The news was creating a huge stir, and Zhou Jinbei, a savvy internet user, naturally saw it.
Her first reaction was disbelief, thinking Zhan Beijue had been framed, so she immediately called him to report.
Zhan Beijue, having just disembarked from the plane, saw her call and impatiently answered.
"What is it?"
"Second Brother, where are you now?"
"Speak quickly if you have something to say."
"What's going on with the news? Who is that woman? Do you know you've been photographed?"
Zhan Beijue hadn't seen the news yet and was naturally bewildered.
"What news?"
"You don't know? Quickly log onto Weibo and take a look. You're rumored to be in a scandal with a woman, and the entire internet is shipping you two!"
Zhou Jinbei's tone was one of extreme worry.
"I don't know if my sister-in-law has seen it. What's wrong with you? You usually don't like to interact with other women, so how could this…?"
Zhan Beijue hung up the phone.
He logged onto Weibo and took a look. Damn it, they must have discovered the money in his account was fake, and the other party was retaliating.
They had actually been monitoring him all along?
They were truly courting death.
Throwing themselves at him, Zhan Beijue, did they really think they were so capable that he couldn't uncover their background?
Zhan Beijue didn't call for a car to pick him up and took a taxi home instead.
The children had gone to school, and as he entered the house, only Jiang Nanfang was sitting in the hall.
Her slender back was turned to the door, and she was staring out the window, lost in thought.
All the way back from the airport, Zhan Beijue had thought a lot.
He couldn't explain this matter to Jiang Nanfang.
If she didn't trust him, it would inevitably lead to a major conflict.
Now that someone behind the scenes was determined to go against him, daring to attack him, Zhan Beijue, they might also target the children in the future.
It was better to play along with the plan.
If Jiang Nanfang insisted on breaking up, then so be it.
Temporarily separating her and the children from this mess would allow him to deal with the other party with peace of mind.
He deliberately made his footsteps loud, knowing that with Jiang Nanfang's intelligence, she would surely guess he was back.
However, even as he reached her back, Jiang Nanfang didn't turn around.
Zhan Beijue stood a couple of steps away and paused for a moment before finally losing his patience and speaking first.
"What are you doing?"
Jiang Nanfang had imagined many scenarios for their conversation upon his return.
She never expected him to be so calm, and his first words to be this.
The stark contrast, like two different people, made Jiang Nanfang suspect if the tenderness she'd experienced recently was just an illusion she'd created.
Suppressing the anger that welled up in her heart, she slowly turned around and looked at him expressionlessly.
"Do you have anything you want to tell me?"
Zhan Beijue knew what she was referring to.
Her reaction was not much different from what he had expected.
She was waiting for an explanation.
Unfortunately, he didn't dare to give it.
"You're referring to the news. If you believe those rumors, I have nothing to say."
Nothing to say.
Jiang Nanfang sighed a long sigh inwardly, almost unable to suppress a laugh.
"Are you feeling wronged by my lack of trust, Zhan Beijue?"
"I want to believe you, but how have you been acting lately?"
"You've been with her all the time in North City, staying in hotels together, going to the hospital together. The financing was fake, and the reason for the fight was also fake."
"If it were you, seeing me with someone like this, could you deceive yourself into thinking it was all a coincidence?"
So she already knew, and she saw through all the lies he had told in North City…
Zhan Beijue also sighed inwardly.
He felt very tired, with everyone asking him for an explanation.
He hadn't done anything, yet it felt like he owed everyone.
An indescribable weariness washed over him from head to toe. He sat down on the sofa, closed his eyes, crossed his long legs on the coffee table, and settled into the most comfortable position.
Resigned, he said, "So, what do you want now?"
This statement was tantamount to an admission.
"Yes, I've done it. Since you've found out, let's be direct and lay our cards on the table."
Jiang Nanfang hadn't expected their relationship to reach this point after experiencing so much together.
To have a breakup this indifferent and distant.
But it was also good.
His attitude made her completely give up any lingering feelings, without any hesitation.
Not holding onto such a heartless man for even a moment.
"Divorce."
She uttered the most ironic words in the world with a calm, unruffled voice.
"Actually, you didn't need to do this at all. If you like her, just tell me openly. I, Jiang Nanfang, am not lacking in suitors, and I won't cling to you."
Zhan Beijue felt as if countless sharp knives had pierced his heart, causing him pain.
But he knew that at this point, it was his own fault, and he didn't deserve to express his weakness.
He faced her with an equally calm expression: "I can, but I have one condition."
Very good. For that woman, he was at least daring enough to take responsibility and agreed to the divorce.
But he was still making demands of her? Did he think Jiang Nanfang was so foolish and easily bullied?
She knew Zhan Beijue couldn't gain anything from her; the only thing he could gain was the children.
"What right do you have to negotiate with me? Can't that woman have children? Or can't you? You want to fight me for the children? You are the party at fault; I'm not afraid of a lawsuit with you."
At this critical moment, she was still willing to protect his offspring, which made Zhan Beijue content.
"I don't intend to fight you for the children; I only ask that you don't take them away."
"As long as you don't leave Nancheng, you can have whatever you want."
He used the word "beg."
Jiang Nanfang couldn't understand.
Sometimes he acted like he loved the children dearly, like a perfect father from a fairy tale, but behind the scenes…
"You're threatening me with the children all the time; aren't you afraid they'll hate you when they find out?"
Zhan Beijue closed his eyes and let out a soft breath.
"It's useless to say more at this point. As long as you agree to my condition, you can have all four of them."
Jiang Nanfang naturally wouldn't be threatened by him: "What if I don't agree?"
"After all, we were husband and wife. I understand your weaknesses, and you know my capabilities. Even though we're divorcing, we're still parents to the children. I don't want to make our relationship too strained."
"So, if I don't agree to your conditions, you're planning to force me?"
"There's no forcing. I'll simply restrict your ability to leave the country. I know a few people who can easily handle such matters."
Shameless.
Through his cruel words, Jiang Nanfang felt once again how blind she had been.
Such a heartless and ruthless man, yet because he had uttered a few sweet words, she had forgotten his true nature.
Jiang Nanfang, Jiang Nanfang, falling into the same pit twice, you are truly unforgivably stupid.
"You're counting on the fact that my power and status are inferior to yours and that we'll be sworn enemies for the rest of our lives?"
Zhan Beijue's eyes remained closed, his tone indifferent: "No."
"I've made myself very clear. As long as you don't leave Nancheng, we can coexist peacefully."
"When something happens, I will do my best to help you. We'll still be friends, and I never intended to strain our relationship."