When Ning Yue received the acceptance notice, five days had already passed. These five days had not been peaceful for her. First, Qin Can told her that there were no issues with CEO Chen’s side. Finance had thoroughly checked everything, and all accounts matched up. The relationship with Qian Cheng Investment was simply normal accounts receivable, and payments had been made on schedule. While there were some discrepancies with the consulting contracts from suppliers, the final accounting showed no problems. In other words, the accounts and cash are balanced out.
Ning Yue wondered if Hu Cheng had paid, but why was there no movement from Zhuo Hao?
Subsequently, at the Legal Center’s regular meeting, Ning Yue heard that Qin Can have taken on a new task: a technology company was suspected of plagiarizing the company’s products. Its founder was a former employee who allegedly claimed a project had failed during his employment but had secretly taken it for personal profit.
Ning Yue’s heart skipped a beat when she heard this. When she tried to inquire privately with Qin Can, he had already told her: it was He Kuan’s company. Qin Can asked if she would like to take on this case.
Ning Yue refused. Her reason was legitimate: time and energy wouldn’t allow it.
After hearing this, Qin Can remained silent for a long time, continuously spinning the pen in his hand before saying, “I thought you needed an opportunity to rise. This would not only let you prove you can continue working while raising your child but also help your friend. Have you watched ‘The Good Wife’? You could become Alicia.”
“Alicia’s children were old enough to find adult websites on their own, while my son can’t even distinguish between male and female. Besides, Alicia hadn’t divorced, and she had a mother-in-law helping with childcare.”
Silence spread between them. This time, Ning Yue saw the disapproval in Qin Can’s eyes. As she was leaving, Qin Can said, “If you don’t make an effort yourself, no one can help you.”
Ning Yue almost didn’t recognize Tian Qiuzi when she saw her. She looked haggard, and upon seeing Ning Yue, she unconsciously tucked her loose hair behind her ears and straightened up. “Are you satisfied now? I’ve lost my clients, my reputation in the industry is ruined, and I’ve lost my job, my savings, and even my man. I finally have nothing! You’ve won, completely won, are you happy?”
“You still have your property investments, it’s not as bad as you imagine,” Ning Yue responded without confrontation, though her expression wasn’t particularly friendly.
“Gone!” Tian Qiuzi shook her head, “When the stock market was good, Hu Cheng mortgaged all my properties that could be mortgaged and used the money to buy stocks.”
“Did he lose it all?” Ning Yue asked with slight mockery.
Tian Qiuzi nodded.
Ning Yue hesitated, carefully studying Tian Qiuzi before asking, “Do you believe it?”
Tian Qiuzi narrowed her eyes, looking at Ning Yue: “What do you mean?”
“There’s an investment company called Cheng Ping Bao Shi, which is also one of the investors in Hu Cheng’s current company, though the total investment isn’t very large or noticeable. If you’re interested, you can investigate its source of funds, especially regarding stock investments.”
“What does that have to do with me?”
“It might not concern you directly, but they’re also Ming Du’s trusted financial company.”
“Ruan Meiying?” Tian Qiuzi’s face immediately turned red.
“Ming Du is a restaurant company with high cash flow and cash ratio – you understand these economic matters better than I do. If someone wanted to manipulate things, no company would be more convenient than this type. Your money, Ruan Meiying’s money, none of it has your names on it. Who loses and who gains is just a matter of someone’s word and an accountant’s pen.”
“How do you know all this?” Tian Qiuzi asked strangely, clearly no longer doubting Ning Yue’s words. Perhaps she was asking about things she didn’t want to acknowledge.
“Because of you, because of Hu Cheng, because of all the harm you people have inflicted on me,” Ning Yue said flatly. “Did you think interfering in someone else’s family wouldn’t have consequences? What’s strange about me taking measures to protect myself? Otherwise, how do you think I’ve managed all these years?”
Although Hu Cheng hadn’t come to negotiate with Ning Yue again, this didn’t mean he would wait passively for the judgment result. Nor did it mean his parents would quietly wait like this.
When Ning Yue saw Hu Cheng’s mother for the fifth time in the company lobby, she had just returned from court with Mu Xiao. They had submitted evidence and attempted pre-trial mediation. Hu Cheng hadn’t attended; his attorney denied domestic violence, denied infidelity, denied the breakdown of marital feelings, and insisted on Ning Yue returning home. Hu Cheng’s evidence was also substantial: hospital diagnosis certificates showing Ning Yue’s depression, receipts for her antidepressant purchases and usage over five years, and doctor’s testimony suggesting she might have paranoid delusions.
Mu Xiao asked Ning Yue about the depression situation. Ning Yue apologetically explained that she had stopped taking medication a year ago and had forgotten about it. “I’m sorry, regarding this divorce, I couldn’t maintain a lawyer’s professionalism.”
Mu Xiao nodded understandingly, though she still needed time to consider how to respond.
Since this was just pre-trial mediation, and the judge was considering that this case might involve complex financial issues, they were asked to come to discuss it beforehand, so no immediate conclusion was given.
Mu Xiao led Ning Yue away, and Ning Yue felt uncertain. However, she didn’t question Mu Xiao further – after all, while lawyers help with major cases, they don’t determine the outcome.
When she saw Hu Cheng’s mother, Ning Yue didn’t avoid her but walked straight over. That day, Hu Ziyuan had been taken out by Nie Congfeng to play, and she thought if she must face this, it should be now.
“Ning Yue, I beg you, give Ziyuan back to me!” The old lady began crying as soon as she saw Ning Yue. Her tears alarmed many people.
Ning Yue carefully stepped back, “I will take good care of him. Hu Cheng can have more children.”
“How can you take care of him? How much do you earn from your job? Everything costs money – food, school, clothes, transportation – can you manage? And when you’re out working, who will look after Ziyuan? What if he gets sick? Will he just lie there alone? Who will read him stories? Who will give him water? Ning Yue, you’re his mother, you can’t be so selfish!” The old lady wiped her tears, “His grandfather says you have someone else outside, but I don’t believe it. All these years, I know what kind of person you are! As a woman, I understand your suffering. Hu Cheng hasn’t done well, but he still cares about this family. This is Ziyuan’s home, and yours too. Come back, let Hu Cheng earn money, I’ll help you take care of Ziyuan, let him grow up well, okay?”
