RWWAI 22

Chapter 22: You Need to Secure the Divorce Papers and Money First, Otherwise You Won't Even Sleep Soundly

Because Luo Fan had lied to me, I felt zero guilt whatsoever leaving him out to spend the night in the drafty, open-air cabin while I retreated straight back to the sleeping quarters to enjoy my spacious bed.

The next day, while I was still sitting inside the carriage on our return journey, stewing in lingering anger, this guy actually had the nerve to sneeze and put on a pitiful act right in front of me.

I glared at him irritably and snapped:

"Trying to trick me again? With Qi Lu's ox-like physique, can a little breeze really give him a cold?"

Luo Fan used his sleeve to shield half his face, let out yet another sneeze, and spoke with a heavily congested, nasal voice:

"I'm not lying to you..."

I turned my head away, slapped my hands over my ears, and declared:

"I'm not believing a single word you say anymore."

Knowing he was entirely in the wrong, Luo Fan had no choice for the remainder of the trip but to bury his face deep inside his sleeves, doing his absolute best to muffle the sound of his sneezes.

He even curled his body up into a tight little ball, tucking himself into the corner of the carriage as if hoping that by erasing his own existence entirely, I would stop chewing him out.

By the time we got back to the commandant's estate, Qin Miaomiao—who had already entered the latter half of her pregnancy—was waiting in the front courtyard to greet us.

"My Lord, Madam, you're back?"

Supporting her clearly rounded belly, she started off with a smile on her face, but the second she caught sight of my thunderous expression, she instantly realized something was off.

"Did... did something happen out there?"

Right on cue, Luo Fan sneezed again.

I shot him a withering look and, without offering any explanation, marched straight back to my bedchamber.

The very first thing I did upon returning to the room was dig out the divorce agreement I had prepared beforehand, and with document in hand, I marched right back out to storm Luo Fan's study.

I found him sitting with his head drooping low, looking for all the world like a golden retriever caught red-handed raiding the snack stash.

"You promised me on the boat! Sign it right now!"

I demanded, before slapping a massive stack of land-deed transfer contracts right down on top of the desk.

"You're signing these over too; this old lady is not walking away empty-handed."

Luo Fan let out a couple of coughs and reluctantly picked up a brush.

Yet just as he was about to dip it in ink, a sudden wave of doubt hit me.

"Hold on a second! What if your handwriting doesn't match Qi Lu's, and he tries to deny it later?"

Spinning on my heel, I yanked open the study door and announced:

"Stay right there, I need to go grab a witness."

And just like that, a few minutes later, Qin Miaomiao was dragged right into the room by yours truly.

"Lady Qin, I'll have to trouble you to act as a witness for me today. This divorce agreement was personally signed in his own handwriting. If he ever tries to backpedal and deny it down the road, you'll have to back me up so he can't wriggle out of it!" I explained.

The moment Qin Miaomiao heard that, all the color drained completely from her face.

"Madam, what is the meaning of this? You went out for a peaceful trip of just a few days, how did things get all the way to a divorce the moment you came back?"

I hurriedly soothed her:

"Don't you worry, I'm not walking out the door today. Until you safely deliver your baby, I'm staying right here in the estate. Everything I promised you before still stands; it won't change because of what happened today. Just focus entirely on nesting and take care of your health, you don't need to stress over anything else."

Hearing that, Luo Fan snapped his head up to stare at me with a look of utter disbelief, stammering:

"Aren't you leaving right away?"

To be honest, I had no earthly idea.

All I knew was that I needed to secure these divorce papers and property deeds in my own hands first; otherwise, I wouldn't even be able to sleep soundly at night.

"Stop wasting time talking trash, just sign the damn papers!" I roared at Luo Fan.

With the divorce papers and land deeds safely in my pocket, I finally let out a long breath of relief.

Now, even if that scumbag Luo Fan bit the dust and vanished first, I wouldn't have to live in terror of being trapped by Qi Lu for the rest of my life.

However, no sooner had I scurried back to my room to stash away these life-saving amulets than Qin Miaomiao tracked me down again.

With an expression of deep anxiety, she pleaded:

"Madam, what on earth went wrong? Did My Lord slip up and say something out of line to upset you?"

Though I knew I couldn't spill the whole multi-dimensional transmigration secret to her, I was still itching to vent to someone.

So I let loose:

"That turtle-grandson lied right to my face!"

The curse word "turtle-grandson" visibly startled Qin Miaomiao; clearly, she had never imagined anyone in this lifetime would describe their own husband in such terms.

A moment later, looking completely flustered, she tried to smooth things over:

"My Lord... surely didn't mean it like that. These past few months, the way My Lord treats Madam is something this concubine has seen clearly with her own eyes. Even if Madam is angry with him, please don't let a momentary flash of temper ruin the bond between husband and wife."

Watching the genuine worry etched across Qin Miaomiao's face, a sudden, complex wave of emotion washed over me.

In the previous life, Qi Lu hadn't actually cared about Qin Miaomiao all that much anyway.

Back then, had she already sensed that truth all along, which was why she spent her entire life quietly enduring without fighting or contending for anything?

When I first transmigrated into this world, I always assumed she was just a classic, fake-innocent green-tea villainess.

Yet now, even though the plot had twisted itself into a completely unrecognizable mess, she was still acting with this same submissive, humble devotion.

I couldn't help feeling a sudden twinge of pity for her.

"Lady Qin," I spoke up.

"Given your position, if the Commandant and I were to genuinely have a falling out, that should be a cause for celebration for you. Not only are you not cheering from the sidelines, why on earth are you coming here to talk me out of it?"

Qin Miaomiao lowered her head and whispered softly:

"This concubine is merely an uncultured woman from the countryside, lacking in worldly experience and understanding nothing. But as for how much weight I truly carry in My Lord's heart, I still possess enough self-awareness to know. Even if Madam were to fly into a rage and sever ties with the Qi family... My Lord's affections would never land on me anyway."

Gently stroking her swollen belly, she continued with a wistful, melancholic sigh:

"Back at the Xiazi Pass, it was entirely this concubine's one-sided infatuation. Now, for My Lord to be willing to take me into the estate and shield me from the stinging criticism and pointed fingers of public disgrace is already the utmost mercy and benevolence. This concubine dares not harbor any other extravagant hopes—my only wish is for My Lord and Madam to live in harmony from here on, growing old together side by side."

"Besides... ever since My Lord returned to the estate and reunited with Madam, he has been like an entirely different person. The genuine smiles My Lord has shown these past few months outnumber all the smiles from the entire three years we spent at the Xiazi Pass combined."

She lifted her gaze, her eyes shimmering with a mournful, sorrowful depth.

I offered an awkward, sheepish laugh.

Well, obviously...

Because he literally was a completely different person.

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