Chapter 5 — The Groom Swap on Wedding Day

Back in our senior year of high school, my father's business expanded at an overwhelming pace, and he even discussed with my mother about emigrating abroad. With no other choice, I had to apply to foreign universities, leaving me entirely unable to confide my true feelings to you.

Over the past two years, my parents finally moved the company back to our home country, giving me the long-awaited chance to find you, only to discover that you were already dating Yan.

Seeing that the two of you shared such a steady and stable relationship, I could do nothing but offer my sincere blessings.

Therefore, when you called me out of the blue today, I honestly thought it was a blessing falling straight down from heaven.

A bittersweet pang echoed deep within my chest. Zhou Che gently brushed his fingertips across my cheek. He murmured, Zhao, would you please kiss me just once, so I can know for certain that I am not merely dreaming? Without a moment of hesitation, I wrapped my arms around his neck and planted a soft, affectionate peck right on his lips.

From now on, you shall call me your wife.

I entrusted a lawyer to handle the sale of the apartment I had jointly purchased with Yan. The residential complex I had originally chosen possessed an exceptional location, guaranteeing that finding a buyer would be effortless. Yet, Yan stubbornly refused to cooperate. He relentlessly bombarded me with frantic phone calls and endless text messages. In the dead of night, he even wept bitterly over the phone, pleading, Zhaozhao, I truly know I was wrong. Is there genuinely no possibility left for us at all? Annoyed beyond endurance, I decisively changed my phone number. This continued until Chen Yao tracked me down personally. She blocked my path right outside my office building, demanding a word with me. After just one week apart, her expression lacked its previous coquettish charm. Staring fixedly at me, her gaze held a trace of bitter resentment. She let out a cold laugh, Yan is half dead with grief because of you, yet look at you, turning right around to marry another man. I frowned slightly. If you sought me out simply to utter such nonsense, we have nothing further to discuss. I stood up, intending to leave immediately. Chen Yao quickly intercepted me, shouting, Wait. She retrieved a bank card from her handbag and thrust it right in front of me, There is eighty-eight thousand in here. At that moment, genuine astonishment washed over me. Unable to help myself, I sneered, Surely you do not expect me to change how I address you and start calling you sister-in-law, do you? Chen Yao turned pale with fury. Yet, after enduring my remark in silence for a long moment, she forced herself to explain, Zhao, I am truly sorry.

Could you please just go back to Yan?

Ever since your engagement to him fell through, his second aunt has stubbornly forced me to marry him. I never liked him in the slightest; it was all just a game to me.

Besides, the two of you shared three whole years of history together.

Now I am giving this eighty-eight thousand to you, so please, just go back to him!

I exercised every ounce of self-control I possessed to keep myself from flinging the cup of coffee sitting on the table directly into Chen Yao face. I stood up and turned to walk away. Looking utterly bewildered, Chen Yao protested, Weren't you the one who fell out with Yan purely because of that paltry eighty-eight thousand bride price dispute?

Now that I am handing the money directly to you, you are actually coming out ahead in this deal!

I retorted sharply, Your worldview and Yan values match each other with absolute perfection, so I sincerely wish the two of you stay locked together forever. After half a month of exhausting confrontation, Yan finally agreed to sell the property. However, his sole condition was that I meet with him in person one last time. Yan lowered his posture completely, pleading, Zhao, my wish to sell the apartment is not just about the property itself, but also about bringing a formal closure to the past between us. I agreed to his terms. Yan invited me out for dinner, which I flatly refused. Left with no alternative, he requested to meet shortly after dinner hours. I sat quietly in the living room sofa, waiting. Finally, at precisely eight o'clock in the evening, the front door lock clicked open. I stood up and pulled the door open. Before I could even process what was happening, a heavily intoxicated Yan lunged forward like a wild beast. He forcefully pinned my arms behind me, crying out, Zhao, this is our home, and you are my wife, so why on earth are you abandoning me? A kiss reeking of stale alcohol nearly landed against my cheek. Without hesitation, I swung my arm and dealt him a fierce slap across the face. However, the disparity in physical strength between men and women remained stark. Coupled with Yan deliberate aggression, I was overpowered within seconds. Burning with fury, I scolded, Yan, we no longer have any relationship whatsoever, what you are doing right now constitutes a crime! Yan answered with complete indifference, You are my wife, so even if we make a scene at the police station, not a single soul would dare to interfere. Convinced that he could do whatever he pleased with me, his behavior grew increasingly uninhibited and brazen. A wave of profound nausea rose within me. The very next second. Crash! A heavy fist slammed violently into the side of Yan face. Zhou Che yanked me firmly behind his back, his tall, imposing figure immediately instilling me with a deep sense of safety. Yan was completely dumbfounded! Wearing an expression of utter disbelief, he stammered out an accusation, Zhao, this is our home, yet you actually brought an outsider inside! I could no longer contain my rage. Grabbing the stiff-sided handbag resting on the shoe cabinet, I smashed it directly into Yan face. With Zhou Che standing guard to protect me, I had not a single worry about him daring to retaliate. Yan let out a series of miserable groans under the relentless blows. Still unsatisfied and burning with fury, I delivered a vicious kick straight to his groin. Yan emitted a shrill, agonizing shriek and collapsed onto the floor, writhing in pain. Finally, it was Zhou Che who reached out and gently pulled me back. Smoothing down my stray hairs, I declared coldly, Yan, do not assume everyone else in this world is as foolish as you.

If you genuinely wanted to sell the house, we could have discussed it at any time, yet you deliberately insisted on a nighttime meeting—anyone with half a brain could tell you harbored malicious intentions.

Without hesitation, I dialed the police. This incident immediately stirred up all of Yan numerous aunts and uncles. Having lost both of his parents years ago, he was the sole male heir of his generation in the family. His extended relatives practically treasured him like the apple of their eye. Upon discovering that he had been dragged to the police station over a failed harassment attempt, they rushed over in a furious horde. Yet, they certainly did not come to offer apologies.