Pei Jingyi had a strong learning ability, so after watching Wen Huan drive the electric scooter once at noon, he was already able to operate it normally.
But Pei Chen stared at his father for a while, until his mother smiled and waved at him from the back seat. Only then did he clench his little fists and squat down on the electric scooter in humiliation.
Thus, the family of three returned to the rental house in such a “harmonious and joyful” state.
However, seeing this scene, the neighborhood gossips standing downstairs were quite surprised.
“Xiao Wen, why did you and your husband pick up your son together today?”
“Weren’t you making a fuss before about not wanting your husband or your son?”
“What, you’re not getting a divorce anymore?”
Wen Huan got off the electric scooter with a calm expression and looked at the group of old ladies. Without even needing to analyze carefully, she could sense the strong provocative undertones beneath their seemingly concerned questions.
It was as if they were hinting to Pei Jingyi and Pei Chen: How can you tolerate such a wild wife? Why are you still following such a bad mother?
But in reality, the more people like to gossip about others, the more troubles they have in their own families.
Wen Huan had only just moved in, but she already knew a lot.
“Aunt Wang, your son has been at home for eight years after graduation and still doesn’t want to find a job?”
“Third Sister, your husband goes out to dance in the square with other old ladies, and you’re not going to catch him?”
“Wang Ma, I’m most worried about you. Your daughter-in-law has hated you for three years and won’t let you see your grandson. What are you going to do this New Year?”
Wen Huan looked at each of them as she called them out by name, her pretty little face filled with worry and sympathy: “Everyone has their own pile of troubles. Instead of focusing on yourselves, you come to meddle in my affairs. It really makes me feel too embarrassed.”
“…”
The neighborhood gossips were speechless, their faces stiff, as if the awkwardness was about to fall off their faces.
“Let’s go.”
But Wen Huan was happy now, so she pulled Pei Jingyi and her son upstairs and back into the rental house.
However, along the way, Pei Jingyi kept staring intently at Wen Huan.
Wen Huan turned around and saw him, raising her little face confidently as she said, “Husband, don’t blame me for being talkative. You’re new to being poor and inexperienced. Living in this messy place, just using your gaze and attitude to drive them away isn’t enough. For gossips like them, you have to fight back fiercely like I did. That way, they won’t dare to come and talk nonsense next time.”
Although Wen Huan was beautiful, when she lived in the village with her parents, she was a skilled arguer.
It was only after marrying Pei Jingyi and entering high society, worried about being seen as vulgar, that Wen Huan suppressed herself fiercely.
“I’m not blaming you. I think it’s good.”
But the next moment, Pei Jingyi’s deep voice suddenly rang out.
Wen Huan was stunned, thinking she had misheard: “What did you say was good?”
Pei Jingyi turned on the light in the rental house, looked into her eyes, and said seriously, “Seeing you speak your mind let me know that you’re not just submissive in front of people who bully you. I think that’s good.”
Pei Jingyi felt that, just now, he seemed to have seen another side of Wen Huan.
Hearing this, Wen Huan was slightly stunned, her heart trembling lightly. For the first time, she didn’t know how to look at Pei Jingyi.
Fortunately, at that moment, her phone suddenly rang.
Wen Huan, as if granted amnesty, quickly took out her phone. But after seeing who was calling, she said goodbye to Pei Jingyi and ran out of the rental house.
At the same time, behind the rental building, a Maserati was quietly parked.
In the driver’s seat, a woman wearing a pink Chanel suit, her straight long hair tied into a side ponytail, with an ordinary appearance yet a pure and clean aura, was holding a stack of money.
Meanwhile, the aunts and busybodies who had previously been sarcastic and harsh toward Wen Huan were now gathered around the woman’s car window, all wearing smiles.
The woman handed out one thousand yuan to each of them, distributing the money one by one.
“Thank you all for your hard work. You’ve been speaking up for me these past few days. This is just a little something for you to buy water to soothe your throats.”
The woman spoke kindly and calmly. Although she never stepped out of the car, the aunts and older women were delighted, all for the sake of the money.
“You’re too kind! All you asked us to do was say a few words. But it seems Wen Huan isn’t planning to divorce Pei Jingyi anymore. Will this affect you?”
