Chapter Thirty-Nine: Formal Introduction

Yin Guizhen said, "After I married you, I feared the coming of the night most of all. At first, I would often sit until dawn, waiting for you to return. Gradually, I would still sit until dawn, but only because I was afraid that if I fell asleep, I would dream of you."

Luo Yichen hardened his heart and replied, "Everything was your own doing. Why did you steal my seal back then and sell that piece of land to the Yin family? Do you have any idea how much it hurt when I found out on our wedding night?"

"I never stole it!" Yin Guizhen cried out, her voice raw with desperation.

Luo Yichen stood frozen, his mind a blank slate. He had never formally asked her if she had truly stolen his seal. At first, he hadn't dared to, fearing that if she confessed, he would have no choice but to divorce her. Later, he had felt it beneath him to ask; they had already become like strangers. He had never imagined the truth could be this.

"Impossible," Luo Yichen said in shock. "I saw the recording of you handling my seal with my own eyes. What is going on? Or are you lying to me?"

Yin Guizhen said with disappointment, "The Yin family has already fallen, and I am already divorced from you. Is there any need for me to lie to you about this?"

Luo Yichen looked into her eyes and believed she was not lying. He fell into deep thought: Who could have orchestrated this so meticulously? Whoever did it wanted nothing more than to drive a wedge between Guizhen and me. Could it be Mu Lichen? Yin Guizhen was now weeping uncontrollably. For five years, she had suffered too many grievances; could these tears ever wash them away?

Luo Yichen held her shoulders and said, "Let the past be the past."

Yin Guizhen’s small face twisted. She could not say goodbye to the past with such ease. Seeing Luo Yichen so close, she suddenly embraced him and kissed him. Luo Yichen tried to push her away, only to hear her say, "You owe me a wedding night, and now I want you to pay it back."

Luo Yichen’s hands stiffened. He had always known what Yin Guizhen had been longing for over these five years. What normal man wouldn't want to be intimate with his wife after returning home? It was just that there had been so many misunderstandings between them that Luo Yichen could never summon the interest.

Seeing that Luo Yichen no longer resisted, Yin Guizhen pulled him forcefully onto the bed. She entwined herself around him, her inexperienced touch stirring the man's instincts. Luo Yichen felt guilty for how he had treated her over the years. If she wanted that wedding night so badly, he would compensate her. After all, this woman had been by his side for five years; this was something he owed her.

As their passion heated up, Luo Yichen found it hard to restrain himself. He kissed her deeply, his hand reaching for the buttons of her dress. Tears streamed down Yin Guizhen's face; she had waited too long for this day. Just as Luo Yichen covered her body, he whispered, "Guizhen, once I have repaid what I owe you, please stop making things difficult for Shang Qi."

The fire in Yin Guizhen’s heart was instantly extinguished. She shoved Luo Yichen away violently. For a man, regardless of whether he likes the woman beneath him, being pushed away at such a moment is unbearable. Luo Yichen said angrily, "What are you doing? Isn't this what you wanted?"

"I am not a beggar on the street!" Yin Guizhen picked up her clothes from the side and dressed quickly.

Luo Yichen’s desire was still burning, but he had nowhere to release it. He said, "Guizhen, I can't take it anymore! Come here, will you?"

"Would you treat Shang Qi this way?" Yin Guizhen forced back her tears and asked. "As long as she is unwilling, wouldn't you go along with her? Otherwise, how could she still be pure to this day? Luo Yichen, do you have no regard for me at all? You actually equate me with the women you use to satisfy your needs!"

This left Luo Yichen speechless. It was true; just now, he had only wanted to satisfy his needs, not caring who the person was. Although he felt apologetic toward Yin Guizhen, he no longer loved her at all. He calmed down and said, "There have been too many entanglements between us. For a long time, we failed to hold onto each other. For me, time has passed, and the feelings are gone."

Yin Guizhen said in despair, "Yichen, I love you! If you marry another woman, I will die at your wedding."

Luo Yichen’s passion was thoroughly suppressed by the word "die." He put on his shirt and said, "Guizhen, please, don't be like this. I was wrong just now, and I apologize. Whatever happens, you must live well!"

"Do you really care if I live or die?"

"Yes," Luo Yichen nodded. "I hope you can come to terms with it and accept the fact that we are already divorced."

"What if I never come to terms with it?"

Luo Yichen did not answer. He was afraid that if he provoked her further, she might really do something desperate. Yin Guizhen thought to herself: Luo Yichen is cold-hearted, but he has a weakness. His Achilles' heel is Shang Qi. Luo Yichen must feel guilty toward me, and this will be my greatest leverage.

She said nothing more and turned to leave.

After she left, Luo Yichen called Mu Lichen and said, "You knew Guizhen wanted to end her life, so you wanted to force Shang Qi and me to break up?"

Mu Lichen said nervously, "You've seen her? Did she tell you she didn't want to live?"

"Yes."

"Don't provoke her any further!"

