Divorced and Determined: The CEO’s Ex-Wife Fights for Love

Chapter 1 Divorced with Nothing, Gaining a Street Food Stall System

In a parallel world, at the Annan District Civil Affairs Bureau in Jiang City, a quick stamp sealed the end of the marriage between Lu Qin and Shen Muyan. They each took their divorce certificates, stood up, and immediately caught the attention of others in the hall.

People around them whispered, unable to hide their regret.

“What a shame,” someone murmured. “They’re such a stunning couple.”

“The man’s so handsome—clean-cut, stylish, easy on the eyes. The woman has a striking presence, like a movie star. They seemed perfect together. How could they just call it quits?”

Standing outside the Civil Affairs Bureau, Shen Muyan slid on her sunglasses, masking her already breathtaking features. Tall, with refined, delicate facial structure and long, straight black hair that cascaded down her back like a waterfall, she looked over at Lu Qin. Her voice was as cool and composed as always.

“You should really reconsider not taking any assets,” she said. “Yao Yao’s kindergarten tuition isn’t cheap.”

Raising a child was expensive—a bottomless pit of expenses. Without the foundation of marriage, Lu Qin had no job and no income to fall back on.

“There’s no need,” Lu Qin replied calmly, his gaze unwavering.

Seeing his firm stance, Shen Muyan didn’t press the matter. She turned, got into her Maserati, and sped off. She had always been decisive—no hesitation, no second-guessing. They were both adults, after all, and once a decision was made, they each had to live with the consequences.

What surprised Shen Muyan was Lu Qin’s refusal to take any of their shared wealth. He could have walked away with a considerable fortune, and most people wouldn’t have been able to resist. But not him.

Their daughter, Yao Yao, was adamant about staying with Lu Qin. Shen understood the bond. After all, she had rarely been around since Yao Yao was born. Still, she wasn’t too worried. She figured that, after leaving a life of luxury, it wouldn’t take long—two weeks, maybe—before Yao Yao came crying back to her.

In a way, Lu Qin’s decision not to take any money played into her hands. When his new life became unbearable, the custody of their child would fall back to her naturally.

As Shen Muyan drove away, Lu Qin hailed a taxi to pick up Yao Yao from Starlight Kindergarten. Now broke, he had only 35,000 yuan in savings and still needed to find a place to rent. They had been living in Shen Muyan’s lavish villa, never worrying about basic needs. He wasn’t sure how Yao Yao would adjust to their new life. That was his only real concern. His feelings for Shen Muyan had never run deep. The two had made a mistake—one night, after too much to drink at a banquet, they’d ended up with an unexpected consequence— Yao Yao. Marriage followed out of obligation, hastily, and without a wedding.

Shen Muyan, a relentless workaholic, managed several five-star hotels and had a net worth in the tens of millions. But between the demands of her job and the wealth she accumulated, she had little time for Lu Qin or their daughter, Lu Xiyao.

To make up for that absence, Lu Qin had sacrificed his career. He left a high-paying job at a public tech company to become a stay-at-home dad.

Years passed, and Shen Muyan stayed as busy as ever. Sometimes, she would be away for weeks on business, barely seen at home. Meanwhile, Lu Qin spent his days caring for their daughter, Lu Xiyao, and managing the household, keeping everything in perfect order.

There had never been conflict between him and Shen Muyan. They never even fought. But their relationship had always been thin, like paper, without any real connection. Divorce felt inevitable, as if they both saw it coming from a mile away. They separated peacefully, without bitterness.

At the entrance of Starlight Kindergarten, Lu Qin stood casually in a white shirt and jeans, his tall, handsome figure catching the eyes of several mothers waiting for their children.

“Daddy!”

A little girl, freshly released by her teacher, spotted Lu Qin and ran towards him, clinging to his leg as soon as she reached him.

Lu Xiyao, in a pink princess dress, was lively and adorable, a perfect blend of Lu Qin and Shen Muyan’s best features. Her soft, rosy face pressed lovingly against Lu Qin’s leg as she called out Daddy in a voice sweet enough to melt anyone’s heart.

Lu Qin’s eyes were full of warmth as he gently patted her head.

