Free Web NovelChapter 48: Chapter 48: Man Proposes, God Disposes
Wen Xiu didn’t dare to imagine what would have happened if her daughter’s face had really been ruined.
If she hadn’t taken her daughter’s story about nearly being caught in the crossfire seriously before, thinking it was an exaggeration, hearing her son say the same thing now sent a wave of fear through her. She detested the Gu family even more, and she could no longer feel any sympathy for the Lin family.
"It’s getting late. We need to get to the Gu family’s place, so let’s talk on the way." Zhang Dazhuang was also furious, but since his daughter was unharmed, his anger took a backseat to the business at hand. He glanced at the sun and reminded everyone, "We have an appointment with the Gu family."
Thinking about what his son had accomplished on this trip, the weight in his heart finally lifted.
"Alright, let’s go," Wen Xiu agreed, her voice now filled not only with confidence but also with fighting spirit.
--
In the hospital, Gu Lihui saw the redness and swelling on his older sister’s face but was in no mood to ask about it. He had enough trouble looking after himself.
After hearing from his mother and older sister how his brother-in-law had threatened them that morning and then demanded the two families meet to discuss his divorce from Zhang Minzhen, he shook his head emphatically. "No, I don’t want a divorce. I don’t even know if my face will heal from this. If we get divorced, who’s going to take care of me?"
"How can you be so pathetic? Is she the only woman left in the world? Have you forgotten about Jia Yi and Jia Bao’s mother? Jia Ren is so much better! She’s beautiful, dresses much better than that bitch, and she’s so considerate and dutiful. Every time she visits, she always remembers to buy me things. This outfit I’m wearing now? She gave it to me. Not like that other bitch who’s a total cheapskate, stingy to the bone. Anyway, I like Jia Ren much more. Wouldn’t it be better for you two to be together officially? And my precious grandson could finally take our family name and be properly recognized!"
Chen Suxiang shot him a look of bitter disappointment, completely ignoring the bandages wrapped around his face. In her eyes, he was still her handsome, distinguished eldest son who always made her proud.
"But... but..." ’Tao Jianren is great and all, but I heard she does almost no chores at the Lin family’s home—Lin Dong handles everything. Plus, she’s incredibly high-maintenance, demanding only the best food, clothes, and products. And all those gifts she buys for Mom? I’m the one who gives her the money for them, just to put on a good show. The little she earns on her own is nowhere near enough to cover her expenses... She’s nothing like Zhang Minzhen, who’s so hardworking and resilient. Zhang Minzhen takes excellent care of me, does all the housework, and, most importantly, earns money and gives it all to me to manage...’
Gu Lihui’s heart ached with bitterness, but he couldn’t speak the truth in front of his mother, older sister, younger brother, and sister-in-law.
He wasn’t a fool. This was the real reason he had so desperately hidden the existence of his other two children from Zhang Minzhen all these years. He knew her personality; she would absolutely raise hell if she found out. The truth was, he didn’t want a divorce in the slightest. Someone like Tao Jianren was fine as a mistress. ’If I actually married her, I couldn’t handle it,’ he thought. ’The main problem is, I just can’t afford her...’
’Besides, my son on the outside is still my own flesh and blood. The previous setup had been perfect: someone else was raising my mistress and children for me, free of charge. When the children are older and learn the truth about their birth, I’ll whip out all the money I’ve saved. They’ll definitely side with me, their real father.’
’I can have them formally return to the family then, and it will all work out.’
’By the time Zhang Minzhen finds out the truth, it will be too late. If she still wants to make a fuss then, I’ll just divorce her. I won’t have anything to lose by that point, anyway.’
But man’s schemes are no match for heaven’s plans. He never imagined his perfect calculations would unravel so quickly. ’That bastard Lin Dong must have found out something,’ he fumed internally, ’or he wouldn’t have thrown acid in my face. But how much does he know? Does he know that those fraternal twins his family is so proud of should actually have the surname Gu, not Lin?’
The turmoil on Gu Lihui’s face was completely hidden by the bandages, and Chen Suxiang certainly didn’t have X-ray vision.
For a moment, she couldn’t understand why her eldest son was hesitating or why he seemed so attached to that bitch, Zhang Minzhen. The more she thought about it, the more furious she became. After how the Zhang siblings had treated their family, her son’s spineless longing for Zhang Minzhen felt like a profound humiliation. A nameless anger flared inside her, and her tone grew impatient. "Enough with the ’buts’! If her family wants a divorce, fine! We don’t care about her. You’ll marry Jia Ren, and that woman will regret it so much she won’t even have a place to cry."
Gu Jinhua wholeheartedly agreed with Chen Suxiang. She glanced at her mother’s outfit, a printed Dacron shirt she remembered admiring herself. Her mother had lied at the time, claiming her younger brother had bought it. ’That explains it,’ Gu Jinhua thought. ’A man like my brother would never be thoughtful enough to suddenly think of buying clothes for Mom.’
’Honestly, Mom! How could she keep something this good to herself? If I’d known, that Jia Ren would have had to buy me a shirt, too. A generous sister-in-law is much more exciting than a stingy one.’
With that in mind, she stepped forward and urged, "Brother, things have already reached this point. Can’t you see it? Jia Ren’s husband must have found out, or else..." She shot what she thought was a subtle glance at Gu Lihui’s bandaged face. "Now that it’s all out in the open, Jia Ren will definitely have to get divorced, too. And once she’s divorced, who else would she turn to but you? This timing is perfect. That Zhang woman wants a divorce, which saves us a lot of trouble down the line. Plus, since her family brought it up first, if we play hard to get, we might even be able to negotiate some favorable terms."
Gu Lihui’s eyes flickered at Gu Jinhua’s words, and he sank into thought. ’My sister has a point. If Jia Ren gets divorced, she’ll definitely want to marry me. It would be a huge mess if Zhang Minzhen refused to step aside. Jia Ren is the mother of my son; I can’t just abandon her. She has her flaws, sure, and she’s not very frugal, but that’s not a real problem. I can help her change those habits later on—’
He stopped hesitating and nodded. "I’ll listen to you, Sis."
"That’s more like it," Chen Suxiang said, genuinely delighted that her daughter had persuaded her son so easily. "You just focus on resting. Leave the rest to us. The Zhang family thinks they can take advantage of us? It won’t be that easy." She pictured Zhang Minzhen sobbing, begging her and her son to take her back. The thought was so pleasing she could wake up laughing from a dream about it. In that moment, she completely forgot the harsh threats Zhang Wei Qiang had delivered that morning.
"Are you the family of the patient in bed two?" Just as Chen Suxiang was reveling in her happy thoughts, a young nurse appeared holding a chart and directed the question at them.
