GTB Chapter 216

Chapter 218: Divorce

Jiang Jiuchu looked down at the letter in Shí Yan’s hand, her curiosity instantly turning to shock.

Her pupils dilated sharply, her gaze locked onto the three glaring words on the envelope – “Divorce Agreement.”

After a moment, the shock on her face gradually faded, replaced by deep bewilderment.

She raised her head, looking at Shí Yan with a complicated expression, her voice trembling slightly, “Is this for me?”

“Yes, for you,” Shí Yan’s voice was cold and calm, as if stating something completely ordinary.

Hearing his indifferent confirmation, Jiang Jiuchu’s face turned pale, still incredulous as she asked, “From my husband?”

“Yes.” Shí Yan never once looked up at Jiang Jiuchu. The divorce agreement in his hand felt as heavy as a thousand pounds, so heavy that he felt he wouldn’t be able to hold it much longer if she didn’t take it.

Jiang Jiuchu looked at Shí Yan, who refused to look at her, and slowly reached out to take the letter.

Her fingers trembling slightly, she gently opened the envelope and pulled out the letter, wanting to see what the divorce agreement actually said. But there were only four words written on it – “Feelings faded, incompatible.”

Her fingers paused slightly. She raised her eyes to look at Shí Yan, then folded the letter and put it back in the envelope. Suppressing the faint ache in her heart, she looked up and confirmed with Shí Yan again, “Husband… you don’t want me anymore?”

Shí Yan pursed his lips, his Adam’s apple bobbing slightly. He couldn’t bring himself to say the words “don’t want.”

He sighed lazily, leaning back in his chair, crossing his legs, putting on the demeanor of a playboy, but still didn’t turn his head to look at Jiang Jiuchu.

His voice was as cold as if he were discussing something trivial.

“You’re free. Don’t you like freedom? I’m just granting your wish.”

Jiang Jiuchu looked at Shí Yan inquisitively. Seeing that he wouldn’t look at her, she turned and walked around the desk, her footsteps slow and firm as she returned to sit opposite him, as if each step was suppressing her inner emotions.

“Is husband afraid of implicating me? But since I married you, I naturally want to share the blessings and endure the hardships together.”

As she spoke, she placed the divorce agreement on the desk in front of her, her eyes fixed on Shí Yan, her voice calm but firm, “I won’t accept this divorce agreement.”

Shí Yan’s thin lips tightened. He shifted his gaze from the divorce agreement on the desk and finally raised his eyes to look at that small face he could never get enough of.

Her beautiful face was full of stubbornness. His fingers curled and then slowly relaxed.

“Difficulties are real, but it’s not because I’m afraid of implicating you. It’s because I’m in a difficult situation right now and need the assistance of the General of Zhenbei. And what I can do is promise him my daughter’s position as empress.”

Hearing this, Jiang Jiuchu was instantly stunned. She hadn’t expected that Shí Yan was doing this to marry another woman.

In an instant, she felt the surrounding air become thin, so thin that she had trouble breathing, and her chest ached.

Shí Yan looked at Jiang Jiuchu, his hand on his thigh clenched tightly, his knuckles slightly white. But the voice that came out was still calm, “If you’re willing to share a husband with another woman and give up the position of principal wife, I can take back this divorce agreement.”

Jiang Jiuchu looked at Shí Yan in a daze. At this moment, he looked as indifferent as he had been when they first got married.

Back then, he had been so unconcerned, as if the person who had made vows and been intimate with her was not him. She stared at Shí Yan, as if trying to find a trace of familiarity on him, but it was all in vain.

Sure enough, a man’s vows cannot be easily believed.

Sure enough, the imperial family is the most heartless.

Sure enough, emperors have countless reasons to be involuntarily controlled, and they must use this to win over forces before ascending to the throne.

She looked at him and asked, word by word, “So, all the vows before were false.”

Shí Yan watched the estrangement gradually emerging in Jiang Jiuchu’s eyes, and his heart gradually became numb.

The following words seemed to become easier because of this numbness: “Not really, but all the vows and affection vanished when you blocked the arrow for Song Fuge.”

He had to say this, otherwise, with her slow-witted nature, she would soon have doubts.

Jiang Jiuchu paused upon hearing this, and a glimmer of light flashed in her eyes. She immediately explained to Shí Yan, “Husband, you’re jealous, aren’t you? It’s not what you think. I just didn’t want to owe Brother Fu.”

Yes, he must be jealous. She knew he was easily jealous.

“Heh, Brother Fu, you call him so affectionately and smoothly,” Shí Yan looked at Jiang Jiuchu with a sneer, a trace of sarcasm flashing in his eyes. “Don’t explain. I’m not jealous. I, Shí Yan, don’t have the time to keep following you around to drink vinegar. I’ve just seen things clearly.”

Jiang Jiuchu shook her head, her voice a little anxious, “No, I’ve just called him that since I met him. It’s just a habit, with no other meaning.”

As she spoke, she pushed the divorce agreement towards Shí Yan, “It’s indeed inappropriate to call him that. I’ll change it in the future. Don’t be angry, okay?”

Shí Yan looked at the divorce agreement being pushed over, concealing the expression in his eyes. His voice was still cold, “I’m not joking with you. No matter what you say, it won’t change the fact that you risked your life for another man.”

“Did you think of me when you made that move? Or rather… you couldn’t think of anyone or anything at that time. Your mind was full of your Brother Fu.”

As he spoke, he seemed to remember something and chuckled lightly at Jiang Jiuchu, a hint of mockery in his eyes. “No wonder you’re dragging your feet in wanting to bear me children.”

“No, it’s not like that,” Jiang Jiuchu looked at Shí Yan, who seemed unwilling to believe her, and didn’t know how to explain. She could only deny it repeatedly.

“No need to deny it. Instinctive actions don’t lie,” Shí Yan’s voice was still cold, but a trace of pain flashed in his eyes. “Do you know why I haven’t touched you for so long?”

“It’s not because I’m worried about your health, but because I can’t stand the sight of the scar on your chest. As long as I see it, I lose interest.”

Shí Yan’s words were like a sharp weapon that pierced Jiang Jiuchu’s heart. The pain struck deep into her heart, a hundred times worse than the pain of the arrow that day.

A tear instantly rolled down her cheek. She quickly raised her hand to wipe it away, her voice choked with sobs, “The doctor prescribed me a good scar-removing cream. It will disappear.”

Jiang Jiuchu’s tears seemed to fall on Shí Yan’s heart, burning him with stinging pain. A sourness uncontrollably rushed into his eyes.

He immediately got up and walked out from behind the desk. He stopped at the door, his back to Jiang Jiuchu, and said, “What if the scar disappears? It’s just self-deception. Besides, that’s just one of the reasons. I’ve already said the other reason before.”

After saying that, he quickly opened the carved wooden door and strode out.

The sky full of ice and snow froze the mist in his eyes, preventing it from turning into tears.