Chen Li grew increasingly agitated as she spoke, her voice rising until she finally stood up.
She resembled an angry lion forced to expose her own unsightly scars to others.
Shen Qi realized she might have said something inappropriate.
She had suggested reporting to the police assuming Chen Li hadn’t sought their help before.
Moreover, her suggestion wasn’t due to ignorance about how domestic violence cases were often classified as family disputes during this era.
She had other purposes.
“Li-jie, I don’t fully understand what’s happening between you and your husband, but as an observer, physical violence is definitely wrong. We can’t let your husband continue like this.”
Since things were already exposed, Chen Li simply removed her mask and lit a cigarette in frustration.
“What do you know?”
She was just a young girl who couldn’t possibly understand her suffering.
Shen Qi took her cigarette away: “Li-jie, you said it yourself – no smoking in the shop. We’ve opened for business now, better not smoke.”
Chen Li glared at her but ultimately didn’t take the cigarette back, casually putting her mask back on instead.
Shen Qi wanted to seize the opportunity to learn more from Chen Li, but unfortunately, business was unusually good today.
Customers had been coming steadily since nine o’clock.
With customers around, Shen Qi couldn’t appropriately ask about Chen Li’s personal matters.
They both hastily ate a quick lunch and worked until about five or six in the evening before closing up.
Business hours weren’t as competitive as in later generations, and with Jing Shi’s cold winters, few people came out for haircuts in the evening, so Chen Li typically closed shop around five or six.
“Li-jie, let me treat you to some Shuan Yangrou?”
Chen Li kept her hands in her pockets, her expression cool and detached: “A apprenticeship celebration dinner?”
Shen Qi paused for a moment – did this mean… she had passed the trial period?
“Yes, I hope you’ll honor me with your presence.”
“Fine.”
They went to Tong Guo Shuan Rou Dian and requested a corner table for easier conversation.
Shen Qi boldly ordered three jin of lamb along with some cabbage, radish, and bean curd sheets, covering the entire table with food.
“Li-jie, your husband doesn’t seem to be on the right path.”
With the atmosphere set, Shen Qi got straight to the point.
Perhaps having bottled things up for too long and needing to confide in someone, Chen Li downed a glass of sour plum juice and told her story with Wang Yong.
It was a cliché past.
Chen Li was a Zhi Qing who returned to the city after rural assignment, while Wang Yong wasn’t – he had taken over a family job to remain in the city.
They were introduced to each other. At that time, Wang Yong was a factory worker with housing and stable employment – quite a good marriage prospect.
In contrast, Chen Li was a returned Zhi Qing with no place to live at home, no job, no money – only her looks were presentable.
They married as a matter of course.
Initially, they lived modestly but relatively happily.
Through neighborhood committee referrals, Chen Li learned hairdressing. After the reforms, she started with street-side outdoor haircuts.
As her skills improved, she borrowed money to open a shop.
With excellent technique and fair pricing, the shop’s business gradually picked up.
Meanwhile, Wang Yong’s factory closed down, leaving him jobless.
Losing his job alone wouldn’t have been so bad, but Wang Yong developed a gambling addiction that completely changed him.
First, he gambled away the family’s meager savings, then demanded money from Chen Li. When she refused, he beat her.
He didn’t just beat Chen Li – he also beat their child.
Father Wang and Mother Wang couldn’t control their son, so they could only protect their grandson.
They took Wang Tao away to live with them, leaving Chen Li and Wang Yong to live separately – effectively abandoning Wang Yong to torment Chen Li alone.
Shen Qi thought, so when Chen Li killed her husband, could it be that Wang Yong had once failed to get money and resorted to violence, and Chen Li fought back in self-defense, accidentally causing his death?
Shen Qi felt she had uncovered the truth.
Then, she felt that Chen Li wasn’t worth it at all.
For a scumbag, she had thrown away her entire life.
She asked Chen Li a soul-piercing question: “Sister Li, do you still have feelings for Wang Yong?”
