Fang Qin’s eyes reddened, the corner of her lips curling. “I have no conscience? If I had no conscience, I would have sent Pei Xu to an orphanage long ago. Pei Yi, I was the one who went to identify your brother’s body. I was the one who handled his funeral affairs. What right do you have to say I have no conscience?”
“During the years you were studying abroad, the living expenses he gave you included a share of mine. Half of his money was mine too!” Fang Qin’s eyes were bloodshot, her voice shrill.
“What’s wrong with me marrying Cen Zheping? Cen Zheping understands me. He’s willing to spend money to buy my paintings. Your brother didn’t even understand what I was painting. He was a country bumpkin. He was never worthy of me.”
“He died, so I have to cry bitterly and spend the rest of my life guarding his son?
I’m a person. Don’t I have the right to pursue myself? You just can’t stand to see me doing well. Who doesn’t want to climb higher…”
Jealousy. They were just jealous that she had married into a wealthy family. Smack. A slap. The office instantly fell into a dead silence. Fang Qin’s left cheek immediately swelled up red. Her makeup could no longer hide her ugly soul. She covered her face, raised her hand to slap back, and got another slap from Hua Zhao.
Hua Zhao shook her hand. Her palm hurt a little. Fang Qin fell to the ground. Her expensive bag rolled to the side. She opened her mouth and screamed, saying she would kill Hua Zhao. Pei Yi stood in front of Hua Zhao, looking down at her, his voice cold as ice.
“Yes, you have the right to pursue life, and choosing whom to marry is your freedom. Since you think you did nothing wrong, why didn’t you dare answer my calls after my brother died?”
“Marital joint property? Ridiculous. After you married my brother, did you ever earn a single cent for the family? Did you ever take care of Qiqi for even a single day?”
“Back then, to stop my brother from divorcing you, what did you say to him? You said Qiqi was still young and needed a mother…”
Pei Ye had thought about divorce. His feelings for Fang Qin had been worn away by her. After he proposed divorce, Fang Qin realized she couldn’t live without Pei Ye. She cried and begged Pei Ye, saying she couldn’t leave him and that the child needed a mother too. Qiqi was still so small. Every time Fang Qin didn’t come home, he would sit on the sofa and point at the balcony, saying “Ah, ah, ah,” as if asking his dad where Mom had gone.
Pei Ye’s heart softened, but he wasn’t stupid. From then on, he kept his guard up and no longer granted Fang Qin’s every request. Pei Yi’s eyes were red, feeling unjust for Pei Ye. His brother had poured his heart out, wanting to live a good life with Fang Qin, yet ended up like this.
“I’m telling you today, if you don’t give me custody of Qiqi, I’ll sue. If I don’t win, I’ll keep suing. I’ll fucking keep suing.
Then let everyone in Beicheng judge who’s right and who’s wrong!”
“Money and Qiqi, if I let you touch even a bit of either, I’ll fucking call you ancestor.”
Pei Yi’s chest heaved violently. His eyes were bloodshot, and the fists at his sides were clenched tight. Fang Qin had been slapped twice and had fallen. She felt half her body go numb. Covering her face, she shook her head and screamed that she would call the police.
Hua Zhao was furious. She had a hot temper to begin with. She crouched in front of Fang Qin and raised her hand to slap her again. “Shut up. Say one more word, and I’ll hit you again!”
Fang Qin pouted. It was the first time she had been hit. Tears and snot covered her face. There was no trace of the exquisite, pretty woman who had walked in. She reached for her bag, trembling as she took out her phone, glared at Hua Zhao and Pei Yi, and was about to call the police. How could Hua Zhao let her call the police? She grabbed her phone and threw it aside.
“You—”
Hua Zhao clapped her hands. She worked out every day. After returning to China, she had to take care of Qiqi, and she had added strength training. Dealing with a woman like Fang Qin, who dieted every day to lose weight, was more than enough. Pei Yi pulled over two chairs. The two of them sat and looked at her. Fang Qin’s throat rolled, and she felt despair. She had driven here herself. No one could help her. Even if she called Cen Zheping, he wouldn’t come to save her.
