C2 Grandfather Fainted

"You!" The man's face was a picture of sheer panic, clearly struck in a vulnerable spot by Zhao Feng.

"Is what he's saying true? Can you actually secure me the exclusive agency rights or not?"

"I... I..." Wei Ying's heart plummeted as she caught his shifty eyes, feeling as though she'd fallen through ice.

"Get out of here, now!" Wei Ying commanded, jabbing her finger towards the man's nose. "And don't let me see your face again!"

"I've got your number, kid," the man retorted, pointing at Zhao Feng's nose before shooting a glance at Wei Ying. He hopped into his car, slammed the door, and floored the gas pedal, speeding away.

The car receded into the distance, leaving Zhao Feng and Wei Ying in a silent standoff.

"Don't take it to heart, consider it a learning experience," Zhao Feng offered, mistaking her silence for self-reproach.

"It's always you, why is it always you!" Wei Ying suddenly fixed him with a glare, her voice rising in desperation as tears streamed down her face.

"You've wrecked my life, my last hope. My company's finished, everything's finished!"

"I wrecked your life?" Zhao Feng, witnessing Wei Ying's frantic state, had a moment of clarity.

Their marriage had been arranged by their elders, and Wei Ying had never truly accepted him. She believed that marrying him had destroyed her, robbed her of her right to seek happiness.

With that realization...

"Let's get a divorce. We'll go to the Civil Affairs Bureau and start the proceedings right now," Zhao Feng said after a brief pause.

"What?" Wei Ying looked up sharply, her tear-filled eyes meeting Zhao Feng's. She had often fantasized about escaping this marriage, divorcing him. Yet now that it was happening so easily, why was there a pang of pain in her heart?

"It's all been orchestrated by our elders, and it's not fair to either of us," Zhao Feng continued calmly. "Fortunately, we haven't been intimate, so you remain untouched and can approach your next husband with a clear conscience."

"It's not that simple... Our marriage was arranged by our grandfather. How can I face him if we divorce? How can my father face him?"

"I'll talk to Grandpa," Zhao Feng said. "I'll tell him I've fallen for someone else and can't continue this life with you."

"You!" Overwhelmed, Wei Ying stared at Zhao Feng, words failing her.

Zhao Feng's words painted the picture of a perfect resolution. Yet, she found herself unable to feel any joy.

Her phone in the handbag began to chime insistently.

Wei Ying retrieved the phone and answered it, only to be greeted by a flurry of anxious voices on the other end.

Within moments, Wei Ying's complexion had drained of color, and she swiftly responded, "Okay, Zhao Feng and I are on our way."

Ending the call, Wei Ying turned to Zhao Feng, her voice laced with urgency, "Grandpa has suddenly passed out, and everyone's rushing to the house. Dad says we need to get there quickly."

"Grandpa fainted?" Zhao Feng exclaimed, taken aback.

He had a deep connection with Wei Ying's grandfather. After leaving the Zhao Family, Zhao Feng had followed his master to Donghai City, where he spent a decade absorbing all of his master's medical knowledge.

Wei Ying's grandfather, the chairman of the Wei Family Medicine Company, had once been aided by Zhao Feng's master. Out of gratitude, he had arranged for his granddaughter, Wei Ying, to marry Zhao Feng, who was then considered a poor nobody. The arrangement had been the butt of many jokes within the Wei Family at the time.

As far as Zhao Feng knew, Wei Ying's grandfather had always been robust and healthy. He had seen him recently, the picture of vitality. How could he have collapsed so suddenly?

"What's the matter? You don't want to go with me?" Wei Ying's tone was sharp as she bit her lip, "Even if we're planning to divorce, you're still my lawful husband!"

"Alright," Zhao Feng conceded after a moment's thought. "Let's go and check on him. If Grandpa's alright, I'll clear the air about our situation today."

"Why the rush?" Wei Ying fixed him with a piercing gaze. "Is there really another woman, and that's why you're so eager to distance yourself from me?"

"Aren't you the one who's been wanting a divorce? Eager to be free of me?" Zhao Feng retorted, "I'm simply granting your wish."

Wei Ying looked at Zhao Feng as if he were a stranger.

They had shared a life for so long; Zhao Feng, lacking in many ways, had always been kind and tender. This cold, decisive side of him was something she had never witnessed before.

It took a while before Wei Ying spoke again, her voice measured, "Until our divorce is official, I don't want others to notice any issues between us. Dad and I already struggle within the family; I refuse to become fodder for gossip."

Seeing Wei Ying put on a brave front, Zhao Feng's anger had already diminished by half.

Three years into their marriage, he had gained a deep understanding of the Wei family.

The Wei family patriarch had fathered seven sons and three daughters, making for a substantial clan.

After a lifetime of hard work, the patriarch had built a pharmaceutical empire worth over a hundred million, a notable force in Donghai City's medical sector.

Feuds among the elite were hurdles that no family could escape.

Wei Ying's father was the youngest of the Wei brothers, the seventh son, and the least powerful among them.

Wei Ying's pharmaceutical company was a testament to her own hard work, built from the ground up.

In such a frigid family atmosphere, Wei Ying's tenacious and prideful nature meant she was bound to endure even greater hardships.

Zhao Feng was acutely aware of all this.

He had planned to lend her a hand in her business endeavors when the time was right, but Wei Ying had already squandered that chance.

"Fine, I'll look out for your reputation," Zhao Feng said after a brief pause, nodding in agreement. "I'll discuss our divorce with grandpa privately when the time comes, so no one will have the opportunity to ridicule you."

Wei Ying's heart was a tumult of emotions, as if a jar of mixed flavors had shattered within her, releasing a surge of sour, sweet, and bitter feelings.

A pang of regret washed over her, as though she had just lost something invaluable.