Courtyard House: Jia Zhangshi! How dare you hit my sister?

Qin Huai'an glanced around the room before looking at Jia Dongxu:

"I've come today for just one thing."

He pushed Qin Huairu forward: "My sister wants a divorce from you."

The room fell silent instantly upon hearing this.

Jia Dongxu stood there, stunned, unable to react for a long time.

Jia Zhangshi was startled at first, then suddenly sat up in bed—the movement aggravated her wound, causing her to gasp for breath, but she still managed to shout at the top of her lungs:

"What?! Divorce?!"

"Qin Huairu! How dare you! Have you lost your mind?"

"You are a daughter-in-law of the Jia family! You were born a member of the Jia family, and you will die a member of the Jia family! You want a divorce? No way!"

She became more and more agitated as she spoke, spittle flying everywhere:

"Let me tell you, Qin Huairu! Don't think you can act tough just because your brother is back!"

"I'm telling you, this divorce isn't happening! I said it's not happening, and that's final!"

Qin Huai'an looked at her coldly, and only after she finished speaking did he slowly open his mouth:

"You fat bastard, if you utter another word, I'll make you crawl out of this house today."

Madam Jia opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but looking into Qin Huai'an's cold eyes, she swallowed the words that were on the tip of her tongue.

She was genuinely scared.

She still feels pain all over when she thinks about the beating she received today.

This scoundrel is really willing to fight to the death!

Madam Jia fell silent, and the room became quiet again.

Jia Dongxu finally came to his senses. He looked at Qin Huairu, his face alternating between pale and flushed.

"Huai...Huai Ru, you...you really want a divorce?"

Qin Huairu nodded, her voice soft but firm: "Yes, I want a divorce."

"Why...why?" Jia Dongxu was still a little incredulous.

"We...we're doing just fine, aren't we?"

"Are you alright?" Qin Huairu's eyes instantly reddened upon hearing this. "Jia Dongxu, don't you have any conscience saying such things?"

She pointed to the injury on her face:

"You call this living a good life? Where were you when your mother was hitting and scolding me?"

"You watch me get beaten and don't say a word, and you call that living a good life?"

"Don't you know what kind of life I've been living in your house?"

"I worked like an animal, served your family like a servant, and all I got in return was beatings and verbal abuse!"

"Is this what you call doing well?"

Jia Dongxu was speechless when asked the question, and after a long while he managed to stammer, "That...that's my mom...what can I do..."

"Yes, what can you do?" Qin Huairu gave a bitter smile.

"So you can just watch your mom beat me and watch me suffer."

"Jia Dongxu, I've been with you for so many years and never asked you for anything, but now I'm begging you—please let me go."

She took a deep breath: "This marriage must end in divorce."

Jia Dongxu's face was extremely ugly.

He hadn't considered divorce. Firstly, he thought Qin Huairu wouldn't dare, and secondly... these days, divorce isn't something to be proud of, especially if it's initiated by the woman. If word got out, where would Jia Dongxu put his face?

"No!" he gritted his teeth. "I don't agree! This divorce is not an option!"

Before Qin Huairu could speak, Qin Huai'an made his move first.

He stepped forward and slapped her across the face.

"Snapped!"

It was crisp and clear.

Jia Dongxu was so hit that he spun around on the spot, then stood there stunned, covering his face.

"I'm asking you if you can do it or not?" Qin Huai'an looked down at him.

Jia Dongxu covered his face, both shocked and furious: "You...you dare hit me?!"

"Snapped!"

Another slap.

"I'm asking you, is it okay?"

Qin Huai'an's voice was as cold as ice.

Jia Dongxu was so badly beaten that he saw stars. Looking into Qin Huai'an's cold eyes, the anger in his heart was instantly replaced by fear.

He remembered the beating he received in the yard that afternoon, and the horrific sight of his mother, beaten so badly she couldn't get up...

"I...I..." His lips trembled, unable to speak.

Just then, a voice came from outside the door: "What's going on? Dongxu, what happened to your house?"

Yi Zhonghai pushed open the door and walked in.

He was eating in his own house when he heard commotion at the Jia family's place. He hesitated for a moment but still came over—after all, he was his own apprentice, and he couldn't ignore him.

But as soon as he entered the room and saw the scene inside, Yi Zhonghai's heart skipped a beat.

Qin Huai'an was there, Qin Huairu was there, Jia Dongxu covered his face, and Jia Zhangshi huddled on the bed...

This situation doesn't look good at all.

"Master..." Jia Dongxu saw Yi Zhonghai and, as if seeing a savior, quickly hid behind him. "They...they want a divorce..."

Yi Zhonghai frowned and looked at Qin Huairu: "Huairu, is this true?"

Qin Huairu nodded: "Uncle, I want to divorce Jia Dongxu."

Yi Zhonghai sighed and adopted that "moral supreme being" posture:

"Huai Ru, I'm not trying to be mean."

"These days, divorce is no small matter; it sounds terrible if word gets out."

"Besides, you've been married for so many years and have children. Can't you talk things out?"

"Is divorce the only option?"

He paused, then said, "A couple should understand and tolerate each other."

"Tell me if Dongxu does anything wrong, and I'll criticize him."

"But isn't it a bit too impulsive of you to ask for a divorce so readily?"

Qin Huairu sneered inwardly upon hearing this.

Mutual understanding?

Mutual tolerance?

Where was this old man when she was being beaten and scolded at the Jia family's house?

Why doesn't he criticize Jia Zhangshi?

Why don't you try to be more understanding of her?

Qin Huai'an's anger flared up immediately upon hearing Yi Zhonghai's explanation.

He took two steps forward and slapped her across the face.

"Snapped!"

Yi Zhonghai was knocked so hard he staggered, covering his face and standing there stunned.

He simply couldn't believe it—this Qin Huai'an actually dared to hit him? And in front of so many people?

"You...you dare to hit me?!" Yi Zhonghai was both shocked and furious.

Qin Huai'an looked at him coldly: "So what if I hit you? I'm hitting hypocrites like you!"

He pointed at Yi Zhonghai's nose and cursed:

"So now you're bringing this up? Were you blind when my sister was being bullied at the Jia family? Couldn't you see it?"

"Where were you when Jia Zhangshi beat my sister? Where were you when Jia Dongxu stood by and did nothing?"

"Now that I'm trying to get my sister out of this misery, you're here pretending to be the good guy? And you've got a whole set of excuses for that!"

Qin Huai'an grew angrier as he spoke, and slapped him again:

"Let me tell you, Yi Zhonghai, stop pretending in front of me! Your moral blackmail won't work on me!"

Yi Zhonghai was stunned and disoriented by the beating. He was shocked and angry, but even more so, he was terrified.

Looking into Qin Huai'an's cold eyes, he suddenly realized—this man truly didn't take him, an old man, seriously.

Moreover, they really dared to hit him.

"You...you..."

Yi Zhonghai's lips trembled, wanting to say something, but seeing Qin Huai'an's "If you dare say another word, I'll beat you up" attitude, he swallowed the words that were on the tip of his tongue.