"That woman and child cannot be kept!" Jiaxi's mother stated firmly, "You and Mengyao are still young, and you'll have plenty of opportunities to have more children later."
The old man grunted and asked Jiaxi, "Are you sure that child is yours?"
"Grandpa, I'm sure. If you don't trust me, we can do more paternity tests later," Jiaxi said with certainty.
The old man, thinking of the prosperity of the Hong family and the need for more descendants, agreed to Jiaxi's idea. "Then, as you said, arrange for that woman to go to a secluded place to give birth. Your mother will go and tell Mengyao's mother that you have completely severed ties with that woman."
"Dad," Jiaxi's mother objected, "I don't dare to tell Wu Xiufang. She's too formidable. If she sees through my lies, how will we handle it? It's better to give her some money and let that woman abort the child."
"Abort it? Absolutely not! Any child of our Hong family must be born. Mengyao's family background is good, but the child she was carrying is already gone." The old man felt pain and regret, but he still hoped to hold his great-grandchild soon. "It's Jiaxi's fault, but that woman is carrying Jiaxi's child after all. Let her give birth, and then Jiaxi can completely break ties with her."
Jiaxi's mother tried to object again, but Jiaxi's father subtly pulled her back.
Jiaxi's father knew that the old man's traditional belief in procreation was strong, and arguing would be useless.
When the old man was young, he insisted on having children from any woman to ensure the prosperity of the Hong family. He even brought illegitimate children back to the Hong family. Otherwise, his wife would not have fallen ill and passed away so early.
"Father, you decide this matter," Jiaxi's father said. "But Yuelin cannot tell Mengyao's mother about this. She doesn't know how to lie and is timid. I'm afraid her words will be easily exposed."
"You two are useless," the old man said helplessly. "I will speak to Mengyao's parents myself. I believe they will give me some face."
"Grandpa, I'll go with you. I also want to apologize to them and beg for their forgiveness," Jiaxi offered.
The old man nodded. "Alright, it is your fault after all. You have caused the young lady so much grievance. You must show sincerity then."
"Okay, Grandpa, I truly know I was wrong."
Jiaxi's mother could not say anything more in front of the old man. However, she had met Tong Xiaoli. From a woman's intuition, if Tong Xiaoli truly gave birth to a child for the Hong family, Jiaxi would likely be unable to escape her.
After the old man, feeling tired, returned to his room to rest, Jiaxi's parents immediately went to Jiaxi's room to talk to him about the matter, hoping he wouldn't make further mistakes and that he should stay away from women like Tong Xiaoli.
"Mom and Dad, stop talking. Grandpa has already agreed. If you insist on her aborting the child, Grandpa will be angry." Jiaxi didn't want to hear them say these things. He didn't like Tong Xiaoli that much, but Tong Xiaoli gave him a sense of satisfaction he had never felt before.
All along, he had hoped Mengyao would worship and depend on him like Tong Xiaoli, unable to live without him. However, these fantasies he had about Mengyao were all realized with Tong Xiaoli, making it impossible for him to harden his heart and separate from her.
Jiaxi's mother complained, "I think the old man is losing his mind..."
"You can't talk about my father like that. If he hears it, he'll fly into a rage again," Jiaxi's father stopped her. "Let's not interfere in this matter. Jiaxi is an adult. Let him handle it himself."
Saying this, he pulled Jiaxi's mother out of Jiaxi's room. After they returned to their own room, Jiaxi's father said, "Don't you think that although Jiaxi says he likes Mengyao very much, he harbors resentment towards her in his heart?"
"Yes, I know he has always blamed Mengyao for abandoning him and running off with another man. But I thought he had let it go later. It seems this hurdle in his heart hasn't passed. If this continues, I don't think he and Mengyao will last long. Then Mengyao's parents will vent their anger on us, and the entire Hong family will suffer." Jiaxi's mother said worriedly.
Jiaxi's father said helplessly, "Worrying is useless. Jiaxi doesn't listen to us at all now, and my father is determined to have a great-grandchild. What can we do?"
Jiaxi's mother sighed. "Alas, this child is grown up. We really can't control him anymore."
...
Mengyao recuperated at home for a week and felt less weak. She remembered that Mengqi had promised to help her find a lawyer to divorce Jiaxi.
She didn't want to drag out the divorce any longer and just wanted to get rid of a scumbag like Jiaxi as soon as possible.
However, Mengqi hadn't visited her in the past few days and hadn't mentioned hiring a lawyer. So, she took the initiative to call Mengqi's phone.
"Sister, are you busy?"
"Not busy." Mengqi heard her voice and felt she sounded much better. "How are you recovering at home?"
"I feel much more energetic today," Mengyao asked. "You mentioned last time that you would help me hire a lawyer. I wanted to ask if you've found a suitable one?"
Mengqi paused and said, "There's no rush for this matter. Mom told me that she still hopes you will consider it carefully. Marriage and divorce are both major decisions, don't make them lightly."
"Sister, you supported my divorce at first. Has Mom said something to you now, and you no longer approve of my divorce?" Mengyao couldn't understand why her mother disagreed with her divorce, given that Jiaxi was keeping another woman.
Mengqi said, "I still support your divorce now, and I always have. It's just that you should talk to Mom and Dad about this properly. If you are determined to divorce, I will help you find the best lawyer. I won't let that bastard Jiaxi get away with it easily."
"Okay, I'll talk to Mom and Dad. Whether they support it or not, I'm definitely divorcing," Mengyao said with a firm tone.
Mengqi also gave her strength. "I'll stand by your side."
"Thank you, Sister," Mengyao said and hung up.
She closed her eyes and recalled that since agreeing to be Jiaxi's girlfriend again, getting married, and experiencing so many things, she felt like she had fallen into a pre-set trap, constantly being led by Jiaxi's sweet talk and his hypocritical act of playing the victim.
She fell deeper and deeper, only to realize Jiaxi's true nature after being bruised and battered. She was truly too foolish.
She could understand her parents' thoughts. They probably hoped that since she was married, if she could make it work, it would be best not to divorce.
But Mengyao had now seen through it all and understood. She was determined to divorce.
She got up, put on her coat, and left her room, intending to talk to her mother about the divorce first, to gauge her father's attitude. Even if they disagreed, she believed she could persuade them.
After leaving her room, Mengyao looked around the first floor but didn't see her mother. She encountered the housekeeper.
She asked the housekeeper about her mother's whereabouts.
The housekeeper said, "Third Miss, Madam has been in her room all day and hasn't gone out."