"I really don't want to argue with you. Can't we just leave each other with a little dignity?"
The calmer he became, the more nonchalantly he expressed his desire to cut ties with her, the angrier Fang Shuya became.
She wasn't just jealous to the point of madness; she was dying.
"No! No, no, no!"
"Dignity? Why should I show you dignity?"
"After half a year of marriage, you've never fulfilled your responsibilities as a husband. You might even be incapable. You married me with the intention of deceiving me from the start. You've done all the bad things, so why can't I speak up? Why should I spare you dignity?"
"I want to speak up. Lu Mingzhe, you are scum, a degenerate. In the future..."
Lu Mingzhe helped his mother up, his fingers nimbly tapped on his phone, and he held out a photo to Fang Shuya.
"I wronged you before, but now we're even."
"Fang Shuya, I didn't want to say this."
Fang Shuya's gaze fell on his phone. Her pupils contracted sharply, but she tried to maintain her composure.
"What do you mean?"
"Still playing tough? You know perfectly well what I mean."
Fang Shuya believed that since the timeline was short, her actions were hidden, and the other person was not in the country, Lu Mingzhe was bluffing.
"I don't understand! You'd show me any man's photo and slander me? You'll do anything to save money."
Lu Mingzhe was speechless. He stared at her distorted face for a few seconds before putting his phone away.
"Since you keep saying I want to save money, then I really won't compensate you."
"Let's go all the way with being the bad guys. Let's sue for divorce."
"Whether it's slander or not, we'll see in court. Fang Shuya, you could have had a hundred million, but now you won't get a cent."
With that, he opened the door, pulled his mother along, and left the house without looking back.
The night passed without incident.
The next day, Lu Mingzhe went downstairs for breakfast. His mother sat opposite him, wanting to speak but hesitating.
"If you have something to say, just say it. I'm your son after all. Are you really planning to look down on me from now on? Do you want me to be struck by lightning?"
Lu's mother's nose stung, and she wiped away a tear.
"Fang Tai called me this morning. Ya Ya's issues are all her cousin-in-law's..."
"I've wronged you, but no matter what, I was in the wrong first. Let's not go through legal proceedings."
Lu Mingzhe lowered his head indifferently and ate: "You know you're wrong now, but why weren't you like this yesterday when I gave you face?"
"She's still a woman. We can't ruin her, Ah Zhe..."
Lu Mingzhe put down his chopsticks and pinched his temples in annoyance.
"I know. You don't need to say more. You handle this."
Lu Mingzhe went to the company. When he returned that evening, his mother told him that Fang Shuya had moved out and signed the papers. It was all over.
Lu Mingzhe finally breathed a sigh of relief. He immediately checked flights on his phone, preparing to surprise Xiang Wan the next day.
However, the next morning, just as he left the residential complex, his car was hit on the road.
A medium-sized truck slammed into the side of his car. His right shoulder blade was fractured, and he was trapped in the vehicle for over an hour before being rescued.
When Lu's mother received the call about his car accident, she almost fainted.
After recovering, she rushed to call Xiang Wan, begging her to return.
On the phone, she expressed her apologies for Lu Mingzhe's divorce and her remorse, which also startled Xiang Wan.
Thinking Lu Mingzhe was on his deathbed, she hurriedly brought Nian Nian and Lu Qingxu back.
By the time they arrived at the hospital, he had already undergone surgery.
The doctor said he was fine otherwise, but his shoulder blade had suffered a comminuted fracture. Even with the best recovery, he would never be able to exert normal force with it again.
In other words, his right arm was almost useless.
Lu Mingzhe remained very calm. He knew the car accident was not simple, but in the end, it was all about him paying for his mistakes. He had brought it upon himself.
It was only when he opened his eyes and saw Xiang Wan with her swollen eyes from crying that he felt a pang of heartache.
"Do you still want me?"
On the way back, Xiang Wan had heard from Lu Qingxu about how Lu Mingzhe had lived his life in the six months after she left, and how he had stabbed himself.
Besides heartache, she also regretted the entire year they had wasted not being together.
"Yes."
Lu Mingzhe tried to raise his hand to touch her face, but he couldn't.
Xiang Wan then pressed her face into his palm.
He contentedly felt her warmth: "But I've become useless."
"It's okay, I'll be your right hand from now on. Think of you as Yang Guo and me as Xiaolongnü."
"Then it will be tough on you when we sleep."
Xiang Wan was truly exasperated with him: "You can still joke at a time like this?"
"I have to ask clearly. This is a very big deal for me."
Xiang Wan suddenly thought of what his mother had said: "Since you take this so seriously, then after being married for so long, you still didn't..."
"Ouch, the wound hurts again. It's all in the past. You know what happened. Can you stop bringing this up to block me?"
Zhou Jinbei and Zhong, along with Jiang Nanfang and Zhan Beijue, rushed to the hospital immediately after hearing the news.
Seeing that Lu Mingzhe had gotten himself so injured for a marriage and divorce, Zhan Beijue couldn't help but tease him.
"You've been courting death quite a bit in the past year. I was afraid you'd kick the bucket without preparation, so I even prepared a coffin for you."
"It's made of top-grade golden nanmu, guaranteed to send you off in style. Why aren't you dead yet?"
"Are you still going to court death? If not, pay me back the money for the coffin."
Lu Mingzhe lay pale on the hospital bed, but with Xiang Wan by his side, he was in good spirits.
"Don't worry, you'll need it sooner or later. Just keep it for me. I won't keep you waiting too long, maybe fifty or sixty years. I'll come to collect it myself then."
Everyone burst into laughter.
They said they were visiting him, but in reality, they were there for the gossip.
Hearing that Xiang Wan had given birth to a daughter for him and had now reconciled with him, they all wanted to see the future Mrs. Lu.
Xiang Wan knew this perfectly well.
Feeling Jiang Nanfang and Zhou Jinbei's occasional glances, she could only make small talk.
"Long time no see, Miss Chen. She..."
This seemed a bit inappropriate.
Although Xiang Wan didn't dislike her, she was Lu Mingzhe's ex-wife after all, and it was best to avoid suspicion.
Zhou Jinbei eased her awkwardness with a joke.
"She recently broke up and isn't in good condition. I'm afraid to even let her come. She and Old Lu are mortal enemies. If she came, she'd probably anger him to death."
"Is that so..." Xiang Wan smiled.
Zhou Jinbei looked at Jiang Nanfang: "Speaking of which, it's strange. She usually shares even the smallest things with me, but how come her relationship ended so secretly."
"I hadn't even heard about this 'Shadow' before it ended, and the aftermath was quite intense, like back then..."
"She really doesn't treat me as a friend. Did she tell you?"
Jiang Nanfang shook her head: "I was busy a while ago and neglected her."
"No, I have to question her properly later. Who did she fall for?"
"To have hurt our carefree Sister Jiao so badly, it must be a top-tier scumbag. When I find out who it is, you'll come with me to get revenge."