Chapter Nineteen: An Extended Leave

Her fingers clutched the bedsheet tightly. Only when Zhang Fanfan finally released her did she silently turn away, a single tear tracing down her cheek…

Perhaps, in Li Ran’s memory, there were only a handful of such moments with Zhang Fanfan—none of them beautiful, all of them seeming as if he were merely venting some emotion.

Throughout, his expression remained utterly blank.

When he went to the bathroom to shower, Li Ran quietly wiped away the tears at the corners of her eyes. When he emerged, he didn’t even glance at her; he simply closed the door behind him and left. Once again, she was alone in the room.

She gave a self-mocking laugh and struggled to her feet to wash herself. Zhang Fanfan now couldn’t even bear to be in the same space as her. It was clear that their marriage had truly reached its end.

She knew full well their marriage was now just a hollow shell, yet Li Ran was unwilling to admit defeat, unwilling to let go so easily.

Even if Zhang Fanfan no longer loved her, he had, apart from being with An Qi, never truly hurt her. From their courtship to marriage, nearly five years had passed. Li Ran still cared for him; her heart couldn’t bear to let go. Most importantly, there was now the child…

Lying in the darkness, Li Ran sighed. What choice was left for her now?

…

Li Ran went to work as usual. The moment she entered the office, she sensed something was off. As soon as she walked in, her colleagues’ eyes followed her, unwavering.

She halted at her desk, stunned. All her personal belongings had been replaced, the things she used daily now neatly packed into a single box.

What was this?

It wasn’t uncommon for employees to leave the company, and the same scene always played out. Li Ran immediately realized what was happening.

“Li Ran, you’re here? Mr. Zhang asked me to notify you to go to his office,” Zhang Dechuan’s assistant said, his expression as cold as ever, even his form of address had changed.

Li Ran happened to want an explanation, so she followed him to Zhang Dechuan’s office.

When she entered, she saw An Qi was already there, her cheeks slightly flushed, looking flustered at Li Ran’s arrival. In contrast, Zhang Dechuan’s expression was also uneasy. Li Ran frowned, feeling the strange atmosphere.

“Mr. Zhang, you wanted to see me?”

“Ah, yes.” Zhang Dechuan cleared his throat and grew serious. “I heard you’ve been having some personal issues at home recently?”

“It’s nothing important, it won’t affect my work.”

“Even so, you’ve been with the company a long time, you should know how to prioritize. I don’t want personal matters interfering with your work, so I’ve decided to grant you an extended leave.”

Though his words were tactful, Li Ran understood perfectly well—this was a dismissal.

“Mr. Zhang, I believe—”

He raised his hand, stopping her, and gestured toward An Qi. “As for your position, I’ve decided to let An Qi step in for now. Once you’ve sorted out your matters, we’ll discuss further arrangements.”

“No, I don’t agree!” Li Ran refused outright. She knew perfectly well that once An Qi took her place, she would never step down, and this so-called leave was no leave at all. “I am fine. I don’t need any leave.”

Zhang Dechuan’s expression darkened. With a snap, he flung a sheet of paper onto the desk. “Li Ran, have I been too lenient with you? Has that made you so brazen? I recall when you signed your contract, you promised the company you wouldn’t get pregnant within three years, that you would devote yourself to your work. Then what is this?”

On the desk lay her pregnancy report. Indeed, Li Ran had made that promise, and it was written into her contract. There were still a few months left before the three years were up. By all accounts, she had breached the contract. According to its terms, she was liable for a penalty…