Volume One, Chapter 12: See You at the Civil Affairs Bureau Tomorrow Morning at Nine

To ensure the safety of the kindergarten, numerous cameras were installed at the school gate, all equipped with the latest technology—crystal-clear images and impeccable audio, providing comprehensive surveillance. There was no way anything could be unclear or missed.

Li Yan’s heart clenched sharply. No matter what, she had indeed made the first move.

If the surveillance was reviewed...

She urgently cast a pleading glance at Su Wan Ning.

Just one look exchanged between them, and Su Wan Ning immediately realized that Li Yan and the others were lying.

Although the matter had little to do with her, she might as well enjoy seeing Su Wan Qing get flustered.

So she stood up and tugged at Xie Yanchen’s arm:

“Secretary Wang really thought this through—uploading the footage in such a short time. Yanchen, why don’t we take a look? I see my sister so confident; maybe there really is some misunderstanding.”

Having grown up with Xie Yanchen, she knew well that he responded better to gentleness than force. So, while her words seemed to be pleading on Su Wan Qing’s behalf, they were actually a reminder of how stubborn Su Wan Qing was and how little respect she showed him.

Sure enough, no sooner had she finished speaking than Xie Yanchen pushed the USB drive aside, raising one eyebrow with a hint of disdain:

“Misunderstanding? She’s right here. If there’s a misunderstanding, wouldn’t she speak up?”

“I’m guessing the misunderstanding is fake. She just wants to flaunt her status as Mrs. Xie and show off!”

As he spoke, the corner of his mouth twitched, and he glanced meaningfully at her.

“After all, this isn’t the first time you’ve done something like this, right, Su Wan Qing?”

Su Wan Qing lowered her eyes silently. She remembered what Xie Yanchen was referring to.

It was five years ago, about half a year after she had married into the Xie family in place of Su Wan Ning.

He had finally stepped into their home, albeit drunk, and the moment he entered, he grabbed her, calling out “Ning Ning,” clearly quite intoxicated.

She was about to push him away, but unexpectedly, he forcefully wrapped his arm around her waist, lowered his head, and found her lips with unerring precision.

Even after nearly five years, Su Wan Qing still recalled how her heart almost leapt out of her throat at the warmth of his kiss.

It was her first kiss, given to the one she loved most.

Instinctively, she wanted to respond, but reason forced her back.

He was drunk and didn’t even know who she was.

“Wait—”

Before she could finish, the man kissed her again with force, the faint scent of alcohol mixed with his unique fragrance making her feel dizzy.

After that, he stopped calling her Su Wan Ning and instead called her “wife.”

With every kiss, he called her that name full of affection, and when she looked back, she met his deep, clear eyes, showing no trace of drunkenness.

She thought he recognized her.

But after sobering up, his eyes were bloodshot with rage, as if he wanted to kill her.

Before she could react, he stormed toward the study, rummaging through the drawers.

When she finally managed to dress and shakily approached the study door, he shouted angrily at her:

“You touched my things!?”

Beside him stood a trembling servant, pointing at her:

“We never touch the study during the day; the lady of the house cleans it. Just a few days ago, I saw her throw out a big bag of stuff...”

Suppressing the discomfort in her lower body, Su Wan Qing asked, “What’s missing?”

Xie Yanchen replied, “A bracelet.”

She asked again, “Was it kept in the drawer? I didn’t touch anything inside.”

Xie Yanchen sneered, “Don’t pretend! That’s the token of our love, the only one in the world, holding so many memories! You didn’t throw anything away, but you threw that one? And you say you didn’t touch it!”

To prove her innocence, Su Wan Qing gathered all the servants to question them one by one, but none could reveal who had taken the bracelet.

Woken up in the middle of the night, the servants were furious, complaining bitterly:

“Madam, we work during the day and now have to be accused of stealing at night—what kind of nonsense is this?”

“Exactly! If you suspect us of theft, then we’re leaving! Who are you trying to impress with this?”

While they complained, Xie Yanchen looked on coldly.

Su Wan Qing comforted them while carefully discerning truth from falsehood in their words.

An hour passed with no results.

Xie Yanchen had already decided in his heart that she, relying on her status as Mrs. Xie, had thrown away his things and even roused the servants for a midnight show of force.

Finally, after countless yawns from the servants, he shouted angrily:

“Enough! Su Wan Qing, you really disgust me!”

Saying this, he left the house without looking back.

Although it was later discovered that one of the servants had been dishonest, no matter how much she explained, he believed she had hidden the bracelet on purpose, using this as an opportunity to remind him and the servants that she was the mistress of the house.

The situation was exactly the same now.

Su Wan Qing tugged at the corner of her mouth, feeling utterly exhausted in body and soul.

Back then, when he didn’t believe her, she could still find excuses—after all, the servant adamantly denied how the bracelet ended up in his room, there were no surveillance cameras, no fingerprints on the bracelet, and even the police couldn’t solve the matter.

But now, the USB drive was right beside him, yet he wouldn’t even look at it, only seeking to make trouble for her.

“What are you smiling at?”

Hearing the man’s question, Su Wan Qing suddenly realized she had been smiling without knowing when.

She composed herself and said faintly, “Nothing.”

Xie Yanchen saw the meaning behind her expression and felt an inexplicable surge of anger. His voice turned colder:

“So you admit it?”

Su Wan Qing shrugged indifferently:

“Yes, whatever you say.”

Then she added,

“If you don’t want me to embarrass you using Mrs. Xie’s name... you can divorce me.”

At the mention of divorce again, Xie Yanchen’s face darkened in an instant.

“Do you really think I’m afraid to divorce you?!”

Su Wan Qing replied, “I don’t think that.”

Her attitude was as cold and detached as a drifting cloud, utterly emotionless.

Yet, for some reason, the calmer she appeared, the more his anger surged.

Why did she have such a nonchalant expression?

When ignored, questioned, and accused by him, she should be crying and begging just like before!

But soon, his fury subsided.

He understood this was Su Wan Qing’s new tactic.

Retreat to advance.

He sneered inwardly—did she really think he would fall for this?

Since she wanted to play games, he would see it through to the end.

His eyes gradually turned icy, like a block of frozen ice sealed for a millennium, chilling anyone who looked into them.

His thin lips parted slightly:

“Fine. Tomorrow at nine in the morning, at the Civil Affairs Bureau, we divorce.”