“Sorry, but we don’t hire women over 30 here,” the restaurant manager told Xia Xinghe impatiently as he shooed her away.

As Xinghe walked away listlessly, she overheard the manager mumble under his breath, “Who would want to patronize my business if I have an old and ugly waitress?”

Xinghe frowned slightly. She had half a mind to turn around and tell the manager she was only 25!

However, she stopped herself when she saw her reflection in the window beside her.

Her face had lost its youthfulness and the twinkle that once decorated her eyes had long since dimmed.

Emaciated frame, dry hair, wrinkled face and outdated apparel had added at least 10 years to her appearance.

She realized she had grown into an old woman in the past few years…

Even though she was really only 25!

Xinghe smiled bitterly as hardships from the last few years swamped her mind. As she dragged her tired body away from the spot, she noticed a car pull up behind her.

The arrival of an expensive Maybach wasn’t lost on the restaurant manager.

“CEO Xi, welcome, welcome!” the manager said obsequiously. Xinghe abruptly stopped in her tracks.

“Mubai, can you accompany me to go clothes shopping after this? Today’s the new arrival date for the Chanel counter.” Chu Tianxin said demurely as they descended from the car. Her hands were proprietarily wrapped around Xi Mubai’s arm.

Mubai glanced at her and answered with a succinct “En!”

The one syllable froze Xinghe to the ground!

Before she could stop herself, her head slowly turned…

And her eyes fell on Mubai’s handsome face!

It had to be him…

Xinghe couldn’t have predicted this was how they were going to meet after their divorce 3 years ago.

She was so haggard, so down on her lucks.

He was still his collected self, high above the ranks of commoners.

Tianxin beside him was also as elegant and dignified as she was 3 years ago.

The two of them did eventually end up together.

Then again, with her out of the picture, was it really any surprise?

“Xia Xinghe?” Mubai said when he saw her. Disbelief was plainly written in his eyes.

Tianxin’s expression changed slightly and gasped, “Oh my god, is that really you, Xia Xinghe? What happened to you?”

Xinghe snapped out of her daze. She quickly turned her head away, muttering, “You got the wrong person!”

Hastily, she turned to escape.

There was no way she was going to face the two of them today. No woman would be willing to face her rich ex-husband and her gorgeous ex-love rival in such an abject state.

Especially not after the two of them had gotten together!

The winner-and-loser comparison was simply too obvious.

Mubai caught up to the escaping Xinghe, yelling, “Xia Xinghe, stop right there!”

The moment his hand grabbed her arm, she screamed as if pricked by pins, “Let me go! I’m not Xia Xinghe, I’m really not!”

She was completely focused on her struggles to get away from Mubai, so she didn’t notice that a car was speeding down the road. Finally, she struggled free and raced across the road.

“Xinghe, be careful!” Mubai yelled, but it was already too late. The car slammed into Xinghe.

Xinghe landed headfirst and was instantly knocked out.

She descended into a long dream…

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She dreamt about everything that happened before she turned 19. The memories that she thought she had lost returned to her.

She realized that the Xia Xinghe of the past was no pushover; she wouldn’t have ended up in such a miserable state.

She was once the pride of her family… but now…

Reflecting on the adversity that she had been forced to endure, tears of sadness rolled down her face.

“The patient is still unconscious but her condition has pretty much stabilized. She suffered from a minor concussion to the head, but one or two weeks of rest should be enough to put her back on her feet. However, she will need some supplements due to an extended period of malnourishment…”

Inside the hospital room, the doctor explained in detail Xinghe’s physical condition to Mubai.

The statuesque man frowned slightly.

How could Xinghe be suffering from prolonged malnourishment?

Mubai turned his head to look at Xinghe, just in time to notice the tear that was gliding down his ex-wife weathered face…

His eyes shook slightly as a cocktail of emotions surged in his heart.

Xia Xinghe, what kind of life have you been living after our divorce?

Simultaneously, Tianxin, who stood beside Mubai, also stared at Xinghe while nurturing her own thoughts.

She looked at the woman who once had Mubai, but was ultimately chased away by her; she was overjoyed. Her heart soared witnessing the wretched state Xinghe had fallen into.

Xia Xinghe, you lost to me once… you’ll fare worse now that you’re old and ugly. I can barely summon the energy to deal with you. I’m sure you’ll just waste away like the trash that you’ve become.

After all, even for an idiot, the choice between a gorgeous woman and an old beggar would be exceptionally easy.

Tianxin might have reservations against a young, beautiful Xinghe, but now…

These thoughts buoyed Tianxin’s mood so greatly that she was feeling gracious for her ex-rival.

She nudged Mubai and said softly, “Mubai, don’t worry. I’m sure Xinghe will be fine. How about we find her a personal nurse or better yet, leave her some money. I believe that’s what she needs the most now.”

Mubai looked at his fiancé and nodded slightly.

