Remarried to a top-tier playboy, her reborn ex-husband is filled with regret.

Xiao Fang ignored him and turned to Qin Shi, saying:

"Mother-in-law, where is your letter of divorce?"

Qin took out a neatly folded sheet of Xuan paper from her sleeve and handed it over.

Xiao Fang picked up the seal and slapped it onto the letter of divorce with a "smack," his movements swift and decisive.

"That makes it valid."

He tucked the letter of divorce into his pocket, a malicious smile on his face.

"I will personally go to the government office to file the report another day, and I guarantee that the Duke will have no more worries."

"You dare!"

Yun Chongshan panicked and reached out to snatch it.

"That letter of divorce is fake! I never agreed to it—"

"Father!"

Yun Shuyao finally spoke, her voice as cold as ice.

"Can't you have any conscience?"

"My mother has had enough. Please let her go."

Yun Chongshan's heart sank when he saw the unfamiliar look in his daughter's eyes.

He refused to believe it; could it be that some things are truly gone forever?

"The Qin family."

Yun Chongshan suddenly turned to Qin Shi, his tone filled with an unprecedented panic.

"Stop messing around and come back with me."

I...I'll treat you better from now on.

Qin shook her head, her gaze calm and undisturbed.

"No need."

I saved you back then out of a sense of duty.

Marrying into the Yun family was a mistake; she had trusted the wrong promises.

Now that the dream is over, it's time to leave.

"Aren't you afraid people will say you're a divorced woman?"

Yun Chongshan blurted it out, and immediately regretted it.

Madam Qin smiled, a smile that conveyed a sense of relief.

"So what if she's a divorced woman? It's still better than being a living dead in the Yun family."

But for the Duke, from now on, without someone like me who is not worthy of being in the public eye, occupying the position of the Duke's wife.

Then you can rightfully marry women who are worthy of your status.

Yun Chongshan's face turned pale and then flushed as he was struck on a sore spot.

Looking at Qin's straight back, he suddenly realized that this woman, whom he had looked down on for thirty years, actually had more integrity than him.

"You...you really want to go this far?"

His voice trembled almost imperceptibly.

"Absolutely?"

Qin asked in return.

"When my whole family was imprisoned, you asked me to sever ties with my relatives. Isn't that absolving me of all ties?"

You took my money, pampered your concubine, and now she's humiliating me in return. Isn't that enough?

She took a deep breath.

"Yun Chongshan, between us, you are the only one who owes me; I have never owed you anything."

Xiao Fang stepped forward and made a "please" gesture.

"Lord Duke, please leave."

Seeing the coldness in Xiao Fang's eyes, Yun Chongshan knew that continuing the argument would only make things more awkward.

He glanced at Qin one last time, and seeing that she still didn't turn around, he could only grit his teeth and turn away.

As I reached the door, an overwhelming emotion overwhelmed my reason.

He turned around abruptly and shouted at the top of his lungs:

"Qin, you'll regret this!"

"Without me, let's see who else can give you the honor of a Duchess!"

Qin didn't speak, but simply closed her eyes gently. Anyone could see how disappointed she was.

Xiao Fang watched Yun Chongshan's disheveled departure and a cold smile curled at the corner of his mouth.

He turned to look at Madam Qin and softly advised:

"Mother-in-law, don't take it to heart."

Qin shook her head, her eyes slightly reddening.

Thirty years of grievances can finally be put to rest.

Yun Shuyao held her mother's hand, feeling the warmth on her fingertips.

She knew that from this day forward, her mother would no longer have to live in anyone's shadow.

When the vermilion gate of Zhuangzi closed behind him, Yun Chongshan realized that his sleeves were damp with cold sweat.

The carriage wheels rolled over the bluestone road, making a monotonous sound, much like the tone of Qin's voice just now.

So calm, yet it carried the resolute determination to shatter everything.

The Duke of Zhenguo was in a complete mess of thoughts and didn't even know how he got back to his residence.

"Master, you've returned home?"

Aunt Feng was already waiting at the hanging flower gate, with a gilded and kingfisher feather hairpin tucked behind her ear, which he had just given her a few days ago.

Seeing him get out of the car, she rushed over to help him, but Yun Chongshan abruptly pushed her away.

"And Qin Shi? Has she been persuaded by you?"

Aunt Feng, oblivious to his odd expression, continued her rambling.

