Feng Wu in Another World
Lazy Divorce
[Text: Chapter One – Childhood Life]
Lan Lan was born in Fengshuo Village, a small mountain village in eastern Guangdong Province. More than a decade ago, while coastal cities developed rapidly, Fengshuo Village still had many struggling households, including Lan Lan’s family.
Her mother had two daughters, while her father, burdened by feudal thoughts, felt inferior and self-destructive, ultimately abandoning his family and accumulating debts.
One year, just before the Spring Festival, their home caught fire, destroying their only valuable possessions. Instead of returning for the holiday, Lan’s father left a houseful of creditors demanding payment, taking away their few jars of grain. Lan’s mother, burdened by years of hardship, wailed at the sight of their devastated home and young daughters.
Despite her struggles, Lan’s mother remained kind and resilient, shouldering all family responsibilities alone. Not having a son made her feel inadequate in her husband’s eyes, and she never harbored hatred for his irresponsibility. Lan and her sister cried alongside their mother.
In that moment, Lan vowed to prove herself and ensure her mother would have a better life, preventing others from bullying her. She was only 8 years old at the time.
From then on, Lan helped her mother with farming, housework, and taking care of her sister, while excelling in studies and consistently ranking in the top three each year. Despite knowing her mother often cried at night, Lan hoped her good grades would bring her some joy and dignity.
After entering middle school with the top score, three years passed quickly. She was especially grateful to her aunt, who often assisted the family, lending money for school fees and sharing good food. Her aunt’s kindness significantly influenced Lan’s charitable nature, while her mother’s resilience became her role model. However, she didn’t want to inherit her mother’s timidity; she aimed to fight for the best life through her own efforts.
By her third year of middle school, she faced a crucial choice. Her grades could secure her a place in high school or vocational school, but the expensive tuition made her reluctant to burden her mother further.
Although her mother insisted on supporting her education, the hundreds of yuan per semester was a heavy load for a family with no external income. Seeing her mother secretly cry pained her deeply.
Deep down, Lan yearned for education, understanding that knowledge was the fastest way to change her life. However, she realized her impoverished family couldn’t afford it and decided to stop studying, believing hard work could lead to success. To compensate, her mother bought her two pairs of pants—her first new clothes, as she had always worn hand-me-downs. Amusingly, her classmates thought she was well-off, only learning the truth much later.
[Text: Chapter Two – First Entry into Shenzhen]
In 1992, 16-year-old Lan Lan followed a village girl named Lan Ying to work in Shenzhen. That first night, the neon-lit city felt overwhelming and different from her hometown. With only a middle school education, she questioned her ability to survive here.
Lan Ying’s factory dormitory strictly prohibited outsiders, with guards checking entries. But in an industrial zone with nearly ten thousand people, there were always ways to slip through. Lan Lan nervously wore Lan Ying’s factory uniform and followed her inside.
The dormitory housed eight people, with four bunk beds.
She shared a bed with Lan Ying, and after traveling and showering, they quickly fell asleep.
The next morning, Lan Lan woke early, careful not to disturb Lan Ying. Around seven, dormitory residents began preparing for work. Watching the girls come and go, she felt a strong desire for a job to ease her mother’s burden.
Later, she bought a fake diploma and temporary ID, and, through her cousin’s introduction, entered a state-owned electronics factory as a worker.
In 1992, 16-year-olds could obtain temporary IDs, and labor laws hadn’t strictly prohibited hiring minors. After settling into the factory and writing a letter to her mother (since no one in the village had a phone), she contemplated her future.
With only fifty yuan in her pocket during her first month, she survived on five-cent instant noodles, eventually growing tired of them. Fortunately, a fellow villager in the dormitory, noticing her frugality, secretly gave her a hundred yuan for food.
During her three years at the factory, Lan Lan improved herself by self-studying the high school curriculum, obtaining a junior computer certificate from a training course, and making friends like the outgoing Li Ruo, the shy boy Wang Qiang, and the handsome Zhang Jie, who taught her ballroom dancing. These years were fulfilling and happy for her.
She knew she was beautiful, and several boys had shown interest, but she rejected them, claiming she was too young to date. Reflecting on her growth over the past three years, she felt her high school education had boosted her confidence in seeking a better job. She yearned for success, hoping money would bring warmth to her impoverished family.
After several days in the job market, she was scammed out of introduction fees and still couldn’t find a job.
Her cousin and Lan Ying believed rural people should work for a few years before marrying, viewing this as a woman’s destiny. However, she refused to accept this fate. She wanted to challenge destiny and pursue her own happiness.
When her cousin said, “Who’s so greedy? Do you think you’re so capable? Many college graduates can’t find jobs,” she felt helpless, as her cousin didn’t understand her desires.
Persistence paid off! On the seventh day, a company finally offered her a position. On Valentine’s Day in 1995, Lan Lan, with youthful shyness, entered this foreign-funded factory. Though the salary was low, no overtime allowed her more time for self-improvement.
She felt she was getting closer to her dreams.
[Text: Chapter Three – Work Opportunity (Revised Edition)]
After telling her mother about changing jobs and continuing her studies, she received strong support. Mom had always been confident in her eldest daughter, who had her own ideas since childhood. Since Lan Lan was ambitious, she naturally supported her.
“Lan’er, if you want to study, stop sending money home. From the money you’ve sent these three years, besides repaying debts, I have some left. Just take care of yourself!”
Understanding her mother’s intentions, Lan Lan was deeply touched. She felt she had nothing to give her mother except to earn more money to support her, hoping her mother, who had lived a hard life, could enjoy her remaining years. She especially didn’t want her younger sister to struggle financially like she had.
Six months later, Lan Lan was transferred to the logistics group due to excellent performance, and her salary doubled. By July 1998, with a junior college diploma and her efforts, she became the logistics department manager, earning 2,500 yuan monthly. She was satisfied, able to provide a better life for her mother and sister, and had saved some money. Though she hadn’t considered resigning, fate often has unexpected plans.
Today was the millennium year 2000. Colleagues were excited and blessing this extraordinary day.
“Lan Lan, want to go to Da Jia Le?
Let’s celebrate and welcome this once-in-a-millennium year!”
Da Jia Le was the name of a dance hall.
Speaking was her colleague Zhang Li, a lively and cute Henan girl, tall, fair-skinned, with a loud, lovable personality.
“Sure, I’m free anyway. But who’s paying?” Lan Lan looked mischievously at Zhang Li.
“Our Cheng Hua is coming too, don’t worry!” Zhang Li reassured her.
Without a good dance partner, Lan Lan lost the mood to dance. The host’s voice rang out:
