I'm Done with the Elite Marriage - Chapter 13
Fu Xunzhou arrived at the bar to find Zhou Youling curled up on a sofa, fast asleep.
She was petite, barely 165 centimeters tall, and her slender frame made her look like a child when she curled up like that. Small and delicate, she had a way of stirring a protective instinct in others.
In the past, when Fu Xunzhou worked late and came home, he would often find Zhou Youling waiting for him on the living room sofa. Even though she was clearly exhausted, she would always get up to ask if he needed anything to eat.
Those moments gave Fu Xunzhou a sense of warmth, a feeling of home. Over time, he started to feel guilty about keeping her up, so when he worked late, he would simply have his assistant notify her not to wait for him.
As for the message Zhou Youling had sent earlier, Fu Xunzhou decided to let it slide. After all, reasoning with a drunk person was pointless and would only lower his own dignity.
In her sleep, Zhou Youling frowned, her face etched with fear.
Fu Xunzhou stepped forward, but before he could reach her, someone blocked his path.
Congshi, clearly drunk, stood in his way and sneered, “What happened to your promises when you got married? You said you’d take care of her for a lifetime, that you’d never let her feel sad or hurt. Was all that just nonsense? You’re a lousy jerk!”
She raised her hand as if to strike him.
Fu Xunzhou caught her wrist with one hand, but Congshi, unsteady on her feet, stumbled and collapsed onto a soft sofa.
Even as she lay there, she continued to mutter, “Rotten man, bullying my friend. I’ll make sure you pay for this!”
“Worry about yourself first,” Fu Xunzhou said with a look of disdain, brushing off the spot where Congshi had touched him.
He remembered her from three years ago at the wedding. They had met briefly, and it was clear that her attitude toward him was far from friendly.
Fu Xunzhou knew she was one of Zhou Youling’s close friends, but he felt that someone with such a brash and androgynous demeanor wasn’t the best influence.
Nearby, Bai Lingxue, who was also heavily intoxicated, opened her eyes at the commotion. When she saw Fu Xunzhou, she immediately bristled, “Ugh, it’s the dog of a man!”
She tried to stand, but her drunken state kept her firmly planted on the sofa.
Fu Xunzhou looked around at the chaotic scene, feeling exasperated. He was almost certain that Zhou Youling had been led astray by these friends.
The dim bar lighting cast a faint glow on Zhou Youling’s face. Her fair skin seemed to absorb the light, giving her an ethereal appearance.
Fu Xunzhou crouched down in front of her and gently patted her cheek. “Wake up.”
Zhou Youling frowned in displeasure and turned her head, burying her face in the sofa. Her long hair cascaded over the cushions, rising and falling with her movements. Fu Xunzhou couldn’t resist running his fingers through it.
Realizing she wouldn’t wake up, he decided to simply carry her out.
She was so light that it took no effort at all.
Outside the bar, a gust of wind blew past, prompting Fu Xunzhou to tighten his hold on her instinctively.
The driver quickly opened the car door.
Inside the car, Zhou Youling continued to sleep, curled up in her seat. The cramped space made her uncomfortable, and she shifted around, eventually trying to push Fu Xunzhou aside to make room. When she couldn’t move him, she buried her head in his chest, finally finding a comfortable spot to rest.
Fu Xunzhou’s expression hardened, but when Zhou Youling wrapped her arms around his waist, his demeanor softened.
He shook his head in resignation. Despite his lingering irritation, he couldn’t help but find her drunken state endearing.
“You’re really not behaving,” Fu Xunzhou murmured, brushing her hair away from her face and lightly pinching her cheek.
Zhou Youling mumbled something, her small hand grabbing his larger one as if to tell him to stop disturbing her sleep.
Fu Xunzhou held her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. “You’ve learned to drink now? And even get drunk? Do you know how awful a hangover feels?”
Zhou Youling, eyes closed, remained silent and obedient.
Fu Xunzhou continued, “You’re divorcing me because you saw Xue Yining’s lipstick in the car? You didn’t even bother to ask about the situation before jumping to conclusions?”
He sighed. He had been planning to make up for lost time by arranging a photo shoot for their wedding pictures and taking her on a trip. Yet here she was, impulsively demanding a divorce.
Marriage wasn’t something to be discarded so casually.
Fu Xunzhou sighed again.
