Chapter 394: You Didn’t Expect This?

Chapter 394: Chapter 394: You Didn’t Expect This?

All the harsh, furious words Mr. and Mrs. Chen had said to Mianmian inside had been recorded.

Chen Yupeng’s face was pale. It felt as if someone had seized his heart in a death grip, and he couldn’t breathe.

Yao Yulan calmly said to Chen Yupeng, "I’ve told you before that I can tolerate how your parents treat me. But I can’t tolerate them talking about Mianmian like this."

"I told you before, but you didn’t believe your parents would say such things. Now I have a recorder, and I recorded it for you to hear. If Mianmian grows up in an environment like this, do you think she’ll turn out to be a normal child?"

Chen Yupeng’s mouth fell slightly open. "I... I had no idea it was like this. I thought... even if Mom and Dad favor boys, they wouldn’t treat their only granddaughter this way. I never imagined..."

Yao Yulan’s eyes grew red. "You never imagined? You see them as your parents, your family. In front of you, they always show their kindest side, but they save all their malice for me and Mianmian."

"Since they harbor such deep-seated malice toward us, from this day forward, Mianmian and I will never set foot in the Chen family’s home again. They’re your parents. The only reason I ever put up with them was for you."

"Now that I have a new job, I’ve even considered divorcing you just to get away from them. That should prove how much I despise them, and I’m sure our daughter feels the same way."

"I’ll lay it all out for you right here, in front of Ye Feng and Xiao Rui. If we get a divorce, I’m taking our daughter. If she stays with you, you don’t have time to look after her, and your parents will treat Mianmian even more poorly. If you have any love for your daughter at all, you won’t fight me for custody."

When Chen Yupeng heard this, his expression changed drastically. "Yulan, didn’t we agree we wouldn’t get a divorce?"

Yao Yulan nodded. "Yes, we aren’t divorcing now. I’m telling you my bottom line. From now on, Mianmian and I will have no contact with your parents. If you try to force us, then we’ll get a divorce."

"A marriage that only forces me to endure things and compromises my well-being is like a cage, and I’d rather not have it. I have a job. I can provide a good life for Mianmian and myself. If I meet someone suitable in the future, I won’t need him to be more handsome or more considerate than you. I’ll just need him to be better at managing the relationship between his family and his parents."

Chen Yupeng panicked when he heard this. "We’re fine, why are you thinking about divorce? We’re not even divorced, and you’re already thinking about remarrying. Yulan, you can’t do this."

"And why not?" Yao Yulan stood up and said coldly. "I’m just done accommodating you and forcing myself and my daughter to suffer. I’m renting a place in Jinshan Bay now. I’m going to live here."

With that, Yao Yulan walked out.

Chen Yupeng started to chase after her but was stopped by Ye Feng. "Chen Yupeng, do you want a divorce?"

"Of course not," Chen Yupeng answered without a second thought. He loved Yao Yulan deeply, but the pressure from his parents was also immense. Sometimes he might speak harshly or be dismissive, but he had never once considered divorce.

"If you don’t want a divorce, then you’ll stay put and go along with whatever Yulan wants. Don’t object to anything. Here, if you still don’t get it, I’ll put what your parents said to Mianmian on a loop for you."

With that, Ye Feng immediately pressed the play button, forcing Chen Yupeng to listen to it again.

If once wasn’t enough, he’d play it a second time, and a third...

"Yupeng, you talk with Ye Feng for a bit. I’m going to have a word with Yulan," Han Xiaorui said before quickly walking out.

Once outside, she saw that Yao Yulan had already gotten quite far. Han Xiaorui called out, "Yulan, wait for me!"

Hearing Han Xiaorui’s voice, Yao Yulan walked back and supported the heavily pregnant Han Xiaorui. "Xiao Rui, don’t worry about me. I’ve thought things through. I really am just planning to rent a place."

Han Xiaorui smiled. "I’m not worried. Once you’ve made up your mind, everything becomes clearer. I came to tell you, you don’t have to rent a place in the village. There are still empty dormitories over at the ornamental fish farm. You and Mianmian can live there."

Yao Yulan was taken aback. "Won’t that be a bother for you?"

"Not at all," Han Xiaorui said with a laugh. "We’re good friends. You accepted my invitation to come teach at the school here, so it’s only right that I help you with this."

Yao Yulan smiled. "Don’t you think what I said back there was too harsh?"

Han Xiaorui burst out laughing. "Are you underestimating me, saying something like that to a woman who’s been divorced before? Of course, I got divorced because my ex-husband and I fell out of love."

"You and Chen Yupeng don’t have a problem with your relationship; you have a problem with family. That’s actually easy to solve. Since the two sides can’t stand each other, just stop interacting. Your solution is the right one. As for Chen Yupeng, Ye Feng will talk him around."

"They’re his parents, so he needs to be the one to deal with them. He’s let you suffer for too long. It’s time for him to make a choice. If he can’t, then there’s absolutely no reason for you and Mianmian to endure the verbal abuse from his parents."

Yao Yulan had expected Han Xiaorui to try and persuade her to be more understanding toward Chen Yupeng, but Han Xiaorui said nothing of the sort.

Yao Yulan gently hugged Han Xiaorui, rested her head on her shoulder, and began to cry.

Han Xiaorui didn’t offer any more words, simply patting her on the back to comfort her.

After a while, Yao Yulan wiped away her tears. "Xiao Rui, sorry you had to see me like that."

"Everyone has their moments of weakness. I’ve had them too. I almost committed suicide from depression," Han Xiaorui said with a smile. "But I eventually figured things out and learned to let go. What’s most important is living my own life well. Come on, I’ll take you to see the apartment."

"Okay!" Yao Yulan nodded and followed Han Xiaorui to the dormitories at the ornamental fish farm.

There was a three-bedroom, one-living-room unit still available.

"A master bedroom, a child’s room, and a study. It has a kitchen and a bathroom... It’s even bigger than our place in the city." Yao Yulan was already falling in love with the apartment and its surroundings.

Han Xiaorui smiled. "This is just temporary. Once the shops and houses over there are finished, you can buy one with an installment plan. The houses there will be bigger, better, and more valuable."

Yao Yulan nodded. "Okay, Xiao Rui. You’re so capable. I’ll listen to you."

Meanwhile, Chen Yupeng sat dejectedly, all the strength drained from his body.

Ye Feng tried to reason with him. "Yupeng, you haven’t figured out the difference between your immediate family and your extended family. Your parents raised you, and you should be filial to them. But they didn’t raise Yao Yulan, and they didn’t raise your daughter."

"Since they despise Yao Yulan and Mianmian, you really don’t need to force them to interact with your parents. If parents aren’t benevolent, they can’t expect their children to be filial."

"This time, I’m on Yao Yulan’s side. If you don’t want a divorce, you’ll do exactly as she says. Otherwise, the only thing waiting for you is a broken family."

"I still remember when we were soldiers in Yunnan. So many of our comrades had girlfriends or were married, but only Yao Yulan saved up several months of her salary to travel all that way to see you. She couldn’t get used to the local food and water and ended up with terrible vomiting and diarrhea."

"You have no idea how much all of us envied you back then, having a woman who loved you so wholeheartedly. Now that you’re married, don’t forget the love you shared and the vows you made."