When Fang Ruoye was sleeping, the Jiang brothers added her to their WeChat Group, the one they used to maintain communication with Luo Xianxian.
The three cousins were very busy with their work and careers, but they still had time to spam the group chat with a lot of messages.
Jiang Wei : "Ruoye, I have already instructed Auntie Wang to cook you and Xianxian whatever you want. At 9 AM sharp, a car will be waiting for you downstairs. You can go wherever you want to go, just tell the driver and he will take you. I will be back tomorrow night."
Jiang Yue : "Ruoye, I have to go for an outdoor shooting in X City. I am going to return in a week. Xianxian, do you want anything from X City? What about a big stuffed teddy bear?"
Jiang Cheng : "Ruoye, I am thankfully around. Why don't we have lunch together? I will send you an address. Just ask the driver to take you."
Jiang Wei :
Jiang Cheng :
Fang Ruoye's grin grew wider and wider the more she read.
She still couldn't believe that she refrained from hanging out with her cousins just because Luo Yanming was unable to curb his jealous bouts. The Jiang brothers were rich and famous, while Fang Ruoye was just a normal housewife, but they doted on her excessively and treated her with a lot of affection.
She might be a divorcee with nothing under her name, but so what? As long as the powerful Jiang brothers stood behind her, she could conquer everything and anything!
It was her only source of comfort, and a great one too. Because, although she did not show it, the pain of losing her husband due to her inability to conceive a son was like a cold blade piercing through her heart.
Nevertheless, she still had a long life to look forward to. One without Luo Yanming and Hong Yinling.
Luo Xianxian was five years old right now, and she was about to enter elementary school. With the registration period for the upcoming year commencing today, Fang Ruoye intended to take her daughter to Blooming Peony Elementary School for enrollment.
At 9 AM sharp, the car and driver arrived at the basement of the luxurious apartment building. Fang Ruoye and Luo Xianxian climbed into the car and headed toward Blooming Peony Elementary School.
When they arrived, many parents were already there to enroll their children in the school. Luo Xianxian recognized several friends who hailed from the same kindergarten she used to visit.
After dropping Luo Xianxian at the playground to play with her friends, Fang Ruoye proceeded toward the registration office to take care of the enrollment procedures.
"Mrs. Luo, please take a seat," the administrator said with a smile when Fang Ruoye's turn arrived.
"Thank you, but I am no longer Mrs. Luo," Fang Ruoye told the other woman. "I have signed a divorce agreement and thus separated from Mr. Luo."
The administrator, who was flipping through Luo Xianxian's documents, froze upon hearing Fang Ruoye's words.
"Is that so? In that case, I am really sorry, Miss Fang, but we cannot proceed with the child's enrollment."
Fang Ruoye furrowed her brows in confusion.
"Why not? The paperwork was submitted six months in advance for the school's initial assessment, and I received an invitation to complete the enrollment procedure."
"That is correct, but..."
The administrator shifted in her seat uncomfortably.
"Our Blooming Peony Elementary School places great importance on families. We do not accept children who do not have a complete set of parents. We believe that missing a father or a mother will be detrimental to a child's development, and we simply do not want these children to affect the others."
Fang Ruoye scoffed.
"The divorce rate in this country is higher than 50%. I am not normalizing divorce in any way, but why must the children be punished for the divorce?"
The administrator shrugged.
"What can I say, it's the rule of the school. I am just an employee here, and I have no right to make an exception for Luo Xianxian."
Fang Ruoye seethed with anger, but the administrator was right --- she was just handling the matter in accordance with the school's rules and regulations.
Fang Ruoye went to the playground to pick Luo Xianxian up. Her heart clenched when she saw her little girl wave at her friends and say, "See you when school starts!"
Luo Xianxian had been looking forward to starting school at Blooming Peony Elementary School because many of her friends from kindergarten were also going to this school.
But now, she could no longer enter the school, and it was all because of her parents' divorce.
"Xianxian, Mommy needs to tell you something."
Fang Ruoye swallowed hard. Luo Xianxian's pair of big eyes was looking up at her expectantly.
"Actually..."
"Excuse me."
Fang Ruoye's gaze shot up, locking with that of a striking man standing tall before her. Casually dressed in a checkered brown shirt and black pants, his glasses lent him a scholarly air. Soft waves cascaded across his forehead, artfully framing his handsome face and lending him a youthful air that belied his possible age, making him appear no older than thirty.
A small boy with similar facial features, approximately close to Luo Xianxian in age, stood next to him, his tiny hands clutching one of the man's legs.
"Yes?"
The man gave her an awkward smile.
"I didn't mean to eavesdrop, Miss Fang, but did you just get rejected by the school as well? I happened to be rejected for the same reason."
"Oh, I see. I am so sorry to hear that."
"If I had known that this school had such a strict policy, I would have enrolled my son in other schools simultaneously. Unfortunately, right now it is too late to do so. My son will have to wait for one full year before he can enter elementary school."
Fang Ruoye winced in sympathy.
"Unfortunately, my daughter doesn't fare better than your son."
"Thus, I came up with a solution."
The man's eyes gleamed behind his glasses, his lips curving into a roguish smile.
"This might seem to be a bold proposition, but would you like to marry me today?"