AD CH108

Chen Erhu’s calm and affirmative answer caused a brief, abrupt pause in the room’s conversation. For a moment, it seemed no one knew what to say.

Perhaps because everyone was standing right there with her, Sun Nana’s composure recovered slightly.

She smoothed her hair, leaned against the table, and looked at her parents. Taking a soft breath, she said, “If you came here to persuade me, save your breath. I’m not going home. I’m not going back to his house, and I’m not going back to yours. I must get this divorce. There is absolutely no room for negotiation.”

“Nana,” her mother walked over and took her hand. “Mom isn’t insisting on stopping you. It’s just… I really can’t understand it. You two used to be so good together…”

“People change. Or maybe he didn’t change, and just hid it well before,” Sun Nana said. “Talking about the past is meaningless now. You could clearly see how good we were in the past, but you’re somehow completely blind to how terrible things are now.”

“What conflict between a married couple can’t be resolved by sitting down and talking it out?” her father frowned, looking considerably more hardline than her mother. “Does it have to be solved with a divorce?”

Sun Nana turned her head away, clearly unwilling to argue with him.

“Uncle Sun,” Shan Yu finally spoke up. “It seems that in your own marriage, all conflicts are perfectly resolvable.”

“Of course they are!” Father Sun looked at Shan Yu. “Her mother and I have made it all these years just like that…”

“Forgive my bluntness,” Shan Yu said, “but between you and Auntie, you are likely the one who never makes mistakes. Whenever there’s a conflict, the ‘solution’ is simply Auntie taking a step back.”

Sun’s mother turned to look at Shan Yu, visibly stunned.

Her father froze. He didn’t speak for a long while, seemingly racking his brain to find a rebuttal that would prove Shan Yu wrong.

“The only way Sun Nana’s marriage can continue is if she endures it,” Shan Yu said. “Controlled by Mr. Zhang, doing whatever he says, taking his verbal abuse…”

“Watch your mouth and stop saying such ugly things!” Father Sun raised his voice.

“He’s telling the truth,” Sun Nana said.

“Nana, you—!” Her mother swatted her arm.

“Divorce isn’t the end of the world, nor is there any need to forcibly ‘resolve’ unresolvable conflicts just to maintain a marriage,” Shan Yu said. “If one’s normal, day-to-day life is already being ruined, what is the value of the marriage’s existence? Ascetic cultivation?”

“Don’t give me your twisted logic,” her father scowled. “If it weren’t for Xiao Zhang, my daughter wouldn’t even be alive today!”

“I wish he hadn’t saved me. I’d rather be dead,” Sun Nana said.

“What did you say?!” Her father flared up in anger, pointing a finger at her and lunging forward.

Chen Jian and Chen Erhu stepped forward simultaneously from both sides, forming a solid wall right in front of him.

“Uncle,” Chen Jian said. “Let’s talk calmly.”

“Her mother and I have ‘talked calmly’ until we’re blue in the face! Has it done any good?” Her father sighed heavily. “She’s my daughter—do you think my heart doesn’t ache for her?! I just want her to live a good life!”

“The entire point is that she can’t live a good life unless she divorces!” Chen Erhu couldn’t hold it back anymore and yelled. “Only by getting a divorce can she live well! If you can’t wrap your head around a concept this simple, do you really ache for her?!”

“It’s you people!” Father Sun pointed an angry finger at the group. “I bet you’re the ones egging her on!”

“If it weren’t for us, she’d still be brainwashed by you two into going back to take his beatings, his screaming, and his psychological torture!” Hu Pan snapped, equally furious. “As parents, have you ever genuinely thought about what’s best for your child?!”

“Did he really hit you?” Sun’s mother looked at Sun Nana. “Did he really curse at you? He was always so gentle…”

“It’s an act,” Chen Jian said.

“I’ve told you so many times—I’m terrified just looking at him!” Sun Nana said.

“But… you got sick…” her mother said carefully.

“Auntie,” Shan Yu spoke up again. “Do you or Uncle have a history of psychiatric illness? Anyone in the previous few generations?”

“No,” her mother replied.

“So we rule out genetics,” Shan Yu said. “Has Sun Nana ever suffered from a severe illness? A prolonged, agonizing physical illness?”

