Chapter 1038: Dressing as a Pig to Eat the Tiger: Essence Edition 2

"Because of your affairs, our son has lost even the opportunity to pursue his studies. He stays at home every day without stepping out the door; do you know how much pain he is in?"

"Although our daughter is still young, she will grow up sooner or later and will have to marry. I have to pave the way for their future. You don't care about our children, but I must..."

The more Lady Qi spoke, the more aggrieved she felt, and she began to sob.

She had indeed suffered many grievances outside.

She had been accustomed to being high and mighty, and everywhere she went, she was like the stars surrounding the moon.

But now, the "moon" had been replaced by someone else.

As the former "moon," she had lost her halo and immediately felt like a small stone on the side of the road.

Everyone wanted to kick her, and after kicking her, they would blame her for dirtying their Spring Shoes.

In the past two days, people had found a new topic.

Everywhere, it was rumored that the Sheng Family had changed their allegiance, and now the Sheng and Chen families were getting along famously; the third young master of the Chen family and the eldest daughter of the Sheng family were in the same school and the same class, a case of being close to the water and getting the moonlight first...

Every word of this was like a steel needle piercing Lady Qi's heart.

She had always regarded Shi Ran as her future daughter-in-law and the Sheng Family as the most trustworthy friends, but she never expected that the Sheng family members were no different from anyone else.

The matter of arranging a fishing trip on the weekend was originally a very trivial thing, but when it spread to L Country, its influence was comparable to an engagement.

She really couldn't listen to it anymore, and she couldn't stand the mocking gazes of others.

So she made an excuse that she was feeling unwell and returned home. Seeing her husband acting as if nothing had happened, she became even more furious and felt incredibly aggrieved.

"This life is impossible to go on. I work hard outside every day thinking of ways for you, hoping that our family can make a comeback, but you—you're fine, living like a Buddha at home..."

Qi Xiansheng sighed, preparing to comfort her.

Just as he put down the watering can, his son walked out of the room and stood before him expressionlessly: "Father, I will listen to you and enter politics."

"You've thought it through?"

In the past, every time he brought up this topic, A Heng would shake his head like a rattle-drum in opposition, firmly disagreeing.

"Yes, I've thought it through."

But Qi Xiansheng had changed his mind.

He said to his son: "You had better think about it carefully again; don't rush to give me an answer. My situation today is not what it used to be. If you choose this path, you must start from the very bottom and endure many strange looks. Are you prepared?"

Qi Xiansheng remained calm and composed, observing his son.

Qi Heng was very firm and calm, saying quietly: "Yes, Father. I have considered it clearly. This path is one I chose myself; I will not regret it, nor will I blame anyone."

"Good, come with me."

The father and son stayed in the Study for an entire afternoon before coming out, and then they announced a major family decision to the wife—Qi Heng would start working while studying from tomorrow.

He would go to school during the day and go to the government office to clean in the afternoons and on weekends.

"No, I don't agree."

Lady Qi strongly opposed it.

Although Qi Heng was not born to her, she had long treated him like her own son for many years, even better than she treated her own biological children.

Her son, whom she regarded as the apple of her eye, was only sixteen and had to work while studying to help with household expenses?

No, she didn't agree; she firmly disagreed.

"The family isn't in such difficulty that A Heng needs to work to support us, is it? If the family doesn't have enough money, sell some of my jewelry to make up for it. What A Heng needs most right now is to study; he is a student and hasn't reached adulthood yet!"

That day, the Qi couple had a huge argument.

Before the argument was even over, the matter reached the ears of the Finance Minister.

After hearing the report, he smiled triumphantly.

Sunday.

The weather in A Country was very good today; it was a great day for going out to sea to fish.

The three members of the Sheng family were wearing matching family outfits, carrying almost identical fishing rods, and set off in high spirits.

The couple complained about each other as they walked.

Sheng Hanyu glanced at the fishing rod his wife was carrying, his tone showing undisguised disdain: "You don't need to take that; everything is on the speedboat. It's an unnecessary move."

"I want to. Be happy today when we're out; don't always keep that iceberg face. Even the North Pole melts, yet you still won't."

Sheng Hanyu:...

If it came to bickering, he had never gained the upper hand.

Shi Ran was not in high spirits.

She had hardly slept all night; yesterday, she had received the final letter sent by Qi Heng, a letter of breaking off relations.

Then she discovered that all means of contact between the two of them were gone.

Qi Heng had blocked her and severed all contact, just as he had said himself: let's just pretend we never knew each other before.

But, was that possible?

They had been together since they had memories, grew up together, childhood sweethearts—could they just say they didn't know each other anymore?

This wasn't just losing a friend; it was like a complete person becoming disabled. If Qi Heng were to be absent from Shi Ran's life from now on, her life would also be incomplete.

She knew why Qi Heng would do this, but she couldn't explain it right now.

Let it be a misunderstanding for now; although the process was painful, there would be a day when it would be explained clearly sooner or later.

The couple both noticed that their daughter was not in a good mood.

Shi Youxuan whispered to her husband: "Hanyu, what we are doing is a bit cruel to Ranran."

Sheng Hanyu: "This is also something that cannot be helped. She is a member of the Sheng family. Since she has enjoyed the convenience and glory of the Sheng family, she must bear burdens that other people's daughters do not have. This is reality."

Shi Youxuan:...

This damn thing was indeed reality, but when said so coldly, it didn't sound pleasant at all.

"Cold-blooded animal, you don't have a shred of tenderness for your own children." She muttered, finding her husband more and more disagreeable the more she looked at him.

Although she knew her husband was cold on the outside but warm on the inside, and that his coldness toward the children was merely for training that wouldn't cause any real harm, he would be the first to object if the children were truly hurt.

But speaking like that still wouldn't do, so she prepared to play a trick on him.

"Look, what is that?"

Sheng Hanyu didn't suspect a trap; he looked in the direction his wife was pointing, and was caught off guard when he was shoved hard from behind, stepping right into a puddle and getting his feet covered in muddy water; the pair of Xiaobai Spring Shoes he had just put on that morning turned into little black shoes.

"What are you doing?"

Sheng Hanyu turned his head, coming face-to-face with his wife, who wore a triumphant expression.

"Hmph! Doesn't feel good to be plotted against by a loved one, does it?"

She argued righteously: "Loved ones should comfort each other; home should be a warm and gentle place. Think about it, was what you just said something a person should say? You know you're angry because I pushed you from behind, so if Ranran heard what you just said, how sad would she be?"

Sheng Hanyu:...

"Is that the same thing?"

"Yes, it is exactly the same thing!"

"Fine, it's the same thing, right? Then today I'll let you experience what it means to have an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth."

He dropped his fishing rod, grabbed his wife, and pressed her toward the puddle!

"Ah! What are you doing? Let go of me, Sheng Hanyu, let go of me."

Shi Youxuan was so frightened that her face turned pale, and she screamed repeatedly.

But she wasn't let go; instead, she was "mercilessly" placed into the mud puddle.

The spot was only the size of a washbasin and about thirteen or fourteen centimeters deep, and Shi Youxuan perfectly occupied the whole thing; her matching couple-style Xiaobai Spring Shoes were also covered in mud and water.

She didn't move a muscle, and Sheng Hanyu burst into loud laughter.

After laughing for a while, he realized something was wrong—he had been impulsive!

"Wife, I was wrong."

"You're only just realizing it now?" Shi Youxuan narrowed her eyes slightly.