Chapter Thirteen: Determined to Divorce

Jiang Jiang’s joyful voice immediately sank into disappointment. Her once cheerful tone wilted. “But I just like Mom Yinxī. Dad, can’t you let her be my real mom?”

Jiang Runlang didn’t answer but instead reminded Jiang Jiang, “At the banquet tomorrow, remember you can only call her Teacher Lin, understood?”

Seeing Jiang Runlang so solemnly repeat the instructions, Jiang Jiang finally grasped the gravity of the matter. Her little face fell, and she nodded at Jiang Runlang. “Alright, then I’ll call her that in secret.”

After all, at kindergarten, she could already call Lin Yinxī “Mom,” and that was enough to satisfy her.

Jiang Runlang ruffled her hair before asking the servant to take Jiang Jiang upstairs to wash up and rest.

Upstairs.

Shen Suining had already turned off the lights in her room when she heard the sound of a car.

For years, she had slept in a separate room from Jiang Runlang, and he rarely came to her room unnecessarily.

So, perhaps even now, Jiang Runlang didn’t know she had returned.

Her hands icy cold, Shen Suining sat on the dressing stool, the crisp, sweet sound of Jiang Jiang calling “Mom Yinxī” ringing in her ears.

Her daughter had never spoken to her with such a clear and melodious voice.

Shen Suining truly did not understand when Jiang Jiang had grown to despise her so deeply.

Numb, she stood and returned to bed, lying there wide awake.

Tossing and turning for two hours, she finally sat up and called Ye Pianpian.

Once connected, Shen Suining got straight to the point. “Pianpian, can you help me find a reliable lawyer? I need to draft a divorce agreement.”

She wasn’t foolish; after all these years of sacrificing for Jiang Runlang and Jiang Jiang, she wouldn’t naïvely give up everything at the divorce.

She had her grandmother to care for, with medical bills nearing a million a month. She had to secure her rightful share to guarantee their well-being.

Ye Pianpian was surprised at Shen Suining’s straightforwardness and immediately cheered, “Girl, you’re amazing! I was afraid you’d still choose to walk away empty-handed even after deciding to divorce! Wonderful! You haven’t let me down!”

Shen Suining said, “So, Miss Pianpian, please introduce me to a lawyer who can guarantee a win.”

On her own, there was no way she could defeat Jiang Runlang.

Especially with Jiang Zan and Pei Min involved—if they threatened her grandmother, she would most likely have to compromise.

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Ye Pianpian patted her chest so loudly it echoed through the phone.

She promised, “No problem! Leave this little matter to me!”

Shen Suining replied, “Thank you, Pianpian.”

Ye Pianpian said, “Ah, with our relationship, you saying that kind of thing hurts my feelings!”

Shen Suining smiled—a genuine smile, the first since last night.

Detecting her friend’s good mood, Ye Pianpian seized the opportunity to ask, “But for such a small matter, why don’t you ask Jiang Jun? Believe me, once Jiang Jun steps in, none of Jiang Zan, Pei Min, or Jiang Runlang would dare make a move.”

Shen Suining tensed at the memory of Jiang Jun’s phone words, “Don’t blame me if I’m ruthless.”

She said, “I haven’t yet decided how to handle things with him.”

Though Jiang Yinuo was confirmed by paternity test as her and Jiang Jun’s son, the whole situation still felt utterly absurd to her.

She hadn’t fully come to terms with it.

Ye Pianpian knew Shen Suining’s nature, especially after years of marriage to Jiang Runlang, during which the Jiang family had ground her down into a timid and fearful woman.

Now, divorcing Jiang Runlang only to marry Jiang Jun would be like jumping from the frying pan into the fire.

Though Ye Pianpian was certain Shen Suining couldn’t escape Jiang Jun’s control, she refrained from saying so.

Feigning disappointment, Ye Pianpian said, “Ah, I was hoping to watch Jiang Jun and the Jiang family duke it out for a spectacle.”

After all, she was the only one in Quanning City’s elite circles with firsthand news that Jiang Jun had returned.

She was eager to see the shock when the news broke.

Shen Suining didn’t mind Ye Pianpian’s desire for drama. She said, “To make your wish come true sooner, can we meet the lawyer tomorrow?”

Ye Pianpian replied, “No problem. I’ll take you there in the morning! Guaranteed win!”

They chatted a bit longer before hanging up to rest.

Perhaps comforted by Ye Pianpian’s reassurance, Shen Suining soon fell asleep.

That night, she slept well and even dreamed a pleasant dream.

But at its end, Jiang Jun appeared in her dream.

Right after she and Jiang Runlang obtained the divorce certificate, Jiang Jun dragged her into a dark room.

She firmly refused to marry Jiang Jun, but he pressed her repeatedly, determined to make her agree.

The dream overlapped with a night five years ago at a hotel, leaving Shen Suining waking up with a dry mouth.

She got out of bed and drank a large glass of water before heading to the bathroom.

There, she noticed something unusual about her body.

The usually dry and fresh undergarments were no longer as before.

Recalling the dream’s scenes, Shen Suining blushed deeply.

She had actually dreamed such a thing.

Biting her lip, she quickly showered and changed, tossing the underwear away as if destroying evidence.

Though normal, the involvement of Jiang Jun made her recoil.

Coming downstairs, she found the pots and stove cold—the time showed Jiang Runlang had already taken Jiang Jiang to kindergarten.

Without asking the servants to prepare breakfast, Shen Suining casually took eggs and tomatoes from the fridge and made herself a bowl of noodles.

After eating, she went to meet Ye Pianpian.

They arranged to meet at a café, with a law firm upstairs.

Ye Pianpian said, “Suining, did I ever tell you my brother is a lawyer?”

Shen Suining nodded—this was the first time she’d heard it.

Though close friends with Ye Pianpian, she knew little about her family background.

Ye Pianpian continued, “My brother studied and worked abroad for years and just returned to the country a few months ago. I wanted to introduce you two earlier, but you went to visit the teacher’s grave, so it was delayed. But it’s not too late now.”

Shen Suining smiled slightly, understanding Ye Pianpian’s concern that she might overthink.

She said, “Now’s perfect.”