The old lady spoke from her heart, and Ning Yue’s eyes grew moist listening to her. She blinked and turned to look outside. The scenery was beautiful, lush with greenery – how could this vibrant life not be what her dark existence most yearned for? But it was all separated by a thick pane of glass. Forever unreachable, cold glass.
“Ning Yue, let it go, come back!” Hu Cheng’s mother said softly, stepping forward.
Ning Yue remained silent, quietly stepping back.
Hu Cheng’s mother’s face suddenly darkened: “Then give the child back to me!” Her voice suddenly rose! The experienced security guards immediately became alert, ready to rush over at any sign of trouble – they absolutely couldn’t let another fight break out on their premises!
“I am the child’s mother, I will raise him,” Ning Yue said word by word.
Hu Cheng’s mother shook her head: “You’re a housewife, besides giving Hu Cheng trouble and living off us, now you’re over forty, an old woman, and you still expect to earn money to raise a child?” She lowered her voice and said viciously, “Nobody would even buy you!”
Ning Yue contained her anger and said, “I respect your age, so I won’t argue with you. Next time, I won’t let you have the chance to speak like this!”
“You want to hit me?” Hu Cheng’s mother raised her voice again, patting her chest, “I just got out of the hospital, had heart bypass surgery, and my blood pressure isn’t stable, if you want me dead, it can happen right now!”
The security guards exchanged glances and instantly disappeared. The security chief had just walked over, heard these words, turned away to check the fire equipment, and called others away with him. Ning Yue’s eyelids drooped as she turned toward the card-scanning gate. Once past the gate, the old lady wouldn’t be able to follow her.
But – an earth-shattering cry suddenly rang out, and Ning Yue found her legs couldn’t move.
Hu Cheng’s mother fell to the ground, clutching Ning Yue’s legs, crying and shouting: “Ning Yue! I beg you to come home! Stop being angry, bring the child home! I beg you! I won’t live much longer, just let the child come home!”
Ning Yue stood there, both embarrassed and angry, unable to move!
Colleagues arriving for work were gradually walking out from the gate direction, seeing this scene with expressions of surprise or curiosity, and some even stood aside to watch what would happen next. The café quickly filled with onlookers.
Ning Yue heard her name, saw her mother-in-law’s triumphant smile beneath her tears, and tightly closed her eyes, taking out her phone to dial a number.
The crowd of onlookers grew larger, even Luo Yating stood among them with an inscrutable expression.
Zhong Tianming came, sighed, looked at Pan Jie, and left.
Lawyer Qian came. Seeing the thick wall of people, he showed no interest and walked around them, hurriedly entering the elevator.
Qin Can came, frowning as he moved to step forward, but was held back by Pan Jie. After some unknown words, he stopped reluctantly.
Qin Can saw Ning Yue standing like a sculpture in the middle of the crowd, motionless as the old woman cried and complained, unresponsive to the onlookers’ accusations. She just stood there, as if everything before her was irrelevant. He wanted to rush over and pull Ning Yue away. Or help her explain, tell everyone things weren’t as they imagined. But Pan Jie was right – no one cared about the truth, and his intervention would only make things more embarrassing for Ning Yue!
However, he couldn’t stand by like a spectator. He had already witnessed one woman’s despair and didn’t want to remain indifferent to another woman’s embarrassment. But just as he prepared to step forward again, he saw Ning Yue’s lips curl slightly. It was a strange angle. It could have been a smile, or crying, or mockery, or something similar. Qin Can suddenly froze there. He recognized this smile. When he had to decline his crush’s birthday party invitation because he couldn’t afford a gift, his mother had told him that while she truly couldn’t afford it, that didn’t mean there was no solution.
At that time, his mother had worn this same expression! Mocking, desperate, desolate.
Afterward, he met his father. His father and stepmother subsequently entered his life. From a penniless kid, he suddenly became a rich second generation at school…
Many years later, many memories had become blurred. But only his mother’s smile became increasingly clear. It was resignation, it was compromise, it was indifference, it was not caring about anything anymore, it was an expression of giving up everything, no longer struggling!
“No!” Qin Can said in his heart, shaking his head slightly as he was about to rush out.
However, Ning Yue’s next action stunned everyone!
She suddenly crouched down and embraced her mother-in-law, crying bitterly.
The mother-in-law was startled, not expecting this action, and was caught in a tight embrace!
Qin Can freeze – what was Ning Yue doing?
Ning Yue had started with fake crying, but with so much sorrow, they needed only an opportunity to turn into real tears streaming down. Fortunately, she hadn’t lost her rationality and could still speak: “Mother! It’s not that I don’t want to return! But you let that woman stay at home during her pregnancy – I can’t serve her!”
Wow! The onlookers erupted in shock! In this day and age, the mistress was brazenly staying at the mother-in-law’s house during pregnancy, and the mother-in-law wanted the legal wife to return and serve her!
Hu Cheng’s mother tried desperately to explain, but Ning Yue’s tight embrace muffled her mouth, preventing her from speaking. Her face and neck turned red from the strain, and she began feeling dizzy.
The crowd parted as a team in white rushed in. Through her haze, Hu Cheng’s mother saw Ning Yue shaking her, shouting, “Mother, what’s wrong with you!”
She seemed to see a young man and woman rush over, grab Ning Yue, and slowly retreat into the crowd…
Qin Can and Pan Jie dragged Ning Yue to the safety of the stairwell during the chaos.
Ning Yue had stopped crying and sat motionless on the ground, staring blankly. Qin Can and Pan Jie exchanged glances, unsure how to console her. After a while, Ning Yue suddenly asked, “Has everyone left?”
Qin Can instinctively nods, “Yes, they’ve all dispersed.”
“I need to pick up my child.” Ning Yue wiped her face, finding her tears had already dried. A wet wipe appeared before her eyes, and she took it to clean her face. Pan Jie crouched down and asked, “What do you plan to do next?”
