Chapter 1  : From Now On, We’re Even!

On a quiet night, in a villa in the suburbs, Du Jiuyuan was staring at her phone, lost in thought.

The time quietly reached midnight when a message suddenly came into her sight— “Happy Birthday, Du Jiuyuan!”

Seeing this message, Du Jiuyuan’s heart skipped a beat for a moment. She put away her phone, retrieved her suitcase that had been packed and walked out of the room.

Just as Du Jiuyuan was lugging the heavy suitcase down the stairs, Mrs. Ji happened to return home. The lady walked toward the sofa and sat next to Tang Yingxue. Seeing the lady, Tang Yingxue struck up a polite conversation with her.

When Tang Yingxue heard the commotion coming from the stairs, she merely raised her head to take a glance before continuing to chat with Mrs. Ji.

The other servants saw Du Jiuyuan carrying the suitcase downstairs alone with great difficulty, yet none of them stepped forward to help.

However, Du Jiuyuan never expected them to help her with the suitcase. This was because, as long as her husband was not around, the Ji family’s servants would treat her as if she was invisible. Apart from them, the two women who were having a conversation on the sofa would also humiliate her from time to time.

One of the servants who was carrying two bowls of bird’s nest. She glanced at Du Jiuyuan for a mere moment, then continued to resume her duties.

Du Jiuyuan laboriously carried the suitcase down and walked toward Mrs. Ji.

Mrs. Ji picked up the exquisite bowl, took a sip, then put it down. As she wiped the corner of her mouth, she looked at Du Jiuyuan casually. “What are you up to this time?”

“I’m leaving the Ji family,” Du Jiuyuan answered calmly.

“As the daughter-in-law of the Ji family, you never upheld the family name, carry on the Ji family’s lineage, nor do you serve your in-laws well. You choose to run away from home on a regular basis and make Jingchen suffer. Don’t think that just because you have the protection of the old lady, you can do whatever you wish, including disrespecting your elders!” Madam Ji angrily rebuked.

Run away from home? Disrespecting elders? Du Jiuyuan’s lips curled up. When had she ever run away from home? All this while, she was bullied by Madam Ji and this hypocritical woman named Tang Yingxue to the point of breaking. That was why she decided to hide at her friend, Lili’s place for a few days.

However, every time the news reached the Ji family’s ears, the story would be spun into her being unable to accept the teachings of her elders and was unruly, so she ran away from home.

Du Jiuyuan did not want to argue with them anymore. Her patience had worn out, so there was no need to bear with it any longer. She placed the signed divorce agreement on the coffee table. “My name is already on it. When Ji Jingchen comes back, I’ll need your help to pass this to him.”

Tang Yingxue picked up the divorce agreement. When she saw Du Jiuyuan’s signature, she looked at Mrs. Ji excitedly. She simply could not believe it.

This woman was finally willing to leave. She could finally be together with Brother Jingchen!

Surprise flashed through Madam Ji’s heart as well. She did not expect Du Jiuyuan to be serious this time.

“Back then, you insisted on marrying my son, Jingchen. Why are you agreeing to a divorce now? Perhaps you’re waiting for the old lady to return and tell her that I bullied you, so that she can rebuke me, am I right?” Madam Ji’s heart was already in turmoil, but there were no noticeable changes on her facial expression.

“After the divorce procedures are finalized, just tell Grandma that I asked for a divorce. I will not change my mind no matter who comes back.” Du Jiuyuan said firmly.

Only then did Madam Ji look at Du Jiuyuan in the eye. Seeing that she did not seem to be lying, the joy in her heart was completely exposed.

Tang Yingxue wanted to laugh out loud.

Du Jiuyuan saw the two women’s extremely happy expressions and recalled the humiliation she had suffered in the Ji family for the past five years. There was a haze in her heart that could not be dispelled.

If she had not fallen in love with Ji Jingchen, she would not have had to compromise and swallow her pride for so many years.

At this moment, everything was over. She no longer had to endure Madam Ji’s harsh treatment and Tang Yingxue’s schemes.

However, it was impossible for Du Jiuyuan to just leave silently.

“Madam Ji, in order to thank you for taking care of me for the past five years, I’d like to present a gift for you,” Du Jiuyuan interrupted the two of them who were celebrating in front of her.

“What tricks are you pulling this time?” Tang Yingxue was afraid that Du Jiuyuan would go back on her words.

“Gift?” In contrast to Tang Yingxue’s slight loss of composure, Madam Ji looked at Du Jiuyuan with a proud and aloof expression.

Du Jiuyuan did not reply. She merely picked up the exquisite ceramic bowl on the coffee table and mercilessly threw the bird’s nest in the bowl onto Madam Ji’s head.

Back then, when Madam Ji found out that she and Ji Jingchen were getting married, Madam Ji splashed a cup of boiling hot tea on her face. If Du Jiuyuan had not used her arm to block it, her face would have been disfigured long ago.

This time, she had only splashed a bowl of bird’s nest in return, which could be considered as letting her off quite easily.

“Du Jiuyuan, are you insane?” Before Madam Ji could react, Tang Yingxue immediately jumped up and wiped Madam Ji’s face with a tissue.

“Back then, I was crazy to have endured all of the humiliation, but now, I’ve had enough. From now on, we won’t be meddling in each other’s affairs, so let’s call it even!”

Du Jiuyuan no longer cared about anyone’s feelings.. She dragged her suitcase out of the door and left the Ji family home.