Chapter 199: Demanding a Divorce

Chapter 199: Chapter 199: Demanding a Divorce

Her temples throbbed, and her lips turned blue with rage.

She closed her eyes for a moment. When she opened them again, the corner of her eye twitched twice.

——

Song Yao went back to her home and first stuffed the meat and vegetables into the refrigerator.

She washed the apples and grapes until they were sparkling clean and piled them in a fruit bowl.

Then she flopped onto the sofa, turned on the TV, and roared with laughter.

He Wei climbed the stairs, her face dark.

As soon as she reached the second-floor landing, that cackling laughter drilled straight into her ears.

She immediately rolled her eyes again.

"What a disgrace!"

Song Yao didn’t hear a thing; she was busy crossing her legs and munching on an apple.

Furious, He Wei silently cursed her.

’Just you wait,’ she thought. ’The day will come when you’re crying your eyes out!’

But what happened in the end?

Song Yao didn’t shed a single tear. That evening, she and Li Hanchen were gathered around their small table, eating until their mouths shone with grease.

She picked up a piece of marbled meat, blew on it twice, and held it to Li Hanchen’s lips.

He lowered his head and took a bite. Neither of them spoke, the only sound being the soft clink of chopsticks against the rims of their bowls.

But the very next morning.

When Li Hanchen opened his door, he nearly tripped over a pile of things right outside.

He lifted his foot to step around it, the tip of his shoe kicking something soft.

Looking down, he saw a few bags of wilted vegetable leaves, a broken plastic basket...

All of it was piled up right in front of his home.

He frowned, glanced at the mess, and instinctively looked across the landing.

Just then, Yang Lei also pushed his door open.

His eyes landed on the filthy pile, his eyelid twitched, and he immediately called out.

"Heading out, Director Li?"

Li Hanchen grabbed a bamboo broom that was leaning against the doorframe and started sweeping with a grunt.

"After you, Mr. Yang. Some goddamn scumbag dumped their trash on my doorstep."

Yang Lei had just lifted his foot to leave. Hearing this, he froze in place, his eyes wide.

’This guy is usually as cold as ice, his words frosted over.’

’How could he suddenly be spouting such vulgarities?’

Just then, Tan Peng, director of the second troupe, ambled over and immediately piped up.

"What? What scumbag?"

"Who’s a scumbag?"

He even turned to ask Yang Lei.

Yang Lei had heard everything perfectly clearly.

But his face flushed crimson and his neck tensed up. Without a word, he spun around and clattered down the stairs.

Tan Peng was baffled. He turned to ask Li Hanchen.

"What’s with him?"

Li Hanchen swept the last rotten leaf into the dustpan and shook his head.

"Not sure. All I know is a pile of trash appeared out of nowhere this morning. I figure some asshole who was born blind must’ve done it."

Tan Peng glanced down at the neatly placed broom, then at Yang Lei’s retreating back as he fled in panic...

He opened his mouth, but couldn’t force out a single word, and silently closed it again.

It wasn’t until Li Hanchen walked over to him and asked again.

"Coming?"

That he snapped back to his senses and stammered.

"Huh? Right! Let’s go, let’s go!"

That evening, the moment Yang Lei stepped through the door, all hell broke loose.

He Wei pointed a finger in his face and roared.

"Are you my husband, or someone else’s damn dog?"

"Your loyalty is so far on their side it’s about to take flight! Marrying you must be my punishment for desecrating eight graves in a past life!"

SLAP!

Yang Lei’s hand flew up, and he struck her across the face.

That did it. The powder keg had been lit.

He Wei grabbed whatever was at hand and started smashing things, screaming until her voice was raw.

"Divorce! I want a divorce, right now! I can’t live like this anymore!"

The two kids, terrified, started wailing at the top of their lungs, crying until they were out of breath.

Hearing the commotion, the couple next door, Tan Peng and his wife, quickly pushed aside their door curtain and came over.

As soon as Tan Peng entered, he hurried to the children, crouching down to gently pat the older one’s back.

Liu Na, meanwhile, strode over to He Wei’s side. Her gaze swept around the room before quickly settling back on He Wei’s face.

Liu Na grabbed He Wei’s arm and asked repeatedly.

