Chapter 556: If There is No Love, Then I Want Money
Chapter 556: If There is No Love, Then I Want Money
Lu Jiaxin ate two slices of chilled watermelon, and only then did the restlessness in her body subside a little. Zong Shimeng enjoyed an ice pop, the kind that would become a nostalgic treat for many in the future.
After finishing the watermelon, Lu Jiaxin asked curiously, "Sister Shimeng, I asked Nie Zhan about your brother-in-law's whereabouts yesterday, and he had no idea which hotel you were staying at. Sister Shimeng, have you two had a falling out?"
"He didn't want me to come to Si Jiu City. He said the doctors here are not as good as those in Gang City, and that coming here is taking the long way around for no reason. He said it would be embarrassing if people found out," Zong Shimeng explained.
Given Lu Jiaxin's understanding of her, she knew it wouldn't be because of such a minor issue that Zong Shimeng would quarrel with Hu Zhifeng. "Sister Shimeng, is there something else?"
Zong Shimeng let out a bitter laugh. "A few days ago, it was my 32nd birthday. He said he was too busy with work to celebrate with me. As it turned out, Meitone was with her mommy at an Italian restaurant, and they saw him there with that woman."
So, he had no time to spend his wife's birthday with her but had the time to dine with his female companion. Lu Jiaxin could freely complain about Fu Ye, but she didn't feel comfortable speaking ill of Hu Zhifeng. After all, Zong Shimeng had no intention of divorcing him, so she didn't want to pour oil on the fire.
Zong Shimeng continued, "In reality, I'm only mildly anemic; there's nothing else wrong with me. This trip to Si Jiu City was supposedly to find Doctor He, but it was mostly an excuse to get some fresh air."
"I feel embarrassed to tell you this, but since my marriage, I've never left Gang City by myself. Either I'm traveling for work with Zhifeng or taking the kids out. It's been eleven years since I got married, and this is the first time I've done something like this."
Lu Jiaxin understood that women often lost their freedom after marriage and childbirth. Fortunately, she wasn't one of them, and even when she had children, she planned to travel with them.
"So, what did Doctor He say?"
Zong Shimeng shook her head. "That Doctor He isn't in Si Jiu City. He said he went to visit an old friend in the Northeast and won't be back for another week. I was actually planning to head back tomorrow."
Lu Jiaxin smiled. "It's rare for you to get out, so why rush back? Tomorrow, I'll have the driver get us tickets to visit the Forbidden City, museums, and the Great Wall. I guarantee you a week won't be enough time to see everything."
Seeing Lu Jiaxin's tanned skin, Zong Shimeng hesitated. "It's so hot outside; I'm afraid I'll get heatstroke."
"The Forbidden City and museums are all indoor locations," Lu Jiaxin reassured her. "The Summer Palace and the Old Summer Palace were places where ancient emperors escaped the heat; they're very cool. The only place that might be hot is the Great Wall. If you're worried, we can just take pictures at the bottom."
Zong Shimeng still seemed hesitant. "I've already been away from home for three days. Xiao Bao and the others must miss me a lot."
Lu Jiaxin could understand her feelings; it was normal to miss your children after being away for a few days. But she shouldn't give up her own interests and pursuits just because of them. However, she didn't try to persuade Zong Shimeng and simply smiled, saying, "Alright, then let the driver get your ticket for tomorrow."
She had no intention of returning just yet. Instead, she planned to stay a few more days, explore the city, and take lots of pictures. Every time she came, she took as many photos as possible to better visualize the changes in Si Jiu City.
Zong Shimeng was taken aback. "I thought you'd try to persuade me to stay."
Lu Jiaxin smiled. "Sister Shimeng, when you came to ask for Doctor He's address, Nie Zhan anxiously asked me if I was encouraging you to divorce... He said that because I couldn't bear to see you wronged, I would advise you to divorce. He even brought up the saying about how it's better to demolish ten temples than to destroy a marriage. It's not easy for him."
Zong Shimeng hadn't expected such a turn of events. Shaking her head, she said, "I won't get a divorce. If I do, I won't be able to take any of the children with me. And those women have been eyeing the position of Mrs. Hu for a long time. If I divorce, I'll just be giving them what they want."
