Chapter 378 The Orphanage's Lies: The Handsome Flower Boy 78
"I can learn a skill! I can!"
"What can you do?" Wang Xiuying interrupted him, her tone extremely sarcastic.
What can you do?
When I was sent to the countryside, my wife in the countryside supported me; after I returned to the city, my father helped me out.
Besides flattering your superiors and cultivating connections, what else can you do? Now that my dad's down, your methods don't work anymore.
"These days, what rich young lady would want a cripple like you? Especially since you're already so old."
Zhou Weimin's face turned pale; these words were truly heartbreaking.
"So, you... you look down on me that much?"
Wang Xiuying pulled out a few sheets of paper from the file bag, her tone calm.
"I'm not looking down on you, I'm just facing reality."
I've already drafted the divorce agreement. I'll have custody of both children, and you'll leave with nothing.
Anyway, we don't have any assets left. The house is rented, and our savings have been confiscated. Just sign the papers.
The family has nothing now, just bare walls, so even if they were to divide things up, there's nothing to divide.
Zhou Weimin roared furiously when he saw the papers.
"I won't sign! Why should the child belong to you? Zihan is my son!"
Wang Xiuying suddenly laughed. She really had been too kind to her.
"Your son?"
Zhou Weimin, I have something to tell you. Listen to it before you decide whether to sign or not.
She leaned closer and lowered her voice.
"Neither Zihan nor Zixuan are your children."
Zhou Weimin was struck dumb, his eyes widening in shock.
"What, what did you say?"
“I said, the two children are not related to you by blood.”
Wang Xiuying's words pierced his heart like knives.
I was pregnant before we got married, and the child is my ex-boyfriend's.
My marriage to you later was a perfect fit, since you were in such a rush back then.
"Ha, you were so busy currying favor with my dad back then, you barely came home a few times a month. Did you really think I carried you for ten months and gave birth to you?"
Zhou Weimin trembled all over, wanting to say something, but unable to utter a sound.
He spent all his time hunting geese, only to have his eye pecked by one.
"The hospital diagnosed that you're completely infertile and have no chance of having children."
After Wang Xiuying finished speaking, her tone returned to calm.
"This is something you and I should keep quiet about."
If word gets out, you'll be the one who loses face. You raised someone else's child for over a decade, and then you abandoned your own son just to marry into the Wang family.
If word gets out, you'll become a huge laughingstock.
She took a step back and adjusted her scarf to prevent Zhou Weimin from hurting her in a fit of rage.
"But you haven't lost out either. The money for raising the children all these years has come from our Wang family, and even the money for raising you came from our family."
Now, shall we sign?
Zhou Weimin slumped in his chair, his eyes vacant. He had no time to process the truth of these events, but those past memories were now springing up like mushrooms after rain.
Many things I hadn't thought about in detail before now seem to have an outlet, a truth.
He doesn't have the money to raise his own child, let alone raise someone else's child; he's having trouble even supporting himself.
After a long while, with trembling hands, he took the pen and signed his name on the divorce agreement.
Every stroke felt like cutting off my own flesh.
What he signed was the shame of marrying into someone else's family for so many years, the shame of raising someone else's child, and the regret of abandoning his own child for someone else's child.
When Zhou's parents returned with the children, Zhou Weimin had already signed the papers.
The elderly couple wanted to persuade her further, but Wang Xiuying spoke directly.
"Dad, Mom, Weimin has agreed."
"Let's go get the paperwork done now, before the Civil Affairs Bureau closes for the holidays."
Zhou's mother panicked, thinking that the couple's relationship could be rekindled by spending time alone together.
"Today? Now? Who's at work right now?"
Wang Xiuying's attitude was very firm.
"We need to get this done as soon as possible. You don't want the children to be implicated because of Weimin's situation, do you?"
"Did you get the handcart? Push Weimin there."
Seeing his son's dejected appearance and the fact that his son didn't object, Zhou's father figured he had truly agreed. He sighed and went out to borrow a cart.
They sent an old handcart used by a cotton mill for hauling goods. The wooden planks on it were tattered and the wheels creaked.
The neighbors all watched the commotion at the Zhou family's house. When Zhou Weimin was put up, he felt as if his face was being rubbed back and forth on the ground, and he felt as if the whole world was pointing fingers at him.
The Civil Affairs Bureau wasn't far away, but it took the cart almost half an hour to get there.
Zhou Weimin huddled on the cart, covered with an old cotton quilt, the cold wind blowing against his face like knives.
He recalled the day he and Wang Xiuying got their marriage certificate more than ten years ago. It was also winter. He was wearing a new Zhongshan suit, and Wang Xiuying was wearing a red sweater. The two of them rode bicycles, chatting and laughing all the way.
At that time, he felt that he had finally climbed to a higher position and that his life was about to turn around.
At that time, he felt that life was easy, and he could get rid of the child as quickly as possible and climb the social ladder as fast as possible.
More than a decade has passed, and it's all been a dream.
There weren't many people in the Civil Affairs Bureau. The staff member was a middle-aged woman who frowned after looking at their documents.
"Divorce? You want to get a divorce now? You two really know how to pick your days."
"Comrade, thank you for your trouble. We would like to get this done as soon as possible."
Wang Xiuying handed over a pack of Daqianmen cigarettes, which had been prepared in advance.
The staff member glanced at her, put away his cigarette, and began filling out the form. When asked about the reason for the divorce, Wang Xiuying said that the relationship had broken down, and Zhou Weimin nodded blankly.
He is a self-interested person, and now that he knows the truth, he would never raise someone else's child.
Moreover, the Wang family has truly fallen now, and he has nothing left to exploit.
The whole process—taking a photo, getting a stamp, and paying—took less than half an hour.
When the two dark red booklets were handed out, Zhou Weimin found the color extremely glaring; the marriage certificate was also that color.
As I walked out of the Civil Affairs Bureau, the sky was overcast, as if it were about to snow again.
Wang Xiuying carefully put the divorce certificate into her handbag, a relieved smile on her face, as if she had gotten rid of a burden. That smile stung Zhou Weimin's eyes.
The cart was pushed over, but Wang Xiuying didn't get on it.
She walked to the cart, bent down, and spoke in a voice only the two of them could hear.
"Let me tell you one last thing: my father's downfall was not an accident."
Someone reported you. The report even mentioned that you abandoned your child back then. They're here for revenge.
You'd better be careful.
Zhou Weimin suddenly raised his head.
Wang Xiuying smiled, this time a genuine smile, finally shaking him off. She turned and walked toward the two children waiting by the roadside.
Guess who it is?
"You'd better watch yourself, Zhou Weimin."
She held one child in each hand and walked away without looking back. Zhou Zihan glanced back, her eyes filled with mixed emotions, but ultimately followed her mother around the street corner.
Mr. Zhou pushed the cart, tears streaming down his face, while Mrs. Zhou followed beside him, wiping away her own tears.
In this cold winter, when the wind blows and tears fall, it feels like my face is being cut by a knife.
The cart creaked and groaned as it made its way back. Zhou Weimin lay on the cart, looking at the gray sky, and suddenly burst into laughter.
He laughed until his whole body trembled, and tears streamed down his face.
retribution.
It's all retribution.
The snowflakes finally began to fall, one by one, landing on his face, icy cold.
Just like that snowy night more than a decade ago, falling on the face of that abandoned child.
He finally knew what cold felt like.
It must be that child who's returned! He's back for revenge!
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