MMB Chapter 1459 She
Chapter 1459 She
Chapter 1459 She
What are your own thoughts?
Zhou Yamei looked at Wu Shuping on the recliner and asked, "Do you want to go back to Hong Kong, or stay on the mainland?"
"I don't know, I'm still thinking about it."
Holding her coffee cup, Wu Shuping took a small sip and said with a somewhat listless look, "This is the most difficult choice I've faced in recent years."
"Perhaps you want too much."
Zhou Yamei was drinking the same coffee, the original flavor, because she liked the bitterness.
Perhaps the bitterness of life had numbed her, and only a stronger taste of bitterness could awaken her spirit.
"Really? Maybe—"
Wu Shuping gently turned over, put down her coffee cup, and couldn't express the bitterness in her heart.
Perhaps this is what the poem means by "We are both wanderers in this world, why should we need to have known each other before?"
How did you get out of there?
Wu Shuping sized up the woman in front of her; their first meeting was during a business conversation.
At that time, Zhou Yamei was in charge of personnel work at the recycling station, but many people had never seen her in person.
Wu Shuping officially took over the business relationship of Jinmen Shunfeng Trading Company and the recycling station in Jinmen after she gave birth to her child.
It can be said that Wu Shuping's personnel file was established by Zhou Yamei, and her salary was also submitted by Zhou Yamei according to the standards set by Li Xuewu.
The grade assessment was reviewed by Zhao Yafang, while the daily disbursement review was conducted by the financial settlement center located in the prison.
Zhou Yamei controlled the personnel relationships of companies such as the recycling station, Dongfeng Sany Construction, Dongfeng Club, Jinmen Shunfeng Trade, and Dongfeng Shipping.
You can say that Zhou Yamei didn't have much real power at the time, but you can't say that she wasn't valued.
Li Xuewu could accept betrayal from everyone, but he dared not say what would happen if Zhou Yamei betrayed him.
Of course, Zhou Yamei lived up to Li Xuewu's trust. Even during the handover of work, she still helped Li Xuewu's private economic system establish a complete management structure in an excellent and unreserved manner.
Zhou Yamei's background and origins have been downplayed, and few people talk about her past. Only those who experienced these things back then or heard about them know about them.
Coincidentally, Wu Shuping learned from other channels how Zhou Yamei came into contact with Li Xuewu.
Similarly, she also learned about Zhou Yamei's background and her lover's past.
Simply recounting this story would seem a bit melodramatic, and some might even look down on Zhou Yamei.
But in this era, in this period, Wu Shuping today can understand her feelings all too well.
Li Xuewu is not a good man to entrust your life to, but he is a man you can trust.
Wu Shuping came to Gangcheng for a simple reason: she was certain that Li Xuewu had never wronged her.
On the contrary, because of Lai Jiasheng, she felt increasingly indebted to Li Xuewu and unworthy of his trust.
Especially during their meeting in the afternoon, Li Xuewu's unwavering care and trust made her feel ashamed.
She really wanted to bring Lai Jiasheng to Gangcheng so that he could have a good talk with Li Xuewu.
If Li Xuewu is still willing to see him, if Li Xuewu is still willing to talk to him.
However, if Li Xuewu were willing to give Lai Jiasheng a chance, he wouldn't have arranged for Lai Jiasheng to come to the mainland.
He would not arrange for him to come see him, and even Lai Jiasheng himself knew that his death was imminent.
She didn't believe Li Xuewu's words, those about the family going to the port city to start a new life.
It wasn't that she didn't trust Li Xuewu, nor that she had lost faith in him; rather, it was that she didn't trust the influence Li Xuewu currently wielded.
If she were still that physics professor who had just been rescued from university by Li Xuewu, perhaps she would have truly believed him. But now she fully understands Li Xuewu's influence in mainland China and Hong Kong.
It can't be said that she knew too much; since Li Xuewu dared to say that, he must have had the guts to let her leave.
But what about Lai Jiasheng?
Lai Ka-sing's wrongdoings in Hong Kong, their impact, and the deaths of those involved...
Wu Shuping trusted Li Xuewu, but not his business partners.
