Chapter 3 (10)
Yu Meng was having a difficult time figuring out how to break the news of her divorce to her two sons. She'd initially considered passing the buck to Luan Chengyun, but she was worried about losing her voice. If she were absent, there was no guarantee of how the man would portray her. She'd discussed it with him, and Luan Chengyun had agreed to hold off on telling them for now.
"It's not a big deal." He judged.
Yu Meng immediately saw through his sinister intentions.
If the divorce wasn't announced, perhaps he was still considering remarrying. He didn't want to start over—the girl was nice, but could she be better than Yu Meng? Experienced and charming, she was a ripe peach, alluring, while the girls were just plums hanging on the branches, good to look at but not to eat. But Yu Meng was determined not to give Luan Chengyun another chance. After so many years together, it was enough. Therefore, she had to announce the divorce to her sons.
She still wants to date. Without a clear name, her words won't flow. If her sons don't know she's divorced, and word of her dating gets out, she'll be labeled an infidel. She'll be universally reviled. Even if it's not true, her sons will have a preconceived notion, and she'll be in a very dire situation.
Yu Meng made up her mind and went ahead with it, acting out a peaceful breakup.
Luan Chengyun booked the restaurant. Great, let him pay. Spend some money.
The four of them sat at one side of the large round table. Luan Chengyun and Yu Meng sat on each side, with Haoyu and Zhengyu in between. Yu Meng asked about their studies and their lives, as usual. She then reminded Haoyu to tell his mother if he was dating. She also reminded Zhengyu to listen to his brother and be more outgoing.
Yu Meng wanted to ask Haoyu who the girl was who sat with him in the concert hall that day. But after asking again and again, her mind was preoccupied with the divorce, and she forgot the question the moment she turned around. After the meal was almost finished, the four of them sat down, and Luan Chengyun took out a cigarette.
"Put it back!" Yu Meng scolded. She'd been breathing secondhand smoke for so many years, and she hated it. Now that they were divorced, she couldn't stand it any more. Luan Chengyun smiled. Put it back, then put it back.
Yu Meng said to her sons, "Don't learn this!"
Haoyu drawled, "I know. No smoking, no drinking, and definitely no touching that." A marijuana scandal erupted in an American school. Yu Meng repeatedly urged her sons to control themselves.
"We can go now." Haoyu stood up.
"Sit down for a moment," Yu Meng said. She glanced at Chengyun, prompting him to speak. Luan Chengyun crossed his legs, leisurely sipping his tea. Yu Meng stretched out her leg and kicked him from under the table. Chengyun nearly fell.
Yu Meng stared.
Luan Chengyun sat down, pushed his teacup away, cleared his throat, and said, "Son, there's something." Haoyu Zhengyu was silent. He was so serious, it must be something big.
"Your mother and I parted ways amicably."
Haoyu had already guessed it, and it didn't surprise him. Zhengyu's face turned pale. He was still a child.
Yu Meng quickly took over and comforted her, "Everyone has their own path to walk. Now Mom and Dad have different paths to walk, so we can only go our separate ways... But don't worry, Mom and Dad won't change. We will still love you as much as before... and will love you even more."
Haoyu thought his mother's words were a bit corny. Zhengyu was about to cry.
"Who dumped who?" Haoyu asked.
"Your mother dumped me." Cheng Yun said without hesitation.
"Luan Chengyun!" Yu Meng shouted.
How could she say that? Although it was true, how could she be portrayed as a woman who abandoned her husband and children in front of her sons? Yu Meng turned to her eldest son Haoyu, "There's no question of who dumped whom. It's a peaceful breakup. If it's right, stay together. If it's not, separate. It's not something special. You're studying abroad, so you should understand your parents better."
It was still very formal. Yu Meng felt her tongue get a little tied as she spoke. "You don't love my dad anymore," Haoyu said in English. Yu Meng understood. It was simple enough to hear that she could. She quickly waved her fingers, saying no no no no... Haoyu switched to Chinese, "That means you still love him."
