Chapter 12: The Spirits Up Above Will Be Angry

Half an hour earlier, Grandfather Xie had called her again—telling her not to divorce Xie Chengyu, and insisting she stay at the ancestral home with him for now. She was torn.

"Grandpa withdrew the divorce application… and told me to stay here. But…"
Nan Xiao hesitated.

Xie Chengyu lowered his eyes slightly. "Let’s go in. I’ll handle this."

"Okay."

They walked side by side toward the front door. Just as they were about to step inside, Xie Chengyu suddenly asked, “Do you have someone you like?”

Nan Xiao’s heart skipped a beat. Instinctively, she said, “No. Why?”

Why would he ask that? Did he somehow figure out she liked him?

“Nothing,” Xie Chengyu said coolly. “If you do, let him come pick you up.”

Was he actually thinking of her?

Nan Xiao squeezed her eyes shut and mentally cursed herself—*idiot*.

They climbed the stairs. After confirming where Grandfather Xie was, Xie Chengyu walked straight into the study. Nan Xiao waited outside.

The study door was slightly ajar. She heard Xie Chengyu greet his grandfather, then a cold, emotionless voice cut through the silence: “I want to divorce Nan Xiao. Please don’t interfere.”

“You’re doing this just to provoke me…” Grandfather Xie snapped.

“You should know how to protect a marriage. Don’t you even understand that?”

“What’s the point of protecting a marriage with someone you don’t love?”

Xie Chengyu’s tone was icy, detached—almost bored. Nan Xiao’s face paled.

Grandfather Xie was furious. “What kind of attitude is that? You can’t treat marriage like a game!”

“Hmph.” A faint, bitter smile curled Xie Chengyu’s lips. “Have you forgotten how this marriage came about?”

Silence.

The question struck Grandfather Xie dumb. And outside the door, Nan Xiao clenched her fists so hard her nails bit into her palms.

Fuming, Grandfather Xie tapped his cane on the floor. “Regardless, you two are married. Once married, you must work it out—”

Xie Chengyu’s patience had long since worn thin. Now it was seven parts irritation, three parts contempt. His voice dropped lower, colder. “Do I need to spell it out? This engagement was never about love. It was a transaction.”

A transaction. At its core, it was buyer and seller.

The Xie family had paid her a fortune—bought her, essentially—to serve as a bride for the funeral rites.

Nan Xiao knew Xie Chengyu wasn’t mocking her. But still, the words burned. She knocked on the door. “Grandpa, I’m coming in!”

Inside, the conversation paused. Nan Xiao slapped her cheeks lightly, whispering to herself, *It’s okay. I can handle this.* Then she took a breath and stepped inside.

The room was large, dimly lit. Xie Chengyu stood before the massive rosewood desk, one hand in his pocket, his sharp features shadowed under the low light. She looked down, walked slowly toward Grandfather Xie.

“Grandpa.”

Her voice was calm. Steady. Determined.

“We don’t have feelings for each other. Our personalities don’t match. We’d only suffer if we stayed together. Better to part ways.”

Xu Ruoxin had been right—no matter what, they’d end up resenting each other. The thought made Nan Xiao smile bitterly.

Grandfather Xie had been about to argue—but when he saw the sadness in her eyes, the words caught in his throat.

Right. Look at his grandson’s expression. Clearly, he didn’t see her as his wife. How could she possibly live with that?

He sighed, waved a hand. “I’ll think about it. You two leave first.”

Nan Xiao and Xie Chengyu left the study. She hurried downstairs, her steps quick, restless.

Just being in the same space as him made her ache. Every time she thought of what he’d said, tears welled up behind her eyes.

Watching her retreat, Xie Chengyu’s gaze sharpened.

She seemed to avoid him. Was she really not interested in anyone?

A moment later, Aunt Zhang came down the stairs. “Master wants to see both of you. Back to the study.”

They returned. Grandfather Xie had moved from behind the desk to the redwood sofa. He exhaled deeply.

“Fine. Go ahead and divorce. I agree.”

Nan Xiao froze.

Grandfather Xie was stubborn—she’d felt that over the past three years. She never expected him to give in so quickly.

Now she didn’t know whether to feel sad… or relieved.

Then he added, “But wait. Wait until one month after Grandma passes. Then you can go through with it.”

His voice softened, almost regretful.

“You married for her sake—her funeral rites. If you split now, she’d be angry in spirit.”