Chapter 299 The Divorce Cooling-Off Period
Cheng Zhou stood frozen in place, as if all his strength had been drained away.
Shang Wu appeared at the doorway at some point, and looking at this scene, she sighed helplessly.
She had vaguely heard noises outside while inside the house.
"Now that she's said that, what are you planning to do?" Shang Wu asked.
Cheng Zhou slowly raised his head, his eyes gleaming with an almost obsessive light.
"I will not get a divorce, never."
After saying that, he turned and left.
The next morning, it was ten minutes to eight o'clock.
Lu You's car stopped right on time by the roadside near the Civil Affairs Bureau.
She sat in the driver's seat, her feelings a complex mix of relief, melancholy, and a hint of loss that she herself was unwilling to admit.
Lu You took a deep breath and prepared to get off the bus.
However, she froze the moment she opened the car door.
Contrary to her expectations, the entrance to the Civil Affairs Bureau was surprisingly quiet, with a large crowd gathered and flowers everywhere.
A cluster of vibrant red roses lined the entrance, and a huge red banner, held aloft by two balloons, hung in mid-air with a line of large characters clearly written on it.
"Wishing Lu Youcheng and Zhou a happy marriage and a long and harmonious life together!"
Passersby were attracted by the spectacle and stopped to watch, with some even taking photos with their phones.
What made Lu You's scalp tingle even more was that someone in the crowd shouted, "Look! That's Lu You! The one from the news!"
Countless curious and supportive gazes were cast upon her as she stepped off the bus.
"Miss Lu, congratulations!"
Happy wedding!
"You guys are so romantic!"
"Where is Mr. Cheng? Hasn't he arrived yet?"
A chorus of congratulations surged in like waves. Standing by the car, Lu You felt a rush of blood to her head, and her cheeks instantly burned.
Cheng Zhou, it must be him who did this!
We agreed to get a divorce, but he's acting like this.
Lu You was so angry that she was trembling all over. She turned around and wanted to open the car door and escape from this extremely embarrassing scene.
This divorce is definitely not going to happen today!
The moment her hand touched the doorknob, the passenger door was suddenly pulled open from the outside.
A figure quickly sat down inside, carrying a refreshing woody scent.
It was Cheng Zhou.
He had clearly taken care of himself, wearing a dark suit, and there was no trace of a hangover on his face, only an undisguised tension and exhaustion in his eyes.
As soon as he got in, he locked the car doors.
Seeing his expression, Lu You became even angrier, her voice sounding like it was being squeezed out from between her teeth.
"Cheng Zhou! Aren't you bored?! What are you trying to achieve by doing all this? Do you think it's romantic? Touching? Let me tell you, this only makes me think you're more ridiculous and childish!"
Cheng Zhou didn't refute or explain as usual. He just turned to the side, and his eyes, which always carried a hint of flirtatious smile, were now like those of an abandoned puppy, looking at Lu You with wet eyes.
His voice was low, with a heavy nasal tone and an obvious pitiful look: "Youyou, do you really want to divorce me?"
He reached out to take Lu You's hand, but she abruptly shook him off.
He wasn't annoyed, he just moved even closer, almost to the point where they could feel each other's breath, and repeated, "I can't bear to..."
These blunt and weak words unexpectedly stung Lu You.
All the cold words she had prepared suddenly became unspeakable at this moment.
Lu You turned her face away, refusing to look into his overly seductive eyes, and hardened her heart: "Reluctant? Cheng Zhou, stop saying these useless things. You know the most fundamental problem between us."
Cheng Zhou remained silent.
Lu You turned around, looked directly at him, and said, word by word, "Cheng Zhou, answer me honestly, is it absolutely impossible for you to accept not having children in this lifetime? Is it like your mother said, that the Cheng family line cannot end? If so, then let's get a divorce as soon as possible, so that neither of us will hold the other back!"
The carriage fell silent instantly, with only the sound of their hurried breathing remaining.
Looking into Lu You's eyes, which were stubbornly seeking a final answer, Cheng Zhou knew that he could no longer run away or be ambiguous.
His answer will determine whether they part ways or have a chance to survive.
He knew that what Lu You wanted wasn't perfunctory responses or delays, but a resolute and unwavering attitude.
But he... he can't give it to me.
He likes children, and his heart softens when he sees Yuwu.
But he loved Lu You more, and he couldn't imagine life without her. However, the decision of whether or not to have a child was influenced by his mother's expectations and the pressure from his family.
This was too heavy a burden, too heavy for him to easily make a lifelong promise at this moment, under such pressure.
His silence itself is an answer.
The expectation that Lu You had been looking at without even realizing it herself had been completely extinguished.
My heart seemed to cool down in an instant, and then quickly filled with disappointment and despair.
She didn't even glance at Cheng Zhou again, but pushed open the car door and said in a terrifyingly calm voice, "Let's go in and register."
After saying that, Lu You got out of the car and went inside first.
As Cheng Zhou watched her retreating figure, his heart ached terribly, and the pain spread to every part of his body.
He opened his mouth, but no sound came out.
Maybe...maybe it's good to separate for a while and let each other calm down.
