The Whole World Wants Me To Get Divorced chapter 1
Love at First Sight
In September, the weather was hot and oppressive, even with the air conditioning on. Packed into the classroom with dozens of people, the heat felt unbearable.
Wen Yan lay on the desk, half-listening to the head teacher’s opening speech that went in one ear and out the other, sneakily tearing open a bag of snacks under the desk.
That day was his first day of university registration, and after finally escaping from the hell of high school and enjoying a summer break, he found himself back in the classroom. He was resistant from head to toe.
Most importantly… Wen Yan chewed on the snacks, scanned the class for any handsome guys who might catch his eye, and then slumped back down when he confirmed there wasn’t one.
“Who lied to me that there are so many handsome guys in university? I haven’t seen a single one so far,” he complained quietly to the person next to him. “I’ve seen plenty of beautiful girls, though.”
Unfortunately, his admiration for beautiful girls could only go as far as appreciation.
Sitting next to him was his childhood friend Li Zheng, who attended the same high school and continued to be classmates in university. It could be said that their fate was deep and their friendship strong.
Li Zheng heard him muttering and didn’t spare him any mercy. “I told you, your standards are too high. During the summer break, a junior approached you to confess. At least he’s a grade above, and he’s tall, but you ran away faster than a rabbit. At this rate, you’ll stay single forever.”
Wen Yan stared at him. “How are my standards too high? I just want someone with comparable looks.”
Li Zheng: “…Then you’ll be lonely forever.”
Wen Yan took it as a compliment and didn’t mind.
He was indeed good-looking. With a quarter of his blood being mixed, his features were slightly more defined than the average person. He had delicate Eastern facial features, deep and clear eyes, long and curled eyelashes, flawless skin like white jade, and a dimple appeared when he smiled.
Since he entered high school, the corridor would be crowded with people trying to pursue him. When he entered the classroom just now, most of the class was also staring at him.
After eating half a bag of snacks, Wen Yan saw that the teacher was still talking without any intention of stopping. He silently took out his phone to play a game, but when he unlocked the screen, he noticed a message from his dad.
He casually opened it and saw a row of exclamation marks. “Rascal, come back urgently!!!”
Wen Yan: … What urgent matter is this? Did our family go bankrupt?
Fortunately, another message quickly followed, this time from his mom.
“Don’t listen to your dad. Darling, are you still registering? Finish registering before coming back. Relatives from the main family are here and have something to discuss with you.”
Seeing this, Wen Yan relaxed. At least it wasn’t a major crisis in his family.
But he wasn’t in the mood to play games anymore. He stuffed his phone into the desk and threw a piece of preserved plum into his mouth.
Li Zheng noticed his actions and asked, “What’s wrong? Do you have something to do?”
“Yeah, my parents asked me to go back. Someone from the main family is here, and they want me to meet them.”
Li Zheng understood.
As Wen Yan’s childhood friend, he knew Wen Yan’s family background well. The Wen family was a branch of a large family, and although they had been independent for a long time, they still had regular interactions with the main family.
“You get along well with the main family, frequently visiting,” Li Zheng casually remarked. “What does your main family do? Are they in business too?”
Wen Yan casually agreed while thinking, It’s better if you don’t know what business my main family is involved in; otherwise, it might scare you.
…
With the teacher on stage continuing the monologue, Wen Yan rested his head on one arm, gazing at the green shade outside the window, his thoughts drifting further away.
He had no idea what his main family did when he was a child.
His family had become independent three generations ago, focusing on business and accumulating wealth. They only interacted with the main family during festivals and holidays.
Wen Yan always thought that his family was just an ordinary wealthy family, distinctive only in their wealth.
It wasn’t until he was four years old, kidnapped in broad daylight by a group of strange creatures, nearly eaten alive, that he learned there were beings other than humans—demons and ghosts.
As for his independent main family, which had been around for hundreds of years, they were a well-known family of cultivators, with a mission to eliminate demons and ghosts. However, as humans and demons started living harmoniously in recent years, and demons even had identification cards and coexisted with humans, killing a law-abiding demon would lead to imprisonment.
