Chapter 81: Chapter 81 Impossible, absolutely impossible!
It wasn’t long before the luggage was packed: one large suitcase in total. Most of the contents belonged to Mother Wu. As for the things Wang Jiadong had bought for her, she left them all behind, having no intention of taking them.
She opened the door and came out, pushing the suitcase.
"Xiaoli, where are you going?" Wang Jiadong, who had been watching for any movement, noticed immediately.
"Oh, sister, safe travels!" San’er said enthusiastically. "I’m pregnant, so I won’t see you off."
Wearing a new outfit Sun Dasheng had bought for her, she walked slowly over to Wang Jiadong and calmly placed a document in front of him.
"I’m asking you one last time. Are you going to sign this divorce agreement or not?"
"If you sign, we’ll go to the Civil Affairs Bureau tomorrow. After the one-month cooling-off period, we can get the divorce certificate. According to the agreement, I’ll leave with nothing."
"If you don’t sign, I will file for divorce. When that happens, how the court rules and how much of your family’s money is awarded to me will be out of my hands."
"Sign it, Jiadong! With terms this good, what are you hesitating for? Hurry up and sign!" Before Wang Jiadong could even react, San’er was getting impatient.
The more money they saved now, the larger her and her child’s share would be in the future.
"Mom, you should try to persuade Jiadong," San’er said, shaking the arm of her ’mother-in-law’ who was watching TV beside her.
In reality, the mother-in-law’s mind was hardly on the TV drama. Her attention had long since drifted to the confrontation, but she had been holding back, waiting for the right moment. Now that she had an opening, she put on a show of reluctance.
"Jiadong, since she doesn’t have feelings for you anymore, don’t hold her back. Just sign the divorce agreement."
She hadn’t advised her son this way before because she had no idea her former daughter-in-law would be so willing to walk away empty-handed. Had she known Wu Xiaoli would offer such self-sacrificing terms, she would have pushed her son to sign long ago.
"But Mom, I still have feelings for her." Wang Jiadong felt his marriage could still be salvaged.
His mother snorted. "You have feelings for her, but she has none for you. Otherwise, why would she be out gallivanting every night? Is that how a wife should act?"
Looking at her extremely hypocritical mother-in-law, Wu Xiaoli found the situation amusing.
You brought San’er home while she’s pregnant, and you still have the audacity to say something like that?
If her mother-in-law were a normal person, Wu Xiaoli would have accepted the criticism, because she had indeed fallen for someone else. She never felt that everything she did was right. But when facing this outrageous family, she somehow felt she had done nothing wrong.
"Have you thought it over? Are you signing or not?" Wu Xiaoli’s patience was wearing thin. "If you don’t decide now, I’ll take it as a refusal. You can wait for the court summons."
With that, she turned to leave.
Wang Jiadong grabbed her suitcase. "Just tell me where you really went tonight, and I’ll sign."
Even if it meant divorce, he didn’t want things to be as his mother claimed. He just wanted the truth.
Looking at his earnest expression, Wu Xiaoli said flatly, "Tonight, my brother, Xiao Jun, got into trouble and was taken to the police station. I was busy dealing with that."
"What? What happened to Xiao Jun? Do you need me to make a call? I have a good friend at the station..."
He hadn’t finished speaking before his mother cut him off. "He was taken to the police station? What good could he possibly have been up to? I knew that Xiao Jun was bad news from the start. You stay out of it. Don’t we have enough trouble at home?"
"Xiaoli, don’t mind her. You know my mom; her bark is worse than her bite," Wang Jiadong explained hurriedly. "She’s just brutally honest, she doesn’t mean any harm."
"Your aunt isn’t wrong," Wu Xiaoli said nonchalantly. "Xiao Jun brought this on himself. I just hope he can properly reform himself in there."
Wang Jiadong froze.
Huh? I’m here trying to defend you, and you’re agreeing with my mother? Is this what they call ’the ministers are ready for a bloody battle, but His Majesty has already surrendered’?
What could he possibly say to that?
"You wanted to know, and I’ve told you. Can you sign it now?" Wu Xiaoli asked.
He was cornered, with the two women in his home looking on with eager anticipation. What else could he do? He had no choice but to brace himself and sign his name.
"Remember to go to the Civil Affairs Bureau tomorrow. You can get the certificate in a month," Wu Xiaoli said. "By then, you and she can get your marriage certificate processed at the same time. I wish you all the best!"
After speaking, she pushed her suitcase and left with a carefree swagger.
After she was gone, the old woman’s face lit up with joy. This marriage, which she had disapproved of from the very beginning, had finally ended.
"Jiadong, Mom’s going to the kitchen to make you a bowl of longevity noodles to celebrate your new beginning."
Watching his mother’s smiling face and her light, cheerful steps as she walked away, Wang Jiadong wanted to cry but had no tears. Wu Xiaoli’s departure felt like a part of him had been ripped away, leaving him utterly deflated.
"I’ll go check on Mom in the kitchen, too," San’er said. Knowing she wasn’t his favorite person, she waddled off to the kitchen with her protruding belly to curry favor with her ’mother-in-law.’
「At the entrance of the villa complex.」
Sun Dasheng, listening to music in his car, sensed movement from behind. The trunk was opened and something was placed inside. A moment later, the passenger door opened to reveal Wu Xiaoli.
Sun Dasheng fastened her seatbelt, his eyes resting on her face. "Did everything go smoothly?"
Wu Xiaoli didn’t speak, simply leaning over to give him a smiling kiss.
He understood. It seemed everything had gone well.
He started the car and was about to drive off when a voice suddenly called out from behind.
"Wait!"
"Xiaoli, wait for me! I still have something to say to you!"
...
Hearing the voice, Sun Dasheng glanced at the woman in the passenger seat. Her face had quickly turned cold. Staring straight ahead, she said without moving, "Let’s go."
Once a woman makes a decision, her heart can become colder than arctic ice.
Sun Dasheng chuckled and started the car.
The man behind them didn’t seem to be giving up. Seeing the car move, he quickened his pace.
"Xiaoli, don’t leave, okay?"
"Xiaoli, can we start over, please?"
"Xiaoli, I realize my mistakes over the years! Can you give me another chance, please?"
As the car sped up, his voice grew fainter, until a final, distant cry carried on the wind.
"Xiaoli, I can’t live without you!"
It was a cry to make any listener’s heart ache. So moving!
"Should we go back and check?" Sun Dasheng asked. "Looks like he fell."
Wu Xiaoli rolled her eyes at him. "If you want to look, go back yourself."
He grinned, floored the accelerator, and sped away.
Did he really care about that man? Of course not. It was just a little test.
Wu Xiaoli knew that but didn’t say anything more. Making her stance clear now was for the best, for both of their futures. It would prevent any future complications.
Sprawled on the ground, Wang Jiadong watched the receding taillights, a feeling of familiarity washing over him. The car looked... familiar.
Where have I seen it before?
Suddenly, a thought struck him, and his expression changed dramatically. He shook his head, denying it aloud.
"Impossible! Absolutely impossible!"