novelraw Chapter 402
Chapter 402
Ji Fei’s sarcastic internal rant left the Qin family stunned.
At first, they had been somewhat shaken by Zhao Jianghe’s excuses, almost swayed into believing his actions were justifiable. Sure, their Fifth Sister had already done well, but Zhao Jianghe made it sound like he had no choice—like his betrayal was inevitable because of her shortcomings.
But hearing it laid out so plainly now, it was absolutely infuriating.
The younger generation couldn’t speak up, but Qin Dad and Qin Mom certainly wouldn’t let it slide.
Qin Dad was the first to speak, his tone icy. “Hah, Zhao Jianghe, maybe you should go get your eyes checked—or better yet, your brain!”
Zhao Jianghe froze, looking at Qin Dad with dissatisfaction, as if he truly believed he hadn’t done anything wrong.
“Let me ask you this: back home, our Fifth Sister never liked socializing. So why would she immerse herself in the social circles of wives over there? For her own enjoyment? For fun? Even if I didn’t know her well, it’s obvious—she did it for you,” Qin Dad said coldly.
Zhao Jianghe’s expression shifted slightly.
Qin Xi Shu, the Second Uncle, chimed in, his voice softer but no less cutting. “When I first arrived in G City, it was my wife who helped me build connections. Social circles among the wives were much easier to navigate. She told me she wanted to help me meet more people so I wouldn’t struggle with the local competition. Because of her, I avoided countless obstacles. And even though I appreciated everything she did, I always told her that she should focus on what she loved, not on making sacrifices for me.”
If Second Uncle was the soft blade, Third Uncle Qin San Shu was the sharp one. He directly analyzed, “So, the stability of your career now—isn’t it tied to the connections my sister built through her socializing?”
This time, Zhao Jianghe’s face changed drastically. He couldn’t deny that the women in those social circles had connections to powerful men, both legitimate and otherwise.
“And the funniest thing is that you claim our sister could have just made some phone calls,” Qin Mom said icily. “I don’t know the specifics, but I can imagine this: when she heard you were in trouble, do you think she could eat and sleep peacefully? When you finally came out of it, did you ever wonder why your home wasn’t in chaos, why your company stayed intact? Do you think rescue teams in a place as dangerous as that would work so diligently just for anyone? If no one had coordinated behind the scenes, do you think you would’ve been saved so quickly?”
Zhao Jianghe’s eyes flickered with uncertainty as he glanced at Fifth Aunt.
Even the eldest brother-in-law couldn’t hold back. “That kind of place probably had terrible communication signals. If your wife wanted to get you rescued as fast as possible, she would’ve had to arrange everything from the outside, right? Are you blaming her for not dropping everything, rushing blindly to you, and holding you back? Our Fifth Sister isn’t stupid—she’d never do something so counterproductive.”
Zhao Jianghe’s face turned green.
“Dear, don’t say that. Maybe his mistress is a superhero who can save him with the power of love and never drag him down,” the eldest sister-in-law mocked with a smile. “I just wonder what my selfless sister was doing while managing rescue efforts—were you and your mistress swearing undying love to each other or just cuddling and waiting for a miracle?”
[Holy crap, total annihilation! That was too satisfying to hear. Everyone’s so sharp—Zhao Jianghe deserves to be roasted for his blind selfishness.]
Qin Dad and Qin Mom secretly gave Ji Fei a thumbs-up in their hearts. If it weren’t for Ji Fei pointing out the inconsistencies, they might have been fooled. Thankfully, she guided them toward the truth, and everyone else quickly caught on. Otherwise, their Fifth Sister might have been left heartbroken.
At this point, Zhao Jianghe couldn’t help but recall those difficult days. But instead of the hardships, he could only remember his gratitude. Despite her delicate nature, she had endured so much for him. How could a man not be moved by that?
But as the others pointed out, her efforts were exaggerated—they weren’t life-saving but more of a bonus. Anyone could have done it; she wasn’t the only one. However, only one person would risk everything for him.
“No one else has experienced the despair I have, so they can’t understand. I… I know Ah Yu did a lot for me, and I don’t deny it, but… I can’t lose everything. I need to give her a stable life. At least leave me the company team—you can take everything else,” Zhao Jianghe said weakly.
Fifth Aunt’s eyes reddened. “You’re quite devoted, aren’t you? I…”
[No! Don’t back down! Why should he keep the company? If they support the Zhao family, they’ll bounce back in no time. Letting them live well will only bring you more misery. A woman who isn’t ruthless won’t hold her ground!]
Though Qin Dad and Qin Mom both heard Ji Fei’s thoughts, they hesitated to interfere—it was ultimately Fifth Sister’s decision. Yet they couldn’t help but sense she was about to let him off the hook.
Just as they were thinking, a voice interrupted.
“Mom, Dad’s already lowered his demands this much. If you still don’t agree, isn’t that too much?”
[Huh?]
Ji Fei was stunned and turned to look. A young man had spoken, one who bore a striking resemblance to the other Qin cousins—handsome and refined. He was supporting a frail-looking woman.
The woman had flowing long hair and wore an elegant white dress, like a delicate narcissus that had been nurtured indoors.
Lu Yunqing’s eyes were red and swollen.
When Fifth Aunt saw them, she was about to ask about their injuries, but Zhao Jianghe interrupted her.
“Are you hurt?” Zhao Jianghe asked suddenly.
For a moment, the surrounding crowd found his question strange, but their thoughts were soon interrupted. Lu Yunqing had already rushed to Fifth Aunt, tearfully pleading, “Are you really getting a divorce? After so many years together, how can you just call it quits? Don’t be impulsive! Many wealthy families go through this.”
Fifth Aunt’s expression softened slightly as she looked at her, “I know you’re worried about me, but I don’t want to continue anymore.”
Lu Yunqing turned to Zhao Jianghe. “Brother Zhao, please think it over!”
Zhao Jianghe’s face darkened, and after a moment, he said, “I just want to give her a home.”
Tears streamed down Lu Yunqing’s face instantly.
“I don’t oppose the divorce, but I disagree with the division of assets you just discussed,” Zhao Chengle interjected firmly.
[What kind of son is this? Can sons really not empathize with their mothers?]
Qin Xian and Qin Chao immediately projected their thoughts: We’re not like that!
[But something feels off… This son and this “friend”… Something’s weird about them. Isn’t this just a typical divorce caused by infidelity? I need to investigate.]