Chapter 73: To the Bitter End

Chapter 73: Chapter 73: To the Bitter End

He hadn’t wanted to cause a scene. After all, the house was full of guests, and it would be a huge loss of face.

He’d always hoped the three of them could just sit down for a hot meal together and live a quiet, peaceful life.

But no!

The moment Yao Yuzhen opened her mouth, every word was about Shuangshuang!

It was absurd enough to make one laugh.

"Other people tossed our daughter aside like a dirty rag, then stomped on her for good measure."

The eyes of this gruff man, Shen Zhenwu, actually reddened.

"And what about you? You cradle our enemy’s child in the palm of your hand and even help them shove our own daughter’s head down! Is your heart made of iron? Or carved from stone? Do you even deserve to be called a mother?"

Yao Yuzhen snapped her head up, her voice hard and defiant. "That’s right! Shuangshuang is the only one I acknowledge! She’s more important than anyone!"

Shen Zhenwu was struck speechless.

He truly couldn’t believe it. After everything he’d said, his wife was still stubbornly refusing to back down, hell-bent on this path.

But a few seconds later, Yao Yuzhen’s tone softened.

She took two steps forward and clutched Shen Zhenwu’s hand, tears streaming down her face.

"Zhenwu, I know that Song Shunqiang and Liu Yumin are bastards, I admit it! But Shuangshuang is a good kid, she doesn’t know anything... She really has no idea about any of that!"

The look in Shen Zhenwu’s eyes changed.

First came anger, then bewilderment, and finally, it settled into an icy chill.

He just stared at the woman who had been by his side for more than thirty years.

Yao Yuzhen tensed under his gaze, but she didn’t let go of his hand.

"Oh, Zhenwu," Yao Yuzhen humbled herself even further. "Can’t we give Shuangshuang one more chance? Please? During those years you were away, I couldn’t sleep at night. There were so many times I just wanted to end it all."

"If Shuangshuang hadn’t been by my bedside, bringing me water and medicine, calling me ’Mom’ over and over, I honestly wouldn’t have survived. To me, she stopped being just a daughter long ago. She’s the reason I’m alive!"

"I’ve turned this over and over in my mind, and I’ve finally figured it out..."

She took a sharp breath, her face so taut it turned pale.

"Once we marry her into a good family, she and I can sever this mother-daughter bond for good. Then, for the rest of my life, I’ll devote everything to Yaoyao and make up for every single thing I owe her!"

A tightness seized Shen Zhenwu’s chest, but he forced his anger back down.

"Fine. Your wish is granted."

His voice was flat, betraying no emotion.

"You saw how Sheng Hui treated Song Yao today."

"He didn’t even spare Song Yao a single glance when he walked in. Even though Shuangshuang isn’t our blood, he still fawns over her. That being the case, why are you stopping me from transferring the house to Yaoyao? What’s your angle?"

"We both know exactly what this house is worth!"

Yao Yuzhen grew frantic, slapping her thigh. "You can’t find many detached courtyard homes in all of Beijing anymore!"

"So?"

Shen Zhenwu knew that, of course. It was precisely because the house was so rare that he’d planned long ago to personally hand the deed over to his daughter as a welcome-home gift the moment she returned.

"Letting Yaoyao live in such a big house all by herself? What a waste!"

"Right now, she’s got the title of ’Shen Zhenwu’s biological daughter.’ Who wouldn’t treat her with respect? But what about Shuangshuang? Her engagement to Sheng Hui was arranged by me and Mrs. Sheng personally."

"Now that the two of them are of marriageable age, the Sheng Family still hasn’t made a move. Without her status, it’s only natural they’d consider breaking off the engagement."

Suddenly, Shen Zhenwu understood everything.

He stared hard at Yao Yuzhen, his voice dangerously low. "Are you saying you want me to give half the house to Shuangshuang, just so she has more standing with her in-laws?"

But Yao Yuzhen just frowned. "Oh, Zhenwu, why are you joking? How could we divide the whole house? Cut it in two? Besides, Yaoyao and Shuangshuang are at each other’s throats the moment they see one another. If they were really crammed into the same house, who could stand it? It would be miserable for everyone!"

