Chapter 124: Have You Gone Mad?

“That depends on what Feng Erqiu wants as an outcome.”

Shen Qingyi pondered Feng Erqiu’s predicament and asked, “Do you think she can get a divorce?”

Lu Yan nodded. “She can, but it won’t be easy. Anyone working in our industry finds both marriage and divorce complicated. Before marriage, the woman’s background must pass a political review, and when divorcing, if one party initiates it unilaterally, there must be a significant reason.”

Shen Qingyi was surprised. “There’s a political review? Then what about you back then…”

Lu Yan paused briefly and replied simply, “I wasn’t planning to continue this job at the time. It was the leadership who asked me to sign a confidentiality agreement that made me stay.”

With the professor’s criminal record from those years, Shen Qingyi could never have passed such a review.

Her chopsticks halted in her hand as waves of emotion surged within her. After a moment, she lowered her gaze and spoke softly, “You could have refused back then.”

Lu Yan smiled faintly at her. “Why would I refuse?”

Startled, Shen Qingyi looked up to meet his eyes, which held a subtle, elusive amusement. Quickly, she averted her eyes and bowed her head to eat. She realized she could no longer interact with Lu Yan like this—otherwise, she might forget her father’s instructions and hand him the notebook she held, then wait indefinitely for the case to be reopened.

Changing the subject, she asked, “What do you think Feng Erqiu should do?”

“Don’t be afraid of airing dirty laundry. She should take the initiative to report Liu Yong’s neglect of family duties to the workplace authorities, preferably within the next few days, while there’s both eyewitness testimony and physical evidence.”

Shen Qingyi considered this. “But if she divorces now, she won’t be able to support her children on her own.”

“It doesn’t have to be immediately. It’s about controlling the initiative in the divorce,” Lu Yan explained further, fearing she might not understand. “If every time she suffers injustice, she can promptly strike back by reporting Liu Yong, leaving a record with the workplace, then when she files for divorce, there will be a clear trail.”

“Don’t criticize her over this. Everything must proceed according to her own will. Those who rescue themselves will be helped by heaven.”

“Understood. If I bring this up and she doesn’t want to divorce, it will only put her in a difficult position,” Shen Qingyi said, surprised at how rational and clear Lu Yan was in handling interpersonal matters.

She then thought of herself—if Lu Yan didn’t agree to a divorce, would she be trapped as well?

Fortunately, Lu Yan had once said, “Unless she finds someone better.”

After finishing their meal, once the dishes had been cleared, Shen Qingyi closed the front door and lay down on the sofa for a nap.

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Exhausted yet restless, Shen Qingyi’s mind tangled endlessly with Feng Erqiu’s situation, making sleep impossible.

Her own struggles had clear goals, but Feng Erqiu’s was far more perplexing: divorced with two children, life would be hard whether in the countryside or the city, especially without any income.

Settling for a man like Liu Yong was unbearable—and who knew if she’d get pregnant again.

At that moment, Feng Erqiu lay in bed, while Chun Ni sat by her side, feeding her medicine.

Liu Yong held Er’Ya, grumbling as he busied himself in the kitchen.

Once he finished cooking a pot of vegetable porridge, he called Chun Ni to the table.

Chun Ni didn’t move. “You eat first; I’m feeding Mom her medicine.”

Liu Yong’s temper flared. He stormed into the room. “Are you really that delicate? Many wives in the countryside go back to the fields right after giving birth.”

He had been running around all day, tending to Er’Ya’s needs and doing laundry, utterly exhausted.

Feng Erqiu rolled her eyes at him. “Then why don’t you find a wife like that? I told you I had surgery and was hospitalized, and I still owe Comrade Xiao Shen over forty yuan. You have to find a way to pay it back.”

Hearing about the debt, Liu Yong’s veins bulged on his forehead. “You’re fine, aren’t you? Why waste money on that nonsense? You’re just trying to saddle me with debt.”

“I’m asking if I’m still your wife. If yes, then pay this debt. If not, then let’s divorce.” Feng Erqiu no longer held any hope for Liu Yong.

Liu Yong glared. “You dare!”

Feng Erqiu struggled to sit up, her eyes red. “You don’t even care about my life just to save money. What am I afraid of? Over the years, I’ve cared for your parents, looked after the children, worked in the fields during busy seasons, and made shoe insoles in my spare time. By old societal standards, I’m a laborer who’s earned enough to cover this medical bill.”

Back then, at home, she thought he was just a hardworking man supporting the family, so she had no complaints.

But after Er’Ya’s birth, the once harmonious relationship with her in-laws soured instantly. Liu Yong came home without a word, soothing her to not argue with her parents. She used to think he was just simple and old-fashioned—now she knew he was a coward who only bullied those at home.

He promised to bring her to the city for a better life, but it was only to coax her into having a third child. And even that was bad enough; he never once treated her or their children with respect.

“You used to be frugal,” Liu Yong said, his anger dimming slightly as he explained.

At home, he sent ten yuan monthly; here, it was still ten yuan. They had land and vegetables, and only Chun Ni then—it was manageable. But now, with Er’Ya, everything had to be bought.

Feng Erqiu didn’t want to argue further. She got out of bed, summoning her strength to storm into the kitchen and pour the wild vegetable porridge he had made onto the floor.

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Liu Yong stared in disbelief. “Feng Erqiu, you…”

Chun Ni followed, stunned as well. It was the first time she had seen her mother like this, yet she felt relieved.

“If you think raising a wife and kids is expensive, why bother?” Feng Erqiu snapped, snatching Er’Ya from his hands and quickly running out with Chun Ni.

Liu Yong hurried after them but was stopped when he turned back. “Where do you think you’re going? Are you crazy?”

Feng Erqiu glared. “Get lost. If you touch me, tomorrow you’ll be out of a job.”

Liu Yong knew about Feng Erqiu’s connection to Engineer Lu’s family and didn’t doubt her threat.

Just today, someone had told him to take time off and sort out his family issues.

He backed down and looked at Chun Ni. “Come back and eat with Dad.”

Chun Ni gritted her teeth and shot Feng Erqiu a glance. “Fine. If you get the money to pay Mom’s debt, I’ll go back with you.”

“You little brat, who do you think you are, being raised like this?” Liu Yong reached out to hit Er’Ya, but Feng Erqiu pulled her behind her.

The workplace clearly forbade physical fights between spouses but said nothing about disciplining children.

“Liu Yong, if you so much as lay a finger on Chun Ni, I’ll spread all your family’s dirty secrets throughout the village.”

Liu Yong was silenced. After a long pause, he asked, “Where are you going?”

Feng Erqiu sneered, “To file for divorce.”

“Don’t joke. With the way you look now, where would you go after divorce?” Liu Yong was confident she had nowhere to turn, which is why he dared to act so shamelessly.

Feng Erqiu’s anger turned to bitter laughter. “As long as your Liu family’s line is cut off, I don’t care what happens to me.”