Becoming a Scum A in an Old-School Melodramatic Novel - Chapter 22

On Sunday morning, the family got up early as usual. However, when Shen Xian saw Lin Qinghan, she couldn’t help but feel that things between them had gotten a little awkward. She had thought their relationship was gradually improving, like a steadily rising favorability meter, but now it felt like they hadn’t made any progress at all.

Shen Tian, on the other hand, had no idea about the little incident between Shen Xian and Lin Qinghan. She happily ate her breakfast, already excited about going to see the animals later.

After the meal, Lin Qinghan dressed Shen Tian in a cute, pink outfit. The little girl skipped around excitedly, hugging Lin Qinghan’s leg one moment, then Shen Xian’s the next. The two little tufts of hair on top of her head bounced with each movement — she was clearly thrilled.

Once they were outside, Shen Tian stood between the two women, grinning with her little white teeth and said, “Tian Tian wants Mom and Mommy to hold her hands together.” With that, she stretched out her tiny hands, grabbing Lin Qinghan with one and Shen Xian with the other.

Seeing that Lin Qinghan didn’t object, Shen Xian smiled and pinched the little girl’s cheek with her free hand. “Alright, whatever Tian Tian wants.”

The indoor zoo wasn’t far from where they lived — it was located on the fourth floor of a shopping mall. The three of them walked there in just a short while.

Shen Xian was quick to buy the tickets and reminded Lin Qinghan, “Qinghan, you take Tian Tian in first. I’ll go get some juice.”

“Okay,” Lin Qinghan replied, then took Shen Tian’s hand and led her into the zoo.

They had only walked a few steps when someone called out to Lin Qinghan. Turning her head, she saw Lu Jianbai approaching with a young boy. When Lu Jianbai recognized her, he immediately brightened up and walked over with the boy.

“Qinghan, it really is you! I brought my nephew here to play. What a coincidence! Is this Tian Tian? She’s so cute.” As he spoke, he reached out to touch Shen Tian’s head.

Shen Tian quickly backed away and clung to Lin Qinghan’s leg, peeking out cautiously.

Lin Qinghan gently patted the little girl’s hair tufts to comfort her and said to Lu Jianbai, “Sorry, she’s a little shy with strangers.”

Lu Jianbai smiled and said, “It’s alright, my fault for scaring her. Tian Tian, Uncle doesn’t mean any harm.”

Shen Tian stayed behind Lin Qinghan, her little face half-hidden and clearly unwilling to come out.

Trying to ease the awkwardness, Lu Jianbai introduced the boy next to him. “This is my nephew. Youyou, say hello to Auntie.”

The little boy didn’t seem shy at all. He smiled and said, “Hello Auntie, hello little sister~”

Just then, Shen Xian returned with three cups of juice. When Lu Jianbai saw her, his smile stiffened slightly, and it took him a few seconds to recover.

When Shen Tian saw Shen Xian had come back, she immediately ran over and hugged her leg. Her big eyes looked from Shen Xian to the juices in her hands, and she coyly asked, “Mommy, what are you holding?”

Shen Xian laughed at her adorable expression — how could she not understand what the child wanted? She opened the bag right away and said, “Pick one, Tian Tian. There’s watermelon, pomegranate, and orange. Which one do you want?”

Tian Tian blinked her big eyes, looking from one to another, unable to decide. Shen Xian chuckled at her indecision and rubbed the tufts of her hair. “How about you try the watermelon one first? I’ll buy you the others next time we come.” As she spoke, she inserted a straw into the drink and handed it to her.

The cup was the largest size available. When Tian Tian held it in front of her, it covered her whole face. She looked down and took a sip of the watermelon juice, then beamed up at Shen Xian with dimples on her cheeks. “Mommy, it’s so yummy! Tian Tian loves watermelon juice~” she said, snuggling against Shen Xian’s leg.

“As long as Tian Tian likes it,” Shen Xian said, patting her soft little cheek. Then she picked up the remaining two juices, walked over to the little boy, bent down slightly, and gently asked, “Which one do you want?”

The boy looked at Lu Jianbai, and the latter quickly said, “Oh, it’s fine. I’ll buy one for Youyou later. Don’t trouble yourself.”

Shen Xian gave Lu Jianbai a mild look, then handed the orange juice to the boy. He immediately hugged it and looked at Shen Xian, thanking her. “Thank you, Auntie.”

“No problem,” Shen Xian replied, smiling at him too.

