CHAPTER 82: 74. FROM NOW ON, I WILL OPENLY AND HONESTLY LIKE YOU (SECOND UPDATE)

This dinner became awkward for both Ye He and Tang Yan Yi because of this matter.

Shi Nian and Tang Yanqing went upstairs to have a private chat, while downstairs, Xiang Yuan was trying hard to maintain politeness but was clearly struggling.

Ye He gave Tang Yan Yi a glance and first stood up to say goodbye: "Brother-in-law, the ribs tonight were really delicious. It’s just that I’m gaining weight, and last time when I went for an interview, my waistline was so thick that I couldn’t fit into the dress, so I had to ask the boss to go in. If it weren’t for this... perhaps the boss wouldn’t have been intimidated."

Saying this, Ye He truly felt sad, forgetting that she had initially made up an excuse.

Xiang Yuan looked up: "Xiao Ye, don’t say that. It’s the person’s fault who made the threat, not yours."

Only then did Ye He force a smile: "Hmm! Then I’ll leave now. Brother-in-law, thank you for your hospitality."

Tang Yan Yi was somewhat reluctant to leave like this, but it wasn’t appropriate for her to sit alone with Xiang Yuan in the living room, staring at each other. Ye He gave her a glare as she reached the door, so Tang Yan Yi had to get up and say goodbye as well, saying that it was late and that she would visit again if there’s another opportunity.

Although Xiang Yuan felt melancholic, he still managed a smile and courteously saw the two women to the door.

Tang Yan Yi drove the car, and since Ye He couldn’t hail a taxi, Xiang Yuan also requested Tang Yan Yi to give Ye He a ride.

Watching the two girls walk away, the smile on Xiang Yuan’s face quickly collapsed. He turned back to look at the second floor, where the dim figures of Shi Nian and Tang Yanqing appeared in the window.

Tang Yanqing, being extremely perceptive, sensed his gaze and suddenly turned her head to look. Xiang Yuan quickly averted his eyes, frowning as he walked back into the house.

.

Instinctively, he wanted to step towards the stairs but stopped at the foot of the stairs.

He knew that at the moment their eyes met, Tang Yanqing had become wary. Even if he went upstairs now, he probably wouldn’t hear anything.

So, he turned around, feeling restless and went into the storeroom on the first floor. Being a lawyer, he had many large legal books at home. These books took up space and weren’t used frequently, so they were stored in the storeroom. Shi Nian rarely came here because it mainly held these books; only he came in often.

He opened a drawer on the bookshelf and took out a pack of cigarettes, lighting one and standing by the desk, taking puffs.

He also remembered that night.

He had never seen such a determined Shi Nian wanting a divorce.

He blamed himself for being too confident, thinking that after his argument, Shi Nian would back down again, just like every time before, having to give up the idea of divorce and continue to endure.

But that night, Shi Nian was exceptionally calm, accurately pointing out the flaws in his logic, refusing to compromise.

He had to find a way, pulling Shi Nian to sit down seriously.

"Okay, I was wrong. But have you thought about the consequences if you adamantly choose to divorce? What about your Green Card, and the medical insurance mom enjoys at the nursing home?"

He calmly laid out his trump card. Being a lawyer, he naturally had a better understanding of M Country’s relevant legal policies.

According to M Country’s law, a foreigner and a local citizen must be married for a year before applying for a Green Card. However, this Green Card is conditional; after two years of observation and recognition, the "conditional" status can be removed.

"This two-year observation mainly checks if we have a genuine marital relationship—including whether we live together, have a harmonious relationship, and our financial integration."

Xiang Yuan looked determinedly into Shi Nian’s eyes: "Three years after marriage, the conditions on your Green Card will be removed. But if we divorce now, immigration and other agencies have reason to question the authenticity of our marriage. Besides, our medical insurance is linked. If this marriage ceases to exist, how will you pay the massive ’Deep Valley’ costs?"

Shi Nian was indeed stunned, staring blankly at him.

Shi Nian, being unfamiliar with life in M Country, had only recently found a job and had no social connections to rely on. Moreover, her mom was in that condition...

But that night, Shi Nian was stubbornly calm, saying she would talk to her boss at the company the next morning to see if they could transition the relevant connections. After all, the ’Deep Throat’ Group was also a famous media group, and a letter from the group would have considerable credibility.

