You can't have both fish and bear's paw.
Yao Jing understood the meaning of this saying from a young age. She knew that some things, no matter how hard she tried to strive and fight for them, couldn't be achieved perfectly. But people are like this; until they are truly desperate, they always hold on to fantasies. Now, all these fantasies had finally shattered, turning into the current chaos.
A line from a song suddenly came to Yao Jing's mind: "I know there are many regrets in this world every day."
Regrets?
Yao Jing looked at the empty door; Wu Zhiming had already left.
"Mom, get up," Yao Jing helped Zhou Yanqiu to her feet.
Zhou Yanqiu's face still bore a look of terror, her cheek slightly red from the slap left by Wu Zhiming.
"Jingjing, what's wrong with Zhiming?" Zhou Yanqiu asked. At this moment, she didn't dare to criticize Wu Zhiming anymore, even though he wasn't there.
"Mom, everyone has their limits, and Zhiming is no exception," Yao Jing said.
"You mean he's reached his limit with me?" Zhou Yanqiu asked.
"He never tolerated you; he just disdained to argue with you. Mom, I'm very tired. I want to leave now," Yao Jing said.
"Where are you going? Are you just going to let Zhiming's hitting me go?" Zhou Yanqiu asked.
"What else do you want?" Yao Jing stared at Zhou Yanqiu and said, "Zhiming has already made it clear; he wants me to choose between you and him. This choice didn't need to be made so early, but it's all because of you! Mom, I've already married Wu Zhiming. No matter what the future holds, at least for now, he is my husband. Mom, I've been trying to change you, but I realize that in the end, I can't make you change at all. This is just who you are. I'm tired, Mom. I might not come back for a long time."
After saying this, Yao Jing sighed and looked at Yao Jianrong. "Dad, take care of Mom. I'm leaving."
"Jingjing!" Yao Jianrong looked at Yao Jing reluctantly. He knew that this departure was different from previous ones.
Yao Jing didn't hesitate and turned to leave.
In the room, only Zhou Yanqiu and Yao Jianrong remained.
Yao Jianrong sighed and walked over to Zhou Yanqiu.
"It has all come to this," Yao Jianrong said.
Zhou Yanqiu sat on the sofa, covering her face in despair.
"Why were you so harsh on Zhiming? Why make things difficult for your son-in-law? He is, after all, your daughter's husband," Yao Jianrong said.
"Why? Don't you know why?" Zhou Yanqiu glared at Yao Jianrong.
"I don't know," Yao Jianrong shook his head.
"Husbands and wives are natural enemies. If one is strong, the other is weak. It's the same with us, and the same with Jingjing and Wu Zhiming! If I want Jingjing to hold power in her family, I must suppress Wu Zhiming. I have to crush his confidence! Only then can Jingjing always keep him under her, becoming the next me!" Zhou Yanqiu said through gritted teeth.
"Become the next you? Is that really good?" Yao Jianrong asked.
"What's wrong with that? In this family, I call the shots. I make this family develop according to my wishes. I control everything at home. Only in this way can the family stay stable. Wu Zhiming has a rebellious nature; don't think I can't see that. If I don't suppress him, if I don't turn him into someone like you, Jingjing will never truly be the head of her family! I'm doing all this for Jingjing! But she doesn't understand!" Zhou Yanqiu said angrily.
"You're doing this for yourself," Yao Jianrong said.
"For myself? Bullshit, Yao Jianrong, you are so ungrateful. I've been slapped by my son-in-law, and you still say such things!" Zhou Yanqiu said furiously.
"You're doing this for yourself. You've already established dominance in our family, and you want to extend that dominance to Jingjing's family. You want to be the head of two families. Don't think I don't know. Yanqiu, haven't you noticed that over the years, you've become more and more mean, more and more petty? Sometimes I wonder if the person I married back then is really you," Yao Jianrong shook his head.
"What do you know? If I wasn't mean, petty, and calculating, how could I have saved so much money for this family? Why did I save all that money? Isn't it all for our son?" Zhou Yanqiu said emotionally.
"Forget it, forget it," Yao Jianrong shook his head and said, "I'm going downstairs to smoke."
With that, Yao Jianrong picked up a pack of cigarettes and went downstairs.
"They are all ungrateful! None of them understand my good intentions! It infuriates me! Wu Zhiming, I'll remember these three slaps. I can't beat you, but as long as Yao Jing is my daughter, I have ways to deal with you!" Zhou Yanqiu said through gritted teeth.
Wu Zhiming left Yao Jing's home, but he didn't go far. He stood by the flowerbed under Yao Jing's building and lit a cigarette. Just as he lit the cigarette, a Maybach pulled up beside him. Wu Zhiming glanced at the Maybach, and a slight smile appeared on his lips.
