Chapter 147: Severing Ties

Chapter 147: Chapter 147: Severing Ties

But Shen Shuangshuang was so hungry her stomach was practically touching her spine. She pointed to a small restaurant on the street, her eyes lighting up.

"Mom! Let’s go in here and get something to eat!"

She grabbed Yao Yuzhen’s wrist and all but dragged her into the restaurant.

Once inside, Shen Shuangshuang deftly ordered two stir-fried dishes and a bowl of soup. They made short work of the food, and the plates were empty in no time.

As they were eating, she suddenly looked up. "Mom, about Dad saying he’d send me abroad... is that for real?"

She stared at Yao Yuzhen after she spoke.

She had never been abroad before. As exciting as the idea was, the thought of growing even more distant from Shen Rongdan made her heart ache.

So, she quickly changed tack. "But... I think Dad was right to ask you to return to the Shen family."

"Think about it. Dad said himself that all the family’s savings belong to you."

"So what happened? He changed his tune faster than you can flip a page. Tell me, who do you think is whispering in his ear?"

Yao Yuzhen’s eyelid twitched, but she said nothing.

Shen Shuangshuang pressed on.

"Shen Songyao is just a country bumpkin. Now that she’s finally latched onto the Shen family, do you really think she’s going to share the benefits with you instead of stuffing them in her own pockets?"

She sneered, took the teapot, and poured herself half a cup of water.

"She knows perfectly well that as long as you’re around, she won’t get the lion’s share."

"If she wants to monopolize the Shen family’s assets, the first hurdle is getting rid of you!"

"By making the whole family resent you, despise you, and give both of us the cold shoulder, she can seize the opportunity to take your place!"

She leaned forward slightly, her words tumbling out faster.

"That money—who in the family has touched it? No one! But she’s staring at it, coveting it. Her eyes are practically glued to it!"

"It’s like she’s never seen a thing in her life!"

Shen Shuangshuang curled her lip, her face a mask of contempt.

"Mom, if you really divorce Dad, you’ll be playing right into her hands."

After saying this, she didn’t look at Yao Yuzhen again, instead focusing on finishing the last of her rice.

Yao Yuzhen set her chopsticks on the table and rubbed her temples. "I have a headache..." she said, her voice faint.

Shen Shuangshuang immediately put down her chopsticks and quickly gulped down two mouthfuls of hot soup. "Let’s hurry home, then!"

Yao Yuzhen stood up and walked out.

Back home, she didn’t even bother taking off her shoes before collapsing onto the bed, closing her eyes, and lying motionless.

After a moment’s thought, Shen Shuangshuang decided she had to go to the Shen family estate.

The most important thing right now was to stop her parents from divorcing.

She planned to tell Shen Zhenwu that her mother was sick.

It was nearly four in the afternoon by the time she arrived at the Shen estate.

Song Yao was in the courtyard with Yang Wanqing, sitting on small stools. Tea was brewing on a stove nearby, and the two of them were chatting casually as they drank, looking perfectly at ease.

Seeing this scene from a distance, Shen Shuangshuang stopped in her tracks.

She was certain that Song Yao and Yang Wanqing would stop her from going inside to see Shen Zhenwu.

She planned to wait for them to go inside, then quietly find Zhang Dongxue and ask her to pass on a message.

As long as news of Yao Yuzhen’s illness reached him, Shen Zhenwu was sure to come out and see her.

It was a solid plan, but Song Yao and Yang Wanqing remained in the courtyard, showing no signs of moving.

She kept her eyes glued to the courtyard gate, her ears pricked for any sound from within.

Eventually, a neighbor passed by, and the three of them struck up a conversation, their laughter endless.

Just as Shen Shuangshuang was wondering if there was another trick she could try, Shen Rongjing returned.

He spotted Shen Shuangshuang standing at the main gate from his car window. Without even braking, he turned and called over a guard.

"If she comes here again, do not let her in. No exceptions."

He then added, "The Shen family and Shen Shuangshuang are no longer related. The adoption has been terminated."

This was a matter Shen Rongjing had originally planned to persuade Shen Zhenwu to handle slowly, but now he was laying it all out.

