Pang Jinglong was completely out of sorts.
The voice on the other end of the phone was full of energy. Hearing no reply from him, it asked again, “Can you tell me about it? If not for the time difference making international calls troublesome, I should contact He Zhen instead. Hey, Pang Jinglong, why are you not speaking? You cannot possibly not understand it yourself, right?”
Not understand what?
Oh, the medical aesthetics project.
Pang Jinglong realised belatedly that the caller was Wen Ying, his new friend and the company’s new investor!
“Who says I do not understand? I just… just have some other matters. It is not convenient to meet you today.”
Travel had been so joyful, but returning home was equally disheartening.
The wonderful night of drinking and chatting with friends was over. This was Pang Jinglong’s real life now.
Wen Ying was clearly not satisfied with his answer.
“What could be more important than making money? Even if you do not care about my 3 million investment, you should value your own 5 million.”
Mrs Pang clung tightly to her son’s waist, refusing to let go. Pang Jinglong’s molars ground audibly. “Of course there are things more important than 5 million. You simply do not understand!”
No one would understand.
Pang Jinglong often felt isolated and helpless.
He knew He Zhen was a very good friend. He felt fortunate to have such a friend.
But He Zhen could not truly empathise with his situation.
Yes, He Zhen was now in conflict with his family, refusing financial support from his parents.
In Pang Jinglong’s view, this was only a temporary disagreement. He Zhen would reconcile with his parents sooner or later.
He Zhen was lucky to have a responsible father like He Zhinian.
He Zhen was lucky to have a mother like Dai Chenglan, who, though materialistic, still protected the family.
Unlike him.
He had a very good mother, one who needed his protection.
He also had a father worse than a beast.
The one who did wrong was his father, yet because his father earned money and many relatives back home depended on him, almost everyone advised his mother to be magnanimous and endure.
Endure a bit, and in a couple of years it would be better.
Endure a bit, and he would turn over a new leaf.
Endure a bit, and you are still the official wife.
Endure, endure, endure. When would it ever end!
Pang Jinglong never blamed his mother for not being strong enough. After his parents married, his father started a business, leaving his mother in the hometown to care for the family.
Household chores had to be done, farm work in the fields had to be handled.
In-laws occasionally caused trouble, and sisters-in-law schemed against each other.
Pang Jinglong remembered being sickly as a child, often running high fevers at night. His mother carried him on her back to the clinic.
A woman, burdened by roles like “mother”, “wife”, and “daughter-in-law”, had endless tasks inside and outside the home. Every day began with daily necessities. While the outside world advanced rapidly, she clung to old ideas.
Her husband built his business outside and became an enviable boss in the village.
She had asked about the factory a few times, only to be dismissed with “you do not understand”.
Over time, she truly no longer understood.
She had wanted to improve herself.
Before her husband succeeded, the family lacked means. After success, she lacked time.
Moving from the hometown to the city, into a big house, driving a car, but without hiring a nanny.
She still personally cared for her in-laws, did housework herself, and managed her son.
Her wealthy husband often stayed away. When he returned, he criticised everything: the floor not clean enough, clothes not ironed smoothly, dishes lacking variety compared to restaurants.
She did not dress well.
She lacked femininity.
She was embarrassing at social events.
Useless in business.
A complete waste!
Scene after scene, incident after incident, Pang Jinglong had witnessed growing up, without a trace of exaggeration.
Later, he learned his father compared her to his female secretary.
The secretary dressed with great femininity.
The secretary assisted in business.
The secretary accompanied him to events.
The secretary had even borne his father a son. Before Pang Jinglong and his mother moved to the city, that adulterous pair had already hooked up!
Pang Jinglong knew the 5 million his mother held came from enduring humiliation, tricking it bit by bit from his father after learning of the illegitimate son.
To save for him, his mother learned false accounting, finding excuses to ask for money.
Lacking femininity, unable to dress, embarrassing to take out?
To have a presentable wife, one must spend money on her!
High-end beauty salons required money.
Designer bags required money.
Jewellery required money.
Pang Jinglong knew his father was reluctant, but some occasions forbade bringing a mistress, so he grudgingly gave it while cursing.
Each time money was given, it was an humiliation.
His mother endured the humiliation, used the money to buy fake bags and jewellery, thus saving this sum bit by bit.
Thinking of this, Pang Jinglong hated even more.
No outsider would believe it: the wife of a big boss without a single genuine bag or piece of real jewellery!
In Pang Jinglong’s eyes, this was irreconcilable hatred. Yet Wen Ying on the phone said lightly, “If you do not tell me, of course I do not understand. If you tell me, I definitely will.”
Pang Jinglong roared, “My dad keeps a woman outside! That bitch bore him a son. They team up to bully my mum! Do you understand this? Do you understand my mum’s and my situation?”
Even He Zhen could not empathise. Pang Jinglong did not think Wen Ying would understand.
Sure enough, silence fell on the other end.
Wen Ying must feel very awkward.
Pang Jinglong wanted to hang up. Then Wen Ying’s voice came again. “You are upset over this? I thought it was something serious! Pang Jinglong, come out and meet me. I will introduce you to a reliable lawyer. This is the 21st century. How can solving problems still rely on brute force? We must keep up with the times. Hire a lawyer when needed. Learn to use legal weapons to protect yourselves!”
Wen Ying’s voice was calm and unhurried, as if discussing a trivial matter.
Both Pang Jinglong and his silently weeping mother were stunned.
The girl’s calm voice on the phone seemed magical. She analysed for the mother and son in her own way. “Getting angry is useless. Even if you are so angry you want to kill the woman your dad keeps, what good would it do? Without this woman, it would not stop your dad finding others. You must solve the root problem. You can invest 5 million in He Zhen’s startup. Your family must be quite wealthy. My suggestion is divorce and divide assets. Take as much as possible. Make your dad bleed financially. That is more effective than killing a hundred of his mistresses!”
Pang Jinglong fell silent. Mrs Pang murmured, “They say if I file for divorce, I only get debts. Unless I accept their terms: a small flat and 1 million cash. I do not want divorce. I cannot make way for that woman. I cannot let Jinglong, let him…”
Let him be robbed of everything by the illegitimate son.
Wen Ying frowned upon hearing this.
Indeed, a scumbag father who wished his own son executed.
Pang Jinglong’s father’s business was sizeable. That was why in the previous life, even though He Zhen always felt injustice for Pang Jinglong, he waited until taking over the family business to help.
Such a wealthy boss, cheating and wanting divorce, only willing to give the original wife a small flat and 1 million cash?
What a sly old Pang! Trying to dismiss a beggar!
Wen Ying held back her anger. “What small flat and 1 million? I think your dad is ugly yet dreams big! Anyway, things cannot get worse than now. Pang Jinglong, do you want to trust me once? The lawyer I introduce is very capable!”
