"Let's go to the hospital. I'm calling Wennuan now—she'll come and stay with you."
When it came to his mother-in-law, Han Qian was utterly powerless. This woman wasn't merely intimidating—she was a full-fledged boss-level entity, the kind you'd encounter in a video game, effortlessly mowing down new players, or perhaps a max-level character wreaking havoc in a novice village.
Going to the hospital was out of the question. If Li Jinhe discovered his deception, Han Qian would be in real danger.
With a resigned sigh, Han Qian slumped into his seat and spoke in a hushed voice.
"Mom, my marriage to Wennuan was nothing more than a transaction. I was in dire straits back then—my mother needed 400,000 yuan for surgery, and I had no other choice. It was I who begged Wennuan for help. She agreed, but held something over me as leverage... We got married so I could help her deal with you and Dad. The contract's term has expired, and I don't want to waste any more of her youth."
There was no room for clever tricks with Li Jinhe; deceit would only make things worse. The only option was brutal honesty—though Han Qian took the fall for everything himself.
Yet, her focus drifted from the contractual marriage to something far more dangerous—she raised an eyebrow and questioned whether he had just called her old.
"N-no! Not at all! You're not the least bit old."
She replied coolly, "You left out a word."
"Mom! You're not just young—you and Wennuan look like sisters when you go out!"
Satisfied, she nodded before speaking again.
"A contractual marriage, huh... Fine, let's call it a three-year courtship. Wennuan has her flaws—messy as a raccoon but claims to have OCD, utterly helpless in daily life, and aside from her education and good looks, I'd be hard-pressed to list another merit. But don't tell me you never developed feelings for her? After three years, even a dog would inspire affection. Not saying you're a dog—I mean Wennuan."
The formidable mother-in-law.
Sweat continued to bead on Han Qian's brow as he wiped it with a napkin, murmuring,
"Mom, you know where I come from. If she hadn't had something on me, a girl like Wennuan would never have spared me a glance. Marriages like this... they usually come down to matching family status. Even if I had feelings for her, it wouldn't matter—her heart belongs to someone else."
"You mean that little brat from the Lin family? None of the Lin men are worth a d*mn. Lin Zongheng only fancies Wennuan because of her seventeen percent stake in Changxiang Group. Only a fool like her would believe that man actually loves her. And you—getting divorced without telling me? What now? That dimwit's about to throw herself at him like a moth to the flame. Do you want to hand over Lao Wen's life's work to the Lin family? Sometimes I regret not having a son."
Han Qian dared not reply. He couldn't nod, nor could he shake his head.
Thankfully, Li Jinhe didn't press further. Instead, she pulled ten thousand yuan from her handbag and tossed it to him.
"Fine. So you're divorced. I'm not some stick-in-the-mud traditionalist. You called me 'Mom' for three years. You're no longer my son-in-law, but you're still half a son to me. Wennuan's stingy—if you've got more than ten thousand yuan to your name, I've lived my life in vain. Take it. Don't even think of leaving this city. Someday when your aunt and I are gone, someone's gotta handle the affairs. If you dare refuse, I'll..."
"Call the army and have me shot. No refusal, no refusal."
It was hard to decline, especially with that amount of cash.
But in truth, Han Qian didn't dare say no—he had long accepted just how ruthless his mother-in-law could be. As they continued eating, she suddenly asked,
"Is Wennuan managing well at Changxiang?"
Mouth full of rice, Han Qian nodded solemnly.
"The strategic proposal has been implemented. The department store has been rebranded 'Rongzhuang Nation.' Leasing was eliminated. The company now sells all inventory directly at prices acceptable to seniors. Public response has been positive. It's become a social hub for the elderly. Daily revenue hovers around 100,000. It's not a huge profit, but the public image is strong—more lively than Glory Department Store. Wennuan has handled everything from mid-phase onward. She's earned her team's respect. I've given her several other project proposals too. Modest results. Nothing worth boasting about."
Li Jinhe found herself admiring this son-in-law more and more. Handsome, well-matched to Wennuan, and clever too. Smiling, she narrowed her eyes.
"Want to return to Changxiang? I could talk to Lao Wen and have you head the Planning Department."
Han Qian gave a weary smile and shook his head.
"Don't make fun of me, Mom. If I go back, Wennuan will think I'm clinging to her. We're divorced now—some distance is only fair. The regular staff might not know our connection, but the higher-ups definitely do. I can't return. And now... he's coming back. I may be her ex-husband, but watching my former wife walk hand in hand with another man... that's not easy. Please, just spare me this once."
Disappointment clouded Li Jinhe's features. She sighed softly.
"You... all that pride of yours, you waste it on us. Not a shred for that ungrateful brat Wennuan. She actually believes she taught you all your tricks. Still, if this is your decision, I won't force you. You're twenty-five this year, right?"
Han Qian blinked, then chuckled and nodded.
"Yes, twenty-five."
"Still young. No rush to remarry. If you find someone you like, just tell me. If charm fails, we'll drown her in money. If that doesn't work, I'll—"
"Call in the military, right? I won't be falling in love anytime soon. Gotta settle my life first. I'll buy an apartment in this city, get everything in order. Then I'll think about romance. Mom, shouldn't you be heading to mahjong? This is Aunt Zhao's fourth call."
Just then, Li Jinhe's phone rang—an iPhone 4S, latest model, costing upwards of seven or eight thousand yuan, far beyond Han Qian's reach. She answered with her usual bluntness:
"Push, push, push! You act like I'm dead! Can't I eat one meal with my son-in-law? Wait till I win all your money."
"Han Qian's with you? Bring him over—I want to pamper him a bit. He's a fantastic cook, and my husband's out tonight..."
"Bah! Shameless! Don't you dare seduce my son-in-law. There are plenty of stray dogs out there. Han Qian! Zhao wants to know—are you going or not?!"
Han Qian shook his head furiously.
"No, no! Aunt Zhao, I've got plans this afternoon—need to buy groceries for Wennuan."
As the words left his lips, he froze. So many habits, it seemed, were born from love unspoken.
On the other end, the sultry voice bit back, furious.
"Call me 'Big Sis'! Li Jinhe, come die!"
His formidable mother-in-law swept out the door, climbing into her unassuming Audi A6. Left standing alone once more on the bustling street, Han Qian wore a bitter smile. Then, clenching his fists, he whispered to himself,
"A new chapter begins... First stop—buy cigarettes."