Chapter 4: If Only We Could Truly Divorce

Are there children in this world who urge their parents to divorce?

Qin Yike thought that there probably were. If two people were together only to torment and hurt one another, what was the point of their lives?

The word "divorce" terrified Deng Caijie. No matter how assertive she was, she was still a woman—and a woman without much capability at that. All she had ever sought in life was marital harmony and for her daughter to be successful. She was already in her forties; if she truly divorced, she couldn't even bear to imagine what the rest of her life would look like.

"Qin Weiming, you want to divorce me?"

Before Qin Weiming could say anything, Qin Yike cut in, "Why wouldn't you? Your whole heart is devoted to your maiden family. To avoid looking bad in front of your useless brother, you're even capable of slandering your own biological daughter. Do you plan to empty the entire Qin family estate for them in the future? When I get married, are you going to continue to fleece me to support your brother's family?"

"I..."

Qin Yike gave Deng Caijie no chance to speak, addressing Qin Weiming instead, "Dad, I'm laying it out for you today: if you two don't divorce, Mom will squander this entire household! If you divorce now, you can still get half the money, and you'll have me by your side. Just divorce Mom. Let her take the money back to her maiden home. Her brothers can take care of her in her old age, so we won't have to worry about her."

As she spoke, Qin Yike winked at Qin Weiming. He understood instantly—his daughter was playing a trick!

"Ah, yes, I want to divorce you!" Qin Weiming shouted, even kicking a nearby chair aside. "Deng Caijie, I've had enough of you! Seriously, look at this home—look at what you've ruined it into all these years. Every time we save a little money, you take it. You've been funneling so much into your maiden family behind my back! This life is unlivable! Divorce! Divorce!"

Qin Weiming's roar was full of vigor, venting the indignation he had suppressed in his heart for years. His eyes were bloodshot, and his hysterical manner truly stunned everyone. Even Qin Yike almost believed he was actually going to divorce Deng Caijie; in short, it was a great performance.

"Take the money back to your maiden home and let your brother take care of you in your old age!" This final roar nearly blew the roof off.

Deng Caijie was stunned into silence. Before she could say anything, Deng Xinmin, who had been knocked quite hard, jumped up with a yell, "On what grounds?! On what grounds should I take care of her? I'm her brother, not her son!"

Deng Caijie looked on in disbelief. This brother before her felt like a complete stranger, as if she had never known him at all.

"Oh, so now you realize you're not her son? Isn't that a bit late? When you were reaching out to Mom for money, did that never occur to you? From the very first day Mom started working, it was as if she was working specifically for you. After she married Dad, she always set aside a portion of her earnings for you. When you were dating, getting married, buying a house, or having children—was there ever a time Mom didn't give you money?"

Qin Yike let out a cold laugh. "That's about all a mother is worth, I suppose. If you don't want to support her, fine—then pay back all the money Mom wasted on you over all these years."

The more Qin Weiming listened, the angrier he became. Every word his daughter said hit the nail on the head! So much money had been fed to an ungrateful wolf!

"Pay it back!!!"

"What money? When did your mother ever give me money!"

Qin Weiming violently threw the remote control at Deng Xinmin, though he unfortunately missed.

"What money? You mother and son were just conspiring to scam us! You tried to extort two hundred thousand from us! I knew it—you weren't being kind by looking for a job for Yike; you were just here to swindle us! Do you think the Qin family is easy to bully?"

"Don't waste words on them, call the police." Qin Yike pretended to reach for her phone. "Even if the attempt failed and they can't be convicted, they can still be locked up for a couple of days of 'education'! I have evidence right here, a recording." She brandished her phone with a triumphant look.

Deng Xinmin was terrified. He glanced at Li Chunlan. "Mom, let's go! My sister and brother-in-law are getting a divorce and they're trying to pin it on us! What does that have to do with us? Let's get out of here."

Li Chunlan was unwilling. She tried to snatch Qin Yike's phone, but Qin Yike toyed with her, tossing the phone back and forth just out of her reach.

"Neither of you is getting away!"

Li Chunlan was gnashing her teeth in fury. It seemed this trip had been for nothing! Not only had they failed to get the money, but they were now being targeted. If they actually ended up in a police station, it would be a massive disaster.

"A pack of ungrateful wolves, pfft! Son, let's go!" The mother and son hurried toward the door as if the three members of the Qin family had suddenly become ferocious beasts.

Deng Caijie's tears streamed down her face. She stepped forward to grab Deng Xinmin's arm, "Xinmin, you can't say such heartless things! I've given you my heart and soul all these years, hoping for your success, hoping you'd become someone to uphold the dignity of the Deng family, you..."

Deng Xinmin impatiently shook his arm free. "Don't say that. Didn't you want to give it to me? I never asked you for anything. You're my sister; you have a husband and a daughter. Why should I support you? If I'm supporting anyone, it's Mom."

His implication was: *Who do you think you are?*

"Mom..." Deng Caijie looked pitifully at the old woman, hoping she would say something fair. "You've seen everything I've done all these years!"

Li Chunlan found it even more amusing. "Don't look at me; looking at me won't help. Caijie, I'm not saying this to criticize you, but isn't it only natural to spend a little money on your brother? What, are you expecting some kind of return? Let me be blunt: if Qin Weiming really doesn't want you anymore, that's just your bad luck. You can't come back here to ruin us."

"Besides, that little brat wants to call the police? To arrest her own grandmother and uncle? How glorious!"

Deng Caijie felt as if she had been struck by lightning. She could hardly believe what she was hearing.

Was this woman still her own mother? Where was the mother who always said she was capable, who knew how to care for her brother, and who helped shoulder the family's burdens?

Deng Caijie grabbed Li Chunlan, her face full of disbelief, her lips trembling, yet unable to utter a single sound.

"Don't go. I'm done with her. Just take your daughter back immediately," Qin Weiming said impatiently, looking as if he truly intended to divorce.

"Let go of me!" Li Chunlan turned her head away, refusing to look at her. "Son, let's go. Good grief, they're trying to make us their scapegoats!"

The mother and son insisted on leaving, completely ignoring Deng Caijie's well-being, treating her as if she were a complete stranger.

The front door slammed shut with a loud *thud*. The sound made Deng Caijie shudder. She froze for a full thirty seconds before suddenly tearing at her hair in a frenzy, wailing loudly.

It wasn't so much crying as it was howling.

Qin Weiming wanted to step forward, but his daughter held his arm.

Qin Yike shook her head, signaling him not to bother her.

When people encounter setbacks and misery, the worst thing is to bottle it up. If they can cry it out, it will pass sooner or later. Having been a puppet for so many years, did Deng Caijie really not know her place in the hearts of those two? It was all self-deception! It was better for her to wake up sooner rather than later.

Of course, the most important thing was to prevent any resurgence. If Qin Weiming and Deng Caijie didn't divorce and those two turned back around to coax her, things would become difficult.

Well, it would be great if they actually divorced.

[Author's Note: In the previous book, I kept saying I was moving, but I never did! This time I'm really moving, so I'll be busy! During the new book period, chapters are usually 2,000 words, one per day. If there's a PK or recommendation period, I will add extra updates! Love you guys!]