Zhu Shuli brought her back into the house.
Zhu Shulan, with tears streaming down her face and her voice trembling, said, "Brother, I'm sorry. I was wrong. I shouldn't have been so willful and believed in Luo Jianguo. He's nothing but a scumbag. He was messing around with other women while I was pregnant..."
Zhu Shuli poured her a cup of tea, his expression solemn. "Sister, I'm glad you've finally seen through Luo Jianguo. It makes me happy that you've realized the truth."
Zhu Shuli sighed and continued, "Last time, I didn't lend you money directly because I had my own reasons. I wanted you to learn a hard lesson and see through Luo Jianguo's fake facade."
"Brother, I... I'm sorry, to you and to Father." Zhu Shulan choked up.
Zhu Shuli comforted her, saying, "For now, you can stay here. I'll talk to Father."
In his heart, he thought, after all, siblings can never hold grudges overnight. They share the same blood.
Zhu Shulan, her face still streaked with tears, grasped his hand excitedly. "Yes, thank you, brother."
A deep, raspy voice came from behind them.
"Why aren't you at work?"
Zhu Shulan instinctively turned around, her eyes widening as she saw the man in front of her, walking shakily with a cane, accompanied by a bodyguard.
The man in front of her stopped in his tracks when he saw her, a complex expression crossing his face.
Zhu Shulan was silent for a few seconds before rushing over and kneeling in front of him. "Father..."
Her voice was filled with sorrow.
Zhu Leiting remained expressionless, letting out a cold snort. He turned his head to look at Zhu Shuli, his eyes asking what was going on.
Zhu Shuli quickly explained, "Father, sister is willing to come home. She knows she was wrong and has already been punished. Why don't you forgive her?"
As soon as Zhu Shuli finished speaking, Zhu Leiting burst into laughter. "She knows she was wrong? Where did all that bravado go when she ran away from home?"
Zhu Shulan wiped the tears from her eyes with her sleeve, her voice muffled as she said, "Father, I was wrong. I shouldn't have believed Luo Jianguo's lies. I've already divorced him. I'm sorry. You can punish me however you want; I truly know I was wrong."
Zhu Leiting pushed her away as she clung to his legs, and the bodyguard helped him sit down on the sofa. His voice was cold as he said, "You unfilial daughter, I don't welcome you back. Get out."
Zhu Leiting was furious, as if he was unleashing twenty years of anger, his eyes cold.
Zhu Shulan hid the despair in her eyes. "Father, I... I'm already homeless."
"You are no longer a member of the Zhu family. When you ran off with Luo Jianguo, you severed ties with the Zhu family."
Zhu Leiting refused her mercilessly.
Zhu Shulan lay on the floor, crying. Seeing this, Zhu Shuli stepped forward to persuade him. "Father, sister has already realized her mistake. She's truly repentant. Please forgive her this time."
But Zhu Leiting wouldn't relent. If he forgave her so easily, where would his authority go? How could he maintain his position of power in the Zhu family?
"Get out of here right now." Zhu Leiting pointed to the heartbroken Zhu Shulan on the floor, issuing a final order.
"Help me back to my room," Zhu Leiting said calmly to the bodyguard.
The bodyguard then helped Zhu Leiting leave the hall.
Zhu Shulan watched Zhu Leiting walk away, her face pale and bloodless. Zhu Shuli walked over to her and helped her up.
Zhu Shulan forced a stiff smile. "Brother, since Father doesn't forgive me, I should leave to avoid making things difficult for you."
Just as Zhu Shulan was about to turn around and pick up her luggage to leave, Zhu Shuli grabbed her.
Zhu Shuli smiled and said, "Father may not have forgiven you yet, but he has tacitly agreed to let you stay."
Zhu Shulan was surprised and looked at him in disbelief. "He's allowing me to stay?"
Didn't he just tell her to leave? Why would he now agree to let her stay? She was puzzled.
Zhu Shuli slowly explained, "Even though Father told you to leave, he didn't ask the bodyguard to force you out. He's giving you a chance. You know how much Father values his pride. He's just afraid of losing face. Stay here for now. Whether or not Father truly forgives you will depend on your ability to earn it."
Zhu Shulan wiped away her tears, a smile finally breaking through. "Really?"
Zhu Shuli nodded with a reassuring smile, gently patting her shoulder.
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Luo Qianqian had run away from home and was temporarily staying in a hotel, but her money was running out, and soon she wouldn't be able to afford the room.
"Ring, ring—"
Luo Qianqian pulled her phone out from under her pillow, seeing that Gao Fuqiang was calling.
She immediately hung up and tossed the phone aside.
The phone rang again, and Luo Qianqian squinted her eyes, gritting her teeth as she answered.
"Can't you leave me alone?" Luo Qianqian angrily shouted into the phone.
"Hey, darling, don't be mad. Let me explain," Gao Fuqiang said with a teasing tone.
Luo Qianqian clenched her fists so tightly that they cracked, disgusted by how thick-skinned this man was.
She continued to lash out at him, "Are you crazy? How dare you contact me after being such a coward in front of your shrew of a wife? You're disgusting. I regret ever getting involved with a man like you."
She unleashed a torrent of insults on him.
Gao Fuqiang quietly listened, waiting for a moment when she paused for breath before he calmly explained, "Don't be mad. I had no choice. If my wife's family finds out, I'll lose everything. That wouldn't be good for you, either, would it?"
His voice was smooth and full of temptation.
Luo Qianqian let out a mocking laugh. "You think you're special? I'm young and beautiful; it's hard to find a man with three legs, but there are plenty with two."
"Oh, come on, darling, I really like you. Once I get my hands on the family fortune, I'll marry you. How about that?" Gao Fuqiang said with a sly grin.
Luo Qianqian let out a cold laugh, her shoulders shaking with amusement. She had only been with him for the money, yet he foolishly dreamed of marrying her. "Pfft, who'd want to marry you? Don't you have a mirror at home? Or you could just look at yourself in a puddle."
"Don't go too far..."
Before Gao Fuqiang could finish, Luo Qianqian furiously hung up the phone.
Frustrated, Luo Qianqian collapsed onto the bed. If she couldn't find some money soon, she'd be sleeping on the streets.
Suddenly, an idea struck her. She remembered a wealthy man a friend had once introduced to her.
But she had found the man repulsively ugly, much older than her, with a beer belly, looking every bit the vulgar nouveau riche.
However, the man had been quite fond of her. After being rejected multiple times, he had eventually given up and cut off contact.
After thinking it over, Luo Qianqian decided to open the chat window and quickly typed a message.
"Mr. Li, it's Luo Qianqian. Do you still remember me? Do you have time to chat?"
He responded instantly, "Of course I remember! What's up, beautiful?"
Luo Qianqian cringed at the greasy response but reluctantly replied.
"Mr. Li, I've been feeling down lately. Would you mind keeping me company?"
His response was instant again, "Of course, I'd love to," accompanied by a suggestive emoji.
Luo Qianqian's face broke into a smug smile.
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You can read ahead to chapterr 110 here
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