Divorce Is An Absolute Must! - Chapter 18
Chapter 18: Obedient
â—ŽOr, in short, a pervert.â—Ž
Then, another woman’s voice, sweet and gentle, joined the melody. It was a stark contrast to Li Lan’s crisp and cool tone—one cool, one soft—yet they were surprisingly harmonious, revealing an unspoken understanding.
It was an unreleased single that only existed as a demo.
Hearing the voice, Li Lan’s expression became even more lost. She even held her breath, as if a slightly heavier breath would shatter this illusion of a reunion.
“Ms. Lan,” Qian Chu whispered, reminding her to answer the phone.
Li Lan was immersed in the tune. When she came to, the call had already ended.
The other party wouldn’t call a second time, and Li Lan couldn’t listen to it again. She reached out and called back, and the other party answered quickly.
“President Yang, is there something you need?” Li Lan composed herself, her tone returning to a calm state.
“Did Qi Yao make you angry?”
President Yang’s voice had a hint of a smile. Her voice was even more pleasant than the woman’s in the song, like a jar of mellow red wine—elegant and rich.
Li Lan wasn’t surprised that she had heard about it. She said calmly, “No, it was just work.”
“President Qi and I are out to dinner,” President Yang’s voice on the other end seemed a bit noisy, but it quickly quieted down, as if she had walked somewhere else with her phone. “President Qi said that the company’s newcomer was ignorant and asked me to send you her regards.”
Li Lan didn’t want to say more. She said quietly, “I understand. Is there anything else?”
The smile in President Yang’s voice became more obvious, with a hint of indulgence. “Okay, let’s not talk about him. Let’s talk about you.”
Li Lan’s breathing hitched, and her fingertips suddenly tensed. “…What is it?”
“You’re going to film a variety show next week with your little one. I’m very pleased,” President Yang said in a lazy, unhurried tone, like she was casually chatting with a friend. “I have plenty of good resources here. If you were willing to accept them earlier, you wouldn’t have had to go abroad. With your qualifications, you would have already become a top-tier star. People like Qi Yao wouldn’t even be close.”
Li Lan lowered her eyes, her tone unreadable. She said blandly, “President Yang’s resources are too good. I’m not a professionally trained actor. Accepting them would just be a waste of a good script. As for going on a variety show to increase exposure… it’s just a new phase.”
President Yang suddenly said, “Tomorrow, at the spring-summer show, wear the dress I ordered for you.”
Li Lan lowered her eyes. “I’m just going as an audience member.”
“Not necessarily,” President Yang said with an indifferent laugh. “Perhaps you’ll need to walk in the show in the end? Okay, it’s settled then.”
Li Lan took a deep breath.
President Yang continued, “I heard you’re going to be on the cover of Vague after the show.”
Li Lan said, “Yes.”
President Yang said, “I’ve discussed it with the editor-in-chief of Vague. The style of the photos you just had on the hot search was too sexy. I don’t like it. Similar styles are not allowed in your commercial shoots from now on.”
Li Lan fell silent again.
The call was quiet for half a minute. President Yang suddenly remembered something and laughed. “I really liked the wine you sent last time. I’ve already talked to the variety show, and no one will make things difficult for your little one.”
Li Lan had to speak. “Thank you, President Yang.”
“At thirty, you need to establish yourself,” President Yang said gently. “You need to take another step forward.”
Li Lan’s knuckles turned white from gripping her phone. She suppressed something in her eyes and said respectfully, “Thank you for your guidance.”
President Yang said, “You’re welcome. I have something I need you to help me with.”
Li Lan suppressed the ominous feeling in her heart, but the call continued.
“President Qi and I just decided that Qi Yao and another young girl, Yu Ling, will be on this variety show together.”
Qian Chu had been listening silently and didn’t dare to interrupt, but when she heard that Qi Yao was also going, she felt a sense of disgust, as if it was exactly what she had expected. Her eyes showed her rejection.
Li Lan waited quietly for President Yang to continue.
“As for Qi Yao, for President Qi’s sake, don’t get hung up on him. He won’t cause you any more trouble,” President Yang’s voice was lazy and composed, yet it felt like an invisible white silk scarf on a person’s throat. “But as for Yu Ling, she reminds me of you when you were young—beautiful and smart. But she’s wiser than you. She knows when to bow her head.” She paused, and her tone carried a hint of melancholy. “I want to cultivate her properly. You understand, right?”
Li Lan closed her eyes wearily. “I’ll play it by ear.”
President Yang’s soft laugh came from the other end of the phone, with a hint of pathological pleasure in her elegance. It sounded particularly clear in the enclosed car.
