NOVEL NEXT Chapter 6
Chapter 6: A Divorce
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
A lot can change in five years and those are just the vicissitudes of life.
Chu Tianyi was a jerk but he maintained his appearance at the least as both his good looks and his extraordinary aura remained. As for Jiang Peng, he did not just become mentally distorted, he even looked odious physically.
He Yi remembered Jiang Peng as a tall, skinny, quiet art student with a constantly melancholic artistic aura. He was never as handsome as Chu Tianyi but he was still above average in terms of appearance.
However, the man who barged in looked shaggy and dispirited with his ungroomed stubble and alcoholic breath. He gained a significant amount of weight and he looked like a fat middle-aged man.
Jiang Peng was only two years elder than them so he was still within his twenties and yet, he looked 40.
“Wei Jiameng, you useless woman!” Ignoring the guest in his home completely, Jiang Peng wobbled his way to Wei Jiameng and grumbled, “I’m losing money again on the business and yet you’re of no help! No help! You useless woman! You piece of trash!”
Afraid to say anything, Wei Jiameng only hugged her daughter and shook in a corner. It was obvious that she was terrified of Jiang Peng who was drunk.
He Yi understood at once that there was a high possibility that Jiang Peng had the habit of resorting to violence after drinking. She walked over and patted his shoulder lightly.
Jiang Peng turned with ferocity on his face. He became stunned with surprise when he realized who He Yi was.
It was clear that he recognized her.
“He Yi, it’s you!” Jiang Peng sobered up a little. He stared at He Yi and muttered, “Why aren’t you in prison?”
“I can’t stay there forever!” He Yi smiled faintly.
Realization hit Jiang Peng. “Oh, you’re done with your sentence.” His eyes swirled, it was clear that he was scheming something. “I heard that Chu Tianyi divorced you.”
“That’s right.” He Yi stared at Jiang Peng coldly as she waited for him to reveal his fangs and claws. “I’m here to rely on Jiameng!”
It was an effective trigger to lure Jiang Peng’s concealed vileness.
‘The pretty Young Lady He is as messed up as that useless Wei Jiameng! She’s even thinking of relying on the Wei family for support.’
Jiang Peng became puffed up in an instant. “We don’t have extra money for others! Figure another plan!”
Wei Jiameng who had been silent since Jiang Peng came in finally mustered her courage and declared, “He Yi is my best friend! This is my house and I want her to stay!”
*
“He Yi is my best friend! This is my house and I want her to stay!”
He Yi was touched when Wei Jiameng uttered those words bravely. She mustered her courage to voice out so that she could stay when it was clear that she was terrified of Jiang Peng. That proved that Wei Jiameng was genuinely kind to her.
However, He Yi had to witness the price Wei Jiameng had to pay for their friendship after that.
“Since when do you have the right to speak in this house?” Furious, Jiang Peng charged to grab Wei Jiameng and started beating her violently, Ge Ge’s fearful cries did not subdue him for one bit.
He Yi had to call the police at the end. Jiang Peng’s violent acts finally stopped when the police entered.
“Stop right there. This is the police!” The police shouted and took out a gun to aim at Jiang Peng who was still hitting Wei Jiameng.
Jiang Peng became dumbfounded because he was not expecting the police. He turned around and he was pressed onto the floor instantly to get handcuffed.
The other policeman recorded the whole arrest process with a body-worn camera, including the process of Jiang Peng hitting Wei Jiameng.
He Yi went to help Wei Jiameng whose face was swollen and covered in bruises. Then, she let out a dramatic scream, “Jiameng, are you alright? What is it? Stop scaring me!” She cried loudly before blinking at Wei Jiameng when no one was looking and whispered, “Faint!”
It was a game they used to play in the university so Wei Jiameng got the hint immediately. She shut her eyes and pretended to be unconscious.
Ge Ge cried out loud from terror and she was unable to say anything.
Jiang Peng was taken away by the police as they thought that he was a burglar.
