Chapter 4 — Divorced and Reborn: My New Beginning

I sat composed on the chair, silently cataloging every person who stepped across the threshold. Finally, he slammed his teacup onto the desk with a deafening crack.

"Lotus, you are a divorced woman with a child to raise. Why must you be so incredibly stubborn? Just pay a small fee, and we can make things convenient for everyone."

I looked him straight in the eye and asked, "How much?"

A twisted smirk pulled at his lips. "Ten yuan every single month."

I couldn't help but chuckle. "Tell me, Department Head Money, what exactly is your monthly salary?"

His expression soured instantly, his face flushing a deep, mottled red. "What business is that of yours?"

I didn't blink. "You barely clear forty yuan a month, yet you have the audacity to demand ten from me. That is quite an appetite you have; aren't you afraid you might choke on your own greed?"

He slammed his fist against the desk, rattling the stationery. "Don't you dare push your luck!"

Just then, the sound of rhythmic footsteps echoed from the hallway. I immediately rose to my feet, intentionally pitching my voice to carry through the open door: "Department Head Money, my permits are in perfect order, and all my documentation is complete. You are demanding ten yuan a month from me, threatening to confiscate my stall if I refuse. I would like to know which regulation you are citing for this extortion."

The color drained from Money's face entirely. Standing in the doorway was a middle-aged man wearing a crisp Zhongshan tunic, clutching a leather briefcase under his arm. Money scrambled to his feet, stammering, "Director Liu, what brings you here?"

Director Liu swept his gaze toward me. "I was just passing by and heard quite a commotion inside."

I stepped forward and extended my folder toward him. "Director, my name is Lotus. I run a preserved meat stand outside the factory gates. These are my licenses, my receipts, and the seizure notice from today. Someone reported me for selling spoiled meat, and I am perfectly willing to cooperate with an investigation. However, Department Head Money has informed me that I must pay him a monthly tribute of ten yuan."

Money was already panicking, waving his hands frantically. "She is lying! She’s making it all up!"

I remained unmoved. "Then let us inspect the meat. And after the meat is cleared, we should proceed to audit the ledger."

The room plunged into an icy silence. Beads of sweat began to pool on Money's forehead. Director Liu carefully reviewed my papers, his expression hardening into a stern mask.

"Where are the goods?" he asked.

"Right outside the factory gates."

Director Liu immediately led a team to inspect my stock. My inventory was found to be perfectly fresh and compliant. Conversely, the investigation into Money—who happened to be the brother-in-law of the local bully, Ma Three—revealed that he had been shaking down numerous street vendors for years. By that very afternoon, Money was suspended from his duties. When news reached Ma Three, he was so terrified that he vanished for three days. When I finally reopened my stall, the line of customers was longer than ever. One regular gave me a thumbs-up.

"Boss Lady Lotus, you have a spine of steel!"

I smiled warmly. "As long as my customers can eat with peace of mind, I can sell with a clear conscience."

From that day on, no one referred to me as the daughter-in-law of the Lu family anymore. They called me Boss Lady Lotus, a title I grew to cherish. But my quiet days were short-lived. The Lu family soon tracked me down. Mother-in-law Que Lan arrived with her daughter, Lu Fang, planting themselves before my stall with hateful, twisted expressions. Que Lan scanned the long line of customers, her eyes burning with a toxic mixture of jealousy and avarice.

"Lotus," she spat out, "you have left the Lu household, yet you continue to exploit our family’s reputation to line your pockets. Have you no shame?"

The cleaver in my hand paused mid-air. The crowd fell silent, every eye fixed on us. Lu Fang rolled her eyes, sneering, "My mother is right. If you weren't my brother's ex-wife, who would even look at your stall? This business should belong to our family."

Their sheer absurdity made me laugh. I looked at them coldly and said, "If the Lu family name is truly so valuable, why don't you open your own stall?"

Lu Fang’s face turned beet red with indignation. Que Lan slapped her own thigh and shrieked, "Everyone, look at this! This woman has no conscience! She lived off our family for six years, and now that she’s successful, she abandons her mother-in-law!"

I set the cleaver down firmly on the wooden board. "First, we are divorced, so you are no longer my mother-in-law. Second, I spent six years in the Lu household, working the fields by day and slaving over chores by night, never once receiving a cent in wages. Third, when my daughter had a fever, you threw us both out into the street. And now, you—"