Ning Yue looked bewildered: “Pick up my child?”
Pan Jie said, “Tian Qiuzi had a falling out with Hu Cheng, seems she was beaten too.” She spat, this unladylike gesture startling Qin Can. Pan Jie rolled her eyes unsympathetically and said to Ning Yue, “Let me put it this way, Tian Qiuzi has some connection with my family, otherwise she couldn’t have done business with our company. Although I’ve never liked her, we’re all women, and we shouldn’t hit the face, so you understand, right?”
Ning Yue continued staring at her blankly, as if not comprehending what she was saying.
Pan Jie simply sat down on the floor: “Let me explain – I know your husband’s family won’t give up the child, and I know Tian Qiuzi is now plotting how to get your child back to his grandmother’s house. She thinks this is her only way to salvage things.”
Ning Yue’s expression finally showed a crack – a cold smile.
Pan Jie sighed: “You’d better be careful, Tian Qiuzi is nearly crazy. Also, this is the company, it’s not appropriate to keep making scenes here.”
Ning Yue finally turned her head, looking at Pan Jie with a bitter smile: “What else can I do? Give them my address?” She looked around and lowered her head. There was something she didn’t say: although these were unfamiliar colleagues, just because she was an employee here, standing there made her feel safe.
Early in the morning, Hu Cheng’s eyelid kept twitching, and he felt restless. Driving to work, he encountered rain and various traffic jams. The company building had a parking lot, but the parking fee was too expensive. Across the street was an old residential area, separated by a small street. Both sides of the small street were filled with private cars. The old school district looked like its buildings might collapse, but the private cars were all impressive. Mercedes and BMWs were casually parked on one side, a Porsche Panamera had turned from black to gray with dirt, carelessly parked by the roadside. A suitable street had been forcibly turned into a one-way road.
Hu Cheng also liked to park here. The red building reminiscent of old factory areas and various shaped grilles, coupled with eye-catching luxury cars, gave him a sense of glory like returning home in fine clothes every time he parked.
Finally managing to drive into the small street and just after parking, shouts came from across the road. A man yelled, “Who told you to park there? I’ve been waiting for ages, who told you to park?” The man was well-groomed but short in stature, resembling a prosperous Wu Dalang. He shouted while slamming the door of his white BMW X5 angrily.
The car parking was a black Mercedes ML400, a middle-aged woman was getting out with her child’s schoolbag, one leg already on the ground. Hearing the shouts, she hesitated, then climbed back into the car.
Seeing the car, Hu Cheng suddenly remembered the one Ning Yue had driven away. The schoolbag in the woman’s hand also reminded him of his son whom he hadn’t seen for a long time, making him pause.
The rain grew heavier, pedestrians were already few, and at the end of rush hour, there were even fewer. The originally congested road became clearer after several buses passed.
Hu Cheng heard the man impatiently waving his hand, shouting at the woman: “Get out of here!” The woman, who had returned to drive away, suddenly lowered her window and questioned, “Do you know how to speak properly? Did you rent or buy this spot?”
Hu Cheng shook his head, another daily morning battle for parking spaces was about to begin. While they continued arguing, he had already lost interest. After taking just two steps, he heard the man’s voice rise in anger: “You dare to park! Just try parking there! You shameless old woman, looking at your aged appearance, no one would want you even if you sold yourself!”
The woman had already raised her window, and in that instant, Hu Cheng seemed to see a child sitting in the back seat. He shook his head, feeling hesitant. Perhaps it was because he hadn’t seen Hu Ziyuan for so long, or perhaps it was the drizzling rain that made him feel a bit softer, he felt like mediating.
However, the man had already started shouting: “Come out if you dare! Come down, and I’ll beat you to death! I’ll beat your little brat too!”
Hu Cheng frowned, turning to walk over. Suddenly the Mercedes started!
The man was also startled, jumping to a position closer to the center of the road, shouting with a red face: “Try hitting me if you dare!”
The Mercedes drove around him and left. It didn’t stop until reaching the school gate seven or eight hundred meters away, where a woman got out and then helped a child from the back seat. The child was still crying loudly, clinging to his mother’s embrace, refusing to get down. Hu Cheng understood – the child must have been frightened, which was why the woman had compromised.
While Hu Cheng was reflecting on this, he unconsciously turned his head and suddenly noticed that the man was leaning against his parked white BMW X5, clutching his chest with a painful expression, one hand fumbling in his pocket. Hu Cheng’s gaze met his, and the man opened his mouth as if asking for help. Before Hu Cheng could move, the man collapsed to the ground.
Hu Cheng thought about helping but suddenly remembered the crying child and his heart hardened. He prepared to leave.
During lunch, Hu Cheng heard that someone had been crushed to death on the small street.
From the description, Hu Cheng knew it was the white BMW’s owner. He couldn’t help thinking that if he had helped, even if the man had died from illness, he wouldn’t have died so gruesomely. However, his heart remained cold. The man’s threats to the child echoed in his ears, and the threatened child had transformed in his mind into Hu Ziyuan, who was now drifting somewhere unknown with Ning Yue!
Hu Cheng ate absent-mindedly, wondering if Hu Ziyuan, while with Ning Yue, might encounter such people. Could a woman like Ning Yue protect Hu Ziyuan? His brows furrowed involuntarily, and his previous thoughts of giving up custody rights now became firm again. Just as he was calculating how to strike at Ning Yue, his phone rang.
It was the hospital, saying his mother had been taken to emergency.
Hu Cheng brought his mother home. His mother, silent throughout the journey, seemed to have made up her mind as she sat on the sofa: “Hu Cheng, you can divorce Ning Yue! But I don’t care what method you use, you must bring Ziyuan back. He is our old Hu family’s child. I don’t care who you have children with or how many you have. But our old Hu family’s child cannot be raised by some wild woman!”
Hu Cheng’s father said: “Your mother and I mean that regardless of how the court rules, Ziyuan must come back. You understand? Worst case, we’ll take the child abroad, to Hainan, or back to our hometown! We can’t let Ning Yue have the child!”
