The Luo family members were all stunned where they stood. Old Mrs. Luo shrieked, "Divorce? When did that happen? Why didn't you say so earlier!"
"I got divorced the day I returned!"
"You! Why didn't you say so earlier? Why did you get a divorce?"
Luo Zifeng recounted the reasons for the divorce and what she had overheard. Luo Zifeng's elder brother looked at his sister with some suspicion for a long time before leaving the house. Once he left, everyone else dispersed. No one went to comfort Luo Zifeng; even her sister-in-law, who usually flattered her, left with Old Mrs. Luo without so much as a glance.
Luo Zifeng felt not only wronged but also a deep chill. Recalling past events, Luo Zifeng felt incredibly cold. She stumbled upstairs to her room, wrapping herself in the quilt, trying to ward off the chill.
By the time Luo Zimao returned, it was late. Everyone was waiting for him downstairs, except for Luo Zifeng.
"How did it go?"
Luo Zimao had gone out to gather information, suspecting his sister might have been lying. He hadn't managed to find any useful news. "Still no news. The Gu family is only talking about a political marriage with the Ji family, nothing else."
"A political marriage, with the Ji family? Who from the Gu family?"
"Jingyi, with the youngest daughter of Ji Mingxue!"
Luo Zimao's eldest son, hearing his father mention this, immediately recalled the person. He quickly chimed in, "Ah, I know that one. Apparently, that girl is very close with Ye Yu! I saw them eating together at Wo Ya Ju! It was the same time when Eldest Aunt and Auntie went, the time when Wen Jing was locked up!"
"What? Then how could the Gu family be in trouble! Where is Luo Zifeng? Have her come down and explain!"
Luo Zifeng, who had been feeling wronged upstairs, was unceremoniously dragged out of bed by Luo Zimao and pulled downstairs. Seeing this scene, Luo Zifeng had no idea what was happening.
Luo Zimao directly told her the news he had gathered, along with what they had just heard. Luo Zifeng froze. Could it be that this was all a scheme by the Gu family? Why? Then what about her father! Was he also part of their scheme? Or did he know about it all along, and that's why he left, to avoid helping the Luo family?
She had to go and find out!
This was the only thought in Luo Zifeng's mind. She ran out, completely ignoring the Luo family members left behind.
When she finally reached the Gu family residence, she happened to see Gu Zhonghua carrying his luggage into the house. They met at the doorstep. Gu Zhonghua also saw her disheveled state, and after helping to pay the driver and sending him away, he asked, "What happened? How did you end up like this?" Gu Zhonghua also noticed the slap marks on her face and frowned.
"I'm here to ask if you orchestrated our divorce? The Gu family isn't in any trouble, are they? And my father, was your doing concerning my father?"
Gu Zhonghua was first taken aback by her mention of divorce, then he shook his head. "No, the Gu family was truly in deep trouble. I've been busy dealing with it outside, and the Ji family helped us out due to the engagement. As for your father, I'm not clear about that; I just returned home myself." Gu Zhonghua didn't mention the divorce. He had only just arrived home and didn't know many things yet.
"Then do you have a way, a way to save him?" Luo Zifeng was now exceptionally pathetic, but she could no longer stir his heart.
"I can't help. The Gu family is also in turmoil now, barely keeping afloat thanks to the Ji family. Do you think I can help you with anything now? Besides, you said it yourself, we're divorced!" Gu Zhonghua felt a sense of relief as he uttered these words.
Gu Zhonghua didn't know how Luo Zifeng left. After saying all that, he went inside. As he entered, he glanced at the dazed figure outside, a slight smile curling his lips, which he quickly suppressed. No one noticed it at all.
Everyone has to pay the price for their actions.
Later, news spread of the Luo family's downfall. The Luo family disintegrated. The eldest and youngest sons fought over the family assets, but before they could decide on the distribution, the Luo family's fortune was seized, and the two sons were taken away. Old Mrs. Luo tried to throw a tantrum to delay things, but eventually stopped her antics after a police officer whispered a few words in her ear. No one knew what was said, but Old Mrs. Luo visibly withered.
After the entire family was expelled, the two daughters-in-law tried to seek help or shelter from their maiden families but were driven out and even had their family ties severed. Everyone blamed Luo Zifeng for these troubles. Luo Zifeng never knew that the family she thought was so close to her viewed her this way.
Her sister-in-law, who had always treated her like a sister, even said that if she hadn't married into the Gu family, she wouldn't have had such a glorious life before. "Dream on!"
Only now did Luo Zifeng realize that the affection she received from her family and her outward success were solely because she married Gu Zhonghua. It was never due to the Luo family's pampering. But now, because she was divorced, they dared to push all the blame onto her.
She had listened to them, caused chaos in the Gu family, and even thought of introducing her sister-in-law's niece to her eldest son. Her son was the acknowledged heir of the Gu family. Was this how they treated her? How much had she given them from the Gu family? She had even entered Gu Zhongnian's study at her father's request to understand some documents, leading to a huge argument between them. What had she done all this for? For them to treat her like this?
She now saw their true colors clearly. She had ruined her own life. Just as she didn't know how to face all this, Gu Jingyi arrived. Luo Zifeng thought he had come to take her home, believing that everything that happened was a lesson to make her see things clearly.
But she was wrong. Gu Jingyi wasn't there to take her home. He had only brought her a sum of money. How she used it was her own business, considered the last thing Gu Jingyi could do as a son.
"Jingyi, are you just going to watch your mother live like this?"
Hearing this, Gu Jingyi felt a moment of regret. She never thought she was in the wrong, always standing on the moral high ground, trying to control him.
"Ms. Luo, this is the last thing I can do for you, out of consideration for giving birth to me! You were so resolute when you left, never looking back at me, never thinking of me even once. From now on, let's not see each other again! After all, you said back then that you never gave birth to me or Jingzhao. I wish you peace for the rest of your life, goodbye!"
Gu Jingyi turned and left without waiting for her to speak, leaving her standing alone, not moving for a long time.