Chapter 63 Conditions

  In addition to Shen Qin and her daughter in the ward, there was another person who made Cheng Li unexpectedly angry.

  Old Mrs. Fang!

  As the object of Zhang Yun and Shen Qin's scramble, Fang Jianlin never appeared from start to finish, don't know which new lover's bed he was lingering in, only called in the middle to know that nothing big happened and then went to seek pleasure on his own, whether it was Zhang Yun or Shen Qin, they were already old and yellow in his eyes, how could they compare with those lovely teenage girls, besides, letting him deal with Shen Qin's tears and Zhang Yun's temper was indeed too difficult for him.

  Is such a man worth their lives? Cheng Li felt that Zhang Yun and Shen Qin were not worthy.

  Although Fang Jianlin did not appear, Old Lady Fang appeared in the hospital room, with a kind face to ask Shen Qin and her daughter about their well-being, just like one family member warmly and intimately, as if Fang Xinlan was her own granddaughter. Even when she saw Cheng Li, she didn't show any panic, as if this were the most normal thing.

  Affected by Zhang Yun, Cheng Li had no good feelings towards Lao Furen, and now seeing her like this, added a few more points of disgust.

  Mrs. Fang had always disliked Zhang Yun and was already planning to promote Shen Qin. Now that this has happened, although she feels that the Fang family's reputation has been tarnished, she also thinks it's a good opportunity to strike at Zhang Yun. She even thinks that she can use this chance to force Zhang Yun and Fang Jianlin to divorce, which would be even better.

  These days she secretly observed her husband's expression, seemingly having a grudge against Zhang's family. If Zhang couldn't even handle his own daughter's affairs properly, what use was he?

  "Ayun doesn't understand things, and now she's dragging down her own mother, who still has to apologize and make amends with Miss Shen." After exchanging greetings with Old Lady Fang, Cheng Li said softly and somewhat embarrassedly. Insisting on cutting off the relationship between Old Lady Fang and Shen Qin.

  Mrs. Fang responded indifferently, but at this time she couldn't refute it. Unlike Cheng Li and Zhang Yun, she was also from a prestigious family, dignified and steady, with a warm and friendly smile on her face. Her words were neither soft nor hard, making people feel uncomfortable yet unable to lash out.

  Shen Qin lay on the bed pretending to be pitiful, while Fang Xinlan raised her head, with tears shining in her eyes. Her expression was very stubborn. "I'm afraid Mrs. Zhang doesn't know yet. Grandma has always been as close to Mom as a mother and daughter."

  "Oh? Mrs. Fang is a lady from a prestigious family, and her only daughter is also a noblewoman who married the famous banker Mr. Berg. The women Mrs. Fang associates with are all respectable ladies from wealthy families. I don't know which family your mother is from, but somehow you've managed to become 'as close as mother and daughter' with Mrs. Fang? Has she adopted another daughter or something? Why didn't she even notify us about it? Well, we should send her a gift anyway." Cheng Li looked at Fang Xinlan with an air of superiority and disdain, her voice soft and gentle but her eyes filled with undisguised malice and contempt.

  Fang Xinlan was still a child after all, and being blocked by Cheng Li like this. She couldn't say a word, and the status of mistress had always been a wound in Shen Qin's heart, being suddenly exposed like this, it was inevitable that she felt another pang in her heart. However, she understood that Cheng Li wasn't Zhang Yun, that idiot, those tricks might work on Zhang Yun but not necessarily on Cheng Li.

  Mrs. Fang was sarcastically teased by her juniors for a few sentences, and naturally she didn't dare to show her anger on her face. Although Cheng Li was also a junior, she was the wife of Zhang Tinglong, so Mrs. Fang couldn't afford to argue with her due to her identity. She just hummed coldly and turned away, leaving Shen Qin and her daughter behind with a flick of her sleeve.

  "Mrs. Zhang, what brings you here? I, Shen Qin, don't welcome you." Seeing her backing had left, Shen Qin pursed her lips and said lightly, with a hint of pride and stubbornness.

  Cheng Li secretly sneered, now putting on this high and mighty air again, really thinking she's a noble person. "I'm here to apologize to Miss Shen on behalf of my younger sister Zhang Yun."

  "I don't need Zhang Yun's apology, I just want her to take responsibility for her actions." Shen Qin's attitude was very tough.

  However, this was within Cheng Li's expectations. She just smiled faintly and didn't dwell on it, "Miss Shen is right, in that case, we'll see each other in court."

  After finishing speaking, she actually turned around and wanted to leave. Shen Qin was furious. With this attitude, did he still want to get her forgiveness? Dream on! Even if she went to the capital to file a complaint, she would risk her life to make Zhang Yun fall into the eighteenth level of hell.

  Who would have thought that Cheng Li, just as she was about to step out of the door, suddenly turned around slightly and looked deeply at Fang Xinlan sitting on the edge of the bed. She said softly, "Is this your daughter? What a pity for this good girl."

  It was a low whisper, but it made Shen Qin's hair stand on end in an instant, and she involuntarily blurted out, "Mrs. Zhang, please stay!"

  "What else does Miss Shen want?" Cheng Li looked down at Shen Qin from a high position, as if she was the one who was in the wrong.

  "What did you mean by that sentence just now?" she asked, gritting her teeth. Her most precious treasure in this life was her daughter, and a single faintly threatening sentence from Cheng Li had thrown her into disarray. Although Zhang Yun herself wasn't someone to be feared, the Zhang family behind her was not to be trifled with. Even though the Fang family now had Secretary Fan's protection, she didn't think Secretary Fan would really take sides for a young girl like this, especially one of such lowly status. If the Zhang family were to recklessly take revenge on Fang Xinlan, she couldn't bear to imagine the consequences.

