Chapter 175 Child, these years... you've suffered so much.
A moment later, there was a knock on the door, and a servant brought in food.
"Young Madam, this is what the young master asked us to prepare for you, and this ginseng soup to calm your nerves was specially instructed by the old lady to be served to you."
Seeing the maid place the things on the table, Qin Shuzhi asked, "Where did the young master go?"
The maid said, "It seems that the young master went to the master's study."
Did you go to your father-in-law's study?
Qin Shuzhi's heart skipped a beat. Recalling Shi Yuanxing's reaction just now, she felt uneasy.
After the maid left, she lost her appetite and got up to leave the room.
Qin Shuzhi stood at the bedroom door, hesitated for a moment, and then went to Shi Hongzhen's study.
As she approached the study door, she heard a heated argument coming from inside, even through the slightly ajar door.
The faint sound of Shi Hongzhen's voice could be heard: "...I did this for the greater good, for the company."
"For the sake of the company, you'd put my wife in such a dangerous situation?" Shi Yuanxing's voice trembled as he suppressed his anger.
A hint of guilt flashed across Shi Hongzhen's face. "I sent people to protect her, but... I didn't expect Qiao Wenbo to be so crazy."
“It’s not that you didn’t think of her, it’s that you only have your company in your eyes, you didn’t consider her at all.” Shi Yuanxing’s voice was hoarse, clearly very agitated.
"If you had ever considered her safety even for a moment, you shouldn't have kept it from me and let her do something so dangerous!"
After he finished speaking, Shi Hongzhen fell silent, and the study was filled with a deathly stillness.
The atmosphere grew increasingly tense in the silence, and even Qin Shuzhi, standing outside the door, subconsciously held her breath.
A moment later, Shi Yuanxing's slightly calmer voice came, "Now that Qiao Wenbo has been caught and the company's pest has been eliminated, I will resign and leave the group once this matter is settled."
Shi Hongzhen was stunned for a moment, then asked incredulously, "What did you say? Do you know what you're saying?"
"I just don't understand. The classified documents were recovered, and Shuzhi is back safely. She hasn't said anything. What more do you want from me?"
"She doesn't say anything because she considers the Shi family her own and respects you as her father-in-law. But what about you? Do you treat her like family? Do you protect her like a junior?" Shi Yuanxing questioned.
"Luckily, Zhizhi wasn't hurt today, otherwise..."
He didn't continue, but Shi Hongzhen saw that his face was gloomy and his bloodshot eyes seemed to be brewing a storm.
He exuded a terrifying chill.
Shi Hongzhen had never seen him like this before.
"Otherwise what do you want? Huh?" Shi Hongzhen glared at him with wide eyes, his eyes trembling with anger.
Shi Yuanxing's thin lips were pressed into a straight line, his jaw was stiff and hard, and he remained silent with a cold expression.
"A man should put his career first."
Shi Hongzhen looked at his son with a look of disappointment and frustration. "Look at yourself now! All you care about is your love for your children. You lose your temper over a woman and now you're even yelling at your own father without any respect. Do you even have the demeanor of a member of the Shi family?"
"A responsible and dependable man should balance family and career. What's the use of a successful career if he can't even protect his family and his wife?"
Shi Yuanxing's chest heaved violently as he blurted out, "It's because you only had your career in your eyes and neglected my mother that she became so insecure and always craved even the slightest bit of your attention, ultimately leading to this tragic end."
Shi Hongzhen's pupils dilated, and his face changed. "What does this have to do with your mother? Why are you dragging her into this?"
"Do you know that just because you casually mentioned that you might be able to find time to watch my sister's ballet competition, my mother acted as if she had received some kind of blessing?" Shi Yuanxing looked at Shi Hongzhen with hatred.
“You demand perfection in everything. My mom was afraid that you would be disappointed if my sister didn’t get first place in dance, so she forced my sister to practice day and night. She even secretly took us to Fengshan to find a reclusive dancer to instruct my sister. That night, my sister threw a tantrum and refused to practice. My mom went out late at night to buy her a cake in order to coax her, which is why she was in a car accident. It’s because you only care about your career and neglect your family that our family has become so broken up…”
Qin Shuzhi, who was listening to these words outside the door, was stunned.
so……
My mother-in-law's car accident wasn't caused by traveling far at all.
Suddenly, a loud thud came from behind. Qin Shuzhi turned around and saw Shi Qingman, who had been standing behind him, fall to the ground with a thud.
"elder sister……"
Qin Shuzhi exclaimed in surprise and quickly went over to help her.
Shi Qingman's pale, bloodless face was filled with shock and bewilderment, but even more so... it seemed to be filled with regret and grief.
Clearly, she had heard what Shi Yuanxing said inside.
"Sister, are you alright?" Qin Shuzhi asked worriedly.
Hearing the commotion outside, Shi Yuanxing quickly came out. When he saw the two people outside the door, his expression changed, and then he silently stepped forward to help Shi Qingman up.
Shi Qingman seemed to have her soul ripped out; her empty eyes became extremely complex and painful when she looked at Shi Yuanxing.
The next second, she suddenly broke free from Shi Yuanxing and Qin Shuzhi's support and ran frantically towards her own room.
With a loud bang, the door was slammed shut.
The old lady, who had just come upstairs, saw this scene and hurriedly reached out to open the door, only to find that she couldn't open it. She heard a heartbreaking cry coming from inside, which terrified her.
"What, what's going on? What's wrong with Manman?"
She anxiously asked Shi Yuanxing and Qin Shuzhi, who had walked over.
After glancing at the silent Shi Yuanxing, Qin Shuzhi still told the old lady what had happened.
Upon learning the truth about her daughter-in-law's car accident years ago, Old Madam Shi was shocked. After a long while, she glanced at the tightly closed door, then her tearful and heartbroken gaze fell on Shi Yuanxing. She stepped forward, took his hand, and choked out:
"My child, you've suffered so much these past years."
Qin Shuzhi looked at Shi Yuanxing with eyes full of heartache.
Over the years, he kept this secret to himself, swallowing all the grievances, sorrow, and injustice alone.
It really was...too bitter.
Suddenly, she finally understood why her father-in-law always had a cold face and didn't participate when discussing official business at the dinner table every time she went home for dinner.
He repeatedly stated that home is not a company, nor is it a place to discuss work.
And then there was the time she casually asked him if he would become a workaholic in the future, and his answer was: he would balance family and career, and if he had to choose between the two, he would choose family.
Qin Shuzhi silently watched the man who was gently comforting his grandmother, and her eyes involuntarily stung.
A moment later, she couldn't help but look towards Shi Hongzhen's study again, but the person inside still hadn't come out.
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