The main business of his family now was ghost-catching and offering feng shui advice. They also part-timed in selling various protective talismans.
After he was abducted by monsters, reporting to the police was useless because the opponent was non-human. His father urgently sought help from several elders of the family, and that’s how he was rescued.
Those elders examined him closely, being just four years old at the time. They ultimately confirmed that the reason he was abducted was that he possessed natural spirit bones, known as the treasure of the monster race.
His bones, his blood, even a strand of his hair could enhance the cultivation of monsters. He walked on the streets like a juicy meat bun, signaling all monsters to come and eat him. Just as in human society, not every monster was a model citizen, especially when faced with his extraordinary spirit bones. How could some monsters resist the temptation?
To prevent him from trouble, his family placed a seal on him, concealing the aura of his spirit bones, allowing him to grow up safely.
However, this seal had a drawback; it needed frequent repairs, or it would leak.
Yawning, Wen Yan thought that his family had come again to repair his seal. This was a routine event for him; it happened every year, and he wasn’t worried at all.
As soon as the teacher mentioned the end of the class, he stood up and bid Li Zhen goodbye, “I’m going home first. What about you?”
Li Zhen thought for a moment, “You go ahead; I have something to do today.”
Wen Yan bid him farewell at the classroom door. He had just sent a text message to the driver, and the car was already waiting at the gate when he stepped out.
The Wen family residence occupied the most prime area in the city. Once the car turned away from the bustling city area, it entered a quiet residential area. The air instantly quieted down, with only occasional rustling of small sycamore leaves casting shadows on the ground.
Upon entering the house, Wen Yan saw his parents, Wen Luojiang and Qiao Shan, seeing off several people from the family. They were all familiar faces, the ones who came every year to repair his seal.
Wen Yan greeted them, and they waved back before getting into the car.
Approaching his parents, he curiously asked, “Aren’t they here to repair the seal? Why did they leave before I came back?”
Qiao Shan, feeling a pang in her heart at the mention of the seal, took her son’s hand, “Come in; we’ll talk inside.”
Wen Yan was inexplicably pulled into the living room by his parents, pressed onto the sofa. His parents sat across from him, looking serious, like judges at a trial.
This made Wen Yan recall the expression his parents had when he fell asleep and failed his English exam in childhood. He felt a bit uneasy and frantically recalled if he had done something wrong and been caught.
“What’s with the serious faces? If there’s something, just say it directly; no need for psychological warfare,” Wen Yan whispered, not at all nervous.
Qiao Shan and Wen Luojiang exchanged a glance.
Qiao Shan sighed, patted Wen Luojiang’s hand, and decided to break the news directly.
Without beating around the bush, she said, “The family members came for your seal. We thought we might find a solution, so we didn’t tell you. But, in reality, the seal on you can only guarantee until you turn eighteen. After eighteen, when your spirit bones fully mature and emit a unique fragrance, the family can’t do anything more.”
Wen Yan was hit by a thunderbolt without any cushioning.
Instinctively, he touched the back of his neck, where there was a red mark resembling a blooming lotus. Others might think it was a tattoo, but it was actually a seal.
He knew that once he left the seal, he could be torn apart, bones extracted, and thrown into the cooking pot by malevolent monsters. He could understand why his parents looked so worried.
It was practically them saying, “Dear, your time is up.”
Qiao Shan continued, “But the family members say there might still be a chance. Do you know about the Monster Management Bureau?”
“I know.”
Although Wen Yan led a normal life, thanks to the family that dealt with monsters daily, he knew about the Monster Management Bureau, the organization responsible for monsters’ affairs. All monster IDs were issued by them, subject to their regulations.
“The founder of the Monster Management Bureau is Mr. Rong. This Mr. Rong once made a contract with the ancestor of the Wen family. The Wen family ancestors sacrificed generations to exchange for a legacy. In other words, both you and your father, along with all the family members, belong to this Mr. Rong.”
At this point, Qiao Shan barely restrained herself from rolling her eyes. Before Wen Yan returned, she had spent half an hour cursing the ancestor of the Wen family with Wen Luojiang. Wen Luojiang was also unhappy about this ancestor, but he couldn’t do anything about it.
