Chapter 149: Silly Woman

Chapter 149: Chapter 149: Silly Woman

"It’ll only be a day or two late. How about this? I’ll finish up my business over there first, and then I’ll bring you the money."

Ruan Yongxing’s expression finally softened. "I was just thinking, the sooner we go, the sooner we can live our lives openly."

He paused, raising a hand to stroke his chin.

"I’ve always felt that as long as we’re still in Beijing, regardless of whether you and Shen Zhenwu get divorced, we... we’ll never be able to hold our heads high."

His words struck a nerve with Yao Yuzhen.

Seeing his slumped shoulders and crestfallen expression, her heart ached for him. "Didn’t we agree to go abroad?"

"Yes. Once we’re out of the country, no one will know us. You, me, and Shuangshuang will be a proper family."

Ruan Yongxing immediately pulled her hand into his.

"Yu Zhen, you don’t mind me taking you so far from home... I swear to God, I’ll never wrong you in this lifetime!"

"If I’m lying to you, may I be alone forever and never see a single good day..."

Yao Yuzhen quickly pressed down on his hand.

"Don’t make such a terrible vow! Even if that day came, I’d still believe in you. You must have been forced into a corner."

Hearing this, Ruan Yongxing felt a weight lift off his chest and almost laughed out loud.

’What a foolish woman. Utterly and completely foolish.’

’Does she really think that if she pours her heart out for me, I’ll appreciate it and feel for her?’

’She’s dreaming.’

’My skills are truly brilliant!’

’With just my words, I’ve managed to sweep this idiot off her feet, making her abandon her husband and child.’

’Doesn’t she deserve it!’

The corners of Ruan Yongxing’s eyes lifted, unable to hide a trace of his smug satisfaction.

But Yao Yuzhen didn’t notice this at all. Having just heard Ruan Yongxing’s vicious oath, she was as pleased as could be.

She grabbed Shen Shuangshuang and headed for the compound, determined to demand an explanation from the Shen Family.

But as soon as they reached the entrance, the guard at the sentry post raised a hand to stop them.

"You really can’t go in! You know how strict it is here. It’s for the leaders’ safety. I have to stand my ground."

"Please don’t make me break the rules!"

"Fine, I won’t make things difficult for you."

Yao Yuzhen lifted her chin, her gaze fixed on the guard’s eyes.

"You’re saying the Shen Family has already severed their adoption of Shuangshuang? Go on, tell me, who gave that order?"

The guard was stunned. He looked her up and down a few times as if seeing her for the first time. "You... you really don’t know?"

Yao Yuzhen furrowed her brows. "Know what?"

She raised her voice, her tone arrogant.

"If I knew, would I be asking you?"

The guard didn’t answer. He turned and ducked into the small booth next to the sentry post, emerging with a newspaper that had just been delivered that morning.

"Take a look at this paper. It just came in."

The moment Shen Shuangshuang heard there was a newspaper, she immediately leaned in, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Yao Yuzhen to read it carefully.

She scanned it line by line, her breathing growing fainter and the color slowly draining from her lips.

After reading the contents, both of their faces turned pale. They read it over and over again.

The announcement read:

The adopted daughter, Shen Shuangshuang, having reached the age of twenty-three, being of sound body and mind, is now capable of living independently.

However, due to long-term incompatibility with her adoptive parents and family members, significant differences in personality, and severe conflicts in lifestyle and family values...

...it has been decided by mutual agreement of the entire family to terminate the adoption relationship, effective immediately.

Adopter: Shen Zhenwu.

This notice is hereby given.

Seeing them read it over and over, the guard finally added quietly,

"See? I wasn’t lying, was I?"

"I really can’t let you in. If I dared to let anyone through, I’d probably face disciplinary action!"

He scratched the back of his neck, his gaze slightly evasive.

"I mean... this all happened so suddenly, and I don’t know the inside story, but since it’s been signed and published in the paper, there must be reasons that we outsiders have no place to comment on..."

He paused, not finishing his sentence, and simply took a quiet half-step back, straightening his posture again.

His stance made it clear: his only job was to guard the gate, and nothing else mattered.

The hand Yao Yuzhen used to hold the newspaper was trembling slightly.

