Zhuang Yang hesitated in his steps, then changed direction, "Just as well, I need to clear my head too."
Qin Han, watching the man who followed, was at a loss and looked to Qin Yang for help.
Even though they didnât know if they would get the chance, what they were planning wasnât exactly aboveboard, so why was this guy following?
He was a leader of a big company, the young master of the Zhuang Family.
Qin Yang didnât even spare them a glance.
Fine, let him follow.
After all, he was the younger brother-in-law; even Qin Yang didnât object.
...............
The winter night, with the north wind howling through the alleys, moonlight casting a cold glow on the land.
The old pagoda tree in the yard trembled in the cold wind, its branches hung with icicles, flickering as light from the window shone upon them.
From inside the house, the incessant voice of an old woman could be heard.
Mrs. Zhang, having lived in comfort for many years, couldnât bear this kind of grievance, much less this hardship.
During the day, she had fallen hard and then had her son land on her, feeling her bones all dislocated, with everything aching by now, yet no one at home to put her mind at ease.
Seeing the leftover steamed buns and pickled vegetables on the table, and hearing the childâs crying nearby, her anger couldnât be contained.
"Whatâs with you? Canât you keep her quiet for a while? Marrying a wife like you is bad luck for eight lifetimes. If not for going with you to find your brother today, would I have ended up like this? Canât even handle anything, just know how to eat, eat, eat..."
Li Dongmei, full of grievances, quickly put down her chopsticks to hold and comfort her daughter after encountering the old ladyâs gaze.
Mrs. Zhang wasnât planning to let her off.
Since she married into the Zhang Family, she hadnât earned a penny, couldnât do anything right, and even made the old lady step in.
Not to mention, she hadnât even given birth to a son, bringing another girl into the family, cutting off the Zhang Family lineage.
These words Li Dongmei had heard more than once, her ears almost calloused from listening.
She knew she couldnât talk back to the old lady now, better to say nothing and let the old lady vent; sheâd finish when she was tired.
If she retorted, not only would the old lady go on and on, but the old master would also seize the opportunity to act up, and even her husband Zhang Wenbin would scold her on the side of his parents.
Looking at her daughter in her arms, Li Dongmei suddenly thought of the woman she saw today.
She had heard of that woman more than once from Mrs. Zhang and Zhang Wenbin.
The Zhang Family said that woman deserved her divorce from Zhang Wenbin.
How that woman wasnât worthy of Zhang Wenbin.
Li Dongmei believed she was excellent in every aspect, naturally not ending up like that woman by marrying Zhang Wenbin.
But now...
Just then, there was a loud bang from the courtyard gate as someone stumbled in from outside.
When the person entered and their appearance became clear, everyone in the house was shocked.
"Wenbin, what happened to you? Who beat you like this?"
Seeing her son with a bruised face, Mrs. Zhang, ignoring her pain, got up in surprise.
Li Dongmei was also taken aback, "Didnât you say you were going to see friends? How did you end up beaten like this?"
She suddenly thought of something and spoke angrily, "Your friends went too far. Itâs just borrowing money, if they wonât lend it, thereâs no need to beat someone up, right?"
Mrs. Zhang, upon hearing that Zhang Wenbin was beaten over a loan, slapped Li Dongmei hard across the face.
"Itâs all your fault, you little cursed one. If you couldâve borrowed money during the day, would Wenbin be beaten like this? Marrying you into our Zhang Family really brought misfortune, causing me to fall during the day and Wenbin to be beaten at night. What more harm will you bring to this family?"
Covering her face, Li Dongmei, unable to suppress her grievances from the whole day, couldnât help but speak, "How can this be my fault? In the past six months, Wenbin hasnât worked, and weâve been living off the money I bring from my family. Even if Iâm not working to earn, Iâm still supporting the whole family. If you all really look down on me so much, we might as well get a divorce."
Sheâs really had enough of days like this.
Especially after seeing that woman today, who wasnât at all as miserable post-divorce as Mrs. Zhang said, but rather cherished by her new mother-in-law like a treasure. Li Dongmei felt she couldnât endure another day of this life.
Mrs. Zhang didnât expect Li Dongmei to mention divorce, momentarily shocked or angry, her eyes wide with speechlessness.
From the start when Li Dongmei hadnât even set foot into this family, she was always sucking up to Mrs. Zhang.
Even after marrying in, she always followed Mrs. Zhangâs lead, accepting whatever the family dished out, whether beatings or scoldings.
A woman from the countryside marrying into the city was considered an immense blessing; how dare she flaunt defiance?
Never expected, today she not only talked back but dared to bring up divorce.
"Preposterous, truly preposterous," Mrs. Zhang exclaimed, slapping the bed edge continuously in anger, "Each and every one of you has turned against us. What did our Zhang Family ever do to you to dare mention divorce? Wenbin, hit her, hit her hard. Iâve always said, women are all ingrates, let them loose for three days, and theyâll climb the walls. Divorce is out of the question; once you step into our Zhang Family, you live as our Zhang Familyâs person, and after death, youâre the Zhang Familyâs ghost..."
Donât think Mrs. Zhang didnât know, Li Dongmei was inspired by that little vixen Qin Juanâs good life post-divorce and wanted to leave Wenbin for someone else.
Dream on, Mrs. Zhang wonât let Wenbin divorce again.
After the divorce, everything in this household would fall onto her again.
Li Dongmei, hearing so, watched Zhang Wenbin warily, her gaze resolute. She had resolved, should Zhang Wenbin dare to lay a hand on her, she would flee, never to return once she left this home.
Zhang Wenbin couldnât care less about these mother-daughter squabbles. His whole body was in pain everywhere now.
Especially in his chest, which throbbed painfully with every move, suddenly opening his mouth to vomit a mouthful of blood.
This scared everyone in the house, who forgot about arguing.
"Wenbin, son, what happened to you? Who exactly beat you like this? Old man, why are you still standing there? Hurry to the police station and report it to the authorities. Whoever did this, we wonât let them off."
Li Dongmei was also panicked.
If Zhang Wenbin got seriously injured, knowing the Zhang Familyâs nature, thereâs no way theyâd let him divorce her.
If Zhang Wenbinâs condition turned grave and he died, sheâd become a widow, and those two old fossil Zhangs would never let her leave.
Despite usually not meddling, Old Master Zhang reluctantly moved to get dressed upon seeing his son beaten like that.
Zhang Wenbin raised a hand to stop him, "No need, itâs useless..."
Mrs. Zhang didnât understand, "What do you mean? Just let them off after theyâve hurt you? Since when were Zhang Family members so easy to bully?"