Whether Li Xuewu knew it or not, he wouldn't do it himself; someone else would definitely do it.
If she really agreed to Li Xuewu's request and her whole family left Tianjin, she didn't even dare to think about what might happen on the way.
There are countless possibilities and reasons why the boat might capsize. She was willing to gamble her life with Lai Jiasheng, or repay Li Xuewu's kindness, but what about Li Xin? What about the children?
Wu Shuping could not accept that her son, at such a young age, had become a victim of the mistakes of adults.
Therefore, Li Xuewu gave her the option to leave, which she dared not choose and could not choose.
She is no longer the simple and kind physics professor she once was. Now, as a mother, she is strong and determined to provide for her son.
Just like Zhou Yamei in front of her, and how well Fu Zhidong was cared for and raised by her, Wu Shuping seemed to be able to see what Li Xin's future would look like.
So she didn't say it, but she had already made her choice.
"Me? How did I get here?"
Zhou Yamei stood up from her chair, walked to the cabinet by the wall, took out a bottle of red wine from the shelf, gestured to Wu Shuping behind her, and asked, "Would you like some?"
"I used to drink it often; it was homemade."
Wu Shuping lay lazily on the leather armchair, looking at her and saying, "I really miss those days."
“I heard him say that your father is a well-known tycoon in Malaysia and your family is also a prestigious one.”
Zhou Yamei took two wine glasses from the shelf, turned around and said as she walked back, "I owe you a favor today, otherwise he would have restricted my drinking."
Will he care if you drink?
Wu Shuping raised her eyebrows in surprise and looked at her, saying, "You seem to have gotten used to it."
Are you referring to 'him'?
Zhou Yamei smiled, placed the red wine and glasses on the small sandalwood table between the two of them, and then sat down on the thick wool carpet, leaning against the sofa.
"Your question has been answered."
She smiled as she poured fragrant wine into two glasses.
“Zhidong’s father stopped coming home a long, long time ago, and that’s how I’ve managed to get by.”
The two wine glasses were half full, one given to Wu Shuping and the other kept for himself.
Zhou Yamei gently raised her glass in a toasting gesture, then took a big gulp.
"call--"
Her face flushed instantly, as if she had rediscovered a long-lost feeling; the taste was truly exquisite.
"Back then, I had a lot of alcohol at home, lots and lots of it, all of it was imported."
Zhou Yamei explained, "It seems like Zhidong's dad enjoys seeing me make a fool of myself, or crying my eyes out when I'm completely drunk, to see the most authentic me."
"You and your husband are having problems."
Wu Shuping also took a big gulp of wine, reluctant to put down her glass, and looked at her, asking, "Haven't you thought about resolving this?"
"Solve it? How do we solve it?"
Zhou Yamei said with a wry smile, "He doesn't come home, he doesn't talk to me, and he doesn't even look after the children."
“He said he was scared, scared of me, and even more scared of implicating the children. I told him that these were just excuses.”
She shook her head slightly and said, "I didn't know he truly loved children until I saw him for the last time."
"Because of him? I mean..."
Wu Shuping hesitated, then pointed upstairs and asked suspiciously with wide eyes.
"Hehe, how could that be?"
Zhou Yamei waved her hand with a laugh and said, "No, we didn't know each other before."
"Then how did you two meet—" Wu Shuping asked curiously.
"It's about Zhidong's father."
Zhou Yamei recounted this past event quite frankly, but her gaze, fixed on the wine glass in her hand, revealed that her heart was not at peace.
"You should know his resume. He is a well-known criminal investigation expert in Beijing, and he is officially recognized by the Ministry."
She raised her eyes and looked at Wu Shuping, saying, "Back then, the metallurgical plant was called the steelmaking plant. It was a branch of the Hongxing Steel Rolling Mill and was quite large."
“Zhidong’s father’s uncle is the head of the security department of the steel rolling mill, and they want to arrange for him to take over the job.”
Zhou Yamei shook her head slightly as she spoke, unsure whether she should lament the unpredictability of life.
“It was a very complicated case. He tracked it down to Gangcheng and cornered Zhidong’s father.”
"He came to arrest you?" Wu Shuping's eyes widened, and she nervously took a sip of red wine to calm herself down.
