"Before we talk, shouldn't you take our clothes back first?" Ye Zhiqiang squatted in the corner, protecting his private parts.
"Have any shame? If you had any shame, you'd do something like this? If this were ten years ago, you'd be shot on the spot." Shu Jianyang glanced at them, then turned to the person taking the photos and asked, "How were the photos?"
"The battle was so intense that one roll of film wasn't enough to take enough pictures," the photographer said excitedly.
Upon hearing his words, Ye Zhiqiang and Li Jiaojiao's hearts skipped a beat. Just as Shu Jianyang had said, if these photos were to get out, ten years ago they would have been paraded through the streets with placards hanging around their necks, or even shot during a crackdown. Even now that society is more open, they are still very conservative. In any case, these photos absolutely cannot be leaked.
Li Jiaojiao was even more afraid than Shu Jianyang. She went to a decent university, but she was still a legitimate college student. Because she had no connections, she was assigned to work in a poorly performing factory. Many of her colleagues tried to transfer to other units. She didn't want to stay in that run-down factory where they couldn't even pay her full salary for the rest of her life, so she sought out Ye Zhiqiang.
If their affair is discovered, especially if these photos are leaked, she will definitely be fired from the factory and expelled from school; her life will be ruined.
The more she thought about it, the more frightened she became. Li Jiaojiao hugged herself and trembled, completely unlike her previous arrogant demeanor when she saw the original owner of the body.
Before returning their clothes, one of Shu Jianyang's underlings took two bath towels from the bathroom and threw them at them, telling them to wrap themselves up to cover their shame, mainly to avoid getting styes.
"Ultimately, this is our family's private matter. Third Brother, could you please excuse us?" Now that Shu Jianyang was powerful and had leverage over him, Ye Zhiqiang pleaded pragmatically.
Shu Jianyang didn't say anything, but turned to look at Shu Yan. He was there to stand up for Shu Yan, but she still had to make the decision herself.
Shu Yan nodded, "Let that vixen go out too."
As Li Jiaojiao left, she gently poked Ye Zhiqiang with her index finger, her eyes pleading.
"Don't worry, go outside and wait for me." Ye Zhiqiang took out a few hundred yuan from the only surviving wallet, "and asked a waiter to buy me two sets of clothes."
Shu Jianyang didn't stop her, and said to Shu Yan, "I'll be right at the door. Just call if you need anything." As he spoke, he glanced at Ye Zhiqiang, clearly indicating that he was also speaking to him.
With no one else in the room, the atmosphere suddenly became heavy. Shu Yan pulled up a chair, sat down, leaned back, and said indifferently, "Aren't you going to sit?"
Ye Zhiqiang took a deep breath. Now that he was at a disadvantage, he didn't dare to act as arrogantly as before. He forced a smile and said, "Shuyan, is it your third brother who forced you to try and gain some benefits from our divorce?"
Even now, Ye Zhiqiang still doesn't believe that Shu Yan would come to catch them in the act, or that she would dare to do so.
"It really has nothing to do with my third brother. I asked him for help." Shu Yan looked at Ye Zhiqiang with a half-smile. "Ye Zhiqiang, you really want a divorce, don't you?"
If Shu Yan hadn't looked the same, Ye Zhiqiang would have thought that the person sitting in front of him was a completely different person.
“We got married after only meeting twice through a matchmaker. What feelings could there be? Shuyan, I know you’ve worked hard all these years, taking care of the children and doing housework. So I’ve decided to give you the house you’re living in now, and the family savings will also be yours. If all else fails…” Ye Zhiqiang gritted his teeth, “The two children will stay with me. I didn’t think it through before. It’s not easy for a woman like you with two children to remarry. Without those two children, you have a house and money. You can find someone better than me.”
