Xiao Qing and Qian Jinyuan found the situation becoming increasingly unfathomable. They were utterly bewildered by the decisions made by Elder Qian and his daughter, Qian Ruixue. Originally, Elder Qian had insisted on making Gu Yuan a member of the Qian Family—not for the sake of the family's reputation, nor because he felt bound by a previous promise—but now, learning that Gu Yuan was an ex-convict only added to their confusion.
If the people of Tiannan City found out about this, what would happen to the Qian Family’s prestige? Despite this, Elder Qian remained stubborn, leaving everyone to wonder: what kind of magic did Gu Yuan possess to make the old man so insistent?
Looking at her daughter, Xiao Qing grabbed her hand and said, "Child, you must think this through! This concerns your lifelong happiness. Are you really willing to choose a poor, incompetent ex-convict?"
Qian Ruixue remained silent for a long time before finally sighing. "Mother, say no more. This is my own choice. Besides, Gu Yuan once saved my life; I owe him a debt of gratitude."
Xiao Qing was left speechless, capable only of a frustrated cry, convinced that the entire family had lost their minds.
That night, a whirlwind of emotions swept through the Qian Family. The uncles and cousins seemed to take pleasure in the misfortune, while Qian Jinyuan smoked cigarettes in the living room all night long, and Xiao Qing cried until dawn. Qian Ruixue sat in her room, lost in deep contemplation.
Only Qian Rushan—Elder Qian himself—engaged in a long, late-night conversation with Gu Yuan. He knew well that the reason Gu Yuan agreed to marry into the Qian Family was largely out of respect for his master. Therefore, he wanted to use their personal connection to bridge the gap between them, hoping that when Gu Yuan eventually achieved success, he would not forget today’s promise or the Qian Family.
Gu Yuan understood the old man’s intentions and promised repeatedly that even if the elder were no longer around, as long as Qian Ruixue did not abandon him, he would protect the Qian Family, regardless of the hardships that might lie ahead.
After careful consideration, Qian Rushan decided to entrust his entire estate to Qian Ruixue of the third branch, but with one condition: she could not divorce or leave Gu Yuan. Otherwise, she would end up with nothing.
However, for Qian Ruixue, this night only made her inner turmoil grow. In the early hours of the morning, she rose and knocked on Gu Yuan’s door. Seeing her standing at the threshold in her nightclothes, Gu Yuan was taken aback and asked softly, "What’s wrong?"
Qian Ruixue’s face flushed slightly, and with a hint of shyness, she said, "I... I couldn't sleep. I wanted to come and talk to you."
Gu Yuan gave a bitter smile and glanced around his cramped room. "It’s a pity, there isn't even a place for you to sit. Shall we... use the bed?"
As soon as the words left his mouth, Qian Ruixue’s face turned even redder. She thought to herself, *How could he sound so flippant?* Still, she nodded gently, entered the room, and sat tentatively on his bed. She cast a secret glance at him and gathered the courage to ask, "Can you tell me about your ex-wife? And why were you sent to prison?"
Hearing this, Gu Yuan froze for a moment. Then, he let out a deep sigh and began to tell his story. It turned out that to protect Lin Xiangyu, he had voluntarily taken the blame for a crime he did not commit, spending three years in prison, only to be met with a divorce agreement upon his release.
After listening, Qian Ruixue was stunned. How could such a devoted man exist in the world, and how could there be a woman so heartless? At that moment, a complex emotion colored the way she looked at Gu Yuan.
Gu Yuan offered a bitter smile, stating that now that the truth was out, the decision to continue this marriage was entirely up to her.
Qian Ruixue stood up and took a deep breath. "Don't worry. I, Qian Ruixue, always keep my word."
With that, she hurried away, leaving Gu Yuan alone in deep thought. Just then, his phone rang—a message from Lin Xiangyu. She demanded to know why he had allowed people to bully her mother and brother.
Gu Yuan was completely baffled and replied, asking what had happened. However, Lin Xiangyu wouldn't hear it, accusing Gu Yuan of using a child to get her attention and then driving her mother and brother away when they went to reason with him. She claimed that such behavior was no different from that of a scoundrel, leaving her deeply disappointed.
Faced with Lin Xiangyu’s misunderstanding, Gu Yuan was extremely annoyed. Just as he was about to respond, another message came from her, demanding he set a time to go to the Civil Affairs Bureau to finalize the paperwork.
Seeing the message, Gu Yuan felt a wave of dizziness. During his three years in prison, he had firmly believed that Lin Xiangyu would be waiting for him. Instead, he had been met with a divorce agreement, which pained him deeply. As his gaze swept over the words "go to the Civil Affairs Bureau for a divorce," Gu Yuan took a deep breath, trying to calm the ripples in his heart.
He typed two words on his phone screen: "Tomorrow."
"Fine! I'll wait for you tomorrow!" After replying, Lin Xiangyu tossed her phone aside.
Nearby, Li Xiuqin and Lin Lei were incessantly urging her to end this unfortunate marriage as soon as possible.
"Xiaoyu, you should have dumped this guy a long time ago. Do you know how wicked he is?" Li Xiuqin said.
"That's right, Sister. He cheated first. When the divorce happens, you must make him leave with nothing," Lin Lei added.
Faced with her family's indignation, Lin Xiangyu sighed. "Mom, you know he has no job. If we don't even give him a little money, how will he survive?"
"Forget about him! You're getting a divorce, who cares about him!" Li Xiuqin retorted.
"I'll handle it myself. You don't need to worry about it," Lin Xiangyu said before heading upstairs.
Watching her daughter walk away, Li Xiuqin felt a deep sense of dissatisfaction, thinking her daughter was too kind. She even planned to accompany her tomorrow to ensure Gu Yuan left with absolutely nothing.
The next morning, Gu Yuan woke up early, though in truth, he had barely slept all night. He knew it was time to let go. Since Lin Xiangyu no longer cared about their relationship, why should he cling to it?
Gu Yuan got up, preparing to head to the Civil Affairs Bureau. Meanwhile, the members of the Qian Family were waking up one by one, and his mother-in-law, Xiao Qing, was already complaining that Gu Yuan was still sleeping.
"It’s outrageous! It’s so late and he hasn't even gotten up!" Only Elder Qian responded with a smile, "He's a young man, it's only natural he'd want to sleep in a bit."
After breakfast was ready, Qian Rushan asked his granddaughter, Qian Ruixue, to call Gu Yuan to eat.
Sitting at the dining table, Xiao Qing had a cold expression, her dissatisfaction with Gu Yuan growing by the second. The Qian family could not understand why the old man favored this young man, who seemed to have nothing to show for himself.
But at that moment, none of it mattered anymore, because Gu Yuan was moving toward a new beginning.
*My daughter is not only beautiful, but her figure and appearance are impeccable. For someone with her background, finding a live-in son-in-law is already a huge concession for our family.*
*However...*
*How can this Gu Yuan be so lazy?*
*Does he not even want this marriage anymore?*
Just as everyone was whispering among themselves, Qian Ruixue came running back, shouting, "Grandpa, Mom, Dad—Gu Yuan is gone!"