Volume One, Chapter 33: She Must Have Done It on Purpose!

When her phone chimed, Sang Wan was just arriving at the entrance of the meeting room.

"Hello, Teacher Tingting?"

"Hello, Xiao Mu's mom, this week is Sports Month at our kindergarten. We notified the children last Friday that everyone should draw a picture, which the kindergarten will customize into a family set. You'll wear it during the parent-child sports day on Friday. I also posted in the group chat. Xiao Mu said he left his drawing at home. Would you be able to bring it over?"

"Alright, I understand!"

After hanging up, Sang Wan called Yang Yan, asking him to arrange for the nanny to find Lu Xiaomu's drawing and deliver it to the kindergarten, and she mentioned the parent-child sports day.

Lu Jinnian was also in the class group chat, but like most fathers, he was invisible there.

All the teacher's announcements were replied to almost exclusively by mothers.

A few minutes later, Sang Wan turned and entered the meeting room.

"This is Sang Wan, our new architectural designer in Project Design One..."

"Hello, everyone. I am honored to join Lou Corporation and to work alongside such outstanding colleagues! In the days to come, please do not hesitate to guide me!"

After a brief self-introduction, Sang Wan walked to her seat at the end.

At the same time, Yang Yan finished reporting the day's itinerary and reminded Lu Jinnian, "Mr. Lu, there's a parent-child sports day at the kindergarten on Friday. Should we reserve time for you to attend?"

Lu Jinnian frowned.

Lu Xiaomu's private kindergarten was always hosting events.

If it wasn't Science Month at the science museum, it was Art Month with a drawing competition. Now, with cooler weather, they were launching Sports Month.

The words "Let Sang Wan go" nearly slipped out, but as Lu Jinnian reached for his phone, he remembered Sang Wan had blocked him.

He looked up and instructed Yang Yan, "Contact Sang Wan and tell her to go."

"But... Madam contacted me, asking you to attend."

Yang Yan looked troubled. "I contacted the kindergarten, and the teacher said it's best for the whole family to attend together."

"Phone."

Lu Jinnian extended his hand.

It took Yang Yan a moment to realize Lu Jinnian was asking for his phone.

Yang Yan pulled his phone from his pocket, unlocked it, and handed it over.

Lu Jinnian dialed Sang Wan's number, catching a glimpse of Yang Yan's contact note on the screen—Miss Sang.

He glanced at Yang Yan, then pressed the phone to his ear.

"Special Assistant Yang, has the drawing been delivered?"

Sang Wan's voice came through.

In Lu Jinnian's mind, a sudden image appeared: Lu Xiaomu sprawled by the bay window, drawing, his bottom stuck out, colored pens scattered across the sill.

He guessed the kindergarten must have called Sang Wan, and she had avoided speaking to him by contacting Yang Yan instead.

"It's me."

Lu Jinnian spoke. "Sang Wan, where are you living now? Friday at ten, there's a parent-child sports day at Xiao Mu's kindergarten. We'll come pick you up then."

"I'm busy."

Sang Wan's voice was cold. "I have work, I can't take leave!"

Work?

Lu Jinnian frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Exactly what I said. In any case, I can't go!"

"Sang Wan, is this how you act as a mother? Only giving birth, not raising? If you don't go, what will the other children and parents think of Xiao Mu?"

"Lu Jinnian..."

Sang Wan seemed to laugh. "Last year's parent-child sports day, I gave you three days' notice. You said you were busy. Did you think then about how your son would be ridiculed?"

Lu Jinnian was stunned.

Beep.

Beep beep.

The call had already ended.

His face dark with anger, Lu Jinnian looked up and asked Yang Yan, "How's the investigation going? Who is that other man? And where is she living now?"

"Mr. Lu..."

Yang Yan looked apologetic. "I checked the hotel surveillance for those days, but didn’t see the man you mentioned. I also checked the owner of that domestic car; there are tens of thousands in the capital. As for Madam..."

Yang Yan looked pained. "There's been no activity on your secondary card lately. If you want to find her, you might have to find someone familiar with the Sky Eye system. I..."

Useless!

Lu Jinnian cursed silently. He lowered his head and used Yang Yan's phone to text Sang Wan.

[As I said before, always leave a way out—it's easier to meet again in the future. If you do things so ruthlessly, what if you don't end up divorced? How will you handle it then?]

[Sang Wan, do you know what 'stop while you're ahead' means? Or do you want me to show up at your new company?]

[See you at the kindergarten gate at ten on Friday!]

The message was instantly marked as read.

But minutes passed with no reply.

Annoyed and frustrated, Lu Jinnian tossed the phone back to Yang Yan.

As soon as the office door closed, Lu Jinnian grabbed the folder on his desk and flung it across the room.

Sang Wan used to be gentle and virtuous, never would she ignore him like this—never infuriate him!

She was doing this on purpose!

Or perhaps it was that other man, feeding her nonsense—promising to marry her?

What a joke!

Any man with some sense would never marry a divorced woman, especially one with a child.

Unless... the man was old and ugly.

Visions flashed through his mind: a pot-bellied old man leering at Sang Wan as she stepped out of a shabby car, his gaze lingering greedily.

Lu Jinnian burned with rage.

Looking up, he caught sight of the blurry silhouette on his computer screen.

His anger dissipated, and the corner of his lips curled.

It’s easy to go from frugal to extravagant, hard to go the other way.

Four years of courtship.

Six years of marriage.

Having married a man like him, he didn’t believe Sang Wan could ever prefer those penniless, plain-faced nobodies.

Ah, women!

Just creating the illusion that she has many suitors, to give him a sense of crisis.

He’d seen such tricks countless times.

He was almost certain Sang Wan would attend their son’s parent-child sports day on Friday.

Lu Jinnian’s mood improved.

Sang Wan, for her part, paid him no mind.

But on Friday morning, just as she arrived at her office, Teacher Tingting called.

"Xiao Mu's mom, are you almost here?"

"...Has Xiao Mu's dad not arrived yet?"

"No. The sports day is about to start, and Xiao Mu says his mom will definitely come. Please hurry, Xiao Mu's mom."

Teacher Tingting hung up right after.

Sang Wan’s heart skipped a beat.

For the past two years, every event in Lu Xiaomu’s kindergarten, whether in the junior or middle class, she had attended.

Especially since today was Friday.

The last Friday of every month was the routine executive meeting at the Lu Corporation.

Lu Jinnian would never miss it.

If one parent didn’t attend, you could at least claim work obligations.

But if neither parent went, nor even grandparents, that was truly tragic.

Imagining all the other children with their parents, while Lu Xiaomu sat alone, Sang Wan ultimately couldn’t harden her heart.

She asked Manager Lin for two hours off, flagged down a taxi, and hurried to the kindergarten.

The morning rush was over, and traffic was clear.

She arrived at the kindergarten gate right at ten.

Luxury cars lined up outside.

Inside, flowers blossomed and lush green grass carpeted the ground.

Cheerful notes soared into the air, mingling with carefree laughter from the children, lifting spirits.

It was pleasing to the eyes as well.

Every family wore specially customized parent-child T-shirts.

On the back were the words “Dad, Mom, Baby.”

On the front, the child’s drawing—bright, cartoonish, and fun.

Even if you didn’t know anyone, you could tell which three belonged together just by the design.

As she walked through, the security guards and teachers recognized her.

They greeted her, but all wore awkward, hesitant expressions.

Puzzled, Sang Wan made her way upstairs to the middle class’s door.

Her steps faltered.

At last, she understood.