Because I Cannot Hurt You

Silence.

Han Huizhong tapped his finger on the armrest.

"Tell somebody else to give the presentation."

Xinyi opened her mouth but then she said nothing.

Zhiyuan knew how much Xinyi wanted to go on this cruise.

"It's not just about the presentation. Xinyi has never been on a cruise before and she really wants to. So, I want to take her with me for enjoyment as well."

Han Huizhong laughed. "Hah! Wow. I never thought you could ever think anything other than that woman."

Zhiyuan was used to his sarcasm now.

"Whatever you think about me Grandpa, it wouldn't change the fact that I care about Xinyi."

He mockingly smiled. "But you don't love her."

Silence.

He always said where it hurt the most.

Zhiyuan couldn't retort to that.

Han Huizhong stared at Xinyi who seemed a little disappointed.

"Oye stupid granddaughter-in-law, stop with that dragging face. If you just want a cruise, I can arrange a thousand of them," he proudly said.

Liang's brow twitched. "There is no point in going alone."

He sneered. "There is more so no point in going with my pathetic grandson."

"..."

Xinyi softly said, "I want to go with Zhiyuan…"

"Does it look like I care?"

Her lips stretched into a thin line.

Zhiyuan said, "Grandpa, she has her own choice and feelings. You cannot disregard it like that."

Han Huizhong narrowed his eyes. "Choice? Feelings? Disregard?" He tilted his head. "That's some joke I am hearing. You are the last person I want to hear that shit from."

He clenched his fists.

Xinyi quickly said, "It's okay. Actually, now I remembered, I feel a little seasick anyway so it would be troublesome on the cruise. It is good that I stay behind-"

"No," Zhiyuan stared at her. He knew she was lying to ease this tension. "You will come with me."

Han Huizhong sneered. "Only if the guards leave you alive."

Zhiyuan exhaled. He knew his grandfather wanted something in exchange for this trip.

"What should I do to make you agree?"

Han Huizhong brightened. "Finally, you are talking about some sensible thing!"

His change in demeanor shocked everybody.

Ah Cy said, "I am getting a bad feeling." To which Liang nodded hard.

"I can allow Xinyi to go on this trip with you on one condition."

"What is it?"

"Divorce her."

Silence.

Xinyi's eyes slowly widened. "Grandpa!"

Zhiyuan looked at him as if he heard something wrong. "What?"

"Do you have any hearing problems, Zhiyuan? I think I was clear."

"Divorce in exchange for a cruise trip?"

"Seems perfect to me."

"Grandpa, you need to stop this," Zhiyuan warned.

"That's what I am doing. Stopping your marriage from going any further."

"Why are you making such a big deal out of a cruise trip?"

"Why are you making such a big deal out of a divorce?"

"It's divorce you are talking about!"

"So? Yours won't be the first and last divorce in the history of this world," he shrugged.

Zhiyuan was calm by nature, but now he was really losing his patience.

Xinyi urged. "Let it be Zhiyuan. I am fine. I don't want fights over a cruise trip."

Zhiyuan shook his head and coldly looked at Han Huizhong. "Xinyi wants to go on this trip and I will take her with me WITHOUT divorcing her. She has her own feelings and this is our marriage. Don't interfere any more than necessary. Even if you beat me black and blue, I will still take her with me. That is it."

Han Huizhong silently stared at him. He faced Zhiyuan eye to eye and said after a long pause.

"So, you can raise your voice too," he sneered.

Zhiyuan didn't respond.

"Fine. You can go together. But. I don't want any screw up on the cruise and I am not talking about the business part. If you did anything that crosses the limit of my patience, then mark my words Zhiyuan. You have yet to see the worst of my temper."𝐟𝓇ℯ𝒆we𝒃𝘯𝒐νe𝑙.co𝚖

Zhiyuan stared at him. He never understood why he always threatened him regarding Xinyi.

"Grandpa. Why do you always have to warn me? I know how to take care of Xinyi."

Xinyi stiffened.

Once again he asked that question that nobody could answer.

Han Huizhong sneered. "It's that you don't know how to take care of her which is precisely why I have to warn you."

Zhiyuan wanted to say something more but Han Huizhong already cut him off. "Get out now! I don't want to get sick seeing any more of your face."

---

Xiaosi closed the door behind him and stood in front of Caihong. "Get up."

Caihong didn't respond to him and just kept reading her book.

He grabbed her arm and dragged her out of the bed to make her face him.

Caihong glared at him. "Xiaosi! How dare you!"

He sneered. "I can dare do many things Caihong. This much is nothing."

She tried to break free of his grasp but it was too tight to resist. "Let me go!"

Xiaosi narrowed his eyes. "You told your father you would be going back to the An residence?"

Zhu Caihong was An Caihong before marriage so An residence was her maiden home.

"Yes, I did. So what?"

"You didn't tell me."

Caihong laughed. "Oh please. I don't have to tell you anything as if we are real husband and wife."

Xiaosi stared at her unblinkingly. Then he took a step closer to her and forcibly pulled her in his arms.

"Xiaosi! Don't cross your limits!"

He chuckled. "Real husband and wife?" He gripped her jaw, leaned his face closer to hers, and brushed his thumb along her cheek. "Should I show you right now how much of a real husband and wife we are?"

Caihong's face paled. She couldn't move as if she got paralyzed.

Suddenly, flashes of a certain memory raced in her mind and her eyes teared up. She felt breathless and her heart started to thud loudly in fear.

"I guess you understand now."

Xiaosi sneered and let go of her. Caihong quickly took two steps back and widened the distance between them.

"You are not going to the An residence for now."

Her jaw clenched in anger as she trembled. "Who are you to tell me if I should go or not!"

Xiaosi shrugged. "I don't care. But next week, I need you to come with me on a trip."

"I am not going anywhere with you!"

He ignored her. "So pack whatever stuff you need. After the trip, you can go to An residence but for only three days."

Caihong was boiling in anger. "Why should I listen to you?"

Xiaosi smiled. "Because apparently, I will destroy the An Corps if you don't listen to me. Your father and stepmother wouldn't be so happy to be reduced to begging on the streets now, now would they?"

She said nothing.

"Call your father right now and tell him you are postponing your visit. Don't make me do it."

Xiaosi turned to leave but then he stopped. "And I don't want you to talk any nonsense to Chyou or I will ruin your life."

Caihong chuckled as tears trickled down her cheeks. "You have already ruined it enough. What more can you do to destroy it?"

"Let's not get into that, my sweet wife."

Xiaosi left the room and immediately he heard a loud crashing sound of a vase breaking into pieces.

He kept walking towards his room when he got a call from Chyou's school. It was the principal on the line.

"Mr. Zhu Xiaosi?"

"What is it?"

"I called to inform you that you and your wife will need to come tomorrow at the school. There is a complaint regarding Zhu Chyou."

He stopped and squinted his gaze.

"What do you mean?"

He heard what happened and raised his brow.

"His parents want to address this tomorrow."

"Who is that boy?"

"Han Siying."

Xiaosi paused for a moment and then began laughing.

The principal was taken aback. "Um, Mr. Zhu…?"

Xiaosi's expression darkened as he stopped laughing. "I need you to tell Han Zhiyuan something for me when he comes tomorrow."