Despite repeating to the police that he was the owner of the house and hitting his own wife was not unlawful, Jiang Peng was still taken to a police station for further questioning because Wei Jiameng, the only person who could prove Jiang Peng’s identity “fainted” and Ge Ge could not talk from all the crying.
*
He Yi applied some ointment on the bruises on Wei Jiameng’s arms as she complained like an aged woman.
“He had been losing money on the business and he used up my dad’s estate within two years. I never blamed him for that because I was the one who agreed to marry him! However, I can’t stand him for venting on me and Ge Ge whenever he drinks. He didn’t only hit me, he even hit Ge Ge sometimes…” Wei Jiameng sobbed as she talked about her suffering.
He Yi remained silent as she continued checking Wei Jiameng’s body. She took photos of all her injuries, old and new ones, as evidence.
“I’m lucky that you’re here to call the police today, or else…” Wei Jiameng shuddered at the thought. She could not be sure that Jiang Peng would not murder her that day.
A hint of light flashed past He Yi’s clear eyes. She did not stop Jiang Peng on purpose because she wanted him to get caught red-handed by the police. Besides, she wanted to see how vicious he could get so that Wei Jiameng could wake up as early as possible.
She wondered what made Wei Jiameng put up with Jiang Peng for so many years. She had been living under Jiang Peng’s control and violence without any feelings ever since her father’s death. Perhaps women choose to suffer an unfair fate with reluctance because they tend to have illusions that men had feelings left for them.
That was the reason why He Yi hardened her heart and watched as Jiang Peng beat Wei Jiameng instead of stopping him.
She knew that Wei Jiameng needed to realize that to lose hope in Jiang Peng completely.
“Shush, don’t cry.” He Yi attended to Wei Jiameng’s wounds and held her thin shoulders lightly to comfort her. “You should think about the future! Ge Ge is still young, you can’t afford to get her future affected by her heartless father! Look at how terrified she is, she can’t even speak from all the crying. Not having her father around would be better!”
Wei Jiameng’s hatred for Jiang Peng intensified when Ge Ge was mentioned. He never provided Ge Ge love and care as if she was not his biological daughter. Wei Jiameng wiped her tears off and mumbled to He Yi, “What am I going to do next? We don’t have any money here. All I have is this house that my father left for me… Jiang Peng had been wanting to sell it off but I refused to sign so he caused a ruckus… I was worried that I will end up on the streets to beg with Ge Ge after selling it.”
A woman could be gentle but she would always be brave as a mother. Even Wei Jiameng who was innocent and naive knew that she must at least have a shelter for her child.
He Yi patted her hand in comforting her and said, “That’s good! You did well! What you should do now is get a divorce, you and Ge Ge can start over!”
Wei Jiameng was a little dumbfounded as she muttered, “A…a divorce?”
Despite Jiang Peng’s character, she never thought of getting divorced from him!
Looking at Wei Jiameng’s astonished face, He Yi pursed her lips and said coldly, “A good-for-nothing like him will only drag you and Ge Ge down. You should drive him away instead of staying with him!”
“I…I…” Wei Jiameng stared at He Yi’s indifferent expression and thought that something about her was different from before. However, she could not put into words what changed. Due to Wei Jiameng’s weak character, she always needed someone to provide her guidance throughout her life including her father and her husband. She was already used to listening to others.
However, her father passed away and her husband was an *sshole. He Yi came at the right timing and Wei Jiameng relied on her out of habit.
“What am I going to do now?” Teary-eyed Wei Jiameng looked pitiful. “Jiang Peng mentioned that he had a huge debt and the debtor is looking for him to murder him so we have to sell the house to pay off his debt. The court will make an order to seize the house and chase us off even if I refuse to sign!”
He Yi sneered, “What makes you think that you have the responsibility to pay for his debt? The photos of your injuries and the police’s clip of him beating you will be enough for the court to give you a divorce! The court will protect you as you are the victim!”