He had barely seen Shu Yan's two children. He had held his son twice when he was first born, but they had become distant afterward, and he had no real affection for him. So when Li Jiaojiao said she was worried that her child would be bullied by his older siblings, Ye Zhiqiang said without hesitation that he would give both children to Shu Yan. He was willing to pay for it himself, including future tuition fees. He couldn't let Jiaojiao and her unborn child suffer any injustice. In Jiaojiao's words, the child was the crystallization of their love.
Now the situation has changed. With so much leverage in Shu Yan's hands, they have no choice but to back down. They can leave the two children in the countryside with their parents, which won't affect him and Jiao Jiao much.
They did meet through a blind date, but after so many years together, and with the original owner even bearing him two children, there must have been some familial affection, right? Isn't that how it is for people who meet through blind dates in the countryside? They all live out their lives together, don't they? Ultimately, it's just that Ye Zhiqiang got rich and became arrogant, looking down on his wife who looked old and tired, and wanting a younger, prettier, and more educated woman.
"I'm fine with getting a divorce," Shu Yan said decisively, no longer beating around the bush, "but I don't agree to your previous conditions."
"What do you mean? You think the money is too little? You know, the contractors don't have much money on hand. It's all tied up in debt, and we still owe a lot on material costs. I haven't even paid my workers' wages yet." Ye Zhiqiang looked at Shu Yan, gritted his teeth, and said with a troubled expression, "How about this, I'll swallow my pride and borrow money. If I grit my teeth, I should be able to scrape together 20,000 yuan. Add that to our family's original 10,000 yuan savings, and that'll be 30,000 yuan. Three people with 10,000 yuan each. There aren't any 10,000 yuan households in your village yet, right? You'll be the first."
Shu Yan scoffed inwardly. If she didn't know his assets, she might have been fooled by him. He thought he could get rid of her with 30,000 yuan? Dream on.
"Divorce is fine. You'll leave with nothing."
Ye Zhiqiang stood up in shock. "Why?"
"Just because you cheated on your spouse and had a child with someone else, even if this goes to court, the court will order you to leave with nothing. Ye Zhiqiang, I have all the evidence and witnesses. If you know what's good for you, you'll obediently leave with nothing. If you don't, then we'll see you in court."
Ye Zhiqiang stared wide-eyed in surprise. He never expected his usually clumsy and honest wife to change like this. Could it be that his decision to divorce her had triggered her reaction? She had completely become a different person.
No, it must have been Shu Jianyang who taught him. That makes sense. Someone who didn't even finish elementary school wouldn't know anything about law or witnesses and evidence. It must have been Shu Jianyang who taught him; he must be targeting his company.
"Yan Yan, did Shu Jianyang say something to you? He has no good intentions at all. Believe me, he's using you to get my assets and then he'll keep them all for himself. You won't get a single penny." Ye Zhiqiang became more and more convinced that he was right. "Then neither of us will be penniless. How will we raise the children? You don't want our son and daughter to suffer with us, do you?"
Shu Yan shook her head and stared at Ye Zhiqiang. "From the time we got married until now, you know in your heart how many women you've been with. I used to tolerate it for the sake of the children, but now I find out that you don't even want your own children anymore. What can I still believe in you? So, Ye Zhiqiang, no matter what you say, we're getting a divorce, and you'll leave with nothing."
The original owner believed Ye Zhiqiang's sweet talk, but Shu Yan didn't believe a single word.
"Then we won't get a divorce." Ye Zhiqiang stared intently at Shu Yan. "Are you satisfied now?"
He used to be too soft-hearted, remembering that Shu Yan had given him two children and left her a house and some money. Now it seems he was too soft-hearted. Doesn't want a divorce? We'll see.
Shu Yan chuckled, stood up, and said calmly, "Now it's not you who wants a divorce, it's me who wants a divorce. This divorce is final. All the property and the children are mine. You can take Jiaojiao or Yanyan and get as far away as possible."
"Shuyan, don't go too far." Ye Zhiqiang looked at his unfamiliar wife and became anxious.
"Too much?" Shu Yan sneered, took out several file folders from her handbag and threw them at Ye Zhiqiang.
