CHAPTER 247: A FIRM STANCE

Yes, she should hate him. After all, he was too cruel to her.

For two people who once loved each other to reach this point, it truly felt like fate playing a cruel trick.

"Since you’ve made your decision, I won’t force you," Tang Shuwen said lightly, his gaze sweeping over Zhao Yuning’s face. They were vaguely the features he was familiar with, vaguely the demeanor he once cherished.

But he didn’t know when "once" truly became the past.

Now, he admired women who were both gentle and strong.

This child, by no means, could remain.

Yuning, don’t blame my ruthlessness.

He was never a virtuous man or woman. If something threatened his family, he would always take precautions to prevent it from happening. Therefore, he would not allow this child to come into this world.

Otherwise, his family would undergo a revolution, and it would hurt Xueru, and harm Xiao Nian. He couldn’t say if he could bear such consequences.

"Since you are so heartless, don’t blame me for being heartless. I will give birth to this child, raise him well, and tell him who his father is. With us around, you and Chen Xueru won’t find happiness either. Tang Shuwen, the immense pain you’ve inflicted upon me, I will return eightfold," Zhao Yuning said through gritted teeth, hatred slowly taking root in her heart.

She had once been such a happy woman, but her happiness ended here.

From the moment Chen Xueru appeared, her happiness had been precarious, and now, it had completely collapsed.

Tang Shuwen pursed his lips, looking at Zhao Yuning. Her words displeased him, and he also had a strange illusion: when did the lily he remembered become so... venomous?

Perhaps every woman had a venomous side.

It was just that if you had never wronged her, you wouldn’t discover that side, but that didn’t mean it wasn’t there.

Xueru, Xueru... Gu Rui had wronged and hurt her so much. Did she harbor resentment? There would only be love if there was resentment; if there was no love, the resentment would also disappear.

"Since that’s the case, I respect your decision," Tang Shuwen said, having made up his mind. Since they couldn’t talk it out, there was no need to continue talking.

He glanced at the Zhao house. From the beginning, he had noticed someone watching them from a second-story window.

He sneered inwardly. Why be so secretive? He knew better than anyone what the Zhao family was thinking. Although the Tang and Zhao families had some minor grievances, the Tang family’s influence was undeniable. If Zhao Yuning could marry into the Tang family, she would gain power and wealth, and the long-standing grudges would be forgotten. Zhao’s parents deeply wished for them to be together.

The two had met at the Zhao family’s doorstep; there was no reason for them to hide. If they truly loved their daughter, the parents should have rushed out at this moment and punched the scoundrel who had hurt their daughter.

That’s what parents do.

This was the sorrow of being born into a wealthy family: status and profit always came first, and their children’s happiness came second.

"Shuwen, you will definitely regret this," Zhao Yuning murmured. He would definitely regret treating her so wrongly today; he would definitely regret it...

Tang Shuwen narrowed his eyes. He didn’t know if he would regret it in the future, but at this moment, he felt no regret. Even if the child in Zhao Yuning’s womb was truly his, he would not regret today’s decision.

"Yuning, we’re all in the same circle, and we know the impact our words and actions have on others. I won’t hold the television station incident against you again, but I hope that in the future, you won’t say baseless things to slander Xueru or ruin her reputation in public. I am the one who wronged you; if you want to vent your anger, direct it all at me. Xueru is a public figure; do not throw dirt at her, or I will not let you off lightly. No matter who it is, whether you or Gu Rui, it’s all the same. I’ve said my piece; consider it carefully." Tang Shuwen said sternly, his voice calm yet imbued with a powerful assertiveness, the strong dominance belonging to the Dragon Gate master.

Xueru had already endured enough slander; he didn’t want her to be labeled as a "third party" as well.

He gave her the name Mrs. Tang not for her to suffer disdain and humiliation. He hoped Xueru could be happy and respected. He loved her, and he would not let her fall into such an awkward situation.

Some mistakes, he could bear alone.

She had done nothing wrong.

She didn’t need to pay any price for this marriage.

Zhao Yuning watched, tears streaming, as Tang Shuwen drove away. He just left like that, his car blending into the night, disappearing from her sight. Zhao Yuning’s head throbbed with a twisting pain, as if a saw was grinding at her. Her world, like the night, was heavy and ink-dark, having lost all its brilliance. Tang Shuwen had abandoned her.

He had abandoned her.

Shuwen didn’t want her anymore.

Memories of past happiness flashed before her eyes, only intensifying her current sorrow. It was truly painful, agonizing.

Zhao Yuning hugged herself, slowly crouching down, murmuring in agony, "Why, why, why..." He had actually spoken such harsh words to her for Chen Xueru, simply because she had damaged Chen Xueru’s reputation. Did he truly love her that much? She didn’t believe it.

Chen Xueru, I hate you. Tang Shuwen, I hate you.

I hate you both.

Tang Shuwen returned home very late.

He went to the bedroom, where a dim, warm light was on. Xueru wasn’t in bed. Tang Shuwen thought she must be with Xiao Nian. His lips curved upwards. He first took a shower in the bathroom, then went next door to find the mother and son.

It was very late, and Xueru had already fallen asleep holding Xiao Nian.

The little one was sleeping sweetly. Chen Xueru held him, their two faces peacefully resting together. His heart felt as if it were soaking in a warm spring, melting instantly. Xueru and Xiao Nian would be the people he protected from now on.

Chen Xueru sneezed and slowly woke up. Seeing him sitting by the bed, she was about to speak, but he had already leaned down and kissed her lips. Her taste was something he could never get enough of. Every time he kissed her, it felt like he was transported back to his naive youth, an impulsive young man who knew nothing.

She had grown accustomed to his affection. She had been "attacked" by him even when sweetly asleep. Lips and tongues met, living together in harmony. For a newly married couple, no amount of intimacy seemed sufficient.

She gave a soft murmur and gently pushed his shoulder. "Don’t, you’ll wake Xiao Nian."

Tang Shuwen pecked her red lips, then gently held and sucked them for a while before letting go. "Why did you come here to sleep?"

She was afraid of waking Xiao Nian, so she sat up. Her body naturally felt a chill. Tang Shuwen told her to lie back down. She smiled, wondering what he was up to. Tang Shuwen moved Xiao Nian over a bit, nudging Xueru closer, and then he lay down too.