Chapter 172 It's long overdue for liberation

He stammered, his voice trembling.

"They probably misheard. This hospital is too quiet; it's making their ears hurt."

The woman turned pale upon hearing this.

"Oh my god! What will happen if your wife finds out? If she makes a scene, the hospital will know, and I... how will I stay here? What about the kids?"

"Wife?"

Zhang Kesheng sneered.

"If it weren't for the fact that she can take care of you and your child, I would have dumped her long ago!"

"You think I really care about her sallow face? What can she do besides cry?"

He turned around and reached out to support the woman's arm.

“Xiaohong, your parents passed away early, and my mother is unable to move, so there is no one to help you take care of your child. I know you are all alone and helpless right now.”

"Just bear with it for a few more years. Once that haggard woman has coaxed our child to kindergarten, I'll divorce her and marry you openly and honestly."

Xiao Hong pouted and remained silent, but her eyes lit up.

"You're not allowed to go back and sleep in the same bed with her!"

She stared at him and said, word by word.

"I won't sleep!"

He hurriedly waved his hand, his face full of panic.

"You're not allowed to smile at her, and you're not allowed to give her a nice look!"

She narrowed her eyes and continued to increase the stakes.

"Whatever you say! She'll serve you, and I'll give her thirty yuan a month. She'll take the money and give it to me, and I'll give it all to you!"

As he spoke, he reached into his pocket, making a gesture as if to take out money.

Xiao Hong then snorted, turned her head away, and curled up the corners of her mouth.

"That's more like it."

At that moment, the doctor called out their number.

The two exchanged a glance, their faces simultaneously adopting serious expressions, and they quickly walked inside with their heads down.

Shen Cuifen and Zou Qiuyue chased Song Xiaomei up to the rooftop.

Song Xiaomei stopped by the railing, her finger trembling as she pointed at them.

"Mom! Aunt Cuifen! Don't come any closer!"

She originally wanted to check on Shen Cuifen's health.

If there's nothing else, go back and continue taking care of those two patients.

Who knew I'd stumble upon this scene?

Her husband was embracing a pregnant woman, his tender expression breaking her heart.

Zou Qiuyue trembled all over and begged and cried.

"Xiaomei! Don't do anything foolish! I'm begging you, please don't do anything rash!"

She staggered forward two steps, clasped her hands together, and tears streamed down her face.

Shen Cuifen's hands were clenched so tightly they turned white, and tears welled up in her eyes.

She couldn't collapse; she had to stay calm and find a way to save this young life.

"Xiaomei, if something's wrong, come over here and talk to Mom and Auntie. Don't just stand there, okay? Don't... don't do anything foolish."

As she spoke, she slowly approached, step by step.

"Your jumping off will benefit outsiders, but it will cause suffering for your parents!"

But Song Xiaomei's mind was buzzing and she couldn't hear a word.

Only the figures of Zhang Kesheng and that woman flashed before my eyes repeatedly.

"Mom! Why? Why?"

She suddenly turned her head and looked at Zou Qiuyue with tears streaming down her face.

She couldn't understand why her heartfelt devotion to her family had been met with such betrayal.

"Am I not good enough? Is it because I can't have children that Zhang Kesheng doesn't want me, right?"

Since getting married, she has been working hard to take care of her health.

She drank jar after jar of traditional Chinese medicine, but still couldn't conceive.

Now, other people's bellies are big.

"That must be it! It's all my fault!"

She lowered her head, hugged herself tightly, and her shoulders trembled violently.

As he spoke, he leaned closer to the edge of the rooftop.

When Shen Cuifen saw it, her heart clenched.

She was the same way back then.

Lu Jianguo's words, "Family scandals should not be aired in public," made her endure beatings in silence for more than a decade.

It is likely that Song Xiaomei was brainwashed and belittled by Zhang Kesheng day after day, which gradually made her feel that she was worthless.

Shen Cuifen gritted her teeth, took a sudden step forward, and stood on the other side of the rooftop.

Zou Qiuyue was stunned.

"Cuifen! What are you doing?! Come back here! Are you crazy?!"

One was about to jump, so why did the other follow?

How are we going to salvage this situation?

If this continues, both of our lives will be lost here!

"Sister Qiuya, don't worry about us."

Shen Cuifen's voice was eerily calm.

"I...actually, I don't want to live anymore."

She paused, then lowered her voice.

"But I was afraid that walking this path alone would be too lonely, and I wouldn't even have anyone to talk to, so I kept putting it off until now."

"Seeing Xiaomei like this today, I suddenly understood that she is really brave. She dares to shout out everything that has been suppressed for so many years, and she dares to stand here and face her despair."

She looked up at the night sky, her gaze gradually softening.

"Since she's leaving, I'll go with her. Don't worry, I'll take good care of her. I won't let her suffer alone on her journey to the underworld."

Upon hearing this, Song Xiaomei burst into tears.

"Aunt Cuifen! Are you crazy?!"

She screamed, her voice trembling so badly it was almost incoherent.

"I was abandoned by my man, and my life is a joke, but why should you die with me?! Go back! You have a child! Your child is so young! How could you... how could you think like this?! Stop it! Please! Come back!"

She didn't really want to die, she just couldn't hold on any longer.

The grievances, resentment, and anger in her heart piled up like a mountain, making it hard for her to breathe.

She climbed onto the rooftop hoping someone would hear her pain and that she could force Zhang Kesheng to turn around and look at her.

But she wasn't afraid of dying; what she feared was dying in vain.

She was afraid that if she jumped, she would become known as a "crazy woman who couldn't think straight."

They were even more afraid of implicating others, especially Shen Cuifen.

Shen Cuifen also has such a young child.

How could Zhongshun bear the pain of losing his mother?

Shen Cuifen suddenly smiled.

"But I... am in a much worse situation than you!"

“When I was eighteen, my ex-husband abused me. He didn’t give me a single penny of dowry, and my family sold me into his home.”

“I gave birth to five children for him and endured beatings for more than ten years.”

“I’ve shouldered all the responsibilities at home by myself. I’ve never had a full night’s sleep, and I’ve never worn a new piece of clothing.”

"But what about him?"

She gave a cold laugh, her eyes filled with hatred.

"He turned around and started flirting with other women, bringing them home to eat the food I cooked, wear the clothes I sewed, and even making love to them in my bed!"

"What's even more hateful is that the woman used some unknown means to bewitch the two sons that my ex-husband and I raised with such care!"

"Not only did they sever ties with me, but they also wouldn't call me 'Mom' when they saw me. Instead, they knelt down and called that bitch 'Mom'! Tell me, is this something a human being would do?!"

"At that time, I really felt that living was worse than dying."

“Every day I open my eyes to humiliation, and when I close them, it’s still a nightmare. I’ve thought about jumping off the well, and I’ve hesitated by the railway tracks, but every time, I’ve pulled myself back.”

“If it weren’t for my three young children, if it weren’t for my elderly parents waiting for me to come home… I should have jumped long ago, I would have been free ten years ago.”

"But today, seeing you... I suddenly understand."

She looked at Song Xiaomei, her eyes softening.