Come on, What Kind of CEO Chases His Roommate Back to the Country? - Chapter 39

Grandma Pei’s heart trembled as she recalled how, over twenty years ago, she had forcibly separated her eldest son and Zhang Yumei.

Back then, she had been afraid that the high-ranking official’s daughter was too strong-willed for her to control, so she had arranged for her son to marry a more “suitable” woman from an ordinary family.

The next day, she packed her bags and returned to C City.

“Mom, you’re back?” Father Pei was surprised to see her at the doorstep, travel-worn.

“I heard Zhang Yumei got divorced?” Grandma Pei got straight to the point.

Father Pei was stunned. “How did you know…?”

“My son,” she grasped his hand and spoke with deep sincerity, “Right now, your younger brother’s only hope is Zhang Yumei’s father.”

“Mom!” Father Pei yanked his hand away. “What are you saying?”

“Am I wrong?” Grandma Pei raised her voice. “Your brother is in prison! Can you just stand by and do nothing? If you marry Zhang Yumei, her father will put in a good word…”

“Mom! Have you lost your mind?” Father Pei’s face darkened. “I have a family!”

“Then get a divorce!” Grandma Pei exclaimed. “Your wife hasn’t even given you a second child after all these years. One son isn’t enough! And she’s just an ordinary woman, what can she offer you?”

“Enough, Mom.” Father Pei turned to leave.

“You dare walk away?” Grandma Pei collapsed onto the floor. “If you don’t agree, I’ll go on a hunger strike right here! Let’s see what matters more to you, saving your brother or that woman!”

From that day on, Grandma Pei tormented Father Pei and his wife in every possible way.

“You’ve been married for so many years and still couldn’t have a second child! And you have the audacity to call yourself the lady of this house?” She dredged up old grievances. “If I hadn’t been too soft back then, my son would never have married such a useless woman!”

Pei Song’s mother endured in silence. Even offering her mother-in-law a cup of water resulted in a vicious scolding.

“Stop pretending to be kind!” Grandma Pei shrieked. “If not for you, my son would have soared to greater heights!”

Father Pei couldn’t stand the toxic atmosphere at home. He started coming home later and later, until eventually, he stopped coming home at all.

Soon, a piece of entertainment news hit the headlines in C City, “Chairman of Pei Group Caught in a Parking Garage Tryst with Young Secretary!”

The accompanying photo showed Father Pei embracing a young woman in a dimly lit parking lot, their intimacy undeniable.

The image was blurry but clear enough to cause a stir. The comment section was flooded with mockery:

“Wow, the great Chairman Pei always acted so dignified, but look what he does in secret!”

“One brother embezzles, the other cheats. What a family!”

“The Pei’s are about to put on quite the show!”

Pei Song’s mother’s hands trembled as she stared at the news.

Grandma Pei stormed into her room and pointed a finger at her. “Look at you! You can’t even keep your husband! What right do you have to stay here and be an eyesore? Get a divorce already! My son deserves a wife from a proper family!”

Her phone slipped from her grasp and shattered on the floor. Covering her face, tears spilled uncontrollably from Pei Song’s mother’s eyes.

After everything she had sacrificed over the years, this was what she got in return. She suddenly remembered the dreams she had as a young woman. Back then, she had just been accepted into an art academy. Her biggest aspiration had been to study abroad.

She had longed to visit world-class museums and immerse herself in the art scene.

Every night before bed, she flipped through books on European art history, imagining herself sketching in the Louvre. She had given up so much for this family. And now, looking back, it all seemed laughable.

When she saw pictures of her son studying in D Country, she often wondered, if she had held onto her dreams back then, would her life have been different?

Every time Pei Song video-called her, talking about his studies at M University, her eyes would redden without fail.

That once-dreaming girl had given up too much for a family that wasn’t worth it.

When Pei Song came home from work, he found his mother had made up her mind.

“Song Song,” her face was still streaked with tears, but there was relief in her smile, “I want to start over.”

“Whatever you want to do, I’ll support you.” Pei Song pulled her into a tight hug.

That night, Pei’s mother moved out of the Pei household. The very next day, she dragged Father Pei to file for divorce.

When Grandma Pei got wind of the news, she was ecstatic.

“My son, this is a great thing!” She gripped Father Pei’s hand excitedly. “Once the divorce is final, I’ll go talk to the Zhang family. Zhang Yumei is single now too, it’s fate!”

Father Pei yanked his hand away and locked himself in his study.

“Why are you being so stubborn?” Grandma Pei coaxed from outside the door. “Zhang Yumei comes from a prestigious family. Her father is a major figure in the province now! If you two get back together, he can help get Pei Cheng out of prison. As his brother, are you really going to let him rot in there?”

But after the mandatory divorce cooling-off period, Father Pei refused to go back to the civil affairs bureau.

“Song Song, your father still won’t go through with the final process…” Pei’s mother called her son, worry clouding her voice.

“I’ll talk to him.” Pei Song reassured her.

That night, Pei Song knocked on his father’s study door.

“Dad, do you really want to drag this out?”

Father Pei sat at his desk, fiddling with a photo frame, the last family trip they had taken together.

“Does your mother really want to divorce me?” His voice was hoarse.

“Do you think she deserves this?” Pei Song met his father’s gaze. “You can’t treat her like this and still refuse to let her go.”

“I…”

“Your affair is already public knowledge, and you haven’t even given Mom an explanation. Even if you don’t divorce her, do you think she could ever be happy like this?”

Silence filled the study.

Finally, Father Pei spoke. “When is the appointment at the civil affairs bureau?”

“Nine o’clock the day after tomorrow.”

Father Pei nodded. “I’ll be there.”

Two days later, Father Pei showed up on time.

When the divorce certificate was issued, Grandma Pei beamed from ear to ear.

“Perfect!” She was already making arrangements. “I’ll find out Zhang Yumei’s thoughts. You two were a perfect match when you were young, this time, it’s bound to work!”

Meanwhile, after leaving the Pei family, Pei Song’s mother moved into a quiet suburban home she owned. She turned the guest room into a tea room, and the spacious study into an art studio.

The shackles of being a wealthy family’s matriarch were finally gone. She could be herself again.

Mornings were spent painting. Some afternoons, she met friends for tea.

When Pei Song visited, he found his mother looking more radiant than ever. The light had returned to her eyes.

“Honestly, I feel relieved now,” she said, sipping tea. “I don’t have to put up with your grandmother’s nonsense anymore.”