You cheated, I divorced, why are you kneeling and begging me? - Chapter 26

Qin Xiaozhe’s mind conjured Nanxi’s face.

Over the years, she had always faced him with a gentle smile. Whether it was household matters or company troubles, she handled everything seamlessly, never letting him worry.

The thought of her being with Zhao Dong after their divorce inexplicably infuriated him.

She had always depended on him, stayed by his side. Now, after leaving him, she was willingly degrading herself by getting involved with an older man. He would never allow it.

Moreover, he never truly believed she would go through with the divorce. He even suspected that her involvement with Zhao Dong was merely a ploy to provoke him into taking her back.

“Xiaozhe?” Lin Rufei raised her voice, growing impatient at his lack of response.

Qin Xiaozhe snapped back to reality. “What?”

Seeing his distracted state, Lin Rufei couldn’t hold back her doubts. “Are you still unable to forget Nanxi?”

“Impossible,” Qin Xiaozhe immediately denied.

If she wanted to return to him, he might consider it. But for him to take the initiative and beg her to come back? Not a chance.

Lin Rufei seemed somewhat satisfied with his answer. She took his hand, her expression full of affection. “Xiaozhe, we were each other’s first love. All these years, my heart has always belonged to you. Now that we’re about to get married, I’ve been so happy I can’t even sleep.”

Qin Xiaozhe observed Lin Rufei’s earnest expression.

The woman before him overlapped with the love of his youth, drifting in and out of his memories. But just as her image settled, Nanxi’s face floated into his mind.

As Lin Rufei leaned closer, he instinctively moved toward her. But just as their lips were about to meet, he jolted and pulled away. “I have to go to the company. You should head back first.”

After Qin Xiaozhe got out of the car, Lin Rufei’s expression immediately darkened.

When Luo Rongfei asked if she was ready to leave, she snapped at him, “Why are you asking? Of course, we’re going home. I’m Mrs. Qin, where else would I go?”

Luo Rongfei tightened his grip on the steering wheel and said nothing more.

Her ability to put on one face in public and another in private was truly something. No wonder Nanxi was no match for her.

Back at home, Lin Rufei grew increasingly restless thinking about Qin Xiaozhe’s recent odd behavior.

Whether it was Nanxi or the young lady of the Nan family, no one was going to stand in the way of her marriage to Qin Xiaozhe.

After some thought, she called Deng Xiu. As soon as the call connected, she put on a cheerful tone. “Mom, it’s Rufei. Are you free tomorrow? Let’s go shopping together.”

After hanging up, her expression turned cold again.

She might not have the means to deal with the young lady of the Nan family, but handling Nanxi was a piece of cake. Since Deng Xiu despised her so much, all she had to do was let Deng Xiu take action, and the problem would solve itself.

Mu Yichen left the study and prepared to depart from the old mansion.

If it weren’t for necessary matters, he wouldn’t have set foot in this place even for a moment.

“Yichen, it’s been a long time since you’ve been back. Dinner is ready, why not stay and eat?” As he descended the stairs, Xia Dan stopped him.

“No need.”

Mu Yichen continued walking.

Xia Dan held her son’s arm, her voice lowering. “Yichen, I overheard everything. Did you argue with your grandfather again?”

Her son had always been Xia Dan’s pride.

He was decisive and intelligent. After his father passed away, he single-handedly shouldered the responsibility of the Mu family’s corporation, which was no easy feat.

Xia Dan knew all of this.

But no matter what, the old man was still an elder, and they were all family. She felt her son shouldn’t be so cold and distant, nor should he let his relationship with his grandfather deteriorate to this point.

Mu Yichen gazed at his mother.

From childhood to adulthood, she had always been a gentle and delicate woman. When his grandmother was alive, with her support and his father’s protection, she only needed to fulfill her role as Mrs. Mu.

But after Fan Shiya appeared and his grandmother and father passed away one after another, his mother lost her protectors. Manipulated by Fan Shiya, she seemed to have become a different person.

She no longer listened to him, her own son, but instead trusted Fan Shiya, an outsider. She stayed in the old mansion, willingly playing the role of a filial daughter-in-law.

Mu Yichen had urged her many times to move out and live with him, but she refused every time. Whenever he had a disagreement with the old master, his mother would also stand by the old master’s side, saying he was in the wrong.

Mu Yichen felt both helpless and frustrated with his mother, unsure of what to do.

“Did you hear everything?” Mu Yichen asked.

Xia Dan nodded, looking at her son with a troubled expression. “No matter what, he is your grandfather, and Mu Chen is your uncle. Breaking his ribs was truly wrong. Just listen to what your grandfather says, apologize to him, and then we’ll go to the hospital to see Mu Chen. We’re all family.”

“Do you know what Mu Chen did?” Mu Yichen retorted.

“He’s still young.”

“He’s only two years younger than me!”

“He tried to assault my fiancee.”

Xia Dan stared at her son in shock, completely unaware that this was the reason. “Your Grandma Fan told me that Mu Chen only went to discuss a collaboration with the Nan family and that you were jealous.”

“You believe everything she says?” Mu Yichen shot back.

“No.”

“Fan Shiya is not my grandmother. My grandmother is dead!”

“Yichen.”

Mu Yichen knew what his mother was about to say. Over the years, she had stayed in the old mansion, subjected to Fan Shiya’s indoctrination. Fan Shiya flattered her openly but secretly mistreated her, yet his mother remained oblivious, believing Fan Shiya to be an innocent and good person.

Mu Yichen cut her off. “Mom, leave the old mansion.”

“Your grandfather is old. I can’t leave.”

Mu Yichen sneered. “This is blind filial piety.”

Xia Dan, reminded of her sorrows, began to cry. “Your father is gone. I must fulfill his duty of filial piety to the elders.”

Mu Yichen’s suppressed anger erupted. “Why did Dad die so suddenly? Have you ever thought about that?”

Xia Dan looked up, tears glistening in the corners of her eyes, and gazed helplessly at her son. “It was an accident.”

“Whether it was an accident or not, I will find out.” The day he uncovered the truth would be the day Fan Shiya met her end.

Seeing his mother’s resolute attitude, Mu Yichen didn’t press further and turned to leave.

“Yichen.” Startled by her son’s intensity, Xia Dan called out to stop him.

Mu Yichen paused. “Mom, if you refuse to leave, I won’t force you. But don’t stand in my way.”

For now, Fan Shiya wouldn’t risk alerting anyone or harming his mother, so she was temporarily safe. Mu Yichen understood this. Once he had the time, he would make his mother see Fan Shiya’s true colors and then take her away.

After her son left, Xia Dan wiped her tears in distress, watching the direction he had gone, and hurried after him.

Fan Shiya, observing the scene, stepped out with a smile and personally wiped Xia Dan’s tears. “What’s wrong? Why are you crying? There’s no need to be angry with your own son.”

Tearfully, Xia Dan looked at Fan Shiya. “Stepmother, it’s my fault for not raising Yichen properly, for letting him hurt Mu Chen so badly. I apologize on his behalf. Please don’t be angry with the child.”

“What are you talking about? We’re all family. They’re just an uncle and nephew having a bit of fun no need for us to get involved.” Fan Shiya coaxed Xia Dan, her eyes shrewdly scanning the room as she smiled and advised, “I think Yichen is just too stubborn. Once he gets married, he’ll mature. But speaking of Yichen’s marriage it’s to the eldest daughter of the Nan family. I’ve heard she has quite the temper. In the future, you might find it challenging to be her mother-in-law.”