Night Fire Lingering

"Bei Qing, why are you unhappy?" Wen Yan glanced at the unappetizing late-night snack. "How about we order another barbecue?"

Luo Beiqing shook her head and sighed, "I'm unhappy because my ugly husband is coming home, and my good days are over!"

Wen Yan said fairly, "Young Master He isn't ugly, is he?"

Luo Beiqing commented on her husband, whom she didn't know very well: "He's too rough, I don't really like him."

Luo Beiqing is known for being delicate and pampered, and she dislikes people like He Tingchuan the most.

Before going to bed, Wen Yan tried to remove the jade bracelet herself, but failed again.

She suddenly paused, vaguely noticing some kind of mark showing through the inside of the jade bracelet.

Looking at the bracelet, I saw three characters engraved inside: Wen Zhizhi.

The font is similar to the thin gold style, but not very standard, with a bit of fierceness, which is Gu Yanci's consistent style of writing.

Wen Yan stared at those three words, her heart filled with mixed emotions.

If Gu Yanci had given her this jade bracelet with her name engraved on it a month ago, she would probably have been very happy.

But times have changed, and she no longer needs it.

The next day.

Wen Yan was woken up by the ringing of an incoming phone.

Caller ID: Grandma Gu.

—It's Old Madam Gu!

Wen Yan tried to stay awake while answering the phone, but as soon as she called out "Grandma," the other person smiled kindly.

"Little lazybones, are you still not up?"

"Grandma, I just got up."

Wen Yan felt a little guilty; it was almost ten o'clock.

"It's nothing, you young people like to sleep, sleep more! I just missed you a little!" Madam Gu paused and said, "Xiao Yan, it's my birthday next week, you're coming back with Aci, right?"

Wen Yan had just gotten up, and her mind was initially a little slow to react, but at this moment, she suddenly became fully awake.

Does Madam Gu know that she and Gu Yanci are preparing for a divorce by saying this?

When Yan Ci was caught in bed with another man, most of the Gu family despised and ridiculed her, thinking her shameless and vulgar, and absolutely forbidding her from marrying into the Gu family. It was Old Madam Gu who overruled everyone's objections and allowed Gu Yan Ci to marry Wen Yan. At the time, the whole city knew about it, and marrying Gu Yan Ci was the most dignified way for her to end things.

Wen Yan was sincerely grateful to Madam Gu and couldn't bring herself to say anything that would hurt her feelings.

"Xiao Yan?" Old Madam Gu was starting to feel disappointed as she didn't hear Wen Yan's response for a long time.

"Grandma, I will definitely come if I can."

Whether I go or not is uncertain.

Madam Gu was pleased and said with a smile, "I heard that Aci just bought a purple jade bracelet. Some of the maids in the family asked Aci for it, and Aci said it was a gift for you. Wear it next time you come, and let your younger sisters be envious!"

Wen Yan, who was planning to find a jewelry store to remove the jade bracelet today, asked: "...How did they know that Gu Yanci bought a jade bracelet?"

Madam Gu's smile widened even more: "Oh dear, everyone knows now!"

Wen Yan: "?"

Luo Beiqing probably guessed Wen Yan's confusion and showed her his WeChat.

Inside were group chats among the young ladies and gentlemen of various social circles, all discussing Gu Yanci's 'spending lavishly to win a smile from a beauty':

[Wasn't it said that Wen Yan didn't like Gu Yanci? This must have cost nine figures last night, right?]

[Holy crap! Even Young Master Gu can be blinded by lust?]

[Isn't Gu Yanci in love with Wen Muzhi? Could those jewels be for Wen Muzhi?]

[Wen Muzhi and her mother seem gentle and generous, but it turns out they're not good people at all!]

[Isn't anyone curious who bought Wen Yan's mother's belongings and gave them to Wen Yan? Holy crap! Gu Shao must be furious, hahaha!]

……

Various speculations and discussions are circulating in different groups, which will become the most talked-about gossip in the industry during this period.

Wen Yan: "..."

She doesn't like being the center of gossip at all.

Especially given her current situation with Gu Yanci, it's really not a good fit.

Luo Beiqing had work to do in the afternoon, so she left after washing up.

As soon as he went downstairs, he saw a tall figure leaning against the wall, a cigarette between his fingers. He was smoking with his head down, his eyes sharp and wild.

Luo Beiqing paused for a moment.

"My parents invited us to lunch." He Tingchuan stubbed out his cigarette, looked at Luo Beiqing, and said with a half-smile, "They're worried we'll get a divorce too, they're quite anxious."

Luo Beiqing: "..."

-

The matter of Madam Gu's birthday banquet was an excuse that Wen Yan had used to appease the Wen family, but now it has become a dilemma for her.

She and Gu Yanci were preparing for a divorce, and as a result, it was no longer appropriate for her to appear at Old Madam Gu's birthday banquet.

Or, if she quickly gets the divorce papers done during this time, wouldn't she have a legitimate reason?

Wen Yan called Gu Yanci, but no one answered.

Wen Yan called Zhou Qi again.

“Madam, it’s the weekend, Mr. Gu isn’t at work. As his subordinate, how can I possibly know his whereabouts all the time?” Zhou Qi innocently suggested, “Mr. Gu was very drunk last night, why don’t you go home and check on him?”

The 'home' Zhou Qi was referring to was the Longyu Bay villa where she and Gu Yanci had once lived together.

More than a month after moving out, Wen Yan returned to this place, which felt somewhat unfamiliar.

"Welcome home!"

The facial recognition system at the gate recognized Wen Yan's face, and the gate opened automatically.

Wen Yan and Gu Yanci both dislike having many people in their household, so Longyu Bay Villa did not employ any long-term servants.

No one notified her, so Wen Yan rang the doorbell but no one answered. She then entered her fingerprint, and the door clicked open.

The huge villa was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Almost nothing had changed since she left; it was as if Gu Yanci didn't live here at all, and nothing new had been added.

"what--!"

Wen Yan looked around when she suddenly saw a man in a black bathrobe standing on the stairs, which startled her.

Gu Yanci's hair was a little messy. He held a water glass in one hand and looked at Wen Yan with a leisurely air, as if he were sizing up a bold intruder.

Wen Yan: "..."

Wen Yan was a little embarrassed: "I called you, but no one answered. I also rang the doorbell, but no one answered."

Gu Yanci didn't seem to care much: "This house is yours too."

Wen Yan didn't know if he meant that she had a share in the villa as marital property, or that she was still Mrs. Gu and the mistress of the villa was still her.