A thought flashed through Shen Zhenwu’s mind, so absurd that a humorless smirk twisted his lips.

There wasn’t a trace of warmth in it.

Yao Yuzhen didn’t even notice the look in his eyes. In her mind, when hadn’t Shen Zhenwu given in to her all these years?

If she weren’t so sure of that fact, how would she dare to make such a request now?

"Zhenwu, what if we transfer the house to Shuangshuang? Just think of it as her dowry. When the Sheng Family sees such a generous gift, they wouldn’t dare mistreat her. Her marriage to Sheng Hui would be a done deal."

The words had barely left her mouth when there was a tremendous CRASH!

The muffled thud of wood hitting the wall sent tremors through the window frames.

Yao Yuzhen’s mind went blank as a dark shape shot past her face.

It took her two or three seconds to realize what had happened.

Shen Zhenwu had kicked the old elm table, sending it flying!

The teacups on it rolled to the doorway, splashing tea all over the floor.

This was the first time Shen Zhenwu had ever lost his temper with her so openly—let alone gotten physical!

His chest heaved violently. Without sparing her a glance, he stared at the crooked table leg on the floor.

She was frozen to the spot, as if nailed to the floor.

Shen Zhenwu’s voice was about to rip out of his throat. "Yao Yuzhen! Have you lost your mind?!"

His voice was raw, each word torn from his throat.

The moment his roar subsided, chaos erupted outside.

The crowd urged Song Yao to go and see what was happening.

Footsteps, urgent voices, and the scraping of stools all jumbled together.

The mumbled words from inside had drifted out intermittently. Though no one heard everything, the name "Shuangshuang" had reached every ear.

Song Yao had just gotten up and started for the door when a buzz of conversation erupted behind her.

She raised her hand to knock, but the door was suddenly yanked open from within.

Shen Zhenwu threw his head back and bellowed, "What a coincidence, everyone’s here! Listen up, all of you! We... are getting a divorce! Immediately!"

As those words hung in the air, everyone in the room seemed to stop breathing.

Yao Yuzhen went deathly pale, her lips trembling uncontrollably.

Her knees gave out. She staggered back half a step, her lower back hitting the edge of the kitchen counter.

Everyone knew Shen Zhenwu cherished Yao Yuzhen like his own life.

Years ago, Yao Yuzhen had often used the threat of divorce to block Song Yao’s return, and Shen Zhenwu had always backed down without a word.

To him, this marriage was more important than any military honor.

But today, he was the one shouting it.

Yao Yuzhen’s lips quivered, tears streaming down her cheeks. "Shen Zhenwu... you really want to leave me?"

Shen Zhenwu was so furious his mustache was practically bristling. "Yes! Isn’t this the day you’ve been waiting for? Fine! You can have it! I, Shen Zhenwu, don’t want a muddle-headed wife who raises an enemy’s child as her own and pushes away her true daughter!"

As he said this, he whipped his head to the side and saw Song Yao standing in the doorway.

The eyes of this iron-willed man instantly reddened.

He looked at Song Yao, his voice softening. "My girl, you were right. A person like this doesn’t deserve to be your mother. Any respect you show her is just wasted."

A bitter taste filled Song Yao’s heart. It wasn’t because of Yao Yuzhen, but because of her father... he was actually going to divorce Yao Yuzhen for her sake.

"Dad..."

The word had barely left her lips when Yao Yuzhen suddenly whipped her head around and slammed it into the doorframe.

Everyone outside was completely stunned.

Shen Zhenwu’s eye twitched. He lunged forward in two strides and grabbed her arm.

"What the hell do you think you’re doing?"

His voice was raw. Even surprise attacks on the front lines hadn’t been this infuriating.

Enemies were easy to deal with. But this woman... he couldn’t bear to let her go, yet she made him so angry he wanted to punch a wall.

He could harden his heart enough to go through with the divorce, but seeing her try to harm herself like this made his heart ache as if it were being squeezed in a vise.