I'm Done with the Elite Marriage - Chapter 69

After hanging up the phone, Zhou Youling sat on the bed, hugging her knees. She cried out loud, just as Rong Duanjing had told her to-cry if she wanted to, without pretending to be strong. Yet, Zhou Youling didn’t know why she suddenly started crying.

Perhaps it was because today was a special day.

Zhou Youling remembered that today was her wedding anniversary with Fu Xunzhou, even though they had long been divorced.

Zhou Youling thought that maybe Fu Xunzhou called her because of this reason. But now, they were no longer husband and wife, and this call held no meaning.

In that marriage, Zhou Youling often felt it was a celebration for one, a loneliness for one, a brilliance for one. She often played a monologue, without a grand stage, lacking an emotional audience. She couldn’t find a suitable partner to form a perfect dialogue. In the end, she foolishly thought love could make up for all the flaws, only to realize it was her own wishful thinking.

But it couldn’t be denied that in that marriage, Zhou Youling often felt the surprises Fu Xunzhou brought her. Though he was busy, he remembered all the important days, especially their wedding anniversary. On their first anniversary, Fu Xunzhou personally cooked a meal. His cooking skills were not great, and the pasta he made was half-cooked. Zhou Youling laughed at him for half a day and then demonstrated how to do it herself.

That day, Fu Xunzhou held Zhou Youling’s hand and said he promised his mom he would learn to take care of her, but he was busy expanding overseas business and couldn’t spend much time at home, hoping she would understand. Naturally, Zhou Youling understood. She reached out to gently touch his face, which was both familiar and unfamiliar to her, and gathered the courage to tiptoe and kiss his lips.

They embraced, ate cream cake together, and laughed and chatted.

However, their marriage eventually came to an end.

Zhou Youling thought she had long been alone, but in the lonely and quiet nights, his voice still struck her heart.

Zhou Youling cried for her own lack of courage, cried for her own incompetence, cried because she still missed his voice.

As a child, Zhou Youling always thought she could become a heroine, fearless and carefree. But as she grew older, she increasingly understood who she was. She was someone raised in a sheltered environment, never having experienced the harshness of the world, thinking everything was too beautiful.

After marrying Fu Xunzhou, Zhou Youling realized not all marriages were as loving as her parents’.

It was false to say there were no regrets when the marriage ended. Almost all of Zhou Youling’s youth was filled with Fu Xunzhou’s presence; his name and his person seemed to have merged into her very being. Even though she realized she had mistaken him from the start, she couldn’t take back the feelings she had given to Fu Xunzhou.

Crying for too long, Zhou Youling had a splitting headache.

She tried to calm her emotions, took a deep breath, and got out of bed.

It was eleven-thirty at night, not too late. Zhou Youling walked to the balcony, opened the door, and sat alone on the hanging chair, looking up at the starry sky.

The bright moon hung in the sky, pure and gentle, its soft light casting a serene and peaceful atmosphere over the night.

The early spring moonlight was clear and cold, faint and gentle, quietly pouring over Zhou Youling like flowing water.

Tonight was a full moon.

Zhou Youling gently placed her hand on her abdomen.

Recently, Zhou Youling had been able to feel the fetal movements of the little one inside her.

She remembered the first time she felt movement in her belly; she was lying in bed reading when her belly moved unexpectedly, startling her into thinking something had happened. Only later did she realize it was fetal movement.

So that’s what fetal movement feels like…

A series of small waves in her belly. Initially, it seemed weak, the sensation faint, like the fluttering of a butterfly’s wings.

As time passed, Zhou Youling gradually felt the little one inside her growing stronger, moving more vigorously and regularly.

During this time, Zhou Youling could clearly feel the little one inside her being very active, just as the doctor said, possibly doing somersaults and kicking inside her belly.

With the increasing frequency of fetal movements, Zhou Youling increasingly felt the sense of becoming a mom.

But today’s test results seemed to tell Zhou Youling she might lose the chance to be a mom at any time. Having spent so much time with the little one inside her, Zhou Youling realized she couldn’t accept this result. She was helpless, yet there was nothing she could do.

“Baby, be good, don’t make mom worry, okay?” Zhou Youling gently touched her abdomen, her voice soft.

The little one inside seemed to respond, suddenly moving.

Zhou Youling couldn’t help but tear up again.

She quickly closed her eyes, trying hard to stop the tears.

She thought she still needed to be strong.

…

At night, Fu Xunzhou drove around frantically searching.

He went to the Zhou Family’s place and then to the single apartment where Zhou Youling lived, but he couldn’t find any trace of Zhou Youling anywhere.

Fu Xunzhou called Zhou Youling again, but her phone was turned off.

He couldn’t find her.

Fu Hexu, who had rushed over upon hearing the news, walked up to Fu Xunzhou, sighed softly, and said, “I heard the Zhou couple went on a world tour, and Zhou Youling is in B City preparing for the Food and Color branch.”

Fu Xunzhou stood at the entrance of the Food and Color restaurant.

It was midnight, and the restaurant had already closed. The bustling scene of the day had turned desolate by night.

The LED lights of the Food and Color sign were bright and dazzling.

