Anning and the six children stayed in Provincial City for one night and only returned ho on the evening of the next day.
The children were extrely happy playing in Provincial City, and chattered nonstop on the way ho.
Upon returning ho, the seven of them all had smiles on their faces; Anning and Liu Qi especially, were carrying bags big and small as they entered the house.
"We’re back."
When they got ho, Li Zhifang was squatting in the courtyard, apparently doing sothing. Seeing them co in, he asked listlessly.
Anning nodded: "Yes, we’re back."
Li Jingyu looked particularly happy: "Dad, Mom and I bought you a set of clothes. Try them on later."
Li Zhifang waved his hand: "No need to try, whatever you bought will definitely fit."
Anning asked Liu Qi to take the younger siblings inside to put away their stuff, and then squatted down to ask Li Zhifang: "What’s the matter? Is there sothing wrong at ho?"
Li Zhifang shook his head: "Nothing’s wrong, I just..."
He looked at Anning, his face filled with guilt: "Co outside with , I have sothing to tell you."
Anning put down her things and then followed Li Zhifang out of the door.
Inside, Li Jingyan tugged at Li Jingyu: "Sister, has sothing happened to our family?"
Li Jingyu shook her head: "I don’t know, probably not. If there really was sothing, Grandma would definitely co over."
Li Jingyan softly said: "Let’s follow and listen to what dad has to say."
Li Jingyu was reluctant; she felt eavesdropping was inappropriate, but Li Jingyan insisted on going, so Li Jingyu reluctantly accompanied her.
Liu Qi frowned slightly, exchanged a glance with Liu Ming, and then followed them out as well.
Li Zhifang and Anning found a quiet spot, and he stamred sowhat: "Wang, Wang Baozhu has co back."
"What?"
Anning was shocked: "She’s back? When did she co back?"
Li Jingyu, hiding nearby, almost scread out in surprise, but Li Jingyan covered her mouth just in ti so as not to disturb Anning and Li Zhifang.
"Yesterday."
Li Zhifang said dully: "She heard I remarried and wanted to jump into the river, I, I..."
Li Zhifang found it difficult to continue.
Anning looked at him coldly: "Are you feeling sorry for her?"
Li Zhifang remained silent.
Liu Qi, listening from the other side, felt a surge of anger.
Even Li Jingyu and Li Jingyan felt very tense listening to the conversation.
Li Jingyu felt particularly conflicted. She didn’t know what would happen with her birth mother’s return. She didn’t want to let go of Anning; she wanted Anning to be her mom forever, yet Wang Baozhu was her birth mother. If Wang Baozhu took the drastic step to jump into the river, she would be haunted for life.
"Do you want to divorce ?"
Anning pressed him with the question.
Li Zhifang still didn’t respond.
Anning got angry: "Li Zhifang, if you are a man, give a proper answer. If you want to stay with , cut ties with Wang Baozhu now. It doesn’t matter if she hangs herself or jumps into the river; you should ignore it. If you feel sorry for her, just be honest about it. I’m not clinging to you. What is this dilly-dallying about? Are you wanting to do all the work while you have fun with Wang Baozhu behind my back?"
Anning actually hit the nail on the head regarding what Li Zhifang was thinking.
Li Zhifang was also sowhat reluctant to part with Anning.
After all, Anning was so capable.
She took good care of everything both inside and outside the ho, raised the children well, and was especially good at making money. Ho relations were also remarkably well managed. With Anning at ho, he was completely carefree.
But he also liked Wang Baozhu and couldn’t bear to part with her.
"She, after all, is the children’s birth mother; I can’t just ignore her."
Anning laughed in anger: "Stop using the children as an excuse. Just speak your mind."
"I..."
Li Zhifang thought for a long ti, and finally with a clenched teeth said, "Let’s get a divorce."
Liu Qi returned with anger smoldering silently within him.
Li Jingyu and Li Jingyan were blank-minded, and after a while, tears began to roll down from Li Jingyan’s eyes.
Li Jingyu bit her lip so hard that blood beads ford on it.
"You’re really sothing, aren’t you?"
