Chapter 63

Chapter 63

◎The Achilles' Heel◎

The investigation into Shen Ruzhen's attempted murder was temporarily put on hold, as Cheng Yan and Meng Yi's divorce case was the first to go to trial.

As Shen Ruzhen had anticipated, with Meng Yi refusing to divorce, the court's first-instance judgment denied the divorce petition.

After the session, in the car on their way back, Cheng Yan, sitting in the passenger seat, couldn't hide her disappointment. She softly asked, "Why didn't the court grant our divorce?"

Shen Ruzhen sighed. "To lower the divorce rate, most first-instance divorce petitions are rejected nowadays, unless there are grounds like cohabitation with another person or domestic violence, which warrant a divorce."

Cheng Yan looked confused, her eyes wide. "But doesn't divorce just require proof that our relationship has broken down? It clearly has!"

Shen Ruzhen patiently explained, "Sometimes, the breakdown of a relationship doesn't just need to exist between the two of you; more importantly, the court needs to recognize it as such."

Still, she had expected this outcome, as real-world divorce laws were similarly restrictive.

As she pondered, Cheng Yan spoke again. "You just said cohabitation could be grounds for divorce. If Meng Yi cheated, doesn't that count as cohabitation?"

Shen Ruzhen replied, "Cohabitation refers to living together as a couple without formal marriage registration. While cohabitation often implies infidelity, infidelity doesn't necessarily involve cohabitation."

A mocking expression appeared on Cheng Yan's face. She murmured, "If even cheating can't secure a divorce, does the so-called Marriage Law truly protect vulnerable people like us?"

Her somewhat downcast face was gently cupped by a pair of soft hands. When Cheng Yan looked up, she realized that at some point, Shen Ruzhen had driven into a residential complex and parked the car in the underground parking lot. Shen Ruzhen looked directly into her eyes and asked, "Do you trust me?"

"...I do."

"That's good." Shen Ruzhen said confidently. "Although, according to legal provisions, if a divorce petition is rejected, you cannot refile within six months unless there are new facts or reasons. But what if we *do* have new facts and reasons?"

"New facts, new reasons?" Cheng Yan repeated, puzzled. Were there other pieces of evidence that hadn't been submitted?

Shen Ruzhen sneered, "If he hadn't tried to assassinate me, Meng Yi might truly have been able to drag this out for six months. Unfortunately, he made a move against me, which is undoubtedly digging his own grave."

Cheng Yan didn't quite understand, but then she heard Su Ya, sitting in the back seat, excitedly say, "Can this be considered 'other circumstances leading to the breakdown of marital affection'?"

Shen Ruzhen snapped her fingers in approval.

Su Ya's excitement quickly turned to worry. "But how do we prove Meng Yi was truly involved in the car accident? Even the police couldn't find anything on that point."

Shen Ruzhen said, "That's why we're here. Let's get out."

Su Ya and Cheng Yan simultaneously looked around. "Where is this?"

It looked like an ordinary residential complex: neat but old buildings, adequate but not perfect landscaping, and residents and elderly people hurrying by.

Shen Ruzhen calmly stated, "Meng Yi is extremely cunning. Getting irrefutable evidence of his actions is incredibly difficult. Therefore, we can only make him confess voluntarily."

Cheng Yan anxiously asked, "But why would he confess voluntarily?"

Shen Ruzhen's voice turned deep. "Attack the heart."

"To kill a snake, strike its seven-inch vital spot. To deal with a person, you must start with their softest, most vulnerable point."

Shen Ruzhen looked up, her gaze fixed on a distant window.

Cheng Yan followed her gaze for a while, seeing nothing special. However, when she connected the complex's name, building number, and floor height with a deeply buried memory, she instantly understood—what Meng Yi's Achilles' heel was.

Her voice began to tremble, whether from fear or sorrow, as she said in disbelief, "You mean... that little hussy lives here?"

[Author's Note]

(Pointing and grumbling) Look at you, so short! Who's satisfied with this?!

[I've already scolded myself, so no more scolding me, okay? [Sad puppy emoji]]