Celebrating Divorce

From now on, I’ll do whatever I want.

Spend money whenever I please, go shopping whenever I like, and hang out with whatever man I choose. No more worrying about that half-dead old man at home.

Today, we have to celebrate your freedom properly.

Wang tipped her head back, her plump face beaming with joy. “Absolutely. Today calls for a real celebration.”

“Come on, I’m treating you all to a big feast.”

After a sumptuous meal with her close girlfriends at the largest restaurant in Luofeng Slope, the smile on Wang’s face only grew wider. She decided that this alone wasn’t enough to reward her rare, good mood.

So, after parting ways with her friends, she headed straight to a jewelry shop in Luofeng Slope. She planned to buy the set of ornaments she had long admired but had hesitated to purchase because Xie Liu’s finances wouldn’t allow it.

—An expensive headpiece with hairpins and hair ornaments.

“Madam Wang, you’ve arrived,” the shop owner said eagerly as she entered. “Madam Wang, here to take a look at those ornaments? If you ask me, you should just buy them. Your husband is the Tuntian Commissioner of Luofeng Slope—his monthly salary is quite generous. You’ve come so many times already; it’s clear you love them.”

“Just go ahead and buy them.”

“And if you’re short on cash for now, our shop allows credit.”

Wang nodded. “Wrap it up. I’ll take it.”

The shop owner’s face lit up with excitement. He quickly called for a shop assistant to bring the credit slip while he personally wrapped the ornament, throwing in some flattery as he worked.

“Madam Wang, you’re truly generous. Only someone like you deserves such a fine piece.”

In no time, he had packaged the ornament neatly and handed it to Wang.

Holding the heavy package in her hands and imagining the exquisite, delicate look of the hairpins and the soft clinking sound they’d make when worn, Wang’s heart nearly burst with joy. She couldn’t wait to take it home, savor it properly, and immediately arrange to meet her girlfriends that evening to show it off.

“Ah, Madam Wang, you haven’t paid yet.”

“Oh, I almost forgot. Fetch me some paper and a brush—I’ll write you an IOU.”

“Certainly, Madam Wang. Please, have a seat.”

The shop owner invited Wang to sit down, handed her the bill and writing materials, and added one more remark: “Madam Wang, this hairpin costs eighty-eight taels of silver—a significant price. So after you sign, please also have the Tuntian Commissioner sign it when you go home.”

“Of course, we’re not rushing you.”

“Feel free to bring it back whenever you have time, or we can send someone to collect it."

Wang, who had just begun to dip her brush in ink, frowned and looked up. “Why can’t my signature alone suffice? As for Xie Liu, he definitely can’t sign it, because…”

“He and I are divorced!”

As she said the words “divorced from Xie Liu,” Wang lifted her head proudly. After all, this kind of glorious news shouldn’t just be shared with her girlfriends—it ought to be known by everyone. Only then would her vanity be fully satisfied.

But reality, it seemed, didn’t quite match her expectations.

The shop owner’s expression immediately changed.

Then a faint smile appeared on his face as he said, “Madam Wang, please don’t tease me. You and the Commandant of the Tuntian Office have been married for twenty years—how could you possibly just up and divorce?”

“Surely you’re joking, right?”

Wang was displeased.

Such a delightful piece of news, and this jewelry shop owner actually doubted it?

Humph, spoiling her good mood.

Frowning, she said, “A divorce is a divorce. How could that be fake?”

“Do you want me to show you the divorce settlement?”

The shop owner stared hard at Wang’s expression. The more he looked, the less it seemed like an act, but he still made one final confirmation.

“You’re really divorced?”

“Divorced.”

“This isn’t a game?”

“Of course not!” Wang said angrily. “Hey, are you done or not? If there’s nothing else, I’m leaving.”

Since she had already signed the credit slip, Wang, whose mood had been ruined, got up to go. But just as she took a step, her hand went empty.

The hairpin she had been longing for, along with the credit slip, suddenly shifted from her grasp to the shop owner’s hand.

Wang froze. Turning her head, she asked in surprise, “What are you doing?”

“Nothing,” the shop owner said coolly. “I’m just telling you, Madam Wang, that this piece of jewelry is no longer for sale to you.”

“What?” Wang was even more astonished. “You run a business and still get to pick your customers? You can just decide not to sell to me? And besides, we already signed a credit slip.”

“Rip! Rip!”

In an instant, the shop owner tore the credit slip into shreds and tossed them into the air, where they fluttered down like tiny fragments of paper.

“Now the slip is gone.”

“You—” Wang pointed a finger at the shop owner, her surprise turning into disbelief.

She had dealt with this jewelry shop for years. The owner had always been polite to her, even deferential—this was the first time he had ever treated her like this.

“Have you gone mad?”

“What exactly are you trying to do?”

The shop owner said flatly, “Madam Wang, I’ve made myself clear. This jewelry is no longer for sale to you.”

“Why?” Wang pressed, determined to get to the bottom of it.

The shop owner had no choice but to explain. “There’s no particular reason. It’s just that this hairpin is made of top-quality materials: a body of seventy percent pure gold, nine southern sea pearls, and three natural teardrop tourmaline pendants. Crafted by skilled artisans, it’s priced at eighty-eight taels—and it’s truly worth eighty-eight taels.”

“Eighty-eight taels of silver—that’s practically the flagship item in my shop.”

“I can’t just let you take it like that.”

“If you truly want it, Madam Wang, pay in cash. I’ll personally deliver it to your residence with the utmost humility and even apologize to you.”

Only then did Wang realize that the shop owner wanted her to pay in cash.

The full amount.

But that didn’t make sense—she had been allowed to run a tab before with no issue!

She immediately protested, “Wasn’t it always possible to put it on credit or pay in installments before? And just a moment ago, you were fine with it too!”

“How could you change your mind in just a minute?”

The shop owner had the clerk carefully put the expensive hairpin away before saying slowly, “It’s different now from before.”

“How is it different?”

"A moment ago, I thought you and the Garrison Commander were still husband and wife, so I could offer you a payment plan, allow credit, or even... if it was inconvenient for you to pay right away, I wouldn't mind collecting the money later."

"But now... since you and the Garrison Commander are divorced, then... this set of expensive jewelry from my shop cannot be sold to you on credit anymore."

"Furthermore, from now on, anything you buy from this shop cannot be purchased on credit or in installments. You must pay the full amount in one go."

"Otherwise, I simply cannot sell it to you!"