Chapter Fourteen: Dire News—The Li Family Has Arrived!

Su Zheng left in Chen Muxue’s car.

“What is it you really want to say to me?” Chen Muxue asked, frowning as she drove.

Su Zheng took a deep breath, struggling to keep his emotions in check. “Do you really not know what you’ve done? I think it’s time we lay everything out on the table.”

“What exactly are you trying to say?” Chen Muxue’s voice was cold, and she shot Su Zheng a glare.

“There are only the two of us here. You don’t have to keep pretending. I know all about the night you went to the hotel with Liang Xiaoyu. It’s been two years—if I think about it, this isn’t the first time, is it? I must have been a fool.” Su Zheng spoke slowly, self-mockery heavy on his face. He took another deep breath, then looked at Chen Muxue with solemnity.

“Chen Muxue, let’s get a divorce. No need for you to keep playing this role and wearing yourself out. Why torture yourself? I may not have money, but I still have my dignity.”

At his words, Chen Muxue stiffened. Though her expression didn’t change much, her eyes began to fill with tears that silently traced down her cheeks.

Her whole body began to tremble, as if suffering some immense grievance, and she couldn’t say a word.

“Don’t hesitate. I’m doing this for your sake. You should be happy,” Su Zheng forced himself to say, biting back his own reluctance, his tone stubborn and barbed.

“Are you sure you want a divorce?” Chen Muxue’s tears fell in large drops, the hand gripping the steering wheel turning pale, her voice trembling.

“Hmph.” Su Zheng snorted coldly, unwilling to say more, and turned his gaze out the window.

Just then, a shrill screech of brakes split the air. Su Zheng, reacting instinctively to the sudden jolt, reached out to steady himself and tried to grab Chen Muxue.

The car crashed into the roadside guardrail. Though Su Zheng reacted quickly, Chen Muxue’s left arm was still slammed hard against the steering wheel.

“Muxue! Are you alright?” Su Zheng asked anxiously.

“Let go. Don’t touch me!” Chen Muxue could no longer control her emotions. She shook off Su Zheng’s hand, tears streaming down her face as she got out of the car.

She hailed a taxi and left without looking back.

Since the collision had only scraped the passenger side, by the time Su Zheng got out from the driver’s seat, Chen Muxue was already gone.

Su Zheng stood in silence for a moment, then called for roadside assistance. He tried calling Chen Muxue, but she didn’t answer.

Just then, a call came in—it was his father-in-law, Chen Jianguo, demanding that he come to the Chen family ancestral home immediately, without delay.

After a moment’s thought, Su Zheng spent his last money on a taxi to the ancestral residence.

As soon as he entered, he saw the Chen family matriarch sitting in the grand chair, her face contorted with fury.

“You wretch! Do you have any idea what kind of disaster you’ve caused this time? Seize him!”

The old lady’s hair was silver, her presence commanding, her eyes blazing with anger. Before Su Zheng could speak, she ordered the servants to move.

Su Zheng narrowed his eyes. Now, he refused to be subdued. He swung his arms and threw the two servants who lunged at him to the ground.

“Insolence! How dare you!” Chen Xiong barked in a harsh voice.

Su Zheng ignored him, calmly looking at the old lady. “What crime have I committed that you would have me seized?”

“Hmph! You went to the Li family and tried to swindle them, dragging the whole Chen family down with you. Is that not enough to call you a criminal in the eyes of this family? Your sins are unforgivable! You—you—” The matriarch, livid, choked on her words, her finger trembling as she pointed at Su Zheng.

“Mother, please calm down. I knew nothing about this—it’s all this worthless fool’s doing. What should we do to appease the Li family’s wrath?” Chen Jianguo was trembling with anxiety.

“The Li family is powerful. To earn their forgiveness will demand a great price. As for compensation, we’ll discuss that later. For now, have this disgraceful wretch kneel at the Li family’s gates. At least let them see our attitude. Hmph!” After a moment’s thought, the old lady glared again at Su Zheng with profound disgust.

“Mother is right. Letting this disgrace kneel and confess is the most direct way to quench the Li family’s anger,” Chen Xiong agreed.

Chen Jianguo found this solution sensible. He jabbed a finger at Su Zheng, his face flushed with anger. “You heard all that, didn’t you? Get yourself to the Li family’s door and kneel! Even if you die kneeling there, you must win their forgiveness—do you understand?!”

Rage surged in Su Zheng’s chest. If it had only been the old lady and Chen Xiong, he might have endured it, but hearing his own father-in-law demand he suffer such humiliation was beyond tolerance.

“The Li family should be eager to curry favor with me. Why should I kneel to them?” He met his father-in-law’s gaze with unyielding defiance.

“Outrageous! You—” Chen Jianguo was stunned by Su Zheng’s words and was about to continue his tirade when a commotion erupted outside.

“Madam, something’s happened! The Li family has sent something over.”

“Huh?”

The entire Chen family froze, anxiety spreading across their faces.

Was the Li family about to make a move so soon?

“An invitation? What is the meaning of this?” The old lady opened the box to find several exquisitely crafted invitations inside.

The son-in-law, a worthless disgrace, had provoked the Li family, and yet instead of retribution, they sent invitations. What on earth was going on?

The entire Chen family was dumbfounded.

After a moment’s hesitation, Chen Jianguo called Liang Xiaoyu.

He was grasping at straws—knowing few influential people, he remembered Liang Xiaoyu boasting of his connections and hoped he might find out what was really happening.

“Xiaoyu, this is Uncle Chen. I need your help.”

“Hello, Uncle Chen. I was just about to look for Muxue. What is it?” On the other end, Liang Xiaoyu spoke with an air of pride. Having kept a low profile for a few days without consequence, his confidence had returned.

“The Li family just sent us several invitations. I don’t know what it means. You have wide connections—can you advise your uncle? Is there some misunderstanding?”

“Invitations from the Li family? For your family? Who exactly are they for?”

“We don’t know. The Li family’s people delivered them and left without much explanation.”

“Oh? Let me think—ah, of course! You’ve received the invitations, right? That makes sense. The other day, I had dinner with the Li family’s eldest son and happened to mention my relationship with Muxue. I imagine he’s sent the invitations as a favor to me. That Li family scion—he should have told me! Haha…” Liang Xiaoyu was quick-witted, instantly claiming the credit for himself.

“Ah… well, Xiaoyu, you’re truly remarkable, knowing even the Li family’s heir. Uncle owes you a big thank-you,” Chen Jianguo said, hanging up with his head still spinning.

He hurried to explain to the old lady, a hint of pride on his face.

“Wonderful! Jianguo, your family has done us a great service. The Chen family’s revival is at hand!”

“By the way, I hear that Liang Xiaoyu seems to have quite the interest in your Muxue. Jianguo, you must learn to seize such opportunities. Do you understand?” The old lady said meaningfully, ignoring Su Zheng’s presence.

Su Zheng’s expression grew colder. He could not be bothered with any of them. He was about to leave when his phone rang—it was Chen Muxue calling.