As an online writer who has been writing novels in internet circles for seven years, Ethan Bolton could see through these things very clearly. Although he himself wasn’t particularly capable, that kind of life experience was undeniably real. So, just by simply observing people’s words and expressions, he had already realized a month ago that this woman had actually had a change of heart.

And the one who took this woman’s heart was none other than his good brother of many years, that chubby guy Grant Harris who only knew how to talk big, had some family money, wasn’t tall but was covered in fat.

This man was skilled in eating, drinking, whoring, and gambling, and becoming good brothers with him was only because back when Ethan Bolton was in middle school and got into a fight with some people outside of school, he lent a small hand.

Thinking of all this, a cold smile appeared at the corner of Ethan Bolton’s mouth. Without these entanglements, life would fundamentally change, wouldn’t it?

“Hmph, divorcing me—you’ll regret it forever!” Linda Howard sneered coldly, then resolutely turned around, yanked open the van door, and sat inside with an air of pride.

“You two, as a young couple, why go this far?” The driver, David Cooper, the owner of the village’s general store, sighed and tried to persuade them.

“Mr. Cooper, a pauper like him probably won’t ever get a wife in his whole life. Being with him only means suffering and poverty—he’s obviously a useless coward!” Linda Howard shouted angrily, viciously belittling Ethan Bolton, not giving Mr. Cooper any chance to speak.

“Sigh, Ethan this kid, actually…”

The middle-aged man surnamed Liu glanced at Ethan Bolton standing calmly in the distance and couldn’t help but sigh. In fact, he rather liked Ethan Bolton. Others might not know, but he did: just the things bought at his general store for the wedding, plus the things he was asked to buy on their behalf, were worth over eighty thousand!

In the countryside, how many young people can come up with eighty thousand all at once?

And look at the clothes on that woman—was any piece less than three hundred yuan?

And that wedding room, decorated so luxuriously, just the high-quality rosewood flooring alone was worth a fortune…

And still, she wasn’t satisfied? Thinking of his own wife, who had gone through hard times with him, David Cooper felt a bit sentimental. Compared to this, his own wife’s occasional nagging wasn’t so bad after all.

“This kid… sigh, it’s a pity my Jenny was already promised to someone else this spring…”

David Cooper sighed softly, then took out a Hong Jinlong cigarette, lit one up, and started driving while lost in thought.

Watching the car drive away, Ethan Bolton stood there in silence. At that moment, an elegant ringtone sounded from his Dopod HTC-Touch-HD phone.

The ringtone was “Castle in the Sky,” with a sense of fluctuation and shock, especially that gentle trembling note. Every time he heard it, Ethan Bolton always felt as if a bead in the center of his brow was about to burst out.

The swelling in his brow always made him feel that real life was somewhat unreal, but he had felt this way for a long time and had gotten used to it.

“Hello, Mom, I’ll be back soon. You eat first, don’t worry.” Ethan Bolton checked the time—it was almost 1 p.m.

“I just heard from Mr. Bennett in the village that you two… got divorced?” On the Dopod phone, Diana Parker’s voice trembled with fear.

“Yeah, we’re divorced. Mom, don’t worry. With your son’s abilities, I’ll find you someone even better in the future! Filial and virtuous, that’s a given, and she’ll give our family a big, healthy grandson!” Ethan Bolton’s voice was full of warmth and confidence.

“Sigh, it’s come to this—what else can I say? Little Linda was actually pretty good before. I guess it’s that frivolous fat guy who came last time—Mom always told you not to trust others too much, but you wouldn’t listen. That Grant Harris, you can tell at a glance he’s no good!” On the phone, Diana Parker still sounded resentful when she brought this up.

“Forget it, Mom, it’s all in the past. In this world, life goes on no matter who leaves! Don’t be like that, just let it go. If she left your son, it’s because she has no vision!”

Ethan Bolton comforted her, and at this moment, he realized that he didn’t actually feel much pain over Linda Howard’s departure. Maybe, after countless times of tolerance, the feelings had simply faded.

After hanging up, he fell silent, took out a pack of Hong Jinlong, pulled out a cigarette, lit it, and took a deep drag.

This was Ethan Bolton’s first time smoking.

A man who gives up his dignity and pride, submitting before a woman, does so only because he is kind-hearted and can’t bear to hurt the simple, virtuous girl who once gave him her virginity. But when everything has completely changed, this indulgence still continued.

Looking back suddenly, when that woman became even more unreasonable, he finally understood that, all along, it really wasn’t worth it!

If, back then, he had kept all that money and devoted himself to treating his father’s illness, would his father still have left? Even though it was his father who refused treatment…