Shen Jiaojiao returned to the Xi Family with Xiao Yueyue. For other children, this kind of scene might not be suitable, but Xiao Yueyue was different. She needed to see with her own eyes that the Xi Family was nothing special, that there was nothing to be afraid of, in order to dispel the resentment in her heart.
The Xi Family was now packed with people. Almost all the elders and relatives had gathered, summoned by Zhang Jingui to bolster their side. Shen Jiaojiao’s parents had also been called over.
Seeing the house filled to the brim with people, Shen Jiaojiao wasn’t surprised. Without waiting for anyone to offer her a seat, she found a stool for herself and pulled one over for Xiao Yueyue as well.
“It’s good that there are so many people. Hand over the money, and I’ll hand over the goods. Let’s get this over with quickly!” Shen Jiaojiao said coldly.
“Xiao Shen, a day as husband and wife means a hundred days of affection. You’ve been together for eight years, and the foundation of your relationship is still strong. You shouldn’t divorce in a fit of anger. Why don’t you stay outside for a few days to cool off? We’ll also discipline Zihua. How can a man hit and scold his wife and child? It’s outrageous! He’ll definitely change in the future!”
“That’s right. Let Zihua write a pledge, and we elders will supervise and educate him. It’s better not to divorce. After all, Xiao Shen, you don’t have a job. How will you survive if you leave? Isn’t that right, in-laws?”
Several so-called elders spoke one after another, each sentence seemingly for Shen Jiaojiao’s benefit but actually veiled threats, looking down on her and assuming she couldn’t survive without the Xi Family.
“Jiaojiao, don’t act on impulse. You’re not young anymore. Who will marry you if you divorce? Just make peace with Zihua,” Shen’s mother reproached unhappily. A married daughter is like spilled water—if her daughter divorced and insisted on staying with her parents, what would they do?
There was no extra room or food at home. Since she had married Xi Zihua, she should just settle down and live with him!
Shen’s father scowled and scolded, “What divorce? You’ve already had a child. Aren’t you afraid of being laughed at if you divorce? If you dare to divorce, I’ll break your legs!”
The Xi Family members smiled smugly. They knew the Shen family wouldn’t support a divorce. Shen Jiaojiao was isolated and powerless, absolutely too afraid to cause any more trouble.
Shen Jiaojiao wasn’t angry. Instead, she addressed the Xi Family elders, “Didn’t Zhang Jingui tell you? Yueyue isn’t a child of the Xi Family. I was already pregnant when I married into the family. Besides, Xi Zihua and I never registered our marriage or held a wedding ceremony. By both custom and law, we’re not even husband and wife. At most, I’ve been a servant in the Xi Family for eight years. The 48,000 yuan I’m asking for is just my wages—it’s not even that much.”
The faces of the Xi Family elders changed drastically. They hadn’t known about this. Xiao Yueyue wasn’t a child of the Xi Family?
“What nonsense are you spouting? Yueyue is Zihua’s child. Her godfather’s surname is Xiao. A fortune-teller said she had to take her godfather’s surname to grow up healthy,” Zhang Jingui retorted sharply.
The whole family had discussed it. The fact that their son was a Heavenly Eunuch must never be known to outsiders, and the scandal with Wang Jianjun had to be kept secret as well. That’s why they had invited the Shen family—to thoroughly crush Shen Jiaojiao’s spirit.
Shen Jiaojiao sneered, “Your Xi Family not only enjoys putting a cuckold’s hat on your son but also loves making him a father to someone else’s child. Yueyue’s father is Xiao Ke. Dad, Mom, you should still remember him, right?”
Shen’s father and mother’s faces turned pale. Of course, they remembered.Eight years ago, when their daughter was passionately involved with that deadbeat Xiao Ke and insisted on marrying him, they naturally objected. Xiao Ke was penniless and couldn’t even come up with a thousand yuan. They had raised their daughter for eighteen years—she needed at least three thousand yuan in bride price to marry.
But they never expected their daughter to end up pregnant with Xiao Ke’s child.
