Chapter 2: The Decision to Divorce

With a fiery gaze, Xiao Ran stood at the exit of the subway station, his heart filled with inexplicable emotions. On the other end of the line, Zheng Juan's shouts raged like a storm, clearly unprepared for Xiao Ran's unwavering resolve.

"Xiao Ran, what are you doing? Wait until I get back from work and deal with you!" Zheng Juan's voice reverberated through the phone, carrying a mix of anger and resentment.

However, Xiao Ran seemed unaffected, his voice calm and determined. "Immediately, go to the civil affairs bureau. I've already brought the household registration book, marriage certificate, and IDs." Each word he spoke was like a cold blade, cutting through Zheng Juan's defenses.

Zheng Juan's shouts suddenly faltered, seemingly intimidated by Xiao Ran's composure. She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down. "Don't be impulsive. You can't just decide to divorce. What about Xiao Jie?" She mentioned Xiao Jie, their nominal "son," who actually harbored a secret.

Xiao Ran's lips curled into a sneer. "How long do you plan to keep lying to me? Zheng Jie is not my son. He's your illegitimate child with Zhang Zihao. You were already pregnant with Zhang Zihao's child when you hastily married me!" His voice was filled with mockery and anger, as if he was about to reveal all the truths.

On the other end of the line, Zheng Juan's voice trembled. "How... how did you know?" Her voice was filled with terror and unease.

Xiao Ran didn't answer her question, only saying indifferently, "You don't need to know how I found out. Go to the civil affairs bureau now, or I'll go to the hospital and make a scene, exposing your affair with Zhang Zihao. See how you'll handle it." His voice was filled with threats and determination. He knew Zheng Juan would relent.

Indeed, after a brief silence, Zheng Juan finally caved. "Fine, I'll go to the civil affairs bureau." Her voice carried a hint of helplessness and resentment, but more so, a concession to reality.

Initially, Zheng Juan had hastily married Xiao Ran mainly to avoid the scandal of having an unwed child. In that era, being an unwed mother was nearly a death sentence for a woman. Additionally, she wanted to protect Zhang Zihao's reputation, as he was her beloved. Thirdly, Xiao Ran was honest and easy to control, essentially adding a free housekeeper to the family. Moreover, this housekeeper even handed over all his earnings!

Now, with Xiao Jie already three years old, Zheng Juan no longer had to worry about her reputation. It was just a pity to lose Xiao Ran, who handed over his entire salary. However, for the harmony of the family and Zhang Zihao's reputation, she had to reluctantly let go.

Xiao Ran stepped out of the subway station and spotted Zheng Juan waiting outside the civil affairs bureau. She wore a simple dress, her face bearing traces of exhaustion and unease. Upon seeing Xiao Ran approach, she instinctively lowered her head, as if afraid to face his gaze.

Xiao Ran ignored her emotions, only giving her a cold glance before walking into the civil affairs bureau. He knew that this marriage had been a sham from the start, and now, he was finally ending this deception.

In a certain corner of the city, a woman named Zheng Juan stood nervously in front of Xiao Ran. She was 27 years old, 160cm tall, and had a sweet appearance. Her big eyes always sparkled with light. At this moment, her ponytail swayed gently, as if telling of her uneasiness. Although her appearance could score 70 points, her figure was slightly thin, and her flat chest made her slightly lacking in female charm.

Zheng Juan's eyes were filled with astonishment and unease as she looked at Xiao Ran, trying to decipher his inner thoughts. She didn't understand why Xiao Ran suddenly proposed a divorce and knew so many secrets that she thought only she knew.

What she didn't know was that all this was because she had told Xiao Ran about it herself on the verge of his death in a previous life. At that time, Xiao Ran was already on the verge of death, so she naturally didn't worry about leaking the secret. However, this had become her inescapable nightmare in this life.

"Xiao Ran, have you really thought this over?" Zheng Juan tried to persuade Xiao Ran in a gentle tone. "Divorce is not a trivial matter. It involves issues such as property division and child custody." She tried to use these practical issues to make Xiao Ran reconsider.

