At Jiang Bingzhong’s words, Zhu Liping’s face changed dramatically. The panic in her eyes was impossible to conceal.
She had known for a long time that she would not be able to keep this hidden forever. Jiang Bingzhong had risen step by step from the countryside to become a deputy division commander. He was meticulous and had an uncanny ability to read people. How could he possibly have been fooled by her? At the time, Zhu Liping had simply wanted to take a gamble.
She staggered back onto the sofa, twisting the hem of her clothes tightly around her fingers as she repeatedly adjusted her breathing. She told herself that she had done nothing wrong. What woman wouldn’t want a child of her own? Besides, Jiang Yue had chosen to go herself. She had even helped Jiang Yue on the train. Jiang Bingzhong should have been grateful to her.
“Bingzhong, you… you have to listen to me. I didn’t do it on purpose. I just wanted to help ease the pressure of your assignment. Besides, I stayed by Jiang Yue’s side the whole time. I protected her on the train, didn’t I?”
“Ease the pressure?” Jiang Bingzhong let out a cold laugh, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
“The highest-ranking person in charge of this operation was your elder brother. You went over my head and took Jiang Yue directly to meet him. What do you take me for?”
“You knew perfectly well that Jiang Yue was determined to avenge her mother. Under your guidance, she kept insisting on using herself as bait. The hatred my daughter carried in her heart was turned into a bargaining chip by you. This operation only succeeded because those two soldiers helped us catch them red-handed. Who could have predicted what would have happened otherwise?”
“Zhu Liping, you’re far too calculating. You kept your pregnancy from me, and only brought it up today when I asked for a divorce. Do you think I don’t know what you’re trying to do?”
“Your elder brother said himself that once this operation was completed, he would arrange for my daughter to spend two years away from here. You really went to a lot of trouble to drive Jiang Yue away.”
Tears immediately welled up in Zhu Liping’s eyes and streamed down her cheeks. They were not tears of guilt, but of fear—fear that Jiang Bingzhong would truly divorce her.
“Bingzhong, I… I really didn’t mean to drive Jiang Yue away. I just want a child of my own. Please, let me keep the baby. Give me the chance to become a mother.”
Jiang Bingzhong shook off her hand. “If you hadn’t schemed against Jiang Yue, I might have agreed to let you keep the child. But you plotted against the person who matters most to me. I will never forgive you.”
Zhu Liping finally broke down. “Jiang Bingzhong, you really are heartless! Ask yourself—have I treated you and your daughter badly these past two years?”
“I only want a child of my own. What have I done wrong? Only my own flesh and blood can carry on my life. Why are you treating me like this?”
“And besides, I didn’t force her to go. She wanted to kill the enemy agent and avenge her mother. What does that have to do with me?”
“You even schemed against the daughter of a fallen martyr. You really are something.”
Jiang Bingzhong’s voice rose sharply, and his chest heaved violently. “You’re very clever. You calculated everything perfectly. As long as Jiang Yue got the documents, you knew I would have to hide her away for her protection—maybe for a year or two, perhaps even longer. Then you could stay home and give birth in peace, couldn’t you?”
His words were like a sharp knife, slicing open the darkest scheme buried in Zhu Liping’s heart. She could no longer hold herself up and slid from the sofa onto the floor, yet she continued to deny it.
“I didn’t. I didn’t…”
“You didn’t what? You didn’t use me to climb into my bed? Or you didn’t try to trade my daughter’s life for your own comfort at home?”
“Zhu Liping, I’ve never bothered to argue with you over the petty schemes you pulled before. Everyone has their own little calculations. But you crossed my bottom line. I’ll submit the divorce application as soon as possible.”
“As for the child, it’s in your womb. If you want to keep it, I can’t stop you. But I will never remarry you because of the child. If you give birth, I’ll provide no more than the basic child support. Don’t expect anything else from me. If you choose to terminate the pregnancy, all the better. It won’t affect your chances of marrying again.”
“Of course, after the divorce, you can keep all the savings we accumulated over these two years. Consider it compensation for the time you spent with me.”
With that, Jiang Bingzhong no longer spared her another glance. He strode straight to the door, grabbed Jiang Yue—who had been hiding nearby and eavesdropping—and slammed the door behind them as they left.
In the jeep, Jiang Bingzhong’s tone had softened considerably, but his words still carried an unquestionable command.
“For now, stay at your grandmother’s house and don’t go outside. From now on, you’re not allowed to accept any more assignments. If anything happens to you, how am I supposed to face your mother when I see her again?”
Jiang Yue poked at her fingers. “Dad, can I ask you something? You seemed to like Zhu Liping quite a bit too. Why didn’t you let her have a child?”
Jiang Bingzhong turned his head and glanced at his daughter.
“Because I was afraid I wouldn’t have enough self-control. If I had another child, I might neglect you. And Zhu Liping has too many schemes. If she had a child, she would become completely unchecked.”
“Then why did you marry her in the first place? I really don’t like her very much. I feel like even her smile is fake.”
“Children shouldn’t meddle in adults’ affairs.”
Jiang Bingzhong let out a quiet sigh. How could he explain it to his daughter? Could he tell her that he had been tricked into marrying Zhu Liping? If he hadn’t been deceived, he never would have made that kind of demand before the wedding.
At that moment, Zhu Liping sat collapsed on the cold floor, staring blankly in the direction the father and daughter had gone. She bit her lower lip so hard that she tasted blood, tears of despair, grievance, and resentment mingling on her face.
She had gone to such lengths to marry the man she had always loved. For the past two years, she had pretended to be gentle and sensible, learned to cook, and tried every possible way to please him. Yet Jiang Bingzhong was like a stone that could never be warmed.
What was even more humiliating was that he had shown her absolutely no respect in front of Jiang Yue.
Using the sofa for support, Zhu Liping slowly rose to her feet. She wiped the tears from her face with both hands, while resentment and malice churned in her eyes.
“He wants a divorce? He wants to send her away just like that? Dream on.”
Zhu Liping’s roar echoed through the room.
She would go to her elder brother and make him stand up for her. Jiang Bingzhong, didn’t you say you didn’t want this child?
Then she would give birth to it. She refused to believe that once the baby was born and Jiang Bingzhong saw it, he could truly remain cold-hearted and refuse to care.
Meanwhile, Xiao Mandong slept exceptionally well that night. With Old Kai captured, one of the major troubles weighing on her mind had finally been dealt with.
Without Old Kai, Sun Wenbin would be much easier to handle.
She got up early to get ready. She had to go to the military district to give a statement, and she also had to accompany Xiao Manxue to register at school. There was quite a lot to do. She had only been given a five-day letter of introduction, and four days remained.
When they arrived at the military district, Deputy Division Commander Jiang was already waiting for them. They quickly finished recording their statements. Of course, Xiao Mandong did not mention the pistol. She still needed to keep it. The army would not issue her a gun, and dealing with Sun Wenbin was dangerous. At a critical moment, the weapon might save her life.