"My cousin's leg injury is so severe, the Qin family should at least cover the medical expenses... and..."

"presumptuous!"

Yun Chongshan's voice was like ice.

"You should call her Madam!"

Aunt Feng was stunned by the shout, and her eyes instantly reddened.

"Sir, what's wrong? Isn't that how you always called me before...?"

"before?"

Yun Chongshan sneered, his gaze sweeping over the hairpin at her temple, its emerald luster dazzling in the twilight.

"She was your master before, so why do you call her by her first name?"

Butler Wang was beaten; it must have been because he offended Madam, and he only had himself to blame!

Aunt Feng was completely stunned; she had never seen Yun Chongshan treat her so harshly.

In the past, let alone gossiping about Qin Shi, even if she embarrassed Qin Shi to her face, he would only laugh and coax her to "keep quiet."

"master……"

Before she could say anything more, she was suddenly slapped across the face, and a clear handprint quickly appeared.

"roll!"

Yun Chongshan uttered a single word, turned around, and walked towards the inner courtyard without glancing at her again.

Aunt Feng covered her face, and tears finally fell.

Looking at Yun Chongshan's resolute back, she suddenly felt a chill run through her body.

How did that man, who always said, "My aunt is right no matter what she does," change so suddenly?

Yun Chongshan didn't return to his study. Instead, his footsteps involuntarily stopped in front of the courtyard where Qin Shi had lived for thirty years.

The courtyard gate was ajar. He pushed it open, and a faint fragrance of osmanthus wafted out, the scent that Qin Shi usually used.

The room was dark, and dusk seeped in through the window, outlining the tables and chairs.

He walked to the dressing table and ran his fingertips over the mother-of-pearl inlaid mirror. The mirror was covered with a thin layer of dust, indicating that it had not been used for a long time.

There were a few plain jade hairpins in the drawer, old-fashioned in style, which she had given to him when she first married into the family.

The Duke of Zhenguo remembered this item; on her birthday that year, he casually remarked, "This jade hairpin suits you."

The next day, an even more luxurious one was given to Aunt Feng, simply because Aunt Feng said she liked it and acted coquettishly.

On the antique shelf in the corner, there was a celadon porcelain vase, which was their token of love.

She had bought it with her last few coins when she was recovering from a serious injury, and she treasured it very much, wiping it clean every day.

But later, Aunt Feng said that the bottle was unlucky, so she stopped letting her display it.

"idiot……"

Yun Chongshan muttered a curse under his breath, it was unclear whether he was cursing himself or someone else.

He recalled a snowy night three years ago when Aunt Feng deliberately broke the jade bracelet left by Qin's mother, and Qin came to him with red eyes to argue.

He said impatiently, "It's just an item, just have her buy you another one."

The way Qin looked at him then was just like how he looked today, filled with a shattered disappointment.

He also recalled his colleagues joking at the dinner table that he had "married a money tree, but his background is a bit poor."

When he returned, he took his anger out on Qin, scolding her for being "too arrogant and unfit for a respectable position."

She didn't say anything at the time, but silently cleaned up the teacups he had knocked over, and prepared breakfast for him as usual the next day.

Those moments he ignored have probably already left deep scars on her heart.

Lights gradually came on outside the window, and the faint sounds of laughter and conversation drifted in from other courtyards of the mansion, making the room seem even more desolate.

Yun Chongshan sat in the rattan chair that Qin Shi often sat in, touching the smooth marks on the armrest, and suddenly panicked.

It seems she... is really going to leave.

The letter of divorce, stamped with Xiao Fang's seal, was like a branding iron burning into his heart.

No, we can't just wait like this.

He suddenly stood up and walked out.

As I passed by Aunt Feng's courtyard, I heard soft sobbing coming from inside.

Without hesitation, he pushed open the door and went inside.

Aunt Feng was wiping away tears in front of the mirror when she saw him come in. Her eyes lit up, and she turned her head away with a hint of grievance.

"master……"

Yun Chongshan ignored her and went straight to the dressing table, taking out the imperial phoenix hairpin from the jewelry box.

This was a gift from the emperor to him back then, which he then gave to Concubine Feng.

She even stuck it in Aunt Feng's hair right in front of Madam Qin, which made Madam Qin so angry that she didn't eat for three days.

"Sir, what are you going to do with this?"

Seeing this, Aunt Feng rushed forward to snatch it.

"This is a gift from you to me!"