Hu Cheng suddenly thought of the woman in the Mercedes again, remembered the crying child who refused to get down, and nodded solemnly: “You rest and take care of your health. When Ziyuan returns, you’ll need to care for him.”
Hu Cheng’s mother’s downturned mouth corners finally lifted slightly, looking at her tall son with satisfaction.
At the next court hearing, Hu Cheng still didn’t appear. Mu Xiao presented the hospital’s health assessment and mental state evaluation for Ning Yue, proving she had fully recovered. Hu Cheng’s lawyer was still dwelling on how depression affected Ning Yue’s mental health and the child’s development.
Mu Xiao raised her hand to signal the court, indicating she had some photographic evidence that might disturb some people. However, given that this evidence could prove the cause of the plaintiff Ning Yue’s condition, she hoped the court would allow its presentation.
The judge agreed almost without hesitation. The court officer in the corner tightened his lips, a hint of mockery flashing in his eyes. When lawyers spoke like this, the evidence was usually not suitable for minors, basically an opportunity to openly view “intimate scenes.”
Indeed, the slides showed photos of intertwined men and women, stirring one’s blood, along with some short videos that were hard to watch. However, Mu Xiao’s voice remained professional and calm, directing everyone’s attention to the dates: these videos and photos were from seven or eight years ago.
Hu Cheng’s defense lawyer immediately stood up to the object, stating that the method of obtaining this evidence was problematic and should be excluded as illegal evidence. Mu Xiao asked the judge and opposing counsel to note several screenshots, showing that these photos and videos had been sent to Ning Yue over these seven or eight years through different email addresses, phones, or WeChat accounts.
Mu Xiao further pointed out the spelling of the email addresses, asking everyone to compare them with the witness testimonies in evidence attachments thirty-two to forty, explaining that these photos and videos were sent to Ning Yue by Hu Cheng’s mistresses at the time, harassing her! In other words, from pregnancy until now, Ning Yue had been living under the shadow of her husband’s betrayal, constantly harassed by her husband’s endless stream of mistresses! Hu Cheng was the main cause of Ning Yue’s depression!
Hu Cheng’s lawyer questioned the authenticity of the testimonies and photos, stating this wasn’t something a normal woman would do.
“Your Honor, I’d like to call a witness,” Mu Xiao said.
Ning Yue was slightly startled – she hadn’t heard Mu Xiao mention any witness.
When the witness entered, something suddenly fell in the corner of the gallery, making a loud noise. Ning Yue instinctively turned to look, immediately recognizing the familiar figure – Hu Cheng!
He hadn’t appeared in court, but he had been secretly observing from the gallery.
Ning Yue lowered her head to think for a moment but didn’t interrupt Mu Xiao’s argument. Then the witness’s voice came from beside her, and Ning Yue could hardly believe her ears: Tian Qiuzi? Why was she here?
Standing in the witness box was indeed Tian Qiuzi. She was testifying: “Many of these were sent by me. I loved Hu Cheng and wanted to marry him. But his wife wouldn’t divorce him, so I sent them to her, wanting her to know what her husband was doing outside. But she showed no reaction. At first, I thought she hadn’t received them, so I kept sending more. Later I realized she knew but was pretending to be oblivious. So I sent her many provocative ones. I wanted to see how long she could keep pretending!”
Mu Xiao questioned: “How long did you continue provoking Ning Yue like this?”
“Until she miscarried and Hu Cheng found out.”
“Then what?”
“Hu Cheng broke up with me after finding out. That was our first breakup.”
“And after that?”
“Hu Cheng needed my help, so we reconciled. That’s when I learned his wife had given him another child.”
“Who sent these recent photos?” Mu Xiao picked out several explicit ones.
“I sent them all.”
“Why?”
“I wanted to marry Hu Cheng. If she wanted to play dumb, I’d provoke her, disgust her. What woman could tolerate her husband fooling around outside? Even if she could tolerate it, I don’t believe she could endure seeing these photos and videos! Otherwise, she wouldn’t have miscarried last time! I’ve heard that women who keep their anger inside are prone to cancer. I hope she gets angry enough to die, gets cancer, and dies, that would be best!” Tian Qiuzi smiled maliciously, turning to look provocatively at Ning Yue. Ning Yue stared at her expressionlessly, as if she hadn’t heard anything.
Hu Cheng’s lawyer stood up and asked Tian Qiuzi: “Witness, you know that testifying here is a dishonorable thing for you.”
Mu Xiao immediately stood up: “Objection!”
The judge reminded Hu Cheng’s lawyer: “Please mind your questioning method.”
Hu Cheng’s lawyer nodded slightly: “Witness, are you still in love with Mr. Hu Cheng?”
Mu Xiao immediately objected: “Objection, the question is irrelevant to this case.”
The judge allowed it, telling Tian Qiuzi she didn’t have to answer.
But Tian Qiuzi habitually raised her chin: “Why not answer? Of course, I love him, I love him so much I hate myself! Hu Cheng not only abandoned me but also ruined me, why should I help cover for him? He’s scum! He’s a bastard! He played with my feelings, cheated me out of my money, ruined my life! And I still love such a bastard! What can I do?” Tian Qiuzi broke down in tears, “No one knows how bitter my love is! I have nowhere to speak about it! Except here, I don’t know where else I can speak so quietly, without judgment. And I never knew…” Tian Qiuzi suddenly turned to point at the corner of the courtroom, “that he would listen so quietly! I love you! Even when you hit me, curse me, drive me away, I can’t help but love you!”
Tian Qiuzi covered her face and wept bitterly.
Ning Yue quietly asked Mu Xiao: “How did you find her?”
Mu Xiao said: “You have a colleague called Pan Jie who has some indirect family connection with her. She told me about her situation, and I thought that while she wouldn’t help you, she needed an outlet to vent.” Mu Xiao paused, “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you.”
“It’s okay, you were thinking of me. Thank you! But how did you know Hu Cheng would come this time?”
“He came last time too.” Mu Xiao’s lips curved in a smile, “If I couldn’t even see clearly who was in the courtroom, I couldn’t do this job.”