Wen Yan exclaimed, “Can’t we just get rid of this ancestor? He’s too trashy.”
Qiao Shan waved it aside and got back to the main point.
She said, “This Mr. Rong has not forced the Wen family to fulfill the contract until now. However, he recently suffered a recurrence of an old injury. Your naturally gifted spirit bones happen to be able to heal his old injury. So, the Monster Management Bureau came to us with a proposal. If you go and heal Mr. Rong’s injury, they guarantee that no monster will dare to harm you.”
Wen Yan looked at his parents in confusion, “Isn’t this a good thing? Just healing an injury, right? I’ve always liked helping people since I was a child.”
He said, laughing at Qiao Shan, revealing a small dimple on his left cheek, looking cute and sweet… and silly.
Qiao Shan was so angry that she pinched Wen Luojiang’s hand, wondering who this silly child took after! Didn’t he consider that pie falling from the sky might be a good thing?!
Wen Luojiang couldn’t bear to see his son’s face, full of silly sweetness. He sighed and said, “Silly child, let me be straightforward. There are two methods for you to heal Mr. Rong. One is to offer yourself to Mr. Rong, let him swallow you alive, and the cure will be done. But that’s obviously not feasible. So, the Monster Management Bureau proposed the second method…”
Wen Yan, sensing something wrong from his father’s unpleasant expression, asked, “What other method?”
Wen Luojiang pressed his heart and said the second half of the sentence with determination, “They want you to marry Mr. Rong.”
The room suddenly became quiet, with only the birdsong outside the window.
Wen Yan deeply doubted his ears; otherwise, how could his parents suggest him marrying a monster? But soon, he realized from their faces that this was not a joke.
He might really be getting a husband dropped from the sky.
“You didn’t actually agree, did you? Calling me back is for a blind date?!” Wen Yan jumped up, but being not tall enough and not imposing enough, he stood on the sofa to show his determination to resist. “How old is Mr. Rong, and he still has the nerve to eat this under-18 tender grass? Does he have no shame?!”
Qiao Shan and Wen Luojiang were also troubled.
Who would want their son to marry a monster? He and Qiao Shan only had this one treasure, held in the palms of their hands since childhood. However, due to that cursed ancestor, all lives in the Wen family were actually under the control of Mr. Rong. Even if Wen Yan was eaten, according to the laws of the monster world, there would be no problem, and the Monster Management Bureau couldn’t do anything about it.
Moreover, seeing that Wen Yan was about to turn eighteen, once the seal on him truly withered away and the spirit bones appeared, who knew how much coveting would be aroused.
They were just two ordinary people with no means to protect this child.
Wen Yan continued to protest with a stiff neck, “I won’t marry him! You might as well just feed me to the monsters!”
His dream was to have a campus romance with a handsome guy who shared mutual feelings, not to act out an unfinished human-monster love affair with an old monster who could be his ancestor.
But Qiao Shan obviously wasn’t prepared to discuss democracy with him. She raised her eyelids, glanced at her son, and, like a queen, issued a command, “Wen Luojiang, go and tie your son down.”
Half an hour later, Wen Yan was bound hand and foot and thrown into the back seat of the car. His parents sat in the front seat, driving him to meet Mr. Rong and, incidentally, to check the seal on him.
Wen Yan knew he couldn’t escape and hummed loudly while curled up in the back seat.
He persistently complained, ‘A marriage without love won’t be happy. Even if you package me off, preserving my body, my soul will still be broken!’
During the one-hour car ride, Wen Yan ranted for at least forty minutes. His parents were accustomed to his chatter, but he was left with a dry mouth.
When he finally stopped, and they were close to their destination, his mother spoke slowly, ‘My son, the Monster Management Bureau said if you find another method to heal Mr. Rong’s injury before you turn eighteen, this marriage won’t happen. But your spirit bones can’t wait any longer. With Mr. Rong, a powerful monster overseeing, no other monster dares to have ill intentions towards you. Today is just for Mr. Rong to take a look at your spirit bones and seal. You really think we’re heartless parents, trying to push you into a fire pit?