Cheng Zhou numbly comforted himself, dragging his heavy steps as he followed behind her into the Civil Affairs Bureau.
The divorce registration process went smoothly.
The staff member asked a routine question.
Lu You remained firm throughout, only stating that the disagreement stemmed from the issue of the child. An irreconcilable one.
Soon I received the divorce registration receipt, which meant that the 30-day cooling-off period for divorce had officially begun.
Lu You didn't hesitate at all, turned around and left, as if staying for even a second longer would be torture.
Cheng Zhou looked at the thin piece of paper in his hand and felt it weighed more than a thousand pounds, making it almost impossible for him to breathe.
That same day, Lu You found a moving company and had all her belongings left at Cheng Zhou's house cleaned up, leaving nothing behind.
She moved back to her high-rise apartment.
When Shang Wu and Lu Rang learned of this news, they were utterly dumbfounded.
They never imagined that things would take such a dramatic turn overnight, culminating in them actually registering for divorce.
Shang Wu immediately called Lu You, but it rang for a long time before being answered.
"Sister You, what happened between you and Cheng Zhou? Why did you suddenly register for divorce..." Shang Wu asked anxiously.
On the other end of the phone, Lu You's voice was unusually calm, with an indifferent tone: "Nothing sudden, A-Wu. If the problem can't be solved, dragging it out will only wear us down. Let's leave it at that. I'm tired and want some peace and quiet. Don't come looking for me for a while."
After saying that, she hung up the phone without waiting for Shang Wu's response.
When Shang Wu called back, the phone was switched off.
She quickly called Cheng Zhou again, and Cheng Zhou answered, his voice hoarse and full of frustration: "Awu, don't try to persuade us anymore, we both need to calm down."
After saying that, he used being busy with work as an excuse to quickly end the call.
After repeated setbacks, Shang Wu was anxious and helpless. Coupled with the worries she had for the two of them and the care she had to give Yu Wu, she felt physically and mentally exhausted, and her face turned pale.
Seeing her looking uncomfortable yet forcing herself to be strong, Lu Rang felt a pang of heartache, but also felt a surge of anger towards Lu You and Cheng Zhou.
He held Shang Wu's shoulder, his tone leaving no room for doubt.
"Alright, Awu, stop wasting your energy on them. They are both adults, not children. They should bear the consequences of their own choices. We have done everything we could."
"Right now, your most important task is to take good care of yourself and Yuwu. Don't neglect your health."
He noticed the dark circles under Shang Wu's eyes and softened his tone, "Shall I help you back to rest?"
Shang Wu leaned against him and nodded wearily.
She knew Lu Rang was right, but she still felt a tightness in her chest.
They used to be such a great couple, how did things turn out like this so inexplicably?
Unable to persuade the two, she had no choice but to remain silent.
Time flies by, and before we know it, it's time to hold a 100-day celebration for Yuwu.
Shangwu began preparations.
She first contacted Lu Zheng, who readily agreed, saying he would definitely attend his granddaughter's 100-day celebration on time.
Then, Shang Wu dialed Lu You's number.
This time, Lu You answered the call, and her voice sounded a bit calmer than before.
But when the topic of the 100-day celebration came up, she paused for a moment, then said, "Awu, the celebration is for Yuwu, and I will definitely attend. However, I don't want to see Cheng Zhou, so please don't invite him."
Shang Wu was stunned: "Sister You, this...this isn't appropriate, is it? Cheng Zhou is, after all,..."
“There’s nothing inappropriate about it.” Lu You interrupted her, her tone turning cold and hard again. “I’ve already filed for divorce, and I don’t want to see him in that kind of setting during the cooling-off period. It’ll affect my mood. If you insist on him coming, then I won’t go.”
Her words left no room for negotiation.
Shang Wu held the phone, torn between two options.
On one side is the older sister, who has just experienced heartbreak and is resolute in her attitude.
On one side is Cheng Zhou, who is in the same pain and, logically speaking, should have been invited.
After much deliberation, she still felt that doing so would be unfair to Cheng Zhou, and she was also afraid that it would leave more resentment in the future.
Shang Wu decided to go to Cheng Zhou and talk to him in person to see if they could find a solution that was acceptable to both of them.
She arranged to meet Cheng Zhou at a teahouse.
Cheng Zhou arrived quickly; he was a bit thinner, but seemed to be in better spirits than before.
When Shang Wu relayed Lu You's request, his expression instantly tightened, and a hint of hurt and anger flashed in his eyes.
"Just because she doesn't want to see me, I can't attend my niece's 100-day celebration?"
Cheng Zhou's voice was filled with suppressed anger, "Awu, I also watched Yuwu being born, so she should call me uncle, right? Yes, Lu You and I are going through a divorce, but that has nothing to do with my feelings for Yuwu. What right does she have to deprive me of that right? Isn't she too willful and selfish?"
He became increasingly agitated as he spoke: "I admit I made mistakes before, but I never intended to hurt her. But now? Is she trying to completely kick me out of her life, and out of yours? I don't want to miss this 100-day celebration!"
Shang Wu listened quietly to his venting, and then fell silent.
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