“A beautiful flower must grow according to my preferences,” her voice was gentle. “Prune the excess branches and leaves, and shape it into the most perfect form… Li Lan, you’ve disappointed me greatly. I hope Yu Ling doesn’t follow in your footsteps.”
After hanging up, it took Li Lan a long time to pull herself out of that oppressive and suffocating feeling.
Qian Chu had long heard of President Yang’s bizarre way of doing things. Having been with Li Lan for so many years, she was worried. “President Yang hasn’t contacted us for a long time. What does she want you to do this time?”
Li Lan shook her head. “It’s nothing big. She wants to sign an artist and wants me to be her mouthpiece. If possible, I should mentor her on the variety show. It would be even better if I could make her popular.”
“Then she should go find Yu Ling herself. What does it have to do with you? Is President Yang still not giving up on you?” Qian Chu said worriedly. “But you’re already thirty years old.”
Li Lan was stunned for a moment, then couldn’t help but let out a soft laugh. “The way you say that, it sounds like someone wants to be my patron.”
Qian Chu sighed. “It’s pretty much the same. She’s always micromanaging your career and overstepping her boundaries. My mom stopped telling me what to wear after I turned fourteen.”
“Let’s not talk about her,” Li Lan said softly. “Just drive carefully.”
Qian Chu asked in a low voice, “What about the clothes for tomorrow’s exhibition?”
Li Lan said calmly, “I’m not going to the exhibition tomorrow.”
Qian Chu looked at the rearview mirror in surprise. “Huh? Are we still going to Guangzhou?”
“Yes,” Li Lan said with a faint smile. “We’ll go to Guangzhou for dim sum and come back after the cover shoot.”
Qian Chu was delighted. “Okay, then I can wear a little dress tomorrow.”
Li Lan smiled. She remembered that Zhu Qing liked to see her in dresses. She would have free time tomorrow, so she could video call Zhu Qing… As for the dress, she would wear that sexy light gold tulle dress.
…
The night was thick. It was still dark when Li Lan’s plane landed.
Xiao Bao’s phone call came in.
“Can I go straight to find Zhu Zhu?”
Li Lan looked at the time and was confused. “Didn’t you take a flight last night?”
Xiao Bao said seriously, “The connecting flight was delayed, Auntie Can Can told me to call them after I got off the plane, but the teacher said that Zhu Zhu has amnesia, and I might scare her if I look for her.”
“I’m sorry, I didn’t keep track of your flight,” Li Lan said, a little embarrassed. “Zhu Zhu… should be fine, right?”
Li Lan wasn’t very familiar with Xiao Bao. She recalled the first time she met Zhu Qing after her amnesia.
Zhu Qing was kind and cheerful by nature. When she found out that Li Lan was her partner, she naturally became close to her. She should be the same with Xiao Bao, right?
Wait, not many young people these days like kids, do they?
Xiao Bao cheered and started to jog forward. “Then I’m going to see Zhu Zhu right away!”
Li Lan immediately said cautiously, “You can go find her, but don’t call her Mom. It might scare her.”
Xiao Bao slowed down and pouted. “Okay.”
Two seconds later, Xiao Bao tried to argue, “Why?”
Li Lan was also confused. “Why do you always want to call her Mom?”
Xiao Bao was unhappy. “Because, I just… I just want to!”
Li Lan rubbed her forehead, unable to deal with the child. She said helplessly, “Just do whatever you want. She doesn’t remember you, so don’t be too noisy.”
Xiao Bao nodded obediently. “Okay.”
After hanging up, Li Lan hesitated for a moment and sent a message to Zhu Qing.
“Xiao Bao has two nannies and one teacher. Someone is responsible for all her food, clothes, accommodation, transportation, and play time.”
Zhu Qing replied quickly.
“Understood, I’m on my way to pick her up now.”
Li Lan had a headache.
“What I mean is, any need she has for you is just her being spoiled.”
Zhu Qing didn’t understand what Li Lan meant.
Li Lan sighed. “Never mind. You’ll understand when you see her.”
Zhu Qing turned off her phone in confusion and took the coffee that her driver, Qian Cancan, handed her.
Xiao Bao’s “delayed flight” had kept them both from sleeping well, and they had come to pick her up as soon as they got the message that she had landed.
Zhu Qing’s confusion continued for another half an hour.
“Zhu Zhu—!”
Xiao Bao “whooshed” out of the exit and crashed into her arms like a little cannonball, knocking her and her breakfast to the ground. Then, with a “Waaah!” she started to cry.
The volume of her voice and the richness of her emotions were comparable to an air raid siren.
Zhu Qing: …
Zhu Qing stood frozen, holding the lidless coffee cup, and looked at Qian Cancan, who had retreated ten feet away, in dismay.