Chapter 81: Are They Really Relatives?

Chapter 81: Chapter 81: Are They Really Relatives?

Li Sijie stood up, and this time, she didn’t display the awkwardness and embarrassment of that previous encounter. Her emotions were indeed a mess now. The business with Sun Dongming had hit her hard, so she couldn’t be bothered with such minor details.

Song Xiaodong also put away his joking demeanor and said seriously, "President Li, this matter can be simple or complicated, depending on how you look at it."

"Oh? How so?"

"It all comes down to how decisive you are. If you’re determined to divorce him, and there’s sufficient evidence of his infidelity and cohabitation, including clothes he left at that place which prove he lived with that woman, cohabitation and infidelity are two different things. With cohabitation evidence, he becomes the party at fault, and you could even sue him for bigamy. Then, not only would he have to forget about getting any money, but jail time wouldn’t be out of the question either."

"This..." Li Sijie looked at Song Xiaodong, her mouth twitching slightly, and said, "Isn’t this a bit too harsh?"

"I knew you didn’t have the heart to be that ruthless. So, take a step back and aim for the next best thing. After the divorce, just don’t give him much in the way of property division. That’s up to you as well."

Li Sijie shook her head slightly and said, "Alright then, I’ll think it over carefully. The divorce is certain, but how to deal with him... sigh..." She sighed again as she spoke.

"You should make your own decision about these matters, President Li. If there’s nothing else, I’ll be leaving first."

"Mm, thank you." Li Sijie nodded lightly and watched Song Xiaodong leave the room.

As Song Xiaodong went downstairs, he encountered a few people who looked at him strangely. This left Song Xiaodong somewhat speechless. Even though he had successfully seen through Sun Dongming’s tricks, his actions had caused some repercussions; there must be quite a few people who thought he had an unclear relationship with Li Sijie.

But Song Xiaodong didn’t really care. The innocent are innocent, the filthy are filthy. He wouldn’t pay too much attention to other people’s gazes. Besides, even if he did have something with a beautiful and young woman like Li Sijie, that wouldn’t necessarily be a bad thing.

By the time he got home, it was already past seven o’clock. From outside the door, he could hear there were still guests in the house, and recognizing the voices of these two guests, Song Xiaodong frowned instantly—it was his Third Aunt and her son, Song Xianping.

Song Xiaodong didn’t rush inside; instead, he lingered at the window, listening to the conversation inside, curious to find out what nuisance his Third Aunt was stirring up this time.

The voice of Third Aunt rose, "Xiaoru, dear, think it over carefully, will you? You might see him as seven years older than you, he’s thirty-four this year, but thirty-something is a prime age for men! Plus, look at how well he’s doing—he’s so young and already an assistant director at the sub-district office. Being a county head in the future would be well within his reach! Marrying him would secure a blissful life for you."

"We women need to marry into a good family. Even if you go for someone handsome and young, all about love, in the end, it still comes down to daily life, to firewood, rice, oil, and salt. You need to find someone with good prospects, someone who will treat you well. Men in their thirties, they really know how to cherish a woman."

"Third Aunt, that... I really don’t feel anything for that Shen Ping," said the voice of Song Xiaoru.

"What feelings are you talking about? Once you’re married and together, the feelings will be there. The most important thing is to live a good life. Without a good life, what are feelings even worth? Besides, don’t you, as a girl, want to buy designer clothes, designer bags? Don’t you want to live in a big house, or would you rather be stuck in this tiny place? Don’t you want to have a nice car to ride in whenever you go out?"

Song Xiaoru added, "I think things are quite good as they are now. Xiaodong has come back, and I believe we’ll be able to live a good life in the future."

"Xiaoru, why are you so stubborn? You’re just his sister, not his mother. He’s grown up now and should handle his own affairs. How can you still be thinking of him in everything? Besides, Xiaodong has always been a troublemaker since childhood, always fighting and brawling. When I saw him last time, he still had that nasty temper. He’s bound to be a troublemaker..."

Song Xiaoru frowned and said, "Third Aunt, please don’t talk like that. Xiaodong really has changed from before. He has become a real man now, and I’m proud to have a brother like him. He’s not the worthless person you imagine."

Other than managing her own matters, Song Xiaoru had never been heard speaking to anyone with such a firm tone, let alone to her elders. Hearing these words, Song Xiaodong was unspeakably moved.

"Fine, fine... but have you thought about what would happen if he gets into trouble? Just with you alone, can you settle it for him? Don’t you need someone with power and connections? Shen Ping is a very capable person, and if Xiaodong gets into any trouble, how could he not help his little brother-in-law?"

"My brother won’t cause trouble indiscriminately."

At that moment, Song Xianping said, "Sister Xiaoru, just agree to it, will you? If you don’t, my job opportunity will go down the drain, and my life will be over."

Third Aunt immediately chimed in, "Xiaoru, you know how hard it is to find a job nowadays, especially a government position with tenure—it’s incredibly difficult. Xianping has finally gotten such an opportunity. Whether he gets it or not depends on what Shen Ping says. Shen Ping has made it clear, if your job situation isn’t bulldozed, then Xianping can’t get that position. We really have no choice. Considering how hard it is for Xianping to find a job, just agree to this marriage for his sake."

The corners of Song Xiaoru’s mouth twitched violently. Looking at Third Aunt and then at Song Xianping, she felt indescribably pained. Even though these relatives had not supported her and Song Xiaodong before, she had not held a grudge against them and still regarded them as family.

Yet now, these same family members were pushing her to marry a man she completely disliked, all for the sake of Song Xianping’s job. What did they take her for?

"Ha... You really have the nerve to say it." Song Xiaodong charged in with a livid rage burning in his eyes, glaring fiercely at Third Aunt and Song Xianping.

Startled, Third Aunt and Song Xianping instinctively stood up and retreated to the door. Third Aunt stuttered, "You... what are you going to do?"

"Get out! All of you, get out! From today onward, Song Xiaodong and Song Xiaoru no longer have relatives like you. If you dare to harass my sister again, don’t blame me for being impolite!" Song Xiaodong was like a wild beast, ready to lash out at any moment.

Song Xiaoru was startled, fearing that Song Xiaodong would turn violent. She quickly grabbed his arm and said, "Third Aunt, Xianping, if it were anything else, we could still discuss it. But with this matter, I really can’t help you. Please look for another solution."

Third Aunt and Song Xianping quickly fled. In the courtyard, they huffed indignantly, "Hmph, truly ungrateful. They’re not part of the old Song family. Our old Song family doesn’t have such a disgraceful young man."