Return of the Antagonistic Lady Boss

Chapter 76: Stepping onto the Stairway of Fate

Qian heard his voice, tightened her grip on the receiver, but her tone was calm.

"Mm."

"In an hour, take your mother to the district court. My classmate will be waiting for you, he’s a lawyer, and he’ll help you take care of everything that needs to be done. Next, apply to the court for an investigation order to check your father’s account outflows, leave all of this to him."

"It’s really a simple matter, no need to make it so complicated." Qian muttered softly.

According to her plan, it wasn’t necessary to go through all this trouble. Yu Minglang was too particular, insisting on using legitimate means to deal with the matter; it was all about dealing with it, who cares if it’s legitimate or not.

"As a woman of noble status, you must always ensure that your words and actions are within the bounds of the law, including gathering evidence! Your method is absolutely not acceptable."

Actually, if Yu Minglang wanted to obtain Chen Lin’s records, it would just be a matter of saying so. But he preferred to follow the formal procedure, even if it’s a bit more complicated, refusing to do anything outside the rules. His integrity was inviolable, and he wanted to ensure that his woman was beyond reproach.

Qian rolled her eyes, "Fine, I got it."

Always seriously lecturing her about the law, really annoying.

"Go, my classmate’s name is Yaming. With him around, you and your mother won’t need to do anything, just make sure to calm Auntie’s emotions."

"Yu Minglang!" Qian called after him.

"Hmm?"

"Is work... busy?"

"Mm." He couldn’t say much more.

Qian thought to herself, if he could spare the time, how could he miss this opportunity to make an appearance?

Thinking about his work, Qian added a sentence.

"Be careful."

More words were useless, all she could truly express were those four words.

"Got it." He couldn’t help but grin, feeling good.

Hanging up the phone, Qian still had a slight smile on her lips. Actually, he’s quite reliable in handling things.

In their previous lives, though they were often apart, he hadn’t taken care of her so attentively like now.

In her previous life, she remembered, they only met after she had earned her Ph.D., several years older than now. Yu Minglang wasn’t like now, acting like a caretaker, considering every detail so thoroughly for her.

Qian had thought she would reject this kind of grooming routine because she was a woman with a very independent personality. But when these "routines" were applied to herself, it felt... not bad.

Perhaps it’s because Yu Minglang handled things so clearly without boasting, or perhaps because he fully considered her feelings, but maybe it wasn’t for anything — just because it was him who did it.

Qian shifted her gaze to her mother, seeing Jia Xiufang’s defeated expression, collected her thoughts, and went over to sit beside her mom.

"Mom, get a divorce. Why are you still holding onto him?"

"Divorce! Anyway, if I don’t, I’m just as good as ’dying in a car accident’!" Jia Xiufang was furious, speaking without thinking.

Qian was determined not to give her a chance to regret it, nor did she want to give her time to think. She packed Jia Xiufang’s personal documents and led her out the door.

Hailing a cab to the city, Qian saw they were early, so she took Jia Xiufang to a boutique store. Looking at the dazzling high-end clothes, each costing at least a hundred, Jia Xiufang looked again and again, eyes vacant.

Qian took the opportunity to whisper, "The money from our family disappeared without a trace. Who knows how much of it turned into the clothes in Qu Xue’s wardrobe."

This sentence rekindled Jia Xiufang’s fighting spirit. After arranging Qian’er’s graduation banquet, she basically had no money left. The money collected had to be given to Qian as tuition, and they even owed money to Uncle Four’s family.

Formal malls and night markets feel completely different.

Jia Xiufang stood in the beautifully decorated mall, looking at the plainly marked prices where any piece of clothing was above a hundred, comparing them to the night market goods she and her daughter wore. Thinking of Chen Lin saying his first wife died in a car accident, she felt aggrieved, tears welling up in her eyes.

Seeing her mom so upset, Qian felt a twinge of pain too. The wound was too deep.

However, a short pain is better than a long one. To move on, she must peel away this marriage, rotten to the core. As painful as it is, it would only last a year or so. If they continued to be entangled, even the best psychological expert wouldn’t be able to fix Jia Xiufang’s heart.

"Qian’er, do you hate me a lot? As a mother, I’m useless. I couldn’t control the man, and it made you suffer with me." Jia Xiufang looked at her daughter wearing a cheap dress from a street vendor.

Thirty yuan a piece, and she even had the seller throw in a pair of socks.

Standing in the mall, this money couldn’t even buy a vest.

She had always taught her daughter to live frugally, unconsciously instilling the idea that as a girl, she should selflessly dedicate herself to the family. But now, facing the harsh reality, she felt sorry for her child. The daughter shouldn’t have been educated this way, really.

With Jia Xiufang like this, Qian patted her hand.

"It’s okay. You gave birth to me and raised me, that’s more than enough. When I start making money, I’ll buy you nice clothes. Who cares about having a man? You’re not going to live without a man, are you? Just wait, I’ll make sure you wear better clothes than anyone else, so they’ll all envy you."

Jia Xiufang’s tears, which she had just held back, were coaxed out by Qian’s words. Qian wiped them away for her.

"Don’t cry, there’re so many people watching."

Actually, Qian’s own eyes were getting red too.

In her previous life, she was full of hatred, hating everyone in the family, her mother included. But looking at it from another perspective, maybe it wasn’t that bad.

Thinking carefully, in her past life, her mother was kept in the dark, unable to make decisions on many things, and blindly trusted Chen Lin. Later, when Jia Xiufang caused trouble, infuriated Chen Lin’s mother, and was thrown out with nothing, she was overwhelmed and had no way to take care of Qian.

Thinking of her mother in her past life, Qian’s eyes showed even more determination.

Cherish life, stay away from scum men. What her mother couldn’t do, she will push forward!

Taking Jia Xiufang out of the mall, Qian looked at the time. It was about right, so she led her mother to the courthouse across the street. Seeing the courthouse sign, Jia Xiufang felt intimidated.

"Qian’er, what are we doing here?"

Having been honest her entire life, she was scared just looking at this place.

"Filing a lawsuit, divorce."

"Ah?" Jia Xiufang was stunned, tried to pull away from Qian’s hand, but under Qian’s stern look, she was too scared to speak.

"What are you hesitating for? After all he’s done to you, you’re still wavering? Do you really want to wait until he sells our house and kicks me off to a karaoke hall before you know regret? Mom, look, what’s that!"

Qian pointed, and Jia Xiufang saw that less than 500 meters from the court was a karaoke hall, "Night Shanghai," the three big words shimmering in the sunlight.

Jia Xiufang shuddered, stopped resisting, and let her daughter lead her up those steps that would change their destiny.