Divorced and Determined: The CEO’s Ex-Wife Fights for Love

Chapter 21 Boss, Same Place Tomorrow, Rain or Shine, We’ll Be Waiting for You!

Lu Qin was still walking out of the alley with his daughter when some customers ran after him.

“Boss Lu, don’t forget to come tomorrow. I can’t sleep at night without your fried noodles.”

“Yeah, handsome boss, come earlier tomorrow. We can’t wait for your fried noodles and mung bean soup!”

“Boss Lu, rest well tonight, recharge, and continue making fried noodles for us tomorrow!”

“Boss, same place tomorrow, rain or shine, we’ll be waiting for you!”

“Got it~! We’ll be there~! My dad and I will come~!”

“You guys go home and rest early too~!”

“Goodbye~!”

Lu Xiyao sat next to Lu Qin, one hand holding onto the side rail, the other raised high, waving. The three-wheeled food cart rolled out of the narrow alley.

The little girl’s fair and soft face was filled with happiness.

“Daddy, it’s so fun setting up the stall. Let’s do it again tomorrow.”

“Are you tired, Yao Yao?”

“Not tired at all, way easier than going to kindergarten.”

Lu Qin’s lips curled slightly. Kindergarten is harder than making money.

They arrived home at 9:20 PM.

After helping the little one take a bath and dry her hair, Lu Qin tucked her into bed.

“Daddy, tell me a story.”

The little girl yawned, starting to feel sleepy.

Lu Qin gently patted her on the shoulder and began telling the children’s story “Mother Rabbit Recognizes Her Babies.” But before he even got a third of the way through, the little one had already drifted off to sleep.

Lu Qin quietly turned off the lights, closed the door, and left the room. He went out to the yard and gave the three-wheeled food cart a thorough cleaning, using the system’s powerful detergent and cleaning cloth, which made the process four to five times faster and more effective.

No matter how dirty the spot was, one wipe made it gleam like new. He also cleaned the plastic baskets and insulated foam boxes used to store ingredients, leaving them out to dry in a well-ventilated area.

Lu Qin liked things clean, especially when it came to anything related to food. It had to be hygienic so that customers could eat with peace of mind.

Most street food stalls nowadays had poor hygiene. The visible areas were covered in greasy grime, not to mention the hidden corners.

There were also many news reports of people getting food poisoning from street food. Moreover, many studies suggest that eating street food can lead to cancer, and Lu Qin believed this was mainly due to poor hygiene and unhealthy ingredients.

Most starch sausages, squid, and meat skewers were frozen and came in cheap packaging. Stall owners would thaw the food and sometimes add chemicals to make it look fresh.

Lu Qin would never do such a dishonest business. Nor would he set up a stall on a busy roadside where cars pass by, filling the food with dust.

After finishing the cleaning, Lu Qin took a shower and comfortably lay down on the bed.

It was almost 10 PM.

Listening to the crickets chirping outside, Lu Qin started feeling a bit sleepy. He checked his Zhifubao and WeChat Wallet. The combined earnings from the stall had reached nearly 10,000 yuan.

And that was just from last night and today’s full day of work.

The income was quite substantial, and Lu Qin was very satisfied. He no longer had to worry about daily necessities, and his life felt fulfilling every day. The system’s points had reached 628.

Just as Lu Qin was about to draw a lottery, his phone’s WeChat notification chimed. Lu Qin checked his phone and raised an eyebrow slightly—it was his ex-wife, Shen Muyan.

[Shen Muyan: Lu Qin, has the little one gone to sleep?].

Lu Qin had not deleted the chat history with Shen Muyan. Her past messages were all tied to the word ‘busy’.

[I’m working overtime tonight, you two go ahead and sleep without me.]. [I’m going on a business trip to Haishi, I’ll be back in three days. Please take care of the little one.]. [I have a very important meeting, I can’t attend the little one’s kindergarten performance. Please apologize to her for me.]. [I might not be around for Yao Yao’s birthday, but I’ve ordered the cake. I’ll make it up to her with a gift when I return.].

…

Lu Qin didn’t blame Shen Muyan, perhaps she really was busy. As the CEO managing several five-star hotels, the pressure must be enormous. That left him to accompany their daughter, acting as both father and mother. Though they were divorced, Shen Muyan was still the mother of his child.

Lu Qin typed back.

[The little one has already gone to sleep.].

A few seconds later, his phone buzzed again.

[Shen Muyan: Where are you living now? Have you settled into your new place?]. [Lu Qin: The old district in the south of the city. The house is nice, and the environment is good. The little one isn’t picky about her bed, she can sleep anywhere.].

Inside a villa, the large, luxuriously decorated room felt cold and empty. Shen Muyan lay on the bed in a dark gray silk robe, her slender, fair fingers holding the phone as she pondered her next message.

At work, she was decisive and composed, issuing clear instructions to hundreds of employees. But when it came to her ex-husband, Lu Qin, she didn’t know what to say.

Father and daughter were renting a place in the old district of the south of the city.

“A nice house? Good environment?”

Shen Muyan didn’t think so. The houses in that area were 20 to 30 years old. How could living in an old house be comfortable?

Lu Qin was just trying to act tough. He had fallen so far as to set up a food stall. How could life be good? She was certain the little one wasn’t used to living there either.

Furrowing her brows, Shen Muyan held back and continued messaging.

[Shen Muyan: Have you found a job? It’s not easy to find one after so many years. If you need help, just let me know.]. [Lu Qin: I have a job, the income is decent. Don’t worry, it won’t affect the little one’s life, schooling, or growth.].

A food stall counts as a job? Decent income?

Shen Muyan thought Lu Qin was just pretending. She couldn’t probe further, or she’d break the unspoken understanding and hurt his pride.

Frustrated, she didn’t know how to handle the situation. She couldn’t let Lu Qin and the little one live off a food stall forever. At this rate, they wouldn’t even be able to afford her kindergarten tuition by the second half of the year.

Sighing, she decided to change the topic.

[Shen Muyan: Tomorrow’s the weekend. The little one’s grandparents are back from overseas, and they want to see her.].

Lu Qin thought for a moment, then sent a location.

Before their divorce, they had agreed that as long as the child was willing, she could visit her mother every weekend.

[Lu Qin: Sure, have someone pick her up at 9 AM tomorrow.]. [Shen Muyan: Alright, thanks.]. [Lu Qin: No problem.].

After that, neither of them said anything more.

Shen Muyan didn’t know how to continue the conversation. After thinking for a while, she sent another message.

[Shen Muyan: The little one still has a lot of toys she hasn’t taken with her.]. [Lu Qin: Just leave them. She’s already brought a lot, and there isn’t enough room for more here.]. [Shen Muyan: Oh.].

A pang of discomfort hit Shen Muyan. In the villa, the little one had an entire room dedicated to storing her toys and stuffed animals.

Since father and daughter moved out, she realized that most of the gifts she had bought for her daughter were left behind. She only took the things Lu Qin had given her.

Reflecting on this, Shen Muyan admitted to herself that she hadn’t given her daughter enough attention.

How could a little girl possibly like toy cars?

…