Chapter 22: Divorcing the Wife? No, I Said an Amicable Separation

Page (1/3)

In the Li household, Old Madam Li had the final say. She had Zhao and Sun thoroughly cowed, while Gu Yuru, though unafraid of her, was after all the daughter of a duke’s household and cared about appearances. Under normal circumstances, the two women kept out of each other’s way.

Gu Yuru was also filial toward Old Madam Li and strictly observed the duties of a daughter-in-law.

That only made Old Madam Li even more overbearing. Even the daughter-in-law of a duke’s household had to treat her with the utmost respect—let alone Lin Siyan, who came from a humble background.

Previously, Old Madam Li had found Lin Siyan pleasing in every way. After all, Gu Yuru was not an easy woman to control. The Gu family’s status was high, and in every respect they overshadowed her son, which had always rankled the old woman. That was why she preferred a daughter-in-law as gentle as water.

But things were different now. Everyone was going hungry.

Anyone could go hungry—except her.

“What’s wrong with her belly? The child hasn’t even been born yet. Who knows whether it’s a boy or a girl? Besides, the road ahead will be grueling. Whether the child will even survive after being born is another matter. Why waste food on it?” Old Madam Li said.

Naturally, Lin Siyan would not openly challenge Old Madam Li. They had already quarreled once over food, but there was no reason to surrender meat that had reached her mouth.

Who wasn’t hungry?

Who didn’t want another bite?

There was no lasting grudge between mother and son, and besides, she was carrying Li Yuan’s child. Deliberately putting on an aggrieved expression, she said, “Brother Yuan, perhaps you should give it to Old Madam after all.”

As she spoke, she even clutched her head and swayed as though she were about to faint.

Li Yuan glanced at the gentle, appealing little woman beside him, then at his fierce mother, whose voice was full of authority whenever she scolded anyone. He immediately said, “Mother, for the sake of the Buddha, if not the monk—surely you can spare a thought for the child in her belly? He is…”

He is what?

Li Mumu waited anxiously. Her scumbag father was not stupid. The words had reached his lips, yet he stopped short of saying them.

“Grandmother, the meat smells so good. Mumu couldn’t bear to eat it all.”

When Old Madam Li heard that, she naturally thought it must smell wonderful. She had caught its scent from far away. “Third Son, let me tell you this. Even if the child in her belly is my own grandson, so what? I don’t have only one grandson.”

The moment those words were spoken, everyone was stunned.

Li Yuan’s face turned deathly pale. “Mother, what nonsense are you talking about?”

Afraid that no one had heard, Li Mumu shouted, “The baby in Aunt Lin’s belly is Grandmother’s grandson!”

“The baby in Aunt Lin’s belly is Grandmother’s grandson!”

There was no need for her to shout. Gu Yuru had already heard. The shelter was only so large, with no partitions, and both families were crammed together inside.

Page (1/3)

Page (2/3)

“Yuru, listen to me explain.” Li Yuan looked toward Gu Yuru’s bloodless face.

Gu Yuru swayed, and her son beside her reached out to steady her. Then she let out a mocking laugh.

A lifetime together, with one devoted man and one devoted woman? All lies.

A loving married couple who never doubted each other? All lies.

The elder Madam Gu set down her white-flour flatbread and walked over to her daughter. Patting her hand, she said, “Li Yuan, when you begged to marry Yuru, what did you promise us? Do you remember?”

Back then, Li Yuan had sworn solemnly that he would never take a concubine. Otherwise, the elder Gu couple would never have agreed to the marriage.

After all, Gu Yuru was their only daughter, cherished like a pearl in their hands.

“Mother, things are not as you think.”

Lin Siyan had previously quarreled with Li Yuan because the child in her belly could not be acknowledged and the members of the Li family constantly looked down on her. Li Yuan had merely told her that the time was not yet right.

Seeing the situation before her, she knew the moment had come.

Before Li Yuan could say anything, she dropped to her knees with a thud and crawled toward Gu Yuru. She tried to seize the hem of her dress, but Gu Yuru stepped away in disgust.

“Siyan, get up.”

“No, Elder Madam Gu, Sister—whatever mistakes have been made, they are all my fault. Please, do not blame Brother Yuan. I had originally intended to raise the child alone after it was born. I would never have interfered with your relationship.”

Not even a ghost would believe those words, yet Li Yuan did.

“No. How could my child be left to wander outside?” Li Yuan said heavily. Lin Siyan’s retreating strategy had left him with no way out.

“Yuru, Siyan is a good woman. All these years in the army, she took care of me. You don’t know this, but I nearly died without her. Things have already come to this, and I cannot abandon her. Don’t worry—she will never threaten your position as my wife.”

Li Yuan glanced at the members of the Gu family. Their hostile, watchful eyes made him wary. “You will remain my wife, and she will be my concubine.”

The words left everyone utterly stunned.

Lin Siyan was naturally included.

Li Yuan had told her that she would become his co-wife.

Li Mumu was stunned as well. What her scumbag father had said did not match the plot at all.

But after thinking it over, she understood.

Although the Gu family had already lost much of its influence, things were different from the novel. At present, the Gu family had food and money. The reason Li Yuan had said this was probably that he still wanted to extract some benefit from them.

Page (2/3)

Page (3/3)

This man truly had always been the same—once for power, and now for a mouthful of food.

“No need.” Gu Yuru looked coldly at the two of them, who seemed so deeply in love, as though she were the vicious woman bent on tearing lovers apart. “Li Yuan, since you have broken the vow you made back then, then our marriage ends here.”

If he had treated her children coldly for the sake of repaying a life-saving benefactor by protecting that benefactor’s child, she could have respected his gratitude.

But if he mistreated the children she had borne for the sake of another child of his own, she could not tolerate it.

Besides, she had seen clearly what had happened over the past two days.

Li Yuan’s heart no longer belonged to her.

Li Yuan frowned and glared furiously at Gu Yuru. Putting on what he thought was an imposing manner, he said, “I will not divorce you.”

Li Mumu secretly let out a laugh. “So Mother is the one who doesn’t want Father anymore?”

“That’s right.” Gu Yuru straightened her back. Even in prison clothes, she still possessed the bearing of a former duke’s daughter. “Li Yuan, this is not you divorcing me. I am divorcing you.”

“Divorce? Don’t even think about it.” Li Yuan rejected her outright.

Lin Siyan was puzzled as well. Had Li Yuan been deceiving her before, or had he simply changed his mind?

No. She absolutely could not allow this to happen.

“Sister, please don’t be angry. This is all my fault. I’ll leave. If necessary, I’ll kill myself by throwing myself against the wall. As long as you calm down, you and Brother Yuan can go on living happily together.”

As she spoke, Lin Siyan moved toward the wall. Gu Yuan reacted quickly and rushed to stop her, while Li Mumu took advantage of the moment to produce a large stone from her magical space.

Her scumbag father could not dodge in time and took a spectacular fall.

Lin Siyan had assumed that someone would stop her. But because Li Yuan favored her and had given her all the food, the members of the Li family remained unmoved.

They were probably thinking that it would be better if she died. One dead person meant one less mouth competing for food.

“Aunt Lin, are you still going to throw yourself against the wall? The wall is over there.” Li Mumu pointed toward it with an innocent, bewildered expression.

After all, everyone thought she was a fool. No one would blame her for saying something like that at a time like this.

Lin Siyan gritted her teeth. If she was going to put on an act, she would have to see it through, even if it meant risking everything.

Just then, Li Yuan spoke through the pain.

Page (3/3)