Chapter 92

In Shuntian Prefecture, Yangquan Alley.

Ever since the economy started to pick up, a large number of commercial properties began to be constructed, and villas sprang up on the outskirts of the city. However, the truly wealthy and the old Shuntian residents still preferred to live in the siheyuan (traditional courtyard houses) in the alleys.

In the middle of Yangquan Alley, there was a courtyard. From the outside, it looked unremarkable, just an ordinary siheyuan, with the gatehouse being slightly larger and more spacious than the surrounding courtyards. But once you stepped inside, you could see that it had been meticulously redesigned and decorated. The entire siheyuan was paved with blue bricks, and old plum trees stood tall. The eaves had been repainted, and while it wasn't lavishly decorated, it exuded a sense of tidiness and elegance, indicating that the owner had refined tastes.

This was Zhou Mo's home in Shuntian Prefecture.

In 1984, at the age of eighteen, Zhou Mo officially debuted with an album called "Eighteen This Year," which followed a pure and innocent image, but it didn't sell well. In the winter of the same year, she released another album, which also flopped. The company then realized that this path wasn't suitable for her. Although she was very beautiful and pure, her inherent stubbornness and rebelliousness made it impossible for her to become a popular, obedient girl. So, the company decided to capitalize on the trend and released a collection of traditional opera songs, which brought in some money. Once her contract ended, they simply let her go.

Determined, Zhou Mo, who was then ignored by everyone, sought out the semi-retired Xie Jinshun. After pestering him for over a month, he finally agreed. It took a year to produce an album that matched her unique vocal style, and she became an overnight sensation.

Three years later, in 1990, she invested 1.28 million yuan to buy this old, somewhat dilapidated siheyuan in Yangquan Alley. She then spent over a year and more than a million yuan renovating and redecorating it, turning it into her home in Shuntian Prefecture.

Even after she officially announced her retirement from the music industry and got married in late 1992, she still hired people to clean and maintain the house, and she would visit and stay for a night or two from time to time.

Until a month ago, she returned here with the small leather suitcase she had brought when she got married.

Yes, she had divorced.

It was a mutual divorce. The law had specific clauses protecting the independence, property rights, and divorce rights of concubines, so the other party could not, and did not, obstruct her. With a small blue booklet and a stamp, she was no longer someone's concubine.

It was now the afternoon, but Shuntian Prefecture had been overcast for the past two days, with the air of an impending snowstorm. The temperature was unusually low, but the houses in the courtyard had been specially renovated. They were fitted with custom-made triple-glazed windows for insulation and connected to the city's heating system. The room was warm, with the temperature inside reaching over twenty degrees, making it quite comfortable despite the cold outside.

Zhou Mo was nestled in the sofa, motionless for a long time.

Her hair was tied up in a simple, everyday bun. She wore a dark blue linen shirt and a pair of cuffed pants, with her bare feet showing. She seemed a bit cold, so she had wrapped herself in a thin blanket.

When she first debuted, she was known for her pure and beautiful appearance. Later, as she became famous, she often presented a rebellious image, with heavy makeup that obscured much of her beauty, revealing only her proud and defiant side. However, even though she was now almost thirty, her natural beauty was still evident. Surprisingly, the proud and sharp edges on her face and body had softened, making her appear even more innocent than she did eleven years ago.

But... she had become somewhat thinner.

The nanny, Wu Mama, stepped in and, seeing her still motionless, sighed inwardly. Since Zhou Mo moved back, it had been almost a month, and she had been like this almost every day. Except for eating, sleeping, and using the bathroom, she would just sit there motionless. Wu Mama could see her getting thinner day by day. Every time she saw Zhou Mo's thin, bony wrists and arms when she lifted her sleeves to eat, she couldn't help but feel a pang of heartache, remembering how much rounder and fuller her face had been three years ago before she got married.

"Miss, Mr. Zou is here," she said.

"Hmm..." Zhou Mo was startled awake, looked at Wu Mama, and nodded faintly but said nothing.

Then, Zou Wenhui stepped in, carrying a large cardboard box.

He placed the box on the floor next to the coffee table, sat down with a huff, and said, "From January 1993 to now, all the albums released by all the singers in the country, as well as some foreign albums and singles I could gather, are all here!"

Zhou Mo looked up at him, nodded faintly, but still said nothing.

Zou Wenhui was quite fat, and just carrying the box from the entrance had left him panting for half a minute. He wiped the sweat from his forehead, which wasn't much, and said, "Zhou Mo, are you just going to keep spacing out like this? It's been over a month; it's time to snap out of it!"

Zhou Mo looked at him, and after a while, she said slowly, "Actually, I don't need these."

She was referring to the box of records Zou Wenhui had brought.

As Zhou Mo's agent and assistant, and having known and worked with her for many years, Zou Wenhui immediately recognized the change in her voice. He glanced around the room and saw the half-empty pack of cigarettes and a box of matches on the coffee table. His eyes widened, "Why are you smoking again! Zhou Mo, don't you know what your most valuable asset is? It's your voice! You're destroying yourself!"

As he spoke, he half-rose, grabbed the half-empty pack of cigarettes and the matches, and threw them to the ground, stomping on them angrily. "I quit smoking just to protect your voice, to keep you from being exposed to smoke. You know that, right? And now you're smoking? Are you trying to ruin yourself? For that old man? Is it worth it?"

