Chapter 49
Wei Changdong had long received his son's call and taken in all the orchids, arranging for someone to deliver them to the old man. Wei Jing had told his grandfather that Yang Jiabo wanted to gift him orchids and asked for his help in selling them. The old man was overjoyed and kept urging Wei Changdong, turning the esteemed hospital director into a mere errand boy for his father and son.
With the orchid matter settled, Yang Jiabo no longer had to worry about funds, so he began thinking about his next move.
Before leaving, Wei Jing not only arranged the orchid sale for Yang Jiabo but also found time to speak with Yang Jianjun about Jiajia's issues. The root of Jiajia's mental struggles lay primarily with Li Guizhen and Yang Jianjun.
Though Yang Jianjun wanted to be a good father, he hadn't paid enough attention to Yang Jiabo and had been too lenient with Li Guizhen, so he bore responsibility too. Yet it was also because of him that Yang Jiabo kept fighting to live. Wei Jing wasn't a professional psychologist, so he planned to consult an expert later. After their talk, Yang Jianjun grew even more determined to divorce.
After her confrontation with Yang Jiabo, Li Guizhen first stormed off to confront her second sister, then went to the fourth sister's home. It was all because of these two loudmouths that Yang Jiabo had learned so much, and might've even told Yang Jianjun.
Fury burned in Li Guizhen's heart, she thought to herself, that little bastard Yang Jiabo is nothing but a debt collector. I never should've given birth to him. Yet his words echoed in her ears: How many twenty-year chunks does a person have in their life? Why should I end up with nothing? Yang Jianjun was set on divorce, she had to look out for herself.
Li Guizhen agreed to the divorce, but disputes arose over asset division and custody. The court would mediate, if that failed, legal proceedings were inevitable.
"Jiajia, your mom agreed to divorce, but there are still issues to mediate..." Yang Jianjun trailed off, unwilling to drag his son to court to face Li Guizhen.
"Dad, I'll go with you," Yang Jiabo said, already guessing the situation.
"Jiajia—" Yang Jianjun looked at him worriedly.
"I need to face her. I need to cut all hope for good, don't I?" Yang Jiabo knew Li Guizhen was greedy and selfish. He wanted to see how far she'd go, and hoped she wouldn't regret it later.
"Don't let her provoke you, no matter what she says," Yang Jianjun sighed.
At the courthouse, Li Guizhen wasn't alone, her eldest and fourth sisters accompanied her. Yang Jiabo frowned. Hadn't they fallen out? He'd known the fourth aunt was ruthless but had underestimated her.
Both parties entered the mediation room and sat across from each other. The court staff outlined the case: both agreed to divorce but disputed asset division and custody.
"If Yang Jianjun wants a divorce, fine, but I get the house and custody," Li Guizhen demanded outright. Yang Jiabo watched coldly, waiting to see how far she'd go.
"That house was left by my parents, it's not yours. And I'll never give you Jiajia. Have you ever acted like a mother? All you've done is hit and scold him. Are you really so cruel you'd drive him to madness?" Yang Jianjun hadn't expected such audacity.
"Who's cruel here? I've been part of your family for decades, and you want me to leave with nothing? Not a chance!" Li Guizhen glared hatefully.
"My sister served your family for years, took care of the elderly, raised the child. Now the elders are gone, the child's grown, and you think you can just take everything? She's older now, with no skills, how will she live?" The fourth sister's indignant tone might've swayed outsiders.
"How dare you spout such nonsense? Shameless!" Yang Jianjun, never eloquent, gasped in rage.
Yang Jiabo finally spoke. "Mom, you said yourself you didn't want me. How will you chase your lover with a 'burden' like me? Was this the fourth aunt's idea? Fight for custody to extort Dad for the house? You must really want it, why else would you team up with her again?"
"Jiajia, these are adult matters. Stay out of it," the eldest sister cut in.