"Yes, he found out about me first."
Zhou Yamei nodded, recalling the events as she spoke: "It was in this living room that he saw me smoking and drinking heavily, and I even pretended to be someone else."
"Oh? You still smoke?"
Wu Shuping was genuinely surprised this time. She wasn't surprised that the woman was smoking, but rather that Zhou Yamei had never smoked in her memory.
“In the past, it would relieve my worries.”
Zhou Yamei glanced at her and subtly reminded her, "I hope you don't try it, because it's useless and you'll only end up becoming the kind of person you hate."
"So now..." Wu Shuping asked, "Is it still him who's controlling you now that I haven't seen you smoking?"
"Yes, he quit smoking himself."
Zhou Yamei nodded, took a sip of red wine, and said, "I really admire him for that."
All I know is that he quit smoking.
Wu Shuping nodded and said knowingly, "I never expected it was for you."
"How could that be? He wasn't doing it for me; he was doing it for himself."
Zhou Yamei explained with a laugh, "He made me quit smoking first, and then he quit smoking himself."
"Ah—so that's how it is."
Wu Shuping nodded, looked at her and asked, "And then what happened between him and you..."
"I was completely confused too."
Zhou Yamei touched her neck and recalled, "It still feels so strange when I think about it now."
"Didn't you feel that way back then?"
Wu Shuping seemed very curious and asked, "When did you two get together?"
"No, much later."
Zhou Yamei answered frankly, without any pretense, "He took us to see Zhidong's father for the last time, and Zhidong's father entrusted him to take care of us."
“So that’s why you—” Wu Shuping seemed to understand, and nodded, saying, “He is indeed trustworthy.”
"That's not entirely the reason."
Zhou Yamei picked up the wine bottle and added some more red wine to their glasses before continuing, "At that time, I had some savings and worked at the hospital, which was enough to support Zhidong and me."
"But some problems arose in the middle, and Zhidong and I were in danger, so he arranged for us to go to the capital and stay at his house."
"Living in his house? You?"
Wu Shuping didn't know how to describe her surprise. What Zhou Yamei said was... completely beyond her imagination.
She's already admitted to being with Li Xuewu, yet she can still move into his house... This...
"I don't want much."
Zhou Yamei looked at her calmly and said, "So even today I am still grateful."
This answer does indeed address her previous assessment of Wu Shuping—that she wanted too much.
Wu Shuping fell silent; she really should think about what she wanted.
"After that problem was resolved, Zhidong and I returned to the steel city and chose to live here."
Zhou Yamei continued, “We maintained this relationship until he came to work in Gangcheng. We were neither too close nor too distant. He supported me.”
"You want him to support you."
Wu Shuping looked at Zhou Yamei and said earnestly, "You like this sense of security and hope to have a reason to receive his care and help."
"Well, you're right."
Zhou Yamei readily admitted this, smiling as she looked at Wu Shuping and said, "I need him, just like you have these past few years."
"I..." Wu Shuping was defeated once again, rendered speechless by Zhou Yamei's words.
Compared to Zhou Yamei's candor and sincerity, she asked far too many questions that night.
Too many problems, too little honesty.
Yes, just like her these past few years, she also needs Li Xuewu, she just hasn't said it out loud.
If she asked herself honestly, did she project her longing for Jiasheng onto Li Xuewu?
Whenever she saw him on a business trip to Tianjin, holding, coaxing, and teasing Li Xin, was all the tenderness in her eyes for her son?
When they shared a bed, did she ever hope that he would take the initiative, or whether she would reject him?
She dared not ask herself these questions, for fear that she would not be able to answer them.
Perhaps she is like Zhou Yamei, except that Zhou Yamei lives more openly.
"You ask me how I've gotten through all these years, and this is all I can think of."
Zhou Yamei took a big gulp of wine, looked at the night sky outside the window and said, "He gave me hope and a goal to live, and he also gave me a life free from worries about food and clothing. I also want to have someone to rely on and live a more relaxed life. I was too lonely and too tired in those years."
I understand you—
Wu Shuping, having drunk too much, slumped in her deck chair and murmured, "Just like understanding myself."
"He's always like this, isn't he?"
