The world of film and television begins with the God of Medicine.

Chapter 1631 Small-minded

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The official seal, representing authority, was stamped on the divorce certificate, and the hope for a bright future was ultimately destroyed by insatiable greed.

Ye Xiaolang's eyes flickered, his lips trembled, he hesitated as if he wanted to say something but couldn't, looking pitiful as he gazed at Qiao Yicheng with a melancholy expression.

Finally, she opened her mouth, trembling: "Ichisei~"

Qiao Yicheng has always been a gentle and soft-hearted person. When he sees the woman he once wanted to embrace like this, and that things have come to this point, all the unpleasantness of the past, though he can't let go of it, has finally become the past.

"You'd better watch yourself..." Qiao Yicheng said.

Compared to their past vows of eternal love and sweet words at the beginning, their relationship ended just like that, and the past became a thing of the past...

"Qiao Yicheng!" Ye Xiaolang's pitiful expression turned into resentment. "You want me to behave myself? Let me tell you, your family won't be alright. The way you've behaved, God will punish you sooner or later, especially Wang Yan!"

Seeing that she had reverted to her manic state that kept him up at night, Qiao Yicheng's initial tenderness vanished without a trace. He simply shook his head, sighed silently, and turned to leave.

He finally ended this marriage, which lasted less than six months...

Divorce certainly comes at a price, perhaps not much for Ye Xiaolang who had overly high expectations, but quite a lot for someone with his abilities.

Qiao Yicheng was a frugal person. Ever since the Qiao family became wealthy, he no longer needed to give money to his younger siblings; instead, they spent money on him, which significantly reduced his expenses. He had also been consistently working part-time and earning a decent income from his television job. By spending less and earning more, he had managed to save a considerable amount of money through these part-time jobs and his salary alone.

When he married Ye Xiaolang, many people gave him gifts. Apart from giving Ye Xiaolang's parents a sum of money, he didn't spend much. Ye Xiaolang was the one who spent the most money.

In comparison, Ye Xiaolang didn't actually spend too much. Because for a period of time before and after the wedding, Ye Xiaolang still frequently went out with Sanli and Simei, and the expenses for buying various things and eating and drinking were naturally paid by Sanli and Simei.

Then, Ye Xiaolang, not content with what she had, started to have ulterior motives, which disgusted Qiao Yicheng. In order to prove that she was not that kind of person, she did not spend much money, and even spent her own meager savings instead of much of Qiao Yicheng's money.

Afterwards, with the joint efforts of Ye Xiaolang, her parents, and her brother, the marriage finally came to an end.

So, Qiao Yicheng actually had quite a bit of money. Plus, he was kind-hearted and gave Ye Xiaolang a share of his money—over three thousand yuan. This was more than an average worker could earn in a year, and saving that much money would take even longer. For someone like Ye Xiaolang with a good job, it was quite a substantial sum.

However, Ye Xiaolang's pursuit was clearly not like that, so these three thousand yuan felt more like a heavy whip lashing her body.

Before knowing about Qiao Yicheng's family background, she never dared to dream of earning over three thousand yuan. But after learning about it, she was no longer satisfied with just three thousand…

Ye Xiaolang has reflected on her rash actions. Looking at the results makes one much clearer-headed. She understands that as long as she lives a good life with Qiao Yicheng and makes him happy, most of the things she wants, as long as they are reasonable, can be fulfilled.

Even if Qiao Yicheng objected, he couldn't stop Erqiang, Sanli, and Simei from actively giving him, their sister-in-law, benefits.

However, instead of waiting for others to give it to her, she took the initiative to ask for it, eagerly expressing her restless thoughts, which made everyone dislike her.

She wasn't stupid, nor was she suddenly looking for trouble. She had discussed some things with Sanli and Simei before, and had been persistently trying to instill her ideas in Qiao Yicheng. However, she overlooked the fact that these people disliked her.

After all, Sanli and Simei wouldn't say anything bad about Qiao Yicheng if they wanted what was best for him; they would just vent to Wang Yan and the others. Qiao Yicheng was also a tolerant person; although he was dissatisfied, he wouldn't easily express it.

This gave Ye Xiaolang the illusion that she could take things further and ask for more benefits. And so, the damage was done, and she gradually destroyed the good life she could have had…

It wasn't just a divorce that ended things; Ye Xiaolang also lost his job.

