After five years of a cold marriage, I can no longer hide the child I secretly gave birth to.

"Where's Shen Jun? It's so late, isn't he home?"

Zhou Yanci ignored her attempts to drive him away. He had come up with them with a purpose.

Xu Daikui paused for a moment before saying nonchalantly, "Aren't you men all very busy? It's not surprising that you don't come home."

Zhou Yanci realized that she was subtly mocking him.

He had indeed not been back to their home once in five years.

That wedding room was really just for show.

"Guests are always welcome. I'll just go in and have a glass of water. Shen Jun won't say anything."

Zhou Yanci said forcefully.

He knew that the three of them were already living together, and there was no longer any place for him in Xu Daikui's home.

But he still wanted to go in and take a look, almost like a masochist.

Seeing that he wouldn't leave without drinking water, Xu Daikui opened the door in frustration.

I took Mengmeng inside after she changed into slippers.

As I walked into the living room, I noticed the man's tall figure still standing at the doorway, his gaze fixed on a pair of men's slippers at his feet.

Xu Daikui did not explain anything.

Those slippers were a spare pair she bought when Shen Jun came to visit.

Let Zhou Yanci think as much as he wants; anyway, the two of them will soon be completely unrelated.

She ignored the man and went to the kitchen to boil water.

Zhou Yanci didn't wear those slippers; he took them off and walked into the house barefoot, wearing only socks.

His sharp eyes swept around the room, and he caught sight of a men's shirt hanging on the balcony. His gaze and heartbeat were once again thrown into disarray.

A bitter taste spread through my heart.

Xu Daikui poured out water and saw that Mengmeng ignored Zhou Yanci and went to paint, while the latter's gaze lingered on the black shirt.

She bought it to hang there for people to see in order to prevent dangerous people from targeting her and Xu Meng, who lived alone, and she hadn't taken it down for years.

Judging from Zhou Yanci's words, he must be imagining things again.

Let him go.

She looked away, placed the water glass on the coffee table, and said in a cold and distant tone, "Go on and leave after you finish drinking. Mengmeng and I need to rest."

Zhou Yanci came in hoping to understand some things, but now that he has seen it with his own eyes, his last bit of hope has been completely extinguished.

It seems that Xu Daikui is in a hurry to get a divorce because she can't wait to marry Shen Jun.

"I want to go and see Mengmeng's room."

His face was shrouded in a deep shadow, and he pursed his thin lips slightly before making his request.

Xu Daikui didn't understand.

"Isn't that unnecessary, Mr. Zhou?"

He and Mengmeng had no apparent connection, and he even felt that Mengmeng was a cuckold who had betrayed him.

What further contact is necessary?

"I admire her paintings, can't I go see them?"

Zhou Yanci's tone was irritable.

Xu Daikui knew men's nature; no one could go against his wishes.

If we don't do as he wishes, tonight will probably be a long and complicated night.

She then went over and led the man to the bedroom.

The apartment has two bedrooms and a living room. She and Mengmeng live in one room, and she uses the other room to store miscellaneous items.

As Zhou Yanci entered, he was greeted by a warm and tidy scene.

The bedroom was small, but it was decorated comfortably and cleanly.

His gaze lingered on them inch by inch, as if he could feel the warmth that had sustained them throughout their lives.

The bed wasn't big; it looked like it could only fit two people sleeping.

And the bed sheets and duvet covers were a lovely pink color.

It seems that Shen Jun lives in the house next door.

Or perhaps Xu Daikui and Shen Jun share a room, while Xu Meng has a room to herself.

He suppressed his emotions and wanted to ask her something, but seeing the woman's impatient face, he remained silent.

Like visiting artifacts in a museum, he looked through them little by little, and finally, his gaze fell on a jar of colorful stars displayed in a transparent cabinet next to him.

He felt like he'd seen that jar of stars somewhere before.

He reached out to take it.

Xu Daikui's heartbeat suddenly became disordered.

She quickly grabbed his arm. "Zhou Yanci, that jar of stars is Mengmeng's handmade work. It's more precious than her own eyes. She hates it when others touch it. If you want to see Mengmeng's paintings, there are some in the living room. Let's go out."

There were 1314 stars in the jar, each one carefully folded by her, and each one was filled with her deep love for Zhou Yanci.

That was the love she had never been able to express, and she absolutely couldn't let him see it at this critical juncture.

Dreamy?

Zhou Yanci raised an eyebrow meaningfully, his gaze falling on her overly tense expression. After a moment, he smiled, said nothing, and turned to leave.

...

Half an hour later, after Zhou Yanci finally left, Xu Daikui finally felt relieved.

She turned and went back to the bedroom, looking at the jar of stars.

I want to destroy it, but I can't bear to.

When the cabinet was opened again, it was filled with things related to Zhou Yanci.

A yellowed bib number, with "Senior 3 (2) Class NO1" written on it, was the one he wore when he participated in the competition. He threw it away, but she picked it up and secretly kept it.

And that umbrella, she couldn't bear to throw it away.

There are also many things about him: all the photos of him together, the band-aid he handed me, photos of him taken secretly...

Back then, she collected everything that even remotely resembled him.

If Zhou Yanci were to open this cabinet, he would definitely be able to sense that it is filled with his presence.

She admired it quietly for a moment, then gently closed the door.

Tomorrow she's going to buy a lock to lock away all these memories.

[Mom, why won't Zhou Yanci get a divorce?]

Seeing her staring blankly at the jar of stars for a long time, Xu Meng took out her notebook and asked her.

Xu Daikui didn't understand either; perhaps it was because she brought up divorce that Zhou Yanci was unwilling to accept it.

After all, he was a man of high birth, and whether his wife lived or died, whether he divorced her or kept her, was entirely up to him.

Aside from the stain of being schemed against by her, his life was otherwise glamorous and successful.

He would never allow her to arbitrarily change the course of his life.

She gave a half-smile and squatted down. "He will get a divorce, but there's an annual party before the New Year, and Mom has to go with him. After that, we'll go get the divorce certificate."

Hopefully, Zhou Yanci wasn't lying to her this time.

*

The next morning, Xu Daikui noticed Zhou Yanci's suit jacket on her small sofa as soon as she got up.

I forgot to give it to him last night.

She frowned, walked over, looked at the coat for a long time, then poured water and went to the balcony to carefully wash his hands.

After all, she had worn it, so washing it clean and returning it to him was basic courtesy.

Moreover, the man's suit is worth at least the price of a house, and if she accidentally ruins it while washing it, she really can't afford to pay for it.

After washing up, I made breakfast for Mengmeng, and the two of them ate slowly until 11 o'clock.

She had just taken Xu Meng out.

Today is Laba Festival, and she needs to go to the supermarket to buy some high-end nutritional supplements. It's her first time visiting Shen Jun's family, so she has to choose a good gift.

...

Zhou's Group.

Around ten o'clock, Wen Yayun brought Xu Jiaojiao to find Zhou Yanci.

"Yanci, today is Laba Festival. Your uncles and aunts have booked a Laba banquet at the Century Hotel. Your eldest brother will also be taking a midday flight back. Pack your things and take Jiaojiao with you."

Since he and Xu Jiaojiao are mutually attracted, it's time to let Xu Jiaojiao meet their Zhou family elders.

Xu Daikui was not favored by Zhou Yanci and was not considered respectable. Apart from that wedding, Zhou's relatives had never even seen what she looked like.

Now that the Zhou family's daughter-in-law is being replaced, Xu Jiaojiao must dress elegantly and extravagantly and appear in front of all the relatives with Zhou Yanci. She absolutely cannot bring shame to the Zhou family again.