Wen Yan curled his lips, “I never said you were heartless parents.”
He knew how much his parents loved him.
He sighed, thinking it was a dead end no matter how he looked at it. Might as well go and meet the person.
Consider it as going on a blind date, although the blind date partner was a bit shocking.
The area where Mr. Rong lived was inhabited by monsters. Upon entering, there was a distinct chill, separated from the outside heat.
However, his residence was individually arranged in a housing complex on a small island in the middle of a lake. It was a house with a courtyard, surrounded by blooming flowers and trees. The entrance was adorned with large white magnolias, making it feel exceptionally refreshing.
In Wen Yan’s eyes, it seemed excessively ostentatious.
But as they were being led by a steward who was clearly not human, he felt awkward about complaining.
Watching them cross a small bridge over the lake, they were about to enter the courtyard.
He sneakily asked his parents, “Tell me the truth, how old is Mr. Rong?”
Wen Luojiang thought for a moment, “Seems like he’s around ten thousand years old.”
Wen Yan almost face planted.
Ten thousand years!
Even antiques weren’t that old!
He entered the house in a daze, sitting on the sofa, waiting for Mr. Rong to come down. His mind was filled with phrases like “pear blossoms overwhelm the sea of flowers” and “white hair against red attire.”
It was simply a tragicomedy!
As he was lost in his thoughts, he heard a reminder from the steward beside him, “Mr. Rong is here.”
He’s here.
Although Wen Yan’s heart was as cold as ashes, he still stubbornly lifted his head, preparing to see the distinguished appearance of Mr. Rong.
He was prepared to see a face marked by the passage of time. Even if monsters maintained perpetual youth compared to humans, ten thousand years should have weathered the features.
But the moment he raised his head, he felt the world fall silent—
The person descending the stairs looked, at most, in their late twenties. Their skin was fair, lips pale, but their pair of ink-green eyes were deep and dark, like a lake that never froze, capable of capturing one’s soul with just a glance.
Wrapped in a bamboo-blue robe, tall but not slender, rather handsome and upright, it was a physique that belonged in a fashion magazine.
Clearly a youthful appearance, but it couldn’t conceal the stability and majesty that came with long-term superiority.
Wen Yan, about to make a sarcastic comment, choked on his words. The person descended step by step, and his heart, in sync with the footsteps, became restless and uneasy, beating loudly.
Not that he hadn’t seen the world; he considered himself to have seen quite a few handsome men and beautiful women. Yet none of them could compare to the person in front of him.
Wen Yan subconsciously touched his chest, vaguely recalling the rainbow-like praise his younger cousin had recited—
“Brother’s legs are not just legs; they’re the spring water by the Seine! Brother’s waist is not just a waist; it’s the rose of Bulgaria!”
Wasn’t that perfectly describing the beauty in front of him?!
“Are you Wen Yan?”
Wen Yan, still in a daze, heard a low and gentle voice asking him.
He nodded blankly.
Rong Xiao descended the last step.
He had no idea what impact his appearance had on this young human, thinking the other was just scared since marrying a monster was far beyond the usual limits.
But at least, he had no intention of forcing anyone.
He nodded towards Wen Luojiang and Qiao Shan, who were standing awkwardly beside him, as a form of greeting, then sat down across from Wen Yan.
He smiled at Wen Yan. The child seemed even younger than he expected, looking at him with a somewhat dazed expression, eyes misty and pitiable.
He lightly spoke, “I heard you are not satisfied with this engagement. No problem…”
But before he could finish his sentence, Wen Yan, as if suddenly awakening from a dream, briskly approached, “No, no, no, I am very satisfied. The moment I saw you, I knew we had a destined connection.”
Wen Yan now understood why he had been single for seventeen years.
It was all for the sake of waiting for his fated love!
He looked at Rong Xiao with sincere eyes, “Brother, what do you think about tomorrow? Shall we go get registered?”
As he spoke, he held the beauty’s hand, and if there had been a tail behind him, it would have wagged vigorously.
Rong Xiao: “?”
Wen Luojiang and Qiao Shan: “??!!”