The rear door of the Maybach opened, and Li Bin stepped out.
"The first time we met, I didn't recognize you right away," Li Bin said as he walked up to Wu Zhiming with a smile.
"Li Bin?" Wu Zhiming asked.
"Yes, it's me," Li Bin nodded. He looked at the cigarette in Wu Zhiming's hand and said, "Not in a good mood, I see?"
"You're pretty quick with the news," Wu Zhiming said with a smile.
"I'm Yao Jing's future husband. I have to be well-informed about everything concerning her and her family," Li Bin said.
"Future husband?" Wu Zhiming looked at Li Bin mockingly.
"You're not worthy of Yao Jing," Li Bin said.
"And then?" Wu Zhiming asked.
"You think enduring for over twenty years is something impressive. Now you control the Wu Group, but Yao Jing deserves a better man, like me. You should know who I am. I have more assets, a better education, a wider network, and most importantly, a much more illustrious past than you. Going back twenty years, you were humiliated and mocked. Even though those times have passed, they remain your stains forever. I, on the other hand, have no such stains. My life has been clean and radiant. Only someone like me is worthy of a woman like Yao Jing," Li Bin said.
Wu Zhiming took a deep drag on his cigarette.
"Listen to me, divorce Yao Jing. That way, we'll both save trouble. I won't have to turn against you, and you won't have to return to your old life," Li Bin said.
"You seem pretty confident about me," Wu Zhiming said.
"Taking care of a small-time Wu Group boss, the head of a minor Wu family, is easy. No matter what backing or connections you have, it won't change the outcome," Li Bin said.
"Judging by your look, if you can't persuade me, you'll use force, right?" Wu Zhiming asked.
"Yes, I will use all means to suppress you. Don't think that a mere school district project has turned your fortunes around. For me, bringing you back down is a simple matter," Li Bin said arrogantly.
"I think you might have a slight misunderstanding about me," Wu Zhiming said, tilting his chin slightly and looking at Li Bin, who was about his height.
"What misunderstanding?" Li Bin asked.
"I'm very good at fighting," Wu Zhiming grinned and suddenly threw a heavy punch at Li Bin's abdomen.
A figure flashed in front of Li Bin, blocking Wu Zhiming's punch. The figure moved so fast that even Li Sina, standing beside Wu Zhiming, didn't react in time.
Li Bin had a mocking smile on his face. He had intentionally provoked Wu Zhiming, hoping Wu Zhiming would strike him, giving him a reason to retaliate. After learning about the huge conflict between Wu Zhiming and Zhou Yanqiu today, he rushed over, aiming to end Wu Zhiming and Yao Jing's marriage. His taunts were designed to provoke Wu Zhiming into hitting him.
Was he afraid of Wu Zhiming hitting him? Not at all, because by his side was an eighth-ranked martial artist, more than capable of handling most problems in the city.
The eighth-ranked martial artist, a stern-looking man, stood between Wu Zhiming and Li Bin. Facing Wu Zhiming's punch, he countered with a grab at Wu Zhiming's shoulder. Just as his grab was about to connect, Li Sina intervened.
On the surface, Li Sina's combat strength was already at the seventh rank, but her actual combat strength was far beyond that. She appeared and immediately launched a fierce attack on the eighth-ranked martial artist protecting Li Bin. Her attack was so swift and powerful that the martial artist's expression changed. He couldn't react in time to switch moves.
Bang!
A muffled sound echoed as Li Sina's punch sent the eighth-ranked martial artist flying. Simultaneously, Wu Zhiming's right fist landed squarely on Li Bin's abdomen.
Bang!
Li Bin's entire back arched violently as the force of Wu Zhiming's punch lifted him off the ground. Spit flew from his mouth.
Gagging, Li Bin screamed in pain.
Wu Zhiming smirked coldly, grabbed Li Bin by the collar, and lifted him up. Li Bin, with spit at the corners of his mouth, looked panicked.
"Wu Zhiming, how dare you hit me! I'm the eldest son of the Li family in Tianlu City!" Li Bin shouted in agitation.
"Didn't you say you lived a clean, bright life?" Wu Zhiming grinned.
"What… what are you going to do?!" Li Bin screamed in horror, trying to pry Wu Zhiming's hand off but finding he couldn't budge him.
In the distance, the eighth-ranked martial artist got up and rushed back.
Wu Zhiming didn't even look at him. He took the cigarette from his mouth with his other hand.
"Li Bin, I was thinking of coming to see you in the next few days. I didn't expect you to deliver yourself to me today. I should thank you. By the way, do you know Nezha?" Wu Zhiming asked.
"Wu Zhiming, you… you dare!" Li Bin seemed to realize something.
"So you know," Wu Zhiming smiled, lifting the cigarette butt and pressing it onto Li Bin's forehead.
Sizzle!