Lu Jianbai looked a bit awkward. “Ah, well… thank you then.”

Shen Xian simply smiled and handed the last juice to Lin Qinghan. Lin Qinghan didn’t really want to take it, but with Shen Tian watching them, she worried the girl might read too much into it. So in the end, she accepted it.

Shen Tian hugged her juice with both hands and tugged on Shen Xian, saying sweetly, “Mommy, Tian Tian wants to see the animals now. Let’s go.”

“Alright, let’s go see the animals.” Shen Xian didn’t wait for Lu Jianbai to speak and said ahead of time, “Dr. Lu, we’ll head in first. You and your little one have fun too.”

Lu Jianbai’s smile faltered. He had originally hoped to join them, but Shen Xian’s words clearly sent him off. He couldn’t pretend not to get the message, so he just replied, “Alright, I’ll take Youyou to look around first.”

As soon as Lu Jianbai left, Shen Tian lifted her watermelon juice as high as she could — though her short arms only reached Shen Xian’s chest. She looked up and said in her sweet little voice, “Mommy doesn’t have juice, so Mommy can drink Tian Tian’s. Tian Tian will feed you~”

Shen Xian immediately bent down and took a sip of the juice. She then rubbed the little tufts on the girl’s head. “Okay, Mommy had a sip. Tian Tian is so sweet.”

Pleased with the praise, Tian Tian’s dimples deepened with joy. Lin Qinghan, standing to the side, looked at the pair — one big, one small — with a gentle smile blooming on her face.

Lu Jianbai, holding Youyou’s hand, hadn’t actually gone far. They were just nearby. Youyou was leaning over a railing, watching the little hamsters inside, while Lu Jianbai’s gaze occasionally drifted toward Lin Qinghan. Seeing the harmonious picture of Lin Qinghan with her partner and child, Lu Jianbai felt an even deeper sense of disappointment. He was afraid that he might already be out of the running before he even had a chance to speak up.

Shen Xian and Lin Qinghan took their little one to see the bunnies first. Several soft, white bunnies were lying obediently on the ground in their designated area. A few bolder children squatted down and reached out to pet them.

Shen Tian leaned against Shen Xian, curiously watching the bunnies in front of her. Her hesitant expression — wanting to touch but not daring to — made Shen Xian laugh.
“Does Tian Tian want to pet the bunnies? They’re soft and gentle, and they won’t bite.”

Shen Tian rubbed against Shen Xian, hugging her juice cup, eyes wide with a hopeful look.
“Can I? Can Tian Tian pet them?”

“Of course. Mommy will hold your juice for you,” Shen Xian said, taking the juice and squatting down beside her.

Shen Tian glanced at Shen Xian, then turned to look at Lin Qinghan and, in a sweet childish voice, said, “Tian Tian wants Mommy and Mom to come too. Mom, come with Tian Tian~”

Lin Qinghan smiled gently, squatted down on Shen Tian’s right side, and stroked her little face.
“Alright, Mom will come with our little sweet-talker too.”

The little one tilted her head nervously and stretched out a chubby hand, hesitating above one of the bunnies. She didn’t dare to touch it and blinked her big eyes at Shen Xian.

Of course Shen Xian understood what the little one meant. She reached out and gently petted the bunny’s back. The bunny, lazy and relaxed, didn’t move at all even when touched. As she petted it, Shen Xian said to her,
“Look, Tian Tian. The bunny’s very well-behaved. It won’t bite.”

“Ah! Really, it didn’t bite Mommy! It’s as well-behaved as Tian Tian! Then… then Tian Tian will pet the bunny too~”
As she said this, Shen Tian reached out her little hand again, first lightly touching the bunny’s back. Seeing that the bunny didn’t react, her courage grew. She placed both hands on the bunny and gently stroked it.

“Mommy, Mom, the bunny is so soft and cute! Tian Tian likes it.”

The smile on Lin Qinghan’s face never faded.
“My Tian Tian is just as cute — even more lovable than the bunny.”

Hearing Lin Qinghan’s praise, Shen Tian’s dimples deepened with joy. She bravely stroked the bunny’s belly and said softly to it,
“Good bunny, don’t bite people. That makes you a good baby.”

Shen Xian smiled as she watched her little one talk to and “educate” the bunny. When she looked up, her eyes met Lin Qinghan’s smiling face. Shen Xian found Lin Qinghan’s smile quite pretty and couldn’t help but look a few more times.

