Lu Mingzhe took her to the studio after they returned and tidied up.
As soon as she sat down, her assistant rushed over with yesterday's data.
"Sister Wan, the video we shot the day before yesterday has gone viral. It has over 3 million likes across the entire network. Look."
Xiang Wan took it and saw that it was indeed true.
Over 1.2 million on Douyin, and over 1.8 million on the other three platforms combined.
The backend data analysis showed that 80% of Xiang Wan's followers were female users.
Their ages ranged from 18 to 45.
Such a wide age range and so many likes indicated that the aesthetic of this outfit was very appealing to the public.
It seemed she needed to finalize the fabric quickly.
Strike while the iron is hot, make a sample, and pre-sell it in the live broadcast room tonight.
With such high popularity, it was estimated that the sales of this single item alone would not be low.
"You all get ready quickly. We're not filming videos today. Follow me to the factory."
Lu Mingzhe drove towards Zhan's company. Unexpectedly, he received a call from his mother early in the morning.
"Why are you calling me so early? Shouldn't you sleep in more?"
Lu's mother said, "What time is it that you still think it's early? Besides, you don't know your mother at all. When have I ever been someone who loves to sleep in?"
"Hey, I'm just concerned about you. I thought you had nothing to do when you woke up, so I wanted you to sleep in a bit longer."
"Alright, alright, then get straight to the point. Why are you calling me?"
Lu's mother chided him.
"Can't I call you just because I have nothing to do? Don't you belong to me anymore? You're getting less and less filial as you get older."
Lu Mingzhe cried injustice, "Mom, I got up early to go to work and didn't have time to greet you. Did I make a mistake?"
"Alright, alright, I was wrong. I apologize to you."
His mother smiled.
"Stop being so glib. I'm calling to tell you that someone gave your father something good yesterday. I asked the kitchen to make it early. You and Jiao Jiao come back for lunch."
He didn't expect it to be for this reason.
Lu Mingzhe smiled.
"No, you and Dad eat by yourselves. My studio is far from home, and it's troublesome to travel back and forth."
His mother saw through him.
"I know you. Even if you don't eat at home, you'll run around to find restaurants. Stop giving me excuses!"
"It's not troublesome to spend money eating out, but it bothers you when your mother brings it to your mouth, right?"
"That's not what I meant. I might be quite busy today..."
"You're not a three-year-old child anymore. Stop making excuses to fob me off. Lu Mingzhe, you must come back today!"
Lu Mingzhe really didn't want to go back.
He was anxious to deal with the house matters.
"Mom, you're telling me to work hard and also telling me I must go back. Isn't that contradictory?"
"I am contradictory, and I'm only contradictory this once. What's wrong with that? I've spoiled you for twenty to thirty years, can't you spoil your mother back for once?"
Lu Mingzhe was speechless.
"It's early in the morning, and I really don't want to make you angry. How about this, you keep it for me, don't make it today, and I'll call you when I have time and spend a day with you at home, okay?"
His mother was unyielding.
"No, it's today! Today is your maternal grandmother's death anniversary. Mom is in a bad mood alone at home and needs you to accompany me!"
Women are really troublesome.
They can't even keep track of all the anniversaries, and they even treat the death anniversaries of elders as festivals...
"Alright, alright, then I'll go back for lunch. I have something to tell you."
Lu's mother was waiting for him to say this.
Guessing that he was going to confess to her, she continued to ask.
"What do you need to tell me?"
"Didn't you ask me to come back for lunch? I'll tell you at noon. It's not good news anyway."
His mother scolded him, "Aren't you deliberately trying to pique my curiosity? You're only telling me half of it. How can I have a peaceful morning? Tell me now."
Lu Mingzhe gave her a heads-up.
"I really don't want to make you angry this early. Let's just hang up the phone."
"If you have nothing to do, go find other aunts for tea, manicures, or anything else. Why must you provoke me?"
His mother threatened him, "Lu Mingzhe, I'm telling you one last time, tell me!"
"If you don't tell me, I'll call others to ask. Don't blame me for disturbing your friends then!"
His mother had been spoiled since childhood and had always been very assertive, never giving up until she achieved her goal.
Lu Mingzhe gave in to her, thinking that since she would find out sooner or later and had already said this much, he might as well confess.
"Alright, since you insist on asking, I'll tell you."
"Don't let Chen Jiaojiao come to our house for dinner. We are divorced."
There was silence on the other end of the phone.
Lu Mingzhe waited for a few seconds, thinking his mother was shocked. He quickly called out to the screen.
"Mom, are you okay, Mom? I told you I didn't want to make you angry this early, but you insisted I tell you!"
Seeing his concern, Lu's mother sighed deeply on the phone and said in a deliberately trembling voice.
"When did this happen? Weren't you two doing well? Why didn't you tell me earlier?"
Lu Mingzhe then recounted how Chen Jiaojiao betrayed him and how he fell in love with Xiang Wan, omitting the beginning and end.
"In short, what I did was wrong. I shouldn't have joked about my marriage with you."
"But I was furious at the time and just wanted to save face."
"Although we are divorced now, I have found a better girl than her to be your daughter-in-law, and she is even carrying our family's child."
"Mom, just consider it my atonement. Please don't be angry. I'll bring her back to meet you at noon. I guarantee you'll be satisfied."
Lu's mother sneered on the phone, but said,
"Is that so? She's even carrying our family's child. You do have some ability."
"But you can't bring her home today. Your father still doesn't know about your divorce, nor does he know about you and this woman. If you suddenly spring so many surprises on him, I'm afraid he won't be able to accept it."
"Let's take it slow. We won't eat lunch today. Let's digest this first and then talk about it."
After hanging up the phone, Lu's mother stood up with a cold face, picked up her bag, and called the driver to go out.
Xiang Wan was walking downstairs with a team of staff while talking. Lu's mother lowered the car window and called out to her again from not far away.
"Miss Xiang."
She said that yesterday, Lu's mother had asked her to cause trouble, and then such a big incident happened.
Although it seemed unrelated, Xiang Wan vaguely felt there was some connection.
While she was puzzled, Lu's mother found her.
It was a good opportunity to clear the air.
She asked everyone to wait and confidently got into the car.
"Mrs. Lu. Do you need something else from me?"
Lu's mother said, "The matter is not resolved yet. Although I don't want to work so hard, who told you to be so thick-skinned?"
After a moment of speechlessness, Xiang Wan replied neither subserviently nor obsequiously.
"You are Lu Mingzhe's biological mother, aren't you? And you are also a highly educated woman."
"I believe that in your heart, besides the concept of social status, you also understand the importance of love and freedom."
"Don't you want to see your son happy? Why must you do something that destroys your mother-son relationship?"
Lu's mother looked at her coldly and smiled upon hearing this.