TYAM Chapter 101

Ji Linqiu stood frozen in place and asked again, “What did you say?”

Jiang Wang smiled and replied, “Not even married yet and already like this. I’m telling you, your mom—” 

Ji Linqiu kissed him abruptly.

The kiss came so suddenly they almost bumped teeth, unable to hide the excitement between them.

Jiang Wang thought, ‘Linqiu must be truly happy today.’ Back then in the office, he didn’t even dare to hold hands. “What did my mom say? She didn’t give you a hard time, did she?”

“She asked for our birth dates and stuff. I wouldn’t give them, said what if they’re not compatible. But your mom said at least pick an auspicious date for the wedding, right?”

Ji Linqiu’s eyes gleamed. Not even receiving his college acceptance letter made him this happy. He stood up, sat down again, then stood up once more, suddenly leaned over and planted a kiss on Jiang Wang’s forehead.

At that moment, the secretary walked in carrying a stack of files: “Sorry, I’m disappearing now!” The door slammed shut behind her.

Ji Linqiu laughed and sat across from Jiang Wang, letting out a long sigh. “I really didn’t expect them to agree. It’s so hard to guess what elders are thinking. Getting to this point hasn’t been easy.”

“It’s because you did all the groundwork so well,” Jiang Wang said with a smile. “Back then, when your mom was going to take you all away, she didn’t hand over her work, didn’t rent out the house, hadn’t even finished packing. Honestly, she was waiting for you to resist or say no.”

“That night while packing, my dad mentioned twice that we should stay. I stayed quiet on purpose, just kept my head down,” Ji Linqiu said. “She has this mentality: if I resist, she’ll get angrier and double down. But if I quietly go along and return to our hometown, she’ll feel guilty and try to make up for it.”

Neither Jiang Wang nor the elders had expected Ji Linqiu to be so straightforward about things.

Jiang Wang suddenly found himself preparing for the wedding. Though he was just sitting in his office chair, he felt like he was floating on air. Everything felt light and unreal. No matter how much he looked at Ji Linqiu, it didn’t feel like enough. Carefully, he said, “The more I think about it, I prefer a traditional Chinese wedding. I want to lift your red veil myself.”

Ji Linqiu’s ears turned red. Just as he was about to say something, Jiang Wang’s phone rang.

“We can discuss the veil later,” he chuckled, answering the call in a good mood. This time, he got the title right. “Sister? How have you been lately?”

Du Wenjuan’s voice was trembling. “Wangwang… can you come to Cizhou and take me and Yinyin away? Chang Hua—he’s gone mad.”

The smile on Jiang Wang’s face disappeared instantly. He stood up, threw on a coat, and walked out quickly. “Are you safe right now? Where are you? I’ll find a friend in Cizhou to pick you up first.”

Du Wenjuan’s voice was tiny, but her panicked breathing could be heard even through the phone. “Not really. I’ve temporarily left Yinyin with a friend. Chang Hua doesn’t know where she is. But I… I’m hiding in the bathroom.”

Jiang Wang’s voice turned harsh, “He hit you? That bastard. I’ll rip him apart!” Ji Linqiu was right behind him, signaling the secretary to book the earliest flight to Cizhou.

Originally, Chang Hua’s career was on the rise, and with Jiang Wang’s subtle support and connections, his income was much better than in the years before Yinyin was born. Add in Du Wenjuan’s strong personality — she had insisted on paying for everything herself even though Jiang Wang hired a nanny — he barely had any expenses.

But in the window when Du Wenjuan was busy caring for the baby and he was working overtime, he got hooked on horse betting.

There weren’t any race tracks in Cizhou, of course, but there were plenty of scam rings. Once someone with idle money and a desire for quick success was spotted, professional fraudsters would lure them in step by step. Online gambling, once it sinks its hooks in and uses leverage, could bankrupt someone in no time.

Maybe because his daughter had just been born, Chang Hua didn’t believe it at first. But then he was given a free ticket for a two-day trip to Macau. After tasting some small wins, winning 3k, 8k, he started betting big. But gambling never ends well.

By the time Du Wenjuan got to this part of the story, the flight attendants were already asking passengers to switch off their phones.

Jiang Wang, guessing the rest, whispered, “A good friend of mine is in Cizhou on a business trip. I’ll ask her to kick down the door and get you out. She’s trained in Sanda for six years. Don’t be afraid of anything. If you need help with anything, go to her.”

“But Chang Hua is still out of his mind! He’s waving a pipe around and yelling. My friend already called the police. Please tell your friend to be careful!” Du Wenjuan’s voice broke with sobs. “Linqiu and I are flying over now. We’ll be there tonight. Wait for us.”

On the other end, Qiu Mo was speeding through traffic.

She was in Cizhou on a business trip as the general manager of Swift Express Group’s Yuhan branch. While grilling skewers with a friend at lunch, she got the call from Jiang Wang.

“Wait, your own sister got chased into the bathroom by her husband?”

Before Jiang Wang could finish, Qiu Mo was already furious. “Send me the location! I’m bringing a baseball bat!”

Jiang Wang paused a second: “…Make sure it’s a hollow bat. It swings better.”

Qiu Mo snorted coldly, “Don’t need the reminder. I was the gang leader of Chazi Street in my youth.”

