Full Cup of Water - Chap 35
Xin Mu could tell that his son was not in a stable emotional state at the moment, so he didn’t rush to ask him what had happened. Instead, he comfortingly said, “Your voice sounds quite hoarse right now. How about having some water?”
“Hmm,” Xin Qianyu followed his mother’s advice and drank half a glass of cold water.
“Where are you right now?” Xin Mu asked casually, as if it were just a regular conversation.
Xin Qianyu also relaxed a bit and replied, “I’m at a hotel… in Las Vegas.”
“Las Vegas?” Xin Mu pieced together Xin Qianyu’s fragmented words and immediately found the key to unlock the answer. “You didn’t get married, did you?”
Xin Qianyu choked, nearly turning into a fountain of coughs. “Cough, cough, cough…”
“You had quite a bit to drink last night, huh?” Xin Mu’s tone remained steady. “It’s not a big deal, my child. Waking up in Vegas and realizing you’re married is a very common experience. It’s like a tourist attraction.”
“But…” Xin Qianyu stammered, unable to find the right words.
Xin Mu’s tone was nonchalant, as if she were talking about having tea, very relaxed. “So, did you really get married?”
This time, Xin Qianyu nodded earnestly. “Uh-huh.”
“Are you out of your mind? You were perfectly fine doing the New York roadshow, and now you’re in Vegas? Did your brain suddenly develop a Mariana Trench?” Xin Mu started scolding him.
This situation was akin to when parents would speak kindly to their children, saying things like, “It’s just a small matter, my dear. Mom won’t be angry with you,” but then immediately switch to yelling and using a chicken feather duster to vent their frustration.
Xin Qianyu’s temper flared, and he decided to stand his ground. “I called you to talk, not to be yelled at. If all you want to do is scold me, I don’t need to talk to you!”
Xin Qianyu had grown a spine, and Xin Mu couldn’t do much about it. She sighed and said, “Alright, I’ll stop scolding you. Tell me the details of what happened. What exactly happened?”
“I don’t really remember…” Xin Qianyu felt like his once clever brain had turned into a walnut-sized brain core, barely functioning. “I just… somehow ended up getting married…”
Xin Mu sighed, “So, it’s a blackout, right?”
Xin Qianyu nodded again, “Yeah…”
After thinking for a moment, Xin Mu said, “What about the groom? Where’s my dear son-in-law?”
“…” Xin Qianyu’s head was throbbing even more. “What are you saying?”
“Oh, just making a joke,” Xin Mu said casually. “So, what about the groom?”
“I don’t know. I ran away after I woke up,” Xin Qianyu admitted with a guilty look. “He called me many times, but I didn’t answer. I don’t want him to find me now.”
Xin Mu chuckled, “Oh, you’re pulling off a ‘runaway bride’ act!”
“…” Xin Qianyu’s face was twitching. “That’s enough, Xin Mu.”
After some teasing, Xin Mu changed her tone to be more serious. “Actually, it’s not a big deal. You haven’t registered it yet, right? The marriage certificate hasn’t been issued, has it?”
“Right, it hasn’t,” Xin Qianyu nodded. Hearing his mother’s calm tone, he began to feel a bit more at ease. “Mom, how do you know so much about this?”
Xin Mu smiled and said, “You’re the eighth silly person I’ve known who got married in a drunken haze in Las Vegas.”
“…” Xin Qianyu was speechless.
“Now, find a good lawyer and file for an annulment,” Xin Mu suggested. “But I don’t recommend doing that.”
“Why?” Xin Qianyu asked.
“Annulments have limited applicability and can be difficult to prove,” Xin Mu explained. “Besides, I think you can just go ahead and get a divorce.”
“Divorce?” Xin Qianyu’s head was pounding even more, and the reality of going from single to married overnight and preparing for a divorce lawsuit the next morning was hard to accept.
“Of course, you guys probably didn’t sign a prenuptial agreement in this situation,” Xin Mu said. “If you divorce him, you can split your assets in half and make a fortune right where you are.”
As she spoke, Xin Mu’s tone became excited, as if she had found a pile of sparkling gold mines.