Zhou Yamei smiled and said, "I never talk about being sanctimonious, but I am a little reserved."
"If you don't take the initiative, he'll pretend to be an honest person."
She smiled and reached out to touch Wu Shuping's hair, saying, "He's not a good person, but he's not a bad person either. Don't resent him."
"You've misunderstood—" Wu Shuping hadn't realized it at first, but now she swayed up from the recliner, blushing as she explained, "There's nothing between us, it's always been like this—"
"Ah? Is that so?"
Zhou Yamei's reaction was a bit exaggerated, more like teasing and joking, as if she was being teased.
Wu Shuping looked at her firmly and emphasized, "He has never done anything to betray me!"
"Ah! I see."
Zhou Yamei spoke in the same tone as before, as if she were coaxing her.
Wu Shuping couldn't take it anymore. She picked up a glass of red wine and drank it all in one gulp. Shaking her head, she said, "It's true, even if we sleep in the same bed, we are still innocent."
"Then why didn't you dare answer him?"
Zhou Yamei actually has a low alcohol tolerance; otherwise, she wouldn't have been an alcoholic in the past.
By now, she had long lost the professional qualities that a psychologist should have towards her patients.
With a blush, she teased Wu Shuping as if she were a child, trying to probe her inner thoughts.
Both men have received the best higher education of their time; one is a psychologist, and the other is a physics professor. They engage in a psychological battle, and it seems not difficult to predict who will win.
"I didn't, I just—"
Wu Shuping hesitated; no matter how much red wine she drank, she couldn't bring herself to give that answer.
"You're scared, I know."
Zhou Yamei stood up, took another bottle of red wine, opened it, and poured more wine.
“I can understand your fear and anxiety.” She said while pouring the wine, “Back then, I was also afraid of him, afraid that he would kill me and Zhidong.”
"Hiss—hoarse—"
Wu Shuping, who had been hesitant just moments before, almost burst out laughing. She forced a smile and looked at her, asking, "What? How is that possible—"
"How is it impossible?"
After pouring the wine, Zhou Yamei put away the bottle, sat back down on the carpet, and looked at her, saying, "Do you really understand him?"
"Just this afternoon, right after we finished talking, do you know what order he gave?"
Under Wu Shuping's questioning gaze, she shook her head slightly, picked up her wine glass, and said, "He is complicated and dangerous, but he is more gentle towards you and me."
"Because we are not in danger?"
Wu Shuping accepted her gesture, picked up her wine glass, took a sip, and said, "Is that what you think?"
“Otherwise what?” Zhou Yamei said with a laugh, “He holds our most cherished child in his hands.”
She leaned against the sofa and looked at Wu Shuping, saying, "I don't know about your Li Xin, but my Zhidong can't live without him anymore. He secretly calls him Dad."
“Li Xin is the same,” Wu Shuping sighed and said, “He keeps insisting on seeing him.”
“He cries twice every time he comes to Tianjin. He cries when he arrives and he cries when he leaves.”
"He is sincere towards the child."
Zhou Yamei nodded and said, "That's why I dare to trust him; he's willing to share the softest part of his heart with the children."
"Just as you said, I'm afraid."
Wu Shuping buried her face in her arms, leaning on the chair and silently shedding tears, saying, "If something happens to me, how will Li Xin live?"
"Go talk to him. You have the right to do so, while you still have the chance."
Zhou Yamei sighed, gently patted her shoulder, and said, "That's all I can do to help you. He's not a bad person."
"Waaah—" Wu Shuping's sobs could be faintly heard. It was the result of her drunkenness, which she could no longer suppress and lose control of, and the bitterness and fear that she had finally vented over the past few days.
Didn't she know Li Xuewu was in danger?
She knew, but she was powerless to do anything about it; she couldn't very well ask Li Xuewu for any guarantees.
***
Li Xuewu knew that the two women were drinking downstairs, so he made room for them after dinner.
When Wu Shuping came to Gangcheng, that was all he could say, but he didn't want to see Lai Jiasheng.
Fortunately, Wu Shuping did not mention this matter, so as not to put him in a difficult position. Perhaps she already knew his attitude.
