After returning home with the child, her ex-husband knelt down and gently coaxed her.

She smiled and said, "Then I'll go change out of my dress, and then we can go."

Upon hearing this, Lu Xiyan realized that the clothes she was wearing were different from what she had worn when she arrived; they were designer dresses from the store.

He nodded, and Cheng Wanwan smiled as she went to the changing room.

As soon as the changing room door closed, the smile that had been welded to her face slowly disappeared, and a sharp glint appeared in her eyes.

Peace and tranquility again!

That "7" is the nickname Lu Xiyan gave her!

Why is she so persistent?

Cheng Wanwan bit her lip tightly and took off her dress. Even when she was trying on her wedding dress, An Ning would try her best to interfere!

No wonder west Yan has been so distracted all day; it's all because of An Ning!

Cheng Wanwan was burning with anger and quickly dialed a number on her phone.

The call was answered quickly.

"Manager Sun, how's the matter of getting Anning to leave Haowei going?"

The other person said something, and Cheng Wanwan frowned, clearly displeased. "I don't care what method you use, get An Ning out of Jinghai as soon as possible!"

"Especially on the day of my engagement party!" she gritted her teeth. "I have to find a way to transfer her away, the farther the better! I can't stand looking at her!"

......

7 PM.

An Ning arrived at the address given by Song Xiaoyu, which was a quiet bar with a peaceful atmosphere.

The bar wasn't crowded at the moment; only two or three customers were chatting and drinking.

This time is still very early for Jinghai's nightlife.

As soon as she entered the gate, An Ning's gaze fell on the bar counter, where a young and slender woman was taking off her work clothes, neatly folding them, and putting them into a locker.

Anning recognized her at a glance, quickly walked over, and stood two steps away from her, her eyes filled with joy.

"Little fish!"

The woman paused upon hearing this, turned to look at her, and after a moment, suddenly smiled.

Although it was meant as mockery, Anning noticed that her eyes were moist.

An Ning found a quiet booth and sat down, carefully observing the person in front of her—a small face with large eyes, her appearance hadn't changed much, except that she was thinner and seemed a bit darker, and the hope for the future in her eyes seemed to have disappeared.

They've all changed; life has smoothed out their rough edges.

Suddenly remembering what she had said on the phone, An Ning's eyes trembled. "Xiao Yu... how are you doing?"

Song Xiaoyu's gaze remained fixed on her, her eyes slightly red, and she seemed to be holding back tears as she tilted her head back.

She laughed indifferently, "So you're someone who cares about how others are doing."

An Ning wasn't oblivious to the reproach in Song Xiaoyu's words. She tried to take Song Xiaoyu's hand, but the other woman dodged her.

"Little Fish, I know you're blaming me for leaving without saying goodbye back then."

An Ning lowered her eyes, looking at her empty fingertips. "So much happened back then... It's not that I didn't want to tell you, it's that I didn't know how to say it..."

She looked at Song Xiaoyu, and gave a slight smile. "At that time, leaving Jinghai was my only option."

"Can't you even communicate with me?" Song Xiaoyu frowned at her, seemingly unconvinced by this excuse. "I'm your best friend, aren't I? Is this how you treat me? You left Jinghai without a word, without even leaving a reply. I can't even get through to you on the phone, and I have no idea where you went!"

As she spoke, tears welled up in her eyes. "Anning, is your heart made of iron? Did you never think about what I would do if you just left like this? What about Lu Xiyan! What about all the people who care about you and are concerned about you!"

Upon hearing this, Song Xiaoyu suddenly froze, then, as if remembering something, quickly asked, "I heard that you divorced him before you left Jinghai, is that true?"

Mentioning his name felt like a knife had been used to scrape Anning's heart, causing it to bleed layer by layer.

In front of her longtime friend, she no longer needed to hide anything. Her eyes welled up with tears, and she gently nodded when she met Song Xiaoyu's questioning gaze.

"Why?" Song Xiaoyu frowned, puzzled. "He loves you so much, why do you want a divorce? Why do you want to leave?"

She angrily questioned, "Why didn't you tell me anything? Anning, have you never considered me a friend?"

"No!" An Ning's eyes reddened, and her fingertips trembled slightly. "I've always considered you my best friend. I didn't tell you because the fewer people who know about this, the better..."

"Xiaoyu," she looked at Song Xiaoyu through teary eyes, "if I said that my divorce from Xiyan was forced, and that my leaving Jinghai was also forced, would you believe me?"

Song Xiaoyu was startled, then suddenly realized what was happening and quickly grabbed An Ning's hand, "You had no choice?"

Tears suddenly streamed down her face, and the pent-up grievances in her chest seemed to have been ripped open and poured out.

With a sob in her voice, An Ning recounted to Song Xiaoyu the whole story of how Lu Lixiao had approached her four years ago.

By the end, Song Xiaoyu was also sobbing uncontrollably.

The wine glasses on the table were emptied one after another, and the secrets that had been hidden in my heart for four years were laid bare.

Song Xiaoyu cried her eyes out, "What Lu Xiyan's grandfather did was absolutely inhuman! What era are we living in? Still insisting on marriage between equals? What kind of stubborn thinking is that? He's just an old relic!"

An Ning took a sip of the spicy liquor, a slight smile playing on her lips. "Ordinary families may not care about social standing, but how can people who are worlds apart not care?"

She and Lu Xiyan, one was born into one of the most prestigious wealthy families in Jinghai, and the other grew up in one of the poorest families in Jinghai, receiving government assistance.

They were two completely different people, and the two years they spent together were something she never dared to dream of in her life.

How could she dare to hope for a lifetime of happiness and companionship with him?

"So he just cruelly broke you two up like that?" Song Xiaoyu was furious. "Does Lu Xiyan know about all the things his grandfather did?"

An Ning shook her head and took another sip of wine.

Song Xiaoyu asked her, "An Ning, are you willing to accept this outcome?"

An Ning looked up, her eyes bloodshot from crying. "Are you resigned to this?"

What difference does it make to her whether she's willing or not?

She turned to look out the window; a full moon hung in the dark sky, its light pure white.

Lu Xiyan was once the brightest moonlight in her darkest life, illuminating the path ahead for her.

"Little fish," she murmured, "the moon should be hanging in the sky, how could it fall into this muddy swamp?"

At that moment, ethereal vocals filled the bar, and a single lyric resonated deeply, striking An Ning like a thunderclap: "I once found a ray of light, and it told me to return it to the sun at sunset..."

"And what about the moon in the sky?"

With tears welling in her eyes, Song Xiaoyu slammed her hand on the table and said, "If I like someone, I want them to be my one and only moon! Even if I'm in the mud, as long as they like me, I'll pull them down with me!"

An Ning stared at her blankly. Lu Qinghe in front of her and Song Xiaoyu behind her were both saying the same thing to her—she should grab Lu Xiyan!

"But..." Anning's throat tightened, "we're already divorced..."

Her throat was dry. "Actually, I came to see you today to get my divorce certificate... I sent Lu Xiyan's divorce certificate to you back then."

"What divorce certificate?" Song Xiaoyu asked blankly. "I've never received any divorce certificate. When was it sent to me?"

An Ning was startled. "You didn't receive the divorce certificate?"