Ning Yue’s lips curved slightly, her tense heart relaxing. Tian Qiuzi’s crying could no longer affect her. What filled Ning Yue’s heart was the thought of Pan Jie quietly helping her, and the completely reliable Lawyer Mu. In this world, even with her parents gone, she wasn’t entirely alone!
Thinking of her parents, Ning Yue’s eyes stung.
“If you’re watching from heaven, you can rest assured now. I have many friends, I’ve found them. I can manage, please don’t worry!”
As the hearing ended, Hu Cheng’s complex and intricate property structure had led Ning Yue to submit almost twice as much evidence as last time. The court announced they would set another date for the next hearing, and Mu Xiao accompanied Ning Yue out of the courtroom.
In the sunlight, Ning Yue stretched her body.
Mu Xiao smiled and said: “Without stronger evidence, your custody ability is superior to Hu Cheng’s.”
Ning Yue smiled bitterly: “Yes! A mother without money but mentally stable is still better than a wealthy but violent father!”
“Regarding the upcoming property division, are you sure you only want those items?” Mu Xiao asked.
Ning Yue looked into the distance: “That’s what I thought at first. But now I’m not so sure.”
Mu Xiao followed Ning Yue’s gaze – Hu Cheng was slowly approaching!
“You can have the divorce,” Hu Cheng said. “The child stays with me. I’ll give you the house.”
Ning Yue looked at Hu Cheng as if at a stranger. So he could compromise after all, so there would come a day when he would make concessions to her! Although she knew this day would come, when it happened, Ning Yue felt a sense of unreality. An almost imperceptible sadness spread in her heart – the man who had once enchanted her was gradually fading away!
“Did you hear me?” Hu Cheng impatiently urged.
Ning Yue closed her eyes briefly, opening them with complete clarity: “Your lawyer probably hasn’t told you about all the evidence I’ve submitted. You’d better review it carefully with your lawyer, discuss it, then give me an answer. I don’t want much, your assets are messy, and I’m not interested. I just want two houses and the child support paid in full at once. If you agree, we can sign an agreement, and these pieces of evidence will stop here, and won’t spread outside.”
Hu Cheng narrowed his eyes: “What do you mean?”
“Cheng Ping Bao Shi.” Ning Yue uttered a name.
Hu Cheng’s face changed, and he suddenly grabbed Ning Yue’s collar and lifted her. Caught off guard, Mu Xiao quickly grabbed Hu Cheng: “Mr. Hu, this is still the courthouse, please control yourself!”
Hu Cheng was both shocked and angry but had to let go. Ning Yue straightened her clothes, not even looking at Hu Cheng. Hu Cheng glared at Ning Yue hatefully, then suddenly smiled after a while, “Fine! That lover of yours, what’s his name, He Kuan? I originally wanted to give him a chance, but now it seems unnecessary.”
Ning Yue suddenly realized that the person behind He Kuan’s lawsuit was Hu Cheng!
Hu Cheng said viciously: “Having them investigate him was just a warning to you. You didn’t think I wouldn’t know you were in cahoots? However, your company filing the lawsuit so quickly was indeed unexpected. I thought someone as clever as you would stop this. Didn’t expect you’d distance yourself so thoroughly for your reputation! But do you think it’s as simple as playing house with lawsuits? Let me tell you, right now He Kuan is trying to raise funds. If his investors hear that their main product has copyright issues and is even being sued, will they invest? Poor thing! He Kuan can’t even pay salaries anymore, and just when he was about to get funding, it was all ruined because of your heartlessness! And knowing Luo Yating’s personality, she’ll exploit this opportunity to show off to the higher-ups to the fullest!”
Hu Cheng smiled triumphantly. Ning Yue’s hand suddenly raised, making Hu Cheng instinctively flinch, but he found that Ning Yue hadn’t struck. This made Hu Cheng even more smug.
Ning Yue calmed her emotions and said: “You’re right, Luo Yating definitely won’t miss a chance to show off. But between a possible infringement or employee non-compete case, and a case of corporate executives embezzling and laundering money, which do you think she’d be more interested in?”
“You mean Chen Pingzhang? That’s Tian Qiuzi’s business, what does it have to do with me!” Hu Cheng sneered.
Ning Yue shook her head: “The Princess Liyang.” She leaned forward slightly, showing an unprecedented intimate smile, “Do I need to say more?”
A hard slap landed squarely on Ning Yue’s face. The massive force knocked her sideways, but Mu Xiao moved quickly, catching her, and together they managed not to fall.
Even in such a sorry state, Ning Yue held her cheek and laughed happily: “Hu Cheng, when you betrayed me, you should have anticipated this day. I warned you, I trusted you. But didn’t you think that just as I could trust you unconditionally, I could also investigate you thoroughly? Eight years, I gave you eight years to save this family. And you? You gave me eight years to collect evidence! What else don’t I know? Well? Think carefully! I’ll say it one more time – before the next hearing, you still have a chance to settle! Otherwise, at the next hearing, the prosecutor will be taking my place!” With that, Ning Yue walked away without looking back.
Watching Ning Yue’s retreating figure, Hu Cheng finally understood why she had been so confident. He also finally realized that from the day she refused to sign the house mortgage, she had already set in motion her plan to leave this family!
Hu Cheng forced himself to calm down. Once Ning Yue played this card, everything of his would be finished. Not just his career, but his life might end here too. His remaining years, if any, would probably be spent in prison!
He Kuan was someone Ning Yue met only after starting work, but her words revealed she had been investigating for eight years. Back then, she was pregnant with their first child and couldn’t go out – who had helped her? Hu Cheng trembled uncontrollably, nearly going mad at the thought of being quietly monitored for eight years!
Indeed, a woman’s heart is most poisonous – Ning Yue, how ruthless!
When leaving, Mu Xiao hesitated repeatedly before finally cautioning “Be careful.” She knew about Cheng Ping Bao Shi but knew nothing about “Princess Liyang.” However, judging from Hu Cheng’s reaction, Mu Xiao understood that Ning Yue had hit his vital point.
Yet, Ning Yue’s expression remained calm, or rather, Mu Xiao had never seen her get particularly agitated.
