Chapter Sixteen

Seeing that Chen Xingxin did not respond, Wu Mei continued, “When the time comes, we’ll take this apartment and drive those two heartless men out.”

Chen Xingxin glanced at Luo Fancheng beside her and said calmly, “I will not divorce.”

Wu Mei was puzzled.

“He’s treated you like this, how can you still refuse to divorce? He’s just a security guard—what’s there to miss?”

“Mom, I trust him. He would never do anything to betray me,” Chen Xingxin replied resolutely.

Wu Mei was stunned. She hadn’t expected her daughter to believe in Luo Fancheng so deeply.

“My dear, you’ve been brainwashed by that Luo,” she lamented.

Chen Xingxin protested, “Mom, I haven’t.”

Wu Mei shook her head, then turned her gaze to Luo Fancheng.

“Luo, what kind of spell have you cast on my daughter?”

Luo Fancheng, helpless, looked at Chen Xingxin and then smiled at Wu Mei, saying, “We truly love each other.”

“True love? You’re just after Xingxin’s money!” Wu Mei accused, then turned to Chen Xingxin, “You silly child, do you really believe he’s sincere?”

Chen Xingxin nodded without the slightest hesitation.

“Oh dear, oh dear, this is the end, really the end. You’re thoroughly brainwashed by him now!” Wu Mei’s face was full of grievance. She continued, “I truly regret it. I never should have let him become a live-in son-in-law. I’ve lost a daughter for nothing.”

“Mom, don’t worry. I will take good care of Xingxin,” said Luo Fancheng.

“Take good care? With what? With your three-thousand-yuan monthly security guard salary?” Wu Mei scoffed.

“We signed a contract with Foxfang Live, didn’t we? If we work hard at streaming, we’ll live a good life in the future,” Luo Fancheng replied quietly.

“Yes, as long as we stream, things will get better.” Wu Mei then continued, “In fact, I want a divorce too. I don’t want to stay with that scumbag.”

Chen Xingxin smiled, then leaned close to Wu Mei’s ear and quietly advised, “Mom, if you divorce now, won’t it be a windfall for that woman? We can’t let them off easily. Don’t divorce—let them stew in misery.”

Wu Mei’s eyes suddenly lit up, as if she had grasped something, and she nodded repeatedly. “Yes, you’re right. I almost lost my head again. Divorce is out of the question—let them suffer.”

Ring, ring, ring~

At that moment, Wu Mei’s phone rang.

As soon as she answered, a panicked voice sounded from the other end.

“Mom, help me, help me!”

Wu Mei immediately recognized the voice—it was Chen Xingfan.

“Xingfan, what happened? What’s wrong?”

A sobbing voice replied, “Mom, I was in a car accident.”

“Are you alright?” Wu Mei asked urgently.

After a moment’s hesitation, the voice replied softly, “I’m fine, but I hit someone.”

“Blood, so much blood, the ground is covered in blood,” Chen Xingfan sounded utterly terrified.

“How’s the person you hit? Where are you now?” Wu Mei asked anxiously.

Suddenly, another voice came from the phone—a young woman.

“Auntie, hello, I’m Chen Xingfan’s girlfriend, Tang Doudou. Xingfan is still getting his wounds dressed. We’re at Shenghua Hospital now.”

“Alright, alright, Auntie will come immediately, right away.”

Wu Mei hung up and rushed to the bedroom door, calling for Chen Kangjian.

“Chen, your son’s been in a car accident. Aren’t you going to check on him?”

Inside, Chen Kangjian didn’t hesitate. He opened the door, and the two hurried out together.

Luo Fancheng looked at Chen Xingxin in her wheelchair and asked, “Do you want to go?”

Chen Xingxin bowed her head, clearly feeling guilty.

“If I hadn’t given him your money before, maybe this accident wouldn’t have happened.”

Luo Fancheng walked over and gently touched Chen Xingxin’s cheek.

“What’s past is past, let it go.”

Chen Xingxin nodded, then said, “Should we go see him anyway?”

“Alright,” Luo Fancheng replied.

At the hospital, Luo Fancheng pushed Chen Xingxin to the emergency room.

Wu Mei was outside in the corridor, weeping uncontrollably, while Chen Kangjian remained silent.

“What happened?” Chen Xingxin asked.

Neither Wu Mei nor Chen Kangjian replied, but a young woman came over and explained, “He hit someone, and the victim is still being resuscitated. The family is demanding three million in compensation, or they’ll send Xingfan to prison.”

“You’re Chen Xingfan’s girlfriend, Tang Doudou?”

Tang Doudou nodded, then put on a pitiful expression.

“Sister, you must be Sister Xingxin, right? Xingfan always said you two are very close. Please, save him!”

Chen Xingxin froze—she didn’t have that much money. She turned to look at Luo Fancheng behind her.

“He’s my only brother. Is there any way to help him?”

Luo Fancheng shook his head.

“All my money is with you now.”

Chen Xingxin shook her head helplessly and looked toward the emergency room.

“Is there really no way?”

Suddenly, the door of the room next to the emergency room opened, and a burly man with bandages on his hand and head came out.

It was Chen Xingfan, the only brother Chen Xingxin had mentioned, resembling his mother Wu Mei almost exactly.

“Mom, Dad, save me, please save me!” Chen Xingfan rushed behind Wu Mei and Chen Kangjian.

“My son, it’s not that we don’t want to help you, we just have no money left!” Wu Mei answered through tears.

“I’m still young. I don’t want to go to prison. I don’t want to go,” Chen Xingfan repeated desperately.

Wu Mei then looked at Chen Xingxin in her wheelchair.

“Xingxin, save your brother!”

Chen Xingxin shook her head. “I don’t have anything left either. All the family’s money went to buy him a car.”

Chen Xingfan immediately ran to Chen Xingxin and pleaded, crying, “Sister, sister, I don’t want the car anymore. Please save me. I’m your only brother.”

Chen Xingxin didn’t respond, simply turning her face aside.

Tang Doudou suddenly ran to Wu Mei and said, “Auntie, the money for the car came from brother-in-law anyway. If the family doesn’t have enough, you could let brother-in-law take the blame and go to prison instead. That way, we won’t have to pay, and the problem will be solved.”

Wu Mei hesitated. “Wouldn’t that be wrong?”

A smile flickered across Tang Doudou’s lips as she continued, “If we don’t do it, Xingfan will go to prison. Just let brother-in-law stay inside for a few years, wait until Xingfan earns enough money, and then get brother-in-law out. It’s the same.”

Wu Mei fell silent. Tang Doudou went on, “At worst, when brother-in-law is released, we can treat him well.”

Wu Mei looked at Tang Doudou. “But…”

Before she could finish, Tang Doudou pressed on, “Auntie, think about it. If Luo goes to prison, we can use the opportunity to make them divorce, then find a rich young man for Sister Xingxin. Then the whole family won’t have to worry about food and clothing. By the time Luo gets out, it’ll be too late for him.”