She had a strong bond with Jiang Wang, and when it came to fighting injustice, she never hesitated. First, she called the local police station to hurry them over, then immediately sped to Du Wenjuan’s apartment complex.

The security guard didn’t recognize the license plate and tried to stop her, but she shoved his arm away. “No time to explain. I’m here to rescue someone.”

It didn’t take her long to find the right unit. She went up in the elevator, turned right, checked the number, and knocked on the door.

From inside came a man’s furious roar: “Knocking for what, you piece of shit!”

Qiu Mo sweetly replied, “Sir, I’m here for a census check. Could you open the door, please?”

A moment later, the door slowly creaked open.

Chang Hua had a gash two knuckles long on his forehead. Through the crack in the door, the apartment inside was a wreck — furniture shattered, everything in disarray. Qiu Mo let out a laugh, grabbed his collar with one hand, and flung him outside. Then she slammed the door shut behind him and locked it, leaving him locked out.

Realizing what had just happened, Chang Hua shouted, “You— what the hell are you—”

Ignoring him, Qiu Mo clicked across the floor in high heels, her long ponytail swaying as she looked for the bathroom. “Sister Du, are you in there?”

“I’m Jiang Wang’s friend. That scumbag’s locked outside, and the police will be here soon. Just hang on.”

Du Wenjuan cautiously opened the bathroom door, its latch already kicked loose. Her face was still streaked with tears, and she held a long speaker in her arms as a weapon.

Qiu Mo swept aside the broken glass and remote fragments on the floor with her foot, gently took her hand, and led her out. “It’s okay now. Let me get you some water. Jiang Wang and the others will be here around four.”

Chang Hua was still cursing wildly when the police showed up and took him away, catching him completely off guard.

After comforting Du Wenjuan and fetching her a shawl, Qiu Mo accompanied her to give a police statement.

By 4:20 PM, Jiang Wang arrived at the station in long strides. Qiu Mo waved him over, “Over here.”

“She’s not hurt, physically,” she added. “It’s just the scene at home was a mess. It probably scared her a bit.”

Du Wenjuan was still shaken, slightly trembling. In a hoarse voice, she said, “He touched my savings passbook. I said I wanted a divorce, several times, but he always refused. Then… he just snapped.”

Seeing the guilt written all over her face, Jiang Wang gently hugged her, then turned to the officer. “What’s the situation now?”

“We’re still mediating,” the officer said with a pained expression. “The man’s the one who got injured, so we’re mainly just advising both parties… you know, couples shouldn’t resort to violence too easily…”

Jiang Wang checked several times to make sure Du Wenjuan had no injuries on her face or arms, then finally relaxed. “How much money did he try to take?” 

“He didn’t succeed. I changed the password,” Du Wenjuan replied. “But before that… he already took two thousand. Linqiu went to pick up Yinyin, right? We’ll stay at my place first.”

Jiang Wang thanked Qiu Mo again and said seriously, “Let’s deal with the divorce first.”

Du Wenjuan blinked. “Go back where?”

“I have an apartment in Cizhou,” Jiang Wang said gently. “Also left an SUV there. Linqiu drove it to pick up Yinyin. Don’t be afraid. We’re here for you.”

“…You guys bought an apartment in Cizhou? When did that happen??”

The officer overheard and raised a clipboard. “Hold on, the civil mediation hasn’t been completed yet. What’s your current stance?”

“Leave with nothing,” Jiang Wang replied calmly. “Either he agrees to divorce, or he can wait.”

The word “wait” carried a certain ominous air, like something out of a crime drama.

The officer gave Jiang Wang a strange look and went to arrange for both parties to meet in the mediation room.

Chang Hua had already stopped bleeding by then. He came out still cursing until the officer gave him a glare, which finally shut him up. Compared to the kind, conflicted image he once presented, this pathetic display was jarringly out of character.

Jiang Wang only glanced at him, and Chang Hua immediately hunched his shoulders, turned his head away, and muttered coldly, “Yes, yes, your natal family’s got money. Just because I don’t have a house deed or five certificates, I’m treated like I tried to kill someone?”

Jiang Wang said evenly, “The first time you took Xingwang to the zoo, my sister asked you to return 200 yuan for the kid’s expenses. You said you forgot, didn’t you?”

The officer’s eyes widened. “He even took money from a child?”

Qiu Mo, who had already finished her business trip, decided to stick around for the follow-up. She clicked her tongue. “This… the signs were there ages ago. Why didn’t you divorce him already?”

Du Wenjuan lowered her head without saying anything. Instead, Chang Hua’s face turned red with anger and he lashed out.

“Money, money, money! Isn’t it just some damn cash?! You think you’re so high and mighty? Only you people count as human or something?!”

“Watch it!” the officer snapped. “This is a police station, not a place for your tantrums!”

Du Wenjuan sat beside Qiu Mo and Jiang Wang. She took a breath, swallowed hard, and looked at him.

“Chang Hua, I want a divorce. Yinyin stays with me. The house is mine. You must agree.”

Chang Hua jolted like he’d been electrocuted and tried to stand up, only to freeze under Jiang Wang’s icy stare.

Jiang Wang’s gaze was cold and sharp as a blade, completely devoid of warmth.

Chang Hua stared back for two seconds, then slumped into his chair, as if all the strength had been drained from him.

T/L: one more chapter! This series doesn’t have any extras, sadly…