Chapter 16: The Spokesperson

I was startled and turned around sharply.

There stood that figure, her face cold as she stood behind me.

She still made my heart race just the same.

But no matter how much I thought about it, I never imagined she would actually come.

"Gu Yichen, you just said I wouldn’t come, right?"

"Now that I’m here, why don’t you make yourself clear?"

"What exactly do you want?"

Liu Zhuyin suppressed her anger, her voice sharp and cold as she questioned me.

I could see she was very upset.

Though I had no idea why she came looking for me.

Yet, regaining my composure, I responded calmly.

"Divorce."

"Don’t I have the right to divorce you?"

Liu Zhuyin grew even angrier, her voice rising several decibels.

"Gu Yichen! Are you done yet?"

"If there’s a problem, just tell me. Why must it come to divorce?"

"I need a reason!"

A reason? Did I really need to spell it out?

In truth, seeing her here stirred a flicker of emotion within me.

Surprise, mixed with complexity.

At least, she was finally willing to spend time on me after five years.

But hearing her words, I smiled bitterly.

That joy inside me vanished completely.

"I just want a divorce. No reason needed."

What use is saying more to someone who doesn’t love you?

"Gu Yichen, have you fallen for someone else?"

"Fine! If you say yes, I won’t cling to you anymore."

"I, Liu Zhuyin, am not one to pester you endlessly, you should know that."

She threw the question straight at me, as if I were the one betraying this marriage.

My heart sank deeply, and I was too tired to explain myself.

If that’s how she sees it, so be it.

After all, it’s all for divorce; I couldn’t care less.

Before I could even respond, Luo Mingzhu, who had been watching from the sidelines, immediately took up my cause without hesitation.

"Please, do you really need to ask where the problem lies?"

"Are you genuinely clueless, or just pretending?"

Only then did Liu Zhuyin glance at her, but before she could speak, Luo Mingzhu’s sharp tongue fired off relentlessly.

"You’re married, yet you spend all day clinging to your ‘white moonlight’—who would be happy about that?"

"And you take it for granted, crossing all boundaries, not even knowing where you went wrong."

"Now you come here acting like Gu Yichen owes you an apology."

"Don’t say he doesn’t have someone he likes. Even if he did, so what?"

"Do you think it’s only allowed for you to fall for someone else, but not him?"

"That’s some serious double standard!"

Liu Zhuyin was overwhelmed and dizzy from the barrage, but she understood.

"So, it’s because of Azhou."

"Gu Yichen, I really don’t get why you have to be jealous of him!"

"He saved my life. I treat him well—is that wrong?"

I felt a bit frustrated.

This matter could have been settled easily if Luo Mingzhu hadn’t jumped in to defend me.

Now I had to waste words again.

However, once more, Luo Mingzhu answered for me.

"Treat him well? You call that treating well?"

"Girl, how blind are you?"

"Alright, even if it’s out of gratitude, let me ask you this—"

"What does Gu Yichen like to eat? What are his hobbies? How many of his close friends do you know? What style does he like to dress in?"

"Answer me."

Liu Zhuyin opened her mouth to reply but found she couldn’t answer a single one.

"Don’t know? Or just can’t?"

"Okay, then I’ll ask you this."

"What does your white moonlight like to eat? His favorite style? His hobbies?"

"You know all that, right?"

Another series of questions landed, and finally, Liu Zhuyin’s expression changed.

The anger that had risen within her slowly subsided.

She knew nothing about me, yet she knew everything about Ning Yuanzhou.

She had never thought about this before.

Only now, comparing the two, did she realize how serious it was.

Only then did she understand why her husband wanted a divorce.

She wasn’t even a qualified wife.

He was utterly disappointed in her, which is why he wanted out.

"Understand now?"

"Your gratitude is not wrong; no one’s blaming you for that."

"But ask yourself—do you have Gu Yichen in your heart?"

"If not, why maintain this marriage?"

Luo Mingzhu’s words were sharp and merciless.

"I’m not... Gu Yichen, listen to me, I—"

Liu Zhuyin tried to refute or maybe explain, but I wasn’t interested.

"Enough, Liu Zhuyin. We’re divorced."

"Let’s just go our separate ways."

"I hope you won’t bother me again."

With that, I stood up and left.

Liu Zhuyin wanted to call me back, but as she reached out, her hand dropped helplessly.

Perhaps she realized she didn’t know what could stop me.

"Can’t say a word, huh? You know your own faults."

"By the way, see this crab in my hand?"

"Have you ever cracked one open for Gu Yichen? For your white moonlight?"

"Or when he opened one for you, how did you respond? I bet you never even said thank you."

Luo Mingzhu’s words hit the mark.

Liu Zhuyin recalled every time Gu Yichen had done something for her, she had taken it for granted.

She never showed any gratitude for all his efforts.

"You’re shameless to come crawling back to Gu Yichen like this."

"Go back and be his housekeeper if you want."

"Seriously, you have no shame."

"Buy a ticket back to the country and be with your white moonlight."

Luo Mingzhu cursed viciously, tossed aside the unfinished crab, and caught up with me.

Liu Zhuyin watched my retreating figure with a desolate expression, feeling a sharp sting in her heart for the first time.

What had she done in these five years?

She wanted to be angry, but at this moment, she couldn’t summon even a trace of it.

"Gu Yichen, how did I do just now?"

Luo Mingzhu eagerly awaited my praise, as if presenting a gift.

"Why are you talking so much? We’re divorced, so there’s no more contact."

"What’s the point of saying all that?"

Luo Mingzhu pouted. "I’m just standing up for you."

"But really, your ex-wife’s something else."

"I only now realize how hard these five years have been for you."

"But it’s fine. Without a woman like that, there are plenty of good women out there."

"Tell me, what type do you like? I’ll set you up!"

She slapped my shoulder generously, as if taking charge of my entire future.

But I quickly shut her down.

"No need for your kindness."

"I’m fine on my own. Don’t play matchmaker for me."

"Thanks, though."

"And by the way, maybe you should spend some time thinking about yourself! Someone who was pushed into blind dates just to unwind, yet still worries about me!"

With that, I quickened my pace back to my room.

Luo Mingzhu paused, mulling over my words.

"Think about myself, huh..."

Her eyes landed on me, then suddenly she smiled.