It was utterly ridiculous.
That was Fang Ping’s only feeling after hearing her husband’s words.
Fang Ping hadn’t divorced later due to various concerns, a key one being that Deputy Director Duan had promised he’d cut ties with Pan Li, swearing to return to the family.
He had indeed done so, working hard to repair their marriage. He let Fang Ping check his phone freely, skipped social engagements when possible, reported unavoidable ones, and even brought Fang Ping along, showing genuine intent to recommit.
Now, suddenly learning Pan Li was heavily pregnant and demanding to be made legitimate, threatening to report if not, Fang Ping’s first reaction was that she’d been deceived, her husband still secretly involved with Pan Li.
Before digesting this, Fang Ping heard her successful husband’s solution: divorce Fang Ping first, marry Pan Li to legitimate the child, cover the scandal, disarm the biggest threat, then divorce Pan Li and remarry Fang Ping.
Only someone with a decade-long cerebral thrombosis could think of that. Fang Ping laughed in fury.
“Duan Quanchang, do you think I’m easy to fool?”
It must be that.
Fang Ping trembled with anger.
If she’d known this day would come, she should have divorced firmly after catching him cheating.
At least then, she’d hold the initiative, and outsiders would praise her backbone.
Now, Fang Ping had no control. Duan Quanchang had his plan, talk of fake divorce and remarriage, all unacceptable to her. Once divorced, it was real.
Even if Duan Quanchang was truthful, he’d fathered a child with his mistress. Why should Fang Ping remarry him?
To help raise Duan Quanchang and Pan Li’s child?
Besides, his so-called solution was just burying one’s head in the sand. Pan Li entering with such a belly, anyone not blind would see she was a promoted mistress.
Fang Ping didn’t care yet what outsiders would say about Duan Quanchang, but she could guess what they’d say about her with her toes.
They’d say Fang Ping lost to the mistress, the mistress rose, and Fang Ping was kicked out.
Duan Quanchang was bullying her too much.
This negotiation naturally ended badly.
Wasn’t Duan Quanchang afraid of the mistress reporting?
Fang Ping thought, let the mistress report then.
If this adulterous pair wouldn’t let her live well, no one would.
Fang Ping’s answer was no divorce. She wasn’t reluctant to leave Duan Quanchang now, but wanted to disgust him, ensuring Pan Li’s child was born illegitimate.
Forget talk of marital grace or helping each other. Peaceful breakups rarely kept decency and reason. Pain hits when the knife falls on you. Fang Ping’s mind was full of revenge.
Deputy Director Duan was truly anxious now.
He couldn’t handle Pan Li, not just because she insisted on keeping and birthing the child, but for other reasons.
A cheating middle-aged man playing with women must have other issues beyond marital infidelity.
Inflation makes men lose caution. When Duan Quanchang hooked up with Pan Li, like a mating male in nature, he flaunted his assets. He’d used his deputy director position for improper acts. Pan Li knew a few, cleverly keeping evidence.
An illegitimate child could cost Duan Quanchang his job.
Worse, Pan Li’s evidence could send him straight to prison.
Duan Quanchang’s push to divorce and marry Pan Li had nothing to do with feelings. Feelings wouldn’t make him risk divorce, but Pan Li’s unborn child could, and her evidence could too.
One side was a pregnant mistress forcing marriage, the other an unyielding wife. Duan Quanchang was tormented by two women.
In the end, Pan Li’s threat was greater, so Fang Ping had to suffer.
Duan Quanchang brought in his parents and son to persuade Fang Ping.
The Duan elders, for their son’s career, begged Fang Ping to agree, swearing she was their only daughter-in-law, the divorce truly temporary.
“After so many years together, give Quanchang a way out.”
Fang Ping’s son hadn’t expected this.
Fortunately, he wasn’t too foolish and didn’t side with Duan Quanchang to persuade Fang Ping.
With parents undivorced, Fang Ping’s son had a deputy director father and professor mother, a respectable, complete family. All resources were his.
Once divorced, respectability gone, a young stepmother about to give birth, with a stepmother comes a stepfather, family resources no longer his.
Fang Ping’s son had his plans, firmly standing with his birth mother, condemning his father’s actions, slightly comforting Fang Ping.
At this, Fang Ping thought of Wen Ying and Xie Qian again.
She recalled Xie Qian’s “blessing.”
At least in her toughest time, her son stood with her, defending her firmly, making Fang Ping feel she hadn’t failed entirely as a person.
Sadly, Fang Ping’s comfort didn’t last long.
To show sincerity in remarrying Fang Ping, to get her to agree to divorce, Duan Quanchang proposed transferring all marital assets to their son first.
“Now you can relax, right?”
Men’s hearts follow their money. Duan Quanchang willing to give assets to his son showed no real feelings yet for Pan Li’s unborn child.
He’d held back.
Despite swearing it was temporary, promising remarriage, he knew deep down marrying Pan Li would make escaping her hard.
Divorcing Fang Ping ended their marital tie. Fang Ping could spend as she wished, beyond his control.
Those assets were Duan Quanchang’s years of savings. Giving them all to Fang Ping hurt, falsely.
Transferring to his son, his own blood, whether remarrying or not, was fine. Money for his son was proper, less painful.
Duan Quanchang thought Fang Ping would agree. With one son, if he could give, why not her? Women were sentimental.
The couple’s visible assets were substantial.
Both started work early, one a music academy professor, one provincial TV deputy director, incomes above peers, with allocated housing, later buying more properties, plus hidden assets, solidly upper middle-class in Rongcheng.
Fang Ping’s son was stunned.
Though the only child, with parents in prime, they wouldn’t easily hand over assets. Suddenly offered family wealth control, few youths resist such temptation. Fang Ping’s son wavered immediately.
“Mum.”
The child she bore called her with a drawn-out plea. Fang Ping instantly knew his meaning.
This truly spun the world. Fang Ping fainted in rage.
