I'm Done with the Elite Marriage - Chapter 24
He didn’t want to admit regret.
But when he saw the emptiness of the room, when he realized that everything that had once belonged to Zhou Youling had been taken away, Fu Xunzhou couldn’t help but feel a sharp pain in his chest.
The household servant had called him earlier, her voice filled with urgency, saying that the madam’s belongings were being moved out. She clearly didn’t know yet that Fu Xunzhou and Zhou Youling were already divorced.
Fu Xunzhou skipped the company meeting and even turned off his phone-a rare indulgence for him.
When he returned home, he saw the moving company workers, polite and methodical, carefully packing up everything that had once been Zhou Youling’s.
The paintings she loved, the flowers she adored, her favorite cups, her cherished dresses-everything was being boxed up and taken away.
“Where are all these things being moved to?” Fu Xunzhou asked in a low voice.
One of the movers replied politely, “Miss Zhou said they’re to be donated to those in need. She’s entrusted us to handle everything.”
“She doesn’t want any of it?” His tone carried a hint of disbelief.
These were all things she had once treasured.
The mover nodded firmly. “Miss Zhou specifically stated that she doesn’t want any of these items anymore.”
As he watched the dressing room and jewelry table being emptied bit by bit, it felt as though he was the one being abandoned.
Toward the end, the movers handed Fu Xunzhou a small box and said, “Miss Zhou also mentioned that these are gifts Mr. Fu gave her in the past. She’s returning them to you now.”
Fu Xunzhou didn’t take the box. His voice was cold. “What I gave her is hers. Just give them back to her.”
“Uh…” The movers hesitated, clearly unsure of what to do.
Despite its small size, the box contained items of immense value. A single bracelet inside was worth hundreds of thousands. If they took it out of the house and something went missing, it would be hard to explain.
Left with no choice, the movers called Zhou Youling.
When she answered, her voice was calm. “It’s fine. Just leave it on the vanity. No need to tell him.”
After all, he would never know what she had, nor would he care to remember that these were gifts from him.
Following her instructions, the movers quickly placed the box of priceless jewelry on the vanity.
Meanwhile, Zhou Youling hung up the phone. She was sitting in Bai Lingxue’s café, absentmindedly stirring her coffee with a small spoon.
Bai Lingxue walked over with a plate of cheesecake and placed it in front of her. “Matcha flavor-your favorite.”
Though she wasn’t in the mood to eat, Zhou Youling still took a small bite out of politeness.
“So, how does it feel to be divorced?” Bai Lingxue asked, raising an eyebrow.
Zhou Youling gave a bitter smile. “It doesn’t feel like anything.”
The golden rays of the setting sun streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows, casting a warm glow over Zhou Youling. Outside, passersby occasionally glanced back at her, unable to ignore her beauty. She had always drawn attention, ever since she was a child.
Suddenly, something crossed her mind. She looked at Bai Lingxue curiously. “Do you know someone named Ji Yangwen?”
“Ji Yangwen? The young master of Ji’s Group? Of course, I know him,” Bai Lingxue replied with a laugh. “He used to chase after you, remember?”
“What?” Zhou Youling looked completely puzzled. She had no memory of it at all.
Bai Lingxue reminded Zhou Youling, “Back in junior high, you were quite the wild one. Ji Yangwen was from the neighboring school, and he even wrote you a love letter. Remember? I was the one who read it to you.”
Zhou Youling felt utterly baffled. “I have absolutely no memory of that.”
Thinking about it now, she felt a bit awkward, especially since Ji Yangwen hadn’t brought it up earlier that afternoon.
“Well, you’ve always been forgetful,” Bai Lingxue teased. “But honestly, you had so many boys writing you love letters back then. It’s no surprise you don’t remember.”
Seeing Zhou Youling frown, Bai Lingxue asked curiously, “What’s bothering you?”
“Nothing much. This afternoon, I bought a single apartment from Ji Yangwen. I don’t have any impression of him at all.”
Bai Lingxue gave her a thumbs-up. “You don’t recognize Ji Yangwen, the second most eligible bachelor in Nanzhou City? That’s impressive.”
Zhou Youling raised an eyebrow, intrigued. “Then who’s the first?”
