Volume One, Chapter 49: The Child's Mother

"This is for you!"

The Maybach stopped at the red light. Lou Ye grabbed the bouquet of red roses from the passenger seat and handed them to Sang Wan. "Congratulations on your new life!"

"Thank you!"

Sang Wan expressed her gratitude, feeling an indescribable sense of relief and lightness.

Thinking of how she hadn't seen him at the company since that day, Sang Wan glanced at Lou Ye. "Are you all better now?"

"I've been fine for a while... It was just a minor cold." A trace of embarrassment flickered in Lou Ye's eyes.

Yet that "minor cold" had already become a part of his personal history he'd rather forget.

Her phone vibrated softly.

Sang Wan looked down to see a sneaky emoji sent by Xu Yiyi.

[Breaking news! Has the divorce happened? Did you do it?]

Sang Wan took a photo of her divorce certificate and sent it over.

The next moment, Xu Yiyi sent a voice message.

She figured it would be nothing more than uncontained excitement, congratulating her on a successful divorce.

Then, perhaps, a demand for a fancy Japanese dinner to celebrate.

Sang Wan pressed play on the voice message.

Joyful singing filled the car: "Where is spring, oh where is spring? Spring is right there, in my dear one's eyes. Here are red flowers, here is green grass, and there are little golden orioles singing. Divorce, divorce, divorce, divorce, di-vorce..."

Sang Wan quickly hit stop.

She looked up to see Lou Ye’s amused gaze meeting hers in the rearview mirror.

Clearly, the one who should be embarrassed was Xu Yiyi.

Yet Sang Wan felt her face flush instantly.

She huffily typed a message: [Congratulations, your beautiful singing has won Lou Ye’s admiration!]

The moment she sent it, she regretted it.

But it was already too late.

The chat flooded with messages.

[Divorce certificate now, marriage certificate next? Lou Ye works fast!]

[Wait… When did he propose? When did you agree? Why am I always the last to know?]

[Sang Xiaowan, be honest—how many things have you done behind my back???]

[I even gave you my house key. Do I even count as your best friend?]

[But I’m flexible…]

[Honored madam, what can I do for you today?]

Sang Wan: ...

She invited her out for dinner to celebrate that evening.

Xu Yiyi replied with a troubled look: [There’s a meeting in my department.]

Sang Wan: ...

“Senior, do you already have plans tonight?”

“No.”

“Well... I invited a few friends over to my place. Would you like to join us?”

Sang Wan hesitated, the words of refusal still on her lips.

Lou Ye added, “All my friends are in architecture or interior design. It’s not just small talk!”

Sang Wan’s interest was piqued.

Insider information, the latest news—these always spread first through private circles.

Just like many deals are settled with a single sentence at a tycoon’s dinner table before they ever surface in public.

To outsiders, such gatherings looked like social drinking and networking.

But only insiders knew how valuable they truly were.

It was the perfect chance to check out 2S as well.

“All right,” Sang Wan agreed.

She returned to her department just as the clock struck ten.

A small pot of succulent sat on her desk.

Its emerald green was as vivid as a gemstone, glistening and translucent.

Xiao Bai looked mystified. “Manager Lin brought it over. Said... it’s for you!”

Lin Qiyue was the only one in the department who knew about her divorce today.

This vigorous little succulent was a symbol of both new beginnings and a promising future.

Sang Wan accepted it graciously, logged into WeChat, and sent Lin Qiyue a thank-you.

The reply came quickly: [No need to thank me! From now on, we’re friends, right?]

To be friends with her ex-husband’s half-sister?

It was indeed... a novel experience.

Sang Wan smiled. [Of course.]

When the front desk grew noisy, everyone in the office craned their necks. “Morning tea again?”

In a small company, you learn the ropes. In a big company, you learn how to get along.

The lounge at Lou’s Group was always stocked with coffee, tea, and snacks.

Even so, whenever there was a celebration, someone would order in and treat everyone.

Today someone’s birthday. Tomorrow someone’s wedding.

This month, morning tea had been especially frequent.

Just yesterday, the big boss had sent morning tea for reasons unknown.

Now, it was—

The front desk was packed with deliveries.

One from Rong Jing: “President Lou said today is an auspicious day for everything. He’s treating us to morning tea!”

Another from Sang Wan: “Thank you all for your support and kindness these past days!”

A cup of coffee.

A cup of milk tea.

Everyone got two drinks.

“Boss has been treating us a lot lately! Could it be... we’re about to have a boss’s wife?”

“In the elite circles of the capital, who has a more impressive family background than the Shao family?”

“Superficial! Why can’t it be for true love? With Boss’s status, does he really need a political marriage? Can’t he just pick someone he likes?”

“True... So, does Boss have someone?”

Who could say?

No one knew.

Sang Wan certainly didn’t, yet her heart beat inexplicably fast.

The red roses before her were dazzlingly bright.

The coffee in her hand tasted almost too rich, too fragrant.

She went to the restroom to splash her face with water.

As the end of the workday approached, people began to head out.

Sang Wan picked up her phone, planning to message Lou Ye not to wait for her.

At such a sensitive time, she didn’t want to become the center of attention.

Before she could, her phone lit up.

Lou Ye: [I’m heading back first. When you’re done, just come down. The driver will take you over.]

Sang Wan breathed a sigh of relief.

She threw herself back into work. By the time she finished, the city’s millions of lights were already twinkling outside the floor-to-ceiling windows.

She got up and went downstairs. The moment she stepped out, she spotted a black business van waiting at the steps.

Inside the living room of the hillside villa—

A group of people.

A cat.

All exchanging glances.

The first to speak up was Jiang Huai, his face full of disdain. “Bro, look at your house, those crystal chandeliers, that sofa, that wine cabinet... And then look at your cat. Don’t you think its style and temperament are a bit... mismatched?”

“Exactly, Young Master Lou...” someone else chimed in with a laugh. “If you like cats, you should’ve said so! Whether you want a majestic Maine Coon, a fierce Bengal, or a doll-faced Ragdoll, I can get you some purebreds. But this cat...”

He trailed off, meeting Lou Ye’s icy stare.

He cleared his throat, gave a thumbs up. “Great cat!”

Never mind that it was just a ginger tabby.

If Lou Ye said it was a cat, even if it were a dog, it had to be a cat.

Realizing Lou Ye was serious, no one dared joke anymore about how out of place 2S seemed in such a lavish setting.

Instead, they all started playing with it.

“Hiss! What the—”

Someone got hissed at.

Unconvinced, Jiang Huai reached out to grab it by the scruff.

Before his hand could touch the back of 2S’s neck, he felt a sharp pain—three bright red scratch marks.

He bit back a curse, just as he caught the indulgent smile in Lou Ye’s eyes.

A spark of insight flickered in Jiang Huai’s mind and he blurted, “Bro, when you said you were staying home to look after the kid, you didn’t mean...”

His words were cut short.

The elevator dinged open.

Everyone turned.

There stood Sang Wan in the entryway.

Clearly, she hadn’t expected everyone else to have arrived already—only she was missing.

She glanced around nervously. “Sorry, am I late?”

What on earth...?

They looked at the ginger cat meowing sweetly as it circled Sang Wan’s ankles.

Then at Lou Ye, whose gaze was gentle as he said she wasn’t late.

Everyone exchanged glances.

The same thought popped into all their minds.

Could this be... the mother of the child?