Volume 1, Chapter 5: If You Divorce, How Am I Supposed to Marry?

Buzz, buzz, buzz!

As Lou Nanzhi was packing her luggage at home, her phone on the nightstand began to ring. She assumed it was Wei Guoxiong looking to cause more trouble and didn't intend to answer it. However, upon second thought, she worried it might be the hotel calling about work, so she walked over to pick it up. To her surprise, the caller was her second daughter, Wei Ying'er.

Among her three daughters, the second one was the most prone to being blinded by romance. She had always favored her father, Wei Guoxiong, over her mother. Wei Guoxiong had raised his daughters with the philosophy of "spoiling them rotten," agreeing with everything they did regardless of right or wrong. Unlike Lou Nanzhi, who always analyzed the pros and cons and lectured her before she made any decision, Lou Nanzhi had inadvertently cast herself as the "villain" in her daughter's eyes.

Lou Nanzhi answered the phone. "Mom!"

Hearing her daughter’s long-absent voice, a warmth stirred in Lou Nanzhi's heart. "Ying'er, are you on break? You have time to call Mom! Are you running low on money?"

Before she could finish her sentence, a sharp voice of interrogation came from the other end. "Mom! Dad told me you want to divorce him?"

When Wei Ying'er had received the call from her father about the divorce, her head had buzzed with panic. She immediately thought about her own future; she was about to get married and meet her future in-laws. If they were really divorced, how awkward would it be when the parents met? How was she supposed to introduce them? The engagement might even be called off.

Before Lou Nanzhi could respond, Wei Ying'er’s voice continued. "Mom, it’s not that I want to criticize you, but you’re both at this age—why are you causing such a scene? Isn't it embarrassing if people find out? And my partner and I are already at the stage of discussing marriage! Didn't you consider us before doing this? Qiao Jie’s parents are intellectuals; if you two divorce, how am I supposed to hold my head up high when I marry into their family?"

She hadn't expected Wei Guoxiong to actually tell the children about this.

"Did you ask your father why we are getting a divorce?" Lou Nanzhi asked, curious to see how Wei Guoxiong had explained his disgraceful behavior to their child.

"Mom! I don't need him to tell me! It must be you acting temperamental again, refusing to cook, or maybe Grandma said something unpleasant. Isn't it always just these trivial matters?"

It was truly unexpected that this was the image Lou Nanzhi held in her daughter's heart.

"Ying'er! Actually, your father..."

Lou Nanzhi had already made up her mind about the divorce. She hadn't wanted to burden her children, but now that they knew, she wasn't going to take the blame alone. However, before she could explain, her daughter cut her off again.

"Mom! No matter what happens, I absolutely do not agree to this divorce! If you two divorce, I will never get married. You can just wait for me to become a nun!"

*Beep, beep, beep!*

Lou Nanzhi was still holding the phone, but a dial tone now echoed from the receiver. Wei Ying'er had hung up in a fit of rage. With the words caught in her throat, Lou Nanzhi considered calling back to explain, but after hearing her daughter's remarks, she decided there was no point. After all, this marriage was going to end regardless. She had spent a lifetime living for her husband and children; it was finally time to consider herself.

She placed the phone back on the nightstand and sat for a while. People said a daughter was a mother's "little cotton-padded jacket," but Lou Nanzhi’s jacket had not only failed to care about her mother’s situation but had instead scolded her as if she were a criminal. Still, her daughter wasn't entirely wrong; a solid family background was indeed looked upon more favorably. Could she endure this for the sake of her children?

Lost in these thoughts, Lou Nanzhi finished packing and headed to the hotel without looking back.

After getting off the bus and walking for a short while, she saw the Wangyue Tower in the distance. The building was brightly lit and bustling with activity. A continuous stream of guests arrived at the entrance, all dressed in formal attire. Lou Nanzhi had never liked crowds, so after a brief glance, she prepared to return to the dormitory to unpack and get a good night's sleep in preparation for work tomorrow.

However, as she dragged her suitcase through the hotel lobby, she saw the colleague who had shown her to her room yesterday standing with her head down, being scolded by the floor manager.

"Sister Wu! You’re usually so meticulous and error-free, so why cause trouble at such a critical moment? That is Vivian, a world-renowned pianist! Do you know how much the Fu Group paid to bring her here? Now that you’ve ruined her performance gown and she’s refusing to go on stage, who is going to clean up this mess?"

Sister Wu was about the same age as Lou Nanzhi. Even though they had only spoken for a short time, Lou Nanzhi knew she was a kind soul with a grandson suffering from leukemia, living in dire financial straits. Watching Sister Wu sob from a short distance away, Lou Nanzhi felt a pang of distress. She had originally planned to give a portion of her first month's salary to Sister Wu, but now it seemed she might not only lose her job but also be burdened with astronomical compensation.

Lou Nanzhi stood by, feeling anxious for her, when a man in his thirties walked toward them. The manager bowed and nodded, his demeanor suggesting the man held a significant position.

"I don't want to make things difficult for the staff, but today's piano performance is truly vital to the Fu family. We have one hour left. I don't care what method you use, but before Old Master Fu arrives, you must bring Miss Vivian back. Otherwise, not only will you be fired after today, but you will also pay double the costs in damages."

The man left no room for negotiation and turned to walk away.

"Manager! What... what are we supposed to do?" Sister Wu’s face was etched with despair, and the manager wrung his hands in anxiety. He was only a low-level leader and knew Sister Wu's situation, so he didn't dare say much more, nor did he know how to convince the haughty Miss Vivian to return. The custom gown was rumored to cost hundreds of thousands; even if they sold their kidneys, it wouldn't be enough to cover the loss. It seemed they were destined to take the fall for this.

"Manager! May I see the repertoire for tonight's piano performance?"

Just as the two were spiraling in panic, Lou Nanzhi stepped forward.

The manager looked impatient. "What are you looking at? Can't you see we're in a crisis? Don't add to the trouble!" He waved his hand, trying to shoo her away. Sister Wu stood to the side, looking pitiful, not even daring to raise her eyes.

"Manager, I used to play the piano. You might as well let me take a look. If I can play it, at least we won't have to face a dead silence when the time comes!"

Hearing this, the manager squinted at her, skeptical. "Are you sure?"

Though he doubted her, the woman—already past fifty—did possess a certain air of refinement uncommon for someone her age. Moreover, with no other options available, he had no choice but to treat a dying horse as if it were still alive.