I'm Done with the Elite Marriage - Chapter 21
Outside the hospital room, several members of the Fu Family had already gathered. Hearing the commotion inside, someone quickly pushed the door open.
The first to enter was Old Master Fu’s eldest son, Fu Zhiyong.
Fu Zhiyong was the type to avoid conflict whenever possible, but he cared deeply about his father’s health. He immediately stepped forward to console him, “Dad, don’t let this upset you. Let’s talk things through calmly.”
Following closely behind was his wife, the aunt, who hurriedly grabbed a broom to sweep up the shards of broken ceramic scattered across the floor.
The Second Aunt, who had always sided with Fu Zhiqing, entered next and said, “Dad, Jiang Sha is just young and immature. Please don’t take her words to heart.”
Fu Zhiqiang, her husband, chimed in, “Exactly, exactly. These youngsters are all like this-none of them are worry-free. Don’t let it bother you.”
Yu Wanrong was the last to enter, carrying a thermos flask filled with freshly prepared seafood porridge. She remained reserved and cautious, carefully placing the flask on the bedside table without saying a word.
Old Master Fu had three sons and one daughter: the eldest, Fu Zhiyong; the second, Fu Zhiqiang; the third, Fu Zhiming, who was Fu Xunzhou’s late father; and the youngest, Fu Zhiqing, his daughter.
Among them, Old Master Fu had always doted on Fu Zhiqing the most, which had fostered her arrogant and self-centered personality. Unsurprisingly, her daughter, Jiang Sha, had grown up to mirror her mother’s traits.
“Mom…” Jiang Sha, stunned by Old Master’s stern reprimand, froze in place. With so many people now in the room, she knew someone would surely stand up for her. She turned to her mother, Fu Zhiqing, hoping she would speak on her behalf.
Fu Zhiqing, who had divorced at a young age and raised her only daughter alone, had always indulged Jiang Sha’s every whim.
Seeing her daughter being scolded and even ordered to kneel, Fu Zhiqing was visibly displeased. “Dad, why are you so worked up this early in the morning? Did someone say something to you?”
Throughout the exchange, Zhou Youling remained silent but met her sister-in-law’s gaze, fully understanding the implication behind her words.
Looking at the crowd of Fu Family members gathered in the room, Zhou Youling felt a hollow emptiness inside. With Old Master Fu having already agreed to her divorce from Fu Xunzhou, she knew that soon she would have no ties to this group of people-whether they bore the Fu surname or not.
If there were no ties, then why bother caring?
The Second Aunt quickly added, “She’s just a kid, after all. Blurting things out without thinking-there’s no need to make her kneel.”
Yu Wanrong, meanwhile, opened the thermos flask, changing the subject. She addressed Old Master Fu, “Dad, why don’t you have something to eat first?”
As the flask was opened, the fragrant aroma of seafood porridge filled the room.
The aunt praised, “This porridge must have taken quite some effort to make.”
Yu Wanrong replied, “I started cooking it at five this morning. I knew Dad liked it, so I made it especially for him.”
“You’re so thoughtful.”
“It’s only right.”
The aunt added, “Speaking of cooking, I remember Youling is particularly skilled at it. Dad has always loved the dishes she makes. Once Dad recovers, Youling should cook some of her specialties for him again.”
As Jiang Sha’s reprimand seemed to be brushed aside with a casual laugh, no one expected what happened next. When the bowl of seafood porridge was placed in front of Old Master Fu, he suddenly burst into laughter.
“Good, good, very good. This is the attitude of our Fu Family,” Old Master Fu said with a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. Yet the sternness in his expression made Yu Wanrong quickly place the bowl of seafood porridge back on the bedside table.
Not just Yu Wanrong, but everyone in the room fell silent, not daring to make a sound.
Compared to the earlier outburst when Old Master Fu angrily smashed a cup, this moment was far more intimidating.
After all, he was once a figure of great authority, and even though he had just celebrated his 80th birthday, his commanding presence remained undiminished.
Turning to Yu Wanrong, Old Master Fu said, “You were outside earlier. You heard how your daughter-in-law was humiliated, didn’t you?”
Yu Wanrong nodded slightly, remaining silent.
“You’ve always been the smartest one, adept at turning big issues into small ones and small ones into nothing. But how could you be so muddle-headed this time? Your daughter-in-law was being bullied, and you didn’t say a single word?”
“Father…” Yu Wanrong opened her mouth but found herself at a loss for words.
Old Master Fu then shifted his gaze to Fu Zhiqing. “If I remember correctly, last month during the family gathering, Jiang Sha came back halfway through, crying and claiming she had been wronged. You demanded Zhou Youling immediately return home to apologize to you, even insisting she kneel down to apologize. Do you remember that?”
Fu Zhiqing’s face turned alternately pale and flushed. How could she forget?
“Do you recall how aggressive you were back then?” Old Master Fu chuckled. “Why couldn’t you forgive this younger generation at that time and let it go?”
Fu Zhiqing turned her head away, unable to face Old Master Fu any longer.
Old Master Fu’s gaze swept across the room before he let out a sigh. “From beginning to end, our Fu Family has been selfish and prone to infighting. No wonder outsiders laugh at us.”
“It’s all my fault-my fault for growing old, my fault for being foolish. Over these three years, Zhou Youling married into the Fu Family, and I’ve turned a blind eye to everything you’ve done. I thought harmony would bring prosperity, but I failed to realize that a frozen lake doesn’t form overnight. Losing such a sensible and obedient grandson’s wife is the consequence of my own actions.”
