MWMM Chapter 40: Bound to Divorce Sooner or Later

Yan Yuzhou had been diligently taking his medication every day recently, and the side effects of the drugs were gradually manifesting.
The most prominent side effect was nausea and dry heaving. Almost every time, half an hour after taking the medicine, Yan Yuzhou would have to go to the bathroom to throw up.

Over time, Xiao Mu even came over with a concerned yet gossiping tone to ask if Yan Yuzhou was pregnant with President Shen’s child.

Seeing Yan Yuzhou shaking his head like a rattle drum in resolute denial, Xiao Mu couldn’t help but wonder: Could it be that President Shen, such a high-quality man, isn’t particularly vigorous in that department? Why else would Yuzhou refuse to go home and stay in the dormitory all this time?

He still vividly remembered last time, when Yan Yuzhou’s heat period arrived, and President Shen carried a temporarily marked Yan Yuzhou out of the dormitory. The unmistakable possessiveness between his brows left a deep impression. If only Han Yun would be willing to mark him like that, he wouldn’t mind giving up his career as a celebrity.

Unfortunately, even when he’d stripped himself bare and delivered himself to Han Yun’s doorstep, Han Yun hadn’t given him a single glance. Worse yet, since that incident, he had hardly seen Han Yun around the company.

Xiao Mu mocked himself bitterly, thinking he’d played his cards wrong and completely offended Han Yun. He figured he’d probably be shelved indefinitely before even making his debut.

That morning, after taking his medication again, Yan Yuzhou found the suppressant effective. The day of his heat period had arrived, but it wasn’t as unbearable as it had been last month. However, perhaps due to the side effects of the medication, his entire body felt weak.

After a whole morning of theoretical classes, Yan Yuzhou headed to the cafeteria with a dizzy head. As he passed by a fountain, someone suddenly called out to him from an angle behind him.

He turned around in response and saw a baby-faced girl who looked very cute, probably about eighteen or nineteen years old.

Yan Yuzhou thought to himself that she was likely a freshman as well.

Unexpectedly, this sweet and adorable girl walked straight up to him, gave him a sharp glare, and spoke with a tone of annoyance and displeasure, “Are you the disgraceful contract partner from Brother Shen Ci’s family?”

Yan Yuzhou’s heart skipped a beat. He hadn’t heard the name Shen Ci for half a month. But just because it hadn’t been mentioned didn’t mean he hadn’t missed it. Hearing the name come up so suddenly from this girl, his heart wavered.

“Oh? You know him too?” Yan Yuzhou asked.

The adorable girl immediately widened her eyes, looking utterly dissatisfied. Her voice rose as she said, “Hmph! What do you mean I know him too? Brother Shen Ci and I grew up together! We’re childhood sweethearts!”

Ah, so this was one of those scenes where the childhood sweetheart comes to confront the original partner. Yan Yuzhou found it amusing and inwardly cursed Lin Xiaoguo. Why, as someone in a contract marriage, did he have to endure this kind of melodrama?

But there was no helping it. Since she’d already confronted him, he had no choice but to face her head-on. Forcing a smile, he looked at the still-immature girl in front of him and said, “So, Miss, what is it you’ve come to see me for?”

“I have a name. I’m Su Xintang.” Su Xintang fluttered her big eyes, looking distinctly displeased. “Let me tell you, Brother Shen Ci is mine! You’re just in a contract marriage. You’re not allowed to have any delusional thoughts about him.”

Yan Yuzhou stared speechlessly at this cute, sweet omega named Su Xintang, feeling as though he had been dragged into the kind of clichéd melodrama one couldn’t escape. He silently sighed, his head foggy from the side effects of the medication, and even his voice sounded weak and lifeless.

“Miss Su, since you’ve already said it yourself that Mr. Shen and I are merely in a contract marriage, what is there for you to worry about?” Yan Yuzhou’s smile carried a trace of sorrow, and his gaze drifted off into the distance. “Mr. Shen and I… we’re bound to divorce sooner or later.”

“Heh.”

Suddenly, a self-deprecating laugh came from behind, carrying a raspy yet piercing tone. That familiar voice, however, made Yan Yuzhou’s body freeze instantly, a chill spreading through him.

He slowly turned around, and Shen Ci was standing not far away, standing straight, his gaze heavy yet cold.