Right after the divorce, just before the Chinese New Year, she was fired from her job, losing a respectable, tenured position. The swiftness of the proceedings made her realize the influence the Qiao family had played behind the scenes. This precise strike, akin to a chasm in social standing, filled her with despair and frustration, which ultimately transformed into resentment.

She angrily found Qiao Yicheng and yelled and cursed at him, but that was all; she only dared to curse at Qiao Yicheng because she was really out of her mind.

Having vented this anger, just thinking about Wang Yan's past deeds and the examples of how Wang Yan dealt with people that Old Qiao's family had told as jokes made him tremble with fear...

Now she really has nowhere to go. The dormitory arranged by her workplace will be vacant after the New Year. She didn't want to go back to her home in the first place, and now, because of the previous farce, they are like strangers, with all ties severed. She is all alone here.

Former friends, more or less, know what she's been doing. Those who used to fawn over her are now out of touch. Even her dorm mates seem to ignore her existence.

She didn't wait until the New Year; she packed her bags and left Jinling. Because everywhere was the same for her, only Jinling was different, and of course, she didn't want that difference…

But it's not like no one cares about her...

During the Spring Festival, meals are naturally cooked at home. However, Old Qiao's family cooks a little later, since they still have many businesses to manage and many people can't go home for the New Year. Even with generous salaries, the necessary visits and other activities can't be stopped; even if it's just for show, someone has to go to demonstrate their commitment.

Therefore, Wang Yan, Er Qiang, and San Li, who all have businesses, are busy outside. Wang Yan, in particular, has to go to even more places, since his business is expanding rapidly and the headquarters are all in Jinling, so he has to visit almost all of them.

By the time everyone gathered at Old Qiao's house, it was already evening.

At this time, the Qiao family was very lively. In addition to the Qiao family members, there were also Qi Weimin and Qi Qi.

Because Auntie's second husband had children, and both Qi Weiyi and Qi Xiaoya were married and had places to go, Qi Weimin had already spent the noon with his mother on such a lively day. In the evening, he brought Qiqi to Old Qiao's house to join in the fun. Relatively speaking, he felt more comfortable here than at home.

"You're finally back, Wang Yan! We've almost finished preparing the dishes, and we're just waiting for you, the master chef, to show off your skills."

Wang Yan reached out and ruffled Qi Qi's hair before busily preparing the dishes. Stews were unavoidable; Sanli had followed the recipes Wang Yan had left behind, ensuring a decent taste. The only problem might be the heat control, not quite reaching Wang Yan's level, but it wasn't too bad either.

Apart from the time-consuming stews, the other dishes, such as stir-fries, pan-fries, and cold dishes, were quick to prepare, and a large table of food was made in a short time.

"Come on, as the head of this family, this year's New Year is a great occasion... Of course, everything else is fine, it's just that some people don't know how to judge people..." Old Joe raised his glass and talked on and on, even starting to stir up trouble.

The four beauties interjected, "Alright, everyone, let's just drink."

"Yes, yes, Uncle, stop talking and let's drink." Qi Weimin interrupted Old Qiao.

The old man was doing it on purpose, it seems that now his only pleasure in life, besides his daily show-off and enjoying a life of leisure, is watching his eldest son, Qiao Yicheng, make a fool of himself.

Qiao Yicheng ignored his father and simply drank with Wang Yan and the others. Old Qiao wasn't annoyed at all, happily drinking his wine, quite content.

To be honest, with the rise of the Joe family, the biggest beneficiary and the one who changed the most was not the two strong and four beautiful, nor the ten who had a much easier time without pressure. It was just Old Joe, that unreliable guy.

Old Qiao is the real winner in life now. He doesn't have to spend money on food, drinks, or cigarettes, and he can even treat people to meals. Everyone around him flatters and envies him. He has no worries at home, and Erqiang has had a son with Ma Suqin. He has no worries or anxieties at all, and he just enjoys life, takes good care of his health, lives a few more years, and enjoys a few more good years...

It's also because life has improved that the motivation for celebrating the Lunar New Year has weakened considerably. Poverty once brought happiness, but now that material conditions are no longer a problem, the meat eaten during the New Year no longer has that unique sweetness; it just feels ordinary, and there's no longer any anticipation.

On the other hand, since everyone is in Nanjing, there are often gatherings for meals and drinks. There's not much of a reunion during the New Year. Everyone knows each other's current situation, so there's not much fun to be had. It's mostly just talking about how busy we were before and after the New Year and reflecting on life.

So, the Spring Festival wasn't any more cherished than usual, but with Wang Yan around, there was never a dull moment, and the joy was the same for everyone. Besides, there's the Spring Festival Gala these days, which can bring happiness to countless families.

