Chapter 2: The Insignificant, Unnecessary

Hospital.

Fu Siye brought breakfast for Nan Shiqing.

Seeing her leaning against the headboard, her face utterly devoid of color, he approached, his expression gentle. “How are you feeling now?”

Nan Shiqing shook her head in guilt. “Siye, you’re so busy and still came to see me. I’m sorry…”

Fu Siye frowned. “Don’t say such things.”

Nan Shiqing sighed softly. “It’s all my fault, this frail body of mine. Sometimes even I feel helpless. Perhaps it would be better to just go and meet the King of Hell…”

“Nonsense.” Fu Siye’s expression darkened. “Without my permission, no one can take you away.”

If it weren’t for him, she would never have ended up like this.

Fu Siye felt he owed her a great debt.

Nan Shiqing’s pale cheeks flushed slightly as she smiled at him. “Thank you, Siye. The doctor just told me I’ll recover slowly. There’s no need for you to visit so often, especially now that you’re married to my sister…”

Her demeanor spoke of not wanting to harm his marriage, yet her eyes, filled with love for him, could not conceal her reluctance to let go.

Fu Siye suddenly remembered how Mu Yinyin had just signed the papers without a second thought, frustration rising in his chest.

Seeing she was about to say more, he interrupted, “I’ll be divorcing her soon. I told you I would marry you, and I will.”

“Siye, no,” she shook her head. “Don’t do this for my sake. I don’t want to be a homewrecker, I…”

“I’ve already given her the divorce papers. It’ll be final soon.”

Nan Shiqing’s lips parted in surprise. “Siye…”

Her expression was tangled, complex—more of guilt on the surface, but inwardly she was overjoyed.

Finally! She’d finally waited for this day!

“Don’t overthink it. Just focus on getting better. Once you’re well, we’ll get married,” Fu Siye said, more patient than he’d ever been with anyone.

Nan Shiqing’s cheeks reddened further, her heart pounding faster. She lowered her head, saying nothing more.

Meanwhile, just outside the door, Mu Yinyin had heard every word of their conversation.

A flash of mockery crossed her gaze. So this was why Nan Shiqing had called her here—to let her witness her own humiliation.

Of course, Fu Siye would divorce her.

She was the one Fu Siye despised most in this world, without exception.

Nan Shiqing had sensed Mu Yinyin’s presence and now looked toward the door, her voice soft and gentle. “Sister, is that you?”

Fu Siye’s sharp gaze swept instantly to the doorway, eyes filled with murderous intent and loathing—so much so that Mu Yinyin found it almost comical.

With a trace of sarcasm in her eyes, Mu Yinyin stepped inside.

Fu Siye’s blade-like glare seemed a warning for her to keep her mouth shut.

Yet he overestimated her concern. Not once did Mu Yinyin spare him a glance. Looking at Nan Shiqing, her expression was indifferent as she asked, “You called me here—what do you want to say?”

Nan Shiqing was a year younger than Mu Yinyin and had taken her mother’s surname at birth.

Eight years ago, there had been a great fire. Nan Shiqing lost all memory of the event and became the target of public condemnation.

She, Nan Shiqing, Fu Siye, and the girl Fu Siye cherished above all had gone out together. Then, suddenly, the fire broke out, killing Fu Siye’s beloved.

It was Nan Shiqing who risked her life to save Fu Siye, and her health collapsed entirely as a result.

Later, when people questioned what happened, Nan Shiqing acted as though she couldn’t hide the truth, constantly defending her, trying to cover things up by insisting she had nothing to do with the fire.

That only made everyone more suspicious—how had she emerged unscathed? And with her memory lost? She had nothing to say in her defense.

Fu Siye hated her to death, wanting nothing more than to send her to prison himself, but he lacked evidence.

Her father had always stood by her, insisting she would never do such a thing, while Nan Shiqing played the innocent, pretending to defend her, yet always seeming as if she was reluctantly obeying others.

From then on, Fu Siye was burdened with guilt toward Nan Shiqing, vowing to care for her all his life.

As for her… she became an object of universal scorn, some even calling her a murderer.

“Sister…?”

Mu Yinyin snapped back to reality, suppressing her disgust as she stared coldly at Nan Shiqing. “What did you just say?”

Nan Shiqing was momentarily taken aback, surprise flickering in her eyes.

Mu Yinyin, distracted? All this time she’d been mentioning Fu Siye, the man Mu Yinyin supposedly cherished most, yet Mu Yinyin didn’t seem to care at all?

Fu Siye sneered inwardly. He’d seen this game of playing hard to get too many times. His piercing gaze fell on Mu Yinyin, his voice like ice. “Get out. Don’t ever disturb Shiqing again.”

He could barely restrain himself. If it weren’t for Nan Shiqing, he would have torn her to pieces! The shame of yesterday would haunt him for life.

“Siye, don’t. Sister, listen to me, I never meant to come between you two. Siye just wants to make it up to me—he feels guilty. But his heart is still with you. Sister, I would never destroy your relationship with Siye, I…”

“Shiqing.” Fu Siye’s face darkened, his tone cutting her off.

Mu Yinyin let out a cold laugh, her eyes sharp and mocking as she looked at Nan Shiqing. “You keep insisting you’d never come between us, so why do you address him so intimately instead of calling him brother-in-law?”

Nan Shiqing’s expression shifted. Why had Mu Yinyin suddenly become so sharp—and even caught her out on this? Damn it! This could arouse Siye’s suspicion.

“No…” She quickly shook her head, feigning innocence. “Sister, don’t misunderstand. We grew up together, I’m used to calling him that. I’ll change from now on…”

Fu Siye was about to rebuke her when Mu Yinyin interrupted coldly, “No need. From this day forward, he and I will go our separate ways, each free to marry as we please. You can openly call him ‘husband’ now.”

The air in the room froze.

Fu Siye stared at her coldly, inexplicably irritated.

Nan Shiqing was inwardly ecstatic!

But outwardly, she shook her head in panic. “Sister, no! I called you here today to talk about you and him, you—”

“Since that’s what you wanted to say, there’s no need to keep up the pretense. Don’t contact me again. I wish you both—” Mu Yinyin’s lips curved into a slow, deliberate smile as she finished, “an eternity together.”

Nan Shiqing’s face went rigid, for she knew well what words usually preceded “an eternity together.”

Without glancing at the adulterous pair, nor caring about the man’s oppressive presence, Mu Yinyin took a document from her bag and tossed it in front of Nan Shiqing.

“I’m here for this, not to listen to your love talk. Nan Shiqing, sign it. It’ll be better for everyone.”

Nan Shiqing and Fu Siye both looked down to see the bold words on the cover.

Share Transfer Agreement.

Nan Shiqing’s face changed slightly. Was this some kind of joke? Her mother had gone to great lengths to swindle those shares from Mu Yinyin’s father—how could she possibly give them back?

“Sister…”

“You don’t need to say more. I’ll give you three days. If you don’t sign, don’t blame me for being ruthless.”

“Sister, how could you change so much…” Nan Shiqing looked at her, face full of grief.

Fu Siye’s gaze grew cold, his tone laced with sarcasm. “Is money all you care about?”

Mu Yinyin sneered. “Aren’t you a businessman too? Isn’t money all you care about? I like money—does it bother you?”

Fu Siye: “…”

Without giving him a chance to speak, Mu Yinyin shot another mocking look at the white lotus, Nan Shiqing. “You and your mother snatched someone else’s shares, yet have the face to keep them for yourselves?”

“Sister, you…”

Just as both Nan Shiqing and Fu Siye were about to say something, both their phones rang at the same time.