Chapter 3: Eight Years of Marriage, Worth Eighty Thousand

"And you're really doing what they want? Applying to leave military service?"

I stared at the words "Sent successfully" on the screen.

"I'm not doing it for them. It was time anyway."

When she still didn't understand, I changed tack.

"Want to bet they'll skip the retention process and rush to approve it?"

From the day he'd tried to send me away with eighty thousand yuan, I'd known how determined he was.

He didn't just want a divorce. He wanted to make staying at the institute impossible and force me to apply to leave.

Reputation, dignity, advantage—he wanted it all.

Sure enough, the approval arrived half an hour later.

With an attached notice.

"Zhou Hui is an externally contracted military secretary assisting Shen Zhihui's research and is not a permanent member of the compound's staff."

"She is hereby reassigned to a logistics post in the facilities department, at half her previous salary."

"Failure to comply will be treated as abandonment of her post."

Zhou Hui went a little pale.

I rose and patted her shoulder.

"Would you like to keep being my secretary? Come with me to the Headquarters Equipment Research Institute."

"Your salary will be twice what you're earning now!"

Her eyes went wide.

As I handed the last box to an attendant, Xiang Lan, the institute's archivist, came to see me.

She was usually unflappable. This time, she looked uncomfortable.

I smiled.

"What has Major General Han asked you to do?"

She breathed a little easier.

"He says Aviation Equipment has terminated the collaboration, resulting in a loss of two hundred thousand yuan in deposit money."

"The institute committee has decided the unit will cover sixty percent. You're personally responsible for the other forty percent."

Eighty thousand yuan.

What a coincidence.

As she left, Xiang Lan shook my hand.

"Oh, and today's notice only implements the institute's decision. It doesn't represent my personal judgment."

"If you need someone to recommend a new research unit, contact me. With your technical ability, I'm sure you'll do even better in the field."

I smiled and shook my head.

Xiang Lan had barely left when Lin Xuan came in with several people.

She frowned at all the belongings still in my office.

"Why haven't you finished clearing out?"

"Do you think this will let you cling on here? Yansen has already divorced you!"

"You should leave now, before you embarrass yourself any further!"

I stayed in my chair.

And asked slowly,

"Is being the other woman something to be proud of, then?"

I hadn't insulted her when she sent those taunting messages.

I hadn't insulted her when she strutted around in front of me either.

I'd always considered these private romantic squabbles beneath me.

A man wasn't worth it.

But that had only encouraged her.

She truly thought I was afraid of her.

"My work responsibilities aren't due to be handed over until the end of today."

"So get out of my office."

"Or would you prefer me to do what other wives do—grab you by the hair and throw you out?"

She pulled the door wide open.

Some colleagues, drawn by the commotion, had already gathered to watch.

She stepped back, keeping her distance.

Afraid I really would lose my temper in front of everyone.

She'd stormed in determined to make me expose an ugly side. Now she was the one who was scared.

Han Yansen, who had been nowhere to be found, finally appeared.

Seeing the redness at the corners of Lin Xuan's eyes, he softened his voice.

"It's all right. I'm here."

But his gaze turned cold and sharp when he faced me.

"Shen Zhihui, I'm the one who wanted the divorce. I approved your application to leave. I agreed to the compensation."

"If you're angry, take it out on me. Don't throw your weight around with someone innocent."

"You have to go sooner or later. What difference does it make? Don't you agree?"

The murmuring among our colleagues grew louder.

I had no interest in staying to be gawked at like a monkey.

I stopped Zhou Hui as she was about to charge forward.

Then I took the military-family benefits card from my bag and tossed it to Han Yansen.

"Eight years. Eighty thousand yuan. You can have it all back."

I glanced around the office.

"Oh, and I've returned all those cheap gifts you gave me too."

…

Shen Zhihui didn't look back once, even as she disappeared from view.

Every step was firm and decisive.

For some reason, a flicker of panic rose in Han Yansen.

But he didn't dwell on it.

She'd put up with so much already.

What trouble could she possibly cause now?

Tomorrow, the formal promotion order would be issued.

He would become a major general of the military district, with power and influence in his hands.