This wasn’t surprising. For most women, especially someone like Ning Yue, using eight years to gradually erode hope minute by minute – such cruelty was enough to make her view any blow with detachment. The most terrifying thing in the world isn’t the earth-shattering apocalypse, but when every minute and second of struggle proves futile. That kind of lingering punishment, using time as units to carefully slice away each bit of hope, clearly shows you the word “useless” in any resistance!
Between maintaining and ending a marriage, there is a mysterious zone called the wasteland. There, love has died, leaving only lonely souls. They wander the wasteland, directionless, timeless. Some souls are devoured by demons in this wandering, making the abyss their home, eternally dwelling in darkness. Some souls fortunately find their ferryman, crossing to the other shore. But most souls just trudge and struggle alone. This journey can no longer be measured by time. The shortest might be an instant. The longest could be a lifetime. Buddha says, “Turn back to reach the shore.” In the wasteland, you strain your neck and even move your body, yet don’t know which way is “turning back.”
Mu Xiao didn’t consider herself that ferryman, but she was indeed a witness to this wasteland. Some perished, some were reborn, and others remained imprisoned here for life!
What about Ning Yue?
Mu Xiao saw her struggle but didn’t know if this struggle would bring opportunity or death.
To Mu Xiao’s warning, Ning Yue just smiled and turned away. She had a strong premonition that she had forced out Hu Cheng’s most violent side. If before she could still seek help or resolve conflicts peacefully through law, from now on, she must prepare for the worst!
“If I resign and want to come back later, would that be possible?” After a sleepless, anxious night, Ning Yue hurriedly approached Qin Can as soon as she saw him enter the office the next morning.
“What’s wrong? Did the court hearing not go well yesterday?” Qin Can wasn’t sitting behind his desk but leaning against it with coffee in hand, standing before Ning Yue. Hearing this question, he frowned. He had called Mu Xiao last night – wasn’t everything fine?
Looking carefully at Ning Yue, he suddenly bent down and asked, “What happened to your face? Who hit you? Hu Cheng?”
Ning Yue turned her head, hiding the injured part, and lowered her head saying, “A cornered dog will jump over a wall – it’s inevitable.”
Qin Can didn’t respond immediately, thoughtfully observing Ning Yue for a while, then paced the room with his coffee. After about two or three circles, he said, “The anonymous whistleblower in Chen Pingzhang’s case – it was you, right?”
This question needed no answer; Ning Yue sat quietly.
Qin Can continued, but slowed his speech, and though still moving, his gaze remained fixed on Ning Yue: “He Kuan… you must also know what’s behind his non-compete violation and infringement case, right?”
Ning Yue shook her head: “How could I harm He Kuan when he helped me so much? Before the meeting, I didn’t know about his situation. However, Hu Cheng did admit to it yesterday.”
Ning Yue suddenly paused, looking at Qin Can. This time, Qin Can seemed confused. Ning Yue asked, “How was He Kuan’s problem discovered?”
“How else? Anonymous tip!” Qin Can sneered.
Ning Yue knew about the company’s internal compliance channel, an internal email box where any employee could directly report issues. Access to these emails wasn’t limited to just the Legal Center’s supervisors and directors but also included the Chairman, CEO, HR, Finance, and other key department heads. However, this mailbox only accepted emails from internal addresses. Emails from external addresses would be blocked.
When Ning Yue reported Chen Pingzhang, she used physical mail delivery, partly for anonymity and partly to prevent Chen Pingzhang from intercepting her letter directly and causing complications.
After speaking, Qin Can also realized Ning Yue wasn’t just asking about anonymous reporting but about whether the informant was internal or external. He recalled for a moment, quickly checked his email, and then shook his head: “It didn’t come through that mailbox. Nothing there.” He pondered, “Luo Yating didn’t have any physical documents either; in the meeting, she just spoke about it. Could someone have called her?”
Qin Can paused. He didn’t know about Luo Yating helping Ning Yue with the surveillance video issue and still saw her as being on Hu Cheng’s side. Ning Yue immediately shook her head, “If Director Luo knew Hu Cheng was behind this, she’d rather let He Kuan go!” At this point, Ning Yue paused, seeming suddenly distracted. After collecting her thoughts, she continued, “Hu Cheng won’t show himself.”
At this moment, Ning Yue suddenly realized that the opportunity she had been desperately seeking was right in front of her! The answer to what she could never clarify – who Hu Cheng went to Princess Liyang with – seemed within reach!
While Qin Can was still waiting for Ning Yue’s explanation, she struggled for two seconds, then decisively abandoned the idea of not dragging him in and changed her mind. She said, “He must have told Luo Yating through someone he trusts, someone who wouldn’t reveal their relationship to anyone.”
Qin Can wasn’t stupid. Processing Ning Yue’s words in his mind, he narrowed his eyes: “Besides Chen Pingzhang, does Hu Cheng have other friends here?”
Ning Yue stared at Qin Can, speaking slowly: “Chen Pingzhang is Tian Qiuzi’s friend, he has no connection to Hu Cheng.” She shook her head slightly, “Do you remember, that time when you wanted to fire me, who stepped in and made you change your mind?”
Qin Can thought for a moment, walked back behind his desk, and didn’t immediately answer Ning Yue’s question. He just carefully looked at her for a long time before finally asking: “What else do you know?”
Ning Yue shook her head and sighed: “I don’t know too much. Hu Cheng is very cautious, never discussing work at home, even locking himself in the room to take calls. I only know that among the company’s agents, there’s one called Li Cheng An Ping, and Hu Cheng is the actual controller of this company. I saw this company’s name in documents Hu Cheng occasionally brought home, so during the internal investigation, I paid extra attention when I discovered this company. Its legal representative is someone else – I checked, it’s a relative of Hu Cheng’s friend who farms in the countryside.” More precisely, it was Ruan Meiying’s distant relative. However, Ning Yue didn’t intend to mention this, and continued after briefly touching on it, “Li Cheng An Ping’s performance has always been average, not standing out among agents, but it existed before the company’s internal restructuring, with very senior status.”