"Fine, then let's talk about me. She beat me so badly that I required hospitalization, the court can check the records. So drop the custody fight. And I'm grown now, I won't obey her. Oh, and don't forget, I can't control my temper. If I snap and do something drastic, don't blame me." Yang Jiabo turned to his father. "Dad, if they won't negotiate in good faith, sue her for adultery."
The court recorder gaped. The mediator coughed awkwardly. "You've been married so long, and your child is grown. Can't you discuss this calmly?"
But his mild tone was ignored. Li Guizhen slammed the table. "Go ahead and sue, you coward! What proof do you have? Don't slander me! Yang Jiabo, no matter what, I'm your mother. Hitting you is my right, what parent doesn't discipline their child?"
Yang Jiabo met her gaze icily. "Keep shouting. See if I won't take this to Li Mingyi next."
Yang Jianjun squeezed his son's hand. "Jiajia, let me handle this."
"Fine." Yang Jiabo fell silent. This wasn't a child's battle. Being a minor is so damn frustrating.
"You little bastard! After all I've fed and raised you, you're worse than a dog!" Li Guizhen's face twisted with venom.
"Enough! Sit down and speak properly. This is a courthouse, not a market!" The mediator's sharp rebuke silenced the room.
The fourth sister tugged Li Guizhen's sleeve, urging her to calm. Yang Jiabo smirked darkly at her. The eldest sister stayed quiet, her eyes apologetic. Yang Jiabo knew her type, she thought kids were always better off with their mothers. Maybe in other families, not theirs.
Yang Jianjun spoke firmly. "The divorce is happening. You won't get Jiajia. If you insist, we'll go to trial, your secrets won't stay hidden. Take whatever belongings you want, but the house stays with me. Out of respect for you sending off my parents, I'll have it appraised and give you half its value. That's my final offer. Push me further, and I'll air your dirty laundry in court. Yes, I've been weak, but I'm still a man and a father. Don't test me."
After a day of arguing, Li Guizhen, though resentful and guilty accepted Yang Jianjun's terms. But when alimony came up, she balked again. Yang Jianjun, too exhausted to fight, knew she'd never pay anyway.
In the end, they divorced through mediation, avoiding a trial. The Yang family home and land were appraised at 60,000 yuan. Embarrassed to ask his son for money, Yang Jianjun turned to his sisters, Yang Qiaohui and Yang Meizhen, for loans.
Yang Meizhen berated him and refused. She didn't have the funds, and the house which was originally promised to her too, had been taken from her. That it would now be split with Li Guizhen infuriated her.
Yang Qiaohui had spent her savings bailing out Yang Jianguo and was still recovering. She, too, had no money, and resented Li Guizhen deeply. She pitied Yang Jianjun for his weakness but also blamed him for marrying such a woman.
When Yang Jiabo learned of his father's struggles, he withdrew 30,000 yuan and handed it over. Yang Jianjun felt utterly useless, he'd failed his parents, failed his son, failed as a husband, and now relied on his child to fix his mess.
I'm a failure as a human.
"Dad, don't overthink it. Resolving this is what matters now. The farm needs you." Yang Jiabo, ever perceptive, noticed his father's despair.
"Jiajia, am I really so worthless? A bad son, a bad father?" Yang Jianjun's smile was uglier than a sob.
Yang Jiabo recognized the danger in such thoughts, he'd been there himself. "Dad, you've done your best. You were a good son, you rushed Grandpa to the hospital, sweating buckets. You took care of Grandma day and night when she was bedridden. And for me? You've given everything you could. You've done enough. More than enough."
"Jiajia, from now on, let's just live well. I'll try to be a better father."
"You already are. And I'll be a good son. Your happiness is all that matters."
Yang Jianjun paid Li Guizhen, who moved out, but not before stripping the house bare. She took everything usable, tossed or gave away the rest, even snatching Yang Jianjun's clothes. She might as well have scraped the walls clean.
She didn't go far. Nearby, several defunct work units had cheap old apartments. For 28,000 yuan, she bought a furnished two-bedroom and settled in.
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