“Qi Yuqing, I’ve already explained it to you. She’s pregnant and needs extra nutrition. I can’t hand over all my money to the household right now. You were quite generous about Dani before. Every year, when I gave her living expenses, you never stopped me. So why are you suddenly being so petty now that it’s Shao Tingting?”
“I’ve already told you that Shao Tingting poses no threat to you. She could never get divorced. Why are you so hostile toward her?”
“If you can get your father to help her secure a permanent position, I’ll hand my money over to you. She’s having my child. I can’t help her become a permanent employee, and I can’t even give her money for proper nutrition? Wouldn’t that be too heartless?”
Zhang Chenghui’s voice was full of accusation and authority. Xiao Mandong suddenly realized she had stumbled upon some major gossip.
From what Zhang Chenghui was saying, he had another woman besides Shao Tingting—and a child with her at that. Qi Yuqing even knew about it and allowed him to send them living expenses every month. What kind of incredible tolerance did she have to put up with all that?
“I didn’t make an issue of Dani because you married her in the countryside. I only found out after I married you that she had even given birth to your child. What could I do? I had no choice but to grit my teeth and endure it. You deceived me into marrying you, but Dani and the child were innocent. You were the only one at fault. She’s a woman raising a child alone, and people in the village already point fingers at her. If you didn’t give them living expenses, the two of them wouldn’t be able to survive.”
“We’re husband and wife. If I exposed this, your job and reputation would both be ruined. I’ve swallowed my anger all these years for the sake of your future.”
“But look at you! Dani wasn’t enough for you, so you got involved with that slut Shao Tingting too and even had a bastard child with her. That woman actually dared to provoke me when she saw me. Do you really think I’ll treat her the way I treated Dani? Dream on!”
Qi Yuqing had been keeping her voice extremely low, but now, on the verge of rage, she could no longer hold it back and raised her voice.
“Don’t make it sound so ugly. Shao Tingting is only in her twenties, and she was still a virgin when she got together with me. Her husband is impotent, and she gave me her first time. Of course I have to take responsibility for her. Besides, you won’t have to support this child. I’m only giving her a little money for nutrition. You’re not short of money, so why are you quibbling with a young woman over such a small matter?”
“And besides, can you really blame me for wanting a son? You’re the one who can’t have children. If you had given me even one son or daughter, I wouldn’t have had to look elsewhere. I suggested bringing Dani to the city and raising the child under the pretense of adoption. Then the child could care for you in your old age, and Dani could help you with the housework. But you refused no matter what. We’ve spent all these years trying every night, and did that ever result in a child?”
Zhang Chenghui’s words completely enraged Qi Yuqing. With a sharp crack, she slapped him across the face. Even Xiao Mandong felt a surge of satisfaction at the sound. He was utterly infuriating.
How could anyone say something so shameless? Xiao Mandong couldn’t understand why Qi Yuqing was still entangled with him. Shouldn’t she have left him long ago?
“Qi Yuqing, have you gone crazy? How dare you hit me? Don’t think I don’t know why you’ve tolerated me all these years. Aren’t you just afraid of losing face? Afraid of humiliating your father? Afraid people will laugh at you for wearing a cuckold’s hat for twenty years?”
“Don’t forget, you brought all of this on yourself. You were the one who set your sights on me back then.”
Zhang Chenghui worked his jaw, his eyes filled with disdain.
“Yes, I’m crazy. I was blind back then to fall for you. If you have the guts, divorce me. Do you dare? Am I really incapable of having children? It was your family who caused this! And now you want me to raise your child, bring Dani to the city, and let her live in my house while you enjoy having two wives? Keep dreaming!”
Qi Yuqing suddenly raised her voice. “Since you’ve already thrown away your shame, I’m not afraid to tear off the last shred of decency either. I’ll make sure Shao Tingting’s husband’s family finds out about the affair as soon as possible. Every penny you spent on her will be taken back. And as for the fact that you married and had a child in the countryside—do you really think your position as Director Zhang can withstand the consequences?”
Zhang Chenghui instantly lost control. He grabbed Qi Yuqing by the throat, trying to force her to shut up.
Her voice grew weaker and weaker, while her face slowly changed from flushed red to bluish purple.
Xiao Mandong realized something was terribly wrong. Afraid that Qi Yuqing might die, she stopped worrying about anything else and rushed out. She kicked Zhang Chenghui hard in the waist, sending him—and Qi Yuqing, whom he was holding—crashing to the ground.
The pressure around Qi Yuqing’s neck loosened. She immediately clutched her throat with both hands and began coughing violently.
When Zhang Chenghui saw Xiao Mandong, then looked down at his own hands, panic finally set in. He hurriedly crawled over to Qi Yuqing.
“Yuqing, I’m sorry. I really didn’t mean to do that. I was just too angry. I…I…”
Xiao Mandong shoved Zhang Chenghui aside and helped Qi Yuqing up from the floor.
“Sister Yuqing, are you all right? Do you want to go to the hospital for an examination?”
It took quite a while for Qi Yuqing’s breathing to return to normal. She hadn’t expected Zhang Chenghui to attack her. If Xiao Mandong hadn’t arrived in time, she couldn’t even imagine what might have happened.
“I’m fine.” She then turned to Zhang Chenghui, her gaze icy cold. “Zhang Chenghui, I’ll make you pay for this.”
Xiao Mandong was about to leave with Qi Yuqing when Zhang Chenghui blocked their path.
“Yuqing, we’ve been husband and wife for twenty years. Can’t you forgive me just this once? I promise it won’t happen again. I’ll hand over my money to the household, and I won’t give her any more money. Will that satisfy you?”
Seeing the frighteningly cold expression on Qi Yuqing’s face and realizing she wasn’t moved in the slightest, Zhang Chenghui became genuinely afraid. He couldn’t get divorced. Everything he had achieved was thanks to Director Qi’s support. Without Qi Yuqing, he would be finished. If she exposed everything he had done, his career would truly be ruined.
After all these years, he knew Qi Yuqing’s temperament. As long as he coaxed her a little, she would eventually soften.
After they married, Qi Yuqing had learned that he had already married and had a child in the countryside, yet she had still endured it.
This time, perhaps it was because Shao Tingting was young and beautiful that Qi Yuqing felt threatened and had become so hysterical.
“Yuqing, don’t worry. I will never divorce you. You’ll always be my wife. How about this? Starting tonight, I’ll come home every day. We’re not old yet. We can keep trying and see if we can have a child of our own. Wouldn’t that be good?”
“Smack!”
Qi Yuqing slapped Zhang Chenghui across the face again.
At another corner, Shao Tingting was panicking.
She had heard that Xiao Mandong had been made a permanent employee, and, unwilling to accept it, had gone to Zhang Chenghui to make a scene. In the end, he had pinned her down on the office sofa and begun fooling around with her.
Afraid of hurting the baby, Zhang Chenghui had coaxed her into satisfying him in another way.
She hadn’t expected Qi Yuqing to catch them at that exact moment. Overcome with shame, Shao Tingting had blurted out whatever came to mind to hide her guilt, mocking Qi Yuqing for not only being unable to have children but also being a lifeless stick in bed.
She never imagined things would turn out like this. What was she supposed to do?