Shen’s father and mother looked suspiciously at Xi Zihua. Whether this child was his own, the son-in-law would know best—so why was he still willing to spend three thousand yuan to marry their daughter?
He didn’t seem like a lovesick fool either. After bringing her home, he either beat or scolded their daughter. Was Xi Zihua out of his mind?
Shen Jiaojiao raised her voice, “Xi Zihua knew eight years ago that I was pregnant. He just wanted to be an instant father to avoid being called infertile. For these eight years, I’ve worked tirelessly in the Xi Family, keeping to myself and behaving properly. Yet your Xi Family has bullied and mistreated us mother and daughter, never treating us as human beings. Hmph, there’s no need to continue this life anymore. Let’s part on good terms, or don’t blame me for taking drastic measures!”
She pulled a stack of photos from her bag and flung them at the faces of the Xi Family elders.
The photos fluttered lightly in the air. Several elders picked them up and, seeing the disgraceful scenes, instinctively turned their faces away. But then they felt the people in the photos looked strangely familiar, so they endured their shame and looked again—finally recognizing Xi Zihua.
“The other one is Wang Jianjun from No. 2 Middle School. He and Xi Zihua have had an eight-year relationship. For these eight years, they’ve been inseparable, like lovebirds flying side by side. What a shame they couldn’t give your Xi Family a grandson—such a pity!”
Shen Jiaojiao’s mocking voice seemed laced with ice, sending chills down the spines of everyone in the Xi Family. If these photos were to spread, what face would the Xi Family have left to show in Yangcheng?
“Uncle Xi, isn’t your Xi Shuhua’s partner from the Public Security Bureau? People in the Public Security Bureau are the most upright. If they were to see these photos… Oh dear, I hear there’s a recent crackdown going on.”
Shen Jiaojiao looked mockingly at Uncle Xi, the most ‘respected’ elder of the Xi Family, because Uncle Xi was the most successful among them. His three sons all worked in public units, his youngest daughter Xi Shuhua was a primary school teacher, and she was dating a Public Second Generation boyfriend—they were already discussing marriage.
This tall, rich, and handsome second-generation boyfriend was the pride of the entire Xi Family because he had an uncle in the provincial government with a fairly high rank. If Xi Shuhua married him, the Xi Family could also connect with the provincial level. In the future, everyone in the Xi Family would surely have boundless prospects and a bright future.
Uncle Xi’s face changed dramatically. His usually smiling expression instantly darkened as he glared venomously at Shen Jiaojiao.
Shen Jiaojiao wasn’t afraid of him. She said slowly and deliberately, “Eldest brother is about to be promoted to full division chief, right? At this critical moment, he absolutely mustn’t slip up. Eldest brother has been stuck at deputy division chief for seven or eight years.”
Uncle Xi’s face turned even uglier. Gnashing his teeth, he asked, “Jiaojiao, we’re all family. Why must you go to such extremes?”
“Yes, if Shuhua marries well, she can help your Zihua in the future, and you can also live a good life,” others chimed in to persuade her.
They were still counting on Xi Shuhua’s marriage to help promote their own children.
Shen Jiaojiao sneered, “You Xi Family go live your good life. I won’t join in the fun. As long as you hand over the money willingly, I’ll have nothing more to do with your Xi Family.”
She paused, her voice turning sinister as she threatened, “If you don’t hand over the money willingly, then don’t blame me for taking drastic measures. We’ll all perish together—no one will get off easy!””Anyway, both Yueyue and I are tired of living. The two lives of us mother and daughter, in exchange for the lives of your entire Xi Family—it’s a very good deal!”
Shen Jiaojiao spoke each word deliberately, then suddenly smiled. It was like opening the door to a cellar that hadn’t been opened for years—a chilling gust swept through the room, the temperature plummeted, and everyone shivered in unison, a cold dread rising in their hearts.
This Shen Jiaojiao had truly changed. Just now, they had actually felt that this woman wasn’t lying—she really would do it.
They all had families to support, with elders above and children below, their lives getting better and better. There was no need to go head-to-head with a madwoman like Shen Jiaojiao.