Chapter 5 — Blindly Dutiful

To force them into an absolute divorce, ensuring that all future troubles were thoroughly severed, the expression on Bright's face drained of color, turning pale and ashen by turns. He cast a remorseful glance in my direction, his lips parting as if he still harbored words to say, but he was cut short by a sharp pinch from his mother. The older woman nodded repeatedly in frantic haste, looking ready to swear oaths to the heavens above if it meant securing their safety.

Agreed! We agree completely! We shall go handle the paperwork tomorrow morning! There will be no lingering attachments whatsoever!

She understood the stakes far too well. If Bright were truly to find himself behind bars, the remainder of her own days would be utterly devoid of hope. When weighed against her son's future and her own twilight years, submitting to a divorce was a trivial sacrifice indeed. Furthermore, she had never truly warmed to a daughter-in-law who refused to bend to her absolute control, so this presented a convenient opportunity to welcome a replacement.

Even in the face of such eager compliance, the vigilance in my father’s eyes did not recede in the slightest. He pressed the matter further, his voice steely:

I will have my lawyer draft the agreement and deliver it to you this very evening. Tomorrow at ten o'clock sharp, we meet outside the Civil Affairs Bureau. None of you are to arrive late.

After a brief moment of reflection, he added a final warning:

Consider today's events as though they never occurred. But should you dare to violate this agreement, I possess more than enough means to make you pay dearly for your actions.

My mother-in-law bobbed her head up and down like a pecking bird, offering a ingratiating smile.

We wouldn't dare! We would never dare!

Seeing my father flick his chin toward the exit, she hurriedly grabbed Bright, who remained rooted to the spot in a daze, and dragged him up in a clumsy, flustered motion. She was too terrified to even retrieve the gift box left lying on the floor, fleeing toward the threshold in utter disgrace. As he reached the door, Bright turned his head to look back at me, his gaze swimming with a mixture of profound regret and lingering resentment. Yet, in the end, he uttered not a single word, hauled away relentlessly by his mother’s firm grip.

The moment the heavy door clicked shut, my mother, who had been struggling valiantly to maintain her composure, slid down until she was sitting flat on the floor. She gasped for breath, her chest heaving with the remnants of terror.

That damned old man, he scared the life out of me just now! Did you truly intend to let them off so easily?

My father gently smoothed the palms of his hands across her back to help her steady her breathing, coughing softly as he replied:

Let them off easily? I would have gladly seen that ungrateful wretch locked in a cell. But our daughter desires a clean divorce. If they chose to act like shameless scoundrels and deliberately dragged out the legal proceedings, it would only invite endless complications.

Bright is an only child, and his mother prizes him above her own life, fearing imprisonment above all else. Only by holding this leverage over their heads could we force them to sign without hesitation and leave no lingering hazards behind.

Lifting his head, my father met my eyes, his gaze brimming with an ache of profound sympathy.

Nian, I know you have suffered grievances, but we have no time to embroil ourselves in a prolonged battle with them. A swift divorce and a complete severance of ties are the only ways you can reclaim a peaceful life.

I had tried my utmost to endure time and time again, yet the dam finally broke. I threw myself into my father's embrace, surrendering entirely to the hot tears streaming down my face. An overwhelming sense of safety and profound relief enveloped me. No matter how grave the peril, my father had exhausted every fiber of his being to shield me from harm.

Father, thank you.

You foolish child, there is no need for such formalities between us.

My father gently patted my back, offering reassurance:

When you go to finalize the paperwork tomorrow, I will have Uncle Wang accompany you. He is a seasoned attorney who will comb through every detail, ensuring they have no room to play tricks.

True to his word, my father contacted Uncle Wang that very evening, enlisting the familiar lawyer to spend the night drafting an airtight divorce agreement. The document explicitly stipulated that Bright must voluntarily forfeit all joint marital property, and that the entire family was strictly forbidden from harassing my life under any pretext whatsoever.

The following morning, Uncle Wang accompanied me to the Civil Affairs Bureau. Bright and his mother were already waiting by the entrance. Their complexions were dismal to behold, Bright's visage particularly shrouded in a dark, brooding cloud.

When the time came to apply his signature, Bright hesitated, his pen hovering above the paper. Meeting my impatient gaze, he spoke in a tone of agonizing plea:

Nian, is there truly no way you can grant me another chance? I know I was wrong, and I swear I will change hereafter.

There is no need.

I shook my head with quiet detachment.

Bright, from the very second your hands closed around my father's throat, the two of us became irreconcilable enemies.

Sensing that he still refused to relinquish his delusions, Uncle Wang stepped forward to interject with a cool reminder:

Mr. Bright, once you affix your signature, this matter is concluded. Should you refuse, the evidence currently in my possession can be forwarded to the police at a moment's notice.

Panic-stricken, his mother shoved Bright hard in the back, casting a ferocious glare in his direction.

Sign it! Hurry up and sign!

Refusing to yield to his bitterness, Bright ground his teeth together before finally scrawling his name across the divorce papers. The instant I felt the smooth surface of the divorce certificate in my palm, my heart remained entirely devoid of sorrow; there was only the feather-light sensation of absolute liberation. The unfortunate marriage that had dragged on for three grueling years had finally reached its definitive end.

On the journey back home, Uncle Wang patted my shoulder in comfort.

Nian, from this day forward, only good times await you.

I nodded, letting out a soft sigh of release.

This should have happened a long time ago.

Pushing the front door open, I found my parents seated together on the sofa, waiting for my return. The coffee table was adorned with a plate of my favorite fruits, meticulously sliced into neat bites. Catching sight of me across the threshold, my mother hurried over to take my chilled hands in her own, her eyes swimming with tender heartache.