Chapter 47 of 100

Chapter 47

16 min read4,096 words

Emotions are like linked rings, and grudges flow like water, when will they ever cease? If it weren't for that night when she stumbled and tripped, perhaps he would never have ended up in this bar with her, drinking and listening to her troubles.

Ye Feng sat in the slightly dimly lit bar booth, looking at the shrewd and capable woman in front of him, a woman who made him feel inferior. His heart was filled with complex emotions. Even though Ye Feng didn't know Wu Xinghua very well, he knew she was far from being a gentle and delicate woman. She was decisive and often spoke boldly, unbound by trivialities, and remained dignified even in adversity. She was as beautiful as a flower, with a rare and extraordinary appearance, and her character was as strong as a man's, possessing a rare and exceptional charm.

Such a woman, what kind of unsolvable problem could she be facing to make her so worried?

After drinking several glasses of alcohol, Wu Xinghua's first words left Ye Feng speechless.

"Ye Feng, I have to tell you a secret, a secret I've never even told my closest sister. But today, I want to tell you because if I don't, we can't have this conversation. Ye Feng, many people think I'm an unmarried woman, but in fact, I got married ten years ago."

Ye Feng's expression clearly showed his shock, and he didn't know how to respond.

Wu Xinghua took another sip of alcohol and continued, "Ye Feng, my marriage to him was just a facade, a way to maintain the long-standing relationship between our two families. I didn't like him, and he didn't like me. If it weren't for my mother's serious illness and her urgent wish for our families to unite, I would never have married him. At that time, I was still in college, while he had been working and starting businesses for many years. Yes, he is ten years older than me. Our marriage was in name only. He needed my father's help for his business, so we ended up together despite our mutual indifference."

"I thought that after a few years, we could dissolve this marriage privately, using any excuse—lack of affection, infidelity, and so on. But I never expected him to say he really liked me. I thought he was joking because we never lived together after our marriage. Each time we met, it was just for show in front of our parents. But his attitude was very firm; he refused to divorce me."

"Later, he even used various means to prevent me from divorcing him, involving my parents and family. Out of helplessness, I temporarily gave up the idea of divorce. After graduation, I didn't return to my hometown in Jiangsu Province but chose to work and start a business in Mingzhu City."

"Later, his business grew larger, and his company went public. He became the president of a large group. My career also took off. I started this water delivery company, which grew from a small store to a larger business. But there was one thing: after the company grew, I gave my father 51% of the shares, while I only kept 49%. I never thought this was wrong because I am my father's daughter, and he gave me life and raised me. What does it matter if I give him these shares?"

At this point, Wu Xinghua, who had always seemed stronger than a man to Ye Feng, had clearly red eyes.

She raised her glass, clinked it with Ye Feng's, and drank it all in one go. Then she continued, "But I never expected that I made a mistake. Yesterday, I found out that my father had transferred all his shares to him, and as the second-largest shareholder, I was completely unaware. I don't know what methods he used or what kind of influence he exerted on my father, but I firmly do not recognize this clearly illegal action, even though the company only has two shareholders."

"Today, the situation finally exploded. That night, I had a falling out with Zhao Chunnan. He has always harbored resentment and not only cut off my operating rights but also colluded with him to pressure the leaders and departments of Xiabei District, invalidating all the procedures for the water bottling plant and workshop I planned to start soon. It's as if my grand plans and the huge investment I made were destroyed before they even began. I feel so frustrated, but I have no way out. This involves my father, the decision-making power of the major shareholder, and many other aspects, none of which are in my favor. I can only watch helplessly as my hard-earned business over the years is destroyed."

"Ye Feng, have you ever heard the old saying, 'The closest and the most distant are husband and wife'? This is indeed true in some ways. The closest and the most distant things, the deepest and the shallowest streams, the highest and the brightest sun and moon, the closest and the most distant are husband and wife. Couples can be deeply in love, vowing to live and die together, or they can become bitter enemies, sworn to destroy each other. They can be loving and tender, or they can be cold and hurtful. The subtleties of love and hate are hard to understand for those not involved, just like the Zen of Buddhism—unspeakable, unspeakable, for to speak is to err. Moreover, he and I are a fake couple with no real feelings."

"So he made it clear to me. He said he and Zhao Chunnan cooperated because they had many intertwined interests. He also said he didn't want to go this far. If I agreed to live with him and be a real couple, he wouldn't mind giving me back all the shares. He wants to force me to lower my standards and submit to him, to be his devoted wife. But is that possible? Not to mention that I know he has several mistresses, even if he didn't, I would never forgive him for the despicable things he has done to me and my father. I, Wu Xinghua, can start over from scratch, but I will never lose my dignity and integrity."

At this point, Wu Xinghua couldn't continue. She turned her head to the side, clearly not wanting Ye Feng to see the tears she couldn't hold back. At this moment, her heart was overwhelmed with委屈 and pressure. Even the strongest and most decisive person can only take so much.

Ye Feng finally understood Wu Xinghua's inner pain. Her marriage was unhappy, and her nominal husband had betrayed her, colluding with Zhao Chunnan to push her to the brink. Moving forward meant losing her hard-earned business, while stepping back meant losing her precious dignity and integrity.

Ye Feng asked himself, if he were in Wu Xinghua's position, what would he do? How would he choose?

He didn't need to think long. His answer was the same as Wu Xinghua's.

To hell with it. I can start over, but I won't compromise my principles.

So, Ye Feng made an important decision. He would help Wu Xinghua, not for any other reason, but because of her final words, which resonated with him: "I can lose everything and start over, but I will never lose my dignity and integrity."

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