I tapped Ginny Deng on the head. "No chance. I've already told you, I don't have those kinds of feelings for your brother. Stop talking nonsense!"
Ginny Deng rubbed her head, displeased. "How do you know you don't have feelings if you haven't even tried? Zoe, trust me, my brother is a great guy. If you get together with him and he dares to treat you badly or mess around, I swear I'll personally beat him to death!"
Deng Yiyang was indeed a great guy. Whether it was his family background, looks, personality, or character, he was outstanding.
If feelings could be forced, I would want to give it a try with him.
But I really couldn't, and I didn't dare to try. What if we dated for a while and it didn't work out, and we ended up breaking up? It might affect my relationship with Ginny.
After all, he was her biological brother. I didn't want to try without being one hundred percent sure.
"Ginny, stop worrying about me. I've at least been married once, and you don't even have a boyfriend. You should be thinking about your own future!" I quickly changed the subject. "What kind of man do you like? How about a steady, reliable guy who works for the government? I can ask my dad to look around for you."
At the mention of her own future, Ginny Deng deflated, her eyes darting away. "Forget it. I'm the 'live in the moment' type. Getting married would just imprison my wild and free spirit."
Suddenly, her phone rang. She glanced at the caller ID, looking a bit guilty. She went to the side to answer the call, then came back and said, "Zoe, I have a date for drinks, gotta go!"
"Don't drink too much," I said helplessly.
"Got it!" Ginny Deng grabbed her bag and scurried away.
After she left, I went upstairs to continue packing. I wanted to move out of Mapleview Manor before the court hearing to show my determination.
I had too many clothes and jewelry, enough to fill five suitcases. Then I went to the music room to pack my cello and some sheet music.
While searching through the sheet music, I opened a long-sealed wooden box. Inside was a collection of music I had composed myself, all inspired by my feelings for Hugh Pei. I had once eagerly wanted to play it for him, but he had refused.
There was also a clear glass jar in the box, filled with colorful handmade stars that I had once stayed up all night folding for Hugh Pei. I had even written his name on each piece of paper.
At the very bottom of the box was a preserved rose. It was the only flower Hugh Pei had ever given me. We weren't married yet at the time. My in-laws had brought him to my house to celebrate my birthday. My mother-in-law asked Hugh Pei what gift he had prepared for me. He hadn't prepared anything. He plucked a decorative rose from the cake and handed it to me.
It was the most perfunctory gift imaginable, yet I had preserved it and treasured it for all these years.
I closed the wooden box and put it back, then continued to search. There was a half-finished scarf, a two-thirds embroidered pillow, a faded red string bracelet…
My naive crush back then was no less intense than Lila Wei's now. I had also invested those innocent and pure emotions.
I sighed and put these things back. I wasn't going to take them with me.
After packing everything up, the next morning, I had the housekeeper help me move the suitcases to the car. I drove to another property I owned, a single apartment I had purchased before marriage. I had lived there for a while during college, but I hadn't been back in a long time.
All the furniture and appliances in the apartment were covered with dust cloths, but the air was still filled with the smell of dust. Of course, I wouldn't clean it myself. I hired a housekeeping company.
When the cleaning staff arrived, I asked them to clean the apartment as quickly as possible. There were five of them, so they worked very fast.
Three hours later, the apartment was sparkling clean. I went to the bedroom and started organizing my clothes.
Just as I finished, my phone rang loudly. It was Hugh Pei.
Did he already know I had sued for divorce?
Puzzled, I answered the call. Hugh Pei's cold voice came through, "Zoe Xu, are you playing games with me?"
"What games? You received the notice already?" I was impressed by the court's efficiency.
"Don't play dumb with me!" I could hear Hugh Pei gritting his teeth. "If anything happens to Lila Wei, you won't get off easy either!"
If something happened to Lila Wei, wouldn't that be a good thing? I had sued for divorce, so she could be with Hugh Pei openly and honestly.
Hugh Pei had already hung up. I was still in a daze. Thankfully, Ginny Deng called, shouting into the phone, "Holy crap, big news! Zoe, your mother-in-law found out about that little fox, Lila Wei, and they met!"
My pupils contracted. What was going on?
Ginny Deng told me, "I heard your mother-in-law used an earring to track down Lila Wei. After they met, Lila Wei left in tears. Now Hugh Pei can't contact her, and he doesn't dare to go to her house directly because he's afraid her parents will find out and she'll have a bigger breakdown."
Did that mean Hugh Pei didn't go upstairs to see Victor Wei and the others that day?
I remembered the earring my mother-in-law had found in Hugh Pei's passenger seat on her birthday.
She had actually tracked down Lila Wei just because of one earring…
Was this the assertive style of a wealthy mother-in-law? I actually thought it was great. Since Hugh Pei and Lila Wei were true loves, then their obstacles should be brought forward. In my previous life, they had been entangled for a year before they confronted me. In this life, the confrontation had started in just a few short months, saving a lot of time.
"I see. But Ginny, how do you know all this?" I still had the presence of mind to ask.
"Uh… I just heard it through the grapevine… Anyway, be careful. Hugh Pei is used to being domineering. Don't let him take it out on you. I suggest you go to your mother-in-law for protection right away!" Ginny Deng said, then hung up.
I thought for a long time but didn't immediately call my mother-in-law to ask about it. Instead, I turned off my phone for some peace and quiet.
The apartment was clean, but it lacked daily necessities and groceries. I drove to the supermarket and bought a bunch of things.
After a simple meal, I turned my phone back on. Sure enough, there were several missed calls: two from Hugh Pei, two from Evan Yu, and one from my dad.
I called my dad back first. I thought he didn't know about Hugh Pei and Lila Wei, but his voice was on the verge of cracking with anger. "That bastard Hugh Pei! I thought he had changed for the better, but it turns out he's found another college student, and this time it's for real. Zoe, did you not know about this at all? How could you let him be so unrestrained?!"
"Dad…" I lost my appetite, my heart filled with anxiety. "I actually knew all along. Hugh Pei and I are preparing to get a divorce, so I didn't interfere. You and Mom don't need to worry."
"What does he take you for? You've been married to him for so long, what have you gotten? Your mother and I can't swallow this. I'm going to go settle the score with him!" My dad was furious.