Free Web NovelChapter 143: Chapter 143: Critical Period
Su Li watched from the side and breathed a sigh of relief.
Little Tang Mo glanced at Su Li and obediently started walking, but his little brows furrowed in a knot.
He wore a serious expression the whole way, lost in thought about who-knows-what.
Su Li and Tang Yuanxiao were in a similar state.
The family of three crossed halfway through the work unit to the supervisor’s office, completely unaware of how many eyes they drew along the way.
Tang Yuanxiao was tall and handsome, Su Li was stunningly beautiful, and Little Tang Mo was adorable and cute. They were the kind of family that would turn heads anywhere, let alone at the work unit.
In this den of bachelors, a place where any woman would be considered a goddess, Su Li’s appearance made her seem as beautiful as a celestial fairy.
A group of young men couldn’t help but stare, their eyes wide.
They didn’t have any sordid intentions; they were just captivated by her beauty. Afterward, they began to envy Tang Yuanxiao.
A beautiful wife and child by his side, and he himself was so capable—how could people not be filled with envy, jealousy, and hate?
Everyone’s faces were filled with admiration.
Yesterday, the news of Su Li’s arrival had only spread through the family quarters. With this public appearance, everyone now knew.
"Captain Tang is way too lucky..."
"His wife... is so beautiful!"
A huge wave of people was green with envy, completely oblivious to the bitter helplessness in Tang Yuanxiao’s heart.
Tang Yuanxiao led Su Li to the door of the supervisor’s office.
"Go on in."
"Okay." Su Li nodded. "Little Mo, you be good and stay with your father."
After knocking and hearing a voice grant permission, Su Li opened the door and entered the supervisor’s office.
The conversation... was neither pleasant nor smooth.
The supervisor intended to persuade them to reconcile, but Su Li insisted on a divorce.
"...If there’s something Tang Yuanxiao is doing wrong, you can tell me. I’ll talk to him and make him change. Divorce is no small matter..."
"...I know. I’ve thought it through very clearly. Supervisor, I’ll have to trouble you to approve the application."
Su Li’s presence, along with her temperament and eloquence, was beyond the supervisor’s expectations. In the end, he couldn’t convince her.
"...Little Su, Tang Yuanxiao is at a truly critical stage right now. He’s about to get a promotion. If news of a divorce gets out at this time, it will have a huge impact on him."
Su Li hadn’t considered that possibility. She frowned and said,
"This is an amicable divorce. There’s no scandal, so it shouldn’t have any impact."
The supervisor sighed and shook his head. "How could it not have an impact? Who gets divorced these days? Getting a divorce *is* the scandal."
Su Li: "..."
’A divorce is a scandal...’
Su Li furrowed her brow in thought. "Supervisor, how about this? You can approve it for us, and we’ll still get divorced, but I won’t publicize it. We can treat it as a secret divorce."
"We can wait until this critical period for Tang Yuanxiao is over before we announce it. What do you think?"
The supervisor knew he couldn’t persuade Su Li. He looked at her, sighed, and remained silent.
Su Li had already made the biggest concession she could; she wouldn’t compromise any further. So she, too, met his silence with her own and said no more.
A silent standoff unfolded in the office.
After three minutes passed with Su Li still sitting quietly opposite him, the supervisor reluctantly broke the silence.
"Alright, let’s stop here for today. We’ll consider this matter and discuss it. You should also take some time to calm down and think it over."
’I’m already perfectly calm,’ Su Li thought, but she didn’t say it out loud, merely nodding.
"Okay."
"Don’t mention this to anyone," the supervisor added.
"...Okay."
It seemed there would be more conversations like this to come.
When Su Li left the office, she saw Tang Yuanxiao at the end of the hall, with Little Tang Mo riding on his shoulders as he tried to cheer the boy up.
Seeing Su Li emerge, Tang Yuanxiao tensed up and hurried over.
