Ruan Jianguo had always disagreed with divorce. Every time they met, whenever she brought it up, he would either dodge the topic or plead with her not to divorce. They never faced it head-on. This went on for more than half a year, and she thought they might never take the final step. Gradually, she grew tired of urging, thinking that their current state was only missing a certificate.

She never expected that one day she would hear him bring it up on his own, and in such a calm manner, say to her, "When are you free? I’ll go with you to handle the procedures."

So straightforward.

Shu Jiao did not answer immediately.

Nor did she look at Ruan Jianguo. She just quietly listened to the sound of frogs chirping around them.

After about ten seconds of silence, she asked him, "Are you sure?"

"Yes." Ruan Jianguo’s voice was soft but unusually firm.

Shu Jiao fell silent again, and finally, she opened the car door and said coldly, "I have an important contract to sign tomorrow; the day after tomorrow in the morning is fine." After saying this, she got out of the car, slamming the door shut with a bang.

Her footsteps gradually faded away, and Ruan Jianguo stared at her resolute back, his perpetually stiff shoulders finally slumping. He buried his head in the steering wheel, thinking that the phrase "heart-wrenching" probably felt just like this.

Before today, when Shu Jiao came, Ruan Jianguo hadn’t had any intention of getting a divorce.

It wasn’t until she arrived and went into Ruan Jiaojiao’s room to talk with their daughter that he, worried, eavesdropped and realized that his existence was such a burden to her.

He loved her so much, how could he bear to make her struggle, how could he?

So, he made up his mind to set her free, not let her struggle.

But even so, Ruan Jianguo’s heart was shattered.

Never to be repaired again.

He lay over the steering wheel, not moving for a long time, as if the Ruan Jianguo who had just faced Shu Jiao was merely a shadow of himself.

"Hiss hiss hiss..." Why isn’t he getting out of the car?

Xiaobai tapped the car window with the tip of its tail.

It hadn’t meant to eavesdrop; it had just returned from the forest and happened to see the two of them in the car looking so serious.

It felt it would be inappropriate to slither in front of their eyes so it had stayed outside, waiting all this time.

But even now, Shu Jiao had been inside for a long time, and Ruan Jianguo had not come out, still lying on the steering wheel. As a family member of Little Cutie, it very rarely approached with a touch of snake familiarity to ask.

When Ruan Jianguo heard the tapping, he immediately lifted his head, but seeing that the figure outside the window wasn’t who he wanted to see, his face turned dark, and he roared, "Get lost!"

Xiaobai had never seen this side of Ruan Jianguo. Normally, this man was so timid at home. It was shocked to see him so furious for the first time, and before it had time to react, Ruan Jianguo started the car. The wheels moved backward, and if it hadn’t retreated quickly, its tail would have been run over.

"Hiss hiss hiss... whimper whimper whimper, so fierce QAQ 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

Watching Ruan Jianguo’s car as it drove away, leaving only the back end in sight, Xiaobai felt utterly wronged.

Hissing, it slithered into the house to complain to the Ruanlin Family.

When Shu Jiao entered the house, Ruan Jiaojiao was sitting in the living room. Shu Jiao told her to go to bed early, then went upstairs first. Ruan Jiaojiao, though dying of curiosity, couldn’t bring herself to ask.

She could only continue to wait for Ruan Jianguo. But instead of seeing Ruan Jianguo, she saw Xiaobai come in with its tip-tail raised.