Chapter 104: The Child Was Not His, and Liu Jianjun Went Mad

“What divorce!” the mother-in-law snapped, eyes widening in displeasure. “What are you going to do about the child in your belly? If you give birth to a girl, you won’t even be able to remarry. Your father definitely won’t agree to it. Your brother’s troubles at home are already more than enough. Stop making a scene!”

Mrs. Liu said, “Mom, whether I divorce him or not, I’m not keeping this child.”

The mother-in-law let out a cold huff. “Will Liu Jianjun even agree to that?”

Mrs. Liu’s gaze flickered. “This child isn’t his. I’m afraid that if it’s born and doesn’t look like him, it’ll be hard to explain.”

“What?” The mother-in-law straightened at once and jabbed a finger at her forehead. “You little wretch, what are you doing? Your brother isn’t even married yet, and you’re fooling around out there?”

The younger brother perked up too, his face full of gossip. “Sis, whose child is it?”

“Who else would it be?” Mrs. Liu said, a little embarrassed. “Other than Brother Wangcai, I never liked anyone else.”

The younger brother looked surprised. “Sis, you were pregnant while you were with the army, right? How did Brother Wangcai meet you?”

“He happened to be on business near the army during that time. I found an excuse to go out and meet him once...”

At the ward door, Liu Jianjun’s fists clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white, and his eyes were bloodshot with fury.

He had never imagined this.

For his wife, he had cut ties with his family.

And yet she had been secretly carrying on with some other man.

Even the child in her belly wasn’t his.

Inside the room, the voices continued.

The mother-in-law sneered, “You really are bold, aren’t you, messing around near the army and all.”

Mrs. Liu bit her lip. “I didn’t mean for this to happen. Who could have guessed I’d get pregnant the first time? Anyway, I’m not keeping this child.”

“This child must be kept!” the younger brother said excitedly. “Perfect. We can ask Brother Wangcai for money, and then my bride price will be covered!”

Mrs. Liu frowned. “I don’t want to trouble Brother Wangcai too much. He doesn’t have it easy either.”

Doesn’t have it easy? Ha.

A heavy, bitter mockery flashed through Liu Jianjun’s eyes.

So when she forced him to go home and ask his parents for money, she never once thought about whether it was easy for him.

So his wife had never loved him at all. In her heart, she had always been thinking of that other man.

Ha. Ha.

He, Liu Jianjun, was nothing but a fool.

A fool who deserved to be abandoned by his own parents.

In the ward, the mother-in-law huffed coldly. “Tell me the truth: what matters more to you, that old flame of yours, or your brother and your family? Choose one.”

Mrs. Liu looked troubled. “Mom, even if the child is born, what if it doesn’t look like someone from the Liu family...?”

“You stubborn girl, you really are hopeless,” the mother-in-law said. “Just tell Liu Jianjun that the child takes after your family. That’ll do.”

She went on, “Jianjun’s salary in the army is steady enough, and he can help you raise the child too. Isn’t that perfect?”

“Hey, that’s a great idea,” the younger brother said, eyes gleaming. “That way I can get money from both sides, and when my own kid is born, we won’t have to worry about food or clothing!”

Mrs. Liu thought for a moment, then nodded. “All right, then let’s do that.”

Hearing that, Liu Jianjun could no longer hold himself back.

He stormed into the ward and slapped Mrs. Liu hard across the face.

“Bitch! You want me, Liu Jianjun, to raise your bastard? Not a chance!”

“Ah! How dare you hit me? Liu Jianjun, you useless coward, how dare you hit me!” Mrs. Liu screamed furiously.

The younger brother might be a fool, but he was still protective of his sister.

Seeing her being struck, he lunged forward at once. “You dare hit my sister? You’re asking for it!”

Liu Jianjun had been in the army for years; his body was all muscle.

The younger brother was weak and flimsy, no match at all.

It took only a few blows before he was howling in pain and scrambling all over the room.

Seeing her son being beaten, the mother-in-law rushed over too.

“Liu Jianjun, you’ve got some nerve, hitting my son! Do you still want to stay with my daughter or not?”

Liu Jianjun shoved her away and roared, “I wouldn’t take that worn-out whore even if she were given to me. I want a divorce!”

“What right do you have to divorce me?” Mrs. Liu shouted, neck stiff with defiance. “The child in my belly is yours. You have no reason to divorce me!”

“You’re shameless enough to lie with your eyes open. You think I didn’t hear everything you just said?”

Liu Jianjun trembled with rage, as though his chest might burst open.

He had truly been blind to marry such a vile woman.

“Before the child is born, who can prove it isn’t yours?”

Mrs. Liu gave a contemptuous sneer. “If you dare abandon your wife and child, I’ll report you to the army and ruin you.”

“You bitch!” Liu Jianjun’s eyes were red with madness as he clamped his hands around her throat.

“Go ahead, report me! Report me if you want! I have nothing left now. I’m not afraid of you!”

“Cough... cough... let go... let go...”

Mrs. Liu was choked so badly that she thrashed desperately in his grip.

At the sight, the mother-in-law shrieked, “Liu Jianjun, you bastard, let go of my daughter! She can’t breathe!”

She threw herself onto Liu Jianjun’s back and clawed frantically at his face, trying to save her daughter.

The younger brother snatched up a stool and smashed it again and again against Liu Jianjun’s arm.

It was useless.

Liu Jianjun stood there like a cast-iron barrel, not moving an inch.

His bloodshot eyes blazed with fury, veins bulging on his forehead, his hands tightening even harder.

Soon, a gurgling sound came from Mrs. Liu’s throat.

Her face had turned a ghastly bluish-purple, as if she might stop breathing at any second.

The commotion drew the attention of the medical staff, who hurried over to help and tried to pull Liu Jianjun away.

But the man had gone completely mad, stripped of all reason.

In the end, the doctor had to give him a sedative before they could bring him under control.

A few onlookers outside happened to be from Blackstone Village, and they hurried back to the village to spread the news.

...

At the production brigade leader’s house in Blackstone Village, the atmosphere was heavy and somber.

Lin Xiaodou had not left. She was worried about Father Liu and Mother Liu.

The old couple had barely eaten all day.

Lin Xiaodou went into the kitchen and made them a simple meal.

“Uncle, Auntie, come eat. Your health matters most.”

“Good, thank you, Lin girl,” Father Liu and Mother Liu said.

“It’s nothing,” Lin Xiaodou replied. “You’ve taken such good care of me. This is only right.”

Father Liu sighed, feeling an inexplicable ache in his heart.

Lin girl had only come down to the countryside for about half a year, yet she already knew how to repay kindness.

As for his heartless son, they had raised him for more than twenty years, and this was how he repaid them—by breaking their hearts.

What a waste. Truly a waste.

Mother Liu was clearly thinking the same thing, her mouth full of bitterness.

Seeing that neither of them was lifting their chopsticks, Lin Xiaodou tried to comfort them.

“Uncle, Auntie, don’t be sad. Don’t you still have Yan’er? She’s so lively and so dutiful. She’ll surely take care of you in the future.”

Thinking of their daughter, the old couple finally felt a little better.

Just as they were about to pick up their chopsticks, a figure suddenly rushed into the yard.

“Brigade leader, hurry to the clinic and take a look! Your son has gone crazy—he’s trying to kill his wife!”

“What?!” Father Liu and Mother Liu sprang to their feet at once.