Chen Ji's face was gloomy. He chuckled and asked, "How much is enough to ensure a worry-free later life?"
Chen Lin hesitated for a moment, then said, "If she leaves Beijing to go back to her parents' home, then I'll give her another three thousand."
The bride price was already 3,000 yuan, and now another 3,000 yuan is an astronomical sum for a poor rural village.
I think that rural woman would agree.
However, as long as Chen Ji agrees, whether she agrees or not is not that important.
Anyway, after what happened today, her reputation in the hospital is doomed, and everyone will naturally side with Chen Ji.
Chen Jiwei's eyes were red, his gaze dark and deep. "And then?"
“After she leaves, you will hold a wedding with the Cheng family’s daughter.” Chen Lin was completely unaware of Chen Ji’s abnormality and continued to say to himself, “The Cheng family’s daughter has a respectable job and a superior family background. You two are the most suitable match.”
“I’m your father, how could I harm you? You’re young now, I can’t let you regret it later, it will be too late when you do.”
Chen Lin spoke with earnest and heartfelt sincerity.
Chen Ji's eyes were filled with a chilling coldness. "Then why did you make me marry her when I was in the countryside?"
Chen Lin suddenly looked up, "You...you're blaming me? I found out about this late, and he already did that for our daughter. How could I turn against him over something so trivial?!"
He was acting for the greater good; Chen Ji shouldn't be unaware of this or fail to understand his situation.
Behind him stands the entire Chen family, and the glory of generations of the Chen family.
“It’s all in the past! Aren’t you standing here perfectly fine now? Chen Ji, you have to move on and not dwell on such trivial matters.”
“You have a bright future and a promising future, and you shouldn’t be bothered by those trivial matters. Just remember, I am your father, and I will never harm you. You have the blood of the Chen family flowing in your veins, and that is why we are family.”
Chen Ji looked at his father with a somber expression, his face full of self-mockery and bitterness. "Is that so? Didn't you think back then that you would abandon me, this crippled good-for-nothing, just like you abandoned my second brother?"
Chen Lin suddenly looked up, his eyes widening in disbelief.
"Chen Ji!" he interrupted Chen Ji sharply, his face revealing obvious anger.
The atmosphere in the study became tense. Chen Lin was so angry with Chen Ji that he smashed the water glass on the table to the ground, splashing scalding hot tea everywhere.
Chen Jiwei remained unmoved, not even blinking.
"My grandfather always said that one should be grateful and repay kindness. If it weren't for Xu Ruantang, do you think I would still be standing here now?"
Chen Lin's eyes widened in anger, and he suddenly raised his voice, roaring, "Chen Ji! I taught you to read and write, to become a person of high status, and this is how you treat your father?! Filial piety is the most important virtue, and now you don't care about filial piety at all?!"
“If it weren’t for her, I would be a cripple by now.” Chen Ji frowned deeply, his attitude forceful. “You want me to read and write so that I’ll become an ungrateful wretch? If that’s the case, I’d rather not learn anything at all.”
The atmosphere in the study plummeted to freezing point.
Outside the study.
Xu Ruantang had just closed the door when she turned around and saw Jia Shuling standing at the bottom of the stairs.
She gave Jia Shuling a cool look, then walked past her and prepared to go downstairs.
Jia Shuling was eavesdropping, and since the room wasn't very soundproof, she heard almost everything they were saying inside.
I can't even describe how smug I feel right now.
How can a vixen from the countryside, with no family background or connections, and only a seductive appearance, surpass her and live a better life?
"Third niece-in-law, why don't you even greet your aunt?" Jia Shuling stretched out her arm, deliberately blocking Xu Ruantang's way, and said sarcastically, "You must have done something wrong and are afraid to talk to me?"
Xu Ruantang was really in no mood to deal with her today, and coldly said, "What did I do? You'd better explain in twenty words."
"Heh." Now that it was just the two of them, Jia Shuling stopped pretending and rolled her eyes. "Third niece-in-law, I advise you to be more careful, especially with an ill-mannered wild girl like you."
Jia Shuling took a step closer to her and said, "If your elder brother doesn't approve of you, you'll never be able to enter the Chen family."
"Why did you ramble on for so long without getting to the point?"
Xu Ruantang stared directly at Jia Shuling, frowning impatiently. "What exactly do you want to say? Just to mock me and get a sense of existence? If you like making a fool of yourself so much, go perform for everyone on the training field. At least that would have some value."
"You!" Jia Shuling was furious, her anger reaching its peak. "You really are an uncultured country bumpkin, all you know how to do is spew nonsense! Are all you country folk like you, good at seducing people? Cheating on Chen Ji behind his back, how dare you be so self-righteous? It's simply unbelievable..."
She couldn't say anything more; a single sentence stuck in her trachea, almost choking her to death.
Xu Ruantang grabbed Jia Shuling by the neck and slammed her against the wall at the top of the stairs. Xu Ruantang was strong, and Jia Shuling's back began to go numb.
Xu Ruantang's face darkened, and she asked in a cold voice, "So it really was you. You're the one who spread the rumors?"
Previously, she had only made guesses, and had several candidates in mind.
Jia Shuling is truly heartless. She is still a member of the Chen family. What good does spreading such rumors do her?
"Cough cough, you first... let go!" Jia Shuling struggled constantly, but she was no match for Xu Ruantang.
Xu Ruantang remained unmoved, even tightening her grip on his hand. "Answer my question."
"I didn't say anything... I just... saw you and casually mentioned it... how was I supposed to know..." Her tone softened.
Jia Shuling was starting to get scared. This country woman was incredibly strong. Her life was so precious; how could she let herself be buried with such a shameless person who wasn't afraid of death?
This woman is terrifying! Are they trying to kill her here?!
How dare she!
"Don't try anything funny behind my back again, or I won't let you get away with it."
Xu Ruantang slowly released her hand. "Your position as second aunt was hard-won, while my position as Chen Ji's wife is quite easy. If you want to go head-to-head, you are welcome to try."
Footsteps came from the stairwell. Xu Ruantang turned her head and saw Tang Wan supporting the old lady and Ye Lan holding Chen Zheng's arm. All four of them were looking in this direction.
"Mom! Mom, save me! She's trying to kill someone! She's gone mad! This woman is insane!"
Jia Shuling quickly ran down the stairs and slipped behind the old lady.
Tang Wan frowned silently as she watched her second aunt's flustered movements, and tightened her grip on the old lady's arm.
My second aunt is so easily startled; I'm afraid she might bump into Grandma.
"Ruan Tang, what brings you back today?"
Ye Lan, being the least perceptive, completely failed to notice the tense atmosphere between Xu Ruantang and Jia Shuling, and asked with a joyful expression.
Before Xu Ruantang could answer, the sound of shattering porcelain and glass came from the study, followed by a series of loud cracking sounds, and then Chen Lin's furious roar.
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