I'm Done with the Elite Marriage - Chapter 20

The bar was bathed in vibrant, multicolored lights, and a beam of orange-red light fell across Fu Hexu’s face. He tilted his head slightly, letting the light illuminate his jawline.

It was reminiscent of that year, amidst the raging fire, when he had carried her in his arms. She had looked up and seen the firelight dancing across his jaw.

Fu Hexu and Fu Xunzhou shared similar facial features, but Zhou Youling had never imagined that the person who saved her would be Fu Hexu.

In the fragmented memories of her childhood, Fu Hexu had always been the troublemaker, the one who shirked responsibilities and stirred up trouble. He was the last person she would associate with the selfless hero who would risk his life to save someone.

Zhou Youling stared at Fu Hexu in a daze, her throat tightening as if something was lodged there, refusing to come out.

She could never have guessed that for the past ten years, she had been confusing Fu Hexu with Fu Xunzhou.

Her mind was a whirlwind of emotions she couldn’t put into words, yet somehow, she found it amusing.

Fu Hexu noticed Zhou Youling’s peculiar expression and felt a strange sense of déjà vu. It was the same look Fu Xunzhou had given him when he had asked about the scar on his hand.

These two-husband and wife-seemed to be cut from the same mold, a perfect match in every sense. And yet, they were talking about divorce?

Fu Hexu frowned slightly as he looked at Zhou Youling, his discomfort evident. “What’s wrong?”

Zhou Youling shook her head, raised her glass, and clinked it against Fu Hexu’s.

Fu Hexu’s eyes flickered with a hint of confusion.

Zhou Youling said, “All these years, I’ve never had the chance to thank you properly.”

With that, she stood up, holding her glass, and bowed slightly toward Fu Hexu before downing her drink in one go.

“Oh, come on now.” Fu Hexu stood up as well, scratching his head awkwardly. “Getting all sentimental like this-I’m not sure I can handle it.”

“This thank-you is long overdue,” Zhou Youling said, her face full of apology.

“Alright, I’ve received it,” Fu Hexu replied, pressing her shoulder gently to make her sit back down. “It was nothing, really.”

After all, it had been ten years. Digging up old stories now didn’t seem to serve much purpose.

Back then, during the fire, Fu Hexu had simply been passing by when he saved Zhou Youling. The only consequence was a minor burn on his arm, leaving behind a scar-not much of a big deal.

The Zhou Family had already expressed their gratitude to Fu Hexu with proper decorum at the time. But Fu Hexu, being the kind of person who disliked taking credit, would always brush off the topic with a laugh whenever someone brought it up. He even went so far as to push Fu Xunzhou forward as the supposed hero.

After the fire, Zhou Youling had spent a long time recuperating. To lift her spirits, the Zhou Family had taken her to the countryside for a lengthy stay. By the time she returned, she heard that her savior had gone abroad. She had always believed her rescuer was named Fu Xunzhou. Since both Fu Hexu and Fu Xunzhou had graduated high school and left for university overseas, she never had the chance to confirm her assumption. As a result, Zhou Youling had never been able to thank her true savior in person.

This belated expression of gratitude brought a sense of closure to Zhou Youling’s heart.

Perhaps it was the kind of hero worship that often blossoms during one’s youth. Zhou Youling had been at that tender age of budding emotions when the accident happened. Mistakenly identifying Fu Xunzhou as her rescuer, she had quietly kept an eye on him and even developed a secret admiration for him.

From any perspective, Fu Xunzhou seemed like the kind of youth who would sacrifice himself to save others. He excelled academically, had an impeccable image, and possessed all the qualities that girls admired. Zhou Youling had slowly but surely allowed Fu Xunzhou to occupy her heart entirely.

Even now, knowing that Fu Xunzhou wasn’t her true savior, it didn’t change the years of attention she had given him. What remained unshaken was the invisible bond of emotions that had formed over time.

Fu Hexu, oblivious to Zhou Youling’s thoughts, didn’t bother to delve into them.

Leaning lazily against his seat, he watched Xu Jiaze singing on stage and, for once, offered a casual critique. “Not bad. He’s got some talent.”

Zhou Youling’s gaze also settled on Xu Jiaze, who was at the center of the stage.

A spotlight enveloped Xu Jiaze as he sat on a high stool, cradling his guitar and singing softly.

The bar seemed to dissolve into his voice:

“I wish this would be over now.

But I know that I still need you here.

You say I’m crazy,

‘Cause you don’t think I know what you’ve done.

But when you call me baby,

I know I’m not the only one.”

The audience, immersed in the music, forgot to speak. They held their drinks, some leaning close to one another, lost in the melody.

The music bar always had a sentimental atmosphere-no blaring beats, just a place to sit back and unwind.

As the final note from the guitar strings faded, the bar erupted in synchronized applause, with a few cheers breaking through the air.

Zhou Youling clapped her hands with satisfaction, her gaze meeting Xu Jiaze’s as he stood on stage.

Xu Jiaze smiled shyly at Zhou Youling and leaned into the microphone. “Thank you.”

After a brief pause, he held the microphone with both hands and, in his deep voice, added, “Thank you for appearing when I was at my lowest, when I needed someone the most. I hope that one day, I can become someone truly worthy-someone who can be a ray of sunshine in your life.”

Zhou Youling deliberately turned her head away, avoiding the intensity of his gaze.

