Chapter 52: Chi Mo 6

“My parents help with picking up and dropping off the kids, so I can focus entirely on my work. My life is stable, and I don't have any unnecessary troubles.” Zhou Wenwen smiled. “So sometimes I think, it’s actually too easy for a man to be a father. It’s precisely because they haven't participated in the whole process that they find it so easy to walk away.”

“I’ve finished, so it’s Shi Lei’s turn, and Mengmeng last.”

Shi Lei thought for a moment. “I don't have much to say. The divorce was purely because our personalities didn't mesh. We had very little in common and our viewpoints rarely overlapped. Back then, I thought it was fine that we were different.”

“But after getting married, I realized our values were fundamentally incompatible. Living like that would have made both of us unhappy, so we eventually had a peaceful breakup. She has remarried now. We don't have children, so the separation was very clean.”

Now, everyone's eyes fell on Lin Meng. Lin Meng did not hesitate: “We divorced because my ex-husband had a gambling addiction. He was actually quite good before, but he picked up the habit after we got married.”

“I told his parents many times. Every time, he would swear he’d never gamble again, only to relapse shortly after. Later, he lost the family car, so I divorced him. I didn't want to lose the house too.”

“After all, my parents contributed half the money when we bought the house.”

Gao Jing: “Then you definitely should have divorced. Once someone gets hooked on gambling, no amount of money is ever enough to lose.”

Lin Meng: “So I divorced him. It’s for the best; I don't have to live in constant fear, worrying that I'll wake up one day to find out he’s lost even more money.”

Tan You just listened quietly. She rarely spoke, only opening her mouth when asked; otherwise, she sat to the side with a cold demeanor.

As for others' experiences, she rarely gave much facial feedback—at most, a raised eyebrow, a pursed lip, or eyes widening slightly. At other times, she was like an ice goddess.

But when she occasionally smiled, her eyes would narrow slightly, and her cute bunny teeth would show. It was as if she shifted instantly from a biting winter to a warm spring. Just looking at her, Xu Jike found himself wondering how anyone could bear to leave a girl like this.

For a moment, Xu Jike was lost in thought while looking at Tan You, and Tan You naturally noticed his gaze. She lowered her eyes slightly and rubbed the rim of her cup, suddenly feeling a sense of boredom.

Chi Mo hadn't been this beautiful in her past life. Xu Jike had fallen in love with Chi Mo at first sight, so Tan You wasn't surprised by his reaction. However, since she was currently inhabiting Chi Mo's shell, the way Xu Jike looked at her felt somewhat offensive.

Twisting her fingers, Tan You whispered to the Beauty System: "I want to gouge his eyes out."

The Beauty System took her seriously immediately: "Host, we must obey the law!"

Tan You laughed instantly. "Am I the type to break the law? I'm just a little displeased. Forget it, let him look if he wants to. It won't cost him an eye."

The change in Tan You's expression was momentary, but the hint of a smile in her eyes was captured by Xu Jike. He lowered his gaze slightly—was she thinking of something pleasant?

After sharing their emotional histories, the topic shifted again, this time to their ideal types. Tan You had just taken a sip of tea when she realized everyone's eyes were on her.

She put down her cup. "Shall I go first?"

Gao Jing nodded repeatedly. "You go first. What kind of person are you looking for?"

Tan You simply repeated the same set of words she had used with the director: "Someone who is sensible, doesn't cause unnecessary drama, and isn't prone to jealousy."

"Cough, cough, cough..." Xiang Zhe began to cough violently, only calming down after a long while. He finally caught his breath. "That's a very unique idea. Why does that sound more like something a man would say to a woman?"

"But since you are so beautiful, it's normal to have suitors, so it makes sense to require them not to be jealous."

"But this part about being 'sensible and not causing drama'... how do you explain that?"

Tan You said without hesitation, "I work in a dance troupe and have frequent performances. If I am with someone, I won't give up my work because of them."

"The partner must be able to accept this. If a dancer stops dancing, my career ends. I won't sacrifice my dancing career for a partner."

Shi Lei asked curiously, "But what if you want to get married and have children in the future..."

"How much would I have to love him to be willing to bring a child into this world? I don't reject marriage or childbirth, but the prerequisite is sufficient passion. It's just that childbirth would have a huge impact on my career."

"Of course, that's a matter for the future; I haven't thought about it yet," Tan You said calmly. "Only with enough sincere passion would I be willing to enter the next stage of life."

Gao Jing thought it made sense. "True. You're a dancer, so your requirements for your physique are extremely high. Moreover, once a woman gives birth, she can age very suddenly and her body can change. For a dancer, that is fatal."

Tan You: "So I'm saying if it really comes to that, I will definitely consider it carefully and won't make a decision lightly. Since there is no suitable person right now, I'll just focus on my career."

Zhou Wenwen: "Do you have no requirements for the man's physical appearance?"

"I do. As long as his features are decent. As for other physical traits, as long as he can support himself. I have my own money, so I want to find someone I actually like."

Tan You thought for a moment and added, "Of course, he must be a kind person. Someone who can handle social interactions without losing his edge, who can manage his work and life properly, and who doesn't dump his negative emotions on those close to him. I really dislike that."

"We are all adults; we should digest our own emotions."

As soon as Tan You said this, everyone understood her meaning, especially the shrewd Gao Jing. She glanced at the somewhat stiff Xu Jike and hid the amusement in her eyes. "Then your requirements aren't high at all. And you're not wrong—it's not easy for anyone these days. Why should we have to accept other people's negativity?"

"Rather than exhausting yourself internally, it's better to drive others crazy." When she said this, Tan You laughed and tapped Gao Jing's cup. "That's exactly what I think. Aren't we all just babies at heart?"

"Yes, babies." Gao Jing was almost laughing out loud. She clinked her cup against Tan You's and briskly drained her red wine.

Everyone laughed, but Xu Jike, sitting opposite Tan You, could not. He felt that Chi Mo's words were pointed, but how could he ask, "Are you talking about me?"

Wouldn't that be like walking straight into a trap?

Gao Jing was also blunt. "Since my divorce, people have tried to introduce me to others. I've met several, but I feel they are all quite lacking. During my first marriage, it might have been for love, but looking at it now, there are so many complicating factors. It's too complex."