âSheâs always been an uncultured village woman, nothing like you. Itâs fine. I will be fine in a couple of days.â
Li Jiaojiao pursed her lips and feeling worried, she asked, âQiang-ge, what do we do now? We canât let them leak those pictures. Or we will be done for.â
âDonât worry. I wonât let her have her ways,âaid Ye Zhiqiang viciously.
She started this. Wanted to blackmail him with the photos? Donât even think about it. Itâs just photos. He could do the same to her.
After Ye Zhiqiang had placated Li Jiaojiao, he took a few men with him and headed straight toward Shu Yanâs house.
âQiang-ge, we have searched from 1st to 5th floor. Thereâs nobody here.â
Ye Zhiqiang grabbed a cup from the table, smashed it on the floor, and said through gritted teeth, âShe must be over at Shu Jianyangâs.â
Just as Shu Yan had thought, Ye Zhiqiang wasnât brave enough to try to go at her on Shu Jianyangâs territory. But, of course, neither was he going to leave everything to her.
She was just a woman. She cared about her children. Thinking of that saying, Ye Zhiqiang immediately called his parents.
âWho is it?â
âUncle, itâs me. Zhiqiang. Nothing much, I just wanted to talk to my folks.â Ye Zhiqiang thought it was about time to install a phone at his parents. This was way too inconvenient.
About twenty minutes later, Ye Zhiqiang called back. This time, it was old Mr. Ye who picked up the phone.
âDad, itâs me. Where are the kids?â Ye Zhiqiang cut straight to the chase. He was in no mood to chitchat right now.
âThe kids? Didnât you send Shu Jianbo to come and pick them up?â Old Mr. Yeâs heart fell to the bottom. âYou didnât know about this?â
Ye Zhiqiang stood up abruptly and said, âShu Jianbo picked up the kids?â
He should have thought about this sooner. Shu Jianyang was never a pushover.
âYes, not too long ago. They should be on the last bus out now. Whatâs the matter? You didnât send him?â Old Mr. Ye was worried.
âI have been very busy these last few days and didnât know what was going on at home. I thought school was about to start soon so I was going to give you a call. Perhaps, Shu Yan had sent her cousin to pick them up. Iâll call and ask her.â He has not yet told his family about the divorce and now all the more he couldnât. Wasnât there enough happening already?
âOkay, then call and find out soon.â Old Mr. Yeâs eyelids had been twitching all day long today, and he couldnât shake this feeling that something was not right.
âI know. Shu Jianbo is a principal. Thereâs nothing wrong with handing the kids over to him. Okay, Iâll hang up now and call you again some other time.â After he had hung up, he was clenching down so hard that he almost broke his teeth.
Lingan Township was a 40-minute bus ride to town. The two children were not used to riding in buses, so they were fairly dispirited. By the time they had arrived, the man arranged by Shu Jianyang was already waiting there. He picked them up and took them all the way over to City Xi.
âYour kids are here,â said Shu Jianyang as he knocked on Shu Yanâs door.
They were here already? Suddenly, Shu Yan felt a bit hesitant. Certainly, she had said that she had the long end of the stick earlier, but after all, she was a single woman who had just became an instant mother. There were certain pressures that came with that.
T/N: Extra chapter from Januaryâs patron-poll.