"But these are too valuable. I'm afraid Cen Shuang won't take them." Lan Yibai held onto the sandalwood box and felt the burden on her shoulders become heavier. It was her idea to have Zhuang Hong marry Cen Shuang. She only thought that if Zhuang Hong was really going to lie in bed for the rest of his life, at least he would have someone to take care of him. Although she was not completely at ease with Cen Shuang, it was clear that she had been working hard.
"If she can't take them, can you? As her mother-in-law, are you going to be jealous of her?"
"Dad, that's not what I meant. I will pass it to her when I have the chance." The old man nodded. Lan Yibai saw the tiredness on his face and got up to take her things and leave.
Cen Shuang was woken up by her phone. When she rushed to the Lu family's house, Cen Zhu was standing at the front door. She was wearing slippers and had a bottle of soy sauce in her bag.
"Sis, are you okay?"
Cen Zhu turned to look at Cen Shuang, who was approaching her. She forced a smile and tears rolled down her cheeks. "You're here."
"Sis..." Cen Shuang hugged Cen Zhu's frail body. She did not say anything for a moment. It was as if she understood her although no words were spoken.
Cen Zhu trembled in her arms. "Ah Yang locked the door. My keys are inside. They won't open the door even if I call for them."
Cen Zhu's voice was filled with helplessness and hesitation. Cen Shuang's heart was filled with pain as she said, "I'll go and settle the score with them."
Cen Shuang looked at Cen Zhu's red and swollen eyes. She knew that they had tricked Cen Zhu. Moreover, even before she came, she understood the situation Cen Zhu was facing. The people inside had no intention of letting her in. "Sis, let's get you a divorce."
These few words struck Cen Zhu's heart. It was summer now, at the end of August, but she felt a chill. Divorce? She had never thought about it, but could she even afford to do so now?
"Lu Hongyang doesn't love you at all. If you continue to stay with the Lu family, you'll be doing yourself an injustice. Even if the Cen family sent a lot of business to the Lu family in the past, this is still wrong. Now that the Cen family is gone, if you stay here, you'll only suffer more." The Lu family's household was a torturous hell.
"It's all my fault that the Cen family is ruined. But if I leave the Lu family, what are we going to do about your tuition fees?" She originally wanted to offer some property to Cen Shuang. Classes at the art department in Jiang University were not cheap, and with the Cen family gone, she could not let her sister drop out of university.
"Sister, do you think that you'll have a good life if you stay in the Lu family's house?"
"The Lu family has transferred all their assets. If I divorce him now, we won't be able to get back the Cen family's shares." She had wanted to divorce her husband a long time ago, but part of her heart was unwilling.
In fact, she had thought that the Lu family was shameless, but she did not expect them to sink this low. It was no wonder that her sister did not dare to return home these past few years. The Lu family had gone too far.
"There is still a way to earn back the money, but do you want to be stepped on in the Lu family for the rest of your life? Do you want to let them chase you out whenever they want like they would their pets? Remember the Cen Zhu you were. You were dazzling. Are you still the same person now?"
The Lu family's marriage had worn away all of her beauty. Cen Zhu's already sallow face had no color, and was so pale that it was almost transparent. It was summer now, but her body was cold. She could not live this kind of life anymore.
"Divorce. I want a divorce no matter the price!" Cen Zhu looked at Cen Shuang with a complicated expression, "Shuang Shuang, I'm sorry. I've implicated the Cen family. I still have no way to help you." Cen Shuang was no longer her tiny baby sister. Cen Zhu felt that Cen Shuang was even stronger than her.
Cen Shuang hugged Cen Zhu. "Sis, in the future, if we want to revitalize the Cen family, we can definitely do it."
Now that she was married to Zhuang Hong, she would soon take over their house. They would slowly take back everything that belonged to the Cen family from those people.
When she found out that Cen Shuang was married to Zhuang Hong, Cen Zhu was emotional. Half of her life had already been ruined. She could not let her sister do the same. "Divorce Zhuang Hong. He's a vegetable now. Why didn't you tell me that you had gone and dug yourself into this pit?"
Cen Zhu was exhausted from the successive blows. Cen Shuang helped her to the flower bed and sat down, but Cen Zhu did not let go of her hand. "Shuang Shuang, we don't have to have the Cen family's house anymore. You can't stay married to him, and you can't ruin your life. It's not worth it."
It was already midnight when Cen Shuang returned to the Zhuang family's house. Lan Yibai acted immediately, running out to hold her hand. "Where did you go at this late hour? If you have anything to do in the future, you must call home first."
"Mom, I'm fine. I want my sister to stay here for a few days. Is that okay with you?" Cen Shuang looked hesitantly at Cen Zhu who was getting out of the car.
With a glance, Lan Yibai could guess what had happened. "We're all family. What's wrong with that? I'll get someone to clean up the guest room immediately. You guys haven't had dinner yet, right? Come in quickly. It's too hot outside. What if you get heatstroke?"