Volume One, Chapter 44: This Marriage, You Cannot Escape!

“Sang Wan, what did you do?”
Even over the phone, Lu Jinnian’s fury was unmistakable.
He roared, “You actually called the police on her? Sang Wan, have you lost your mind?!”

When he got the call from the police, saying that Su Baohui had been detained for provoking trouble and spreading slander, and that he should come handle the matter as soon as possible, Lu Jinnian’s first instinct was that it was a scam. It wasn’t until he heard Su Baohui’s yelling on the other end, and then called home to confirm, that he realized it was real.

He learned that Sang Wan had started working at the Lou Group.
He learned that Su Baohui had gone there to find her.
What happened next was obvious.

The car sped toward the police station as Lu Jinnian shouted at Sang Wan, “I already sent the driver to pick you up downstairs. Come to the station and sign the letter of understanding, or else—”

“I won’t sign it!” Sang Wan replied. “The things she’s shouting everywhere about me, making my private matters known to all—why should I forgive her?”

“Lu Jinnian, I won’t show up, nor will I sign that letter. Make a scene if you want—I’m not afraid of you! Let’s see who can push further!”

Those with nothing to lose fear nothing.
At worst, she’d lose her job at Lou Group, but wasn’t that Su Baohui’s goal anyway?
As for Lu Jinnian…

If he dared show up, the paparazzi wouldn’t be far behind.
With Lu Corporation, and the land about to go up for auction,
she wanted to see who’d outlast whom.

One job, in exchange for Lu Jinnian losing billions—
let’s see who would really feel the pain.
It’s not like that money would ever come to her anyway.
So be it!

Beep.
Beep beep.

The call ended, and when he tried again, no one picked up.
Lu Jinnian gripped his phone so tightly he wished it were Sang Wan’s neck.
How could she dare?
That was his mother-in-law!

Did Sang Wan really intend to divorce him?

Only now did he truly realize that Sang Wan wasn’t just making a scene, wasn’t just forcing him to handle Lin Chaochao.
She actually… wanted a divorce?

Shock flickered through him, quickly replaced by agitation.
When the car stopped, Lu Jinnian strode into the police station.

The Lou Group’s complaint had gone to the main city bureau, not just the local station.
The chief greeted him politely, but with difficulty in his expression. “We’ve reviewed the security footage from Lou Group. Your mother began making accusations of Mrs. Lu’s infidelity the moment she entered the lobby—the security couldn’t stop her.”

Lu Jinnian watched the surveillance footage.
The high-definition camera captured Su Baohui’s face directly.
Sang Wan was visible only from behind.

From start to finish, it was Su Baohui causing a scene.
With insults and crude remarks flying,
there was no trace of an upper-class lady in her.
Lu Jinnian could feel the sidelong glances of the chief and officers nearby, as if to say: President Lu, are you sure this is your mother? Not an impostor?

Such behavior was no different from an uneducated shrew in some backwater village.
Lu Jinnian’s head throbbed.

“President Lu, Lou Group’s legal counsel is handling this on their end. You know Gu Qian, don’t you?”

Lu Jinnian looked up in surprise.

Gu Qian was the director of Lou Group’s legal department, a top lawyer in the capital.
He’d made his name in a single case years ago, and since then, countless big names had hired him for defense.
His fees had reached millions, and that was just for casework, not for personal courtroom appearances.

For someone like Gu Qian to handle a trivial defamation case for Sang Wan—
wasn’t that using a cannon to shoot a sparrow?
Wasn’t it overkill?

“President Lu, since this is a family matter, it would be best to resolve it privately, don’t you agree?”

“Yes!”

But the crux of the problem was still Sang Wan.
He was so angry he could grind his teeth to dust, wishing he could confront her and ask how far she intended to take this.

But Lu Jinnian couldn’t make that move.
At this critical moment, who knew how many eyes were on him.
One misstep, and his company and the land auction would be affected.
He couldn’t afford that risk!

Sang Wan must have realized this too—that’s why she dared to defy him so boldly.
But where did Gu Qian come from?

“Phone!”

Leaving the police station, Lu Jinnian took his driver’s phone and dialed Sang Wan. “Sign the letter of understanding and I promise, from now on, neither my mother nor Zhiyi will ever trouble you again.”

Sang Wan refused. “I won’t sign!”

“Sang Wan…”
Lu Jinnian’s voice on the other end was cold as ice. “A cornered rabbit can bite—if you can, so can I. And I’m no rabbit! You’re so desperate for a divorce—both you and I know why. But as long as I refuse, you’ll never get it!”

Sang Wan’s expression shifted slightly.
On the other end, Lu Jinnian seemed to sense it, his tone softening. “We’re husband and wife—let’s separate on good terms, shall we?”

He was threatening her.
But Sang Wan had to admit, he’d hit her where it hurt.

“Fine, I’ll sign.”
Sang Wan answered.

A cold smile flickered in Lu Jinnian’s eyes.

But Sang Wan continued, “After the divorce is finalized next Monday, I’ll sign.”

Now it was Lu Jinnian’s turn to lose face.

No matter the charge—
disturbing the peace, or slander—
at most, Su Baohui would be detained for seven days and fined a thousand yuan.

He wanted things resolved quickly.
But Sang Wan refused to let him have his way.

Her eagerness for divorce was her weakness—
but now, she wielded it as a weapon against him.

Once Su Baohui had a record,
he and Lu Corporation would both be tainted.
And at the worst possible moment.

Unless he didn’t care about money, or Lu Corporation’s future.

Beep.
Beep beep.

Before Lu Jinnian could reply, Sang Wan hung up and blocked the number.

By the time Sang Wan returned to the 60th floor, more than half an hour had passed.

The already quiet work area fell silent for a moment as she entered.
Then, the clatter of keyboards grew louder.
Only Xiaobai gave her a sympathetic glance, signaling that she shouldn’t take it to heart.

Delayed by Su Baohui for an hour, Sang Wan hadn’t even eaten lunch.
By the time she finished her tasks, it was nearly two.

At this hour, there were still plenty of choices in the cafeteria,
but the trip would cost her more time.
Carrying her mug, she headed to the pantry, planning to make some oatmeal as a makeshift meal.

Before she even reached the door, she heard a chorus of gossip inside.

“I heard Director Cheng recruited her personally. Back in college, she was already a big deal—now she’s famous all over again as soon as she joined! I wonder if Director Cheng regrets it now!”

“He must! Imagine, an affair so notorious that even her mother-in-law couldn’t stand it and had to make a scene at the company. How messy must her private life be?”

“I bet she won’t pass her probation!”

“If I were her, I’d resign before making it official—better to leave now before the shame gets worse!”

“Don’t you all have anything better to do?”

A sharp voice came from behind.

Sang Wan turned.
Lin Qiyue shot her a glare, then stepped past her to stand at the pantry door. “All of you, with your designer job titles—are your drawings finished, that you have time to gossip here? What’s the difference between you and a bunch of old women in the market?”

Men and women alike hurried out with their mugs,
each passing Sang Wan with a look of embarrassment.

In a blink, the pantry was empty.

“Manager Lin, thank you.”

“No need to thank me,” Lin Qiyue replied coolly, her warmth from before gone. “I’ve already reported to Director Cheng and Director Qin, requesting to extend your probation. Sang Wan, do as you see fit.”

With that, Lin Qiyue turned and left.

Sang Wan was momentarily stunned. “Manager Lin…”