"In Hong Kong, how many men who remarry treat their ex-wife's children well? If they can allow them to grow up safely, that's already an act of kindness. Many of them suffer accidents and untimely deaths. Even if the children are already adults, those women will still drive a wedge between them and their father."
Lu Jiaxin knew she was right, as there had been many such precedents in the future. "I know you can't bear to leave your children, so I'll never mention those two words. Sister Shimeng, with your money, a complete family, and children, you're already a winner in life. It doesn't matter if your husband isn't faithful."
Seeing Zong Shimeng looking at her, Lu Jiaxin shared her thoughts, "Treat him as a business partner. You're in charge of raising the kids and taking care of the family, while he earns money for you and the children to spend. In the future, the bulk of the property will also go to you and the kids."
As long as the heads of the Hu family, Elder Hu and his wife, were still around, no one could bypass the eldest grandson. Of course, this was assuming he wasn't a profligate or incapable of shouldering responsibilities. However, given that Zong Shimeng had three children, it would be quite a twist of fate if all of them turned out to be good-for-nothings.
If a husband was unfaithful but divorce wasn't an option, it was better to accept the situation and not let it consume oneself. After all, it wasn't worth it and would only harm one's health.
Zong Shimeng listened with a mix of surprise and curiosity, finding this method of comfort rather unique. However, she had to admit that after hearing these words, she felt much better.
Lu Jiaxin yawned, "I'm feeling a bit sleepy. I'll take a nap in my room. Sister Shimeng, if you need anything, just ask Mei Auntie, and she'll get it for you."
"Okay."
This time, Lu Jiaxin didn't sleep for long. She was afraid that if she slept too long, she wouldn't be able to sleep at night, so she specifically asked Miao Na to wake her up after an hour. After waking up, Lu Jiaxin called Nie Zhan and informed him that Zong Shimeng was staying at her place.
Nie Zhan acknowledged with a hum and said, "This time, Hu Zhifeng really went too far. Fortunately, he has resolved the issue. Jiaxin, anger harms the body, so please comfort Sister-in-law properly."
Hmm, it seemed like it wasn't just a matter of not spending his wife's birthday with her and instead dining with another woman. Based on Nie Zhan's words, she had a guess.
Lu Jiaxin deliberately coldly humphed, "On one hand, they urge Sister Shimeng to give birth to a fourth child, and on the other, they let the other woman get pregnant. What does he take Sister Shimeng for?"
Nie Zhan didn't say that the other woman was scheming, and if he did, he would definitely get an earful. "The matter has already happened. Being angry and sad won't change anything."
She had been testing Nie Zhan with her previous statement, but it seemed like she had hit the mark, "So, that's it?"
How dare Nie Zhan agree? He quickly explained, "Brother Hu said he fell into a scheme. I told him that explanations won't work at this time, and only concrete actions can earn Sister-in-law's forgiveness."
Lu Jiaxin liked hearing this, and she said, "Sister Shimeng really liked this mansion and also wants to buy one like it. But these types of mansions have increased in price a lot. I spent two million yuan on this one, from purchase to renovation, and now it's worth at least six million yuan."
It was unrealistic to ask for shares from Hu Zhifeng. The Hu family was currently led by Elder Hu, and Hu Zhifeng only had 10% of the company's shares. As the heir, not having any company shares would make the higher-ups feel that he wasn't valued and couldn't control the people below him.
Nie Zhan said, "Alright, he invited me to dinner tonight, and I'll bring it up then. Jiaxin, take more pictures of the mansion and send them to me so I can see what it looks like."
"If you want to know what it's like, why don't you just fly over during the weekend? You don't have a vacation that lasts ten days or half a month, but can't you even squeeze out three days?"
Nie Zhan said, "I've already scheduled an appointment with a major client this weekend, so I can't make it. How long will you be staying in Si Jiu City? If you're not coming back soon, I'll come by next week."
"I won't be back this week, but next week is uncertain."
(End of Chapter)
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