Chapter 19: Sorry, Ms. Li

Wen Yang stared blankly at Yu Qing gesturing in front of her, lost in thought.

Zhu Yun’s voice came from beside her, “Wen Yang?”

“Yang Yang?”

“What’s going on?”

Wen Yang snapped out of her daze and called out, “Mom.”

Hearing her response, Zhu Yun sighed in exasperation, “What’s going on? No signal? You’ve been silent for ages…”

“Mom, I divorced Cheng Yanyu.” Wen Yang paused for a few seconds and then quickly blurted it out.

“You divorced…?” Zhu Yun’s voice suddenly faltered, as if in disbelief. After a moment of stunned silence, she quickly added, “Divorced? You and Yanyu divorced? How could this happen? What happened? Was it because I kept pressuring you to have kids? Was the stress too much?”

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“Xjyu, Ubldt Zyduw, nblyvkdt obkzl xyaakle. Ebyv y talyv psd-kd-zyo bl vwadle swv vs cl.”

Zhu Yun couldn’t believe it. The refined, handsome, always-smiling, and filial son-in-law she knew had cheated during his marriage. Back when Wen Yang brought him home, his demeanor was impeccable, his smile warm, and he was endlessly attentive to Wen Yang. He was even from Rongcheng, just like them—there was nothing to criticize. Zhu Yun and Wen Yang’s father quickly approved of their relationship.

“Yang Yang,” Zhu Yun finally said after scolding Cheng Yanyu, turning her attention to her daughter. She spoke softly, “Your dad and I will come visit you in a few days.”

Wen Yang, who had held back her tears so far, felt her eyes redden at Zhu Yun’s words. “Mom, there’s no need. I’m fine. In fact, we’ve been divorced for almost two months now. Yu Qing has been with me the whole time, and I’m slowly moving on. If you and Dad come, I’m afraid it will bring me back into that emotional state.”

Zhu Yun’s heart felt heavy.

She understood why Wen Yang handled everything first and told them later. A divorce between two people could become far messier with both families involved. Wen Yang would’ve only suffered more.

Zhu Yun finally said, “Alright, then. We’ll visit in two weeks when your dad starts his annual leave. Yang Yang, don’t worry. Your dad and I won’t bring this up again.”

With tears in her eyes, Wen Yang smiled. “Okay. Let me know when you’re coming in two weeks. I have a surprise for you.”

“Alright.”

After hanging up, Yu Qing handed Wen Yang a tissue to wipe her tears. Meanwhile, Zhu Yun’s smile vanished the moment the call ended, her heart filled with anguish for her daughter.

She stood up abruptly, grabbed her bag, and headed to her husband’s workplace.

---

Yu Zhan carefully pushed open the door, and as expected, the boss was inside. The house hadn’t been sold yet—how could it possibly be sold within just one or two months, especially with such a high price?

Part of the cash for the divorce settlement came from a loan the boss had taken. Yu Zhan even suspected that the house hadn’t been put up for sale at all.

These days, the boss would occasionally come back here.

The house, once fully furnished and beautifully decorated, had been warm and cozy, with the balcony teeming with flowers and a fragrant aroma in the air. Every time Yu Zhan visited, he would see the gentle and elegant mistress of the house. But now, it was cold and desolate—no flowers, no fragrance, and even the bedroom was a bit messy.

The sofa cover was partly turned inside out and crooked.

At this moment, Cheng Yanyu was sitting on the sofa typing on his laptop, stubble shadowing his jaw, working on a project.

Yu Zhan placed the food on the coffee table and said softly, “Boss, it’s time to eat.”

Cheng Yanyu responded with a hum and reached out to take the food. Just then, his phone rang. The caller ID read Zheng Guili. Cheng Yanyu swiped to answer, but before he could even say “Mom,” Zheng Guili’s usually gentle voice came through, sharp and trembling.

“Cheng Yanyu! How could I have raised such a son? You actually cheated during your marriage!”

Her voice was loud and furious.

Yu Zhan froze, his scalp tightening as he glanced at Cheng Yanyu.

Cheng Yanyu gripped his phone tightly, pursing his lips without saying a word.

Zheng Guili’s voice continued, “You’ve disgraced the entire Cheng family! You divorced without a word, and you wronged Yang Yang. You wronged her!”