"And you, stop targeting Shang Qi."

The brothers were locked in a stalemate on the phone, the atmosphere between them tense and volatile.

Luo Yichen continued, "Listen clearly: I do not love Yin Guizhen. Even if we forced ourselves to stay together, we would just return to the life of strangers we had before. Do you think that wouldn't be a torture for her? She is still young, and you are the man who truly cherishes her. Why not give yourself a chance?"

Mu Lichen compromised. He said, "I know what I have to do."

In the blink of an eye, the day of the Luo family's 80th anniversary celebration arrived. Old Master Luo attached great importance to the event and attended in person. The entire Luo family was dressed in their finest. Inside the hotel ballroom, media outlets, socialites, dignitaries, and business elites gathered, making for an unprecedentedly grand occasion.

Luo Yichen, in a dark blue suit, exchanged pleasantries with the guests. His eyes kept darting toward the entrance, watching for Shang Qi’s arrival. There was a hint of anxiety in his gaze. Shang Qi had been handling urgent work at the company, which was why she was late.

Mu Lichen walked over with a glass of wine and advised, "Take it easy, don't drink too much. There’s a press interview later!"

Luo Yichen’s high tolerance for alcohol was well-known. He found Mu Lichen’s remark strange, but his mind was on Shang Qi, so he said distractedly, "Don't you know how much I can drink? This little bit won't get me drunk."

Mu Lichen wanted to say something more but hesitated. Just then, Luo Yichen spotted a familiar figure at the ballroom entrance, and his heart surged with joy. A smile appeared on his face as he hurried past Mu Lichen toward her.

The person at the entrance was Shang Qi. She wore a silver-gray dress with a black coat over it. Her dark hair was pinned up with a French comb, making her look elegant and graceful. Such a simple and refined appearance was strikingly eye-catching in a venue filled with glamorous beauties.

Luo Yichen took her hand in front of everyone and said, "I’ve been waiting for you for a long time. Come with me!"

Shang Qi blushed deeply under the gaze of the crowd. She hurriedly pushed Luo Yichen away and said, "Don't be like this! There are many guests today, you should go greet them first!"

Luo Yichen noticed the strange expressions of those around them. He smiled without a word and pulled her hand firmly, saying, "Just come with me, hurry!"

Shang Qi could not resist him and followed behind, not knowing where he was taking her. Suddenly, he stood before Old Master Luo and said, "Grandpa, this is Shang Qi."

He then said to Shang Qi, "Don't just stand there, say hello!"

Shang Qi had not expected Luo Yichen to introduce her to the Chairman of the Luo family. She said with slight panic, "Chairman Luo, hello!"

Upon hearing the words "Chairman Luo," a flicker of annoyance crossed Luo Yichen’s face. He quickly hid his displeasure and continued, "Grandpa, Shang Qi is..."

Old Master Luo had taken everything in. How could he not understand his grandson’s intentions in introducing Shang Qi? However, seeing Shang Qi ignore Luo Yichen like this, he was not pleased. Hearing his grandson trying to cover for her, Old Master Luo could not help but say, "Chen, there are many guests today; you should attend to them properly."

Luo Yichen heard the displeasure in his grandfather's tone and said nothing more. Old Master Luo walked away to greet other guests.

Luo Shixun heard their conversation and walked over, saying, "Yichen, aren't you going to introduce me?"

Luo Yichen had a cold relationship with his father, but as he needed support at this moment, his attitude was quite softened. He said, "Dad, this is Shang Qi." Then he said to Shang Qi, "This is my father."

Shang Qi felt uncomfortable being introduced again but maintained a smile and said, "Hello!"

Luo Shixun saw his son’s slight nervousness and understood the situation. He asked, "What does Miss Shang's father do?"

"My father is a technical supervisor at a company," Shang Qi replied truthfully. She thought to herself, every daughter-in-law has to meet the in-laws eventually. Since it had come to this, she would just be honest.

Luo Yichen feared his father would raise objections based on social status, and his heart hung in the balance. In truth, Mu Lichen’s mother was the daughter of an ordinary family, and Luo Shixun did not have a prejudice against that. He actually hoped his son would marry a woman he loved. Luo Shixun looked at Shang Qi carefully and felt she was a good match for his son.

He said, "Come over to the house for a visit when you have time."

At this moment, Yao Minzhi approached. She had likely understood what they were talking about and was displeased. She had not liked Yin Guizhen, but she had been satisfied with her family background. This Shang Qi was a complete nobody; how could she be worthy of Yichen?

Yao Minzhi said, "Shixun, there are several guests over there who want to meet you."

As she spoke, she did not even look at Shang Qi. Luo Yichen knew his mother's temper and was afraid that a scene would be made during their first meeting. He said, "Dad, you go greet the guests first! We can talk in detail when I bring Shang Qi home another time."

"Alright."

Seeing them leave, Shang Qi breathed a sigh of relief. She said angrily, "Why didn't you tell me beforehand that you were going to introduce me to your family?"