The room fell into a deafening silence, with everyone hanging their heads like children caught misbehaving.
Zhou Youling glanced around the room and suddenly noticed Fu Xunzhou standing at the doorway.
She didn’t know when he had arrived or how much he had overheard.
But Zhou Youling suddenly remembered the day she had been forced to kneel. It was Fu Xunzhou who had stepped forward to “protect” her.
She gave him a faint smile, wanting to say: “Today, someone is finally standing up for me.”
But it was already too late.
…
Divorce seemed to be an inevitable conclusion now.
Yu Wanrong had never imagined that her son and daughter-in-law would truly reach the brink of divorce. She had thought it was all just a dramatic episode, which was why she had remained silent from the beginning. She even believed that Zhou Youling’s visit to the hospital this morning would dispel any thoughts of divorce. Unexpectedly, Old Master Fu turned out to be the one most in favor of the divorce.
Yu Wanrong pulled her son aside and tried to persuade him. “Go and apologize to Youling. There’s no problem that can’t be resolved. Why must it come to the point of divorce?”
Facing her mother’s gentle persuasion, Fu Xunzhou silently shook his head.
Actually, last night, Fu Xunzhou had a long talk with Old Master Fu. He used the negotiation skills he had learned over the years in the business world to convince his grandfather to agree to the divorce.
Under Fu Xunzhou’s persuasion, not only did Old Master Fu agree to the divorce, but he also showed a deep understanding of Zhou Youling. This was also why he had set aside time early in the morning specifically to talk to Zhou Youling and even apologized to her in person.
After leaving the hospital, Zhou Youling was immediately greeted by her parents.
Rong Huiying, visibly anxious, grabbed Zhou Youling and asked, “How did it go? Did the Fu Family mistreat you? Did they agree to the divorce? Should I go and demand justice for you right now?”
Zhou Zhishan, having seen much of the world, gently pulled his wife’s hand, “Let Youling speak first.”
Zhou Youling looked at her parents and said, “I’m sorry, mom and dad, for causing you worry.”
Her words instantly brought tears to Rong Huiying’s eyes.
Holding her mother’s hand, Zhou Youling said, “This afternoon, I will go with him to finalize the divorce proceedings. Starting tomorrow, I’ll be single again. Don’t you start disliking me then.”
“What nonsense are you talking about? How could we ever dislike you?” Rong Huiying’s tears were now flowing freely.
Zhou Zhishan sighed and said, “Given the circumstances, should we go upstairs to check on Old Master Fu? After all, he is an elder.”
Rong Huiying was the first to disagree: “Why should we go see him? Haven’t we done enough for their family?”
As she spoke, she began to pull Zhou Youling away.
But they hadn’t walked more than a few steps before Yu Wanrong hurried over.
Yu Wanrong blocked Rong Huiying’s path, saying, “Let’s talk this over calmly.”
Rong Huiying wiped her tears away, her expression proud: “There’s nothing to talk about. If you don’t cherish Zhou Youling, someone else will.”
With that, she truly walked away without looking back.
Yu Wanrong stood there, sighing heavily.
As in-laws, Yu Wanrong didn’t particularly like Rong Huiying’s arrogant demeanor, and similarly, Rong Huiying didn’t appreciate Yu Wanrong’s hidden depths.
But this marriage represented the union of two families, and its dissolution implicated more than just their familial issues.
Yu Wanrong could even foresee that soon, the Fu Group’s stock market would be shaken by this divorce, and the internal strife over property division within the Fu Family would become tumultuous.
It seemed everything was just beginning.
Fu Xunzhou, who hadn’t smoked in many years, took a cigarette offered by Fu Hexu.
He inhaled deeply and unexpectedly choked, his face turning red.
He remembered coming home last night to an empty house, yet still enveloped by Zhou Youling’s scent-sweet and fragrant. He used to smoke, sometimes filling the study with smoke and leaving cigarette butts in the bathroom. But after Zhou Youling expressed her dislike for smoking, he quit the next day.
He was learning to accommodate her, but it was perhaps too late.
From the eighth-floor window, he could clearly see Zhou Youling getting into the Zhou Family’s car.
Zhou Youling’s steps seemed light and brisk. She was walking arm-in-arm with Rong Huiying, the two appearing almost like sisters from a distance.
Leaving him, she must be happy.
Fu Hexu followed Fu Xunzhou’s gaze and then turned around, leaning lazily against the wall with his arms crossed, “Brother, are you happy?”
Fu Xunzhou ignored Fu Hexu, taking another harsh draw from his cigarette.
The smoke filled his lungs, causing him to cough violently, as if his heart was also in pain.
Fu Hexu patted Fu Xunzhou on the shoulder, smiling, “You’re divorced, you’re free now. Go pursue the one you love, no need to be bound by family obligations. You should be happy!”
Fu Xunzhou brushed off Fu Hexu’s hand from his shoulder and turned to ask, “What are you implying?”
Fu Hexu shrugged, “Isn’t everyone saying you liked that Xue Yining? They say Zhou Youling climbed her way into the rich family by any means necessary, driving away your old lover who left in distress, so much so that our grandfather fell ill.”
“Bullshit,” Fu Xunzhou retorted sharply, rarely using such language.
Fu Hexu raised his eyebrows, clearly amused, “I heard your old lover just came back recently?”
Fu Xunzhou glanced at Fu Hexu.
Fu Hexu chuckled, “Just be careful.”
