Free Web NovelChapter 381: Chapter 381: Yue Ming 31
Liuu Yuming paid no mind to Xu Jia’s somewhat suggestive comment. "I’m just stating the objective facts as I see them. And what I see is that you’re a truly outstanding person."
"So why did you get divorced, anyway?"
Xu Jia kept smiling. "You can see I’m doing all right now. But back when I was broke, my ex-wife loved me for my money. Life just couldn’t go on like that."
Liuu Yuming thought for a moment. "She must regret it now, then."
"I don’t know if she regrets it or not. In any case, we haven’t seen each other since the divorce." Xu Jia picked up the cup of light tea before him, his expression remaining indifferent as he spoke of his ex-wife.
"What about you?"
Liuu Yuming had nothing to hide. "I got divorced because we were too poor back then. Plus, Chen Wei looked down on me for having a daughter. After he left to find work, he started coming home less and less."
"I was young back then and didn’t know much about making a life for myself; I only cared about his looks. Later, Liuu Jun and I started working as on-site makeup artists, and things slowly got better. I didn’t want Chen Wei to keep holding me back, so I was the one who asked for the divorce."
Xu Jia didn’t think Liuu Yuming was wrong at all. "You did the right thing. When you know someone is unreliable, it’s best to separate as soon as possible."
Liuu Yuming nodded. "Of course I know I was right. My life is so much better without him."
She smiled as she spoke. "It’s been almost ten years since the divorce. I have no idea where he is now. I probably wouldn’t even recognize him if he were standing right in front of me."
Xu Jia’s expression softened with sympathy. "Raising a child by yourself must have been tough, huh?" freёwebnovel.com
"The hardest times are when you have no one to rely on," Liuu Yuming said. "But as long as I had a goal, I never felt it was that hard."
She counted on her fingers. "Little Min has been sensible since she was a child. Before I became a makeup artist, I worked in a factory. I used to leave early and come back late, and Little Min learned to cook for herself before she was even six."
"There was almost always a hot meal waiting for me when I got home at night. Later, when Liuu Jun and I went into business together, my aunt mostly helped me look after Little Min. Even though my parents are gone, my uncle and aunt were really my rock."
"Little Min is so thoughtful, too. I’ve never had to worry about her; she’s always managed her studies and her life exceptionally well on her own."
"So, if you ask if it was hard, it really wasn’t that bad. Liuu Jun has also been incredibly dedicated. He knows I’m only interested in the creative side of the work, so I’ve never had to worry about the day-to-day business management."
"You could say that afterward, everything went smoothly."
Xu Jia asked, "But it must have been difficult before that, right?"
Liuu Yuming said, "However hard it was, it’s all in the past. What matters is that I’m doing great now."
Xu Jia put down his teacup, asking casually, "So in all these years, you never thought about finding someone else?"
Liuu Yuming waved her hand. "Actually, when I first started as a makeup artist, people tried to set me up, but I just wasn’t interested. My mom used to say, ’You only have to suffer through one hardship in life: men or work.’ I have no desire to suffer through the ’man’ one again."
"Besides, I can see what their intentions are. My partnership with Liuu Jun is going great. If I were to remarry, Liuu Jun would be pushed out, and I would never do something like that."
"And another thing, I’m meant to have my husband marry into my family, not the other way around. If I were to marry out, dealing with in-laws would be a massive headache. I have no intention of moving into someone else’s house. Is any place really as comfortable as your own home?"
Xu Jia smiled. "If you wanted a man to marry into your family, I’m sure there’d be plenty of takers."
"Maybe," Liuu Yuming sighed. "Sometimes it all just feels pointless. I might not be the sharpest tool in the shed, but I know why they approach me. And knowing that just makes me even less interested."
Xu Jia said, "No wonder Jun says you’re much wiser than you let on. You see things with perfect clarity."
Liuu Yuming wrinkled her nose. "If you know someone has bad intentions, there’s no point in engaging with them. Besides, I’m really happy with how things are. My mom never thought there was anything wrong with me being a homebody. As long as I can support myself and don’t get in anyone’s way, I have the right to live the life I want."
Xu Jia knew Liuu Yuming’s mother had passed away long ago. "You don’t feel sad when you talk about your mother?"
"I’m not sad at all," Liuu Yuming said, taking a bite of a pastry. "Some people are gone in body, but they live on in your heart forever. When I think of her, I only feel happy. Incredibly happy."
Xu Jia pushed the plate of pastries closer to Liuu Yuming. "My father passed away when I was young, and my mother passed the year I got divorced. If we were to get together, you wouldn’t have to worry about in-law problems."
Liuu Yuming shot him a glare. "Who said anything about getting together with you?"
"I did. I’m the one who wants to be with you." Xu Jia knew when to back off a little. "Let’s have dinner tonight. Since you don’t dislike me, why don’t we get to know each other better? Even if it doesn’t work out in the end, it would still be nice to be friends."
Liuu Yuming wasn’t about to be swayed by his words. "There’s no such thing as a purely platonic friendship between a man and a woman. But you’re right, there’s no harm in getting to know each other. You do have a... reassuring presence."
"Let me treat you to dinner. I’m always mooching meals off you. It’s only right that there’s some give and take."
Xu Jia was clearly delighted by her "give and take" comment and didn’t argue. "Alright. What would you like to have for dinner?"
Liuu Yuming glanced at Xu Jia’s tired expression. "Home cooking."
Xu Jia raised an eyebrow slightly. "Oh?" freēwēbηovel.c૦m
Liuu Yuming was perfectly composed. "Didn’t you say we should get to know each other? I’m not a young girl anymore. This ’getting to know each other’ process should involve understanding a person’s life, including their daily habits, right?"
Xu Jia understood. "Okay, then. Dinner at my place tonight. We can stop by the supermarket to buy some groceries in a bit. I learned a few things from Jun last time, so you can try my cooking tonight."
Liuu Yuming was genuinely looking forward to it. "Really? It seems like among all the men I know, only Jun and you know how to cook. In my memory, my dad never set foot in the kitchen, and my uncle is the same."
Xu Jia gave her a half-smile. "You seem to know a lot of men."
Liuu Yuming said, "Not that many, and they’re mostly relatives. There are clients, too. In this line of work, you meet a lot of men and women, and these kinds of topics inevitably come up."
"But among my relatives, there really aren’t many men who can cook. So how did you learn?"
Xu Jia said nonchalantly, "A person’s got to feed themselves. Besides, cooking for one can be quite enjoyable."
Liuu Yuming said, "I’ve been so busy lately that by the time I get home, I don’t want to move a muscle."
"That’s normal. I only cook when I have the time. If I’m too busy, I just eat at the cafeteria or go out." Xu Jia could relate to that; after being swamped with work, no one wants to come home to a cold kitchen and start cooking.
Liuu Yuming took a look around Xu Jia’s living room. "The view here is quite nice. I would’ve thought a big boss like you would choose to live in a villa."
"This place is close to the office, only a twenty-minute drive." Xu Jia leaned against the counter, casually pouring a cup of tea for Liuu Yuming. "Next time, I’ll take you to my villa in the suburbs. It’s much more peaceful there."
