Chapter Three: I Want a Divorce

Yang Jiekai was no stranger to beautiful women—he’d slept with Miss World, with celebrities worth tens of millions, with princesses and duchesses. He liked to think himself immune to beauty by now. Yet the instant he laid eyes on the woman before him, he was still taken aback.

All those stock phrases about angelic faces and perfect figures seemed hopelessly cliché when applied to her. Her looks needed no description; she was a flawless beauty in every sense. But it was the aura she exuded that truly set her apart—enchanting but not seductive, cool but not cold. In another era, she’d be the kind of woman whose mere existence could spark wars between nations.

“Hello, my name is Han Ning.”

It was the woman who first broke the silence, her voice calm and gentle, without a trace of distress or grievance. She spoke as if relaying an everyday matter.

“Uh…hello, I’m Yang Jiekai.” For the first time, Yang Jiekai found himself stammering. He had pictured countless scenarios, convinced that this woman would cry, make a scene, or glare at him with venomous hatred. Yet her composure was so unsettling, he felt off balance.

“Would you like a cup of coffee?” she asked softly, noticing his daze.

“Coffee—oh, no, no thank you…um, actually…just water is fine.”

Her initiative caught him off guard, leaving him momentarily tongue-tied. At last, he managed to clarify himself. “Just plain water is fine.”

She didn’t insist, simply poured him a glass of water and set it before him, then pulled out a chair and sat opposite him, gesturing for him to do the same.

Why doesn’t she seem to dislike me at all? That doesn’t make sense.

Yang Jiekai knew well that this marriage had been forced by the old man he’d saved, who’d somehow coerced it into being. By all logic, this woman should resent him. So why did she seem so at ease?

Ah, that must be it!

He touched his own cheek. He wasn’t bad-looking, but hardly anyone would call him handsome. Even so, he’d always considered himself as attractive as the legendary Pan An, and now decided that she must be captivated by his “dashing good looks.”

Yang Jiekai’s reputation as the “Three-More King”—for killing, for women, and for narcissism—was well-earned, especially the last. When it came to self-admiration, he was utterly unrivaled.

Buoyed by this thought, Yang Jiekai straightened up, confidence restored. “So, you’re Han Ning, right? Darling, about this—”

“Mr. Yang, as your fiancée, there are a few things I’d like to discuss with you.”

Han Ning appeared calm on the surface, but inside she was anything but. No one would relish being forced into marriage. Yet she was no ordinary woman. Barely in her early twenties, she was already at the helm of the vast Han Group.

Faced with an unchangeable reality, she refused to react like the average woman—no tears, no drama. Years in the cutthroat business world had made composure her second nature, especially when things got tough.

Since it was irreversible, she saw no point in futile resistance. Better to accept it and leverage it for her own benefit. That was why she chose to face Yang Jiekai with such poise.

“Go ahead. As long as it’s my dear wife’s request, your husband will do his utmost to fulfill it.” Yang Jiekai adjusted quickly, sliding effortlessly into the role of “husband.”

Han Ning’s brow creased slightly at the nauseating term, but she kept her voice even. “I don’t know what leverage you used to make my great-uncle personally arrange this marriage. I owe him an enormous debt, so I had no choice but to agree.”

“I have no interest in who you are or what kind of power you wield to force my great-uncle’s hand. But since the deed is done, there are things we should discuss.”

Yang Jiekai nodded vigorously, like a pecking chick. “Of course, that’s only right. Don’t worry, your husband is a responsible man, and—”

“Let me finish, please?” Han Ning interrupted, her tone composed. “First, there’s no emotional foundation between us, so naturally there can be no marital relations. Here’s an agreement—read it, and if you have no objections, sign it.”

She placed a document before him. Yang Jiekai sighed, picked up the pen, and signed his name without even glancing at it.

“You didn’t even look?” Han Ning was surprised.

“What’s the point?” Yang Jiekai sounded disappointed—clearly, she wasn’t mesmerized by his looks after all. “It’s just a list of conditions—can’t live together, no marital relations, no interfering in each other’s privacy or daily life, et cetera.”

Han Ning paused, retrieved the agreement, and said, “Since you understand, I won’t elaborate. But I have one more request, not written in the contract, and I hope you’ll cooperate.”

“Speak.” Yang Jiekai lounged back, hands behind his head, and surveyed Han Ning’s study. The shelves packed with books told him she was far from ordinary.

