Both of them hesitated, as they slowly turned their gazes towards their wives. Their wives looked pale, but none of them spoke.
Zhou Tianci went straight to the point. “Our union is not entirely a pleasant one. In fact, we have not been doing well for quite some time. However, we cannot be separated under Leader Luo’s rule. After years of being together, I can finally pen our divorce agreement, so when I am gone, she can remarry someone else.”
Gu Xijiu turned to look at Mrs. Zhou. “Mrs. Zhou, what do you think?”
Mrs. Zhou trembled as she responded. “I am… I am willing to fulfill his wish.”
Gu Xijiu smiled at her reply. “Your will is your own business. I am asking if the things he said are true.”
Mrs. Zhou hesitated as she struggled to find the words to answer. Finally, she closed her eyes. “Yes, it is true.”
Gu Xijiu sighed. “You said that you have not been doing well for quite some time. When did it start?”
Mrs. Zhou was taken by surprise at the question. Before she could answer, Zhou Tianci quickly interrupted. “Things started to look bad 12 years ago.”
Gu Xijiu frowned at his reply. “12 years ago? I remember when I first got here, they said that your relationship was the most loving one. When you were home late, she would always wait for you at the door, no matter how late your expedition was, she would still be there for you, to help you bath and give you massages. When you had any nice things, you would always give them to her. If anyone showed any signs of disrespect to her, you would make them apologize. I saw it with my own eyes. How is that bad?”
Zhou Tianci did not know what to say, as he was not expecting Gu Xijiu to remember the details so well.
He changed his mind. “I was wrong. It was seven years ago.”
Gu Xijiu looked a little irritated. “Seven years ago was the time when the conditions were announced for those who wished to escape. It seems to me that you started to disregard her because you were ambitious to leave.”
Zhou Tianci did not know what to say.
Gu Xijiu was right, that was when he started to neglect her. He did not mistreat her, nor did he abuse her. He only turned a cold shoulder to her and gradually became less interested. He would disregard all the good that his wife had to offer to him.
As time went by, she finally understood what he truly wanted. She loved him, so she did not wish to hold him back. The only thing that she could do was to hide and cry to herself, as she could not seek anyone’s help, for what her husband did was not in any form of physical harm.
Last night, he finally kneeled before her and begged for her to let him go. After seven years of being neglected, she was bitterly disappointed in him. She chose to fulfill his wish.
Gu Xijiu’s words made Mrs. Zhou red. All the women here were unusually strong, so she smiled back instead, “Xijiu, nothing is forcibly done. Things are not working between us. From now on, we will go on separate paths, and our future has nothing to do with one another. I am thoroughly disappointed in him. If he is eligible to take part in the selection, let him join.”
Gu Xijiu took another look at Zhou Tianci. “Will you regret this? She was not interested in you in the beginning. It was you who refused to give in. After six years, you were finally together. You were willing to risk your life for her, so she finally agreed.”
Zhou Tianci clenched his fists tightly under his sleeves and answered icily, “I will not regret it.”
There was recorded history that ancient men would go to great lengths and kill their wives just to keep them out of their business. As for Zhou Tianci, what he did was to abandon her. He was not too ruthless.
Gu Xijiu refused to pay any further attention to him, so she turned to look at the other couple. “Wang Yunyuan, what do you think?”
Wang Yunyuan took a look at his wife. She stepped forward and answered, “Xijiu, there is no need for more questions. I am willing to fulfill his wish. His background is of the noble Wang family and he is the eldest son. There is a brighter future that awaits him out there. Moreover, he has wanted to leave all this while.”