"Oh my, what happened?"

"Did Yang Lei provoke you again?"

As she spoke, she glanced towards the door, as if to check if Yang Lei was nearby.

"You should calm down first. You know him, he grew up in the army. He’s clumsy with words and not good with people, so you have to be a little more patient with him."

Liu Na slowed her speech, her voice carrying both consolation and a trace of imperceptible weariness.

In reality, the two of them knew perfectly well what the fight was about.

They had long since figured out the whole story and had gone over it in their minds several times.

That morning, as soon as Tan Peng got home, he’d told Liu Na everything that had happened.

He had spoken with a frown, his tone level.

Liu Na had pursed her lips at the time.

"That He Wei is just ridiculous. How different can our three families’ living conditions be? It’s not like it’s the emperor’s throne room versus a thatched hut!"

She pulled up the hem of her apron and wiped her hands on it.

"Why is she so obsessed with getting the number one unit? What’s the point?"

"She must have water on the brain."

After saying that, she shook her head and turned to the stove to pour herself a glass of cooled boiled water.

Her words had barely faded when all hell broke loose next door.

Liu Na turned her head and sighed.

"Well, look at that. Speak of the devil."

Tan Peng just shook his head.

"It’s about time Yang Lei stood up to her. If he keeps spoiling her, her ego will be soaring."

Li Hanchen and Song Yao could also hear everything clearly from their home.

Song Yao pattered over with a small stool, plopped down by the crack in the door, and directed Li Hanchen while swinging her feet.

"Quick, bring me that box of lychees! They were expensive, you know! Perfect cure for a bad mood!"

She peeled the fruit while eavesdropping, the corners of her mouth curled high in a smirk.

If she weren’t so weak right now, she would have long since rushed over to add a few witty, fuel-to-the-fire remarks.

’That He Wei... her skin is thicker than a city wall brick.’

’She starts trouble every single time, thinking everyone else is a pushover, huh?’

’The moment she opens her mouth, everyone else is supposed to bow their heads and back down, as if she were born to stand above them.’

’Sigh... Too bad for her. It seems we’re like a piece of tofu that simply refuses to be squished.’

Inside, He Wei heard Liu Na’s words and cried even harder, slapping her thigh and shouting.

"A divorce! If we don’t get a divorce today, I’ll change my surname!"

Her palm made a dull thud against her thigh, and her knee bounced and trembled.

"What do I get out of this? To be yelled at? To be humiliated?"

She tilted her face up, her eyes bloodshot and the veins on her temples throbbing faintly.

"He just stands there like a block of wood all day, never saying a word, never taking a stand! I try to arrange things for this family, and suddenly *I’m* the one who’s committed a crime?"

Yang Lei pointed at her, about to roar.

But seeing Tan Peng and his wife were there, he swallowed his words and just growled.

"Just shut up!"

His words were like a needle that popped He Wei’s balloon of rage.

"What little vixen has you under her spell?"

"What—what nonsense are you spouting!"

Yang Lei raised his hand to strike her again, his wrist barely lifted.

Tan Peng, with quick eyes and quick hands, lunged forward, grabbing his left shoulder with one hand and wrapping the other tightly around his waist.

"Alright, that’s enough! Just say one less thing!"

Tan Peng urged.

Yang Lei glared back at the door panel, his chest heaving, his Adam’s apple bobbing.

"Is that something a human being would even say?"

Tan Peng could only pat him on the back.

"She’s just angry. Let it go."

Yang Lei squatted down on the floor, plunged both hands into his hair, and raked his scalp with his nails, muttering under his breath.

"She’s going to be the death of me."

After a pause, he looked up and patted Tan Peng’s shoulder.

"Help me think of something. Maybe call her family to come talk some sense into her."

Inside, Liu Na still had a firm grip on He Wei’s wrist.

"Don’t blame Mr. Yang. He’s not a bad person, really. But what you said... anyone would have flipped out."

Wiping her tears, He Wei started pouring out her grievances.

"Is this my fault? Open your eyes and look!"

Her finger jabbed toward their own dilapidated wooden door.

"A family of five, squeezed into this palm-sized place. Aren’t we just like sardines in a can?"