Chapter 152: There’s Someone in My Heart

Chapter 152: Chapter 152: There’s Someone in My Heart

While Yao Yuzhen was wallowing in self-pity, the skies over the Shen household had long since cleared.

Regardless of their true feelings, everyone appeared relaxed and carefree on the surface.

Until a phone call came for Shen Rongjing. It was from the credit union.

"Mr. Shen, Miss Yao has come by three times in the past few days, insisting on withdrawing ten thousand in cash. The teller refused to process the transaction, and she immediately started a scene. She slammed her hand on the counter and accused us of deliberately making things difficult for her."

"Ten thousand? What for?"

"She didn’t say. We reminded her that such a large withdrawal requires a family member to be present."

"She immediately called her daughter over, but when we asked the girl for proof of their relationship, her mother blew up and started arguing with everyone."

"Alright, I understand. Thank you."

As soon as he hung up, Shen Rongjing immediately dialed another number.

"Hello, it’s me. How’s the investigation going?"

"I’m on my way to Beijing now. The matter with the Song Family has been completely resolved."

"They’ve all been arrested. But the sentencing will depend on your mother’s testimony in Beijing to set the direction of the case."

Holding the phone, Shen Rongjing’s expression turned grave. "Get back here at once!"

After hanging up, Shen Rongjing’s heart sank.

So it was true. Yao Yuzhen had been the one to cause her sister to get lost all those years ago.

He had been prepared for this, but the reality of it still left a bad taste in his mouth.

He was never one to show his emotions, but the thought of his own mother being capable of such a thing left a knot in his chest.

The moment the truth was revealed felt even worse than the constant guessing.

After all, no matter how much you speculate, the reality of it is still hard to accept when it finally confronts you.

He didn’t even know how to bring it up with Shen Zhenwu.

Having failed to withdraw the money for several days, Yao Yuzhen was secretly wondering, ’Did Shen Zhenwu do something behind my back?’

Ruan Yongxing, however, had long sensed something was wrong and asked directly, "Yu Zhen, how much do you have left right now?"

She shook her head.

"Just two hundred and thirty. Barely enough to buy some groceries."

’What could two hundred and thirty possibly be good for?’

"Have her transfer five hundred to you first."

Yao Yuzhen had just opened her mouth when Ruan Yongxing leaned in close, lowering his voice.

"He must have found out we’re planning to run. This is his doing, a deliberate attempt to trap you here."

"Get five hundred to tide us over, and we’ll figure out our next move slowly."

"If all else fails... just divorce him. Didn’t he promise you half the family’s assets in a divorce?"

"That’s the plan, then. Take half!"

He smiled through gritted teeth. "That’ll be enough for the two of us to get settled. We can earn the rest slowly."

’Half... that would be enough for him to get away and settle down abroad.’

’If his old debts were dug up, that incident from back then... he’d be looking at more than a decade in prison.’

Ruan Yongxing just wanted to grab some quick cash and run, but the more Yao Yuzhen thought about it, the more aggrieved she felt, a tightness building in her chest.

"Why should I just let them have their way?"

He sighed, his voice soft. "We can’t win against someone so much more powerful."

Her expression darkened as she slammed her teacup onto the coffee table. "Then I’ll just drag this out! I’ll drag it on until he breaks!"

Ruan Yongxing didn’t reply, just lowered his head and rubbed his hands. After a long moment, he mumbled.

"I guess... I guess that works. Your kids are grown, after all. You’ve been married for thirty-odd years... there’s bound to be... some affection there, right? Staying married is fine, too. Yes, that’s fine..."

He finished speaking, his shoulders slumped, and walked toward the door with a dejected expression, his steps weak and unsteady.

Yao Yuzhen chased after him in a few steps, waving her hands anxiously.

"Yongxing, you’ve really misunderstood! What feelings could I have for Shen Zhenwu? I get sick just looking at him!"

Her eyes were red-rimmed, her voice trembling.

"I had no choice but to marry him back then. I’ve suffered for nearly thirty years. Does he think he can just cast me aside like this? Absolutely not!"

Ruan Yongxing stopped and turned to face her, letting out a long sigh. "Oh, Yu Zhen... Let’s not get into a pointless struggle with that kind of person."