However, Xiao Ran looked at her indifferently, as if her persuasion had no effect on him. "I will leave the house with nothing, and the child will be with you. I won't pay a penny of child support." He said calmly.

Zheng Juan was shocked by his decision. She thought that Xiao Ran would hesitate for the sake of property and children, but he was so resolute. She tried to persuade again, "Xiao Ran, you're being too impulsive. We can talk it over and find a better solution."

However, Xiao Ran had already made up his mind. He knew that he had to divorce as soon as possible. Otherwise, once the divorce hadn't been finalized and the news of his winning the lottery spread, Zheng Juan's family would surely pounce on him like starving wolves. He didn't want to leave himself any trouble.

"I've already made my decision," Xiao Ran said calmly. "I won't change it."

Zheng Juan looked at his firm eyes and knew that further persuasion would be futile. She had to follow him to the divorce office. Getting a number and queuing, although there weren't many people today, the process still felt somewhat lengthy to them.

In the mediation room, the mediator looked at this couple who were about to divorce and tried to make some final efforts. "You're both still young, and you have a child," he said. "Divorce is not the best choice for either of you."

However, Xiao Ran remained unwavering. "The child is not mine," he said indifferently, without any emotion in his tone. This sentence sank Zheng Juan's heart to the bottom. She knew that no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't win back Xiao Ran's heart.

Finally, under the witness of the mediator, they signed the divorce agreement. Xiao Ran left the house with nothing, and the child was raised by Zheng Juan. Xiao Ran, on the other hand, left with a sense of relief and determination, embarking on a new journey. He knew that the world was about to undergo tremendous changes, and he would become a key figure in this transformation.

Standing at the gate of the civil affairs bureau, Xiao Ran felt an indescribable sense of relief. He took a deep breath of fresh air, as if he was exhaling years of压抑 and constraints all at once. Divorce was not just a simple legal procedure for him, but a symbol of regaining his freedom.

Looking back at his marriage with Zheng Juan, Xiao Ran's heart was filled with bitterness. Their marriage had been a mistake from the start. He had never truly won Zheng Juan's heart, and Zheng Juan had never treated him as a real husband. That child, who should have brought him endless joy, was a complete lie. The results of the paternity test were like a sharp knife, piercing deeply into his heart, making him feel unbearable pain.

However, Xiao Ran did not choose to sink into despair. He knew that he had to get out of this nightmare as soon as possible, or his entire life would be tied down by this wrong marriage. Therefore, he made the decision to leave the marriage with nothing, giving up all the joint marital property. He knew that this would put him in a difficult financial situation, but he also knew that only by doing so could he truly break free from the Zheng family and regain his freedom.

In the mediation room of the civil affairs bureau, the mediator still wanted to make a final effort for them. But Xiao Ran had made his decision. He calmly interrupted the mediator's words and firmly expressed his wish to divorce. Seeing this, the mediator stopped trying to persuade them and began to process the divorce procedures for them.

The entire process went smoothly. Since there were no issues involving property division or child custody, the divorce agreement was quickly settled. After half an hour, Xiao Ran's marriage certificate in his hand turned into a divorce certificate. Looking at this thin piece of paper, he felt an indescribable sense of relief. He had finally escaped from this marriage that had束缚 him for so many years and regained his freedom.

As Xiao Ran walked out of the civil affairs bureau, he didn't look back at Zheng Juan. He knew that this woman was no longer a part of his world. He strode forward with a heart full of anticipation and vision for the future.

However, just when Xiao Ran was ready to start a new life, Zheng Juan brought him an unexpected trouble. She actually reported to the police that Xiao Ran had hit her father. This news shocked and angered Xiao Ran. He knew that this was Zheng Juan's revenge on him, trying to drag him down in this way.

But Xiao Ran was not intimidated. He knew clearly that he had not done anything illegal. Moreover, he had more important things to do. He was going to buy a lottery ticket, a lottery ticket that could change his destiny.