“Director Feng?” Qin Can ask hesitantly.
Ning Yue shook her head: “I couldn’t find anything unusual in company documents, everything appears compliant. However, if he’s the one who reported He Kuan, then his helper must be in the Sales Center.”
Ning Yue concealed the Princess Liyang matter, but her words weren’t exactly lies.
Qin Can took a deep breath: “Why didn’t you say this earlier?”
Ning Yue spread her hands: “I had no evidence. If the internal investigation hadn’t given me access to archives, I couldn’t even have uncovered Li Cheng An Ping.”
“Can Luo Yating be trusted?” Qin Can suddenly ask.
Ning Yue nodded without hesitation, “Completely!”
“Good! I’ll go find her now.” Qin Can have vaguely sensed that the Procurement Center’s Chen Pingzhang embezzlement case might not be over, with clues leading to this mysterious whistleblower in the Sales Center.
Halfway to the door, Qin Can suddenly turned and asked Ning Yue: “Did Hu Cheng hit you because of this?”
Ning Yue touched her face, nodding slightly, then shaking her head. Hu Cheng’s reaction was due to Princess Liyang – once that lid was lifted, it would not only implicate many people but also destroy Hu Cheng’s years of work!
Ning Yue was afraid! She couldn’t control such a situation; she didn’t know if she could still protect her child once caught in that whirlpool.
Qin Can waited persistently, waited for a long time, but Ning Yue kept her head down, deeply bowed, like a clay statue, giving no response!
Leaving the office, Ning Yue realized her original question had never been resolved. Looking at her son who had grown accustomed to office life, the feeling of unease rose again. What would Hu Cheng do next? She had shown her hand – how should she play the next move?
Mu Xiao called in the afternoon, asking if Ning Yue wanted to apply for asset freezing based on the new evidence. Ning Yue asked how much money was involved. Mu Xiao hesitated, saying most accounts were empty.
“Ruan Meiying? Right? Mostly Ruan Meiying,” Ning Yue asked.
Mu Xiao confirmed.
Ning Yue sighed, asking: “He trusts Ruan Meiying so much, why didn’t he marry her instead of ruining me?”
Mu Xiao had no answer. For someone as paranoid as Hu Cheng, perhaps the person sharing his bed was who he feared most. But how could she explain this to Ning Yue? Or perhaps, Ning Yue didn’t need an answer at all.
Ning Yue asked Mu Xiao to wait for news, hung up, and called Zhuo Hao’s mobile. Zhuo Hao was also looking for her; he told her someone was checking her spending records, possibly related to him, likely Hu Cheng trying to find a weakness. Ning Yue told Zhuo Hao she always paid in cash, so Hu Cheng would only find large cash withdrawals.
Back then, when she frequently withdrew cash, Hu Cheng had asked about it. She explained that markets and small shops didn’t have card machines, and she didn’t always carry her phone, so cash was more convenient. Hu Cheng hadn’t suspected anything.
“Hu Cheng found your bank safety deposit box.”
Ning Yue thanked him without saying how she’d handle it. Zhuo Hao didn’t pursue it. Remembering Ning Yue had called him, he quickly asked what she needed.
Ning Yue said Cheng Ping Bao Shi’s money was all invested by Hu Cheng in Ruan Meiying’s name, and now it couldn’t be retrieved. She asked if Zhuo Hao had any solutions.
Zhuo Hao had discovered the relationship between Cheng Ping Bao Shi and Hu Cheng, so he naturally knew the money flow best. He thought for a moment and said: “Going through legal procedures would be time-consuming and difficult, and even if the court confirmed Ruan Meiying and Hu Cheng’s trust relationship, the money would probably be gone. Some money went overseas, but it’s best not to touch the people who helped him transfer it out.”
Ning Yue thought for a moment: “Hu Cheng had long planned to buy property overseas. Given his current domestic development, moving money overseas for investment isn’t realistic. So, he likely bought houses, probably school district houses in California. Could you help investigate along these lines?”
“If he bought houses in good school districts abroad, it must be for Hu Ziyuan’s sake. Didn’t he discuss this with you?”
Ning Yue fell silent, slightly raising her head to look at her son’s photo on the desk, “I didn’t exist in his eyes.”
In Hu Cheng’s eyes, Hu Ziyuan came first and was all that mattered. The child’s mother? Provide a womb, provide labor, just don’t provide thoughts, or even have a personality.
“Mama, can you play with me for a while?” Hu Ziyuan came over, gently tugging at Ning Yue’s sleeve. Ning Yue smiled, taking out “Sheng Lü Qi Meng” from her drawer, “Come, let’s go get some sun, and I’ll tell you a story about Liangzhou Ci.”
Hu Ziyuan’s previously cautious little face immediately brightened, and he held Ning Yue’s hand as they left the office.
Zhong Tianming looked up at his side, where Pan Jie was staring absently at the mother and son’s disappearing figures. He wanted to say something, but perhaps many things need to be figured out before one can hear others’ advice.
Zhong Tianming lowered his head to his work, and the office returned to silence.
“‘The Tiger-Fighting Woman Feng’ is about a person called Feng who was very strong and could go up mountains to kill tigers.”
“Mama, killing tigers is against the law,” Hu Ziyuan seriously corrected.
On the rooftop terrace, the afternoon sun warmly shone on the mother and son as the little boy seriously corrected his mother’s “mistake.” Ning Yue paused, then smiled, “In ancient times, there were many tigers and few people, those who could fight tigers were heroes who eliminated threats for the people.”
“Ah! People back then were amazing, they had to fight tigers to be heroes. Now just killing rats counts as eliminating threats.”
“What?”
“Brother Tianming told me. The Four Pests Campaign!”
Ning Yue’s mouth twitched – it wasn’t exactly wrong, but why did it sound so off?
Laughter came from behind. Ning Yue turned to see Luo Yating standing there. Ning Yue stood up, and Hu Ziyuan held her hand, biting his lip while staring at Luo Yating.
Luo Yating glanced at Hu Ziyuan, quickly shifting her gaze to focus on Ning Yue: “So Feng Fu was a person’s name? I thought it was some old woman surnamed Feng.”