“No,” Sun Nana said.

Her mother shook her head as well.

“Allow me to ask a presumptuous question,” Shan Yu looked at Sun Nana. “How exactly did Mr. Zhang save you?”

“I fell into a river,” Sun Nana said. “He pulled me out.”

“It was winter, a frozen lake. She had sunk right through. Xiao Zhang used his bare fists to smash the ice all the way to her to drag her out,” her mother’s voice trembled as she recounted it, clearly still terrified by the memory. “A second later and she would have been gone.”

Chen Jian really wanted to ask the presumptuous question of why Nana was standing on an icy lake to begin with, but sensing the timing was inappropriate, he held his tongue.

Hu Pan, however, had no such filter. She whispered, “Why were you standing on the ice?”

“Taking photos,” Sun Nana whispered back.

Hu Pan’s furrowed brow didn’t even have time to unfurl before she nearly burst out laughing. She quickly turned her head away: “Oh…”

“So falling into the river wasn’t a suicide attempt due to emotional distress,” Shan Yu picked up his train of thought. “Which means the sole source of her psychiatric illness is her life after marriage…”

“What are you trying to say?” Father Sun demanded. “Are you suspecting that Xiao Zhang drove her crazy?!”

“I’m not suspecting,” Shan Yu said. “I’m certain of it. He didn’t save my daughter, so I don’t view him through any hero filter. I only look at him with objective analysis. One second he’s speaking softly and comforting you, and the next second he’s throwing punches at me in a hallway. In layman’s terms, a person like that is called a smiling tiger. A beast in human clothing.”

Shan Yu’s words were entirely devoid of politeness, growing increasingly sharp. Father Sun was so shocked he was left utterly speechless, staring at Shan Yu.

“If you believe that because Sun Nana was saved by him, she must endure all this suffering to repay the debt…” Shan Yu stared him down. “Why don’t you go repay it? Didn’t you say your heart aches for your daughter?”

“You—!” Furious, Father Sun raised his hand to slap Shan Yu across the face.

Shan Yu didn’t flinch.

Chen Jian, who had kept his eyes glued to the father, lunged forward and snatched his wrist out of mid-air, yanking him back.

He knew it. With Shan Yu’s mouth, if you couldn’t physically gag him, you had to keep a close eye on the person he was attacking.

“Let go of me!” Father Sun glared at Chen Jian, trying to wrench his arm free.

Do you think I’m grabbing you to protect Shan Yu?

I’m grabbing you to save Nana’s face, so her dad doesn’t get beaten into the ground by my boss right in front of her!

Chen Jian didn’t budge.

Father Sun began shaking his arm frantically.

Chen Jian maintained an iron grip.

With his arm locked in Chen Jian’s hold, the two of them shook back and forth together. If you added background music to the scene, it would look… incredibly comical.

If we were shooting a web series…

“I want a divorce—!” Sun Nana suddenly screamed, instantly freezing the chaos in the room.

“I want a divorce! I want a divorce! Divorce! Divorce! Divorce—!” Sun Nana slammed her hands on the table, screaming at the top of her lungs. “Do you understand?! I want a divorce! Divorce! I want a divorce!“

Her parents stared at her, their eyes wide with shock.

“Do you understand?!” Sun Nana locked eyes with them.

Her mother nodded.

“Crazy… truly crazy…” her father muttered.

“Leave,” Sun Nana said. “Just pretend you never had this daughter. If you can’t bear to part with him, go adopt him as your godson.”

Her father held his breath for a long time, unable to speak. Spinning on his heel, he slammed the door and stormed out of the dorm.

Chen Jian shot Chen Erhu a look and gave a slight tilt of his head.

Understanding instantly, Chen Erhu turned and followed him out.

“Nana, please don’t be angry,” her mother said softly, finally recovering. “Your dad isn’t absolutely forbidding you from divorcing. On one hand, Xiao Zhang saved your life, and on the other, he’s helped our family a lot over the years. Plus… Xiao Zhang has been begging him non-stop, so he kept hoping to salvage things.”

Sun Nana remained silent, refusing to look at her mother.

“Mom knows you must have suffered…” her mother’s voice choked with tears.