Anning chuckled: "Wang Baozhu abandoned her husband and child, and you married when you couldn’t carry on. Now that life is good, the person who matters most to you has returned, and you want to discard like a piece of old rag, don’t you?"
Li Zhifang knew his actions were unjust. He lowered his head, looking distressed: "You can hit or scold , but... no matter what, she is the children’s mother, and it’s better for the children to be with their birth mother."
"Fine."
Anning forced back her tears, her eyes red, and said: "Fine, I’ll comply with your wishes. Tomorrow, take your docunts and we’ll get a divorce. This house, everything in this house will be left for you, I will leave as soon as possible."
After saying this, Anning turned and walked away.
Li Jingyu helped Li Jingyan up, but both sisters were so weak in the knees that they could hardly stand up.
"Sister."
Li Jingyan felt at a loss: "What are we going to do? Has dad lost his mind? What are we going to do?"
Li Jingyu was also clueless.
After a mont, she said: "Let’s go back and ask Aqi."
Once Anning got ho, she didn’t cook, just lay on the kang, neither eating nor drinking.
Li Zhifang, feeling guilty towards Anning, imdiately went into the kitchen.
Li Jingyu and Li Jingyan returned, leaning on each other, just when the al was nearly ready.
Both went straight into Liu Qi’s room.
Upon entering, Li Jingyu couldn’t hold her tears back anymore.
"Sister."
Seeing Li Jingyu and Li Jingyan’s disheveled appearance, Liu Qi was worried: "What happened to you? Who hurt you?"
Li Jingyu, trying not to cry aloud, covered her mouth and shook her head.
Li Jingyan, her face filled with anger, said: "Brother, our birth mother is back, Dad and Mom are getting a divorce, what should we do?"
Liu Qi hadn’t expected Li Jingyu and Li Jingyan to seek his opinion on this matter.
Originally, Liu Qi thought that these two girls would surely be close to their birth mother and perhaps couldn’t wait for Anning and Li Zhifang to divorce, so their mother could co back sooner.
But unexpectedly, these girls were actually concerned about Anning at such a mont.
He had them sit down, pondered for a while, and then said: "Uncle seems determined to divorce. We can’t ddle in adults’ matters, and no matter how unwilling, we can’t stop them."
At his words, Li Jingyu and Li Jingyan both started crying.
"I, I can’t bear to leave you."
It took Li Jingyu a long ti to choke out these words.
Li Jingyan, crying, said: "I can’t bear to leave Mom, Brother, you, our brother, and our sister."
Liu Qi sighed, patting the two sisters: "It’s okay, even if they divorce, I’ll still be your brother, still Jingyan’s brother, and you can still co to if you need anything."
This only made the two sisters feel even worse.
Liu Qi, still worried about the sisters, pulled them close and spoke softly.
"Mom has used the money to buy us houses; we have properties in our nas now, we’ll be fine in the future. You two have grown up, and in a few years, you’ll be able to support yourselves. If you feel good at ho, stay longer; if you really don’t want to, go out and live on your own. After all, we have houses, and with our hands and legs, we won’t be scared of not making money. If you really face difficulties, you can still turn to and Mom."
His words steadied Li Jingyu and Li Jingyan’s hearts a bit.
Yes, both thought simultaneously, they have houses, such big and nicely equipped houses. If they weren’t happy at ho, they could definitely stay in the Provincial City.
Particularly Li Jingyan, who was planning to take the high school entrance exam this year. She was determined to strive hard and get admitted to a high school in the Provincial City so that she wouldn’t have to go back ho.
Li Jingyu also resolved to apply to high schools further away when her ti ca, to avoid getting distressed by household troubles.
Liu Qi, seeing the two girls stop crying, also heaved a sigh of relief.
He now truly admired his mother’s foresight. She hadn’t saved the money but promptly bought houses, ensuring that at least half of it was securely in their hands. Even in the event of a divorce, there was nothing left to dispute.
Otherwise, considering Wang Baozhu’s shalessness, it was possible she could even instigate Li Zhifang to contest for family property during the divorce. Being outnumbered and outpowered, they wouldn’t stand a chance against the rest of the Li family.
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