Despite the current tension, he couldn’t deny that there had been many happy moments in their marriage. For instance, after their intimate moments, Zhou Youling would shyly avoid his gaze, curling up like a timid rabbit. He loved seeing her like that. He also cherished the feeling of coming home to someone waiting for him, a sense of security and support. Most of all, he adored her cooking. No matter where he was, the thought of her meals could instantly lift his spirits and erase the day’s fatigue.
When they arrived home, Fu Xunzhou carried Zhou Youling upstairs to rest. As he placed her on the bed, she clung tightly to his hand, murmuring softly, “Don’t go. Save me.”
Fu Xunzhou leaned closer, asking, “What did you say?”
Zhou Youling curled up into a ball, clutching her knees tightly. “It hurts… It’s so hot… Save me…”
She was dreaming of the fire, of the burning beam that had trapped her legs, leaving her unable to escape.
Fu Xunzhou couldn’t bear to see her like this. He leaned down and held her, soothing her gently, “It’s over now. Don’t be afraid.”
Under his comforting words, Zhou Youling gradually calmed down and fell into a peaceful sleep.
Fu Xunzhou looked down at her, still holding her and patting her back softly. “I’m sorry I couldn’t save you in time,” he whispered.
Little did he know, this would become a regret that would haunt him for the rest of his life.
The night deepened, but Fu Xunzhou couldn’t sleep. He watched Zhou Youling’s serene face and thought about the accusations her friends had hurled at him in the bar.
He knew he hadn’t been there for her enough in the past three years. He wanted to make amends, but his responsibilities as the head of a group left him with little time for personal matters.
Zhou Youling slept until late the next morning.
When she finally opened her eyes, she closed them again, disoriented and unsure of the time or day. All she knew was that her head was pounding.
Before she could fully wake up, a familiar voice said, “Awake?”
Fu Xunzhou’s deep, calm voice jolted her into full consciousness.
She opened her eyes completely.
Fu Xunzhou handed her a glass of honey water. “Does your head hurt?”
Zhou Youling slowly sat up in bed, looking at him with confusion.
She remembered drinking with Congshi and Bai Lingxue the night before, but everything after that was a blur.
Fu Xunzhou noticed her bewildered expression and recapped the events for her: “You got drunk, threw up on me, and insisted on taking a cold shower. Remember?”
Zhou Youling: “…”
Not at all.
Fu Xunzhou had spent most of the night taking care of her, cleaning her up and putting her to bed. He had barely slept before his internal clock woke him up again.
He had a meeting scheduled for the morning but skipped it, worried that Zhou Youling might cause more trouble if left alone.
“Don’t remember?” Fu Xunzhou chuckled lightly. “Then I’ll pretend I don’t remember the silly things you said last night either.”
“What silly things?” Zhou Youling asked.
Fu Xunzhou pulled out his phone and showed her the two messages she had sent him the night before.
Seeing them, Zhou Youling suddenly recalled everything that had happened before she got drunk.
She had been adamant about going to the civil affairs bureau at 9 a.m. to file for divorce. Now it was almost 11 a.m.
She quickly got out of bed and said to Fu Xunzhou, “Let’s go. We might still make it in time to file for divorce.”
Looking him in the eye, she added, “I’m letting you go. I understand how we both feel now. Fu Xunzhou, you don’t love me, and I won’t force this marriage anymore.”
Fu Xunzhou’s face darkened instantly. “What did you say?”
After spending the entire night taking care of her, this was the outcome?
“I said, divorce,” Zhou Youling replied firmly.
“Why divorce? Do you have someone else in your heart?” Fu Xunzhou asked, grasping for an explanation.
Zhou Youling laughed bitterly. Of course, he didn’t trust her.
“You’re not wrong,” she said. “Because the hero in my heart isn’t you.”
From the beginning, she had been mistaken. She had thought she was repaying her savior, but she had been wrong all along.
Still, she didn’t blame him. Ending things now would free them both.
Fu Xunzhou sneered, “A hero? The one who saved your life? Ridiculous. You don’t even know who it is!”
Zhou Youling ignored his mockery, resolute in her decision to divorce.
Fu Xunzhou clenched his teeth. “If you truly want a divorce, I’ll oblige. But with grandfather’s birthday coming up, I hope you can wait until after the celebration.”
