it all morning.”
Fu Xunzhou glanced at him indifferently. “What do you want?”
“Nothing major,” Yi Bochao replied. “Remember that roast suckling pig your wife made at my house a couple of months ago? Everyone said it was the best thing they’d ever tasted.”
Fu Xunzhou remembered.
It had been two months ago.
That was the first time Fu Xunzhou had brought Zhou Youling to a gathering with his friends. Her exceptional cooking skills and stunning appearance had earned her widespread praise.
That day, Fu Xunzhou had felt proud. His wife could hold her own in the kitchen and in social settings, earning him plenty of admiration.
Yi Bochao continued, “I’ve been craving that roast suckling pig ever since. Today’s my birthday. Can I invite your wife over to make it again?”
Fu Xunzhou didn’t respond.
Yi Bochao reminisced, “The roast suckling pig was glistening, crispy, and savory-the best I’ve ever had! Watching your wife prepare it, I was completely in awe of her culinary skills.”
He rubbed his hands together eagerly. “Please, let her make it for us again, okay?”
In truth, Yi Bochao planned to confess his feelings to a girl he had liked for years at his birthday party.
Fu Xunzhou’s gaze turned icy as his thoughts churned once more.
He hadn’t tasted Zhou Youling’s cooking in over a month, and now Yi Bochao had the audacity to ask for roast suckling pig?
“Can she come? Can she come? Can she come?” Yi Bochao pressed, repeating the question three times.
Fu Xunzhou tossed out a single word: “Leave.”
After Yi Bochao left, Fu Xunzhou received a call from a number he hadn’t seen in years.
When he answered, a familiar voice greeted him with a playful tone. “Hey, guess who?”
“Fu Hexu,” Fu Xunzhou replied coldly. “You’ve been gone for three years. I thought you were dead.”
“Well, I missed you so much I couldn’t stay away,” Fu Hexu said, his voice as carefree as ever.
Fu Hexu was Fu Xunzhou’s elder male cousin, older by a year.
Suddenly, Fu Xunzhou recalled something: Fu Hexu had a burn scar on his arm, one that bore a striking resemblance to the scar on Zhou Youling’s knee.
…
Zhou Youling had spent the entire day wandering aimlessly.
She had no destination, no purpose-just a desire to kill time and avoid being at home.
As night fell, the city’s neon lights flickered to life.
Standing at a crosswalk, she stared blankly ahead, unsure of which direction to take.
A blaring car horn jolted her out of her daze. Before she could react, someone grabbed her shoulder and pulled her to safety.
“That was close! You need to be more careful,” the person said, exhaling sharply. Then, with a note of surprise, they added, “It’s you! Elder sister!”
Zhou Youling looked up and recognized the youth in front of her.
If she remembered correctly, his name was Xu Jiaze. She had helped him out-and embarrassed him-at a restaurant once before.
What a coincidence.
Xu Jiaze was equally surprised to see her. “Where are you headed?”
Zhou Youling didn’t know, so she asked, “Where are you going?”
Xu Jiaze pointed to a nearby park. “I’m heading to the square.”
Zhou Youling replied, “I’ll go there too.”
The two crossed the street together, with Xu Jiaze staying close to her side, ensuring her safety. Though tall, his still-developing frame gave him a youthful, slightly fragile appearance.
Zhou Youling suddenly recalled the early days of her marriage, when she and Fu Xunzhou had taken walks together. But he had never paid attention to whether she could keep up or if cars were passing nearby. He always moved quickly, and she had to struggle to keep pace, often out of breath.
Later, he had mocked her for her lack of stamina.
At the park, Zhou Youling found a bench and sat down.
Xu Jiaze joined her, opening his violin case.
She looked at the instrument and asked, “Can you play something for me?”
Xu Jiaze’s eyes lit up. “You want to hear me play?”
She nodded.
“Alright!” Without hesitation, Xu Jiaze picked up his violin and rested it on his shoulder.
Soon, beautiful notes flowed from the instrument.
The park was bustling with activity-children laughing, couples chatting-but as the violin’s melody filled the air, the noise began to fade. People turned their attention to the young man playing the violin.
Xu Jiaze stood with his back to the light, as if he were on a stage.
A single talent can make someone shine, and Xu Jiaze was proof of that. His music brought an unexpected touch of elegance to the noisy park, lifting everyone’s spirits.
As people admired his performance, they also noticed his strikingly handsome features. Some even took out their phones to record him, capturing his charm and skill.
Zhou Youling sat across from him, captivated by the music. She didn’t recognize the piece he was playing, but it transported her, reminding her of her childhood.
Back then, her mom had forced her to learn the violin. She had resisted every step of the way. Later, when her family went bankrupt, she no longer had to attend lessons-a fact that had initially made her happy.
When Xu Jiaze finished, applause erupted.
At first, only Zhou Youling clapped. But her lead encouraged others nearby to join in, and soon the entire square was filled with applause.
Xu Jiaze was overwhelmed by the attention, bowing repeatedly in gratitude.
Later, Zhou Youling asked him how long he had been learning the violin. He replied, “A year. I taught myself.”
She nearly choked on her drink. “Are you serious? You’ve only been playing for a year and you’re this good?”
The piece he had played was clearly not easy.
Xu Jiaze nodded shyly, embarrassed by the compliment.
Zhou Youling marveled, “You’re really talented.”
She thought back to her own struggles with the violin as a child. It had taken her ten days just to understand the sheet music. She had never been particularly bright, and her resistance to learning only made things harder. Eventually, she had started skipping lessons altogether.
In school, she had been the type to climb over the fence to escape, feigning innocence when caught, only to repeat the behavior with a mischievous grin.
Her lively, rebellious nature had faded after marrying Fu Xunzhou, leaving her feeling less and less like herself.
“Do you want to learn?” Xu Jiaze asked.
Zhou Youling hesitated.
He handed her the violin. “Give it a try. Just for fun.”
She took the instrument and positioned it on her shoulder, mimicking the posture she remembered. When she plucked the strings, the sound was more noise than music.
Xu Jiaze didn’t laugh at her. Instead, he said, “Even great artists start by finding inspiration in chaos.”
With that, he began guiding her, his hands gently correcting her grip.
To Zhou Youling, Xu Jiaze was nothing more than a younger brother figure. But to the adolescent Xu Jiaze, her subtle fragrance and proximity left him flustered. His hand trembled as it rested on hers, his mind momentarily blank.
Noticing his pause, Zhou Youling looked up. “What’s wrong?”
Xu Jiaze quickly pulled away. “I need to use the restroom.”
“Alright. I’ll wait here.”
The youth turned away, his face barely perceptibly flushed.
As Zhou Youling waited, she grew bored and pulled out her phone, instinctively opening her social media.
The first post she saw was from Yi Bochao-a photo from a gathering, filled with people.
She remembered Yi Bochao. They had exchanged contact information at a party hosted by Fu Xunzhou’s friends, though they had barely spoken since.
The caption on his post read: “Wishing all lovers in the world a happy ending!”
Her eyes immediately landed on the figure seated on the far left of the photo: Fu Xunzhou.
Beside him, Xue Yining leaned her head against his shoulder.
Despair washed over Zhou Youling as she opened Fu Xunzhou’s profile, typed a message, and hit send: [Tomorrow morning at nine. I’ll be waiting for you at the Civil Affairs Bureau.]