At the mention of Wen Yang’s name, Cheng Yanyu seemed to come back to himself. He opened his mouth, his voice hoarse, “Mom, I’m sorry.”

This apology only elicited louder sobs from Zheng Guili. She had only found out because Zhu Yun and Wen Li—Wen Yang’s parents—had shown up at her doorstep. What she thought would be a pleasant meeting with her in-laws turned into Zhu Yun pointing fingers and accusing them of raising a son who “gets rich and turns bad” by cheating during his marriage.

The Cheng family was caught off guard. When Cheng Shan, her husband, instinctively tried to call their son for clarification, Zhu Yun cut him off, saying, “They’re already divorced. What’s there to ask?”

Hearing this, Zheng Guili was overcome with dizziness and quickly called her son. After spilling out her anger and pain, she only heard a faint “sorry,” confirming the truth.

“Cheng Yanyu, how could you be so foolish? Why?” Zheng Guili cried bitterly.

Cheng Shan took the phone from her and said, “Cheng Yanyu, do you realize what you’ve done?”

Cheng Yanyu rubbed the back of his neck, lowered his head, and replied, “Dad, I’m sorry. I’m sorry to you, and I’m sorry to Wen Yang.”

Zheng Guili’s sobs grew louder.

After a long silence, Cheng Shan asked, “How is Wen Yang doing now?”

Cheng Yanyu’s voice was low. “I heard from Xu Xu that she started a studio. Dad, I transferred shares to her and converted the house and car into cash for her.”

Hearing this, Cheng Shan knew there was no undoing the damage. Cheng Yanyu’s division of assets had been fair, leaving Cheng Shan with little to say.

“Your path is your own to walk,” Cheng Shan finally said. “As parents, we can only guide you. When you made your first mistake, you should’ve thought of the consequences. But you insisted on pushing forward without stopping the damage. You’ve shown no sense of responsibility to your family.”

He hung up the phone.

Cheng Shan hung up the phone.

Zheng Guili’s sobs faded as the call ended.

In Cheng Yanyu’s memory, his mother had always been a gentle woman with a strong sense of empathy. She rarely cried like this. Placing his phone down, a trace of confusion filled his expression. The food on the table had already gone cold.

Yu Zhan didn’t dare touch his chopsticks, simply watching his boss in silence.

Cheng Yanyu turned his gaze back from the window and said to Yu Zhan, “Take the laptop back to the office later. I’m going for a walk.”

Yu Zhan gripped his chopsticks tightly and nodded.

Cheng Yanyu stood up, adjusting his slightly disheveled shirt by buttoning a few undone buttons. Grabbing his car keys, he left.

Outside, the night sky was clear with scattered stars, and the weather was slightly chilly. Driving aimlessly, the car moved along the streets of the southern city, where traffic was always heavy. Neon lights flickered everywhere. Eventually, Cheng Yanyu parked in front of a bar, stepped out of the car, and walked in.

He requested a booth.

The server had just brought over a bottle of alcohol when his gaze shifted to the bar counter. There, Li Man was sitting, drinking alone. She was wearing a black dress with high heels and heavy makeup that accentuated her striking features. In the dim light, she downed one drink after another.

Several predatory gazes from nearby men lingered on her.

Cheng Yanyu tightened his grip on the bottle. Li Man seemed a little drunk. One of her high heels slipped off and fell to the floor. Holding the bottle, Cheng Yanyu got up and walked over to her.

He picked up the shoe that had fallen far away and handed it back to her.

Li Man looked down.

Cheng Yanyu lifted his gaze and spoke, his lips pressed into a thin line. “I’m sorry, Ms. Li.”

Li Man, her drunkenness evident, leaned against the table and squinted at him. After a long pause, she finally spoke in a smooth, melodious voice, “What’s there to apologize for, little brother? You did nothing wrong. The mistake was mine.”

---

Late Night

The rooftop of Light Boat Tower in Hong Kong

Several executives held glasses of wine, their tones and postures relaxed as they discussed plans for the stock market tomorrow.

Fu Xingzhou leaned against the large black desk, arms crossed, his expression indifferent as he listened. Across from him, Fu Bin sprawled lazily on a sofa, wearing an oversized T-shirt. His long legs stretched out carelessly, and his posture was more that of a rogue than a professional.