“Mubai, it’s already quite late. We still have a family dinner to attend later tonight to discuss our upcoming nuptials. Shouldn’t we be going?” Tianxin asked to test the waters.

Mubai then only realized such an event was indeed in his itinerary.

Ever since his divorce, he hadn’t been looking for a new spouse but as the only male heir to the Xi Family, he had to marry to ensure the Xi Name lived on.

Tianxin was his childhood friend. The entire Xi Family was in love with her; her good looks and intellect were definite pluses as well. Therefore, after Mubai’s divorce was finalized, the two families had been trying to match the two of them together.

Mubai was warm towards Tianxin but he wasn’t in love with her. Then again, there was not a single woman that he was in love with.

Even his marriage to Xinghe wasn’t out of love since it was an arranged marriage.

For him, as long as the wife was biologically female, he was fine with anyone filling the post.

His indifference only deepened after the failed marriage to Xinghe. He shrugged and agreed nonchalantly when his family brought up the idea of marrying Tianxin. And tonight was a dinner between the two families to discuss their wedding.

In fact, that morning, they were out to look for a restaurant to host their wedding reception, and dress shopping…

Who knew they would stumble into Xia Xinghe.

The ex-wife he hadn’t met for 3 years.

Truth be told, Mubai had once wondered under what circumstances would they meet again. but none of the scenarios in his mind could have fitted the bizarre happenstance today.

Wasn’t she the Xia Family’s young mistress, how could she have landed in such a deplorable state?

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He remembered leaving her a sizeable amount of alimony after their divorce.

The amount should be more than enough for her to live the rest of her life in luxury, so why had he found her in such a situation?

This question had been clogging his mind ever since he left the hospital.

“Mubai, what’s on your mind?” Tianxin asked curiously, to which Mubai answered drily, “Nothing serious.”

“You’re thinking about Xinghe, aren’t you?” Tianxin sighed, “Even I couldn’t believe that was the same Xinghe we saw up there. Why did she choose to live like this when she has the resources for a better life? Why is she so dense?”

Dense… that was exactly how Mubai pictured Xinghe.

Sometimes dense could be cute but Xinghe had the lethal combination of being dense and stubborn. Because of this, troubles tended to follow the woman and the people around her.

In fact, their marriage could be said to be ruined by her stubbornness and denseness.

However, he didn’t expect her to be dumb enough to be unable to care for herself even with the great amount of alimony he had given her.

Simply put, his encounter with Xia Xinghe that day had left a great impact on him.

Mubai was lost in thought so he didn’t answer Tianxin’s questions. Before long, the car arrived at the restaurant.

Both of their families were already there.

Since the dinner was to discuss their upcoming nuptials, the attendees included both of their parents as well as his son, Xi Lin. He had him with Xinghe.

The little guy was one when they divorced, so he was four now.

“Why don’t we pick November 2nd as the wedding date? It’s an auspicious date and our country’s national day,” Mubai’s mom, Old Mrs. Xi said smilingly.

Tianxin’s mom nodded happily, adding, “This certainly is meant to be because I was going to suggest that day as well. Mubai, Tianxin, are the two of you fine with the date?”

“Of course. Arrangements like these have always been left in the parent’s capable hands,” Tianxin said diffidently.

“I’m fine with any date,” Mubai shrugged.

“Then, the date’s set. We can focus fully on wedding preparation now. Tianxin, God is still kind towards me because you’ll finally be my daughter-in-law,” Old Mrs. Xi said happily as her hands clasped over Tianxin’s, both of them smiling joyfully.

Tianxin practically grew up in front of her. She was very fond of Tianxin’s personality, character, and ability.

She had been haranguing Mubai to bring Tianxin into the Xi Family, and finally her wish was about to come true.

There was another woman at the table whose wish was about to come true and that was Chu Tianxin.

Finally, Xi Mubai was within her grasp.

The man was going to be hers at last.

Right then, the glass of juice Xi Lin held in his hands fell and shattered. He also somehow managed to splash his shirt with juice.

“Lin Lin, you’ve gotta be more careful,” Old Mrs. Xi scolded lightly.

“Lin Lin, are you hurt?” Tianxin moved in with a handkerchief to wipe the juice on his shirt but he quickly scurried into Mubai’s arms, avoiding her completely.

Tianxin’s hands hung awkwardly in the air.

“I’ll go get him cleaned up,” Mubai said as he carried his son to the bathroom.

In the bathroom, Mubai set his son down on the sink counter.

Xi Lin stared intently at his swaying legs, his brain churning.

He suddenly slapped away Mubai’s hands that were dabbing the juice out of his shirt.

“What’s wrong?” Mubai said softly as he stared at his son, “You’ve been acting up since the dinner began, is something bothering you?”

Xi Lin lowered his head wordlessly.

When Mubai lifted his son’s face, he saw a pair of determined eyes staring back at him.

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