In the hotel lobby, Lu Jinnian’s mood was a mix of joy and worry. Joy, because Sang Wan still cared about him. Last night, his decision to let Lin Zhaozhao stay at the villa had been the right move—Sang Wan was indeed angry. Not only angry, but the consequences were serious. She hadn’t come home all night.
The worry came from that very absence.
He tried calling Xu Yiyi. Barely had he spoken when she snapped, “Are you crazy?” and launched into a furious tirade. He couldn’t get a word in, so he hung up.
Beyond that, Lu Jinnian didn’t know who else to call. Sang Wan’s only close friend in the capital was Xu Yiyi. But in his mind, that shabby car kept flashing back. The thought of Sang Wan spending the night with that “wild man” made his chest tighten with irritation.
Half an hour passed, and still no sign of her.
Lu Jinnian pulled out his phone to call Sang Wan. Before he could dial, commotion stirred at the hotel entrance.
Several business vans pulled up. Reporters spilled out, microphones in hand, cameras hoisted on shoulders.
The moment they spotted Lu Jinnian, their eyes lit up.
“President Lu, is it true you’re getting divorced?”
“Sources claim you’ve cheated—your mistress is your secretary—and that you’re forcing Mrs. Lu out with nothing. Is that correct?”
“President Lu, with the municipal bidding conference next month, is this scandal part of Lu Corporation’s strategy?”
“….”
He was seething inside, but his face betrayed nothing.
Lu Jinnian hadn’t expected Sang Wan to actually follow through—she had leaked the story to the media.
“The divorce rumors are false!” With that opening line, he set the tone. Smiling, he said: “My wife and I were childhood sweethearts. We fell in love at sixteen, entered Imperial University together at eighteen. I confessed, she accepted, and we officially became a couple. To this day, it’s been twelve years…”
“Half a year ago, I was diagnosed with kidney failure. She even donated one of her kidneys to me. Our bond is not something outsiders can measure, but I can say with certainty—our relationship is strong, and I have never betrayed her.”
“The rumor about a mistress is pure fabrication. If you provide the whistleblower’s information, I will sue for slander and defamation!”
“As for next month’s bidding conference…”
With just a few words, the tide of the situation shifted.
In front of the cameras, Lu Jinnian spoke with ease and confidence. It was as if this wasn’t a surprise ambush over a scandal, but a press conference he himself had convened. Dressed in a tailored suit, he projected a commanding aura. On screen, his poised and eloquent presence was magnified a thousandfold.
“What a good man! People say wealth corrupts, but clearly there are exceptions!”
“His wife is truly blessed!”
“….”
At the hotpot restaurant, the surrounding diners all wore expressions of admiration.
Sang Wan, however, had no appetite.
“Bastard!” Across the table, Xu Yiyi glanced at the television and cursed, “He can twist black into white. With such eloquence, it’s a pity he isn’t a lawyer!”
“Don’t…” Sang Wan gave her a faint look. “Don’t insult lawyers.”
Such a noble profession shouldn’t be sullied by someone like Lu Jinnian, who distorted truth at will.
“You’re right!” Xu Yiyi quickly agreed, placing a slice of meat into Sang Wan’s bowl before asking, “So what now?”
She planned to use the media to drive Lu Jinnian away and stop him from pestering Sang Wan at the hotel. Unexpectedly, it had backfired—turning into free publicity for Lu Corporation’s upcoming projects. If time could rewind just a few hours, she would have left it at a curse. She should never have leaked the story.
Sang Wan regretted it!
“It’s fine…” Meeting Xu Yiyi’s worried gaze, Sang Wan smiled. “I just need to get through tonight.” Tomorrow she would start looking for an apartment. Once she moved out of the hotel, Lu Jinnian wouldn’t be able to hound her so easily.
“Then I’ll go with you.” Xu Yiyi set down her phone. “I only have one class tomorrow, and I already swapped with a colleague. Tonight I’ll stay at the hotel with you. Tomorrow we’ll go apartment hunting—let’s try to find a place and move in before two in the afternoon. That way we’ll even save tomorrow’s hotel fee!”
Sang Wan was so touched she couldn’t put it into words, so she simply filled Xu Yiyi’s bowl with more food.
The two of them pushed aside their bad moods and focused on enjoying the hotpot in front of them.
At the same time, in the basement garage of the hillside villa, Lou Ye’s eyes were shadowed.
“Sorry, the number you dialed is powered off. Sorry…” The cold female voice echoed in his ear.
Lou Ye lowered his phone, unsure whether Sang Wan’s battery had died or if she was simply too upset and had switched it off to hide.
When he looked up again, the car’s display screen showed the handsome President Lu eloquently recounting Lu Corporation’s development over the past few years.
Those who knew the truth understood he was cornered by paparazzi in the hotel lobby. Those who didn’t might think he was addressing municipal leaders in a formal briefing.
A mocking smile spread across Lou Ye’s eyes. He dialed another number. “Tomorrow at market open, buy more Lu Corporation stock.”
Yesterday’s debts, today’s debts—he would settle them all together!
After hanging up, Lou Ye opened the car door and stepped into the elevator. As he walked out, the foyer lights flicked on.
“Meow!” A cry rang out as an orange cat darted out from somewhere unseen.
The orange cat padded up to Lou Ye’s feet, rubbing affectionately against his trouser leg.
“You poor little thing!” Without even bothering to change his shoes, Lou Ye sat down on the floor and tapped the cat’s forehead. “Your mommy doesn’t want you anymore!”
“Meow!” Its two front paws pressed against his suit pants, wide eyes brimming with innocent confusion.
“But it’s alright…” Lou Ye stroked its furry head. “Daddy wants you!”
After changing his shoes, he rose and walked into the living room—then froze.
The once-pristine sofa now bore a trail of footprints, fading from black to gray to pale ash. In the corner, a Brazilian plant was snapped in half, soil scattered across the floor. A faint stench lingered in the air. He didn’t need to guess what the culprit had done.
Lou Ye pointed a finger at it. “Little rebel!”
The “rebel” glanced back at him, then swaggered up the stairs to the second floor.
Lou Ye phoned the housekeeper with a brief instruction, then entered the master bedroom. After his shower, he emerged to find the air scented faintly of lemon. The plants had been replaced, the sofa cleaned—though the frayed armrest now clearly served as a scratching post.
Switching on the TV to an international news channel for background noise, Lou Ye settled into the sofa with his tablet. His phone buzzed nonstop. Some asked what he was busy with, saying they missed him. Others tagged him in group chats, inviting him out for drinks.
Too lazy to reply one by one, Lou Ye typed a single line into the group: [Not going. Busy taking care of my kid.]
???
It was like tossing a bucket of ice into boiling oil—the lively chat instantly exploded.
Lou Ye tossed the phone aside. Looking down at the orange cat curled into a ball in his arms, purring softly, his cold gaze gradually softened.