Xiao Ran went to a nearby lottery shop, reported a few numbers, and spent all the 200 yuan he had left to buy 100 lottery tickets. He knew that these 200 yuan were his only savings, but he still bought them without hesitation. Because he knew that this lottery ticket might bring him a whopping 500 million yuan in wealth.

While waiting for the results of the lottery, Xiao Ran felt extremely nervous. He prayed constantly, hoping that this lottery ticket would win. Finally, the lottery results were announced. Xiao Ran nervously checked if the numbers on his lottery tickets matched the winning numbers. When he saw that all the numbers matched perfectly, he couldn't believe his eyes. He had won! He really had won!

This good news made Xiao Ran feel incredibly excited and thrilled. He knew that this lottery ticket would completely change his fate. He would no longer be an ordinary office worker, but a wealthy millionaire!

In the bustling city, Xiao Ran sat quietly in the lobby of a five-star hotel, the screen of his phone showing the luxurious suite he had just booked. His fingertips gently slid over the screen, clicking on the "confirm payment" button. A thousand and five hundred yuan was instantly deducted from his account, but he didn't hesitate at all. In the past, such a consumption was simply unimaginable for him.

But now, money seemed to have lost its original meaning for him. He stood up and walked out of the lobby, casually hailing a taxi and heading towards the hotel. The driver glanced at him through the rearview mirror, a trace of envy flashing across his eyes, but Xiao Ran didn't care.

Upon arriving at the hotel, he smoothly completed the check-in procedures and registered with his ID card. As he walked into the room, an unprecedented sense of luxury overwhelmed him. He looked around and a surge of pride welled up in his heart. Was this the world of the wealthy? It was truly wonderful.

Xiao Ran sat on the bed and began to carefully study his ability to traverse between the real world and an alternative space. This ability was acquired during a recent accident, and it allowed him to freely shuttle between the two dimensions. However, he discovered that there were strict limitations to its use.

Firstly, there was a limit to the size of objects that could be stored in the alternative space. Since the dimensions of the spatial portal were only 5x5 meters, the objects could be infinitely long, but their height and width could not exceed this size. Nevertheless, he found that weight was not an issue, as he didn't need to physically force objects into the space. All he had to do was touch them and control them with his mind.

Secondly, to his disappointment, the alternative space could not accommodate living creatures. He tried to store a fish tank from the hotel lounge, but no matter how hard he tried, the tank would not enter the space. However, he discovered that if he opened the spatial portal, he could directly push the tank inside. But when he retrieved the tank, the fish inside were already dead. This made him realize that living creatures either had to be forcibly shoved in or allowed to enter the alternative space themselves.

During his exploration, Xiao Ran discovered some other unique characteristics. The spatial portal could be opened at any location and direction, but it could not exceed a radius of 2 meters around him. Additionally, he could not open the portal within solid objects, like walls. Moreover, whenever he moved, the portal would automatically close, but he could immediately reopen it.

Most excitingly, he found that objects placed in the alternative space maintained their original state. Whether it was hot tea or ice cubes, they would retain their condition when they were first stored. This characteristic sparked numerous ideas in Xiao Ran's mind, such as using it to store food and energy sources.

And what astonished him the most was that the alternative space preserved the kinetic energy of objects. This meant that if he threw a brick into the space and then "released" it, it would come flying out with the same velocity. This feature sparked countless possibilities in Xiao Ran's mind. He could use this ability to store various weapons and ammunition, releasing them whenever needed.

Sitting on the bed, Xiao Ran's heart was filled with anticipation for the future. He knew that if he could utilize this ability to its fullest potential, he would be unbeatable in the face of future disasters. Now, all he had to do was wait for tomorrow's big prize. If he won, he could start his investment plan. He would use the money to buy a house, invest in the stock market, and transform his home into a safe haven.

In the evening, Xiao Ran deliberately chose a high-end restaurant for dinner. He ordered an abundance of dishes and indulged in the pleasure brought by the sumptuous cuisine. He knew this was an experience he had never had before. But now, it all felt so vivid and marvelous. He was overwhelmed with emotion, filled with anticipation and longing for the future.