CHAPTER 152: CHAPTER 152 DIVORCE (3)_1

"I’ll do it myself," Shangguan Hao said, refusing coolly as he put his bowl down. A piece of meat Li Wanying had placed in it remained untouched; he wasn’t going to eat anymore.

"I’m full. I’m going upstairs to rest for a bit. Dad, Mom, Big Brother, Sister-in-law, take your time. You, come find me upstairs after you’re done eating."

With that, Shangguan Hao’s tall figure rose and headed upstairs.

Li Wanying’s eyes reddened, tears welling. Why? Why, after sixteen long years, was his attitude toward her still so indifferent? She believed Shangguan Hao wouldn’t be this cold even to a stranger.

In the past, for his parents’ sake and for Shangguan You, Shangguan Hao had still shown her some courtesy, despite his hatred. Now, he didn’t give her the slightest consideration, effectively banishing her. He wouldn’t even glance at their daughter, Rourou, anymore.

"Wanying, you know his cold nature. Don’t take it to heart," the Shangguan family matriarch said, patting Li Wanying’s hand and comforting her softly, sighing to herself. Had they really made a mistake back then?

Upon hearing the matriarch’s words, tears streamed down Li Wanying’s face. She had fallen deeply in love with this man from the first moment she saw him. For his sake, she had schemed endlessly. In the end, though she had secured the position of Mrs. Shangguan, this man wouldn’t even spare her a glance.

Previously, he used to put on an act in front of others for Shangguan You’s sake, but now he wasn’t even willing to pretend.

"Mommy, don’t be sad," Shangguan Rou said softly, trying to comfort Li Wanying. She felt just as sad. Why did Daddy only come home a few days a year, and why was he so cold to them? Daddy’s heart only had room for Shangguan You, that despicable woman!

With Shangguan You around, there was never any place for her, Shangguan Rou, or Li Wanying. This was why Shangguan Rou and her mother hated Shangguan You so intensely.

Shangguan Zhi glanced at the tearful Li Wanying and Shangguan Rou. With a cold glare, he put down his chopsticks and strode upstairs. The others naturally put down their chopsticks and followed. A slight smile touched Shangguan You’s lips as she watched Li Wanying and Shangguan Rou’s pale faces, one eyebrow raised in amusement.

She scoffed silently. After all their plotting and scheming, Li Wanying couldn’t even earn a single glance from her own husband. It was rather pathetic. Shangguan You almost pitied Li Wanying and found Shangguan Rou pitiable. This was the result of their lifelong struggle, their endless scheming—only to harm others and themselves. Seeing Shangguan Hao’s attitude, she seriously doubted if Shangguan Rou was even her sister. Could her resolute father truly have fathered such a daughter?

Shangguan You’s lips twisted into a cold smile as she, too, made her way upstairs. After all, it was only a matter of time before this mother-daughter duo would be dealt with. And when that time came, there would surely be even more explosive news.

"Sister, where are you going? I want to come too!" Shangguan Rou exclaimed as she saw Shangguan You stand up, and she hurriedly followed. Even Li Wanying looked up at Shangguan You.

"Daddy just asked for me in the study," Shangguan You said with a gentle smile to Shangguan Rou. "You’ve just arrived and haven’t eaten yet. It’s better if you eat first." Then she turned to go upstairs.

"Sister, we just ate at home! I really miss Daddy too, let me come with you," Shangguan Rou pleaded, quickly catching up and insisting on following. She had to understand why the Shangguan family treated her like an outsider. They shared the same father, so why was *she* the outsider? She refused to accept it; it wasn’t fair! Moreover, the difference in their treatment was too vast. She, Shangguan Rou, was beautiful and intelligent, no less so than Shangguan You. Why should Shangguan You get everything, while she had nothing?

"Uncle is looking for You about something important. Rourou, it’s better if you don’t go up. Stay here and keep Grandmother and Aunt Li company," Shangguan Qing said, turning to Shangguan Rou with a calm expression. He then descended a few steps, took Shangguan You’s hand, and led her upstairs, leaving a stunned Shangguan Rou alone downstairs.

Shangguan Rou’s hands clenched into tight fists, tears brimming in her eyes as she watched the two ascend the stairs, her gaze filled with resentment. After a long moment, she turned back to see Li Wanying sitting quietly to one side, silently crying. The hatred in her heart intensified.

In this house, aside from the old matriarch, no one cared about them; no one took her and her mother seriously. If Shangguan You disappeared forever, would the family still ignore *her*?

"Alright, Wanying, look at what you’ve become. When you married into this family, you should have expected this day. Even if you didn’t regret it then, what’s the use of regretting now? Ai," the Shangguan family matriarch sighed, her expression darkening as she recalled the events of sixteen years ago. And Li Wanying’s methods back then had been too excessive; it was no wonder that even after more than a decade, Haohao hadn’t changed his opinion of her. Previously, for Shangguan You’s sake, he’d still maintained some pretense with her. But since the incident a year ago, after Shangguan You went to B City, Shangguan Hao wasn’t even willing to feign civility anymore.

"Mom, after all these years, I truly didn’t expect him to still treat me this way! In front of the whole family, he won’t even give me an ounce of face. It wouldn’t matter if it were just me, but Rourou... she’s his own daughter! How can he be so indifferent? Why does his heart only have room for You?" Li Wanying lamented, wiping her tears as she spoke.

"Mommy!" Shangguan Rou cried, throwing herself into Li Wanying’s embrace.

"Mommy, does Daddy not like me? Why doesn’t Daddy like me? I was so happy when Daddy came back, but why does he only see Sister and not me? Does he not like me? Am I not a daughter of the Shangguan family? Mommy?" Shangguan Rou sobbed, her distress making her look utterly pitiful.

"Silly child, how could you think such things?" Li Wanying chided gently, embracing Shangguan Rou. "You are a granddaughter of the Shangguan family, and that’s a fact no one can change." Mother and daughter then clung to each other, crying softly.

"Enough now. Isn’t this still your home? There’s no need for such a display. Even if you must cry, do it in your own rooms," the Shangguan matriarch said, frowning, her expression souring further as she recalled the incident from sixteen years ago.

"Mom, I understand," Li Wanying said, drying her tears. She offered an apologetic smile to Liu Ruoling but then lowered her head, unable to meet the contemptuous gaze of Zhang Ma. That damned old woman, I’ll deal with her eventually!