With that, he turned and left without looking back.
…
Fu Xunzhou’s mood, which had been improving, now plummeted into a stormy rage. His face was dark as he drove to the office.
Halfway there, his assistant, Xiao Youyang, called. “Someone claiming to be your cousin is here to see you.”
“Fu Hexu?” Fu Xunzhou asked.
“Yes.”
“Let him wait. I’ll be there shortly.”
Xiao Youyang followed his instructions and ushered Fu Hexu into the office.
Fu Hexu winked at Xiao Youyang and said, “See? I wasn’t lying. But your observational skills need work. Can’t you see how much I look like Xunzhou?”
Xiao Youyang remained professional and didn’t respond.
To be fair, Fu Hexu did bear a striking resemblance to Fu Xunzhou. The difference was in their demeanor: Fu Xunzhou was cold and reserved, while Fu Hexu exuded warmth and charm.
Having spent years backpacking around the world, Fu Hexu’s skin was tanned, but his sunny disposition remained intact. His good looks made him popular with women, and he was known for changing girlfriends frequently.
This time, Fu Hexu had returned to attend his grandfather’s 80th birthday celebration and to check in on his straitlaced cousin.
Despite being cousins, Fu Hexu and Fu Xunzhou had always been close, almost like brothers.
When Fu Xunzhou arrived at the office, he found Fu Hexu lounging in his chair.
Fu Hexu was as carefree as ever, with his long legs stretched out and a photo frame in his hand.
“Wow, your wife is adorable. She’s changed so much since she was a kid,” Fu Hexu said, placing the frame back on the desk. He looked up at Fu Xunzhou and grinned, “Aren’t you glad I’m back?”
Fu Xunzhou walked over and frowned, gesturing for Fu Hexu to take his feet off the desk.
“Is work fun?” Fu Hexu asked, still sitting casually.
Fu Xunzhou noticed the marks on Fu Hexu’s neck and frowned deeper. “Aren’t you worried about catching something?”
“Huh?” Fu Hexu looked confused, then followed Fu Xunzhou’s gaze and understood. “Oh, come on. What are you thinking? These are mosquito bites.”
He had just returned from the tropical rainforest and hadn’t had time to recover from the insect bites.
Fu Xunzhou remained skeptical but chose not to pursue the matter.
Fu Hexu stretched out on the sofa, rubbing his stomach. “I hear your wife is a great cook. Every year, she’s the one who prepares the dishes for grandfather’s birthday. After all these years abroad, I’d love to taste some home-cooked food.”
Fu Xunzhou frowned.
This was the second time in two days someone had mentioned Zhou Youling’s cooking. Yesterday, Yi Bochao had brought it up, and now Fu Hexu was doing the same.
“If you want to eat, go find her yourself,” Fu Xunzhou snapped.
Fu Hexu sensed something was off. “What’s wrong? Did you two have a fight?”
Fu Xunzhou didn’t answer, focusing instead on his work.
Fu Hexu sauntered over and tapped the desk lightly. “Hey, don’t ignore me. I’m talking to you. Do you want me to knock some sense into you?”
Fu Xunzhou glanced up and noticed the scar on Fu Hexu’s arm.
Suddenly, he remembered something. Three years ago, if Fu Hexu hadn’t run away, Fu Xunzhou wouldn’t have married Zhou Youling.
When Old Master Fu had fallen ill three years ago, the family had decided to arrange a wedding to lift his spirits. Fu Hexu, being older and single, was the obvious choice. But upon hearing the news, he had fled the country overnight.
As a result, Fu Xunzhou ended up marrying Zhou Youling, and Fu Hexu didn’t even attend the wedding.
At the time, Fu Hexu was busy playing with polar bears in the Arctic and had no interest in the ceremony. He figured sending a red envelope was enough.
“How did you get that scar?” Fu Xunzhou asked.
Fu Hexu looked at the burn mark on his arm and laughed nonchalantly. “Back then, I almost died saving a little girl from a fire. Pretty heroic, huh?”
Fu Xunzhou felt a tension inside him snap. “What little girl?”
“Actually, she’s your wife now,” Fu Hexu said with a wink. “Yeah, your wife. If I hadn’t saved her back then, you’d probably still be single. Aren’t you grateful?”
Fu Xunzhou was stunned into silence, as if something had lodged in his throat.