"We’re not young anymore. Our days are numbered. I can’t stand to watch you suffer at his side."

"Your happiness is what’s most important. Nothing else really matters."

As soon as he said this, Yao Yuzhen felt a sting in her nose as tears welled up and streamed down her cheeks.

Seizing the moment, Ruan Yongxing pressed his advantage, taking a small step forward as his tone grew steadier.

"Why get serious with people like that? Haven’t we been wronged enough over the years? What’s there to fear about a little turbulence like this?"

Yao Yuzhen stared at Ruan Yongxing’s sincere face for a few seconds. Her eyelashes fluttered, and she nodded lightly. "Okay, I trust you."

Shen Shuangshuang, however, was repeatedly twisting the corner of her clothes, her voice trembling. "Go abroad...? We don’t even speak the language. How would we survive?"

Ruan Yongxing glanced up, his eyes cold and sharp.

Shen Shuangshuang immediately lowered her head, her fingers twisting together even more tightly.

Ruan Yongxing spoke again, his tone calm. "Plenty of people go running all over the world. You think every single one of them speaks the local language?"

"And they go anyway, don’t they?"

"You’re this scared and you haven’t even seen the place?"

Shen Shuangshuang muttered under her breath, her lips barely moving, "I don’t care about any of that!"

"I have to go with Mom... I can’t rest easy if she’s alone, I..."

Yao Yuzhen suddenly smacked her forehead as she remembered something important.

"Mom almost forgot! Shuangshuang has someone she likes. She wants to marry Shen Rongdan, so how can she just leave like that? Anyone would find that hard to give up."

Ruan Yongxing had just opened his mouth when Yao Yuzhen had already turned her head to ask, "Shuangshuang, do you really want to marry Rong Dan?"

Shen Shuangshuang let out a sound of assent, nodding vigorously as the tips of her ears instantly turned bright red.

"Let Mom set it up for you."

Yao Yuzhen’s tone was light.

Shen Shuangshuang’s heart was pounding. "Second Brother... will he agree?"

Her voice was weak and very low. She stared at the tips of her toes, not daring to look up at her mother’s face.

"He’s refused before, and now with Shen Songyao adding fuel to the fire, she’d love nothing more than to ruin this."

The moment Shen Shuangshuang mentioned this name, her jaw clenched and her face darkened, wishing she could tear that person to shreds right then and there.

Yao Yuzhen smiled faintly. "Mom has a plan."

"What plan?"

Shen Shuangshuang was so anxious she took a half step forward.

"The Shen Family hates spending money more than anything, right?" Yao Yuzhen said slowly. "In that case, we’ll have them trade a person for it."

She paused, giving her daughter a moment to digest her words.

Then she raised her eyes, her gaze calm and sharp.

"Me, pay twenty thousand for nothing? Not a chance."

"Is... is that going to work?"

Shen Shuangshuang’s eyes darted about uncertainly. She opened her mouth to speak several times but forced the words back down.

Yao Yuzhen raised an eyebrow. "It’s twenty thousand, not two. If they think about it for even a second, how could they possibly say no?"

She leaned back against her chair, her tone confident.

The next day, Yao Yuzhen told Shen Zhenwu her plan.

The moment Shen Zhenwu heard, his face fell and he slammed his hand heavily on the table. "Shuangshuang marrying Rong Dan?"

"Do you... really think this is appropriate?" he asked, staring at Yao Yuzhen in disbelief.

A corner of Yao Yuzhen’s mouth curled up. "Give me your approval, and we split the savings fifty-fifty."

"You don’t? Then it’s all mine. Your choice."

She leaned her body slightly forward, meeting his gaze directly.

’If Shen Zhenwu didn’t also want the money for himself, Yao Yuzhen might have held him in slightly higher regard.’

’But since he wanted the money too, he couldn’t blame her for dropping all pretenses of civility.’

Shen Zhenwu didn’t respond, merely gazing at her in silence.

"Shuangshuang really wants to marry Rong Dan? Marry... the person she’s called ’Brother’ for twenty years?"

’Even if they’ve legally severed their family ties, she’s called him ’Brother’ for over twenty years. For him to suddenly become her husband...’

He closed his eyes for a moment. When he opened them again, chaos and discomfort swirled in their depths.