Xin Qianyu hung up on Xin Mu’s call, and shortly afterward, the IPO project team called him, asking where he was.
Xin Qianyu awkwardly replied, “Do we have any work today?”
“No, there isn’t,” a team member said. “We just didn’t see you at the hotel, so we wanted to check.”
“I’m fine,” Xin Qianyu hesitated and said, “I have some personal matters to attend to right now, so I won’t be going back immediately. Let’s discuss work later.”
“Okay, sure,” the team member agreed.
Xin Qianyu added, “If Su Zhong asks, tell him the same.”
The team member agreed again and hung up the phone.
And so, Xin Qianyu spent a day hiding in the hotel.
He didn’t even know what he was hiding from, but his head felt heavy, as if alcohol had destroyed it or the sudden turn of events had crushed him.
The more he thought about it, the more confused he became.
How did he end up here?
They had agreed not to go back on their decision!
Yet here he was, married!
Xin Qianyu pulled the curtains closed and lay on the big bed, doing nothing.
Since starting the IPO project, Xin Qianyu couldn’t remember the last time he had relaxed. He had been running around like a thousand-mile horse, delivering lychees to Yang Yuhuan. The pressure in his mind was immense, and now that he had finally relaxed a bit, he felt somewhat lost.
He sank into the soft bed, shutting everything out, and gave himself a day off.
A day away from work and away from Su Zhong.
Whether it was work or Su Zhong, they both felt like gates that could never be passed, with one challenge after another, seemingly without end.
Xin Qianyu couldn’t help but feel tired.
However, when he distanced himself, he couldn’t help but miss them.
Worried that something might go wrong with the IPO…
Worried about Su Zhong…
What was Su Zhong feeling right now?
He couldn’t be so irresponsible.
Whether it was toward work or Su Zhong.
In the evening, Xin Qianyu regained her energy, took a bath in the hotel bathroom, changed into new clothes, and boarded the plane back to New York. She entered work mode once again, facing her inner thoughts.
As soon as Xin Qianyu returned to her hotel in New York, she saw a familiar figure, causing her to instinctively tense up.
Su Zhong stood at the hotel entrance, resembling a large dog waiting for its owner to return. The moment he saw Xin Qianyu, his eyes immediately lit up.
Xin Qianyu’s emotions were complex in an instant, and she maintained her composure, saying, “What are you doing here?”
“I was waiting for you to come back,” Su Zhong replied.
Xin Qianyu coughed and said, “Let’s discuss inside the room.”
After saying that, Xin Qianyu opened the door and let Su Zhong in.
After Xin Qianyu had Su Zhong sit down, she went to the minibar to make two cups of tea.
As she watched the hot water fill the porcelain cups, her mind was also in turmoil. She used this tea-making moment to mentally prepare herself.
After taking several deep breaths, he picked up the cups, turned and sat down beside the coffee table, and placed the tea cups down. “Here, have some tea.” His tone was natural and not tense, and he was quite satisfied with his performance.
Su Zhong picked up the tea cup and looked at Xin Qianyu seriously. “Wife,” he said, with a voice reminiscent of Siri.
Xin Qianyu immediately lost her composure and almost spilled the tea.
Su Zhong blinked innocently.
Xin Qianyu put down the tea cup, cleared her throat, and said, “Actually, I think I might have had a bit too much to drink that night, and I don’t really remember what happened…”
The light in Su Zhong’s eyes gradually dimmed.
Xin Qianyu felt sorry for him and averted her gaze, staring at the ceiling’s chandelier. “I mean, is it possible for us to annul the marriage in this situation?”
“It’s too late,” Su Zhong replied promptly.
Xin Qianyu was surprised and quickly returned her gaze to Su Zhong’s face. “Why?”
“I have already reported our marriage to the SEC, and the public announcement has also been drafted. It will probably be issued tomorrow,” Su Zhong said matter-of-factly.
Upon hearing Su Zhong’s words, Xin Qianyu’s demeanor immediately softened, and she suddenly felt like she was the unreasonable and immature one.
Xin Qianyu sat back on the sofa but didn’t admit defeat. “You should have communicated with me first.”
“I called you multiple times, but you didn’t answer,” Su Zhong said.