"NO!" Yu Meng was at a loss for words.
Haoyu turned to look at his father.
Luan Chengyun went to greet her, "I haven't changed. I still love your mother."
Shameless! What qualifications do you have to still love me! Yu Meng cried in her heart. It seems that a peaceful breakup is unrealistic. Zhengyu burst into tears. Haoyu said to his brother, "Why are you crying? It's just a divorce. No one will die."
Really rough thinking.
Yu Meng had to change her perspective. "Let time decide who is right and who is wrong. Haoyu, Zhengyu, mom and dad are separated. Both sides are at fault, it's not the fault of just one side. It's a pity that the marriage failed, but I never regret having you two."
It was a genuine feeling. Haoyu stopped nagging. Luan Chengyun said he needed to go to the bathroom. Yu Meng gathered the two children in her arms. Zhengyu burst into tears.
"Who will transfer the money next time?" Haoyu was rational.
"Ask your dad." Yu Meng was determined.
Send the sons away. Yu Meng blocked Luan Chengyun's number again. She was free again. She met with Weng Yue first. The old man had returned from outside, and no one knew what she was dealing with. But Weng Yue said that it was about her niece's schooling, and she had to go back and help. "My brother is here too," Weng Yue reminded her. Yu Meng didn't respond. Although she was single again, in theory, she welcomed all suitors, except her ex-husband. But a man like Weng Yang really didn't interest her.
She can fill the role, but she is a flower, and she needs greenery to complement her. The existence of Weng Yang, her fanboy, proves her charm to some extent.
Weng Yue asked about the Xin family concert, and Yu Meng briefly and lightly explained it. Weng Yue patted her and said, "That's great. Everyone knows you're capable."
"Someone is trying to harm me." Yu Meng deliberately mentioned the loss of the violin score.
"That's not the case. I guess you forgot it yourself."
"Absolutely not."
"Didn't you handle it cleverly? As you move up the ladder, everyone has a few opponents. Just take it lightly." Weng Yue advised. This was true. Yu Meng hadn't taken it to heart at first. After the concert, the attitude of the woman in the Women's Business Association towards her changed significantly. They seemed to no longer mind that Yu Meng only owned a shell company. "Nothing happened?" Weng Yue asked deliberately. Yu Meng said, what could happen to me. Weng Yue said, "You didn't take a fancy to any of these dragons and tigers?"
"The focus is on career." Yu Meng chuckled, "Men have love as long as they have careers. Women, the same."
Weng Yue smiled, but remained silent. She knew all about Yu Meng's "career." But she wished she had a female companion like her by her side. Weng Yue held a firm view: women should help women, and the higher up the ladder, the more so. The higher up the poker tables were dominated by men, with only a few women occasionally at the table. If they didn't want to support each other, they would be practically extinct. Even so, she believed women sometimes loved to hurt each other.
Weng Yue brought a coral and a piece of beeswax. Yu Meng asked, "What are you doing here? Are they for me?" Weng Yue smiled and said, "Yes, you're famous now, so I have to flatter you." Yu Meng took the beeswax. "I really like it." It's similar to the one Liu Xiaoqing wore around her neck on a show last time. It might be priceless.
Yu Meng wanted to wear it. Weng Yue stopped her. Yu Meng was unhappy, "How much is it? Here you go." Weng Yue then said that these two were birthday gifts for Mrs. Xin. Her birthday was in the middle of the year, and this year was an imaginary integer. It would be wrong not to express her gratitude. She said the coral was my gift and the beeswax was yours. Yu Meng was surprised, "Why? Do you need me for something?" Weng Yue said, "Make the emotional investment in advance, and you will be so successful in the future that you won't be able to catch up with me." Yu Meng still didn't believe it. Weng Yue said, "Then take it back." Yu Meng hurriedly stopped her, no, just give it to her. Weng Yue said mysteriously, "I heard that your old Luan recently won a big project."
