Chapter One: You Are Not Worthy of Her!

Imperial Hotel, at the entrance to the banquet hall.

"Get out!"

Ye Wushang had just stepped forward when he was unceremoniously turned away by Assistant Xu Wei.

"Ye Wushang, hurry up and sign the divorce agreement!"

Staring at the document thrust at him, Ye Wushang was completely bewildered. "Divorce? What are you talking about?"

"Exactly what it sounds like."

"I'm officially informing you now—your marriage with President Lan is over!"

"To her, even letting you carry the title of husband is an utter humiliation!"

Xu Wei's tone was icy—gone was any trace of former respect.

"Humiliation?" Ye Wushang's expression darkened. "Did she say that herself?"

When they married, the Lan family was nothing more than a struggling, minor household, teetering on the brink of bankruptcy due to mismanagement. It was he who had stepped in, using his resources not only to help them weather the crisis, but to help the Lan family rise to prominence as new elites in Jinghan.

Wealth. Status. They had it all.

He had thought that with these, the two of them could live happily together. But now, she wanted a divorce?

"Does it matter who said it?" Xu Wei sneered, opening the door and gesturing toward the stage inside.

There, a woman of breathtaking poise was delivering a speech at the celebration banquet for her group's successful IPO.

"Look at her—the youngest CEO in Jinghan's history to head a publicly listed group! So young, already worth billions, and her business now stretches all the way to the provincial capital."

She glanced at Ye Wushang, her eyes full of disdain. "And you? You're nothing but a househusband who does laundry and cooks. A useless man who has to ask his wife for grocery money. You don't deserve her at all!"

Ye Wushang trembled, barely able to keep his footing. Three years of devotion and all he was worth was a single sentence: you’re not worthy?

"I won't sign," Ye Wushang said, taking a deep breath and forcing down his anger. "If we must end this, I want to say it to her face—"

"Stop pretending. Isn’t it all about the money anyway?" Xu Wei sneered, producing a few items from her handbag and tossing them at Ye Wushang's feet.

"Here—property deed, car keys, and a card with ten million in it. Sign the papers and all this is yours!"

Ye Wushang sighed, shaking his head. "Not everything can be solved with money."

"I have nothing to discuss with you. I'm going in to find her myself—"

He reached for the doorknob, but before he could turn it, the door creaked open and a woman stepped out.

She was exquisitely beautiful, her figure graceful and shapely, clad in a long dress of deep purple-black that accentuated every curve.

"Finally willing to come out, are you..."

Gazing at the stunning woman before him, Ye Wushang felt a surge of conflicting emotions. Their three-year marriage hadn't been perfect, but it had been harmonious enough. He had even dared to dream of growing old together. How had it come to this?

"I just came out to use the restroom. I need to get back in a moment," Lan Ruoxue said coolly, giving Ye Wushang a brief, indifferent glance. Her voice was as cold as that of a stranger.

"So, President Lan is so busy that even divorce must be delegated to someone else..." Ye Wushang’s smile was bitter.

Seeing his crestfallen look, Lan Ruoxue’s expression flickered for a moment, but she quickly steeled herself. "Time is short, let's get to the point."

"Ye Wushang, we’re no longer from the same world. Our status and positions are worlds apart—we don't even have anything to talk about. The truth may be harsh, but this is reality. Please don't drag me down any longer, alright?"

Ye Wushang’s breath caught. He hadn’t expected that, in her eyes, he was nothing more than a burden.

Just as he opened his mouth, she bent down to pick up the scattered items and stuffed them into his arms.

"Don't be embarrassed—just take them. Consider it a breakup fee."

"You have no ability to earn money. With this, at least you won’t have to worry about food or clothing for the rest of your life."

"Let’s part on good terms, shall we?"

Ye Wushang forced a bitter smile. Part on good terms, indeed.

He didn’t take the items, only looked at her with disappointment. "Do you really think marriage can be measured in money?"

Lan Ruoxue didn't answer, but her eyes betrayed the faintest trace of complexity. She took out a blank check from her handbag.

"If you think it's too little, you can fill in any amount you wish..."

"You don’t understand what I mean," Han Xu pushed the check aside, his tone earnest. "I don’t want your money. I want an explanation."

"To end it just like that—does money really matter so much?"

Lan Ruoxue was noncommittal, nodding emphatically. "At least to me, it does."

"But you’re worth over a billion now—are you really short of money?"

Lan Ruoxue sighed. Looking at Ye Wushang, her face was filled with disappointment. "If you’re still hung up on money, then divorcing you is clearly the right decision."

To her, the gap between them was no longer just about wealth.

It was a gulf of spirit and ambition.

Three years had passed. Her company was now publicly listed, yet he remained the same complacent househusband. She could see no hope in him at all.

"Ruoxue..."

Looking at her resolute demeanor, Ye Wushang hesitated to speak.

He knew very well now—her mind was made up.

And yet he still didn’t understand.

After a moment’s pause, he couldn’t help but ask, "Ruoxue, tell me—are you so determined to divorce me because of that young master from the Sun family..."

How laughable. Even now, he was searching for other reasons.

Their paths had diverged; she could not be bothered to explain further. "If you want to think so, go ahead."

"Fine, I agree to the divorce."

"But before I sign, you must return my workshop to me."

"That was my mother’s legacy. She always said only her daughter-in-law was qualified to use it!"

After his father disappeared, his mother had supported them with that workshop. Small though it was, it stood in the city center and was worth a fortune. More importantly, it was his connection to his mother—he had to get it back.

"The workshop..."

Lan Ruoxue frowned slightly. Xu Wei was about to speak but was stopped by a gesture. Lan Ruoxue handed the keys to Ye Wushang.

"Take the keys. I’ll clear out all inventory within three days. After that, it’s yours again."

"Agreed." Ye Wushang signed his name swiftly.

"We’re even."

"Lan Ruoxue, from this day forth, there is nothing more between us."

With that, Ye Wushang turned and walked away without looking back.

"Xu Wei, hurry—notify Ruoshuang not to touch the workshop," Lan Ruoxue instructed. "She may like that plot of land, but now that Ye Wushang and I are divorced, the workshop—"

"President Lan," Xu Wei interrupted, bewildered. "If Miss Ruoshuang likes it, why not just give it to her? That useless man freeloaded off the Lan family for three years—what’s one little workshop to him..."

"I gave him my word, and I intend to keep it!" Lan Ruoxue’s voice was sharp.

As she watched Ye Wushang’s figure recede into the distance, a strange sense of loss welled up within her.

She didn’t know why.

Before the divorce, she had longed for this moment every day.

But now that it was done, her heart felt hollow, not lighter as she had imagined, but weighed down by a vague, inexplicable guilt.