Xin Qianyu was left speechless.
But Xin Qianyu was resilient. Within three seconds, he regrouped and continued to resist stubbornly. “Actually, we haven’t been officially recognized yet, not even in China.”
Su Zhong nodded. “That’s true, there’s no official recognition in China yet. But our marriage is recognized in the United States, and since we’re going public in the U.S., we have to consider the legal risks and responsibilities here.”
Xin Qianyu took a step back, but still pressed on, “Well, if, and I mean if, we were to get a divorce…”
Su Zhong’s face stiffened even more, as if he had turned to stone.
Xin Qianyu wasn’t entirely heartless, so she didn’t continue. She picked up her tea cup awkwardly and took a sip of the now cold tea.
After a long silence, Su Zhong spoke slowly, “I understand what you mean.”
Xin Qianyu’s heart sank, and the tea in her mouth suddenly tasted bitter.
“But,” Su Zhong continued, “I want you to hear my opinion first.”
Xin Qianyu put down her tea cup and looked at Su Zhong attentively. “Okay, go ahead.”
Then, Su Zhong stood up and began an impromptu lecture titled “The Significant Impact of Executive Divorce on Pre-IPO Companies.” He elaborated on the various disadvantages of shareholders divorcing before going public, and even bluntly mentioned several painful examples of shareholders’ divorces leading to IPO failures. “Many cases have shown that executive divorces can lead to IPO failures. Even if the IPO succeeds, there is analysis suggesting that divorce events have a significant negative impact on the company’s valuation and the stock market in the short term…”
Xin Qianyu was dazed, feeling like she had returned to her MBA class, listening to her professor cite references and provide extensive information. She nodded and absorbed the information, even feeling an urge to take notes.
Finally, Su Zhong asked, “So, do you still want to divorce?”
“No, I don’t think so…” Xin Qianyu had been completely convinced, and it took her a while to snap out of it. She wondered how she had been persuaded so easily.
Apparently, Su Zhong’s arguments were just too convincing.
Xin Qianyu had also heard of several cases where executive divorces had led to IPO failures, and she even heard that some companies would make married executives sign agreements to ensure they wouldn’t divorce before going public.
Faced with Su Zhong’s persuasion, Xin Qianyu felt conflicted.
If Su Zhong had appealed to her emotions and acted clingy, it would have likely triggered her resistance, and she would have insisted on divorce no matter what.
However, Su Zhong had simply used reason, never mentioning the word “reconciliation,” and had approached the situation from the perspective of the company’s interests. Xin Qianyu accepted this approach rationally and found herself on Su Zhong’s side.
Now, Xin Qianyu was regretting her decision.
Regretting it deeply.
Could they not have celebrated in New York, gone back to their room to sleep peacefully?
Why did they have to go to Las Vegas for what?
They didn’t gamble or engage in other vices, so why did they go there?
And even if they went, why did they have to drink so much…?
Now they were truly caught in a difficult situation.
As high-ranking executives of a company planning to go public, their marriage needed to be reported to the SEC and publicly announced to society. If they divorced right after getting married, it would undoubtedly lower the chances of a successful IPO. Even if they managed to go public successfully, divorce would still reduce the company’s valuation.
After understanding the pros and cons, even “Mother-in-law” Xin Mu advised Xin Qianyu to reconsider and act responsibly, just like a traditional parent encouraging their daughter to settle down.
Xin Qianyu raised an eyebrow. “Didn’t you just advise me on getting a divorce and dividing assets?”
“What are you talking about? I never said anything like that. Even if I did, it was just a joke,” Xin Mu denied, “Where do you find a mother who encourages her child to get a divorce? Honestly!”
Xin Qianyu shook her head. “Didn’t you dislike Su Zhong?”
“Where did you get that idea? He’s a good kid,” Xin Mu changed her tune, “Good-looking and rich. Besides…”
“That’s
enough!” Xin Qianyu interrupted Xin Mu, “We both know each other well. Why pretend to be virtuous? Just tell me, what do you really think?”
“Well… I’ll be honest,” Xin Mu said with a pleading tone, “Men can be disposable, but money is something we can’t do without.”