After just one afternoon of investigation, he had zeroed in on Ruan Yongxing and followed the trail until he’d uncovered everything.

He hadn’t expected much, but what he found was a shock.

It turned out Yao Yuzhen had been secretly in contact with that Ruan fellow all along.

For years, every time Yao Yuzhen withdrew money, she would walk out of the bank and immediately turn into the alley where Ruan Yongxing lived.

Where did the money go?

The answer was obvious.

So, not only had the Shen family raised their adopted daughter, Shen Shuangshuang, for nothing, but Yao Yuzhen had also been secretly supporting that man on the side.

Shen Rongjing now couldn’t even stand the sight of Shen Shuangshuang, let alone allow her to continue parading around town with the Shen family name.

After giving his orders to the guard, he turned and went upstairs to find Shen Zhenwu.

He told him everything: where Ruan Yongxing lived, what he did for a living, and the fixed annual payments.

"Dad, I think we need to publish a notice in the newspaper to make things clear."

"That the Shen family is completely severing ties with Shen Shuangshuang."

He placed the papers on the coffee table in front of Shen Zhenwu, his voice steady and even.

"Otherwise, even if you and Mom get a divorce, she’ll still go around telling everyone she’s Miss Shen."

Hearing that Yao Yuzhen had been transferring money to Ruan Yongxing’s account every year, Shen Zhenwu felt utterly drained.

As Shen Rongjing finished speaking, he just waved a hand. "You handle it."

Shen Rongjing added, "I’ve already spoken with the credit union. If Mom tries to withdraw more than five hundred yuan, they’re to find an excuse and block the transaction."

"Once you two have settled the division of the savings, I’ll tell them to lift the restriction."

Shen Zhenwu nodded without a word.

Five hundred yuan was enough for an ordinary family to live on for a year. He knew this full well, so he didn’t object.

Shen Rongjing was swift and decisive. That very night, he made arrangements with several newspapers to have the announcement published immediately.

He personally oversaw the process to ensure the content was accurate.

By the next morning, the notice was printed in the papers, clear as day in black and white.

Shen Shuangshuang only found out the next day when she tried to enter the family compound.

She was stopped at the gate and finally realized she had been kicked out.

She tried to enter, but the guard blocked her with an outstretched arm. Her face fell, and she instantly bristled. "By what right are you stopping me?"

The guard didn’t even look up. "Outsiders are not permitted."

Shen Shuangshuang pointed at herself and let out a laugh of pure indignation. "Me? An outsider?"

"Are you blind?"

"Tell me, did that shit-stirrer Shen Songyao bribe you?"

"Believe it or not, one phone call from me is all it takes to have you packing your bags and getting the hell out of here!"

The guard’s brows furrowed, and his tone was harsh.

"Enough of your nonsense. The Shen family has already given their instructions. They’ve severed all ties with you."

"If you’re not part of the Shen family, you can’t come in. Got it?"

"S-severed... ties?"

Her face went deathly pale. She reached out to grab the guard’s arm, but he simply raised his hand and pushed her away.

"Listen here. If you try to interfere with my duties again, don’t blame me for not being courteous."

Shen Shuangshuang knew that if things got physical, she would have no one to turn to, so she immediately retracted her hand.

But...

She turned and bolted back the way she came.

Yao Yuzhen was sprawled on the sofa in a daze, wondering, ’Should I pay to send Ruan Yongxing abroad?’

’But he’d be so far away. If something were to happen, I wouldn’t even be able to find him...’

As she was mulling it over, the door was suddenly thrown open.

Shen Shuangshuang burst in, her face a mess of tears and snot, and shrieked, "Mom!"

Yao Yuzhen, who had tossed and turned all night without getting any proper sleep, felt her temples throb at the shout. She pressed a hand to her forehead.

"What is it now?"

When she looked up and saw her daughter completely drowned in tears, she shot upright.

Shen Shuangshuang paid no attention to her mother’s expression and rushed forward.

"Mom! The Shen family has completely disowned me! I can’t even get past the gate to the compound anymore!"

Yao Yuzhen: "...What?"

Thinking she must have misheard, her first question was, "What were you doing at the compound?"

Shen Shuangshuang’s face flushed, and she looked a little embarrassed.