“Sh-Shen, Mr. Shen.” Yan Yuzhou felt a little panicked. After half a month without seeing him, he seemed to forget how to position his hands and feet. And just now, the words “Mr. Shen and I are bound to get divorced sooner or later,” though true, were something he secretly hoped Shen Ci wouldn’t hear.

It was as if, as long as Shen Ci didn’t hear it, the thought would be less likely to cross his mind. That way, perhaps he could cling to the title of Mrs. Shen for just a little longer.

Shen Ci glanced at him briefly before looking past him, his gaze landing on Su Xintang, filled with a mix of warning and displeasure.

“Tangtang, it’s time for us to leave.” Shen Ci spoke coldly, his icy tone almost freezing the sweet scent around them.

Su Xintang, though accustomed to seeing various cold expressions from Shen Ci since childhood, could count on one hand the times his chill had been so freezing. Like now, she even felt reluctant to approach him.

Yan Yuzhou looked at Shen Ci’s indifference and knew he must be angry. Was it because of the words he had just said?

“Mr. Shen.” Yan Yuzhou spoke again, but he didn’t move. He just kept staring in Shen Ci’s direction, his voice murmuring softly, “Why… why are you here?”

“Don’t flatter yourself,” Su Xintang cut in sharply, sensing an unusual undercurrent between Shen Ci and Yan Yuzhou that made her uneasy. “Shen Ci-gege is here to accompany me around campus. I heard that the ginkgo trees at Wenjing Academy of Arts are especially beautiful, so Shen Ci-gege brought me here. You didn’t seriously think he came specifically for you, did you?”

After saying this, she deliberately looked at Shen Ci, hoping for his affirmation.

However, Shen Ci didn’t even look at her. Instead, his brows furrowed tightly, and his gaze was fixed on Yan Yuzhou.

Hurt by Su Xintang’s words, Yan Yuzhou felt like something was lodged in his throat. A sour bitterness surged in his heart. Despite the obvious disappointment in his tone, he forced a smile. “So that’s how it is. Well, Mr. Shen, you should take Miss Su to enjoy the ginkgo trees quickly. The weather will get too hot soon, and you might get heatstroke.”

After speaking, Yan Yuzhou stepped aside. The midday sun was scorching, and combined with the side effects of his medication over the past few days, he felt a wave of dizziness and almost lost his balance, his body clearly swaying for a moment.

Shen Ci’s hands, hanging by his sides, suddenly clenched slightly.

“Are you feeling unwell?” Shen Ci couldn’t help but ask as he noticed Yan Yuzhou’s unsteady steps.

Yan Yuzhou resisted the worsening dizziness and smiled as he shook his head. “Not at all, I’m fine. At most, maybe a bit of heatstroke. I’ll just head back to the dorm and drink some Huoxiang Zhengqi Water.”

[Ps: Huoxiang Zhengqi Water (藿香正气水) is a traditional Chinese herbal remedy widely used to treat symptoms such as heatstroke, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and other digestive issues caused by dampness and heat in the body.]

After that, he pretended to be magnanimous and made a dismissive gesture. “Mr. Shen, you and Miss Su should go ahead. I’ll return to the dorm. We… are not heading in the same direction.”

Shen Ci’s expression darkened, his displeasure evident. Clearly, he wasn’t happy with Yan Yuzhou’s veiled dismissal. But then he thought about how this omega just wanted to distance himself from him, even going so far as to feign generosity. Who knew how much Yan Yuzhou was actually enjoying this scenario deep down? The thought made Shen Ci’s temper flare.

Without saying another word, he shot Su Xintang a glance and turned to leave without a trace of hesitation. Yan Yuzhou watched his retreating figure, feeling a piercing pain in his eyes.

It must be the midday sun being too bright, he thought. Otherwise, why would his eyes feel so sore, as if he were about to cry?

It wasn’t until Shen Ci and Su Xintang’s figures disappeared from view that a single teardrop finally slipped down from the corner of Yan Yuzhou’s eye.

Then, everything around him seemed to double, like overlapping shadows. His mind started spinning rapidly.

Finally, his vision went dark, and he collapsed to the ground with a thud.

In the last moments of consciousness, he heard the sound of hurried footsteps approaching quickly. Then, someone picked him up.

Was it… Mr. Shen?

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T/N: Miscommunication can kill… literally