Chapter 1698 - 308_5

A child praised as a prodigy, but in truth, crippled and considered doomed; everyone thought he was dying, wouldn't live long, yet he somehow remained alive.

And because of him, his mother was unable to conceive another child.

The Zhao family, after all, was a prominent Xuanmen sect in Jianghu, with countless secret recipes and methods. Fertility techniques were essential, yet despite everything being ready, they lacked a critical decisive factor. That factor was completely blocked by the eldest son, like a pool of soggy mud.

There was something Zhao Yi hadn't even told Old Tian, since Old Tian was born into the Zhao family, felt attached and loyal to the family. It was that one night, his mother, who was supposedly devoted to vegetarianism and Buddhist practices, came alone to his room, reaching out to strangle him.

Later, she withdrew her hands, not because maternal love surged from the depths of her heart correcting her behavior, but because she realized strangling her son in such a straightforward and brutal manner would leave too many traces—it was truly foolish.

At that time, although Zhao Yi was universally believed to not have long to live, the elders still harbored some hope. After all, he was born, so let him continue living. Who knows?

Two flowers blooming, each representing a branch.

Tan Wenbin led Li Zhiyuan by the hand to the second house's courtyard.

Upon entering, Tan Wenbin immediately sent away all the servants.

He released Li Zhiyuan's hand, sat down in a chair in the living room, picked up a teacup, and started drinking.

Li Zhiyuan, a bit bewildered and cautious, walked to a chair in the corner and stood there.

Cui Xinyue followed in, clutching her skirt, her cries of grievance echoing along from outside to the courtyard. Upon entering the living room, her wailing crescendoed upon seeing the protagonist.

Suddenly, she plopped onto the ground, slapping the tiles with her hands, wailing:

"Oh woe, I don't want to live, I really don't want to live, there is no way to live, I'm too ashamed to continue living!"

Li Zhiyuan lowered his head, like a child who has done something wrong, shrinking further into the corner.

Yet, inside, a wave of doubt arose.

Tan Wenbin, sipping tea while sitting there, had his cup of water slightly shaken.

Huh?

How does this differ from the direction Brother Xiao Yuan just told him?

"Speak, quickly say something, say it, what should I do, how can I live, why is my fate so bitter, blinded by accepting to marry into the Zhao family!"

Cui Xinyue crawled to Tan Wenbin, hugging his leg, hitting and crying.

The sound, even across a distance, made Li Zhiyuan find it unbearable, let alone Tan Wenbin in close proximity.

However, according to the memory Li Zhiyuan extracted from Zhao Yanglin's spiritual thought.

This couple was merely acting a play to outsiders to undermine their status. In reality, Zhao Yanglin had been secretly supporting the Cui family making them his allies, and Cui Xinyue was shrewd enough to cooperate with her husband while securing benefits for her maiden family.

Thus, ordinarily, by now, the scenario should quickly calm down, with mutual jest perhaps.

Each time Zhao Yanglin brought in a child from outside, Cui Xinyue would perform for a while, then perhaps the couple instantly reconciled, leaving the child to be raised by the servants while outwardly referring to her as the legitimate mother.

Li Zhiyuan had long chosen his position to stand, yet Cui Xinyue went off script.

She continued crying, continued causing a scene, continued making a fuss.

This stance looked like she was begging the "Zhao Yanglin" above for a kick and a stern reprimand!

"Brother Binbin, keep drinking water."

Tan Wenbin continued sipping tea.

Cui Xinyue kept shaking his leg while sobbing, and after a while, realizing it was futile, she began scratching Tan Wenbin's body with her nails.

"Damn you, you make me too ashamed to see anyone, then I'll scratch your face and make you too ashamed to go out!"

"Brother Binbin, kick her, and then scold her."

Tan Wenbin couldn't hold back long, not only did her uniquely piercing cries cause a headache but was also worried she would damage the human skin on his face.

"Bang!"

He kicked hard.

Cui Xinyue fell heavily.

Tan Wenbin: "Wretch, get out!"

Cui Xinyue looked at Tan Wenbin in disbelief, in that gaze, carrying reluctance over her marital feelings, disbelief over this moment's circumstances, confusion and fear over future life.

Li Zhiyuan stood in the corner, with a look of fearful anxiety, yet kept watching her intently.

She acted too well, very well indeed.

But she was acting as Cui Xinyue in outsiders' perspective.

All previous acts were her begging to end this performance.

"Zhao Yanglin, you heartless thing, may you die horribly~"

Cui Xinyue stood up, let out a long cry, then covered her belly, stumbling as she left.

That trembling silhouette, profoundly interpreting sorrow beyond the demise of the heart.

Li Zhiyuan withdrew his gaze; such a way to end the act intentionally creates a cold war, hoping both sides won't meet shortly.

Tan Wenbin placed the teacup back on the table, delivering his inner voice via the Red Line to Li Zhiyuan:

"Brother Xiao Yuan, what's wrong with her?"

His character evidently does not align with expectations, lacking depth.

Li Zhiyuan did not believe he took the wrong script because he extracted those memories from Zhao Yanglin's corpse's lingering spiritual thought.

Therefore, the issue lies with Cui Xinyue's script; her acting is skilled, but the script merely scratches the surface.