CHAPTER 534: 513: HATRED (CHAPTER 4)

Gao Xique over there was both hitting and crying, tussling with Shen Chun, while Shen’s father, who had been in a stupor on the other side, finally reacted. He threw the cup in his hand to the ground, stood up, walked over, forcefully pulled Gao Xique away, and slapped his daughter on the face. The muffled sound of the slap hitting flesh finally made the crying Mrs. Shen on the ground quiet down.

"Shameless thing, today I’ll beat you to death. So many decent people with good jobs you don’t want, but you choose to do those shameless things. You make me lose face, thinking I have a good temper, don’t you? Just like your mother, apparently what kind of things raise what kind of people. Today I’ll beat you to death, letting you go out and do those shameful errands." Shen’s father scolded as he spoke, each slap on Shen Chun’s face coming with a dull echo.

"Husband, stop hitting her, you’ll beat Chun’er to death!" said Mrs. Shen, stepping forward to stop him.

But Shen’s father harshly pushed her away, "Get lost! Back then, you cheated outside. If it weren’t for you begging shamelessly, you would have drowned in spit long ago. Now you’ve given birth to someone who can’t carry on the family line, and now you’re going out shaming me. A pair of shameless hussies."

Shen’s father’s words shocked everyone in the room, especially Shen Chun and Gao Xique. The two immediately stopped fighting and just stared at Mrs. Shen in disbelief over such inside information. Mrs. Shen, on the other hand, covered her face and cried, while Shen’s father hurled out every unpleasant word he could think of. Gao Xique felt a bit scared of Shen’s father’s menacing demeanor and quietly slipped away without continuing the fight with Shen Chun. The beaten and bruised Shen Chun finally spoke up.

"Dad, you don’t have to scold me. I know I’m embarrassing you now, but don’t worry. Lin Tao promised to divorce Gao Xique and marry me, and he also agreed to support you. His factory is hiring temporary workers, and he said I can start working in a few days."

These words stopped Shen’s father’s insults, and Mrs. Shen forgot to cry, lifting her head to ask uncertainly, "Chun’er, is that true?"

Shen’s father sneered, "Can a woman’s word be trusted?"

"I know you won’t believe me now. I originally wanted to wait till I got the job to tell you, but since everything is out in the open now, I have nothing left to hide." Shen Chun covered her face, got off the brick bed, put on her shoes and headed out, "You’ve already said it, my mom is what I am. Anyway, things are like this now. You can either not want me as a daughter or wait for me to take care of you in old age."

Saying this, Shen Chun left the house.

Mrs. Shen dared not cry out loud, fearing her husband’s scolding again. However, after Shen Chun left, Shen’s father quieted down, fetched an empty bowl for himself, poured wine, and began to drink at his leisure. Mrs. Shen saw through it, knowing her husband only quieted down after realizing there was profit to be made.

Her heart was both pained and aggrieved, but she dared not say a word, standing up from the ground to sit on the brick bed, unable to eat anything, while Shen’s father enjoyed his meal alone.

Over on the courtyard side, even though the Shen Family didn’t contact them, there were still some bits of news heard about the Shen Family, particularly about the Lin Family divorcing, and it was Shen Chun who was now with Lin Tao. This turn of events meant no need for an army investigation, as Shen Chun’s conduct was problematic. She had seduced a married man, her own cousin’s husband at that, so the military would surely not believe such reports anymore. Shen Bin returned to work, and the issue was resolved like this.

On the Liu Family side, when Ye Qian heard about it, she was all smiles, "I really didn’t expect the Shen Family to be this incompetent. I thought they’d at least hold on for a year or half."

Liu Zhiyuan, lying on the bed, heard Ye Qian’s words and looked over mockingly, "Ye Qian, does Shen Bin’s misfortune make you that happy? Shen Bin should really see how ugly you look right now."

"I’m just happy, so what?" Ye Qian looked over indifferently, "Liu Zhiyuan, you and I are in the same boat. You’re happy seeing me unhappy, but does it really make you feel better facing me every day? Acting all nonchalant like you’re truly free? Liu Zhiyuan, if you don’t divorce me, then we’ll live like this and see who can last."

The couple, having torn down the pretense, spoke straightforwardly to each other. It’s been a long time since their conversations escalated to loud arguments or even physical confrontations.

Liu Zhiyuan slowly sat up straight, "Ye Qian, laugh as much as you can now. I’m afraid someday you’ll no longer be able to."

"What do you mean?" Ye Qian asked alertly, "Liu Zhiyuan, just do it directly if you have something to say. Don’t go sneaking around, making me look down on you."

"Do I need someone like you to look up to me?" Liu Zhiyuan scoffed at her, "Do you really think the Liu Family will let you screw around like this? If you have any sense, you’d better think of an exit plan."

"It’s come to this, what way out do I have?" Ye Qian scoffed, "No need for you to be here speaking nonsense, Liu Zhiyuan. I want to see what the Liu Family can do to me."

"Our Liu Family cares about reputation, what can we do to you," Liu Zhiyuan smiled, and that light smile sent shivers through Ye Qian’s heart.

She had a bad premonition, feeling like Liu Zhiyuan might have done something, yet she couldn’t place her finger on anything and felt like she was slowly walking into a trap.

The next day, Ye Qian carried her worries to the company. At noon, when Sun Mingjie brought her some fruit, Ye Qian’s eyes reddened, "I don’t know what to do to get a divorce. I know Brother Zhiyuan won’t forgive me, but he isn’t that kind of person."

"Don’t cry, I’ll try to get a word out of Zhiyuan when I get a chance." Sun Mingjie quickly looked around for fear of being seen, pressing the fruit into Ye Qian’s hands, "I have to go back. Take care of yourself and call me if you need anything."

Ye Qian nodded, "Ming Jie, thank you. No one else would speak to me now."

"Don’t overthink it. No matter what others think, you’ll always be the best to me. I have to go now." Sun Mingjie hurried away, evidently afraid of being seen.

Ye Qian knew he cared about her, but seeing his fearful demeanor still made her angry. However, things aren’t what they used to be; she’s no longer her past self and can’t act as willfully as before. Right now, no one is reliable, and Sun Mingjie is her only way out.

Meanwhile, over at the Shen Family, a major incident occurred. After Gao Xique’s divorce, she went to Lin Tao’s factory to make a scene and stabbed Lin Tao, which led to her arrest. Because of this, the Lin couple disliked Shen Chun even more, refusing to let her marry into the family.