Bai Lingxue shot her a knowing look. “Your ex-husband.”
Zhou Youling: “…”
Yeah, right.
Fu Xunzhou’s status as the most desirable man in Nanzhou City wasn’t without reason. The Fu Family’s economic influence ranked number one in the city, and naturally, the young Chairman of Fu Group was the center of attention. Unlike other corporate leaders who were either overweight or balding, Fu Xunzhou was under thirty, and-most importantly-he was exceptionally handsome.
With looks rivaling those of movie stars and an enviable fortune, Fu Xunzhou had become the man every woman in Nanzhou City wanted to marry. However, since he had married young, dreams of becoming Mrs. Fu were dashed. Instead, he was unofficially crowned as the man most women in Nanzhou City wanted to… well, spend the night with.
…
Nightfall approached, and it was time for dinner.
The servant had prepared a few dishes and said to Fu Xunzhou, “I’m afraid my cooking isn’t as good as Madam’s. Please bear with me.”
Not just “not as good”-the dishes didn’t even look appetizing.
Fu Xunzhou didn’t comment. He sat silently at the dining table and picked up his chopsticks.
It had been nearly two months since Fu Xunzhou returned from the U.S., and he hadn’t tasted Zhou Youling’s cooking since then.
In the past, no matter what time he came home, there was always food waiting for him. If he wanted something different, she would whip up a fresh bowl of noodles.
Zhou Youling had a knack for making noodles-zhajiang noodles1, seafood noodles, shaved noodles, wonton noodles… it seemed there wasn’t a type she couldn’t make.
Eating her lovingly prepared meals always made him feel at home, and his appetite would soar.
But now, sitting alone at the large dining table, staring at the dishes before him, Fu Xunzhou moved his chopsticks but ultimately set them down.
He had no appetite.
The servant, standing nearby, grew anxious and said, “Is there something you’re unhappy with? I can improve next time.”
Fu Xunzhou shook his head. “No, you did well.”
It’s just that you’re not her.
The phone on the dining table vibrated. It was a call from Fu Hexu, asking what Fu Xunzhou was up to.
Fu Hexu said, “Since I’ve been back, we haven’t had a proper meal together.”
He sent over a location and told Fu Xunzhou to come find him.
Fu Xunzhou drove alone, following the GPS to the location Fu Hexu had sent him. Upon arrival, he realized he had been to this restaurant before.
It was the same restaurant where he and Zhou Youling had a heated argument, and also the place where she had fallen and scraped her knee at the entrance.
After parking his car, Fu Xunzhou stepped out and entered the restaurant.
It was peak dining time, and the restaurant was nearly packed. Fu Hexu had reserved a private room and had already sent the room number to Fu Xunzhou.
As Fu Xunzhou pushed open the door to the private room and stepped inside, Zhou Youling and Bai Lingxue were also arriving at the restaurant.
Bai Lingxue glanced around the bustling restaurant and remarked to Zhou Youling, “This place is doing way better than I expected.”
A long line of customers stretched out from the entrance.
Zhou Youling smiled faintly. “I doubt it’ll stay this way for long.”
“What makes you say that?” Bai Lingxue asked.
Zhou Youling didn’t answer directly. Instead, she called over a waiter to place their order.
The restaurant’s service was impressively fast. Almost as soon as they placed their order, waiters began bringing dishes to their table.
Bai Lingxue was quite pleased with the speed of service and clapped her hands in approval.
Once all the dishes were served, Zhou Youling pointed to a plate of Candied Sweet Potato and asked Bai Lingxue, “Do you notice anything off about this dish?”
Bai Lingxue picked up a piece with her chopsticks, took a bite, and immediately spat it out. “Ugh, why is it bitter?”
“Exactly,” Zhou Youling said. “Why is it bitter?”
She had noticed this issue the first time she visited the restaurant, yet it seemed no one had addressed it since.
Bai Lingxue waved over a waiter and said, “There’s something wrong with this dish. Could you take a look?”
It wasn’t supposed to be a big deal. Bai Lingxue simply wanted to point out that the Candied Sweet Potato seemed off and ask for a replacement if necessary. However, the restaurant manager decided to escalate the matter by calling the kitchen supervisor over to their table.
