Chapter 34 had already hit rock bottom.

Lin Yan was efficient—she quickly brought the lawyer over, and after adding Nan Xiao into the mix, they chatted for a few minutes.

That night, when she got home, she typed up a letter of assurance on her computer.

It stated clearly: she was voluntarily giving up her marriage to Xie Chengyu. She accepted every clause in the divorce agreement without complaint.
She promised never, under any circumstances, to harass Xie Chengyu again—or attempt to overturn the divorce settlement. If she broke this promise, she would pay him an astronomical penalty.

The next morning, Nan Xiao went to the lawyer’s office and had the document notarized. Now legally binding, the assurance carried real weight.

Clutching the paper tightly, she marched straight to Xu Ruoxin’s lounge, knocking three sharp raps on the door.

“Come in,” came the voice from inside.

Nan Xiao stormed in, slamming a copy of the document down on the table in front of Xu Ruoxin. Her eyes locked onto the woman’s stunned face, cold and unyielding.

“Xu Ruoxin,” she said, each word precise and cutting, “listen carefully. I never once considered trying to save my marriage with Xie Chengyu.”

“Three years of marriage, and he never came home even once. What good would it have done if I tried to fix it? Are you mentally ill, or just suffering from delusions of persecution? You’ve been unable to grasp this simple truth.”

“Since you can’t see it clearly, I’ll help you.”

“I wrote this assurance. My divorce from Xie Chengyu is entirely voluntary. From now on, I will never bother him in any way. So please—stop bothering me.”

“Do you know how ridiculous it feels every time you show up warning me not to get close to him? When have I ever done anything like that?”

“This document has been notarized. It’s legally enforceable. So rest easy—you don’t have to worry about me. If you still doubt me, go find another law firm and have someone review it.”

“That’s all I wanted to say. I won’t hold you accountable for the article you had written that got me cyberbullied. Let’s just call it good karma for me.”

“But I’ve given you this document. No more harassment over Xie Chengyu.”

“If there’s a next time, Xu Ruoxin, let me make one thing clear—I’m not as easy to push around as you think.”

Her voice rang out sharply. The room fell silent. Nan Xiao stood tall, her gaze unwavering. Xu Ruoxin’s face turned pale.

Suddenly, Xie Chengyu shot up from the sofa, his expression dark and stormy. He strode toward Nan Xiao with heavy steps.

From the doorway, the couch was in blind spot—Nan Xiao hadn’t realized he was even there.

When he loomed in front of her, she blinked in surprise. But the shock lasted only a second. Then she lowered her eyes.

He’d been listening. That was fine.

Now he’d hear exactly what she’d said—to prove she truly meant to leave him. No more misunderstandings. No more accusations based on that old recording.

After all, she still felt pain. But something inside her eased.

She turned to leave.

But Xie Chengyu grabbed her arm, his body radiating fury, his face twisted with barely restrained rage.

“What the hell is this?” he demanded.

“What do you mean?” Nan Xiao looked up at him, her expression calm, her eyes clear.

Xie Chengyu glanced at Xu Ruoxin, whose face had gone white. He picked up the document and scanned it quickly.

His jaw clenched. A vein pulsed violently at his temple.

"Why did you write this?"

He shook the paper twice, anger boiling beneath his skin.

Was he angry?

Nan Xiao couldn’t read his mood.

She kept her head down, speaking flatly: "You know what’s happened lately. Xu Ruoxin insists I’m clinging to you. She’s come here multiple times, threatening me."

"Two days ago, she questioned my professionalism—accused me of rewriting the script just for you."

"And then she hired someone to write that article—dragged me through the mud online. I couldn’t take it anymore. So I wrote this."

As she spoke, Xu Ruoxin trembled slightly. Nan Xiao didn’t look at her, but she could feel the tension in the room.

Xie Chengyu turned back to her. Her composure remained perfect—but her eyes held a quiet sorrow, a sadness that somehow reached deep into the soul.

“Mr. Xie, Miss Xu,” Nan Xiao softened her tone just slightly. “Please be assured. You can keep this copy. It includes the penalty amount. If I break this promise, you’re free to sue me. So no need to worry about me in the future.”

What she’d just done—what she’d said—had already reduced her to dust. She knew that.

But she had no choice. She didn’t want him to think she was chasing him. Even if they could never be together again, she wanted him to remember her with respect.

And she simply couldn’t afford to cross paths with Xu Ruoxin. In terms of family background, she was far superior. But within her own household, she had no power. Xu Ruoxin, on the other hand, had Xie Chengyu himself behind her.

So she’d finally accepted the truth: she was powerless compared to Xu Ruoxin.

Even if she suffered humiliation and injustice at her hands, she couldn’t fight back.

So this—this act of self-justification, this desperate plea for safety—was all she could do.

She thought, if Lin Yan and Xiao Zekai found out about this, they’d probably strangle her. But she couldn’t think of a better way.

“That’s it,” she said. “I’m leaving.”

She turned and walked away. Her back carried a loneliness that hung in the air like smoke.

Xie Chengyu’s chest tightened—though he didn’t know why.

He didn’t stop her. When the door clicked shut behind her, he finally looked at Xu Ruoxin, his gaze colder than ice.

“You went to see Nan Xiao?”

Xu Ruoxin’s lips were pale. She wouldn’t meet his eyes. She tried to hold herself steady, to appear composed.

“Yes… I did visit her a few times. But I had no bad intentions. I was just worried—afraid something might go wrong with the divorce.”

She spoke carefully, balancing strength and fragility. Too strong, and she’d seem aggressive. Too weak, and she’d seem pathetic. She needed to sound reasonable. Justified.

Xie Chengyu ignored her words.

“Did you write that article?”

Her stomach dropped.

The moment she feared had finally arrived.

He stared into her eyes. “Ruoxin. Don’t lie. I’ll know if you do.”

Her fists clenched. Her body trembled.

How did he see through her? Was it because he was seasoned in business, reading people like books? Or did he have some way of digging into the truth?

She didn’t know. But she knew one thing—she was caught.