Lin Qinghan noticed Shen Xian staring and raised an eyebrow coldly. Only then did Shen Xian avert her gaze, muttering to herself, “I’m a straight woman. So what if I looked a few times? No need to glare at me like that.”
Still, President Shen didn’t dare look again — self-preservation was more important.

Seeing that the little one had played with the bunny long enough, Shen Xian asked,
“Tian Tian, do you want to see some other animals? There are still lots more to see.”

Shen Tian tilted her head and thought for a moment, then gently stroked the bunny’s back as if to comfort it.
“Bunny, be good, okay? Tian Tian will come play with you again next time~”

Shen Xian and Lin Qinghan held Shen Tian’s little hands, and she reluctantly said goodbye to the bunny. They arrived at the next exhibit, which featured mostly reptiles like spiders and lizards. Shen Tian was a bit scared of these creatures and clung tightly to Shen Xian’s leg with one arm.

Shen Xian handed the juice to Lin Qinghan. Lin Qinghan looked at her for a moment before accepting it. With her hands free, Shen Xian picked up the little one and pointed at the animals, explaining,
“In the future, when you see animals like these, you should keep your distance. Animals that look like this are usually poisonous. They might go ‘rawr rawr’ and bite people.”

Hearing that, Shen Tian immediately hugged Shen Xian tighter and said,
“Ah! No, no, no bad animals! Tian Tian is scared~”

Shen Xian laughed and reassured her,
“They’re all inside glass enclosures. They can’t come out, so there’s nothing to be scared of. Let’s go look at something else.”

The little one quickly nodded. She didn’t want to look at any more reptiles.

After walking a bit further, they arrived at an area where cats were kept. There were all kinds of kittens there, and most of them were gentle and unlikely to bite.

Shen Tian looked up at Shen Xian, squeezing her hand restlessly.
“Mommy, the cats are fluffy and cute. Can I pet them?”

“Of course. But after that, Tian Tian has to wash her hands clean.”

“Okay! Mom, pet the kitty with Tian Tian too,” Shen Tian said as she pulled Lin Qinghan down to squat with her. With the bunny experience under her belt, Shen Tian was much braver now. She crouched down and gently petted the back of a brown kitten.

The cat looked like a Garfield — lazily sprawled out on the floor. After Shen Tian touched it, it only half-opened its eyes and lazily glanced at her before closing its eyes again, turning into a puddle of fluffy cat on the floor.

When the three of them came out of the indoor zoo, it was already close to noon. It was Shen Tian’s first trip to the zoo, and even as they were leaving, she was still excitedly chattering with Shen Xian and Lin Qinghan.

“Mommy, Mom, the animals were all so cute! Tian Tian loved them!”

“Alright, then next time let’s come see the animals again. But for now, it’s time for us to eat.”

As soon as the little one heard the word “eat,” she touched her tiny belly and immediately felt a bit hungry.
“Mom, hungry, Tian Tian wants to eat,” she said.

“Okay, let’s go eat,” Shen Xian replied, glancing at Lin Qinghan beside her. “Qinghan, it’s already this late. It’d be too rushed to go home and cook. Let’s just eat out.”

“Alright.” Lin Qinghan then gently touched Shen Tian’s little face and asked, “Tian Tian, what do you want to eat?”

Shen Tian lifted her little face and thought for a moment, then looked up and said in a soft, childish voice, “Tian Tian wants to eat shrimp~”

“Alright, let’s go have shrimp then.”

“Awoo~ Mom’s the best, Tian Tian loves Mom!” Shen Tian immediately hugged Lin Qinghan’s leg and acted all cutesy.

Lin Qinghan patted the little ponytail on Shen Tian’s head and laughed, “You sweet-talker.”

The three of them went to a restaurant that specialized in shrimp. Before long, a pot of big shrimp was served. Shen Xian and Lin Qinghan busied themselves peeling shrimp for Shen Tian. Only after the little one’s bowl was piled high with shrimp did they begin eating their own.

The shrimp was seasoned with a savory sauce and paired with crispy, thin pancakes — very flavorful. Shen Tian’s little mouth was stuffed full.

“Mom, Mommy, the shrimp here is so yummy!” Even while busy eating, the little one didn’t forget to express her love for the dish.

“You little glutton. You can’t eat too many more after these, okay? Otherwise, you’ll get too full and that won’t be good,” Lin Qinghan gently reminded her. Kids often don’t know when they’re full and can easily overeat.

“Mhm, Tian Tian thinks she’s full too. Tian Tian will come eat again next time.” Shen Tian looked up at Shen Xian and Lin Qinghan, blinking her big eyes.