“Though we can’t be husband and wife in truth, we must appear as such in name. At certain formal occasions, I’ll need you to play the role of my husband. In other words—”

“No need to explain, I get it!” Yang Jiekai stood up, stretching his arms and legs. “You mean social events, parties, that sort of thing? You want me to act as your shield?”

He continued, “Don’t worry, I understand. Let’s just get the marriage over with—everything else can wait.”

With that, he turned to leave.

“Wait!” Han Ning called after him.

“What is it now?”

She approached, looping her arm gently through his. Yang Jiekai froze. What was going on? Hadn’t she said no marital relations?

Could it be that his charm had worked after all?

Before he could react, Han Ning said, “I need you to help me with the first task right now. When we go downstairs, I want you to act as if we’re extremely close and tell everyone we’ve known each other for years.”

“Why?” asked Yang Jiekai.

Seeing her frown, he quickly relented. “Fine, whatever you say.”

He was busy making his own calculations, barely interested in Han Ning’s odd behavior. She was beautiful, but at this moment, that wasn’t what he wanted. He just wanted the wedding done—then…

Down in the first-floor hall, a cluster of relatives were gossiping animatedly. When Han Ning came downstairs, arm in arm with Yang Jiekai, their jaws dropped in astonishment.

“Hello, dear relatives!” Yang Jiekai waved grandly as they descended, as if reviewing troops.

Everyone stared, dumbfounded, as Han Ning smiled sweetly, clinging to his arm with the shy affection of a little bird. Their shock was palpable.

They all knew Han Ning’s character—she was no pushover. They had expected an uproar, not this.

Han Ning discreetly nudged Yang Jiekai with her elbow. He caught on immediately, repeating what she’d instructed him to say. “I’ve known my dear Ningning for a long time. We’ve always been in love. This marriage was our idea from the start. We just wanted to surprise everyone.”

He turned and beamed at Han Ning. “Isn’t that right, my darling Ningning?”

She loathed the nauseating pet name, but kept up the smile. “Yes, we met while studying abroad and have always been together.”

The lie was flimsy, but no one doubted Han Ning. Everyone knew that if she didn’t love him, not even a knife to her throat would make her act so affectionate toward a man.

The Han family was wealthy enough to have brought the civil affairs officials to their home. Han Ning and Yang Jiekai sat side by side, heads together, smiling as the camera clicked. One stamp of the official seal, and they were legally married.

“Ning, Auntie congratulates you!” A heavily made-up, plump woman approached, beaming, and handed over a check. “Just a small token from your aunt—don’t turn it down.”

“Oh, that won’t be necessary.” Han Ning smiled at Yang Jiekai. “Now that Han Group has Jiekai, I believe we’ll prosper even more, won’t we?”

Though her words sounded sweet, Yang Jiekai sensed an undertone and caught a strange glint in her eye.

“Heh, I suppose you won’t need to concern yourself with family matters anymore,” the plump woman retorted, sarcasm dripping from her voice when Han Ning declined the check.

Han Ning ignored her, turning to the elderly man nearby. “Uncle, Jiekai and I have known each other for years and been in love all along. I just never mentioned it before. This marriage wasn’t forced; it was our little joke. So perhaps it’s time to reconsider Han Group’s arrangements?”

“That’s not possible!” Before the old man could reply, the plump woman burst out, “Those rules were set by Grand-uncle himself—they can’t be changed!”

Han Ning shot her a cool glance. “But those were set without Grand-uncle knowing the truth. Since Jiekai and I were together all along, he’s not an outsider, so the rule doesn’t apply.”

“No! The rules are the rules. Grand-uncle’s decisions have never changed!” A chorus of relatives rose to support the woman.

Just then, the usually silent uncle spoke up. “Enough! Han Ning is right. If she and Jiekai were lovers before, he’s not an outsider. The rules should be amended.”

“No! You can’t take Han Ning’s side, Uncle! If Grand-uncle set the rule, it can’t just be changed on a whim!” The woman’s face reddened as she waved her pudgy arms.

“It’s not your place to decide, Han Chunhua. Are you trying to start a rebellion?” the uncle thundered.

Han Chunhua just scoffed. “Of course, I have no right to decide. But if Grand-uncle himself set the rule, even you, as second in command, can’t change it. Everyone, come in!”

At her shout, seven or eight men in black burst through the door. Han Chunhua sneered, “Sorry, Uncle, but if anyone tries to change the rule today, don’t blame me for turning hostile!”

At that moment, just as the two sides were at a standoff, a quiet voice cut through the tension.

“Wait. I want a divorce.”