Chapter 2: Eight Years of Marriage, Worth Eighty Thousand

I wasn't shaken in the slightest.

I was too familiar with the way he dispensed favors while asserting his power among officials and at the institute.

He was simply using the same tactics on me now.

I put the documents Zhou Hui had prepared into the scanner.

When I reached the divorce agreement, I stared blankly at the eighty thousand yuan allocated to me.

I remembered something he'd once said.

"If anything feels unfair, settle it with money."

After a long time, I picked up a pen.

In the property division section, I crossed out "eighty thousand yuan" and changed it to "one million yuan."

When I reached the review meeting room, the Aviation Equipment delegation looked decidedly displeased.

"Major General Han, Comrade Shen Zhihui has always been the person working with us directly and finalizing this project."

"We agreed to today's review and signing because we trust her technical competence and the results of the risk assessment."

"Your abrupt replacement of the researcher in charge violates basic military discipline."

Lin Xuan leaned toward Han Yansen, looking to him for help.

He didn't disappoint her.

He produced a letter of authorization.

"This is Comrade Shen Zhihui's project authorization. Although Lin Xuan will take over as the researcher in charge, Shen Zhihui will remain involved throughout and provide technical support."

He passed it across.

Only then did he pretend to notice me and call me in.

"Staff Officer He, Shen Zhihui is here. Let her explain the situation herself."

He gave me a meaningful look.

The same look he'd used when we'd worked together in the past.

I didn't respond.

I simply picked up the authorization from the table.

The signature and personal seal were genuine.

But I had never signed this document.

As I puzzled over it, I remembered searching my entire office for my missing seal a few days earlier.

Later, Han Yansen had said I'd dropped it into my bag and taken it home.

So he'd been the one who took it and used it.

He stepped closer and spoke into my ear, too quietly for anyone else to hear.

"I know you're unhappy. But for the bigger picture, acknowledge it for now."

"We can discuss compensation afterward."

He sounded sincere.

Just as he had years ago, when he'd promised that whatever post I held at the institute, I would always have an equal say with him in scientific matters.

A man who never kept his word.

He nodded at me.

I played along, lifting the corners of my lips.

Lin Xuan watched us the whole time, so furious she looked ready to tear apart the research authorization in her hands.

The next second, I tore the authorization into shreds.

"Staff Officer He, I have never authorized anyone to take charge of this project in my place."

"This document is fraudulent."

He paused for a second, then signaled his military secretary to collect the cooperation proposal.

He said only one thing.

"Major General Han, you've certainly opened my eyes today."

Then he left.

Han Yansen didn't lose his composure.

But I could clearly see his jaw clenching.

He sent everyone out of the room, including Lin Xuan.

"Shen Zhihui, do you know what you're doing?"

"Staff Officer He left with a terrible impression. If he reports this to his superiors, do you have any idea how much research funding could be held up?"

Even now, he thought I would put the institute's interests first, as I always had.

I threw the scraps of paper straight into his face.

"I'm just a lowly researcher collecting the salary and allowances I'm entitled to. What do your affairs have to do with me?"

He laughed in anger.

"Shen Zhihui, I was going to give you a little more compensation. But it seems you're determined to force me to be ruthless."

Even now, he was still looking down on me from above.

As I shut the meeting room door, something smashed inside.

I didn't look back.

In my office, I began drafting an application to transfer out of military service.

Zhou Hui stood beside me, her eyes red.

"They've gone too far! First they force you into a divorce, then they force you to give up your project."

"Do they really think they can push you around however they please?"

I emailed the application to the political affairs department.

"They're not that foolish."

"If I acknowledged the authorization, they'd have a perfectly convenient reason to hand my research drawings and system coordination authority to Lin Xuan and put her in that position."

"If I refused, their next move would be to accuse me of disobeying work assignments and find ways to isolate me."

Zhou Hui looked up at me in disbelief.