Let's get divorced. I'll give you fifty million as compensation."
"I don't agree—unless… you leave with nothing."
"How do you even have the nerve to say that? Which cent in this house wasn't earned by me?"
"Then we won't divorce. I don't want a divorce anyway."
"You… Xu Wang, can you be a bit more realistic? What exactly will it take for you to agree to a divorce?"
"Shen Xuanyin, ask your own conscience—how much emotion have I invested in you over the three years of our marriage? For you, I gave up my career, gave up my dreams, gave up everything I once took pride in. Now that you control the Shen Group, you're just going to kick me out in one stroke. Don't you think that's cruel to me?"
Mist welled up in Xu Wang's eyes, making him look pitiful.
"But… we had an agreement before we got married." Perhaps out of guilt, Shen Xuanyin's voice grew softer.
"For the past two years I've treated you with everything I had. I thought pouring my whole heart into you could melt that heart of yours wrapped tightly in ice. But in the end, I realized I was wrong. That heart of yours isn't ice at all—it's stone. No matter how much warmth I give, no flowers will ever bloom."
Xu Wang shook his head. A tear slid from the corner of his eye.
Later, Xu Wang would say that the artistic value of that tear was at least three stories high.
"I'm sorry, Xu Wang!" Meeting his burning gaze, Shen Xuanyin lowered her head. "I…"
As if afraid Shen Xuanyin might agree not to divorce under his emotional assault, Xu Wang hurriedly interrupted her and said in pain, "It's not impossible for me to sign the divorce agreement—so long as you agree to one request."
Shen Xuanyin, still steeped in guilt, froze for a moment, then her face lit up. "What request?"
"Sleep with me once."
Xu Wang slowly lowered his head and leaned closer under Shen Xuanyin's widened beautiful eyes. To be fair, whether in figure or looks, Shen Xuanyin was flawless—truly the best he had ever seen. Otherwise, with the lofty status of a reincarnator like himself, he wouldn't have gone to such lengths just to sleep with her.
"That's impossible."
"I just want to put a period on this marriage."
"No. Change your request." Shen Xuanyin rejected him coldly.
"Then you leave with nothing."
"You—"
"We've been married for three years, and I haven't even touched my own wife's hand. Do you know how I've lived these three years?" Xu Wang pressed closer, despair in his eyes. "In these three years, have you ever fulfilled even a shred of a wife's responsibility? Do you know what people outside say about me?"
"Was I not good enough to you?" Xu Wang's voice grew hoarse. Taking advantage of Shen Xuanyin's daze, he finally grasped her jade-like hands, interlacing their fingers. He clearly felt her body tremble for an instant.
Striking while the iron was hot, Xu Wang wrapped his arm tightly around her waist and breathed scorching heat into her ear. "This is my only obsession. Satisfy me this once, and we'll go get divorced tomorrow morning, okay?"
Shen Xuanyin's brief silence sounded like tacit consent to Xu Wang. His burning lips pressed down without hesitation, launching a frenzied assault.
"Mmm… mmm… mmm!"
Shen Xuanyin twisted violently like a water snake, pounding Xu Wang's shoulders and back, but it was all in vain. Before long, under the overwhelming tide of kisses and breath, she lost herself and collapsed weakly against him.
"Only… only this once!"
Her voice was no longer cold, but soft and alluring. She didn't dare look into Xu Wang's eyes—she knew exactly how disheveled she was at that moment.
…
Half an hour later, Xu Wang leaned against the headboard and lit the first cigarette he had ever smoked in this house. Shen Xuanyin, completely drained, wrapped the blanket tightly around her naked body, her face tinged with mild anger. As the smoke drifted into her nose, she realized for the first time that the smell of tobacco wasn't as unbearable as she had imagined.
There was even a hint of… fascination.
The hazy smoke brushed across Shen Xuanyin's sweat-dampened, exhausted cheeks. Xu Wang curled his lips into a smile. Five years of abstinence, tasting forbidden fruit for the first time—and with Shen Xuanyin at that—felt indescribably wonderful.
Especially those long, pale legs…
"Xu Wang, you got what you wanted. Don't forget your promise—we're divorcing tomorrow morning."
Shen Xuanyin without clothes and Shen Xuanyin with clothes were like two different people. Even her voice unconsciously softened.
Staring at the flawless white ceiling, Xu Wang sighed inwardly.
Sure enough, no matter how high the ceiling looks, it still needs a suspended finish.
"Fine—but…"
"But what?" Shen Xuanyin frowned.
"One more time."
"Impossible!"
"That's not up to you."
With a flip, he pinned her down.
"You… you shameless!"
Shen Xuanyin was furious to the point of tears—hating Xu Wang's greed, and hating her own lack of resolve. After just a few moves, her house was leaking again!
…
Early the next morning, Xu Wang was awakened by Shen Xuanyin.
"Xu Wang, it's already eight thirty. Don't forget what you promised—get up."
Rubbing his sleepy eyes, Xu Wang—who should have been utterly exhausted—instantly perked up when he saw Shen Xuanyin, fully dressed, her exquisite face filling his vision.
Seeing her cold gaze, as if nothing had happened, Xu Wang snorted and directly picked her up by the floor-to-ceiling window and threw her onto the bed.
"One more time!"
"Xu Wang, do you take me for iced black tea? One bottle after another?"
Shen Xuanyin exploded in rage and kicked him away. Last night's storm had been fierce; even deep sleep couldn't wash away the aftermath.
"Do you still want the divorce?" Xu Wang snapped, then changed his tone. "Miss Shen, you wouldn't want all of last night's effort to go to waste, would you?"
With that, he pressed down on her again.
"No, it's mid-month!"
"It's fine—you've got someone backing you up…"
"Ugh! You beast!"
…
Three in the afternoon, outside the Civil Affairs Bureau.
The chill on Shen Xuanyin's face never faded. She stared at Xu Wang as if she wanted to slice him into pieces and swallow him whole.
A perfectly good new car turned into an accident-used one overnight—who could accept that?
Looking at the divorce certificate in his hand, Xu Wang shook his head and smiled. After tasting Shen Xuanyin, the aftertaste felt even more lingering.
If she hadn't insisted, he wouldn't have minded keeping the marriage going.
What a pity. With the divorce certificate issued, Shen Xuanyin probably wouldn't be able to "drive" anymore.
But no real regrets—at least he'd driven it before.
"A day as husband and wife is worth a hundred days of grace. We've got at least four hundred days of deep affection—no need to be so full of hatred. Even divorced, we can still be friends. If you ever have needs in the future, feel free to come to me. I'll definitely give everything I have," Xu Wang said sincerely.
"Friend my ass."
Xu Wang would've been better off not saying anything. The moment he did, Shen Xuanyin remembered being slammed twice again that morning—her mental state nearly collapsed, and her body wasn't far behind either.
For once, she cursed out loud, limping into a taxi.
"I'm broke now. Transfer the fifty million to me today, or I'll come back to the house tonight," Xu Wang shouted after her.
Furious, Shen Xuanyin hurled her Hermès bag—worth over a hundred thousand—straight at his face.
Xu Wang reacted quickly, chased after her, and tossed the bag back into the car—vaguely hearing the driver asking about some kind of proctology hospital…