"He said they’ll consider it and discuss it," Su Li told Tang Yuanxiao.
Hearing this, the tension in Tang Yuanxiao’s back relaxed.
He breathed a sigh of relief because they weren’t getting divorced immediately.
But his heart grew heavy again, because Su Li still hadn’t changed her mind.
"Let’s go." Su Li was the first to head downstairs.
After they had walked for a bit, Su Li couldn’t help but ask Tang Yuanxiao,
"How long does an approval like this usually take?"
Tang Yuanxiao glanced at her. "It varies."
Su Li’s brow furrowed slightly.
’How can it vary? If this drags on for ten days, half a month, or even longer, it’ll be frustrating as hell.’
"I’ve already spoken with the supervisor..." Back at the family quarters, Su Li had a talk with Tang Yuanxiao.
"I understand this concerns your future, and I can agree to keep the divorce private for now. But we can’t let this drag on for too long."
"It would be best if we get a result in the next day or two. I have my own things to do and my own plans; I can’t just waste my time waiting here."
Divorce wasn’t something to be proud of, and Su Li had no intention of broadcasting it. Given Tang Yuanxiao’s special circumstances, her willingness to cooperate by keeping it a secret for now was already her biggest concession.
"I know." Tang Yuanxiao gave Su Li a deep look.
Tang Yuanxiao left. Su Li didn’t know what he did afterward or if he went to talk to the supervisor again, but it was true that another "discussion group" came to see her that afternoon. freeweɓnovel.cѳm
It was a gentle, middle-aged man with glasses and the supervisor’s wife, Aunt Chang.
Aunt Chang wasn’t an official employee of the work unit, but her status was special. Since Tang Yuanxiao had agreed to let her know about the situation, she came to talk with Su Li.
This conversation couldn’t change anything. To Su Li, their attempts at reconciliation were just a formality on their part; it had no effect on her.
Su Li’s attitude was resolute. She firmly rejected their attempts to "persuade her to reconcile," dead set on the divorce.
The official staff member who came to talk admitted defeat and left, promising that the matter would be handled as soon as possible.
Aunt Chang, however, didn’t leave. She stayed behind to chat with Su Li. freeweɓnøvel.com
She was an open-minded, approachable old woman with a calm and mature heart, making a good first impression.
After staying, she didn’t continue trying to persuade Su Li. Instead, she took a different tack and started talking about Cui Yun, Tang Yuanxiao’s first wife.
"Little Mo looks like Little Cui. He’s handsome now, and he’ll grow up to be a fine young man."
Aunt Chang was very fond of Little Tang Mo. "This child is smart. He’ll definitely be cleverer than Little Cui was."
The surprise in Su Li’s eyes was plain to see, and Aunt Chang smiled. "Surprised? Surprised that I’d bring up Little Cui with you?"
"It’s not a forbidden topic. Little Cui was a good girl. Back in the day, she was the factory belle."
"She had a round face, like an apple, and she smiled at everyone she met. She had two dimples, wore her hair in two braids, and had a gentle personality. She was generous and filial, too. A lot of the young men adored her."
Aunt Chang spoke with the unhurried cadence of someone her age, and Su Li could almost picture what Cui Yun looked like.
She glanced at Su Li and said, "She was different from you, especially in personality. But I like you both. A woman has to be strong, you know. I really admire that about you."
She patted her lower back and sighed. "Time passes so quickly. In the blink of an eye, she’s been gone for so many years. It’s a good thing this child met you."
"Little Su, don’t you mind what other people say. You’re good to Little Mo, and Little Cui would only be grateful to you for that. I know it."
Aunt Chang said this while looking at Little Tang Mo.
Su Li smiled. "Thank you for telling me all this."
"What’s there to be polite about? I’m not like that old man of mine, only thinking about pushing you two back together. If you weren’t pushed to your limit, why would you want a divorce? Men don’t get it, but I do."
As Aunt Chang said this, her gaze seemed to drift off into the distance.