“You just wait.” She hurriedly got up, grabbed her bag from the floor, and staggered forward.
“What are you leaving for? We haven’t even discussed the main business yet.”
Hua Zhao threw her onto the sofa.
“What’s going on in there?”
Several people were lying at the office door, eavesdropping and whispering, worried something had happened inside. A small figure ran down the corridor. Pei Qiqi was a bit anxious. He had just heard his mother scolding his uncle. He was very worried about his uncle and aunt. The front desk girl chased after him, telling him to run slower so he wouldn’t fall. The area in front of his uncle’s office was full of people. Pei Qiqi couldn’t squeeze in. He stood on his tiptoes and tried to lean forward. Everyone saw him now. The child wasn’t noisy or fussy. His big eyes were wet, making everyone who saw him feel sympathetic.
“Qiqi, how about going to play with Auntie for a while?”
“It’s okay. Uncle and Auntie are here. Whatever happens, we can help.”
Pei Qiqi lowered his head. He was too small. Not only could he not help here, but he would also make his uncle and aunt worry. Auntie had told him to stay with the front desk girl. He had to listen to Auntie. The front desk girl carried him back to the first floor and ordered him a bubble tea. Children liked sweet things. Drinking something sweet would make him feel better.
Pei Qiqi sat on the sofa. The air conditioning in the lobby was a bit warm, so he took off his coat and put it aside. He held the bubble tea, which was bigger than his face, and took a sip. Too sweet. Pei Qiqi didn’t really like it. In autumn, Brother Shen Lin had secretly taken him and Youyou to drink bubble tea. Youyou loved it, drinking until his eyes curved. He missed Youyou. If only Youyou were here. Pei Qiqi didn’t play with toys. He just sat and waited for his uncle and aunt, his expression very serious, looking very unhappy. The front desk girl tried hard to find topics to chat with him, hoping to distract him.
“Qiqi, your watch is really pretty.”
Pei Qiqi looked down, his gaze falling on his wrist. From the second floor came the faint sound of things being smashed. He knew his mother was throwing things. When his mother was at home before, she also liked to throw things. Once she even hit his dad. Pei Qiqi suddenly pressed his wrist, jumped down from the sofa, and ran to the other side of the sofa to crouch down.
The sofa hid his small figure. Pei Qiqi panted and raised his wrist to call Youyou. On such a cold day, the little guy was obediently staying at home. When Brother Qiqi’s call came, he was lying on the sofa back with Yuanzi, watching the snow outside the window.
When he saw the caller ID, the little guy was overjoyed. Dad had saved it as “Brother Qiqi.” He had started kindergarten and knew Brother Qiqi’s name.
“Brother Qiqi!”
Pei Qiqi’s nose twitched when he heard his voice. He wiped his eyes and said, “Youyou, are you busy right now?”
Su Youli shook his head and said he wasn’t busy. “I’m watching the snow with Yuanzi. It’s snowing so much today. Brother Qiqi, let’s build a snowman tomorrow, okay?”
Pei Qiqi’s voice sounded a little choked. “Okay.”
The little guy’s eyelashes moved, his ears very sharp. “Brother Qiqi, what’s wrong? Are you crying?”
He hadn’t been crying, but hearing that, he couldn’t hold it back. The little guy pressed his cheek against the phone watch. Brother Qiqi was crying in the watch, crying so sadly. Uncle Pei and Aunt Hua Zhao were being bullied. A bad person wanted to take Brother Qiqi away.
“Brother Qiqi, don’t be scared. I’ll get my dad to save you!”
The little guy patted the dog’s head. Su Yuanzi immediately lay down by the sofa, letting his little master step on his back to get down. The little one and the dog ran fast, soon arriving at the door of Shen Minyan’s study.
The heavy door was pounded. At the study door, a milky voice was especially clear. “Dad, quick, save us—”
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Barry On QG Chapter22