"Mom... this..."

Shen Shuangshuang’s voice trembled as tears fell onto the newspaper. She raised a hand to wipe them away hastily, but more beads of moisture just kept rolling down her cheeks.

"What is Dad trying to do? How am I supposed to show my face in public?"

Her voice suddenly rose in pitch before she quickly suppressed it, her shoulders hitching with silent sobs.

"When outsiders see this, they’ll definitely think I’ve committed some terrible crime!"

Yao Yuzhen’s palms were sweating. She took two deep breaths. "Fine... I’ll go find him and get to the bottom of this."

Before the words were even out of her mouth, she had already turned to walk inside.

Shen Shuangshuang anxiously grabbed her sleeve. "Mom..."

Yao Yuzhen glanced at the guard standing ramrod straight at the gate, stopped in her tracks, and turned to Shen Shuangshuang.

"Don’t move. You wait here for me."

Above all, Yao Yuzhen hated losing face in public.

She always felt that her family had a respectable background, so she had to carry herself with a certain dignity, never stooping to the level of a shrew brawling on the street, terrified that someone might find fault with her.

Hearing this, Shen Shuangshuang’s lip trembled, but she could only nod, not daring to follow.

With a stony expression, Yao Yuzhen reached the Shen Family’s front door in a few strides.

She rang the doorbell, and Zhang Dongxue came to open the door.

She had just pulled the door open a crack when she saw Yao Yuzhen standing outside. She stumbled, nearly losing her footing, and instinctively shrank back.

Through the iron gate, Yao Yuzhen’s gaze was icy. "What, am I not even allowed in the door now?"

Zhang Dongxue was startled by her words and quickly opened the courtyard gate.

’How could she dare to offend Yao Yuzhen?’

’Yes, they were in the middle of a divorce, but the Leader...’

’If it really came down to it, it was hard to say who would win and who would lose.’

As these thoughts churned in her mind, her hands didn’t dare to slow in the slightest.

Zhang Dongxue was illiterate and had never been to school, so she couldn’t articulate complex reasoning.

But in all her years with the Shen Family, she had seen enough to understand that the Leader had never been able to stand firm in front of his wife.

He could throw a fit, but all it took was one look from Yao Yuzhen, and he would immediately shut his mouth.

No matter how much they fought or argued, he was always the first one to give in.

As the courtyard gate opened, Zhang Dongxue quickly forced a smile. "You’re back? Where’s Shuangshuang?"

At these words, Yao Yuzhen’s brows knitted, and she shot a sideways glare at her.

"Stop putting on an act. My affairs are not for you to comment on."

Zhang Dongxue’s mouth hung open, unable to utter a single word. She averted her gaze, not daring to look at Yao Yuzhen again.

By the time Zhang Dongxue looked up, Yao Yuzhen had already crossed the courtyard and entered the house.

Inside, Yang Wanqing was sitting on the edge of the heated platform bed, unraveling a skein of yarn, while Xiao Xiao squatted beside her, helping to wind it into a ball.

Yang Wanqing figured she might as well keep her hands busy, so she was knitting a sweater for Song Yao and the little one in her belly to wear later.

Hearing the commotion outside, she called out casually, "Dongxue, who is it?"

Before the words had left her lips, she looked up and saw Yao Yuzhen. Her expression immediately darkened. "What are you doing back here?"

She placed the yarn on her lap, her face unpleasant.

The memory of her son being so furious he coughed up blood made her chest tighten with distress.

Yao Yuzhen had already prepared what she wanted to say, but being met with such open hostility still made her so angry her voice trembled.

"Do I need to report to you before coming back to my own home?"

"Shen Zhenwu hasn’t signed the papers with me yet, has he?"

She stared into Yang Wanqing’s eyes, her speech slowing as she spoke through gritted teeth.

"You find me to be an eyesore? Then why don’t you have him come and bring up the divorce with me!"

’She still had a sliver of pride.’

’It wasn’t that she was clinging on and refusing to leave; it was Shen Zhenwu who refused to let go.’

Hearing this, Yang Wanqing was so enraged she felt like her lungs would explode. "Divorce! Divorce! Divorce! You think he really hasn’t had that thought?"