Zhou Mo looked at him, then at the crushed cigarette pack and matches, took a deep breath, bent down, and picked them up from the floor. She dusted off the non-existent dirt on the pack, skillfully flicked out a cigarette, which was almost flat, and lit it with a match, taking a deep drag.

Well... Zhou Mo was still Zhou Mo.

The more you tried to force her, the more she would resist!

Fearless and unafraid!

Zou Wenhui's eyebrows twitched, his chest heaved, but he sighed and sat down dejectedly.

Over the years, he had become all too familiar with Zhou Mo's stubbornness, to the point where he no longer got angry.

"You, what can I say to you..."

Zhou Mo took another drag, then exhaled a long stream of smoke, her voice slightly hoarse, "What's on your mind, just say it!"

Zou Wenhui looked at her, his brows furrowed tightly, but in the end, he could only sigh. Over the years, he had never once been able to get the better of this young woman.

"Last time I came, I talked to you a lot. Recently, several company executives have called. I've received dozens of calls, all from top executives—Sony, Huage, Oriental, Taishan, Times... and of course, your old company, Xinda. It's funny, I was still working at Xinda last month, and after you announced your marriage, everyone from the CEO to the security guards looked at me like I was a stranger. Now that you're divorced, they're all flocking around me. Old Zhou said that if you're willing to return, Xinda will offer you and me the best terms and conditions in the industry!"

Zhou Mo listened calmly. After he finished, she took a while to snap out of her daze, flicked the ash off her cigarette, and stubbed it out, saying, "Tell them my voice is hoarse, I can't sing, and I don't want to sing anymore."

Zou Wenhui was immediately alarmed, "Not sing? What do you want to do then? What else can you do besides sing? Sit around and space out? Die in this room?"

Perhaps Zou Wenhui's sudden loud voice scared Wu Mama, who was working outside, and she quickly ran in. She saw Zou Wenhui, red-faced and shouting at Zhou Mo, while Zhou Mo remained calm, unmoved.

Wu Mama looked at one, then the other, unsure whether to speak or leave.

After a moment, Zhou Mo moved her limbs slightly and said, "Wu Mama, I'm tired. Please see Mr. Zou out for me."

Wu Mama quickly agreed and looked at Zou Wenhui.

Zou Wenhui, frustrated, stood up abruptly, "Fine, Zhou Mo, you're just being stubborn! You're just bottling it up! I'm telling you, with that voice of yours, you're just deluding yourself. When you come to your senses and your voice itches so much you can't stand it, I'll be waiting for you to come to me! You were born to sing! If you don't, even the heavens will force you to!"

With that, he stormed out, but stopped at the door, turned back, and said coldly, "There's a new prodigy in the industry, who has launched a new star, Liao Liao, who has taken your place. He recently produced an album for a five-girl group for Huage, which I listened to and found quite impressive. It's in that box. If you're not dead, you should listen to it. Also, they're performing at tonight's New Year's concert, you can watch it. And... try to smoke less if you can!"

Seeing Zhou Mo's distant look, he was furious, "I'm leaving, you can continue your self-destruction!"

...

After seeing Zou Wenhui off, Wu Mama returned and saw Zhou Mo still in her dazed state. She sighed and walked over, asking, "Miss, what would you like for dinner? I need to start preparing it!"

Zhou Mo looked at her, then looked down, and then up again, suddenly asking, "Wu Mama, do you think I'm almost dead?"

Wu Mama was startled and quickly said, "Mr. Zou was just angry with you! Don't take everything he says to heart! Besides, he's come here so many times, and I've heard a lot of what he's said. He really is thinking about you!"

Zhou Mo nodded, "Old Zou is a good person."

Wu Mama was delighted and quickly said, "Miss, I think Mr. Zou is right. You were born to sing, and you should sing!"

Zhou Mo, to her surprise, chuckled softly, a soundless laugh that brightened the room, making Wu Mama pause in surprise.

Then, Zhou Mo asked, "Do you... also think I was foolish to insist on being a concubine, especially to an old man? And... and..." She smiled bitterly, "And... hehe..."

As Wu Mama listened, she felt a pang of sadness and said, "Miss, I've been here since you renovated this courtyard. I've been taking care of your house and cleaning for almost four years. You might not like to hear this, but you're not foolish, you're just too devoted!"

Zhou Mo's eyes suddenly lit up, "Devoted?"

Wu Mama said, "I don't really understand, but the stories in the operas are clear. Those noble ladies who receive countless marriage proposals but only fall for a poor scholar, giving him clothes and money to support his studies, what do they gain in the end? When the scholar becomes a top official and marries the emperor's daughter, what do they get? In the end, it's all about devotion. My old man says it's called 'emotional devotion.'"

Zhou Mo looked at her, dazed, and after a while, sighed, "Uncle is a wise man!"

But she quickly shook her head, "Wu Mama, I'm not hungry. You don't need to make dinner. Go home quickly, Uncle must be hungry by now!"

Wu Mama was taken aback, "How can that be? I have to make dinner for you first!"

But Zhou Mo shook her head firmly.

"I just want to be alone for a while," she said.

***

Perhaps I've been too tired lately. After sending out the first chapter, I thought I'd rest for a bit before writing the next one, but I fell asleep on the sofa in less than three minutes. When I woke up, it was almost eleven, and I was startled awake by the thought of needing to write and update. (To be continued)

[Page Flip AD Start]

[Page Flip AD End]