Ning Yue smiled and asked, “Did you need me, Director Luo?”
“Qin Can tell me everything. If such things are happening and we can’t uncover them, we might as well quit.” Luo Yating paused, looking at Ning Yue, “Handle He Kuan’s matter. Then give me a report.”
“But…”
Luo Yating had already walked away.
Ning Yue sighed helplessly, though not feeling as anxious as she appeared. What she needed to do next was build a bridge between He Kuan and the company that both sides could accept, allowing everyone to bow out gracefully. Compared to finding fault, she preferred this kind of mediation.
Hu Ziyuan tugged at his mother’s hand: “Was Feng Fu a man or a woman?”
Ning Yue considered carefully: “Looking at the original text, Mencius never specified whether Feng Fu was male or female. Just that this person was strong enough to kill tigers but later became very scholarly, a great master. Do you think Feng Fu must have been male?”
Hu Ziyuan tilted his head, thinking seriously: “Lily in our kindergarten is very strong, I think she could fight tigers when she grows up. Xiaxia is very smart, teachers call her little doctor. Ah! Someone who’s both strong and good at studying must be a girl!”
The little one held his mother’s hand, muttering back to the office. Ning Yue listened, her smile freezing halfway. This child must be missing his friends.
Ning Yue’s supplementary materials mainly focused on detailed investigations into domestic property funding sources and rental payments from Ming Du Restaurant and other tenants. These were obtained through cooperation between Mu Xiao and Zhuo Hao – without Mu Xiao’s court investigation request, the banks wouldn’t have provided information. Without Zhuo Hao’s careful investigation, the court wouldn’t have known whom to ask. As for what Ning Yue had verbally told Hu Cheng, that wasn’t reflected in the paperwork. As Ning Yue said, there was still a chance for a settlement. Otherwise, it wouldn’t be Ning Yue but the prosecutor’s office filing the lawsuit.
Ning Yue wasn’t just making threats. At least now, Qin Can and Luo Yating had taken action. CEO Chen Pingzhang was already spooked, and Wang Mingcheng would certainly contact Hu Cheng. Then Hu Cheng would know Ning Yue was telling the truth.
After calming Wang Mingcheng, Hu Cheng felt exhausted in body and mind. Over these years, Ning Yue’s presence in his heart had grown increasingly weak; sometimes he even felt more like a married couple with Ruan Meiying.
Thinking of Ruan Meiying reminded him of her specialty blood curd dish, the kitchen aromas his mother couldn’t recreate, and the tacky but comfortable soft sofa covered with white embroidered knit throws.
And Ning Yue? Everything in that house was familiar from his childhood, including the smells, furnishings, and style, even the shampoo was the same his mother had used for years. Nothing belonged to Ning Yue, not her scent, not her style. She had lived there for over a decade yet left no personal trace!
He remembered there was a time when Ning Yue had her own scent, her own image. But somehow he had become sandwiched between his mother’s room and Ning Yue’s room, always forced to choose. Then Ning Yue went quiet, closing the door and shutting him out too.
That house was his mother’s house.
Ruan Meiying’s place was where a married man should live.
Ning Yue had quietly erased traces of her existence from that house, simultaneously erasing an adult woman’s chance to create her own home. Due to her mother-in-law’s dominance and jealousy, her husband’s betrayal, and lies, she had lived there with a widow’s mentality. And Hu Cheng, after completely ignoring Ning Yue’s needs, had shattered her last hope for security. Everything changed from that moment.
Ning Yue had started moving, step by step, approaching him forcefully and undeniably, then walking away. Hu Cheng didn’t want to break this balance, yet his attempts to retain her were met with Ning Yue’s sharpest attacks.
Hu Cheng thought Ning Yue was right – this was the real her. Tian Qiuzi wasn’t as insightful as her, Ruan Meiying wasn’t as ruthless as her. Why had he always thought she was the most useless one?
The phone rang. Hu Cheng looked – it was Ruan Meiying.
Hu Cheng remembered that a few days ago, Ruan Meiying had called saying she’d seen a familiar-looking man lurking outside the door two weeks ago, later realizing it was Zhao Yuan, who had briefly worked at the restaurant. However, he seemed not to recognize her. Also, the realtor from her daughter’s rental complex said someone had previously inquired about the rent, asking if she’d consider subletting. She had casually asked more, and surprisingly, the interested renter was named Zhao Yuan – what a coincidence! She asked what to do. Hu Cheng told her to take a photo the next time she saw him. Ruan Meiying said the restaurant kept employee records and she’d look when she had time. Now she called because she’d found Zhao Yuan’s photo. Looking at it, Hu Cheng felt he’d seen this person somewhere!
As he was looking, his mother walked by, glanced at it, and said, “Ah, isn’t this Ning Yue’s classmate? I’ve seen him visit her.”
“Oh? When?”
“Two years ago. Didn’t come in, just spoke briefly with Ning Yue at the door and left. But I saw clearly, looked just like this.”
“How do you know it was Ning Yue’s classmate?”
“I asked Ning Yue, and she said so herself, called Zhuo Hao.”
“How do you remember so clearly?”
“In all these years since Ning Yue came to our family, especially after getting pregnant, besides delivery men, he’s probably the only man she’s had contact with. Sigh, why work at all? Staying home would be so much more stable! Had to go work, now running into all sorts of questionable men!”
Hu Cheng felt blocked up, couldn’t listen to more complaints, mumbled a response, and returned to his study.
Watching her son close the door, Hu Cheng’s mother turned back to ask her husband: “You don’t think Hu Cheng and Little Ruan might…”
Hu Cheng’s father glanced at his wife: “Don’t make baseless guesses! Isn’t it chaotic enough already!”
Hu Cheng’s mother completely ignored her husband’s warning, muttering to herself: “Sigh, no, Hu Cheng would never do such a thing! Even rabbits don’t eat grass near their nests. Little Ruan isn’t a vixen like Tian Qiuzi, she won’t lead Hu Cheng astray.”
Hu Cheng’s father looked at his wife, wanting to speak but holding back.