Sweetie, don't look at him, kiss me.

Neither of them spoke as the car drove away from the Century Building.

Lin Qingmian leaned back in the passenger seat, turning her head to look out the window.

Streetlights flashed past her one after another, their orange glow casting long, thin shadows on the car window before being swallowed by the darkness of the next intersection.

She didn't know what she was thinking; her mind was both full of things and completely empty.

Ji Linzhou didn't speak either. He gripped the steering wheel, his gaze fixed ahead, driving at a moderate pace, as if simply fulfilling a basic duty to the night. The car was so quiet that the faint sounds of the air conditioning vents and the low hum of the tires rolling over the road could be heard.

When they arrived at the Deep Blue apartment building, he turned off the engine but didn't immediately unbuckle his seatbelt. He sat in the driver's seat, his hands still on the steering wheel, and glanced at her.

"What do you plan to talk to him about?"

His voice was flat and emotionless, as if he were just asking a casual question.

Lin Qingmian paused, her fingers still unbuckling her seatbelt. She was silent for a moment before speaking, "Now that our identities are public, we'll be seeing each other all the time. It's better to make some things clear."

She paused for a moment: "Otherwise, it will be awkward later."

Ji Linzhou didn't reply. He looked at her, his gaze lingering on her face for a long while, as if observing her expression, or perhaps trying to discern what she was thinking as she spoke. Then he looked away, turning his head to gaze at the night outside the car window.

"Now that you know the reasons he left," his voice carried a hint of nonchalance, "have you regretted marrying me?"

Lin Qingmian paused for a moment. She turned her head to look at him. His profile was outlined in a blurry shape by the streetlights shining through the car window. His expression was unclear, and his voice was devoid of any inflection.

She was silent for a few seconds, then shook her head.

"You were there for me when I needed help the most a year ago."

Her voice was calm. "I couldn't have predicted what would happen in the future. You were the best choice I could have made at the time. I have no regrets."

She lowered her eyes, as if organizing her thoughts: "I won't regret the decisions I've made. You're right, no one will stand still forever waiting for others to grow."

"I've waited enough for Ji Xingye. If he had been more mature and had told me two years ago that his parents didn't approve of our relationship, I would have chosen to face it with him. Maybe everything would have been different."

She looked up again at the night outside the car window. "But he arrogantly chose to leave. This is the consequence of his choice. We both have to bear it."

Ji Linzhou turned back to look at her.

The carriage was dark, with only a faint blue light from the dashboard. Her profile was outlined in that light, but the stubborn light in her eyes shone brightly.

He stared at her for a long time, then reached out, cupped her chin, turned her face, and kissed her.

The kiss came suddenly, carrying a force that had been building up all night. His palm pressed against her cheek, his fingers threading through the hair behind her ear, pulling her towards him. Lin Qingmian was caught off guard by his kiss; before she could even raise her hand, he had already swallowed her breath completely.

When she finally managed to catch her breath, his lips had already left hers, resting against her ear. His breath fell on her earlobe, warm and his voice low: "If you regret it..."

He paused for a moment. "Even if you want to be with him, I won't give you that chance."

He stepped back slightly, looking down at her. His voice was still low, but carried an undeniable force: "You've been my wife, Ji Linzhou's wife. Even if we divorce in the future, you absolutely cannot have anything to do with the Ji family again."

Lin Qingmian's breathing was still unsteady, and the heat on her cheeks hadn't subsided. She lowered her head and nodded.

"If you want a divorce, I can do it anytime."

Her voice was a little hoarse, but every word was clear: "I can also assure you that I will not be with Ji Xingye after the divorce."

Ji Linzhou didn't speak again. He stared at her for a few seconds, watching her eyelashes droop as she lowered her head, watching her face show no reluctance when she said the word "divorce." His brows slowly furrowed, then he unbuckled his seatbelt, opened the car door, and got out.

The car door closed a little louder than usual.

Lin Qingmian sat in the car, watching his retreating figure stride into the apartment building lobby, wondering what had suddenly gotten into him or what had gotten into him. She paused for a couple of seconds before realizing what was happening, then quickly unbuckled her seatbelt, opened the car door, and followed him.

The elevator was already going up. She stood at the elevator door for a while, watching the numbers jump one by one. When the door opened, Ji Linzhou was no longer in the hallway. She walked to the apartment door, unlocked it with her fingerprint, and saw the living room light on. On the floor of the entryway were his casually taken-off coat and torn tie.

The study door was closed.

Lin Qingmian stood in the living room staring at the door for a while, but didn't knock. She changed her shoes, hung up her coat, and went into the bedroom. The clothes in the closet were neatly folded. She took out her loungewear and changed, and was about to go to the bathroom when her phone rang.

She picked it up and glanced at it; the words "Zhang Yuzhu" were flashing on the screen. She paused for a moment, then pressed the answer button.

"Mianmian, are you home?"

Zhang Yuzhu's voice on the other end of the phone had a tone she'd never heard before—warm, polite, and even with a hint of cautious ingratiation. "Did Mom disturb your rest?"

Lin Qingmian stood by the bed in the bedroom, holding her phone, looking out at the deep night: "What is it?"

"Oh dear, can't I call you for no reason?" Zhang Yuzhu chuckled, her laughter softer than usual. "Mom just... wanted to tell you that seeing you standing with Mr. Ji tonight made me really happy for you. I never imagined my daughter would be so successful."

She paused for a moment, as if organizing her thoughts: "Mr. Ji is a young, promising, and capable man. You definitely won't suffer if you're with him. It was my fault before; I didn't care about you enough. Don't take it to heart."

Lin Qingmian listened to her in silence without replying. The night outside the window was deep, with a few scattered lights in the distance. Her fingers tightened slightly on her phone, then slowly relaxed.

"I'm going to take a shower."

She frowned, raised her hand to rub her temples, and, too lazy to say anything more to this profit-driven woman, said, "I'm hanging up now."