After eating and drinking, everyone watched the Spring Festival Gala until midnight. At the beginning of the new year, fireworks bloomed in the sky.

The lively atmosphere at Old Joe's house finally came to an end.

When they saw everyone off, Qiao Yicheng pulled Wang Yan aside for a smoke.

Suffering from Ye Xiaolang's torment for the past few months, Qiao Yicheng was extremely frustrated. As the saying goes, it takes ten years to learn good habits, but only a minute to learn bad ones. Smoking a cigarette isn't a matter of good or bad, so Qiao Yicheng became a smoker.

"Is something wrong?" Wang Yan asked knowingly.

Qiao Yicheng nodded silently. Even though he was the one pulling Wang Yan aside to smoke, he didn't say anything.

Wang Yan didn't urge him, and just listened to Aunt Wu's cheerful voice coming from next door. After smoking half a cigarette, Qiao Yicheng finally spoke.

"About Ye Xiaolang..."

"You know, when you have certain resources and can make decisions that benefit others, people will take the initiative to think of you, share your burdens, and be anxious about what you are anxious about. Even if you don't say anything, or even if you don't know it, someone will get things done."

Looking at Qiao Yicheng, who seemed somewhat helpless, Wang Yan said with a smile, "Although your affair with Ye Xiaolang may not seem like a big deal, Ye Xiaolang has also been publicizing your relationship with me in her workplace."

So when your colleagues and friends found out about it, and after some exaggeration, and after confirming that you were already divorced, they naturally took care of her; it was all just a side effect.

In fact, even if no one was targeting her, she wouldn't be able to stay here. Everyone was talking about her, everyone was criticizing her; how could she stand it? She would have to quit her job too. She'd have to say she wanted to start her own business to save face. So it's no different, because she already had no face left.

"Hey……"

Qiao Yicheng took a long, dejected drag on his cigarette. "Do you know where she went?"

"Shanghai is so close, it's definitely the first choice."

"You had someone follow her?" Qiao Yicheng's eyes widened in disbelief. "Wang Yan, it's really not worth it for something so trivial..."

"What are you thinking? Do you think I'm such a petty person?" Before Qiao Yicheng could say anything, Wang Yan nodded firmly, "I am."

Seeing Qiao Yicheng's eyes widen even more, Wang Yan laughed, "I didn't mean anything by it, I just knew you would ask, so I had someone keep an eye on it."

Qiao Yicheng was silent for a moment, then asked, "How is she now?"

"She'll probably stay in a small hotel and look for work after the New Year. You don't need to worry. You gave her over three thousand yuan, and besides, she's a college graduate with many years of work experience. Finding a relevant job to make a living shouldn't be a problem. She'll be doing quite well. Once she gets there, no one will be pointing fingers at her anymore, which is a good thing, isn't it?"

It was early 1994, and university graduates at that time were certainly highly valued; they were genuine talents, not just "talented individuals." Technology was advancing, and the market was expanding. Ye Xiaolang's skills were more than enough to ensure he wouldn't have to worry about finding a job anywhere. In fact, those born in the 1970s who were both educated and technically skilled were generally doing quite well.

Upon hearing this, Qiao Yicheng nodded: "How much longer are you going to have them follow us?"

"It's just a matter of having a couple more people watching over them, for as long as they want. They've even provided jobs, and the work is very easy and pays quite well, so they're all quite happy. If we ask them to come back, they'll probably cry in secret for a while."

"Maybe we shouldn't look at it anymore..."

"No, I'll have to have them go to Ye Xiaolang's new workplace to explain the situation. I really hold grudges."

“Wang Yan, it really doesn’t have to be like this.” Qiao Yicheng’s tone was somewhat tired. “It was my fault for misjudging people. I don’t really blame Ye Xiaolang. On the contrary, I’m quite grateful to her. She made me understand a lot of things and reflect deeply on myself.”

"This kind of reflection is not a good thing."

Wang Yan chuckled and shook his head. "Going out with Song Qingyuan more often will definitely help you improve in that area. Of course, I know you're not that kind of person. We'll see who you are and find you a reliable one."

"Forget it, with something like this happening, I'm not in the mood to think about anything right now. It's getting late, let's go home quickly."

Having satisfied his curiosity, Qiao Yicheng ran back. A little while later, Sanli came out of the courtyard, took Wang Yan's arm, and the two walked together on the street of Sha Mao Lane. Another year had passed...

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