Jiang Shuya looked at the tightly closed door, walked to the front balcony, gazed at the river in the distance, and kept thinking, recalling what Huang Minghao had said earlier. This unhappy marriage involved more than just two people.
Furthermore, there was the influence and authority of the previous generation, the grandfather's radiant presence, and his concern for those ephemeral reputations; in short, it was necessary to go through him.
Jiang Shuya originally thought that she could leave as long as she paid off the debts. She thought she hadn't wronged anyone except her grandfather, the sensible old man who had helped her.
After the divorce, this place will no longer be her home, and she will have to leave. Where will she go?
It's definitely not going to be her parents' home. Given Li Dalan's character, she won't let her stay there. Even if she agrees, she'll squeeze every last drop out of her.
She had experienced her mother's methods firsthand. She would never forget how her mother took away the only thousand yuan or so she had on her the night before her wedding, leaving her penniless when she married into Xixia Village.
Because of this, she was ridiculed by her mother-in-law for a long time, and the rumors were spread everywhere, causing her to lose face.
The contract terms, agreements, and other things laid out on the table, as well as the demolition compensation and housing allocation—she has a share in all of these. As for how much she will receive and Tangtang's custody, these things need to be discussed in person.
Thinking of this, Jiang Shuya's heart began to tremble. The unknown tomorrow made her feel insecure because Huang Minghao didn't like her, and she wasn't sure how much of the demolition compensation she would receive.
She couldn't accept being so passive. It seemed she had no choice but to take the initiative and not waste her life like she had in her previous life, ending up with nothing.
In the afternoon, a sumptuous New Year's Eve dinner was laid out on the dining table in the living room. Four adults sat at the large table, while Tangtang sat in a high chair, waving a soup spoon around in her hand. The sound of firecrackers could be heard in the distance, adding a touch of festive atmosphere to the quiet space of the house.
Huang Minghao sat expressionlessly in the main seat, without saying a word. Huang Guohua filled a large bowl with beer and drank it all by himself, while his mother-in-law urged him anxiously.
"Haohao, eat quickly. We're all home today, so finish eating early and hurry over to your third aunt's house to join in the fun."
This is my mother-in-law's usual style: she hurriedly prepares a meal, finishes it early, and then spends all her time playing mahjong, eating leftovers from New Year's Eve for the next few days of the Lunar New Year.
Perhaps this is true of every household in Xixia Village. People who have been busy all year cannot integrate into other customs and only wish to sit together and play cards to pass the time.
Jiang Shuya checked the time and found it was only three o'clock, and asked a question;
"Isn't it too early to eat at this time?"
The mother-in-law gave a cold, sidelong glance;
"You, who never cooks, have the nerve to pick and choose your time? Let me tell you, as long as you live in this house, starting tomorrow, you'll be cooking."
New Year's Eve is a day for family reunion. Jiang Shuya didn't want to cause any unhappiness on such a festive day, so she forced herself not to get angry and just focused on feeding Tangtang.
At this moment, Huang Minghao also suddenly spoke up;
"Learn to cook something simpler. Look around, everyone at the door knows how to cook. I don't expect you to be perfect, but at least be able to cook a simple home-cooked meal!"
Even though it was a request, Huang Minghao tried his best to keep a low profile and spoke in a low voice, unlike his previous commanding tone.
Jiang Shuya, however, was not buying it at all. She looked up at him and said, word by word, "I will not listen to this at all."
"If I were reborn, I would never cook again. Besides, when your son was away, I never ate a single meal cooked by you."
I've never been late in paying you a single day of the money I give you each month. I pay for all of Tangtang's expenses, and it's my request that you not go to the brand store.
I don't think I did anything wrong, because I didn't want my child to grow up in that kind of environment.
She paused for a moment and then said:
“Any grievances you have about me can be laid bare today, and I will accept them all. But if I hear anyone else speaking ill of me, I will file for divorce. And I will not let anyone who has laid a hand on me get away with it.”
After saying that, he stood up, looked back, and added:
"Huang Minghao, I will draft the terms of the divorce agreement in the next few days. If you have no objections, we will meet at the entrance of the Civil Affairs Bureau on the eighth day of the first lunar month."
The room fell silent. Li Yuxiang, who was usually so aggressive, was speechless. The old man was deep in thought. Huang Minghao slammed down his chopsticks and stood up abruptly.
"Jiang Shuya, are you really going to divorce me?"
"Huang Minghao, do you want me to repeat myself, or do you think I can't live without you?"
Jiang Shuya's eyes were icy cold;
"Spending my life with someone like you is hopeless. Having such shameless, lazy, gambling-addicted, heartless, and ungrateful parents is something I want to avoid at all costs; I just want to get away from this family as soon as possible."
Li Yuxiang, standing on the opposite side, suddenly flew into a rage, stomping her feet, hands on her hips, pointing at Jiang Shuya, and angrily said:
"Have you thought this through? You initiated the divorce yourself. You're ungrateful and stubbornly refuse to leave our house."
Now that you're leaving, don't let me see you again. And Tangtang is my granddaughter; don't even think about taking her away. You're also forbidden from visiting again; I'll beat you every time I see you."
Jiang Shuya did not back down upon hearing this:
"Your custody of Tangtang is not up to you, and my divorce from Huang Minghao does not need to go through you. People like you live without any self-respect, neither taking action nor using their brains. You deserve to be looked down upon by others."
A conflict was about to erupt, and the two argued fiercely. An old man standing nearby scolded Li Yuxiang and then waved his hand to interrupt Jiang Shuya.
"You said you want to divorce Hao Hao, so I'm asking you, have you thought this through? Our house is going to be demolished in the future."
"Good days are coming soon. You'll have several houses and a large sum of compensation for the demolition. You don't want any of that. Without my signature as the head of household, you won't get any of it. You'd better think it over."
Jiang Shuya sneered, not answering directly, because she knew that whether they divorced before or after the demolition, they would share the marital property. Now, the name of the homeowner on the property certificate had already been changed with her grandfather's consent, so she was naturally not afraid.
Of course, all of this should be written in the contract, so there's really no need to bring it up now and argue with this unreliable old man.
Huang Minghao walked up to Jiang Shuya and said in a deep voice;
"During this holiday, you should calmly consider things. I hope you'll listen to what my dad just said."
Jiang Shuya sneered, not giving it another glance. She went upstairs, grabbed a few changes of clothes, put them in her suitcase, walked over to Tangtang, kissed her on her soft, cute face, passed by Huang Minghao, and walked out of Xixia Village without looking back.
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