“Ms. Li, I’m picking up Yao Yao now,” he said, showing the teacher his pick-up card before lifting his daughter into his arms.

“Goodbye, Ms. Li!”

Yao Yao waved cheerfully.

“Goodbye, Yao Yao!” her teacher responded with a smile.

The kindergarten staff were familiar with Lu Qin. He was always polite and warm, and his good looks didn’t go unnoticed. Little Yao Yao, with her charm, was unforgettable as well. But no one had ever seen her mother. It was always Lu Qin who did the pick-ups, leading many of the single female teachers and mothers to believe he was a single dad. Some even tried to approach him occasionally, while Yao Yao was often showered with small gifts like milk or lollipops.

Holding her tiny hand, Lu Qin and his daughter walked leisurely along a tree-lined path.

“Were you a good girl at kindergarten today, Yao Yao?”

“I was super good,” she replied with enthusiasm.

Lu Qin raised an eyebrow playfully.

“Keep that up,” he said with a grin.

Yao Yao blinked her large, sparkling eyes. “Daddy, since I was so good, can I have an ice cream?”

“I’ll reward you with a flick on the forehead.”

“Wah, never mind then,” she pouted for a moment but quickly recovered, happily skipping along while holding his hand.

No matter what, Yao Yao was always happy as long as she was with her dad. Of course, ice cream would make her even happier. As they passed by other grandparents picking up their grandchildren, Yao Yao noticed many kids getting ice cream, doted on by their doting elders.

Lu Qin soon heard the familiar sound of soft gulping beside him. He thought for a moment and remembered it had been three days since she last had ice cream. Today, he decided she could have one.

Hearing this, her face lit up with excitement. “Daddy, I want a strawberry Choco Bar!”

Her smile stretched from ear to ear as she savored her treat, her happiness so pure it seemed even her eyebrows smiled.

After finishing her ice cream, Yao Yao wiped her mouth with the tissue Lu Qin handed her. He looked at her thoughtfully before speaking.

“Yao Yao, do you understand what it means that Daddy and Mommy are going to live separately?”

“You mean divorce, right?” she said, interrupting him, without hesitation.

“You know what that means?”

“Of course!” she replied, her chubby face calm and unbothered. “I saw it on TV. Divorce means Daddy and Mommy live in different houses, sleep in different beds, and don’t stay together anymore.”

Lu Qin couldn’t help but smile bitterly. Kids these days seemed to know everything. Thinking back, even when he and Shen Muyan were married, they had always slept in separate rooms—first because they lacked real affection, and second because she was always busy working late into the night.

“How do you feel about that?” He asked.

“It doesn’t matter,” Yao Yao said with a small shrug. “I never saw Mommy much anyway. She never came to any of my kindergarten events, and she only celebrated my birthday with me once.”

Her voice faltered for just a moment, but then she brightened.

“As long as I have Daddy, that’s enough. I’ll stay with you.”

A wave of warmth swept through Lu Qin’s heart.

“Living with Daddy might mean we won’t stay in a big villa anymore. There might not be a huge TV for cartoons.”

“That’s okay,” she said, smiling up at him. “As long as I’m with Daddy every day, I don’t need a big TV.”

Lu Qin chuckled softly. His little girl was his greatest source of strength, always filling him with comfort.

The reason he hadn’t taken any of Shen Muyan’s wealth was simple—he trusted in his own ability to earn a living and provide for the daughter who never let him down.

Just then, a ding sounded in Lu Qin’s mind.

[Food Stall System Activated: Earn points by setting up a stall. Points can be used for lottery draws.]. [First day activation reward: 100 points]. [Automatically spending 100 points for the first draw…]. [Congratulations! You have received ‘Max-Level Stir-Fried Noodles Skill.’ You can now make the most delicious stir-fried noodles in the world.].

Suddenly, an overwhelming surge of knowledge about stir-frying noodles filled Lu Qin’s mind—cooking techniques, ingredient combinations, precise heat control, and timing all fused together effortlessly. It was as if everything clicked into place, transforming into second nature.

He had never imagined there could be so much intricacy in something as seemingly simple as stir-fried noodles. Every detail, from choosing the right oil to achieving the perfect texture of the noodles, played a crucial role in mastering the dish.