To be honest, Li Xuewu doesn't lack financial talent; there are plenty of them in Hong Kong right now, as long as you pay them.
What is most prevalent during a financial crisis?
The answer is released cattle and horses.
Amid the wave of bank failures, will Oriental Times Bank lack qualified financial professionals?
Of course not. Lou Xiao'e chose Lai Jiasheng because she was more considering Li Xuewu.
The people Li Xuewu assigned, regardless of their position, all carried a supervisory role.
Someone like Wen San'er can thrive in Hong Kong, so it doesn't matter who Li Xuewu sends.
Rather than saying that the Oriental faction heavily relied on Lai Jiasheng, it would be more accurate to say that Li Xuewu heavily relied on Wu Shuping.
Without Wu Shuping's support for Li Xuewu in Tianjin, Lai Jiasheng would never have been able to enter the core system of Oriental Times Bank.
While lower and middle-level positions can be obtained through personal effort and overall competence, higher-level positions mostly require suitable qualifications.
You don't naively believe that the department heads or mid-to-senior level managers in your company climbed up the ranks through their own efforts, do you?
Even if that's what he said, would you believe him?
Whether he got this opportunity by sleeping with his boss or by sleeping with his boss's wife, it was all due to his personal efforts and luck.
When you're in the middle management level and a senior colleague reminds you that success depends half on hard work and half on opportunity, you need to understand the direction you need to work towards.
You either sell your soul or your body; without a good father or father-in-law, these are the only things you can do to surpass others.
Relying on talent, huh?
You need to be appreciated by someone first.
Lai Jiasheng may not have understood the key issue here, which is why he made the mistake today.
He believed that Wu Shuping and her child received Li Xuewu's care in mainland China entirely because of his efforts in Hong Kong, for the sake of the Oriental Group and for Li Xuewu, which led to Wu Shuping's current situation.
However, she didn't understand how many people Li Xuewu could completely trust. Wu Shuping only gained Li Xuewu's trust and support because she was entangled in too many troubles and had too many conditions that could be controlled.
Li Xuewu's constant testing and guidance have been indispensable in helping him take charge of Shunfeng Trading and become the vice president of the construction company.
Wu Shuping's hesitation was quite normal; even Li Xuewu couldn't say for sure whether Lao Biaozi would let Lai Jiasheng off the hook.
If Lai Jiasheng had offended him, then given Li Wenbiao's personality, there might have been a chance to let him off the hook.
But Lai Jiasheng was plotting against his uncle, the only relative he could still rely on in the world.
If something were to happen to him one day, the only people he could entrust his wife and children to were Li Xuewu and his uncle.
Parents? Siblings? Don't be ridiculous.
The more stubborn Li Wenbiao's personality is, the more likely he is to be able to come to the mainland alive, but he will definitely not be able to reach Hong Kong alive.
He didn't need to lift a finger; plenty of people wanted to avenge Zhang Wanhe. This was also a way for Li Wenbiao to appease the people who came down from the mountain.
Does Lai Jiasheng not know that his life is coming to an end?
He knew that otherwise he wouldn't have obediently come to the mainland; he still wanted to survive.
Coming to the mainland offers a chance of survival, while staying in Hong Kong means certain death.
Therefore, Wu Shuping is the only one who can save him.
Wu Shuping saw the desire to survive in his stubborn eyes, which is why she decided to come to the steel city.
No matter what, she couldn't watch Lai Jiasheng die; no accident could be an excuse to soothe her conscience.
There was only one person who could keep Lai Jiasheng alive, and that was Li Xuewu.
The purpose of talking to Zhou Yamei was to gain some insights and solutions from her.
After all, she's been with Li Xuewu for a long time, so she can always have something to say to him.
Zhou Yamei's answer was unusually firm: she could give advice, but she wouldn't take action.
Wu Shuping could understand the deeper meaning in Zhou Yamei's words. What more could a woman who was supported by someone ask for?
Yes, we can't ask for too much.
The conversation downstairs went on until late at night, during which they drank three bottles of red wine, Zhou Yamei's last treasured possession.
After drinking three bottles of red wine, Zhou Yamei said what she could, and seeing Wu Shuping crying, she chose to give her a chance and time to think it over before returning to her room alone.
