Volume One, Chapter 25: Father Wants to See You

In the hotel lobby, Lu Jinnian’s mood was a mixture of joy and anxiety. He was pleased that Sang Wan still cared about him. His decision last night to let Lin Chaochao stay at the villa had been the right one—Sang Wan was indeed angry. Not only was she angry, but the consequences were severe: she hadn’t returned all night.

What weighed on him was her absence throughout the night. He called Xu Yiyi, but as soon as he began to speak, she called him crazy and launched into a relentless tirade. He had no chance to get a word in, so he simply hung up. Beyond that, Lu Jinnian had no one else to call. Sang Wan’s only close friend in the imperial capital was Xu Yiyi.

Yet that shabby car kept lingering in his mind. The thought of Sang Wan spending last night with that wild man made his mood inexplicably agitated.

He waited for more than half an hour, but Sang Wan still hadn't returned. Lu Jinnian took out his phone to call her. Before he could dial, there was a commotion at the hotel entrance. Lu Jinnian looked up as several business vehicles pulled up in succession. The doors opened, and reporters carrying microphones and cameras poured in.

Spotting Lu Jinnian, a few reporters’ eyes lit up sharply.

“Mr. Lu, we heard you’re getting divorced?”

“Mr. Lu, our sources say you've had a change of heart—the mistress is your secretary, and you’ve forced Mrs. Lu out with nothing. Is that true?”

“Mr. Lu, with the municipal bidding conference coming up next month, what are Lu Corporation's chances? Is the news of your marital troubles part of your company’s strategy?”

“…”

He was furious, nearly ready to explode, but dared not let it show on his face.

Lu Jinnian hadn’t expected Sang Wan to actually do as she threatened and leak the story to the media.

“The divorce rumor is pure fabrication!” He defined the matter at once, then smiled, “My wife and I grew up together. We fell in love at sixteen, entered Imperial University together at eighteen. I confessed, she accepted, and we officially started seeing each other. It's been twelve years now…”

“Half a year ago, I suffered renal failure, and she donated a kidney to me. Our deep affection isn’t for outsiders to judge, but I can say with certainty—our relationship is strong, and I’ve never wronged her.”

“The so-called mistress is nothing but gossip. If you provide the name of the source, I will sue them for slander and defamation!”

“As for next month’s bidding conference…”

In just a few words, the situation shifted sharply.

Before the cameras, Lu Jinnian spoke confidently and at length. It was as if this wasn’t a rushed interview triggered by scandal, but a press conference he himself had convened.

Impeccably dressed in a tailored suit.

His demeanor was profound and poised. On the screen, the commanding charm of this man was magnified infinitely in this moment.

“What a good man! They always say rich men go bad, but there are exceptions after all!”

“His wife is truly blessed!”

“….”

In the hotpot restaurant, the surrounding diners all wore expressions of envy.

Sang Wan had lost her appetite entirely.

“Bastard!” Xu Yiyi, seated across the table, glanced at the TV and cursed, “He can turn black into white with that silver tongue. What a waste that he’s not a lawyer!”

“Don’t…” Sang Wan looked lightly at Xu Yiyi, “Don’t insult the legal profession!”

Such a noble field—how could someone as adept at twisting the truth as Lu Jinnian sully it?

“You’re right!” Xu Yiyi caught herself, placed a piece of meat into Sang Wan’s bowl, and then asked, “So what now?”

The original plan had been to have the media force Lu Jinnian out, so he wouldn’t pester her at the hotel. Unexpectedly, it ended up creating publicity for Lu Corporation’s upcoming projects.

If she could turn back time a few hours, she would’ve just cursed him and left it at that—she shouldn’t have leaked the story!

Sang Wan regretted it.

“It’s fine…” Facing Xu Yiyi’s worried expression, Sang Wan smiled, “I just need to get through tonight.”

Tomorrow she’d look for an apartment, move out of the hotel, and it would be much harder for Lu Jinnian to bother her.

“Then I’ll stay with you.” Xu Yiyi put down her phone, “I only have one class tomorrow, I swapped with a colleague. Tonight I’ll stay at the hotel with you, and tomorrow we’ll find a place and aim to move out by two in the afternoon, saving even the next night’s room fee!”

Words couldn’t express Sang Wan’s gratitude, so she simply placed more food in Xu Yiyi’s bowl.

Setting aside their bad moods, the two did their best not to let the delicious hotpot go to waste.

At the same time, in the basement of the hillside villa, Lou Ye’s gaze was heavy.

“I’m sorry, the phone you dialed has been switched off! Sorry…”

The cold female voice echoed in his ear.

Lou Ye put away his phone, unsure if Sang Wan’s battery had died or if she was so upset she simply turned it off to hide.

He looked back up; on the car’s screen, the dashing, suave Mr. Lu was eloquently recounting the recent history of Lu Corporation.

Those in the know realized he was cornered by reporters in the hotel lobby.

To the uninformed, it would seem he was presenting to municipal leaders, explaining his work.

A mocking smile spread in Lou Ye’s eyes as he dialed out, “Buy more Lu Corporation stock tomorrow morning when the market opens.”

Yesterday and today.

New debts and old ones would be settled together!

There was a reply, and Lou Ye hung up, opened the car door, and entered the elevator.

As he stepped out, the lights in the foyer came on.

Meow!

A cry sounded as an orange cat appeared from nowhere, rubbing affectionately against Lou Ye’s pant leg.

“Poor little thing!”

Without even bothering to change his shoes, Lou Ye sat on the floor and tapped the cat’s forehead, “Your mother doesn’t want you anymore!”

Meow!

With its front paws on Lou Ye’s suit trousers, the orange cat’s large eyes were filled with a small, puzzled look.

“But it’s alright…” Lou Ye stroked the cat’s head, “Daddy wants you!”

After changing his shoes, Lou Ye stood and walked into the living room—then stopped.

On the once-spotless sofa was a gradient of footprints, from black to gray to light gray.

The Brazilian plant in the corner by the window was snapped in half, soil from the pot scattered across the floor.

A faint unpleasant odor lingered in the air.

He didn’t have to think to know what had happened. Lou Ye pointed at the cat, “Little mischief!”

The little mischief glanced at Lou Ye, then swaggered up the stairs to the second floor.

Lou Ye called the housekeeper to report the mess, then entered the master bedroom.

After his shower, the air was scented with a subtle lemon freshness.

The plants had been replaced, the sofa cleaned, though the armrests now boldly declared themselves a cat scratching post.

Turning on the TV to an international news channel for background noise, Lou Ye took his tablet and settled into the sofa.

His phone was buzzing with messages.

Some asked what he was up to, others said it had been too long and they missed him.

Still others tagged him in group chats, asking if he wanted to go out for drinks.

Too lazy to reply individually, Lou Ye responded directly in the group.

[No. Busy taking care of my child.]

???

It was as if a bucket of ice had been poured into boiling oil—the lively group instantly exploded.

Lou Ye tossed his phone aside and gazed at the orange cat curled up asleep in his lap, its gentle purring gradually thawing the coldness in his eyes.