At that moment, his heart was filled with annoyance—he disliked this calm Shi Nian, he still wanted to see the girl who used to just cry, helplessly clutching his fingers, letting him arrange everything.

Including her wanting to go out to work, and her deciding to apply to the ’Deep Throat’ Group... this series of events all made him annoyed.

Indeed, once her wings were strong, she thought of standing by herself, thinking of rebelling against him.

But that night, he had to compromise, and so he coaxed her, saying, "Tonight’s matter... no matter what, ultimately it was my fault. Shi Nian, it was four years ago, I didn’t deliberately make a connection mistake, I just really don’t remember clearly."

"But since you’re holding on so tightly, insisting on punishing me with it—let’s both take a step back, let me reconsider for you, so don’t divorce me, let’s follow your original request—let’s get a separation, okay?"

Shi Nian’s eyes flickered, but she didn’t immediately compromise as he expected.

He then grabbed her hand, "Shi Nian... I promised Dad, I said I would take care of you for a lifetime. Shi Nian, give me another chance, let separation be a buffer zone in our marriage, okay?"

He held her hand against his cheek, letting her feel his tears.

"Shi Nian, a man doesn’t cry easily, but the tears I’ve shed since I was twenty, have all been for you alone... don’t leave me, give me another chance, okay?"

"I promise you, if I do something wrong again, we can then go for a complete divorce, okay?"

He reached out to touch her cheek.

"At least, let me use my citizenship to provide some more security for you, more importantly, for mom, okay? Even if not for yourself, you should think about mom, right?"

His tears seemed to burn her fingertips, which finally trembled slightly.

He added fuel to the fire, "Mom has already lost Dad, she finally just managed to adapt to life in M Country, just finally started to like the environment at Deep Valley, how can you bear to disrupt this peace again, right?"

He was a lawyer, too aware of how to seize everything advantageous in a confrontation and gradually break down the opponent’s defenses.

So, although it was startling that night, he ultimately managed to overcome Shi Nian.

They drafted the separation agreement that night, and since he was a lawyer, everything had legal effect after it was filed the next day.

But his retreat wasn’t a concession; he aimed to come back and even go further.

He would never let Shi Nian leave him in this lifetime, absolutely never.

.

Second floor.

Shi Nian, engrossed in narrating, hadn’t noticed Xiang Yuan; Tang Yanqing didn’t bring it up either, just retreated to the door, listening to Shi Nian while also keeping an ear on the outside.

Fortunately, Xiang Yuan was considerate and didn’t come up, so he felt relieved.

Shi Nian finished speaking, lowering her head in sadness: "Separation is not a commendable thing and the issues between a couple are never just one-sided. I know I’m also at fault—so please, Mr. Tang, don’t casually bring it up in front of others in the future, okay? After all, I’m Chinese, and I can never let go of such things."

Such a strong yet fragile girl...

Tang Yanqing heard a crisp cracking sound in his heart. He could never be ruthless with her, and he himself didn’t know what to do.

He stepped forward, bent down, and looked up into her eyes.

"Sleeping Beauty, do you know why I had to say this in front of Ye He and Xiao Yi?"

She was a bit flustered and shook her head forcefully.

He sighed softly, looking seriously at her.

"... Ye He is an important colleague of yours, and your cousin is my cousin. So, these two people aren’t ordinary outsiders; they are important friends and family to both you and me."

"I wanted them to know that from now on, I, Tang Yanqing, want to openly and honestly like you."

.

Time seemed to stand still, and after a moment, it felt as if a drop of water had been suspended at the tip of a branch for a long time before suddenly falling.

There seemed to be an inaudible plop in the air.

Shi Nian’s eyes widened in surprise.

Tang Yanqing sighed softly, shook his head with a smile, and reached out to touch her cheek.

He almost touched her cheek, and she quickly dodged.

He restrained himself, his fingertips gently caressing a playful curl of hair by her temple.

He smiled earnestly, his eyes full of expression, "I’m not joking with you."

.

Time seemed to stand still, and for a long while, like dewdrops frozen at the tip of the branch before suddenly falling.

There seemed to be an invisible sound of a droplet.

Shi Nian’s eyes widened in shock.

[Reverb. See you tomorrow~]

Thanks to Lan, Tree Bear, Cathy, and Ranka for your red envelopes~