"Mom, what's going on? Why are you suddenly getting divorced?" Gu Luoxi still pretended she knew nothing.
Xia Zhiyun's eyes reddened, tears threatening to spill. "All I did was have a little fun outside! Your dad showed up and beat me without a word. That's domestic violence! I'm divorcing him today."
Nearby, Gu Jingsheng was unusually furious too. "Fine, let's divorce! Whoever backs out today is a dog!"
"Fine, Gu Jingsheng! If you've got the guts, let's go get divorced right now!" Xia Zhiyun climbed off the bed.
Gu Jingsheng's temper flared as well. "Let's go. Right now."
"Mom, Dad, don't rush! We haven't even cleared things up yet. Don't rush into a divorce," Gu Luoxi said, putting on a show of concern.
Inside, she was practically bursting with excitement. Hurry up and get divorced! Then I won't have to see Xia Zhiyun anymore.
Her dad treated her fairly well, but ever since Gu Luosheng returned, Xia Zhiyun had clearly started favoring her. Gu Luoxi had no intention of putting up with that. What if Xia Zhiyun started mistreating her in the future?
Gu Jingsheng waved a hand. "Enough. Don't try to talk me out of it. I know what I'm doing. But Xixi, sorry for the trouble-I'll need you to take care of things here. Find out how much it costs, and I'll transfer the money to you later."
"Wait..." Gu Luoxi hadn't finished speaking.
Gu Jingsheng dragged Xia Zhiyun away with a fierce expression.
Gu Luoxi wanted to leave too, but the hotel manager stopped her before she could even get out of the room.
"Miss Gu, you can't leave yet. You'll need to... compensate the hotel for the damage."
Gu Luoxi frowned. "I didn't do it. Why are you coming to me?"
The manager inclined his head. "But you're the only one here now, Miss Gu. If you refuse to pay, my only option is to post this online and let the public decide who's in the right."
As he spoke, the manager actually took out his phone.
Gu Luoxi stomped her foot in fury. He only dared threaten her so brazenly because he knew she was a public figure.
"How much?" Gu Luoxi asked through gritted teeth.
The manager pushed up the glasses on his nose, took out a notebook, and began calculating. "The damage to the walls comes to two hundred thousand. The smashed vases and such were all antiques, so that's another three hundred thousand. I won't itemize the rest. I'll give you a discount and call it six hundred thousand in total."
"How much?" Gu Luoxi's eyes widened. "What did you say?"
"Miss Gu, are you already hard of hearing at such a young age?" The manager smiled, but couldn't hide his contempt.
"Six hundred thousand in total. Card or cash?"
Gu Luoxi's head throbbed with rage. "This is extortion! How were those vases antiques? Why would a shabby hotel like this have antiques?"
The manager chuckled. "Well, they're smashed now. They're antiques if I say they are."
"Besides, Miss Gu, that was quite a dramatic reaction just now. Our security cameras have already captured plenty of material for reaction memes. I'm sure your fans would love them. If the payment doesn't arrive today, I'll have to find a way to give your fans a treat."
Another threat.
"Fine. Just fine." Gu Luoxi glared at the hotel manager. "You'd better be ready for a complaint."
In the end, Gu Luoxi still paid the six hundred thousand.
It was fine. She could ask her dad to reimburse her when she got home.
She had wanted a receipt, but the hotel manager simply told her he couldn't issue one.
Gu Luoxi stormed out of the hotel.
"Someone just said whoever didn't get divorced was a dog." Sitting in the passenger seat, Xia Zhiyun wiped the lipstick off her face and tidied her hair. She would see her precious daughter once she got home, and she couldn't let herself scare the little sweetheart.
"Woof, woof..." Gu Jingsheng barked twice without the slightest hesitation. "Don't be mad, honey. We were acting just now, weren't we? I only said it to make the performance more convincing."
Xia Zhiyun snorted. "You didn't look like you were acting to me."
"Heaven is my witness, honey! You're the one I love most. That was purely an act for Gu Luoxi. I'd never want to divorce you. My wife is so beautiful, gentle, gracious, and understanding. I'd have to be out of my mind to lose you."
Xia Zhiyun's eyes crinkled with a smile. Gu Jingsheng had successfully coaxed her into a good mood.
Before long, the six hundred thousand arrived.
Xia Zhiyun's smile deepened. "I didn't expect that manager to be so good. He actually squeezed six hundred thousand out of her."
The smile on Gu Jingsheng's face faded slightly. After all, she was the daughter he had raised for more than twenty years. Discovering what she was like behind their backs had truly chilled his heart.
"She owed us that much. We spoiled her for twenty years and spent millions on her. Who would've thought... she'd turn out to be such an ungrateful wretch?" Gu Jingsheng sighed.
Back at the hotel, they had deliberately put on that performance for Gu Luoxi.
They had wanted to set her up.
Xia Zhiyun scoffed. "I'm not letting this end here. This is only the beginning. If she dares plot against me, she'd better be able to bear the consequences."
Gu Jingsheng gave Xia Zhiyun an indulgent look. "Whatever you do, I'll support you."
"Sweet-talker. We owe this to our biological daughter. We've wronged her so much, yet she keeps helping me instead of holding it against us. Oh, right... that doll was Gu Luoxi's doing too." Just thinking about it enraged Xia Zhiyun. What had she ever done to Gu Luoxi that made the girl so determined to kill her?
Gu Jingsheng's pupils contracted. "She... wanted to kill you?"
Xia Zhiyun nodded. "I never imagined she could be so vicious. Shengsheng rushed home right away and pulled the needles out of it. That's the only reason I'm still alive."
"Hmph! If she's willing to go that far, she can't blame me for showing no mercy!" This time, Gu Jingsheng was truly furious.
She had dared lay a hand on his wife. There was no way he would let her off lightly!
"Let's go home. I'll throw her out myself!"
Seeing the normally composed man turn red with anger, Xia Zhiyun suddenly felt much better. She gave a soft laugh. "Don't act rashly yet. Let's see what else she's planning. What if she has another trick up her sleeve and uses it against Shengsheng later? At least we can keep an eye on her if we keep her close."
"But I can't stomach this."
"What's the problem? We can deal with her little by little." Xia Zhiyun narrowed her eyes. This was her specialty. She would make Gu Luoxi utterly miserable!
Gu Jingsheng slowly exhaled. "All right. We'll do it your way."
"Oh, could you stop at the KFC up ahead?" Xia Zhiyun asked.
"Why? Are you craving KFC?" Gu Jingsheng asked in confusion.
"Not me. I just saw Shengsheng post about Crazy Thursday. She must be craving it, so let's bring some home for her." At the mention of her biological daughter, Xia Zhiyun's lips curved upward, her face full of smiles.
Before you continue