Chapter 32: The “High Society” Battle Royale (Part 2)

The three women stood under the night sky, exchanging a knowing smile. Though they usually lived in separate, overlapping worlds and teased one another, they now found themselves united in the cool air and shadowy tree cover. Women are truly emotional creatures—sharing heavy life secrets had naturally brought them together, forming an alliance that felt instinctive and justified.

Not far away, He Jie was chatting with friends while her father-in-law and mother-in-law conversed with Gao Yuan. They too seemed to have noticed the unexpected visitor from afar. Yu Zhimei thought to herself, What’s bound to happen will happen. If she didn’t intervene now, this would surely be the most shocking birthday gift for thirty-six-year-old Gao Yuan.

Before she could step forward, the biracial boy strode into the living room, grabbing women’s arms as he searched frantically. He Jie stood at the far end of the living room, her back turned to him. As he drew closer, she must have sensed something because she began turning around.

Yu Zhimei followed closely behind him, her heart racing. She was five steps away, but the biracial boy needed only one step to grab He Jie—

“Zhong Jiaying, come out! Zhong Jiaying!”

The biracial boy suddenly shouted in the living room, his voice piercing and desperate. In one swift motion, he grabbed a woman in a nude-colored dress just one step away from He Jie, pulling violently at her clothes: “Zhong Jiaying! You say you love me, and now you’re hiding here? You’re not human! I’ve loved you so deeply, and you don’t even reply to my messages, you whore—I told you it’s not about your money, I love you . Even if you got married, I wouldn’t care!”

“Help!” The woman in the nude dress screamed as her hair was yanked and her body flung about. She struggled desperately to break free: “Who are you? I don’t know you! You’re insane, help!”

The buffet station crashed to the ground as the biracial boy collided with it. Amid the chaos, Yu Zhimei rushed to shield Ou Jinghe, pressing her head tightly against her shoulder. A man charged at the biracial boy, followed by several others, seemingly Gao Yuan’s friends. The wine tower, untouched until now, shattered on the floor, spilling bottles of neatly arranged red wine like blood splattering everywhere. The woman in the nude dress was pinned to the ground, bleeding from cuts caused by glass shards, wailing in agony. Onlookers screamed and scattered but quickly gathered nearby, some pulling out their phones. The biracial boy resisted fiercely, but he was eventually pulled off the woman, his head bleeding yet still unwilling to stop: “Are you Zhong Jiaying’s husband? Let me tell you, she’s been fooling around with countless men like me, buying watches for us using your supplementary credit card. Open your eyes and see what kind of person your wife really is…”

“I didn’t do any of that! Don’t make things up!”

“She rented a low-end elevator apartment on the 23rd floor as a cover to meet men, using her ex-boyfriend’s name. How much did she give him? Does your husband know about the mole on her chest or the gray birthmark on her left buttock?” The boy’s expression was wild as he laughed hysterically at the husband: “How does it feel to wear the green hat? And trust me, I’m not the only one who’s seen these…”

Security arrived swiftly, dragging the biracial boy away. Zhong Jiaying was hauled off by her husband via the service elevator, and Yu Zhimei thought she heard a sharp slap echo through the air. Gao Yuan wiped his hands with a tissue, his white shirt stained with red wine, and walked over to pat He Jie on the shoulder: “Jinghe, are you really so inexperienced that you’re scared stiff?”

He Jie still hadn’t dared to lift her head. Yu Zhimei pressed her firmly against her chest: “Anyone would be terrified if something like this happened in their own home.”

Gao Yuan chuckled: “Don’t underestimate Jinghe like that. She’s not the fragile type. And—you’re quite loyal, aren’t you? Why do you always show up whenever there’s drama?”

Yu Zhimei, silent, stared into Gao Yuan’s eyes, equally cunning: “Only those who stand by you in times of weakness are true friends. Such loyalty might even surpass that of a married couple.”

With most of the glasses shattered and guests losing their appetites, people began excusing themselves and leaving. Gao Yuan’s parents kept apologizing profusely: “Adultery happens everywhere—it’s shameful to air dirty laundry in public. We’re so sorry this happened here, though it wasn’t our family’s issue. It’s incredibly embarrassing. The talisman I changed today was clearly useless, and the incense needs replacing too. I’ll have to consult a master again to reevaluate the feng shui. Please excuse us tonight—we’ll reschedule soon at Pujiang…”

He Jie clung to Gao Yuan as they saw the guests off. Still worried about He Jie, Yu Zhimei noticed Shi Rui emerge clutching her canvas bag, bent over: “Meimei, I’m feeling unwell. Can we leave?”

