Chapter 33: Don’t be late, I’m busy
Huo Qingyan signed with a heavy hand, the ink penetrating the back of the paper. He looked up when he finished writing the last character of his name.
“Jiang Su.”
Jiang Su raised his eyelids to look at him.
“Have you thought this through?” Huo Qingyan’s usual aloof demeanor remained, his voice calm like an outsider.
Before Jiang Su could speak, he continued, “If you regret this now, I can give you a chance to change your mind.”
His superior and condescending tone was like a monarch pardoning a guilty subject.
Jiang Su looked down at Huo Qingyan’s signature on the divorce agreement, his clear voice filled with determination: “Sign.”
As Cheng Xishi had said, in his relationship with Huo Qingyan, he had always been the one giving, constantly compromising and retreating.
In this severely unbalanced and dysfunctional relationship, he had poured out his heart, allowing Huo Qingyan to trample and torment him, reducing him to dust.
He had lost himself, his dreams, and his dignity, only to suddenly realize that his life had become a mess.
And his marriage to Huo Qingyan was wrong from the start.
Jiang Su clearly understood that he should cut his losses and get everything back on track.
Divorce was the right decision.
Why would he regret making the right decision?
Huo Qingyan’s hand holding the pen tightened, the veins bulging on his hand, his grip strong enough to crush the pen.
The next second, Jiang Su heard a “snap.”
Looking closely, he saw that Huo Qingyan had indeed broken the pen.
Jiang Su calmly took his backpack and pulled out another pen.
He handed it to Huo Qingyan: “Use this one.”
He had anticipated that Huo Qingyan might get angry and break the pen.
How could someone as proud as Huo Qingyan tolerate him initiating a divorce?
Huo Qingyan’s dark eyes fixed on Jiang Su, but he didn’t reach for the pen.
Jiang Su was actually somewhat afraid of Huo Qingyan when he was angry.
Because when Huo Qingyan was angry, his aura was even stronger, more intimidating; he reminded Jiang Su of the formidable Jiang family patriarch.
After a tense silence, Huo Qingyan threw away the broken pen and snatched the pen from Jiang Su’s hand.
There were three copies of the divorce agreement. Huo Qingyan signed all of them in one go, placing the pen heavily on the table.
Jiang Su had already signed where he needed to before coming.
Besides the copies for Jiang Su and Huo Qingyan, there was also one needed for the divorce proceedings.
Jiang Su put two of them away in his backpack: “Let’s go through the procedures when the Civil Affairs Bureau reopens.”
It was still the Lunar New Year holiday; the Civil Affairs Bureau was closed.
“I’m leaving,” Jiang Su packed up his things and got up to leave.
As he neared the door, Huo Qingyan’s voice came from behind.
“Jiang Su.”
Jiang Su turned around: “Anything else?”
Huo Qingyan carefully observed him, not missing any expression, trying to find even a hint of regret on his face.
But ultimately, Jiang Su’s face was calm, devoid of any other emotions.
He must be pretending!
Jiang Su was a good actor; he won the Best New Actor award for his debut film.
Thinking this, Huo Qingyan relaxed slightly: “Eight o’clock on the seventh day of the Lunar New Year. Don’t be late, I’m busy.”
He knew Jiang Su too well. Jiang Su was pretending to be calm now, but he would surely regret it later.
Jiang Su’s lips curved slightly, with a hint of sarcasm: “Okay.”
When they got married, Huo Qingyan was busy.
For two years of their marriage, Huo Qingyan was busy.
Now that they were divorcing, Huo Qingyan was still busy.
…
After leaving Huo Qingyan’s house, Jiang Su got into his car and drove away.
Therefore, he didn’t notice the car parked in the shadows not far away.
Only after Jiang Su drove away did Jiang Lichuan lower the car window and call Jiang Zhaoyu.
“Big Brother, Xiao Qi is out of Huo Qingyan’s house and has already driven away.”
Jiang Zhaoyu asked: “What was Xiao Qi’s expression when he came out?”
Jiang Zhaoyu hadn’t told everyone about Jiang Su’s intention to divorce; Jiang Lichuan was puzzled: “He didn’t have much of an expression. He looked quite calm.”
Quite calm…
Jiang Su loved Huo Qingyan deeply. If he had really signed the divorce agreement, he wouldn’t be this calm.
Jiang Zhaoyu hadn’t told everyone about the divorce earlier, fearing Jiang Su would regret it and ruin everyone’s hope.
Now, it seemed his concerns were correct.
Jiang Zhaoyu sighed in disappointment: “I see.”
Jiang Lichuan was even more puzzled: “Big Brother, what’s going on?”
He had a drinking session planned for tonight, and as soon as he gathered the people, he received a call from Jiang Zhaoyu, asking him to secretly follow Jiang Su to Huo Qingyan’s house.
Big Brother always acted with reason; he didn’t ask questions before coming.
But now, his tone implied something wasn’t right.
Jiang Zhaoyu didn’t say any more: “Go home early.”
…
The Jiang family was large, but everyone was busy.
Therefore, the Jiang family only required everyone to be together on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. Afterward, they had their own gatherings and didn’t stay at the old house.
Early that morning, Jiang Su left the old house with Jiang Zhaoyu and returned to his brother’s apartment in the city center.
Jiang Su checked the time in the elevator; it was already past eleven o’clock.
Jiang Zhaoyu had a regular schedule and should be preparing for bed at this time.
Afraid of waking him, Jiang Su moved lightly as he entered.
The entrance hall was lit; Jiang Su quietly closed the door and hadn’t even changed his shoes when he heard Jiang Zhaoyu’s voice from the unlit living room.
“You’re back.”
Jiang Su jumped: “Big Brother?”
Jiang Zhaoyu responded, then turned on the living room lights.
The room brightened, and Jiang Su saw Jiang Zhaoyu sitting by the window, drinking.
Jiang Su changed his shoes and walked over: “Big Brother, why are you drinking at this hour?”
“I felt like it,” Jiang Zhaoyu said, turning to look at the night view outside, then took another sip of his drink.
The living room had floor-to-ceiling windows; the city lights outside gave it a somewhat melancholic atmosphere.
It must have been something particularly worrying that made Big Brother drink alone. This was extremely rare.
Jiang Su sat opposite him, ready for a heart-to-heart talk.
He thought for a moment, unsure how to start.
He decided to begin with his own matters: “Brother, Huo Qingyan signed the divorce agreement. We’ll go to the Civil Affairs Bureau on the seventh day of the Lunar New Year.”
Jiang Zhaoyu immediately turned to look at him: “Really?”
Jiang Su nodded: “Mm.”
Was it his imagination, or did Big Brother’s tone sound a little happy?