  This wasn't the outcome she wanted! She had carefully designed this play knowing it was impossible to send Zhang Yun to jail, what she wanted was their compromise, forcing them to let Fang Xinlan into the Fang household, no longer living in this world as an illegitimate daughter but as a proper young lady of the Fang family.

  Although from a legal point of view, children born in and out of wedlock have the same rights, this is not necessarily the case in these large families. Illegitimate children are not recognized by the family and will not be accepted into higher social circles, let alone future marriages. Her generation's dream of marrying into a wealthy family has been shattered, she does not want her daughter to follow in her footsteps, to be accepted by a wealthy family, one must have a good birth.

  "Miss Shen is a clever person, whatever she says means what it means." said Cheng Li with a smile.

  "What is it that the Zhang family has against me? Even if you're angry with me, I can still take another blow from you, but don't even think about laying a hand on my daughter!" Shen Qin panted, glaring at her, so agitated that she knocked over the needle in her hand, startling Fang Xinlan into wailing cries.

  Cheng Li's expression turned stern, "Does Miss Shen take our Zhang family for some kind of mafia? The knife wound Zhang Yun inflicted on you was an accident, and I apologize on her behalf. You don't have to fabricate charges against us out of thin air. If you're not willing to forgive us, we won't force the issue either. At worst, Ah Yun will go to jail, and your mother-daughter duo can live a good life."

  Cheng Li's words sounded righteous and reasonable, but the phrase "live a good life" had a sinister and terrifying tone to it. Paired with her explicit gaze, this was a blatant threat, yet there was no fault to be found in her words.

  Shen Qin managed to defeat Zhang Yun, but she couldn't defeat Cheng Li, this fierce person. She had plenty of patience and stamina, and her confident demeanor made Shen Qin flustered.

  "What do you want?"

  "I've said it before, I'm here to ask Miss Shen for forgiveness, and please don't worry too much." Cheng Li still smiled sweetly.

  Shen Qin closed her eyes, "Requesting forgiveness? Shouldn't you show some sincerity?"

  "That's natural, we're sincere, it's just that we don't know what kind of sincerity Miss Shen wants." She had finally been forced out, and Cheng Li was fed up with the process of probing back and forth.

  "I want Zhang Yun to take the initiative to divorce Fang Jianlin!" Shen Qin stared tightly at Cheng Li and put forward the first condition.

  Cheng Li smiled wryly, "Miss Shen shouldn't be unaware that in our country, marriage is a matter of free will. Whether or not to divorce is up to Zhang Yun and Fang Jianlin themselves, it's not something you or I can decide. To be honest, we actually hope Ah Yun can get a divorce. Fang Jianlin is always fooling around outside, he's not a good husband, I'm sure Miss Shen you're also aware of this. But after all, the two of them have had so many years of feelings for each other, neither of them can bear to part with the other. As outsiders, we shouldn't interfere either. So the condition you've proposed, I'm afraid we can't fulfill it."

  Shen Qin didn't think much of it, as this was just a process of asking for the sky and settling on the ground.

  "What does Mrs. Na want to give us as a token of her sincerity?"

  "Of course, we will fully compensate Miss Shen for her medical expenses, including subsequent rehabilitation and nutrition costs." Cheng Li replied flawlessly.

  Shen Qin's anger was stifled, and the Zhang family didn't lack that bit of money anyway. "Is the Zhang family trying to bully people with their power and buy them off?"

  "Miss Shen misunderstood, we just couldn't think of a good way to make amends, where did this 'bullying' come from?"

  "You Zhang family must not only compensate for the expenses, but also let Zhang Yun publicly apologize to me through a newspaper!" Shen Qin raised her chin, vowing to ruin Zhang Yun's reputation.

  Cheng Li's eyes flickered slightly. This Shen Qin wasn't someone with a brain, where did this concubine come from to apologize to the legitimate wife? Isn't this just asking for trouble? Even the Fang family would be saddled with the reputation of having a favored concubine who ruined the wife. If they really made it public, Old Man Fang wouldn't faint from anger. In the end, it would harm the Fang family's reputation. This kind of thing was more beneficial than harmful to Zhang Yun.

  She hesitated for a moment, then nodded reluctantly.

  "There's another thing, my daughter Fang Xinlan is the biological daughter of Fang Jianlin. Old Lady Fang has always liked her. Now that I'm seriously injured in bed and can't take care of her, I can only let her return to the Fang family." Shen Qin finally spoke out her ultimate purpose.

  This was within Cheng Li's expectations, but she still put on a show, staring at Fang Xinlan with a shocked expression, unable to utter a word for half a day.

  Fang Xinlan looked pitiful with her head hung low, wiping away tears. "Mom, I'm not going back, I want to stay by your side and take good care of you!"

  "Foolish child, you're about to take the college entrance exam soon, Mom can't drag you down." Shen Qin gently wiped away her tears.

  What a touching scene of deep mother-daughter affection, Cheng Li has always wanted a daughter, she has always thought that daughters are more considerate than sons, after giving birth to Zhang Songwen, she has always felt regretful, later seeing the heartless Fang Zixuan, she was relieved, now it seems not all daughters are as cold and ruthless as Fang Zixuan.

  In comparison, Fang Zixuan, who always has a wooden face, is much inferior. As the daughter of Fang Jianlin, how can two girls have such different personalities?