Fu Xingzhou glanced at him coldly a few times, his eyes sharp.

Fu Bin quickly straightened up, grabbed a pen from the table, bit off the cap, and began scribbling in a notebook.

Everything that Fu Xingzhou found repetitive and tiresome, Fu Bin jotted down like treasures worth keeping.

Fu Xingzhou wasn’t just tired of the words—he was tired overall. Loosening his cuffs to relax, he placed a hand on the desk and inadvertently pressed his black phone. Picking it up, he noticed it had opened to a WeChat feed.

The top post in his feed caught his eye.

The post was from someone named Wen Yang.

It was a well-composed photo of an office desk, with a potted spider plant in focus. The desk, designed with a strong sense of style, was simple yet elegant. The vivid green of the plant added a refreshing touch to the setup, evoking a sense of calm and delight.

Fu Xingzhou stared at the picture for a few seconds. Then, seeing the name Wen Yang, he remembered who it was.

---

Yu Qing yawned, wearing her casual home clothes, and strolled over to Wen Yang. She leaned in to take a look and said, “You told me not to stay up late, but aren’t you doing the same thing? I’ve already had a nap, and you’re still at it.”

Wen Yang flipped through a book in her hands while a floor plan for the Hua Mansion displayed on her computer screen. “I just feel inspired at this hour.”

“No way. Are you going to work late every night from now on? What about that face of yours?”

“I won’t.”

Wen Yang set down the book and continued operating the computer with her mouse. Yu Qing yawned again, glancing at the studio’s bright lights and then at Wen Yang’s computer. “Yangyang, are you really going to give it a shot?”

Without stopping, Wen Yang asked back, “Why? Are you not going to let me?”

Yu Qing clicked her tongue. “How could I not? I can’t wait for you to make a name for yourself. I’m just afraid you’re pushing yourself too hard and ignoring your health. I’ve told you before, right? You don’t have to be a career-driven woman to have a successful life.”

She paused, then added, “I worry you’re trying to change yourself because of Cheng… that jerk. I hope you’re doing this because it’s something you want, not because of anyone else.”

Wen Yang turned to look at Yu Qing, speaking softly, “I’m doing this for myself. You know I haven’t worked since graduating, and design was my major. I just want to pick it up again, that’s all.”

Hearing this, Yu Qing finally relaxed.

She wiped away the tears forming at the corners of her eyes and said, “Alright, then. You go ahead and work. I’m heading back to my little nest to sleep. When you’re done, let’s head home together.”

Wen Yang nodded. “Okay, you go get some rest.”

After parting ways with Liu Yu, Yu Qing still had a few old clients who contacted her, though not many. Xu Xu’s project had already moved to the construction stage, while another old client’s design was undergoing revisions. Initially, Fu Xingzhou’s Hua Mansion project was meant to be designed primarily by Yu Qing, but later she discussed it with Wen Yang.

Wen Yang decided to give it a try.

Thus, the initial draft was created by Wen Yang.

She felt nervous and brought out all her books, revisiting the knowledge she had learned in college. With Yu Qing providing some guidance on the side, Wen Yang worked for several consecutive days.

Draft after draft, revision after revision.

Finally, she presented a design draft with an Italian minimalist style.

Yu Qing, munching on a bun, glanced at it and said, “Whoa, not bad!”

Wen Yang clearly had talent.

Receiving Yu Qing’s approval, Wen Yang carefully pressed the draft flat and sent it to Fu Xingzhou via WeChat.

After exchanging contacts with him last time, this was their first interaction.

Wen Yang typed a message:

“Mr. Fu, the initial draft is ready. Please take a look when you have time and let me know if it meets your requirements.”

She sent it early—at 7:30 in the morning—after pulling an all-nighter to finish.

She figured he wouldn’t respond so early and was just about to put her phone down.

Then came the notification sound.

A WeChat message popped up.

Wen Yang opened it.

He had replied.

Fu Xingzhou: “Who made this design?”

---

Sansukini: The ex in-laws are actually very decent. They rightly blame their son and didn’t dispute the property distribution.
While the cheaters are wallowing in alcohol, Wen Yang and Fu Xingzhou are actually faring better.

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