“No, Wen Huan will eventually divorce Pei Jingyi.”
The woman spoke with confidence, a look of determination flashing across her delicate face.
Because she had been reborn, she was absolutely certain that Wen Huan, a woman obsessed with vanity, wouldn’t last long in a life of poverty. And she herself was the destined woman who would save Pei Jingyi in his most desperate and humiliating moments.
…
“I have never seen someone so shameless!”
Wen Huan had come from her rented apartment to the milk tea shop on the neighboring street. As soon as she went upstairs, she was pulled aside by Yu Mixue, who was teary-eyed, complaining, “Huanhuan, Pei Jingyi is really going too far. He clearly wants to ruin you!”
Wen Huan listened expressionlessly.
Because Yu Mixue had always acted this way in front of her in the past.
Earlier that day, Yu Mixue had suffered a setback in front of Pei Jingyi, and immediately afterward, she contacted Wen Huan to twist the situation and stir up trouble. Truly worthy of being the number one “frenemy” in this book.
The Wen Huan of the past might have shared Yu Mixue’s indignation, but the current Wen Huan had come for another purpose.
However, she didn’t want to reveal her intentions right away, so she slipped into character in an instant. Wen Huan immediately grasped Yu Mixue’s hand and said angrily, “Mixue, you really suffered today trying to help me. But Pei Jingyi is so fierce and unreasonable now. He says if I don’t agree to one condition, he won’t divorce me!”
Hearing this, Yu Mixue immediately stopped crying. “Huanhuan, what does Pei Jingyi want you to agree to?”
Because earlier that morning, seeing Pei Jingyi’s cold and resolute demeanor, Yu Mixue had thought divorce was completely out of the question. But now that Wen Huan had opened a crack, she needed to seize the opportunity quickly.
After all, getting Wen Huan and Pei Jingyi to separate as soon as possible and making way for her was the outcome Yu Mixue wanted most.
Hearing this, Wen Huan sighed with difficulty and said haltingly, “Pei Jingyi said that for the divorce to go smoothly, I have to give him money.”
Yu Mixue was stunned. “He’s asking you for financial compensation? Is he really that greedy?”
“Of course, he wasn’t like that before. But you know he’s bankrupt and dirt poor now, right? When men are struggling, they often do crazy things.”
Wen Huan wiped her reddened eyes and said pitifully, “He originally had a second-hand Wuling Hongguang, but today he sold that car too and bought an electric scooter, saying it’s more economical… So he said if I don’t give him money, he’ll drag it out forever and never divorce me!”
Yu Mixue grew anxious. “That won’t do! You two must get divorced!”
She quickly tightened her grip on Wen Huan’s hand and said without hesitation, “I still have a few thousand yuan here. Take it and give it to Pei Jingyi.”
Because these few thousand yuan were all the remaining balance on Yu Mixue’s card.
After all, she was just an ordinary office worker, living paycheck to paycheck. Over the past few years, her ability to wear designer clothes and carry luxury bags was entirely due to Wen Huan’s charity.
But this was exactly Wen Huan’s intention.
With tear-filled eyes, Wen Huan looked at Yu Mixue: “Mixue, Pei Jingyi would definitely look down on just a few thousand yuan. Back when I was the young mistress of the Pei family, didn’t I give you many gifts? This time, I want to sell all those gifts to raise money and buy my freedom.”
“Mixue, you’re my best friend. Surely you wouldn’t want me to be ruined just because I can’t get a divorce, would you?”
Wen Huan threw Yu Mixue’s own words, which she always repeated, right back at her.
Fighting fire with fire.
As expected, Yu Mixue’s face turned ashen. Unable to speak, she felt a bitter, metallic taste rise in her throat.
…
Inside the rented apartment, the night outside the window grew darker.
Pei Jingyi and Pei Chen sat together at the table. Dinner was already prepared, but neither father nor son had touched it, nor had they exchanged a word.
As time dragged on, Pei Jingyi stared intently at the wall clock, his brow furrowed and his heart growing increasingly restless.
But just then, a light, cheerful set of footsteps sounded. Wen Huan entered, laden with bags large and small, her face beaming with a bright smile.
“Husband, Chenchen, I’m back from the hunt!”