Zhou Hui and Gu Jianguo never expected that their once docile daughter-in-law would become so unhinged.
Gu Hong’s career was on the rise, and Gu Jianguo cared most about face—family scandals must not be aired in public. They had no choice, so now it was their turn to swallow their anger and endure Shu Juan.
Even Gu Qianqian, who used to act arrogantly and domineeringly toward Shu Juan, had become much more restrained after being taught a lesson by her. He was even somewhat afraid of her now.
Gu Hong drafted the divorce agreement and handed it to Shu Juan for review. “If there’s no problem, just sign it,” he said.
Shu Juan glanced at it and laughed. “How could there be no problem? There are plenty of problems. You didn’t give me the house or the car, just a few tens of thousands in compensation, and you think you can kick me out just like that?”
Gu Hong furrowed his brow. “Don’t even think about the house. It’s under Mom’s name. If we divorce and you want Mom to give you the house under her name, you wouldn’t have a leg to stand on anywhere.”
Shu Juan tore up the divorce agreement on the spot and said calmly, “Then let’s not divorce. When I bought this house back then, you said that no matter whose name it was under, we’d be a family together forever.”
Gu Hong snapped angrily, “Shu Juan! Don’t push your luck!”
After that, Gu Hong simply stopped coming home every few days.
At dinner, Zhou Hui muttered to Gu Qianqian, “Your dad isn’t coming home for dinner again tonight. It’s all your mother’s fault—she’s driven your dad to the point where he can’t even come home.” Her tone was sharp and mean.
Gu Qianqian was furious and bit his cheek, saying, “That evil woman is so horrible!”
The moment he finished speaking, the sound of a door opening suddenly rang out. Gu Qianqian knew it was Shu Juan coming out, and he immediately shrank his neck and fell silent.
Shu Juan walked over and sat down at the dining table, took out her phone, dialed Gu Hong’s number, and put it on speaker.
After Gu Hong answered, Shu Juan spoke in a gentle, soft voice, “Aren’t you coming home for dinner tonight? Qianqian misses you, and Mom made a lot of your favorite dishes.”
Gu Hong’s impatient, icy voice came through the phone: “I’ll come back when you sign the divorce agreement! Don’t call me if there’s nothing important!”
With that, he hung up.
Shu Juan looked at Gu Qianqian and said, “Did you hear that? It’s your dad who won’t even come back for you or your grandparents, all because he wants to divorce me.”
Gu Qianqian’s eyes reddened slightly, and Zhou Hui immediately snapped, “Shu Juan, what nonsense are you spouting!”
Shu Juan continued speaking to Gu Qianqian, “Kids are easy to fool, so your grandma likes fooling you the most.”
Gu Hong was utterly disgusted with Shu Juan, but at the end of the month, he still came to her on his own initiative, demanding outright, “Why haven’t you given Mom next month’s living expenses yet?”
Shu Juan could smell the woman’s perfume on him from two meters away.
He no longer had to bother hiding it now.
In the past, Shu Juan had often caught that scent too, but he always said it was from business dinners, and she never suspected a thing. Now he was so blatant about it—they must have been carrying on for a long time, and she was the only one kept in the dark.
For all these years, she had believed he was a man with ambition. Though he couldn’t take care of the family, he would always surprise her with this or that from time to time. Back then, she thought this man truly loved her.
Now she understood—it was because he had played enough outside that he thought to come back and toss her a bone.
Just thinking about it made her sick.
In the past, Shu Juan had always covered the household expenses, giving Zhou Hui eight thousand yuan a month. Besides covering the family’s daily needs, there was always a little extra left over for discretionary spending.
Back then, she couldn’t bear to let her family suffer even the slightest hardship. She would rather cut back on herself, always generous with her family.
But now, with next month’s living expenses not coming through, Zhou Hui had urged Gu Hong several times to ask Shu Juan for the money, which was the only reason Gu Hong had to come back and bring it up with her.
Shu Juan said, “I didn’t give it, so you give it. Isn’t it the same whether you give it or I do?”
Gu Hong was momentarily speechless, then said irritably, “Wasn’t it always you who handled the household expenses? I’m so busy with work, when would I have time to deal with these things!”
Shu Juan said, “You work hard for this family, right? Your salary goes toward networking for work, and you’ve been doing that for years. Now that you’ve finally gotten your promotion and raise, what’s a little living expense compared to that?”
Gu Hong gritted his molars and said, “You know perfectly well that after covering my living expenses, there’s hardly anything left from my salary.”
Shu Juan said, “Then you should contribute something to this family. You can’t just coast along for all these years and keep being a useless burden forever.”