Chapter Thirty-Seven: Chen Wanjun Cuts Ties with Her Parents

The moment those words were spoken, the entire hall fell utterly silent.

The Wang family, who had been kneeling and begging for mercy, suddenly regained their confidence. Cuijuan couldn’t help but burst out laughing, while Wang Luo looked at Chen Wanjun with excitement. “Wanjun, is this true?”

Chen’s mother collapsed into her chair, her hand gripping the table trembling. She looked at Chen Tianyu in panic. “Tianyu... go and check.”

Without waiting for his mother’s urging, Chen Tianyu hurried over and took Wanjun’s wrist to check her pulse.

Everyone in the hall held their breath, their eyes fixed on Chen Wanjun’s wrist.

“Well?” Chen’s mother asked anxiously.

Chen Tianyu’s head was bowed, and his expression suddenly froze.

Everyone saw the answer written on his face.

The hearts of Chen’s parents, which had been hanging by a thread, instantly plummeted to the abyss.

Cuijuan leapt up at once, laughing heartily. “Ha! As expected of my son—remarkable!”

Wang’s father also stood up from the floor, beaming. “In-laws, I won’t let the child of our Wang family wander outside. Let’s pick a good day and settle the matter between the children.”

At this point, even Chen’s father’s attitude softened. He nodded, just about to agree, when Chen’s mother suddenly rose to her feet. “Don’t even think about it! I’ll have my daughter get rid of this child!”

The Wang parents tensed up again at her words. Cuijuan immediately shouted, “No! Absolutely not! This is the blood of our Wang family, you cannot abort it!”

Chen’s mother was resolute, and immediately tried to pull Wanjun toward the hospital.

The hall erupted into chaos once more.

In that crucial moment, Chen Wanjun suddenly shouted, “Mom, just let me marry him! I love Wang Luo, and I love the child in my belly!”

“Do you really want to drive me to death?” she cried, suddenly drawing a small knife from her sleeve and pressing it to her neck.

The Chen family collapsed once more into despair.

“You’re pregnant?!” A voice rang out from the doorway—it was Chi Mu.

Everyone turned to look, seeing Chi Mu standing there in shock, his hands trembling.

“You’re actually pregnant!” He couldn’t believe it—a girl as pure and unblemished as Wanjun, pregnant before marriage.

Countless times, he had imagined a future with Wanjun: raising children together, with Wanjun as the most beautiful woman in the world, radiant in her pregnancy, cherished like a princess, never suffering the slightest hardship under his care.

But now, she had lain with another man in a graveyard and was carrying his child.

He studied Wanjun closely. In just over a month apart, she had become haggard—her once fair, rosy face now sallow and lifeless, her delicate hands grown rough.

She was nothing like before.

He stumbled back, panic-stricken, turned, and ran out of the hall.

Chen Tianyu heaved a heavy sigh and got up to chase after him.

Seeing this, Chen’s mother finally lost all hope. Her body slackened, and she slowly sank back into her chair.

It was over—completely over. Not even little Chi wanted her daughter anymore. Who else would marry her now?

In utter despair, she turned her gaze to her daughter, who still held the knife in place, as if certain her mother would relent.

Just as in childhood—if denied a toy, she would threaten with hunger strikes.

Her love for her daughter had become the only bargaining chip to threaten her with.

All those years of raising her had been wasted.

Chen’s mother withdrew her gaze, waving her hand weakly. “Since you insist on marrying him, go with him.”

“From now on, we are no longer mother and daughter.”

“Mom!” Chen Wanjun couldn’t hold back her tears.

Chen’s mother looked at her daughter, still hoping she would choose her family over Wang Luo.

But in the next instant, she saw Wanjun kneel and bow her head to the ground. “I’m sorry, Mom.”

It was as if a bucket of cold water had been dumped over Chen’s mother. Her lips trembled, and all her strength seemed to drain away in an instant.

“Go. Get out! Leave at once!” She grabbed the cup from the table and flung it at Wanjun. “I won’t give you a single penny as a dowry. Don’t ever let me see you again.”

Wang Luo’s parents, who had been overjoyed, instantly lost their smiles at the mention of no dowry.

Cuijuan hesitated to speak. Her family was wealthy—just a pittance would be enough to feed her own household for a year—yet this old witch wouldn’t give them a cent!

The richer they are, the stingier.

She forced a straight face, and even the joy of having a grandchild faded considerably.

Wanjun turned to her father. “Dad.”

His face was ashen. He laboriously turned away. “Since you’ve made your choice, then go.”

Yet he couldn’t bear to see his daughter suffer outside. After a long pause, he added, “Take all your things from your room with you.”

Wanjun’s room contained many pieces of jewelry and clothing, all of real gold and silver, enough to keep her from starving.

Once he’d finished, he had no strength left. Waving, he told the maid to untie Wang Luo and let them go.

Wanjun knelt and bowed once more, then turned and left.

Half an hour later, Wanjun and the three members of the Wang family emerged from the Chen family courtyard, carrying a mountain of belongings.

Cuijuan hefted a large sack, stealing glances at the box in Wanjun’s arms. She’d seen a pair of gold bangles inside—surely worth quite a bit, but who knew what else was in there?

They walked home.

Because Wanjun had knelt for so long, her legs were weak. Wang Luo carried things with one hand and supported her with the other.

Cuijuan grew displeased at the sight. This girl hadn’t the slightest sense of propriety—her son was beaten black and blue, yet she was the one acting delicate.

But considering the box in Wanjun’s hands, she held back her words.

She glanced at her husband, who, because of his lame leg, carried nothing. He seemed in good spirits, his lips curled up.

Cuijuan was instantly filled with rage. She snapped, “Can’t you help our son with that small bag? Your leg is bad, not your hands.”

She shot Wanjun a look—see, only she truly cared for her son.

Wanjun caught on quickly. “It’s all right, Uncle, let me carry it for Wang Luo.”

She reached to take the bundle from Wang Luo.

But Wang Luo hurriedly hid it behind him. “No, you’re pregnant now—you shouldn’t overexert yourself.”

Hearing this, Cuijuan grew even more upset, huffing under her breath. Sure enough, once a wife enters the family, sons forget their mothers—her son was being raised for someone else.

Each with their own thoughts, the group returned home.

Once on her own turf, Cuijuan straightened her back.

She immediately assumed the role of matron, instructing Wanjun on the house rules.

“If you want to be the daughter-in-law of the Wang family, the most important thing is to be filial to your in-laws and considerate to your husband.”

“Your father-in-law and I get up at six every morning. You must have breakfast ready before then.”

“At that hour, even the pigs are up—you’ll need to feed them, then come back and make breakfast for yourself and Wang Luo.”

“My son likes eggs. Every morning you must boil an egg for him...”