Fu Hexu said, “Since the day I returned to the country, I’ve been longing for a taste of my younger brother’s wife’s cooking, but I haven’t had the chance yet.”

Fu Xunzhou leaned against the car, holding an unlit cigarette.

He had forgotten when he started smoking again, as if the smoke inhaled into his lungs could numb his heart.

The swirling smoke seemed to applaud his loneliness.

Fu Xunzhou’s elegant fingers held the cigarette, while his other hand struck a match, illuminating the dim corner and revealing deep traces of melancholy on his face.

He lowered his head, slowly bringing the cigarette to his lips, taking a shallow puff, and exhaling gently after a long pause. The smoke rings drifted quietly, while his heart was in turmoil, thoughts surging like waves.

Fu Hexu snatched the cigarette from Fu Xunzhou’s hand and placed it between his own lips, saying, “Why are you smoking so much lately? Aren’t you afraid of getting lung cancer?”

Fu Xunzhou glanced sideways at Fu Hexu and said nothing more.

Fu Hexu squinted at Fu Xunzhou and said, “If I remember correctly, today a few years ago was the day you married Zhou Youling.”

With that, he took a deep drag on the cigarette.

Fu Hexu remembered clearly because that day he happened to board a flight abroad. He also knew that Fu Xunzhou had married in his place.

Fu Xunzhou took a deep breath and said, “Our wedding was hastily prepared, and she didn’t even have a proper wedding dress.”

Fu Hexu nodded, “I heard about that. They said the wedding dress was bought casually. Although it was expensive, it didn’t fit Zhou Youling well. I… I’m sorry.”

Fu Xunzhou chuckled softly, turning to look at Fu Hexu, “What are you sorry for?”

Fu Hexu ruffled his hair casually, saying, “If I hadn’t run away from the wedding, you wouldn’t be in so much pain now.”

“Fool,” Fu Xunzhou said lightly, turning his head to look ahead again.

Fu Hexu frowned, “Are you calling me a fool?”

“Of course,” Fu Xunzhou’s expression was calm as he spoke slowly, “Did you really think there was some sort of superstition involved? What era do you think this is? It was all arranged by my mother.”

Fu Hexu’s eyes showed confusion, but soon he understood.

Fu Xunzhou said, “My mother knew you would definitely run away from the wedding, so she persuaded me to marry. Did you really think she was concerned about grandfather’s health?”

Fu Hexu: “…”

This completely overturned the young master’s worldview.

So, Yu Wanrong, who seemed silent, was actually the ultimate boss behind the scenes!

Yu Wanrong had deceived everyone with her gentle appearance, secretly planning everything.

Fu Hexu was puzzled, “I remember, at the beginning of the wedding, wasn’t it said that I was supposed to marry Xue Yining? Why didn’t your mother let you marry Xue Yining? After all, the Xue family’s influence is a hundred times stronger than the Zhou Family.”

Fu Xunzhou shook his head, saying, “My mother knew Xue Yining had mental health issues.”

Fu Hexu’s face darkened, “Ha, does that count as a mother not harming her own child?”

Fu Xunzhou: “Actually, it was only after getting married that I realized everything was part of my mother’s plan. She had been lying low in the family for years, seeing through everything. Only by gaining grandfather’s trust could she secure the Fu Group. And with the Fu Group, she could ensure a life without worries.”

“Is this… a palace drama?” Fu Hexu was almost jaw-dropped.

Fu Xunzhou said, “I am just a pawn in my mother’s game.”

“Your mother really surprises me,” Fu Hexu stubbed out the cigarette, turning to look at Fu Xunzhou, “So if you hand over the Fu Group to me now, wouldn’t that make all your mother’s efforts over the years go to waste? Wait, your mother won’t do anything to me, will she… I’m so scared.”

Fu Xunzhou’s expression was indifferent, looking at Fu Hexu with a face that said ‘idiot’, “Don’t worry, you won’t die.”

Fu Hexu looked distressed, “Why am I so miserable… Heaven and earth can testify, I really have no interest in the Fu Group!”

Fu Xunzhou reached out and patted Fu Hexu’s shoulder, “Just do your job well. Grandfather’s legacy needs someone to inherit it.”

Fu Hexu: “Then why don’t you inherit it?”

Fu Xunzhou: “I’m not interested.”

Fu Hexu: “Do you think I’m interested?”

Fu Xunzhou shook his head, “Because only if you inherit it will my mother’s efforts be in vain. After all her years of scheming, it will all come to nothing.”

Fu Hexu looked at Fu Xunzhou in horror.

Now he understood what it meant to be outdone. Fu Xunzhou was the epitome of preferring to break than to bend, a true scorched earth strategy. On the surface, Fu Xunzhou, as a son, couldn’t openly oppose his mother, but secretly he dealt a heavy blow to Yu Wanrong.

Fu Hexu refused to be outdone, “Fu Xunzhou, you’re so good at scheming, how did you end up losing your own wife?”

Fu Xunzhou was taken aback by the question. He didn’t answer, instead turning to open the car door and getting in.

Fu Hexu hurriedly followed him into the car, asking Fu Xunzhou, “What are you going to do?”

“Find my wife.”