By seniority, Zhou Jing should call Chen Junbi "Ninth Uncle Chen."
Zhou Jing's father died early. Her mother took the house and money and went straight overseas, not caring in the least what became of her. Zhou Jing was sent to live with relatives, under the care of one of her father's friends.
At sixteen, she got a full sleeve tattoo. At seventeen, she skipped school to sing on the street. At eighteen, Chen Junbi dragged her out of the arms of a man in a bar.
Rebellious, troublesome, up to no good: these were all words people used to describe her. When the elders smacked the backs of Zhou Jing's hands with a ruler, Chen Junbi would sit in the seat of honor with one leg crossed over the other. When he'd decided she'd had enough, he would stub out his cigarette and say with a smile, "She's still young."
She's still young.
Those were the three words Zhou Jing hated most when they came from him.
She used to hate him for being such a womanizer. Now she hated him because he never saw her.
Chen Junbi had been cold-hearted for over thirty years, and was ruthless to the core. Even so, he had done two outrageous things. First, when Zhou Jing climbed into his bed while he was drunk, he was perfectly sober, but couldn't bring himself to dodge her. Second, he agreed to register their marriage when she turned twenty-one, so she could earn credits for a university innovation project.
Unfortunately, two credits still weren't enough. Add a divorce certificate, though, and she had just what she needed.
Outside the Civil Affairs Bureau, Zhou Jing was still hugging his neck and nuzzling against him as she coaxed him softly:
"Chen Junbi, Ninth Uncle Chen~ As soon as I get my diploma, we'll remarry!" She swore on it, sounding utterly sincere. "Divorce really isn't a big deal. Don't be so old-fashioned!"
Chen Junbi believed her. That very afternoon, Zhou Jing flew abroad. To hell with the diploma, to hell with the fake divorce. He never heard from her again.
Everyone in their circle knew that Second Master Chen's wedding had been a grand affair. He'd taken a beating with a whip before he was allowed to marry Zhou Jing. Their divorce was just as impressive, leaving Zhou Jing with ninety percent of his fortune.
And now? She was living it up, using her ex-husband's money to keep herself a string of young pretty boys.
* Twelve-year age gap. By seniority, Zhou Jing calls Chen Junbi Ninth Uncle Chen.
* Chen Junbi has hit Zhou Jing before, making her kneel in the ancestral hall and whipping her with a cane.
* Zhou Jing: young, beautiful, single, and rich.
* 2020.12.04
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