Mrs. Wei had shared her own heartbreaking past with Xiao Man to persuade her not to be put off by Gu Shaojun’s disability. On the contrary, she should cherish him, because there truly weren’t many men in the world who could look past physical imperfections and value a woman’s inner soul.
Mrs. Wei said that she had been quite a beauty in her youth, a perfect match for the exceptionally talented Mr. Wei. Mr. Wei was an abandoned infant adopted by Mrs. Wei’s childless paternal aunt and uncle. The two had been engaged since they were young and were practically childhood sweethearts. It wasn’t as if there were no feelings between them when she married him. However, his first love was someone he met while attending university in Qing City. They were together for three years until the girl, following her family’s arrangements, left him without a second thought. Only then did Mr. Wei return home to marry Mrs. Wei. What Mrs. Wei resented was that he’d had another lover in college and had kept it a complete secret from her and her family.
Even in middle age, Mrs. Wei took great care with her appearance. But when Mr. Wei’s first love arrogantly walked through her door and she saw the tender, intoxicated look in his eyes as he gazed at the other woman, her world came crashing down. She understood then that it was useless to fight or delay the inevitable. They were the same age, yet that woman’s fair and delicate skin made her look ten years younger. In contrast, Mrs. Wei, though she had maintained her figure, had age spots and wrinkles. Her own skin felt so rough that she couldn’t even bear to look in the mirror.
Men are naturally drawn to beauty, so it was inevitable that Mr. Wei would choose his still-charming, younger-looking first love. His heart was gone, so what was the point in holding on? Mrs. Wei agreed to a clean break and divorced him. Their families only found out after the proceedings were finalized, and the shock and anger killed her aunt. Mrs. Wei blamed herself, believing her failure to keep her husband’s heart had caused her aunt’s death. Overcome with grief and guilt, she stubbornly refused to move back to Beijing after the divorce, choosing to live alone in Qing City. Eventually, her pent-up sorrow led to illness, and her health plummeted. In the end, her side of the family and Wei Zhenqing had to bring her back to Beijing.
That was why Xiao Man had Wei Zhenqing send his mother skincare and health supplements. She was helping Mrs. Wei prepare her body in advance. Even if the events of her past life couldn’t be changed—that wretched woman would still show up at the door, and that scumbag husband would still demand a divorce—things would be different. By that time, after more than two years of nurturing her health from the inside out, Mrs. Wei would be healthy and have a radiant complexion. Her face would be free of dark spots and wrinkles; her skin would be rosy, delicate, and youthful. She would then have the confidence to face the homewrecker and wouldn’t be defeated without a fight as she was in the last life. If she were feeling fierce, she could even land a punch on that shameless woman. ’Imagine the audacity,’ Xiao Man thought, ’brazenly showing up at someone’s home to steal their husband!’
That night, Gu Shaojun and Xiao Man lay in their separate beds, talking as they faced each other.
Xiao Man told Gu Shaojun how, in her previous life, Wei Zhenqing’s father had an affair that led to his parents’ divorce. The exact date was unclear; Mrs. Wei had only said it was in 1985. However, she’d mentioned that Grandma Wei passed away that winter, having died from the shock and anger of them divorcing without the family’s knowledge. That meant the divorce must have happened in the summer or fall of 1985.
Gu Shaojun was taken aback for a moment. "So... you want to intervene? To stop it from happening?"
Xiao Man shook her head. "There’s no need. In the last life, Mrs. Wei was able to go through with a clean divorce because she saw the situation for what it was. Wei Zhenqing’s father had no regard for his elderly parents, nor for his son who was away defending the border. He ruthlessly abandoned his wife of more than twenty years and left with his lover without a second thought. It proved that the most important, most tender part of his heart was never hers. If that’s the case, what’s the point of keeping him? Mrs. Wei was only forty-seven; she could still have a wonderful life without that scumbag. As long as she has enough support and a little warning, so it doesn’t catch her completely off guard like last time, she’ll have the confidence to overcome it. And if we handle it right, Grandma Wei won’t die from the shock, and Mrs. Wei won’t be weighed down by guilt for half her life."
Gu Shaojun pondered. "I’ll keep it in mind. I’ll find a chance to give Zhen Ting a heads-up; he should start keeping an eye on his father immediately. The Wei Family had significant assets in the past, and the dividends from their shares are still quite substantial, though they’ve always maintained a low profile. Now, with the economic reforms, private enterprises are booming. I heard from Zhen Ting that Grandpa Wei intends to hand over the family fortune to Mr. Wei to help him restore the family’s former glory. And Mr. Wei is all for it, busy recruiting talent. Over the past two years, Wei’s Enterprise has been established and is getting on track. He’s even planning to resign from his public post in a couple of years to manage it full-time... If they divorce in 1985, that’s right when the business would be taking off. Mr. Wei would be successful and full of himself. If he insisted on going against the family elders’ wishes to remarry and have more children, what do you think would happen? The Wei Family’s fortune would never be his! But if one of the elders gave him permission, he could do as he pleased without consequence! So, regarding the past life, if Mr. Wei was really willing to forfeit his inheritance for a divorce and a new wife, that’s one thing. But if he got his divorce *and* the inheritance, then Grandpa Wei is the one to be suspicious of. After all, Mr. Wei is his son. When a son is pig-headed, the father often gives in. We have to watch this situation closely and take precautions so that Mrs. Wei and Wei Zhenqing don’t lose out. No son would tolerate his father behaving like that. What ending Mr. Wei gets... that should be for Wei Zhenqing to decide!"
"Mm, that sounds like a good plan. I didn’t know the specifics of the Wei Family in my past life, only that Mr. Wei became a business tycoon, a regular on the rich lists with countless assets in every sector imaginable. That has to mean he inherited the Wei Family fortune. How else could a university lecturer find the capital to build such a massive commercial empire? Meanwhile, Wei Zhenqing’s business acumen was a total disaster. No one would have ever connected him to his brilliant father. Zhen Ting had a company too, but he practically ran it into the ground. He’d just come over to your place to freeload all day and never even thought about getting married... He really did stay a bachelor his whole life!"
Remembering how Gu Shaojun had teased Wei Zhenqing about being a lifelong bachelor earlier that day, Xiao Man couldn’t help but cover her mouth and stifle a giggle.
He reached out and gently ruffled her soft, silky hair, a smile on his face.
"You don’t really know Zhen Ting. He’s exceptionally intelligent, a rare kind of smart. He’s quick on his feet and meticulously thorough—his strategies leave nothing to chance. The battle plans he devises are close to perfect. The Wei Zhenqing you knew before wasn’t someone who lacked business talent; I suspect he just disdained using it. He was disillusioned with the Wei Family and probably even cut ties with Mr. Wei."
"He had to. A scumbag father like that is worthless. But you said Grandpa Wei might have supported Mr. Wei. Wasn’t he afraid of hurting Zhen Ting? He’s his eldest grandson, after all."
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