"These are photos of you and Li Jiaojiao together, along with Li Jiaojiao's medical report from the hospital. And you took so many interesting photos today. Ye Zhiqiang, you should think this through carefully."
The things on the table made Ye Zhiqiang tremble all over. His eyes turned bloodshot, and he glared fiercely. "What exactly do you want?"
"I've said it many times, you, leave with nothing, take Li Jiaojiao and get out." Shu Yan looked at Ye Zhiqiang, who seemed to want to strangle him, and said, word by word, "By the way, I've already had someone investigate all your assets and had a lawyer notarize them. If you dare to transfer assets, your crime will be compounded."
"Shuya, I'll kill you." He absolutely cannot leave with nothing; all that money was earned by himself, why should he give it to that fat, dead Shuyan?
"Third Brother!" Shu Yan took a few steps back and shouted. Shu Jianyang, who had been guarding the door, kicked the door open and came in.
Ye Zhiqiang, who was about to pounce, regained his composure and tried to calm his anger.
"Finished talking?" Shu Jianyang said, glancing at Ye Zhiqiang as if he would rush over at the slightest word from Shu Yan.
"I've made myself perfectly clear. I hope you make a decision as soon as possible. Remember, I'm only giving you three days. If you haven't made a decision by then, I'll make it for you." Shu Yan's posture at this moment was exactly the same as when Ye Zhiqiang had forced her to sign something before, and even her tone and manner of speaking were very similar.
Ye Zhiqiang's anger, which he had managed to suppress, flared up again, but due to the enemy's superior numbers, he had no choice but to suppress it once more.
"Third Brother, let's go." Shu Yan loved the feeling of him wishing she were dead but being powerless to stop it.
Once downstairs, Shu Yan smiled and said, "Thanks to Third Brother and your brothers today, I'll treat you to lunch. I hope you'll join me."
“Okay, let’s go somewhere else.” Shu Jianyang agreed and went to a restaurant not far from the hotel, going up to a private room on the second floor as if he knew the way well.
"The owner of this restaurant is quite skilled; we often eat here." By "we," I mean people of Shu Jianyang's level, of course. This is the first time his men have come here, and they keep glancing at the decor of the private room with a hint of excitement.
"I can tell," Shu Yan thought to herself.
After a satisfying meal, Shu Yan gave red envelopes containing 100 yuan to everyone who had helped her that day. In 1992, that was not a small amount.
"This... Third Brother?" The group looked at Shu Jianyang.
"Take it. From now on, you all need to pay more attention to my sister's affairs." Since Shu Yan had already taken it out, Shu Jianyang naturally wouldn't stop her. Besides, he knew how much money Ye Zhiqiang had. After the divorce, his cousin became a millionaire, so a few hundred yuan was nothing to him.
"Third Brother, do you think Ye Zhiqiang will agree to leave with nothing?" Shu Yan asked with some worry.
"It's not that easy." As men, we know best how much men value their careers. Ye Zhiqiang has worked so hard to achieve his current status, how could he be willing to give it up so easily?
"He has no choice but to agree." Shu Yan hesitated for a moment. "How about I stay at a hotel near Third Brother's place for the next few days instead of going back home?"
Ye Zhiqiang started out as a contractor and now runs his own construction company with a group of people under him. These days, fighting and brawling are common occurrences in the struggle for business. Ye Zhiqiang, a countryman, has come to this point, so he is no kind person. If he hires someone to kidnap her from her home and take unspeakable photos of her with some random man, it's not impossible that he could turn around and accuse her later.
Shu Yan had considered this beforehand. When she left, she brought her ID card and bankbook with her. For safety's sake, she temporarily stayed near Shu Jianyang. No matter how ruthless Ye Zhiqiang was, he couldn't be as ruthless as the underworld. She figured he wouldn't dare to make a move on Shu Jianyang's territory.
“Okay.” Even if Shu Yan didn’t say it, Shu Jianyang would still suggest that she not go home for the time being.
"Thank you, Third Brother."
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