Chapter 5 looked like it had just been hit by a hammer.

Nan Xiao clutched the blanket tightly, whispering softly: “I thought you’d be gone by now.”

She didn’t dare turn to look at Xie Chengyu’s expression, but she felt his surprise—like the silence had thickened in the air.

Then came his voice, a low, slightly rising tone: “Why would I be gone? I’m perfectly fine.”

Nan Xiao pressed her lips together, said nothing.

Every time she brought him food, he refused to see her. She’d even watched his secretary dump the meal she’d prepared—right there in front of her eyes.

“Why aren’t you talking?”
Xie Chengyu’s voice cut through the night like a cello’s deep, resonant note.

“I don’t have anything to say,” Nan Xiao murmured. “Just go to sleep.”

She wasn’t going to dwell on why he drank her soup. They were getting divorced—what difference did it make now?

What mattered was figuring out how to live the rest of her life.

*Vrrr…*

Morning light flooded in.

Drowsy and half-awake, Nan Xiao felt her phone vibrate beside the bed.

Without thinking, she picked it up. A message from Zhou Director popped up on WeChat: *“The lead actress is set. A fresh-faced newcomer this year. Take a look—see if she works.”*

Nan Xiao was a professional screenwriter. Her new drama, *The Chronicles of Qin Ran*, was about to go into production, and casting was underway.

She tapped the photo open.

There she was—a woman with long, dark waves, stunningly beautiful. The same one she’d seen yesterday at the mall—the first love of Xie Chengyu, Xu Ruoxin.

Nan Xiao’s body jolted. Her fingers nearly dropped the phone.

*Vrrr…*

On the other side of the bed, Xie Chengyu’s phone buzzed too.

It was his personal device—no corporate secrets, so the lock screen displayed incoming messages. Nan Xiao caught a glimpse instantly:

*“Chengyu, I’m pregnant. We’re going to have a baby!”*

“…”

Nan Xiao slowly widened her eyes.

They both had kids?

A sharp, needle-like pain shot through her chest.

*Bang.*

The bathroom door flew open. Xie Chengyu stepped out, wrapped only in a towel around his waist, steam still clinging to his skin.

Nan Xiao quickly turned away, gripping the blanket so hard her knuckles turned white. She wouldn’t let him see her red-rimmed eyes. But he noticed—her trembling hands gave her away.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

Nan Xiao bit her lip, telling herself not to choke up. She forced her voice steady: “Nothing. I’m fine.”

As she released her lip, a deep, bloody gash marked her lower lip.

He’d just asked casually. Seeing her say she was okay, he reached for his phone.

Nan Xiao knew exactly what he was doing. She didn’t turn around. She picked up her own phone and pretended to scroll, though her vision blurred.

Soon, Xie Chengyu left the bedroom. Nan Xiao rushed to the bathroom, splashed cold water on her face, and slapped her cheeks twice to regain control.

She studied Xu Ruoxin’s resume carefully, then replied to Zhou Ruicheng: *“Her acting is passable, but her vibe doesn’t match the character of Qin Ran. I don’t think she’s right.”*

“Alright, I’ll keep looking.”

Nan Xiao sent an OK back, put the phone down, and slapped her cheeks again—harder this time.

So what if Xu Ruoxin had a kid? It didn’t matter. She was divorcing Xie Chengyu. Who he had children with was none of her concern…

She repeated those words over and over, using every ounce of strength to numb herself.

Downstairs, passing the study, she heard raised voices behind the slightly ajar door:

“Back then I told you to break up with that actress—you promised you would. But you kept stringing her along! Now you’ve got a kid? How embarrassing is that?”

“Sir, please stop—Master will get hurt!”

*Bang.*

The door swung open. Xie Chengyu stood in the doorway, face grim. His shirt bore a stain from spilled tea—like it had been thrown at him.