Chapter 19: Not a Single Cent After the Divorce

Clearly, the gesture was laden with intimacy, yet the air between them crackled with tension, as if a spark could ignite at any moment.

A’Li glared at him, her voice sharp. “I don’t want to eat! I told you, I’m not eating! Lu Jinyan, do you have even a shred of respect for me? Why can’t I even have the freedom to refuse food?!”

Lu Jinyan looked at her, his gaze deep and unwavering, his words cutting straight to the point. “Because I know you’re just throwing a tantrum. You can be upset if you want; I admit I owe you for this. But don’t play games with your own health.”

…

Lu Jinyan was calm and composed, mature beyond reproach.

In front of him, A’Li seemed like an unreasonable, willful child.

Did she not understand his logic? Of course she did.

But she felt miserable.

In front of Lu Jinyan, she didn’t even have the right to negotiate. With a single word, he could dismiss everything she wanted, all because she had no one to rely on, no past to shelter her. She was utterly alone, which meant they could treat her however they pleased.

If she wanted to stay, she had to endure.

But what about next time? Would things really change for the better?

With a man whose heart was never truly with her, what reason did she have to believe he would ever protect her when faced with a difficult choice?

A’Li’s heartbreak overwhelmed her, and tears slipped uncontrollably down her cheeks.

“A’Li…”

Seeing the girl sobbing, shattered and desolate, Lu Jinyan felt a sharp pain in his heart.

He reached out, wanting to wipe away her tears, but A’Li avoided his touch.

She turned her face away, as if coming to some realization. “Uncle, let’s get a divorce.”

The words hung in the air.

The room’s temperature seemed to plummet.

Lu Jinyan’s hand hovered in midair for two seconds before he slowly withdrew it. “I’ve told you before, divorce isn’t something you just say on a whim.”

“I’m not saying it on a whim.” A’Li pressed her lips together and continued, “I’ve thought about it all afternoon. Even though you say you won’t divorce me, I can see it—you still have Miss Liu in your heart. I don’t want to get caught up in your feelings for her, and I don’t want to be played with by the two of you.”

“After we divorce, you can do whatever you want. I won’t interfere. But… can you, for the sake of how I’ve cared for you, give me some money to settle down? At least so I don’t end up on the streets?”

A’Li kept her head bowed as she spoke softly, not noticing how Lu Jinyan’s expression grew darker and darker.

When she finally finished, Lu Jinyan spoke slowly. “Are you done?”

“Yes.” A’Li nodded, heartbroken.

She liked him very much. When she’d lost her memory and felt lost in this world, he had been a beacon of light in her life, giving her direction when she had none.

But she had her pride, too.

She didn’t want to be mocked and belittled forever, didn’t want to spend her life being twisted to fit someone else’s mold.

So even though she was reluctant to let go of this man, this time, she truly wanted to end everything.

“I won’t divorce you,” Lu Jinyan stated once more.

At his words, A’Li’s heart gave a painful jolt. She spun around to look at him. “Why not? You don’t even like me—why keep me here?”

Lu Jinyan sneered coldly. “Keep you here? A’Li, do you really think there’s anywhere else for you to go besides the Lu family?”

She choked, words stuck in her throat.

He really knew how to hit where it hurt.

She sniffed, forcing herself to sound strong. “I have hands and feet. Even if I have to work on a construction site, I can survive. They even provide food and board.”

He let out a short laugh. “You? With that tiny frame, working on a construction site?”

He caught her slender wrist, his fingertips tracing her delicate skin—so fragile it seemed it might break if he so much as bent it.

A’Li tried to pull her hand away. “That’s my business, not yours! Let go of me!”

But Lu Jinyan refused to release her. Instead, he leaned in, pressing her down onto the bed.

“A’Li, stop making a scene. It’s not as if playing piano is your only option. If you want to do something else, I’ll support you. Why are you so fixated on the piano?”

“Why is it that I can do anything except play the piano?” A’Li’s voice trembled with grievance, tears falling again. “Because Liu Mengwan said I can’t, so even if I have talent, I’m not allowed to play? This isn’t about the piano—it’s because you don’t care about how I feel. As long as Liu Mengwan has something to say, I’m nothing!”

“Enough!”

“Why? Because I’m right?”

Lu Jinyan, livid, gave a bitter laugh. “Do you really think you have any real talent for the piano? That you could actually make a living from it? What a whim!”

“How much has Liu Mengwan sacrificed for the piano? How much have you? What makes you think you’ll succeed? I just don’t want to see you get your hopes up and then be crushed again!”

“Excuses, all of it! You’re just doing this because Liu Mengwan said so!” A’Li sobbed out her accusation.

Her words cut deep, leaving Lu Jinyan unable to respond.

He finally said in a low voice, “If you keep making a scene, then I’ll give you the divorce you want. But I won’t give you a single cent! Go work on a construction site if you like! But let me remind you—what matters most to a pianist are her hands. If you ruin them on a construction site, you’ll never play the piano again for the rest of your life.”