After leaving the Cheng family, Shang Wu felt as if a huge rock was pressing on her heart.
Mrs. Cheng's ashen face and Cheng Zhou's numb voice on the phone echoed alternately in her mind.
She knew that Madam Cheng had been appeased for the time being, but the core of the problem still lay firmly with those two stubborn and proud people.
She couldn't just stand by and watch them separate like this.
After much hesitation, she finally dialed Lu You's number.
The phone rang for a long time, and just when Shang Wu thought no one would answer, it was picked up.
There was complete silence over there, broken only by the faint sound of breathing.
“Sister You,” Shang Wu softened her voice, “it’s me.”
"Mmm." Lu You's voice was thick with nasal tone, clearly indicating that she had been crying, but she was trying hard to remain calm.
"Let's meet, just the two of us, and have a good talk."
There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone, before a soft "okay" finally came through.
Shang Wu specifically arranged to meet at a quiet coffee shop private room.
When Lu You arrived, she was wearing huge sunglasses that covered most of her face. Her lips were tightly pursed, and she exuded a low-pressure aura. It was obvious that she was in a terrible mood.
Shang Wu didn't rush to speak, but simply pushed a cup of hot milk in front of her.
Lu You stared at the glass of milk for a long time before finally raising her hand and slowly taking off her sunglasses.
Her eyes were red and swollen, with dark circles under them, and she looked tired and stubborn.
"Awu, if you're here to mediate, then forget it."
Lu You spoke first, her voice hoarse, "Some things, once they happen, they happen. Trust, once broken, is broken."
“Sister You,” Shang Wu looked at her earnestly, “I know you’re angry and aggrieved, feeling that Cheng Zhou didn’t stand by your side right away. But have you thought about it? In that situation, he was also stunned. On one hand, his mother fainted, and on the other hand, you were angry. He was caught in the middle, and it must have been very difficult for him. Later, the incident with the female celebrity was indeed a misunderstanding, and he clarified it as quickly as possible.”
"Clarify?" Lu You scoffed, but there was no smile in his eyes. "That was because you and Qian Jue helped him clarify. If you hadn't brought Qian Jue in, how did he plan to handle it? Would he have acquiesced? Or would he have waited for me to act like a shrew and make a scene again?"
She paused, took a deep breath, and suppressed her surging emotions.
“Awu, I’m not angry about just one or two things, I’m tired. From the pressure to have a baby, to his unreasonable demands, and then to his accusations, one thing after another disgusts me. My life, Lu You’s life, is not meant to be trapped in these trivial matters, especially disgusting things like pressuring me to have a baby.”
She looked out the window, her eyes somewhat vacant. "I thought Cheng Zhou understood me and respected me, but now I realize that perhaps deep down he still thinks women should be good wives and mothers, and he still can't completely get rid of his family's ideas. This time he's pressuring me to have a baby, but what about next time? I don't want to live in this kind of resentment for the rest of my life."
Shang Wu listened in silence.
She knew that Lu You's words made a lot of sense.
Some differences in perspectives are indeed deeply ingrained.
But she still wanted to try again. "Sister You, I know you're proud. But you don't have to fight to the death. Cheng Zhou... he does have feelings for you, otherwise he wouldn't be in so much pain. Give him a chance, and give yourselves a chance, have a proper talk, okay? Even... even if you really have to break up, make it clear, don't carry so many misunderstandings and resentments."
Lu You remained silent for a long time, staring at the glass of milk that had long since gone cold.
Soothing music played in the coffee shop, but you could still faintly hear the sound of traffic outside the window.
After an unknown amount of time, she finally exhaled very softly, as if she had made up her mind.
"Okay." She looked up at Shang Wu. "I'll see him. Tell him to come over."
Shang Wu was overjoyed, thinking that Lu You had finally come to her senses and was willing to give each other a chance to communicate.
She immediately took out her phone, walked to the side, and called Cheng Zhou.
After the call connected, she briefly told him that Lu You was willing to meet and asked him to come over as soon as possible.
Cheng Zhou arrived quickly, in just over ten minutes.
He didn't look much better than Lu You; he had a stubble beard, dark circles under his eyes, a suit jacket casually draped over his arm, and his shirt collar slightly open, carrying a faint smell of smoke.
He entered the private room, his gaze cautiously landing on Lu You, with a hint of nervousness.
"Youyou," he said in a hoarse voice.
Lu You didn't look at him, but took a folder out of her bag and pushed it to the center of the table.
Several words were clearly printed on the cover of the folder.
Divorce agreement.
The glimmer of hope on Cheng Zhou's face vanished instantly, replaced by disappointment and pain in his eyes.
He looked at the agreement as if it were some kind of bacteria.
“Cheng Zhou,” Lu You finally raised her head, her gaze calm but icy cold, “There’s no need to talk about anything else. I’ve already signed the agreement, and you’ve signed it too. Let’s find a time to get our marriage certificate. As soon as possible.”
Shang Wu's heart sank instantly.
She never expected that Lu You's so-called meeting would actually be a direct ultimatum.
Cheng Zhou froze, staring intently at the agreement, his Adam's apple bobbing violently.
He couldn't bear to part with it, a thousand times, a million times.
He opened his mouth as if to say something, to try and persuade her to stay, to explain the sadness and anger he felt when he heard her words that day, and to tell her that he regretted signing the agreement.
But looking into Lu You's calm and unwavering eyes, Cheng Zhou's words caught in his throat.
He knew that any attempt to persuade her to stay at this moment would likely be seen as nagging and ridiculous by her.
Pride wouldn't allow him to wag his tail and beg, and at that moment, his grievances surfaced.
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