“Just take care of yourselves,” Sun Nana said. “Actually, growing up, you never made me suffer any real hardships. So I don’t want to start suffering now, right as I’m nearing thirty.”

Her mother didn’t reply.

“Auntie, Sun Nana is very happy here, so you don’t need to worry,” Shan Yu said. “The divorce is absolutely happening. Please pass the message along to Mr. Zhang: tell him to keep his dignity and behave like a respectable human being. If he keeps making a scene, he’s the only one who will suffer the consequences. Nana has nothing left to lose.”

Sun’s mother looked at Shan Yu and let out a soft sigh.

“Ask him to go directly to the civil affairs bureau at the agreed-upon time. If he dares show his face here again, we will call the police immediately and file for a restraining order. Regardless of whether the application succeeds,” Shan Yu added, “for safety’s sake, we will notify his workplace to coordinate with us.”

Her mother still didn’t speak, only casting one last look at Sun Nana.

“See Uncle and Auntie out,” Shan Yu said.

“Auntie, let’s go,” Chen Jian walked to her side. “I’ll see you out.”

“Alright.” She nodded.

“Erhu,” Chen Jian picked up his walkie-talkie. “Where’s Uncle?”

“In the courtyard. I’m keeping him company,” Chen Erhu replied.

“Got it,” Chen Jian said. “Auntie and I are coming down now. We’ll take them back.”

In silence, Sun’s mother followed Chen Jian into the elevator.

As the elevator slowly descended two floors, she looked at Chen Jian and asked, “What exactly does Nana do here?”

“She’s our Housekeeping Department Manager,” Chen Jian said. “When the municipal leaders visit, she handles the reception as well.”

“Oh,” she nodded. “Nana hasn’t worked in quite a few years…”

Chen Jian didn’t say anything.

Father Sun initially wanted to refuse having Chen Jian and Chen Erhu drive them back, likely because the freezing motorcycle ride into town without a helmet had left his head stinging with cold.

When Chen Jian opened the door to Shan Yu’s Mercedes G-Class, the father simply glared at it, making no move to get in.

His wife, however, kept her head down, walked right past him, and slid into the back seat.

Only after Chen Jian and Chen Erhu were both inside did the father reluctantly climb in.

“Act like you’ve never sat in a car before!” he muttered under his breath.

His wife remained silent, offering no response.

Zhang’s car was no longer parked at the intersection. He had pulled further into town and parked right next to the police station.

Probably afraid of getting beaten up.

After all, Lao Si was visibly unhinged—the kind of thug who would undoubtedly lunge forward to crack skulls the second a physical altercation broke out.

Chen Jian pulled the G-Class up right next to Zhang’s white sedan.

“Mr. Zhang,” Chen Jian stepped out of the car and walked up to him. “Just in case Uncle and Auntie don’t convey it clearly, let me repeat it for you: go to the civil affairs bureau at the agreed time. If you harass Nana in the meantime, we will apply for a restraining order and request assistance from your workplace.”

“Are you threatening me?” Zhang glared at him.

“It’s a warning. We live in a society governed by law; how could I threaten anyone?” Chen Jian said. “Having a stable job is quite nice, especially at a state agency.”

Zhang didn’t retort, backing away while pointing a finger at him.

When Chen Jian’s gaze dropped to that finger, Zhang immediately lowered his hand: “Fine, you win.”

“Don’t say that,” Chen Jian replied. “We’re not nearly as ruthless as you.”

Shan Yu stepped out of the dorm. Originally intending to head to his office, he thought better of it and returned to the ground floor.

Although there weren’t many guests these past few days, the front desk phone still rang occasionally. With the entire staff off-duty, the completely-clueless boss had to step in and hold the fort.

Zhao Fangfang was still standing behind the bar counter outside the kitchen. She had been standing there ever since Chen Jian and the guys went to fetch the parents. Beside her hand rested a fruit knife and a few pieces of fruit, yet after all this time, nothing had been sliced.

“Cut an orange, Zhao-jie,” Shan Yu walked over and tapped his knuckles against the counter.

“Ah, Boss Shan,” Zhao Fangfang startled as if snapping out of a trance. She quickly grabbed an orange and lowered her head to begin slicing it efficiently.

