Huang Meihua sat on the floor, slapping her thighs as she wailed loudly.
In the past, she would never have done something like this!
It was far too humiliating!
Only uncultured shrews from the marketplace behaved this way!
She was Mrs. Xie!
But now… her only son was completely ruined. The Xie family line was finished. What hope did she have left?
The more Huang Meihua cried, the sadder she became, until she completely immersed herself in her misery.
By the time she finally cried herself tired and looked up, she realized the hallway outside the ward was packed with people watching the drama unfold. Everyone was pointing at her and whispering among themselves.
And the topic of discussion was all about Xie Chenggong becoming a eunuch.
Huang Meihua froze in shock again, panic quickly replacing it.
She had wanted to keep this matter hidden, but now… before tomorrow morning, the entire city of Shanghai would probably know!
If her son found out, wouldn’t he be furious to death?
Huang Meihua hurriedly scrambled to her feet and anxiously explained to the crowd, “I was just talking nonsense earlier! None of it is true! My son is perfectly fine…”
The crowd smiled knowingly and nodded.
An explanation was just a cover-up, and a cover-up meant it was true.
They all understood.
Lying in bed, Qiao Zhenzhu watched the scene with great interest.
Even she hadn’t expected that before she said a single word, Huang Meihua would expose all of Xie Chenggong’s secrets herself.
Sure enough, the deepest knife wounds always came from those closest to you.
Huang Meihua was panicking, unsure what to do, when she suddenly noticed Qiao Zhenzhu smiling so brightly. Instantly, she redirected all her anger toward her.
“What are you laughing at? If it weren’t for that jinx Wang Sinian, my son would never have ended up like this! Your family has to give us an explanation!”
Qiao Zhenzhu sighed softly, her tone becoming gentler.
“It takes two hands to clap. Flies don’t land on seamless eggs. If Sinian hadn’t married Xie Chenggong, there wouldn’t have been a wedding. Without the wedding, none of this would’ve happened. Since both sides are at fault, why don’t we each take a step back and let Sinian live properly with Chenggong from now on? What do you think?”
Huang Meihua stared at Qiao Zhenzhu in astonishment.
“You’re actually willing?”
She had rushed over precisely because she was afraid that once Wang Sinian woke up and learned Xie Chenggong had become a eunuch, she would demand a divorce.
With Xie Chenggong in this condition, there was no way to hide the truth.
If Wang Sinian divorced him, he’d never be able to marry again in the future.
Even if her son had lost his manhood, he couldn’t spend the rest of his life alone!
She had assumed Qiao Zhenzhu would insist on a divorce, which was why she’d tried to push all the blame onto the Qiao family.
But now… Qiao Zhenzhu was actually suggesting Wang Sinian stay married and live well with Xie Chenggong?
The more Huang Meihua thought about it, the stranger it seemed. She eyed Qiao Zhenzhu suspiciously, convinced she was up to no good.
Everyone in their social circle knew that since Qiao Zhenzhu carried the Qiao surname, she was the rightful eldest daughter of the Qiao family.
Yet for some reason—whether because she was foolish or simply too willing to endure grievances—she had always treated her half-sister Wang Sinian exceptionally well.
Although Wang Sinian didn’t have the title of Young Miss Qiao, she had genuinely lived a pampered life.
Could someone who treated Wang Sinian so well really bear to watch her become a widow in all but name?
Qiao Zhenzhu saw Huang Meihua’s expression clearly and understood exactly why she was looking at her that way.
“You don’t need to look at me like that,” Qiao Zhenzhu said slowly. “Whether I agree or not, Wang Sinian won’t divorce your son.”
“Why?” Huang Meihua asked urgently.
Wang Sinian certainly liked her son, but surely she wouldn’t willingly live as a lonely wife forever?
Qiao Zhenzhu grinned.
“Because if she leaves your son, she’ll have nowhere else to go.”
Huang Meihua’s eyes widened.
“What do you mean by that?”
“Oh, I forgot to mention it.” Qiao Zhenzhu spoke casually. “I already donated the Qiao family ancestral home. Director Xu went to take possession of it this afternoon.”
“Not just the ancestral home—the entire Qiao family business has been handed over to the state for management as well. All profits now belong to the country.”
“And not only will Wang Sinian have to stay with your family, my father and Aunt Chen will also be joining her as part of the dowry and living in your house too.”
Huang Meihua’s brain nearly stopped functioning.
What?
The Qiao ancestral home had been donated?
The businesses too?
Wang Sinian’s dowry had gone from antique furniture and factory income… to a father with a broken arm and a mother with a broken leg?
“You… you’re not joking with me, are you?”
When Huang Meihua asked that, her eyes were filled with desperate hope.
But Qiao Zhenzhu shattered every last illusion.
“How could I joke about something this important? If you don’t believe me, go ask Director Xu. Or wait until my father and Aunt Chen wake up and ask them. They know about it too.”
“They know too?!” Huang Meihua’s voice shot up so sharply it practically lifted the roof.
“Of course they know,” Qiao Zhenzhu replied matter-of-factly. “How could I make such a huge decision without telling them?”
Even if they only found out afterward, the order didn’t matter!
The important thing was that they knew now!
Huang Meihua’s breathing became more and more ragged, her chest heaving violently.
“Those two old bastards! They actually tricked us into marriage!”
After gritting out those words through clenched teeth, Huang Meihua turned and stormed away.
Judging by her expression, she was probably going to settle accounts with Wang Anquan and Chen Wan.
Qiao Zhenzhu smiled silently.
This was another grand gift she had prepared for them.
Just as she was smiling, Lu Huai strode into the room, concern filling his eyes.
“I just saw someone storm out angrily. Who was that? Are you alright?”
Qiao Zhenzhu rubbed her stomach.
“Don’t worry. The baby’s fine.”
Lu Huai paused, but in the end said nothing.
He hadn’t only been worried about the baby.
Qiao Zhenzhu didn’t notice the expression on his face. Her attention had already landed on the net bag in his hand.
Inside were several stacked aluminum lunch boxes.
Even with the lids closed, she could still smell the delicious aroma of food drifting out.
“I’m hungry. Let’s eat first,” Qiao Zhenzhu said.
After they finished eating, there would still be time to go watch the excitement.
Lu Huai said nothing more. Carrying the net bag over, he set out the lunch boxes one by one.
Qiao Zhenzhu had long since become impatient. Holding her rice bowl and chopsticks, she picked up a huge piece of braised pork and stuffed it into her mouth.
The braised pork was genuinely excellent—savory, tender, and melt-in-your-mouth soft. It dissolved with a gentle press of the tongue, barely requiring any chewing at all.
The last time Qiao Zhenzhu had eaten braised pork this good… had been ten years ago.
At that moment, happiness became something tangible.
She truly loved this place.
Watching Qiao Zhenzhu eat so happily, her face glowing with bliss and her eyes curved into crescents, Lu Huai silently made a note to himself.
She likes meat.
Just as he thought that, he saw her pick up a mouthful of scrambled eggs with tomatoes, looking equally delighted.
Lu Huai silently added another note.
She likes eggs too.
Only after watching Qiao Zhenzhu enjoy every single dish with complete satisfaction did Lu Huai finally realize—
She liked everything.