Fu Hexu shifted his attention from the stage and chuckled as he asked Zhou Youling, “Is that younger brother on stage confessing his feelings for you?”

Zhou Youling instinctively retorted, “Don’t talk nonsense.”

“What’s nonsense about it?” Fu Hexu glanced at the stage again and helpfully pointed out, “He’s still staring at you like he doesn’t want to look away.”

Zhou Youling shot him a glare, prompting Fu Hexu to wisely shut his mouth.

“Alright, I’ll leave you to it,” Fu Hexu said, standing up with his glass and bidding her farewell.

He was a carefree soul, and tonight, he had his own plans for amusement.

Zhou Youling sighed softly, feeling as though everything happening around her was surreal.

Not long after, Bai Lingxue returned from her phone call and said to Zhou Youling, “It’s all sorted. If everything goes smoothly, you can start the handover process soon. Of course, the timing is entirely up to you.”

Zhou Youling felt a sudden wave of nervousness after hearing Bai Lingxue’s words. She clenched her hands tightly and asked, “Once the paperwork is done, I’ll officially be the owner of the restaurant, right?”

“Of course,” Bai Lingxue replied, giving her a reassuring pat on the shoulder.

Zhou Youling silently hoped everything would go smoothly.

…

Early the next morning, Zhou Youling made her way to the hospital, specifically to visit Old Master Fu.

By eight o’clock, the doctors had already completed their rounds. Old Master Fu was reclining on the hospital bed, his spirits appearing better than expected.

At this hour, only the caregiver was present in the room with Old Master Fu. It seemed he had deliberately arranged for this time to be reserved for Zhou Youling, ensuring no one else would interrupt.

Upon seeing her, Old Master Fu beckoned gently, his tone soft, “Come here.”

Zhou Youling stepped closer and stood beside his bed.

He looked at her for a moment before speaking, “These past three years must have been hard on you.”

“Grandfather…” Zhou Youling’s eyes began to sting with emotion.

Old Master Fu’s own eyes reddened slightly as he continued, “Last night, Xunzhou talked to me about many things. To be honest, during your time with the Fu Family, we did let you endure quite a bit.”

Zhou Youling remained silent, listening intently.

Old Master Fu sighed, “You’re both adults now, and you have the right to make your own choices. I’m old and no longer wish to impose my will on you. But I hope that even if you and Xunzhou go through with the divorce, you’ll always remain my beloved granddaughter.”

Zhou Youling had anticipated a challenging conversation today. Even her mom, Rong Huiying, had offered strategies and insisted on accompanying her to meet Old Master Fu. Yet, contrary to her expectations, her grandfather neither expressed anger nor tried to stop her.

“In today’s world, it’s not like it was in our time. Happiness and joy are what matter most,” Old Master Fu said, patting her hand gently. “Since you’ve made your decision, embrace it wholeheartedly. Life’s journey is long, and this is merely a small detour. If you’ve strayed off course, just find your way back.”

…

Old Master Fu spoke at length, while Zhou Youling mostly listened in silence.

The conversation lasted nearly an hour, with Zhou Youling paying close attention throughout, never showing a hint of impatience.

As their talk drew to a close, the door to the hospital room opened, and Fu Zhiqing entered with her daughter, Jiang Sha.

Zhou Youling instinctively stood up from her chair and greeted, “Aunt.”

Fu Zhiqing ignored her and went straight to Old Master Fu, asking, “Dad, are you feeling better today?”

Jiang Sha chimed in, “Grandfather, you’re not angry anymore, are you?”

Old Master Fu’s expression darkened upon seeing the two of them. He replied curtly, “I’m not dying.”

“Don’t say such things! You need to focus on recovering,” Fu Zhiqing said quickly.

Jiang Sha glanced at Zhou Youling and asked bluntly, “Sister-in-law, are you really going to divorce my elder male cousin?”

Zhou Youling looked up at Jiang Sha but chose not to respond.

Jiang Sha continued, “Women are all the same-cry, make a fuss, and threaten to hang themselves. Sister-in-law, you’ve made enough of a scene. Don’t end up regretting it if you actually go through with the divorce. After all, you were the one who shamelessly insisted on marrying my elder male cousin, and now you’re the one demanding a divorce. Quite amusing, isn’t it?”

“Shamelessly insisted?” Zhou Youling asked, taken aback by the accusation.

Jiang Sha scoffed, “Isn’t that the truth? Calling it shameless is putting it mildly.”

“Jiang Sha!” Old Master Fu’s voice thundered, “How dare you speak to your sister-in-law like that?”

Jiang Sha hadn’t expected such a strong reaction from him and shrank back, falling silent.

“Do you think I’m invisible?” Old Master Fu’s anger flared, his breaths growing heavier. He turned to Fu Zhiqing and said, “Is this the kind of daughter you’ve raised? Boldly bullying her sister-in-law right in front of me!”

“Dad, please don’t get upset,” Fu Zhiqing hurried over to support him. “Jiang Sha has always been straightforward and doesn’t mean any harm. You know that, so why get so worked up?”

Her words only seemed to fuel Old Master Fu’s anger further. With a sweep of his large hand, he knocked the teacup off the bedside table, shattering it on the ground.

“Kneel and apologize!”

“Kneel and apologize to your sister-in-law!” he repeated firmly.

Not long ago, Fu Zhiqing had said similar words to Zhou Youling. Now, Old Master Fu delivered them verbatim to Jiang Sha.