Li Xuewu had to go to work early in the morning, so he didn't wait for her. He read a book in the bedroom for a while and then went to sleep.
His vigilance is still strong, just weaker than before, which is due to the stable environment—an unchangeable fact.
Without being nurtured and maintained in a dangerous environment, who can sleep with their eyes open forever?
Although he still keeps his pistol on the bedside table before going to sleep, he can sleep without opening his eyes in familiar surroundings.
He knew Zhou Yamei was back. Drunk and reeking of alcohol, he crawled over and said, "I love you."
Li Xuewu patted her bottom, meaning that she should rest well and not push herself if she had drunk too much.
Unexpectedly, Zhou Yamei misunderstood and obediently lay down on the bed, waiting for him to come up to her.
Sleepy, Li Xuewu had no intention of explaining, especially since his body was already ready for battle after all that commotion.
The battle began late at night and lasted for more than half an hour.
It wasn't that Li Xuewu was slacking off; it was that Zhou Yamei had drunk too much and surrendered first, falling asleep on her own.
Li Xuewu was both annoyed and amused, thinking that he must tease her properly tomorrow morning.
But after he fell asleep, he noticed that Zhou Yamei had made a move. Wasn't he asleep just now?
Li Xuewu was too lazy to argue anymore; he simply stopped taking the initiative and cooperated with the other party.
but……
Feelings don't lie; anyone who says they can't control themselves when drunk is a scoundrel.
By the time Li Xuewu realized something was wrong, it was already too late.
He gestured to the side, and Zhou Yamei was clearly lying there. Who was that in the night?
Another Zhou Yamei?
"don't want--"
Seemingly knowing what Li Xuewu was about to do, she suddenly bumped into his arms, pressing her hand on his arm to stop him from turning on the light.
That one soft whisper was all there was; the entire night passed without any other explanations, statements, demands, or hopes.
Li Xuewu was awake, and he was certain that the other party was also awake, including Zhou Yamei, who was asleep.
He didn't know how Zhou Yamei had negotiated with the other party, or how the negotiation had ended up like this.
Is this how psychologists treat and save people these days? This is just too much…
She wouldn't turn on the lights; the darkness could conceal everything, but what about tomorrow morning?
One is pretending to be asleep, and the other two are not asleep. Who will wake up first tomorrow morning, or should one of them leave tonight?
Li Xuewu wanted to leave first, leaving the two of them behind, but he didn't know if it would be feasible.
***
The question of who wakes up first isn't difficult; the difficulty lies in whether one dares to be honest with the other.
When Li Xuewu opened his eyes, Wu Shuping was sitting in front of the dressing table combing her hair, while Zhou Yamei was dressed and about to go downstairs.
"It's getting colder today, you should wear an extra layer."
When Zhou Yamei saw that he was awake, she pointed to the dressing room and reminded him, "Wear a thicker shirt."
"Boil some eggs for me, I need to replenish my energy."
Li Xuewu squinted at the two of them and deliberately said, "That's not how things are done."
"I'll cook you two, thank you for your hard work."
Zhou Yamei glanced at Wu Shuping, who was pretending to be calm while actually frantically combing her hair at the dressing table, and then went downstairs with a smile.
Li Xuewu saw her blushing face in the mirror; she must have looked the same when she sneaked in last night.
"Should we talk?"
With his hands behind his head and leaning against the pillow, he said to Wu Shuping, "Are you threatening me?"
"I dare not, I'm afraid—"
Wu Shuping paused, combing her hair, and looked at him in the mirror, saying, "I'm sorry..."
"This isn't about apologizing; you need to give me a clear attitude, or rather, an answer."
Li Xuewu looked at her and said, "I fully respect your choice, whether you stay or leave, but you also have to respect my choice."
"No, that's not the case."
Wu Shuping turned around, looked at him, and said, "I didn't mean to threaten you, and I didn't... I didn't mean anything else, it's just..."
Under Li Xuewu's earnest gaze, waiting for her answer, she hesitated before saying, "I don't want to leave. I can't leave the child, and I can't leave you."
