As they were speaking, the boss returned.
Zhan Bei Jue championed Min Er, saying she wouldn't be paid for the month and should resign immediately.
After leaving the restaurant, Min Er planned to walk back.
Jiang Nan Fang reached out and stopped her.
“Let’s take a car. We drove here.”
A gleaming black car was parked by the roadside, a Rolls-Royce.
Zhan Bei Jue and Jiang Nan Fang stood by the car, exuding an ineffable harmony and propriety.
Looking at herself, she couldn’t help but feel a sting in her nose.
She remembered how she used to be a pampered young lady, growing up in such cars.
Now, she didn’t even have the courage to get close to one.
Zhan Bei Jue drove, with Jiang Nan Fang in the passenger seat.
He gripped the steering wheel with one hand and secretly clasped Jiang Nan Fang’s hand with the other.
Although not a word was spoken, Min Er wasn’t blind; she could see from their subtle actions that they were currently in the throes of passionate affection.
An unspeakable sadness welled up in her heart.
Zhan Bei Jue had been with her for half a year. She had even personally attended to his needs for bathing and using the restroom.
They had held hands, embraced, and slept in the same room.
But he had never seemed to express such romantic feelings as he did now.
You are truly pitiful, Shen Min Er.
Even then, you happily believed you had found your destined one, even planning your future.
You are nothing but a joke.
Zhan Bei Jue, familiar with the route, drove to the door of Min Er’s house.
Looking at the dilapidated shack, built illegally and situated near a garbage heap, with its door and windows swaying precariously in the wind.
Jiang Nan Fang couldn’t help but grip Zhan Bei Jue’s hand tighter.
He had actually stayed in a basement in such a place for so long and managed to return to China.
This showed how much hardship he had endured and how much stronger his will was than that of an ordinary person.
He had it so tough.
Min Er took out her key to open the door, but it wasn’t locked; it swung open with a gentle pull.
The room was a mess. Her father had been drinking again and was having a drunken rage.
Her mother, whether beaten by him or not, had disheveled hair and cowered in a corner.
Seeing Min Er enter, she crawled towards her like a dog seeing its owner return.
Min Er stepped over the scattered items, entered, and crouched down to embrace her mother.
Then, she looked up angrily.
“Why are you drunk again? We don’t have many things in the house, and you’re still breaking them!”
“I’m telling you, I won’t buy anymore. Live with the broken things. This house will be smashed to pieces by you sooner or later!”
Her father, in the midst of his tirade against her mother, saw Min Er return from work and couldn’t help but scold her as well.
“Not working and earning money, why are you back now?”
“Your temper is getting bigger and bigger. You dare to scold your old man. I think you need a good beating too!”
Because of Jiang Nan Fang, Min Er was extremely annoyed.
At her father’s roar, she was so angry that she grabbed a broken tin can by her side and hurled it at him.
“What can you do besides rage and scold people at home?”
“You hit your wife and children at the slightest provocation, acting tough at home. If you have the guts, go find someone else to fight outside!”
“You!”
“Fine, you’ve found a man, you think you’ve succeeded, become important, and now you won’t let your father speak?
“Alright, Shen Min Er! Ungrateful thing! If you won’t let me speak, I’ll hit you!”
“You are my daughter, I gave you life! I can hit you and scold you whenever I want, and no one can stop me! If you have the nerve, call him to save you! Call him!”
Saying this, he raised his hand and was about to lunge at Min Er.
Zhan Bei Jue stepped into the room in two strides and caught his wrist.
Her father turned around and saw the noble and pristine Zhan Bei Jue, his expression freezing.
He couldn't help but scrutinize him from head to toe, then from toe to head.
“You… is this, Ah Shen has returned?”
“I knew it. My silly girl dares to talk to me like this today because you’re back, your back is straighter.”
“Look at your attire, I almost didn’t recognize you.”
“Did you strike it rich outside? So fast! I knew you could do it. How much money did you bring back for us this time? Hurry, let me see!”
The word "disgraceful" was no longer sufficient to describe Min Er's original family.
Fortunately, Zhan Bei Jue knew everything, so Min Er didn’t feel too embarrassed.
But having Jiang Nan Fang witness such a pathetic scene still made her feel very upset.
The other woman was so outstanding, so beautiful, like an ethereal fairy untouched by the world.
And herself?
An ugly duckling who was nothing.
Any man would choose her; what right did she have to compete with her?
“You all talk. Mother is shaken; I’ll take her inside to take her medicine.”
Min Er truly had no face to linger in front of Jiang Nan Fang. She pulled her mother up from the ground and walked into the room with a dejected silhouette.
Zhan Bei Jue released Old Shen’s hand and glanced back at Jiang Nan Fang.
Jiang Nan Fang walked over, and their hands met.
“Mr. Shen, I have indeed returned, and I have brought money back.”
“Please stop drinking. Pack your things, and tomorrow I will take Min Er and you back to Fucheng.”
Although he lived a life of drunken oblivion daily, Old Shen’s mind was still sharp.
Seeing Zhan Bei Jue and Jiang Nan Fang holding hands, he instantly understood something.
“What’s this? What do you mean? You brought a woman back, are you clinging to a rich woman, or have you set your sights on someone else outside?”
“I didn’t realize it, you kid are quite capable. Where is the ring I gave you? Don’t forget what you promised me before you left!”
“You lived in our house for so long, my daughter served you for so long, and you’ve already consummated the marriage.”
“You talked sweet before you succeeded, and now you want to turn your back and become a heartless man? Let me tell you, it’s not that easy!”
Zhan Bei Jue knew Old Shen was difficult to deal with and would require much persuasion, so he was prepared.
“What happens between me and Min Er is for us to sort out. You don’t need to worry about it.”
“Your family has been kind to me; I know that. Therefore, I will help you repay the debt and take you all back to Fucheng. What more are you dissatisfied with?”
Seeing his stubborn and defiant attitude, Old Shen was very displeased.
“What am I dissatisfied with? Of course, I’m dissatisfied!”
“You were supposed to be my son-in-law, but now the cooked duck has flown away. Why should I be satisfied?”
“Let go of her hand. Who is this woman? Tell her to get lost! It’s only natural for a son-in-law to repay his father-in-law’s debts!”
“You slept with my Min Er, so why are you involved with this woman again?”
Saying this, he lunged forward, intending to separate their hands.
But he, a debilitated drunkard who had been drinking for years, was no match for Zhan Bei Jue?
Zhan Bei Jue gently extended two fingers and pushed him back.
“We are already married, and we have a child. It’s not something you can separate just because you say so.”
“I said, this is between me and Min Er. Please do not interfere.”
“If you continue to spout nonsense at my wife, or touch her, or make me unhappy, I will no longer care about you.”
“You can repay the debt yourself. If you want to stay here and rot, that’s your choice. I will take Min Er and her mother away.”