Chen Li froze, taking a long time before squeezing out an “I don’t know.”
Shen Qi sighed. Well, that meant she still had feelings.
Chen Li explained, “As long as he doesn’t gamble, he’s actually quite good. In the past… he wasn’t a bad person. He treated me and the child well.”
“Unfortunately, the chances of a gambling addict turning over a new leaf are very, very slim. Sister, have you never thought about divorce?”
Chen Li’s expression grew even more pained. “I’ve thought about it, but Wang Yong doesn’t agree. And even if we divorced, I wouldn’t get custody of the child.”
To Shen Qi, a thankless son like Wang Tao wasn’t worth keeping anyway.
But Chen Li still held out hope for Wang Yong, let alone giving up custody outright.
Shen Qi shook her head inwardly.
Helping Chen Li would be difficult.
Yet, watching Chen Li go to prison was something Shen Qi couldn’t bear.
Was there a way to achieve the best of both worlds?
This was something that required careful consideration.
Shen Qi was still thinking about Chen Li’s situation on her way back and didn’t pay much attention when someone called her name.
It wasn’t until someone blocked her path that she noticed.
A man grabbed her shoulders. “Shen Qi, stop pretending you didn’t hear me!”
Shen Qi looked confused, but when she saw who it was, her face instantly turned cold.
“A good dog doesn’t block the path. Move aside!”
“Shen Qi, have you forgotten how to speak properly?”
“I speak properly to people, not to dogs.”
“You!”
Fang Yi was left speechless. He raised his hand and pointed into the distance. “If you’re angry, take it out on me. Taking it out on an innocent person is going too far!”
Shen Qi followed his finger and, unsurprisingly, met Shen Baozhu’s timid and pitiful gaze.
Oh…
So she went crying to her childhood sweetheart?
She must have been holding it in for a few days.
Last time, when I slapped her, she didn’t complain. It wasn’t until yesterday, when her stalking failed, that she went running to Fang Yi.
Did she think I still cared about Fang Yi like before, so she sent him here to scold me, hoping to make me suffer too?
“Fine.” Shen Qi nodded and raised her hand to strike Fang Yi’s face.
Fang Yi blocked her hand. “Are you insane?!”
“Who’s the insane one here?” Shen Qi switched to her other hand. “Didn’t you say to take it out on you? I’m furious right now!”
Fang Yi grabbed both her hands. “Shen Qi!”
Ignoring him, Shen Qi jumped up and kicked his leg.
Fang Yi had no choice but to clamp down on her leg. With both her hands and feet restrained, Shen Qi resorted to biting.
With thick winter clothes making it hard to find a spot, she aimed for his neck.
Shen Baozhu was stunned.
What were they doing?
Weren’t they just talking? How did it escalate to a fight?
And if they were fighting, why were they about to kiss?!
Fang Yi saw through Shen Qi’s tactic immediately. He twisted her around and pinned her down with a restraining hold.
“Fang Yi, you’re something else!”
Shen Qi was no match for Fang Yi, whether in strength or skill.
Though her body was immobilized, her mouth could still attack.
“If you have the guts, break my hands! Otherwise, every bit of suffering I endure here, I’ll pay back by slapping Shen Baozhu’s face!”
“Shen Qi, don’t push me!”
Fang Yi was furious. He applied more pressure, and Shen Qi broke out in a cold sweat from the pain.
She gritted her teeth, refusing to make a single sound.
Shen Baozhu approached hesitantly, her voice soft and pleading: “Yi Ge, why don’t you let go first? Shen Qi is still a girl after all, this must be very uncomfortable for her…”
“She deserves it!” Fang Yi snorted coldly. “She only dares to lay hands on you because she knows you’re soft-hearted. If she doesn’t learn her lesson thoroughly, she’ll never change!”
Shen Baozhu looked at Shen Qi and noticed the veins on her forehead bulging from the pain, feeling a surge of satisfaction inside.
But she still advised verbally: “Shen Qi, why don’t you just apologize to Yi Ge?”