Madam, Please Behave

In a rush,

Li Chongming dragged his suitcase out of the house. After throwing together a few things he needed, he left without even a hint of hesitation.

With Chu Fang in tow, they stopped at the elevator. He reached out and pressed the ↓ button, then stood there waiting.

Behind him,

Chu Fang was playing the role of the fragile woman perfectly. Her face showed clear worry, as if she were frightened by all the uncertainties ahead.

Her hands were clenched tightly in anxiety.

As he waited for the elevator, Li Chongming glanced back at her, catching that anxious look on her face.

He pursed his lips, exhaled heavily, trying to keep his panic in check, then turned around and took her trembling hand in his—gently, like he was comforting her.

In a soft voice, he said:

“But…”

Chu Fang suddenly looked up at him, letting him hold her hand, her tone filled with concern, acting every bit the timid and fearful girl.

“But… Li Wanran’s family is so rich. What if they—”

“They’re barely able to take care of themselves right now.”

He cut her off.

Li Chongming’s expression darkened. He wasn’t just talking to Chu Fang—it was like he was also trying to convince himself.

“As far as I know, ever since Ye Rong’s husband died, everyone around her has been watching her like vultures. With her IQ, it’s only a matter of time before she’s finished. Besides, I still have…”

“You still have what?”

When Chu Fang asked, Li Chongming didn’t continue.

Just then, the elevator arrived at their floor. Ding~ The doors opened.

Without another word, Li Chongming dragged his suitcase with one hand and pulled Chu Fang along with the other. His tone hardened, like he was clenching his teeth:

“Let’s go. We need to leave here first.”

“It was a pleasure working with you. I hope we can collaborate again next time.”

Ye Rong smiled and extended her hand to the foreign guest in front of her, and the translator beside her passed on her words.

After shaking hands,

Ye Rong watched as her secretary walked the foreign guest out. The smile on her face instantly vanished, replaced with a look of fatigue.

She walked over to her chair, sat down, and rubbed her temples. After resting for a moment, the same secretary came back in.

Hearing someone enter, Ye Rong didn’t open her eyes. She kept rubbing her temples as she spoke to the secretary:

“Call Li Chongming and tell him to come in.”

The secretary acknowledged the order and went to notify Li Chongming.

The office was once again quiet—just Ye Rong alone.

She stopped massaging her temples and leaned back in her chair, letting out a long exhale.

This… was far more exhausting than she’d imagined.

But… the moment she thought of her son-in-law, a bit of that weariness lifted from her heart.

In her eyes, arranging for her daughter to run into Li Chongming at the banquet back then had been the right move. Even if the method was a bit shady…

Compared to that worthless Liu Changqing, she clearly appreciated Li Chongming more. Whether it was his speech or his decision-making, he was leagues better than Liu Changqing.

What’s more, Li Chongming had been her daughter’s first love…

Unlike herself—who had married someone she didn’t love and spent her best youthful years in numbness—Ye Rong, as a mother, wanted her daughter to find happiness in marriage.

She didn’t want her daughter to end up like she did.

If she hadn’t intentionally set things up, had her daughter not met Li Chongming again at that banquet, then her daughter would’ve spent the rest of her life trapped in a miserable marriage with that brat Liu Changqing…

Ye Rong, at her age, no longer thought the way she once had. Now, she just wanted to do something good for her daughter.

To make up for what she couldn’t do when she was young…

As those thoughts spun through her head—

Suddenly, a rapid set of footsteps grew louder and clearer.

The secretary came rushing back into Li Wanran’s office.

She reported the news she’d just received.

“Something’s wrong!”

Ye Rong opened her eyes.

She sat upright, staring at the secretary who had just spoken.

Back at the home she once shared with Li Chongming,

Li Wanran returned.

The moment she stepped inside, she headed straight for what used to be their master bedroom. Her high heels hit the wooden floor hard with every step.

She pushed open the bedroom door.

Without pause, she tossed her handbag onto the large bed, then walked straight toward the wall where their wedding photo hung.

Her steps stopped.

She stared at the woman in the photo—herself…

And the man beside her—Li Chongming.

In that instant, she felt a wave of nausea rise from deep inside.

Memories of things she once couldn’t have… over time, they always got idealized. Even Li Wanran wasn’t immune to that.

Back in high school, even though she had excellent grades and collected all sorts of honors, beneath her cold, beautiful face…

Was a deep, profound loneliness.

She hadn’t been happy.

At first, she didn’t think much of the shy, awkward Li Chongming. But over time, after repeated interactions—especially after one particular incident—she finally noticed something about him…

That one shining quality,

Like a beacon in the night, lit up her heart—and also made its way into it.

But at her core… Li Wanran was proud to the extreme.

After losing out to her best friend, An Yuanyao, she didn’t stick around shamelessly or try to win him back. She cut the feelings off, clean and fast.

And her response was—

To randomly choose Liu Changqing from among her many admirers.

That clumsy, unromantic man.

She hastily got into a relationship with him and quickly gave him her first time.

That was her revenge.

She thought she’d never cross paths with Li Chongming again. But who would’ve thought…

At a banquet years later, when she was on the verge of a public embarrassment… Li Chongming had suddenly shown up at her side.

Just like he had in the past, he helped her again.

And he told her…

His marriage… wasn’t happy.

Staring at the wedding photo in front of her, Li Wanran didn’t hesitate—she reached out with both hands, strained a bit to lift it off the wall…

And threw it on the floor.