The night deepened, and the shadows of the trees outside the window swayed in the moonlight, as if whispering some unknown secret. Sun Zhewen stared at the ceiling, his mind filled with various guesses and doubts. Time seemed to stretch on, every minute and second feeling long and agonizing. He didn't know when things would end over there, nor did he know when he had fallen asleep.
He didn't know how long had passed when the villa's door suddenly opened and closed, jolting Sun Zhewen awake, his heart pounding violently. He glanced at the alarm clock on the bedside table and saw that it was past seven in the morning. The sky outside was already faintly lit, and the alarm clock was about to ring. He knew he couldn't sleep anymore.
Sun Zhewen sighed helplessly, got up, and got dressed, then walked into the bathroom to wash up. The cold water splashed on his face, clearing his head slightly. After washing up, he walked out of the bathroom, preparing to go out for breakfast.
Passing Li Zhiyan's room, Sun Zhewen found the door wide open, with soft sobbing coming from inside. His heart clenched, and after hesitating for a moment, he finally stood at the door and asked, "What's wrong?"
Li Zhiyan sat on the bed, wearing a camisole nightdress, her face visibly swollen and tear-stained. She looked up at Sun Zhewen, her eyes filled with helplessness and pain. She stood up and slowly took off her nightdress, revealing a body covered in scars and bruises.
"This is his masterpiece from last night," Li Zhiyan said, her voice trembling, "This is also what they like to do. Those beasts don't even care about the child in my belly."
Sun Zhewen looked at the wounds on her body, his heart aching. He didn't know what to say. He had never imagined that the gentle and elegant Li Zhiyan he saw every day would suffer such torment.
"You want a divorce, are you trying to push me to my death?" Li Zhiyan suddenly raised her voice, tears flowing again.
Sun Zhewen didn't understand, looking at her with confusion. "What do you mean by that?"
Li Zhiyan took a deep breath, trying to calm her emotions, as if organizing a storm about to erupt in her mind. "Don't you understand? They need a scapegoat. From the moment you and I got the marriage certificate, we were tied together. If we divorce, we're really finished."
Sun Zhewen scratched his head, somewhat helpless. "How could it be like this?"
Li Zhiyan's eyes were like a sharp sword, piercing directly into Sun Zhewen's heart. "My sister wants you to divorce me, right?"
A flicker of unnatural expression crossed Sun Zhewen's face, as if his secret had been exposed. "I'm not used to it."
Li Zhiyan let out a cold laugh, her voice laced with mockery. "Don't bother hiding it; you're terrible at lying. Did she pressure you, make you divorce me, so you two can continue?"
Sun Zhewen didn't answer; silence was the answer. His silence was like a huge stone, pressing down on Li Zhiyan's heart.
A surge of anger welled up in Li Zhiyan's heart, and her voice became sharp. "I never thought someone like you would be such a lecher. Don't you want to sleep with her? She won't give it to you, but I will. Come on, I can serve them, and I can serve you. If I serve you well, then you won't divorce me, right?"
Sun Zhewen's face turned pale, and he quickly waved his hands. "Li Zhiyan, I'm not that kind of person. And your sister and I aren't what you think."
Li Zhiyan's eyes flashed with a hint of mockery. "Heh, heh. You dare to say you weren't with my sister because she's pretty?"
Sun Zhewen's voice was hesitant. "We're together because of our feelings."
Li Zhiyan snorted coldly, her voice laced with disdain. "Sun Zhewen, didn't I tell you? You're not good at lying. If you two really had feelings, then why would she force you to divorce me? You supposedly have feelings, right? Why is she afraid of me and you under the same roof? You supposedly have feelings, so what is she afraid of?"
A flicker of embarrassment crossed Sun Zhewen's face, as if he was struggling to find the right words. "It's, it's not like that. She's just angry that you're with Liu Qunqi."
Li Zhiyan let out a cold laugh, her eyes sparkling with mockery. "Heh, what a joke. Doesn't she know Liu Qunqi has many women? I'm just one of them. I thought she was some kind of paragon of virtue, but she's just as involved with you."
Sun Zhewen's expression changed abruptly, and his voice became somewhat stern. "Li Zhiyan, don't talk nonsense."
Li Zhiyan scoffed, her eyes carrying a hint of provocation. "Sun Zhewen, I'm right here. If you've got the guts, just bed me. Do you dare?"
Sun Zhewen froze, then sneered, "I wouldn't dare. I'm too good for that."
Li Zhiyan's face instantly paled, a flicker of pain in her eyes. But she quickly regained her composure, offering a sarcastic laugh. "I'm dirty, huh? Right, I am. Just a piece of trash, screwed by who knows how many men."
Sun Zhewen realized he'd said the wrong thing and quickly apologized, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that."
Li Zhiyan waved a hand dismissively, her tone cold. "It doesn't matter. Anyway, you're telling the truth. You've also spoken your mind, haven't you? But I'll tell you this, I won't divorce you. And you can't divorce me now, because you're the nominal father of the child in my belly. You can't leave."
Sun Zhewen's expression grew extremely complex, his eyes flickering with struggle and helplessness. "Li Zhiyan, don't be like this. Surely, we can find a way to fix things."
Li Zhiyan let out a cold laugh, her eyes filled with despair and mockery. "There's no way. You don't need to think about bringing them down anymore. It's useless. I'm just a plaything."
Sun Zhewen's face became even more grave. He took a deep breath, as if steeling himself. "Li Zhiyan, I think there is a way. Think about it, what did Liu Qunqi rely on to gain a foothold in the officialdom? He's supposedly not greedy or corrupt, but where does the money come from behind the scenes? Let's consider things from that angle."
A complex emotion flashed in Li Zhiyan's eyes. She sneered, "You think he's stupid? I know where his money comes from. I even know what methods he used, but what can you do about it? Report him? Before your report even arrives, you'll be gone."
Sun Zhewen shook his head slightly, a resolute gleam in his eyes. "No, what I mean is, break his arm."
Li Zhiyan was taken aback. She thought it was another complaint, but not this. "Tell me more."
Sun Zhewen gave a meaningful smile, a hint of cunning in his eyes. "Without financial backing, can he last? We'll start from within, see if we can get that arm to change owners."
Li Zhiyan's eyes lit up. Sun Zhewen had been watching her reaction, and seeing her response gave him confidence. Li Zhiyan couldn't help but exclaim, "I didn't think you had it in you."
Sun Zhewen shrugged, smiling. "Too kind. What do you think?"
Li Zhiyan nodded slightly, pondering for a moment. "It's doable, but it might take some time."
Sun Zhewen said firmly, "If there's hope, then what does a little time matter?"
A glimmer of hope flashed in Li Zhiyan's eyes. "Right, as long as there's hope. What do you suggest we do?"