QTIMP -Chapter 185 Character Persona – Overachiever (Part 17)

Si Qiu stopped twirling her pen and began fiddling with the cap between her fingers. The world of capital was just this unreasonable; it was normal for those without strength to be suppressed and crushed.

Right now, the other party was only making subtle moves, being considerate of Tang Corporation behind him. Even An He hadn’t acted, all because of Gu Qu and Tang Chaoyun’s relationship.

In fact, she could sell off her assets and live comfortably for the rest of her life. But that wasn’t what she wanted. She wanted to work. She wanted her company to flourish.

“Tang Chaoyun, are you dreaming? I’ve already wasted seven years on you. Another thirteen years, that’s twenty years. How many twenty-year spans does one person even have?”

Tang Chaoyun, knowing she would oppose, quickly countered, “If you have other conditions, we can discuss them slowly. After all, Che’er is your own child—don’t you care about him?”

“I care about him, but the premise is that someone cares about me. Since no one does, I have to care for myself. Tang Chaoyun, I’ve already sacrificed five years for him. I don’t owe anyone anything.”

“Si Qiu, I’m not asking you to sacrifice. I will fulfill my responsibilities and duties as a husband from now on. It won’t be like those seven years before.”

Tang Chaoyun thought that if he changed, they could form a happy family. If this were the old Si Qiu, she might have been pleased. But the current Si Qiu didn’t need a man’s change.

“What you do is your business. But I’m not obliged to gamble with my future. Five years—just five years. If you agree, fine. If not, you can marry someone else.”

She believed that in five years, she could earn enough to stand against capital, but some things had to be made clear in advance.

Tang Chaoyun tugged irritably at his tie. “In five years, Che’er will only be ten. That’s still too young.”

“Not too young. He’ll be old enough to distinguish right from wrong,” Si Qiu interrupted him sharply.

Tang Chaoyun was silent for a moment, then squeezed out a dry word: “Fine.”

Then he added, “You’ve never cared about money or gain before.”

She flicked the pen cap open with her fingers and asked, “That’s why I suffered so much—after being torn apart, I realized no one can be your true support.”

Tang Chaoyun said nothing for a moment, then said, “If in the future, we could live like millions of ordinary three-person families—a normal family, a normal life.”

Si Qiu sneered. “Tang Chaoyun, I don’t pick up men.” She was referring to the original owner’s men.

But Tang Chaoyun thought she meant his past infidelity.

He instinctively denied it. “I told you, I never had that kind of relationship with Qiao Nana.”

Although he might not have had that kind of relationship with Qiao Nana, she didn’t believe the original owner’s seven years had been that clean.

Si Qiu had no interest in dirty men, so this “normal life” had quotes around it.

There was silence for a long while.

Tang Chaoyun gritted his teeth. “I’m not as desperate as you think. Though past social obligations led to occasional indiscretions, I’ll avoid them in the future.”

“No, no, no. That’s your business. But I refuse to fulfill marital obligations. I’ve endured enough stains in life; if I endure the disgust too, living would be meaningless.”

Before Si Qiu could finish, Tang Chaoyun interrupted.

“So you think I’m worthless, both a stain and disgusting? I guarantee my physical fidelity during the marriage. I’ll put this into the contract.”

Si Qiu threw the pen onto the desk and rested her nails against her chin. “If your demands are this high, then I’ll need to think it over.”

“I’ll transfer one hundred million yuan a year to cover your living expenses.”

What Si Qiu said next left him speechless, but she couldn’t let that thought pass in her heart. “Then I’ll waive your living expenses, and you can use that money to look for another woman.”

Tang Chaoyun’s chest heaved violently on the other end, and he ground his teeth. “Si Qiu, don’t regret this.”

Si Qiu sighed and replied softly, “I won’t. If I’ve survived such hard times, what’s left that I should regret?”

She didn’t want to dwell on this matter any longer, so she said, “The old lady over there will probably be hard to deal with as well. You’re her son—handle it yourself, and don’t let her target me.”

Tang Chaoyun knew there was no need to continue negotiating, so he spoke with a somewhat dejected tone.

“I’ll try to shield you from anything on my mom’s side. But anything I can’t stop, I’ll compensate you for. My only requirement is to avoid putting Che’er in a difficult position.”

Hearing him mention Che’er, Si Qiu quickly sat up straight, opened her computer, and pulled up the calendar.

Her eyes gradually brightened. It’s well known that the richer a person is, the more afraid of death they are. Every member of the Tang family, from old to young, has a doctor check their pulse monthly, do basic health adjustments, and maintain a proper diet to ensure the body stays in optimal condition.

They undergo quarterly check-ups, and a comprehensive, in-depth examination every year.

Si Qiu had just checked—men like Tang Chaoyun had just completed their three-month check-up. It seemed he realized he was infertile.

That’s why he had started paying attention to his son.

Tang Che’er was truly the Tang family’s only heir.

Si Qiu’s guess was correct: Tang Chaoyun knew he couldn’t father children—but not because of the check-up itself. It was due to the usual practice among wealthy families of sperm preservation.

He was the Tang family’s only son. In his early twenties, during his rebellious years, he didn’t preserve any sperm. A few years later, Tang Che’er was born. Only now, seeing Si Qiu wanting a divorce, did he start thinking seriously about it.

So it wasn’t until the check-up that he discovered his sperm vitality was completely gone. He conducted a series of medical tests because of this, but nothing else was found.

Still, for the Tang family, this was a heavy blow. It instantly reminded him of the child he lost with Si Qiu, bringing a mix of heartache and regret.

At the same time, it made him cherish his only son even more. That’s why he offered such generous benefits—to ensure the child could grow up in a good environment.

Si Qiu’s gaze settled on the date in the calendar, a slight curve appearing at the corner of her lips. “Then I have one more request: when we divorce, the fault must be attributed to you.”

“Si Qiu, don’t push your luck. Even if you don’t agree, we can divorce, and I can marry another woman.”

Si Qiu chuckled. “Then go ahead. Have a few more sons—surely that’s cheaper than us maintaining a five-year marriage, right? But you insist on keeping this marriage; there must be some benefit to you, though I don’t know why! Conversely, that means there’s little benefit to me. So it’s only natural that I try to secure my own interests.”

Si Qiu’s words left Tang Chaoyun somewhat winded, yet he had no doubts—Si Qiu knew his situation. He had already sealed the matter at the very first moment it occurred.

Knowing she couldn’t push him too far, Si Qiu eased her tone.