“It’s over,” Shan Yu said. “They’ve been sent off. That guy surnamed Zhang isn’t coming here.”

“Mm,” Zhao Fangfang forced a tight smile, arranging the sliced orange on a small saucer and pushing it toward him. “Then…”

“The divorce is definitely happening,” Shan Yu said. “When the time comes, we’ll go with Nana to the civil affairs bureau.”

“That’s wonderful,” Zhao Fangfang lowered her head, picking up another orange but making no move to cut it.

“What, if the guy surnamed Zhang had come here to cause a scene today,” Shan Yu eyed the knife in her hand, “were you planning to use that on him?”

Zhao Fangfang fell silent for a very long time.

After eating two slices of orange, Shan Yu reached over, plucked the knife from her grip, and set it aside.

“I had no other choice back then,” Zhao Fangfang whispered. “I truly had no other choice.”

“Did you cripple your husband?” Shan Yu asked.

Zhao Fangfang’s head snapped up, staring at him in shock.

Shan Yu met her gaze evenly.

“If only I had been working at Dayin back then,” Zhao Fangfang let out a soft, ragged sigh. “I couldn’t divorce him. He said if I tried, he’d kill me and my daughter.”

Shan Yu didn’t say a word. He picked up another slice of orange, finished it, and then asked, “How are things now? Is he behaving?”

“Mm,” Zhao Fangfang suddenly smiled. “It’s actually quite nice. I take on some piecework at home and he helps out, and he can still supervise the kid’s meals.”

Shan Yu looked at her without speaking, a wave of complex emotion washing over him.

Zhao Fangfang and Sun Nana were completely different people trapped in completely different circumstances. For Zhao Fangfang, dealing with this man—whom she had somehow rendered disabled—didn’t end in divorce; instead, she chose the arduous path of continuing to live together.

It was impossible to know what the husband was thinking now, but for Zhao Fangfang, things were at least better than before.

It carried an indescribable sense of both peace and profound cruelty.

When Chen Jian parked the SUV, he hadn’t considered how Zhang was supposed to pull his car out later. Since Chen Jian was a novice driver, he had simply parked nose-to-nose right against the white sedan.

Whether out of petty stubbornness or sheer incompetence, Zhang struggled relentlessly, reversing back and forth seven or eight times without managing to free his car, all while stubbornly refusing to ask them to move.

The commotion eventually drew the officers out from the police station: “What’s going on here?”

“Accidentally blocked the road, probably,” Chen Jian said.

“Isn’t that Dayin’s car?” one of the officers said. “Move it out of the way.”

“He hasn’t asked me to move it yet,” Chen Jian said.

“He’s practicing his driving technique,” Sanbing chimed in.

“Who practices driving technique in front of a police station?!” the officer barked, growing annoyed. “Are you guys looking for trouble?”

“Chen Jian is right here with us,” Lao Wu pointed out. “It’s not just the four of us.”

“Even if it were just the four of us, we wouldn’t look for trouble!” Chen Erhu snapped. “Watch what you say!”

Zhang finally managed to maneuver his car out. Slamming his foot on the gas, he gunned the engine, tearing toward the intersection and disappearing into a cloud of dust down the road.

“Let’s go,” Chen Jian turned to get into the car.

“Wait,” Chen Erhu shoved him slightly. “I need to ask you something first.”

Chen Jian stayed quiet. He obviously knew what Chen Erhu was going to ask. If this wasn’t cleared up now, once Sanbing and the others started prying for details in the car, the usually steadfast Chen Erhu wouldn’t know what to tell them.

“Earlier,” Chen Erhu pulled him aside, dropping his voice to a whisper, “were you two telling the truth, or just putting on an act for those two?”

“Truth,” Chen Jian said.

Chen Erhu froze completely solid.

Several seconds passed before he managed to utter: “Holy fuck.”

“Let’s go.” Even though Chen Jian didn’t care about other people’s opinions, discussing this alone, face-to-face with Chen Erhu still brought a slight twinge of awkwardness.

“I’ll keep it a secret for you guys,” Chen Erhu patted him heavily on the shoulder, his tone solemn and grave.

“No need,” Chen Jian said.

Chen Erhu froze solid once more.

Several seconds passed before he managed to utter again: “Holy fuck.”

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