Yu Meng sneered, "A toad on a scale." He added, "He and I are not from the same family."
Weng Yue added, "Say how many billions."
Yu Meng almost spit out a mouthful of water.
When enemies prosper, there will be a lot of hatred in the world.
"What did you do with billions of dollars? Print money?"
Weng Yue couldn't explain it clearly.
Everything was done. Yu Meng was going to invite the sisters to a get-together before the New Year. Yu Jia, in particular, felt incredibly sorry. After the busy day, there was a long break, followed by a flurry of small tasks. She kept talking about dinner plans, but the time never came up.
The company had several departments withdrawn, and Yu Shuang took charge, becoming incredibly busy, with only Sundays free. Li Ren and Yu Jia were on a cold war, and she was in a bad mood. Li Ren hadn't even told Yu Jia about the hometown reunion before the Lunar New Year.
It was Yu Yi who came back to report to his sister. Yu Jia asked, "Did everyone bring their families?" Yu Yi said some did, and some didn't. "But sister, you're from the same hometown, too."
She is not just a family member, she also has another identity and should be present.
The only thing she could understand was that Li Ren didn't want to take her out, and he didn't even notify her. Yu Jia couldn't help but wonder if she was too ugly to be taken out now.
Crow's feet, nasolabial folds, nasolabial lines, neck wrinkles... She looked haggard. She usually looked in the mirror without paying attention. When she went out, she used Lancôme BB cream, a whitening that concealed all flaws.
Don't be picky. Just make do.
Looking back, the time I was most particular was when I was the president of the Kunqu Opera Club at school. People said I portrayed Du Liniang with the most verve. After meeting Li Ren, I relaxed my guard, and after giving birth, I became even more oblivious to my own beauty and ugliness.
Sisi pushed the door open and came in, mumbling in English. She was determined to go abroad. Yu Jia asked, "How old is your mother?"
Sisi took off one of her headphones, unable to react, "Who is my mother?"
"I."
"oh--"
"Are you old?" Yu Jia stroked his face.
"It depends on which aspect you look at it from and who you compare it with," the daughter said objectively.
"Intuitive impression, can you see it?"
"I can see it—yes." Sisi stood on tiptoe, leaning forward to study her mother's face, like a soldier studying a military map. "But I can't...look closely."
Yu Jia was worried.
"Go to the Seventh Hospital for an injection," suggested the daughter.
"Your mother is not sick."
"Mom, can you please stop being so out of date? This is just basic nursing care, what's the big deal? You're still hanging out with Auntie Xiaorui and Auntie Meng every day. You've never eaten pork, but you've never seen pigs run." Sisi tapped her mother's cheek. "Look at your big cheeks and the condition of your skin. Tsk tsk, I'm just your daughter, don't think I'm ugly. Look at Faye Wong, Na Ying, and Carina Lau, they're getting younger with age." Suddenly, she felt heartbroken. "Do you think youth comes for free? It all comes down to money!"
"Your mother isn't that old yet." They were completely different generations. Yu Jia didn't agree with the analogy.
"Spend what you need to spend." Sisi never saves money.
"Okay, okay," Yu Jia said impatiently. She and her daughter had conflicting views. Little girls nowadays knew too much and were too impatient. "Wait until you can make money."
There's a knock on the door. It's the delivery guy. Sisi goes to open it. She takes the package in, opens it, and finds three plungers (used for unclogging drains).
Red, yellow and blue.
Sisi said in despair, "Mom, you bought three and returned two for this? I give up!" Yu Jia was embarrassed and made an excuse, saying, "What do you know? This is a high-end product. You can't buy it in the supermarket. Aunt Xiaoshuang and Aunt Xiaorui want one each. It's not just our family." This time, Yu Jia didn't plan to return the product.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com