Typically, the front hall and the kitchen operate independently. In this case, the restaurant manager was essentially the Front Hall Manager, while the kitchen affairs were overseen by the Kitchen Supervisor. Unfortunately, the two had a long-standing feud, which explained why the Front Hall Manager had no qualms about dragging the Kitchen Supervisor into a customer complaint.
Bai Lingxue was taken aback. All she had done was raise an issue about one dish, and now both the Front Hall Manager and the Kitchen Supervisor were standing in front of her.
The Front Hall Manager had long been dissatisfied with the Kitchen Supervisor’s approach to work. He prided himself on maintaining a well-run front hall, but the subpar dishes coming out of the kitchen had tarnished the restaurant’s reputation. Many customers had complained that while the restaurant’s decor was beautiful, the food didn’t live up to expectations. Yet, the Kitchen Supervisor showed no remorse and continued to prioritize speed over quality, given the high customer volume.
This tension had already led to several disputes between the two. The Kitchen Supervisor, however, dismissed the Front Hall Manager’s concerns, mocking him for taking his job too seriously.
Now, standing before Bai Lingxue, the Kitchen Supervisor explained, “This Candied Sweet Potato is one of our signature dishes. It’s known for its sweet and delightful flavor. May I ask what seems to be the issue?”
Bai Lingxue, not one to stir up unnecessary trouble, pushed the plate toward him and said, “There seems to be something wrong with this dish.”
The Kitchen Supervisor immediately spotted the issue but seemed to think Bai Lingxue would be easy to fool. With the Front Hall Manager standing nearby, clearly enjoying the spectacle, he braced himself and lied through his teeth. “Candied Sweet Potato is supposed to be like this. Perhaps you left it sitting too long, which caused the change. If you’d like, we can replace it with a fresh plate.”
Zhou Youling couldn’t stand it anymore. She placed her hand over Bai Lingxue’s, signaling her to hold back.
Bai Lingxue shot the Kitchen Supervisor a glare, her disdain evident in her eyes.
Zhou Youling lifted her head and, drawing on her past experiences, addressed the Kitchen Supervisor. “That’s not right. If Candied Sweet Potato doesn’t have the signature sugar threads when it’s served, it loses points on presentation. But the evaluation of a dish isn’t solely based on appearance. You should taste it-this dish is bitter.”
The Kitchen Supervisor, hearing this, took a pair of fresh chopsticks, picked up a piece of the Candied Sweet Potato, and chewed it carefully. His expression shifted as he tasted it. Yet, he stubbornly stuck to his stance, saying, “The dish isn’t significantly flawed, but we’re willing to replace it with a freshly made plate.”
“Is that so?” Zhou Youling stood up and said to the Kitchen Supervisor, “If I can make a better Candied Sweet Potato than yours, will you hand over the kitchen to me?”
Coincidentally, Fu Xunzhou had just stepped out of the private room to wash his hands and witnessed the entire scene.
He wanted to approach and say hello, but his feet felt as heavy as lead.
They had finalized their divorce just this afternoon. She probably wouldn’t want to see him now.
Zhou Youling stood tall, her high heels elevating her stature far above the Kitchen Supervisor’s. But it wasn’t just her height-her aura was entirely different from what Fu Xunzhou was used to seeing.
The once delicate and demure Zhou Youling now radiated an undeniable queen-like presence.
Not only did the men in the restaurant stare at her, but even the women couldn’t take their eyes off her.
For a moment, the previously bustling restaurant fell into complete silence.
Fu Xunzhou found himself momentarily stunned. He had always known his wife was beautiful, but today, her beauty carried an air of dominance.
In all their years of marriage, this was the first time Fu Xunzhou had seen Zhou Youling like this.
“Do you dare?” Zhou Youling’s face held a hint of provocation, her confident and unapologetic demeanor making it impossible to look away.
Footnote:
- Zhajiang Noodles(炸酱面): Zhajiang noodles are a traditional Chinese dish consisting of wheat noodles topped with a savory and aromatic sauce made from fermented soybean paste, often mixed with minced pork or beef, and accompanied by fresh vegetables like cucumber and bean sprouts.