It seemed Shi Rui’s abdominal pain had struck suddenly. Avoiding the crowd waiting for the elevator, the two slipped into the service elevator. Shi Rui crouched in the corner, clutching her bag tightly, her face pale. Not long after reaching the ground floor, He Jie came rushing out: “Wait for me!”

Her hair still disheveled, He Jie caught her breath as she grabbed Yu Zhimei: “Do you have a cigarette?” Snatching the pack from Yu Zhimei’s hand, she fumbled with the lighter but failed to ignite it. Yu Zhimei pulled the cigarette from her mouth, swapping the filter tips: “Here.”

“Thanks.” He Jie smoked the entire cigarette in deep drags, her trembling hands more akin to spasms. With a bitter laugh, she muttered a faint word of gratitude. Her face aged visibly in the dim light, hardened by exhaustion and despair. The air grew somber. The lush greenery of Bi Hu Tiandi emitted a delicate fragrance, and the yellowish glow of the community lights illuminated two men carrying a piece of meat as they approached the women, openly asking which unit was the most expensive in the neighborhood. He Jie pointed to the one bathed in streetlight near the road. The men hurried off, seemingly afraid of being caught. Yu Zhimei found it suspicious: “What are they doing here?”

“They’re throwing meat. It’s a local tradition. At thirty, people throw meat into upscale neighborhoods, believing it will bring wealth in the second half of their lives.”

“Do people actually believe that?”

“Of course. They even choose fatty yet lean cuts, neatly sliced, symbolizing prosperity and longevity. Their descendants will supposedly grow up upright and successful.”

“… People will do anything for money.”

“Oh, He Jie,” Shi Rui timidly opened her canvas bag, “Earlier, when I got lost on my way to the restroom, I passed by your mother-in-law’s bag. She had just come out of your dressing room, sneaking something out. But her bag was too full, and I accidentally saw what she was hiding. I couldn’t stand the sight of such a conniving old woman.” Shi Rui handed the item to He Jie: “I didn’t mean to peek, but since I helped you, please don’t blame me.”

He Jie’s face turned ashen as she examined the item, pausing for a moment before forcing a smile. Yu Zhimei glanced at it—a copy of an ultrasound report and medical records. The diagnosis read: “Azoospermia” and “No sperm detected after 15 minutes of centrifugation.” The patient’s name was—Gao Yuan. He Jie exhaled deeply: “Shi Rui, you’ve done me a huge favor. My mother-in-law must have come here specifically to retrieve what I’d hidden. This is the crucial piece of evidence I need for my divorce.”

“You want a divorce…?”

“If I don’t divorce him after this, I must be insane.”

“He Jie, if you use this to file for divorce, I support you.”

“But I ask you both—not to mention this to anyone.”

“You went through all the trouble to steal it back. Isn’t this your bargaining chip for the divorce?” Yu Zhimei still didn’t understand.

“Marriage is family. No matter how much I hate him, I can’t bring myself to push him into a dead end.”

Silence fell among the three women as they focused intently on the two young men attempting to sneak into the neighborhood. After multiple attempts to gauge angle and force, one man finally hurled the meat. It narrowly missed the courtyard and instead struck the third-floor wall, bouncing onto the electric fence. The fence crackled, and the meat slid off, landing precisely into the gutter outside. All three women gasped simultaneously. Shi Rui sighed in pity: “That piece of meat must have cost at least fifty yuan. What a waste.”

“What does this mean? Don’t be greedy, or don’t overstep boundaries?” He Jie held the copied document, gazing at the smoking electric fence.

“It probably signifies—don’t dream of stepping into a class you don’t belong to.”

He Jie glanced at Yu Zhimei and suddenly smiled. The three women stood under the night sky, exchanging a knowing look. Though they often mocked each other in their separate worlds, they now stood united under the cool night breeze and shadowy trees. Women are emotional beings—having shared heavy life secrets, they could naturally and justifiably stand together. They watched as security rushed in to chase away the intruders, hearing the sound of a car speeding off in the distance. As twilight descended, Jian Zhaowen’s call came at the perfect time, his tone calm and gentle: “Where are you? I can’t shake the feeling that it’s unsafe. I’m coming to pick you up.”