"That last sentence sounds a bit insincere," Li Xuewu nodded, pursing his lips, and said, "You didn't need to do that at all. You want him to stay on the mainland, thinking it's safer that way?"
"Can't you?" Wu Shuping timidly raised her head to look at him and said in an almost pleading tone, "I promise he won't make any more mistakes."
"So you want to use this kind of thing as a guarantee?"
Li Xuewu frowned slightly and said, "What kind of person do you take me for?"
No, you've misunderstood—
Wu Shuping stood up and said with a slight tremor, "I need you, and Li Xin needs you too."
"You are Li Xin's father."
She looked at Li Xuewu tenderly and said, "If I can continue to live in the mainland, I am willing to work hard and give Li Xin a complete childhood."
"How do you plan to arrange things for Lai Jiasheng?"
Li Xuewu narrowed his eyes slightly and said, "If you haven't misjudged the current situation, and if he can't cooperate with you, you'll be inviting trouble."
"No, I didn't arrange it."
Wu Shuping walked to the bedside and sat down, looking at him and saying, "You will help me, right?"
"On what grounds? Just because of these?"
Li Xuewu raised his eyebrows slightly and looked at her, saying, "I arranged for someone to bring him to the mainland, and I'm also responsible for sending him back to Hong Kong."
"If you don't trust me, I'll send him back to Hong Kong first. Once you're sure he's alright, I'll send you and your child there. How about that?"
No, it's not that I don't trust you.
After thinking it over all night, Wu Shuping looked at him firmly and said, "No matter what you do with him, I won't leave here. I'm not leaving."
This answer surprised Li Xuewu, who looked at her and asked, "What are you thinking?"
"I can continue with my current life."
Wu Shuping nodded earnestly and said, "I will do my job well. You can trust me, really."
“Jiasheng knows he was wrong. I’m not pleading for him or making any excuses.”
She reached out and took Li Xuewu's hand, and said frankly, "I am willing to make every effort to make up for the mistakes he made, even if there is no end to it."
"Let him choose for himself, okay?"
Li Xuewu closed his eyes slightly, sighed softly, and said, "That's it."
Wu Shuping's hand trembled slightly, but she knew this was Li Xuewu's final compromise.
Even though she wanted to try her best and couldn't bear it, she still stood up and tried her best to control her emotions.
Just as she was leaving, Li Xuewu's voice came from behind her again: "Go to the frontier, or go back to the port city."
"Okay...Ok..."
Wu Shuping suppressed her excitement and, ignoring the tears streaming down her face, went down the stairs.
Going to the frontier is not a matter of merely eking out a living; it will definitely be a situation where nine out of ten will die. She knows all too well what kind of people work at the frontier office of the recycling station.
With just a hint from Li Xuewu, it might remain buried in the desert for a hundred years without anyone knowing.
With Lai Jiasheng's knowledge and abilities, he would be completely useless there, and even survival would be a problem.
But no matter how dangerous it is, it's still better than going back to Hong Kong, where there's almost certain death.
Wu Shuping dared not guess why Li Xuewu would let her off the hook, but she knew it must not be because of what happened last night, or if it was, it was very minor.
Li Xuewu is definitely not someone who can be affected by such things; his inner strength is excessive.
Perhaps it was her honesty, the first time in so many years, that moved him, or perhaps it was Li Xin.
From what she knew, or rather, from her impression of Li Xuewu, he had never been harsh or neglectful towards the children; he was the one with the purest love.
When she said, "You are Li Xin's father," I clearly saw his hand move slightly.
If she had to find two reasons to explain this change, Wu Shuping felt that these were the two.
Her honesty, and Li Xin's.
Downstairs, Zhou Yamei was indeed boiling eggs. When she saw her coming down from upstairs, she raised her eyebrows.
Wu Shuping couldn't help but laugh through her tears, knowing that she was doing it on purpose.
"Thank you, thank you—"
With tears still streaming down her face, she hugged Zhou Yamei and whispered, "Thank you."
"It's better for you to say it yourself than for me to say it."
Zhou Yamei sighed and said, "I'm glad you don't blame me for being heartless and cruel."
“No—” Wu Shuping shook her head slightly, let go of her, and stood behind her, saying, “I will eventually have to make a decision.”
