Pursued by a Little Puppy After the Divorce

Zhao Xinran is the ambitious and successful Chairperson of Xinpei Medical, a company she built from scratch and took public within six years. A graduate of University A’s School of Business, she returned to her alma mater for its centennial celebration to donate ten million and establish a scholarship. Despite her professional triumphs, her personal life is defined by her marriage to Pei Hongwen, a young Ph.D. candidate and the son of the wealthy Pei family. Zhao Xinran pursued Pei Hongwen ten years ago, marrying him five years ago primarily for the strategic alliance and family backing that allowed her career to flourish. Pei Hongwen, deeply in love with her, has spent the entire marriage catering to her every need, cooking for her, and supporting her ambitions, despite knowing she does not love him in return. Their relationship is physically intimate but emotionally distant, with the couple sleeping in separate rooms to avoid Zhao Xinran’s nightmares.

The central conflict emerges on their fifth wedding anniversary. Pei Hongwen, exhausted by a decade of unrequited love and a marriage that exists only in name, decides to end it. He believes that since he cannot make Zhao Xinran happy or win her heart, he should set her free. He drafts a divorce agreement that awards her all marital assets, including the company and their home, retaining nothing for himself. The next morning, he casually proposes the divorce while making breakfast. Zhao Xinran, initially dismissive and assuming it is a ploy or a result of academic stress, attempts to ignore the issue. However, when Pei Hongwen remains resolute, she becomes enraged. She interprets his desire for divorce as a betrayal, suspecting he is trying to seize control of Xinpei now that he has finished his studies. She physically assaults him, demanding to know why he is discarding her after five years of support.

A key turning point occurs when Pei Hongwen reveals the truth: he loves her and is leaving because he cannot bear the pain of her indifference any longer. He begs her to let him go, stating that if she cannot love him equally, he will release her. Shocked and confused by his declaration of love, Zhao Xinran does not reciprocate but instead signs the divorce papers to end the confrontation. They proceed to the Civil Affairs Bureau, where the divorce is finalized. Pei Hongwen moves out of their shared home, Xingyao Bay, and returns to university housing, leaving behind all his possessions except for a set of cufflinks Zhao Xinran had previously given him as a perfunctory gift. Zhao Xinran, now single, attempts to maintain her composure and continues her work, though she feels an inexplicable void. She confides in her best friend, Li Yi, about the divorce, asserting that Xinpei is her life and no one can touch it.

The story direction shifts as Zhao Xinran’s life begins to unravel from its predictable pattern. Without Pei Hongwen’s daily care, she faces small disruptions, such as not having dinner waiting for her. Meanwhile, Pei Hongwen struggles with his decision, haunted by his obsessive love and the fear that he might lose control if he stays. He receives calls from his family, who are unaware of the divorce and press him about having children, adding to his internal conflict. Simultaneously, a new character, Si Maoyan, re-enters Zhao Xinran’s life. Si Maoyan is a former student whom Zhao Xinran tutored before he went abroad. Now a handsome and intense man, he encounters her at a swimming pool and addresses her as "Teacher." His reappearance introduces a new dynamic, as he harbors deep feelings for her and watches her with possessive intensity. The narrative sets the stage for Zhao Xinran to navigate her new single life while Pei Hongwen deals with the aftermath of his sacrifice, and a new romantic tension brews with Si Maoyan’s return.