Chapter 98: Taking Back What Father Left Behind

Chapter 98: Chapter 98: Taking Back What Father Left Behind

Only then did Xia Yingyu’s eyes shift. She turned her head to look at Zhao Jinghai and said softly, "You and your mother both claim you were forced. To be honest, I don’t believe it."

Zhao Jinghai froze, the spoon in his hand nearly falling to the ground. An anxious look crossed his face as he hastily tried to explain, "Yingyu, don’t let your imagination run wild. What’s done is done. When you’ve recovered, you can investigate however you want, do whatever you want. You can hit me, curse me—anything you want! But please, take care of yourself right now. Nothing can happen to you."

Zhao Jinghai was terrified in his heart, terrified of losing Xia Yingyu. His eyes red, he began to cry, pleading with her. He didn’t want to talk about the rights and wrongs of the situation right now. All he cared about was securing his own freedom and ensuring his wife and son were safe. As for his future prospects... as long as there’s life, there’s hope.

"Stop crying," Xia Yingyu said. "I know that in this family, you do have some affection for me. I’ve known that all these years, and I’ve been trying my best as well. I don’t know the full truth of what happened this time, but for my sake, you must not hold a grudge against Nuanyang and Nuanyue. From beginning to end, they have been the victims, regardless of whether you were forced or acted willingly."

"Yes, yes, I know Nuanyang and Nuanyue are the ones who are truly pitiful," Zhao Jinghai said, putting on an extremely remorseful act. "I’ll find a way to compensate them in the future and beg for their forgiveness. This is all my fault. I’m useless. I couldn’t protect you all..."

Amidst Zhao Jinghai’s constant confessions, some of the anger in Xia Yingyu’s heart subsided, and she slowly began to eat.

Life had to go on. Time continued to flow.

One day, two days, three days...

A week passed. Xia Yingyu, Zhao Nuanyang, and Zhao Nuanyue were slowly recovering. But while their bodies healed, their hearts only grew more wounded.

Xia Yingyu was discharged from the hospital. Leaning on Zhao Jinghai for support, she came to visit Zhao Nuanyue. Xia Yingyu said softly, "Nuanyang, Nuanyue, you two are doing much better now. I’ve come to take you home to rest."

Seeing that her mother looked well and that her relationship with Zhao Jinghai seemed to have improved, Zhao Nuanyue felt a deep sense of disappointment. Still, she couldn’t bring herself to force Xia Yingyu to divorce him.

’Getting a divorce isn’t difficult, but what would Mother do with her life afterward? She’s a rather fragile woman who can’t seem to live without love, without a man.’

’Besides, Mother is carrying Zhao Jinghai’s child. If they divorce, that child is destined to become the most pitiful person in the world—even more so than Nuanyang and I.’

’I remember from my past life... Hua Yusen once investigated and found that in the Zhao Family, even my own mother used me. The only one who never used or harmed me was probably this unborn little brother, Zhao Yu. He even secretly helped me a few times, improving my situation.’

’Perhaps Zhao Yu was just acting out of sympathy, but deep down, he held some goodwill toward me, his older sister.’

At this moment, Zhao Nuanyue felt grateful for that kindness, that sympathy.

"Mom, we’re not going back. There’s no place for us in that house anymore. We didn’t believe it before; we were just deluding ourselves. After everything that’s happened, we’ve thought it through. Since we can’t live together, you should give the house and benefits from my biological father to Nuanyang and me." Zhao Nuanyue didn’t want to get mixed up with this family any longer. She decided to leverage her mother’s guilt over her and her brother to secure the greatest possible benefit.

Zhao Jinghai was from out of town; his hometown wasn’t Jincheng City. But Zhao Nuanyue’s father was, and he had left them a large courtyard house in Jincheng City.

’Since I can’t forgive them, and I can’t threaten my own life to force Mother to get a divorce, securing the greatest benefit is the only thing I can do now.’

’Disowning my mother is easy to say, but the bond of blood can’t be severed so easily. I can hate Zhao Jinghai, I can curse Wang Lianhua and Zhao Huilan, but as for my mother... she’s the woman who gave birth to Nuanyang and me, the one who raised us. I can’t forget that innate debt of gratitude.’

’That house was what Father left us, and I want it back. When my brother and I return to Jincheng City from Nianqiao Village, we’ll have a place to live. Mother is feeling guilty right now, so my request just might succeed.’

Hearing her daughter’s words, Xia Yingyu was taken aback. But she also understood that a rift had formed in this family, one that could no longer be mended.

After all, their previous conflicts could be written off as typical family squabbles. It was normal for a blended family to have such issues—Xia Yingyu could even comfort herself with that thought. But now, whether Zhao Jinghai had been forced or had acted willingly, he had endangered the lives of Zhao Nuanyang and Zhao Nuanyue.

"Alright. When we get back, I’ll transfer the deed of that courtyard house into your and your brother’s names," Xia Yingyu said. "It was left by your father, so it should be yours."

Although Zhao Jinghai’s heart was filled with reluctance and unwillingness, he didn’t dare to voice any objections at this moment.

If he objected, Xia Yingyu would only become more suspicious and wary of him, and might even refuse to forgive him.

"Thank you, Mom," Zhao Nuanyue said. "Even though they aren’t our family, you are. You raised us, and you’ll always be our mother." At this point, her mother hadn’t yet become so muddle-headed as to give everything away to Zhao Jinghai and his family.

"Mm," Xia Yingyu replied. Hearing her daughter’s words, she knew that although Nuanyue wasn’t verbally expressing resentment, her heart was already beginning to drift away.

She was weak, but she wasn’t a fool.

She chose to play dumb, to escape. She chose to stay with Zhao Jinghai, to maintain this family and give the child in her belly a complete home. Therefore, she was bound to disappoint her grown daughter and son, which was why she was willing to compensate them.

After returning home, Xia Yingyu found the documents and prepared to transfer the house into Zhao Nuanyang and Zhao Nuanyue’s names.

When Wang Lianhua heard about this, she flew into a rage. She snatched the documents from Xia Yingyu’s hands. "That house is already yours! You’re our family’s daughter-in-law, so that house belongs to us! What right do you have to give it to those two outsiders?"

"Because this house was left by Nuanyue and Nuanyang’s biological father, not by you, Wang Lianhua," Xia Yingyu said, looking coldly at Wang Lianhua. "Don’t think you can stop me just by snatching those papers. I have my ways, and you can’t control me."

"Then I’ll just lock you up so you can’t go anywhere!" Wang Lianhua retorted, absolutely unwilling to let go of something she already considered hers. It was a large courtyard house! Even if it only had a front and back courtyard, it was still much larger than their house back home—and what’s more, it was in a prime location in Jincheng City! She’d even heard it was a three-courtyard deep residence where a famous scholar once lived.