“Actually, even if you hadn’t done that, he wouldn’t have gone that far.” Zhou Yamei turned to look at her and said, “I didn’t persuade you to go upstairs last night.”
"I know, it was my own idea."
Wu Shuping was now quite frank, nodding and saying, "I'm afraid I won't have a chance to talk to him."
This was Wu Shuping's idea. Zhou Yamei's suggestion last night was to persuade her to take the initiative to confess her thoughts to Li Xuewu. It would be better to do something than to keep it to herself like this.
However, Wu Shuping acted more decisively than she had imagined; one could even say that alcohol emboldened the timid.
Zhou Yamei certainly wouldn't say whether Wu Shuping had these thoughts all along, but this time she overcame her psychological barrier and took the initiative to express them.
"As long as the result is good, that's enough."
Zhou Yamei nodded and gestured to the pot, saying, "There's some for you too, look how swollen your eyes are."
"Sister Zhou, I have to thank you."
Wu Shuping nodded and looked at her, saying, "What you've really made me realize is that women still have to rely on themselves, even if they have a man."
"What kind of self-reliance do I have?"
Zhou Yamei said with a smile, "He actually liked this house, so he stayed on his own initiative."
"He also bought me the house in Beijing, and he arranged for Lian Zhidong to go to school."
Unconcerned about whether Wu Shuping would look down on her, Zhou Yamei frankly stated, "I have my own salary, but he still gives me a sum of money every month; it's an unspoken agreement between us."
"If we're talking about relying on yourself, I wouldn't dare say I can give you anything, but your idea is correct."
As she made breakfast, she said, "At least you need to be more independent in your mindset."
"I may have made my choice much earlier."
Wu Shuping let out a long sigh and leaned against the kitchen counter, saying, "Back then, Lai Jiasheng suggested that my child and I go to Hong Kong as soon as possible. I chose to use some reasons to persuade him, and maybe that's what I really thought."
"I really like my current job. It provides me with a stable source of income that can support my family."
She spoke with anticipation: "To provide Li Xin with a healthy environment to grow up in, and to give him enough social recognition and emotional value."
“If I were you, I wouldn’t give up my current life either.” Zhou Yamei glanced at her and said, “As the vice president of the construction company, you will naturally get more.”
“I was also reflecting on myself last night.”
Wu Shuping nodded and said, "Was it during my last period at Huaqing that I developed a rebellious mentality and wanted to prove my value and ability?"
"Perhaps I've always had this obsession with getting back up wherever I fall."
She crossed her arms and looked out the window, saying, "I admit I'm a bit greedy; I want everything."
"I want to miss my lover, but I also want the stable life I have now."
Wu Shuping raised her hand to wipe away her tears, and said in a choked voice, "My heart was pounding from the moment he arranged for me to work at the construction company."
"I knew this day would come sooner or later. When I can appear openly in the public eye, all the shackles of the past will be removed. What should I choose?"
She shook her head slightly and said, "Are you eager to get rid of your current life, or do you continue to pretend to be asleep?"
“It was my procrastination and wishful thinking that ruined Jia Sheng’s reputation, so I have to do something for him.”
"And him? What did he say?"
Zhou Yamei turned around and leaned against the stove, looking at her and asking, "Did you make a request of him?"
"I dare not, it was his leniency that made me hesitate."
Wu Shuping smiled, though tears were still streaming down her face, and said, "I will have a good talk with Jiasheng when I get back."
Zhou Yamei could see in her eyes the determination to destroy love and the attitude towards ending the marriage.
She didn't know if what she said last night was right or wrong. There's an old saying that goes, "It's better to tear down ten temples than to break up one marriage."
Perhaps their conflicts were irreconcilable, or perhaps they had been separated for too long and their hearts had already changed.
But these are other people's problems, and she has no right to make any choices for Wu Shuping.
For no apparent reason, she felt somewhat guilty about Wu Shuping's choice, and even a little self-reproachful.
She had complained about Li Xuewu last night, wondering why he was so easy to manipulate.
He usually boasts about how alert he is, even sleeping with his eyes open, but what happened?
Even they themselves don't understand!
(End of this chapter)