C4 Dedication

As she spoke, her words grew more severe, leaving Gu Qinian utterly at a loss for words. He was aware of Ye Tian's tendency to cry, but he hadn't anticipated that she could actually cry on cue. Just a moment before, she had been fiercely negotiating with him, and then, like a floodgate bursting open, she was in tears.

Gu Qinian vividly remembered their wedding night. It was a clandestine ceremony, unknown to anyone in A City, yet his grandmother was overjoyed and insisted they spend the night at home to consummate the marriage.

The marriage had been coerced by the Ye family patriarch, using compromising photos of them from that night as leverage. Resentful, Gu Qinian had coldly commanded Ye Tian upon returning to their room, "Go sleep on the couch! You're never getting into my bed again."

At the time, Ye Tian was engrossed in a cheerful conversation on her phone. Caught off guard by his words, she looked up and firmly countered, "We're legally married now. By rights, half of this bed is mine. I'm climbing onto my side, not yours."

Already on edge, Gu Qinian's anger reached a boiling point. In a fit of rage, he yanked the blanket, sending Ye Tian tumbling to the floor. Her head struck something with a loud thud, and before he could process what had happened, her wails filled the villa.

Thus, Gu Qinian's wedding night concluded under a barrage of his grandmother's rebukes, his mother's entreaties, and the accusing gaze of Ye Tian, who now bore two stitches on her forehead. From that night on, she had a new label for him — Domestic Violence.

Reflecting on this made Gu Qinian even more agitated. He glared at the person beside him and said through clenched teeth, "Can you tone down the drama? When have I ever been abusive towards you? And you're twenty-three, for heaven's sake. Stop acting as if you're some naive child."

He was plagued by guilt, feeling as though he was taking advantage of a minor.

"I am young! I was barely twenty when we got married, naive and deceived by my own grandfather. How else could I have ended up with a man like you, accused of domestic violence, a miser? You can't even provide for your wife, yet you boast about being the wealthiest man in A City!"

Gu Qinian sighed, "..."

"I know you don't like me... But I didn't stop you from having an affair, did I? I even helped you keep your marriage a secret, covered for you... Now, here I am, facing tough times, in need of money. You, you don't want to help, that's one thing... But to resort to domestic violence... Boohoo..."

Ye Tian's sobs grew more intense as she spoke, making her seem all the more pitiable. She cried until she was gasping for air, as if the world itself was ending.

Gu Qinian, with a gesture of exasperation, massaged his temples. He was at a loss for words. Glancing at his watch, he realized he had to head back to the office for a meeting soon and couldn't afford to linger in this drama.

Amidst Ye Tian's escalating cries, he resignedly asked, "How much money do you need?"

"Three hundred thousand."

The moment the words left his mouth, Ye Tian's tears abruptly ceased. She quickly dried her eyes and turned to glare at Gu Qinian. Her bare face, now cleansed by tears, appeared even more translucent, yet Gu Qinian couldn't shake the feeling that she was smug about her manipulative victory.

He inhaled deeply and said, "I'll have my assistant wire the money to you. Now, please get out of the car."

"Goodbye, Director Gu!"

With those words, Ye Tian hastily exited the vehicle without a second thought and scampered away, vanishing from Gu Qinian's view in no time.