Volume One, Chapter 32: Just Leave Kexin to Me

"Grandmother, may I decline this condition? There has never been any affection between President Xie and me. We have already tried for five years; these thirty days are truly unnecessary..." Su Wanqing said earnestly.

She had finally steeled herself to get a divorce. Although she kept telling herself she would eventually forget him, how could she possibly erase the feelings of so many years in just a few days? She needed time to sort through her emotions, and she did not want to remain entangled with Xie Yanchen at all. Moreover, she had to take Xie Kexin for treatment and continue her work at Yongfang; living at the Xie residence, even with Grandmother for company, would mean she would never find peace.

Her expression grew increasingly resolute. She did not notice that with every word she spoke, Xie Yanchen’s expression darkened further. His demeanor was cold and stern, and deep within his dark eyes surged a hint of suppressed anger. He had already agreed to spend another thirty days with her—shouldn't she be secretly delighted? Based on her usual self, she would have started thinking of ways to win his favor during these final thirty days, using every trick in the book to catch his eye, begging him to come home to spend time with her and their child... In any case, it should not be like this.

"Su Wanqing, don't overplay your hand!" he couldn't help but warn, his dark eyes cold and narrowed.

Yet, Su Wanqing didn't even turn her head. She looked at Min Yuanhua with a pitiful gaze filled with pleading and anticipation, as if she couldn't bear to spend even one more day with him. It felt as though a thorn had pricked Xie Yanchen's heart. He stared at her with a icy, viper-like gaze, trying to find a single crack in her facade. Unfortunately, from his angle, he could only catch a glimpse of her profile. Her eyes were fixed intently on Min Yuanhua, her lips pressed tightly shut as if afraid the older woman wouldn't agree, her jawline strained with effort.

"Su Wanqing! Can you not hear me?" he said again, attempting to grab her attention. "I know you must be secretly thrilled right now. You don't need to put on this act of noble self-sacrifice. Consider this a farewell to the hardships of the past five years; I am allowing you to spend thirty more days with me."

He tugged at his jacket, making his arrogant assumptions. As the words left his lips, he saw Su Wanqing’s chin trembling—which he mistook for hidden joy. He snorted to himself; he knew it. She was just afraid he was only pretending to agree and wouldn't actually come home, so she was pressuring him here! He had to admit, this woman was somewhat clever. Fine, thirty days. Sleeping in the office all the time wasn't sustainable anyway; spending a few days back home wouldn't be the end of the world.

Min Yuanhua glared at him. "If you don't know how to use your mouth properly, you might as well not have one." As someone with experience, she could tell at a glance that Xie Yanchen was reluctant to let Su Wanqing go but was incapable of speaking kindly. She knew that after living together for five years and even having a child, how could there be no feelings at all? Furthermore, she had raised Xie Yanchen herself; if he didn't like her, why would he have ever touched Su Wanqing? It was a pity his father had passed away so early; he had never seen how his father loved his mother, or he wouldn't be in such a mess now.

Thinking of this, Min Yuanhua’s eyes deepened, and she helped Su Wanqing up. "Qingqing, this is Grandmother’s final request. Will you not even agree to this?"

"Grandmother is old, and my heart truly cannot bear to see you two divorce. Are you really so heartless that you won't even try for thirty days? Even if you don't consider yourself, you and Yanchen have a child. Do you really want the child to grow up without a father?" Min Yuanhua’s eyes turned red as she spoke. "When you act like this, I constantly feel that the Xie family has failed you. How could I ever face your grandfather after I pass on..." She clutched her chest, her wrinkled face wet with tears.

Su Wanqing had never expected that simply wanting a clean divorce would drive Min Yuanhua to tears. Thinking of how the older woman was the only one who had frequently called her and offered warmth over the years, her own eyes reddened.

"Grandmother, please don't cry. I'll agree to it, won't I?" she said, choking back sobs, failing to notice the flash of satisfaction in Min Yuanhua's eyes. It wasn't that she was being selfish; Su Wanqing was a kind child who had loved Xie Yanchen wholeheartedly and would never do anything to harm the Xie family. How could she bear to let such a good granddaughter-in-law leave?

"Have you signed the divorce papers yet?" Min Yuanhua asked.

Su Wanqing thought of the agreement Xie Yanchen had torn to shreds and flushed down the toilet, and she shook her head.

Min Yuanhua gave her a disapproving look. "You silly child, you went to get a divorce without even signing the papers? Where will you live? And what about Kexin’s custody?"

From the moment she brought up the divorce, Su Wanqing had never wanted a single cent from Xie Yanchen. She had her own money—quite a bit of it—and she would continue working at Yongfang, which was more than enough to support herself and Xie Kexin. As for custody, that went without saying. She had moved out with Xie Kexin for days, and Xie Yanchen hadn't asked about them once, which spoke volumes about his attitude. Moreover, now that Kexin had autism, she certainly wouldn't trust her to Xie Yanchen.

"I don't want the money... but..." she began.

Before she could finish, Min Yuanhua interrupted. "I will have a lawyer draft a divorce agreement for you. If, after thirty days, you are still firmly set on divorce, then you will receive ten percent of Xie Yanchen’s shares. You may choose any house or car you like. As for Kexin’s custody..." Min Yuanhua paused, seemingly in thought.

The pause terrified Su Wanqing. She waved her hands frantically. "No, Grandmother, there's no need. I don't need the shares; I only want custody of the child. Kexin has autism, and I have been the one taking care of her all these years. She depends on me so much. President Xie..."

"President Xie will have better children in the future. Just leave Kexin to me." She begged, tears streaming down her face.

Seeing how anxious she was about the child, a flicker of pity crossed Min Yuanhua’s eyes. She continued, "It is only natural for a child to be with the mother, but you and Yanchen can discuss the details yourselves. As for Kexin's condition, I will find someone else to try and help her."

Seeing that Min Yuanhua was not insisting on taking the child, the weight lifted from Su Wanqing's heart. For so many years, Xie Yanchen had rarely shown closeness to Xie Kexin. He had once said that seeing her reminded him of that night that caused him to lose his senses. It was a blessing he didn't harbor hatred toward Xie Kexin; he certainly wouldn't fight her for custody.

"I disagree."

Behind her, the man spoke these three words slowly and deliberately, causing the heart that had just settled in Su Wanqing's chest to leap back into her throat.