“Okay, we’ll come back next time.” Shen Xian immediately agreed, seeing how cute the little one was.

“Yay~ Tian Tian loves Mommy too~” Shen Tian swayed her little ponytail and acted spoiled again.

Shen Xian chuckled at her child. “Alright, you little drama queen.”

The little one opened her big round eyes and argued, “I’m not! Tian Tian’s a good girl, not a drama queen~”

“Okay, okay, Tian Tian is right, alright? It’s Mommy who was wrong.” Seeing how adorable she was, Shen Xian immediately gave in.

Lin Qinghan smiled faintly as she watched the two. Seeing they had nearly finished eating, she got up to go pay the bill.

Originally, Shen Xian had wanted to pay, but Lin Qinghan didn’t want to get too entangled with her — she liked to keep things clearly separated. If Shen Xian insisted on paying, it would definitely upset Lin Qinghan. So instead, Shen Xian stayed at the table with the child.

After Lin Qinghan paid and returned, the family strolled leisurely back toward their place. Shen Tian, as usual, walked in between the two adults, with one small hand held by Lin Qinghan and the other by Shen Xian. Because of her, the three of them were connected like one.

But just as they were approaching the building entrance, Lin Qinghan’s face stiffened. Shen Xian followed her gaze and saw two people sitting on the steps in front of the entrance. One of them was Lin Zhixin, and the other looked to be in her fifties or sixties. But just seeing them together, Shen Xian immediately guessed — it was Lin Qinghan’s mother.

Sure enough, Shen Tian also froze, then wrapped her arms around Shen Xian’s leg, looking aggrieved.
“Mommy, it’s Uncle and Grandma. Tian Tian doesn’t want to go over.”

“It’s okay, Tian Tian. Mommy’s here.” Shen Xian gently patted her head to comfort her.

Meanwhile, Lin Zhixin had also seen them. He quickly pulled his mother up from the ground and shouted toward Lin Qinghan,
“Sis! You’re back! Where have you been? Mom and I have been waiting here for you all morning. We’re starving — we haven’t even eaten yet!”

Jiang Fang stood there glaring at Lin Qinghan and loudly scolded,
“Exactly! I raised you for nothing! Your mom and brother come all the way here and can’t even get in the house? All you ever think about is fooling around with people. You’re already divorced — why can’t you just stay away from Shen Xian?”

Seeing this scene, Shen Xian knew this wouldn’t be over quickly. She wasn’t afraid of loudmouths and troublemakers, but Shen Tian was still just a child — seeing too much of this kind of thing would negatively affect her growth. So she took out her phone and called Fang Jinglan.

“Mom, are you free to come pick up Tian Tian at Qinghan’s place?” Shen Xian turned around, worried that Lin Qinghan might end up on the losing end of the confrontation.

“We went back to our hometown yesterday. What’s wrong? Did something happen?” Fang Jinglan asked, concerned.

Hearing they weren’t around, Shen Xian didn’t want them to worry, so she replied, “It’s nothing. Qinghan just needs to work overtime later, and I’ve got something to handle too. Since you’re not here, I’ll just take care of Tian Tian myself. Don’t worry, Mom — I’ll hang up now, I’m busy.”

After ending the call, Shen Xian looked through her contacts and realized the only reliable person she could call right now was Jiang Xi. She quickly dialed her.

“Xiao Xi? Are you free right now? Something came up on my end — can you help watch the child for a bit?”

“Child? Sure, but Sis — when did you have a kid?” Jiang Xi asked, confused. No wonder she was asked to drop someone off at kindergarten the other day!

“I’ll explain later. I’ll send you the address. Thanks in advance.” Shen Xian quickly sent the location, then picked up the child and headed over to Lin Qinghan.

Meanwhile, the voices on the other side were getting louder.

“I told you, I don’t have any more money to give you. Mom, stop forcing me!”

“Forcing you? What am I forcing you to do? I raised you with such difficulty, and now that you’ve got a job in the city, you don’t want to acknowledge me as your mother anymore? Fine, if you’re not afraid of shame, go ahead! Come look, everyone! My daughter Lin Qinghan is an ungrateful wretch!” Jiang Fang immediately went into full shrew-mode.

It was midday, and the neighborhood had been quiet — her yelling stood out sharply in the silence.

“Mom, I’m your daughter, not your ATM. Lin Zhixin is already a grown man — besides asking for money, what else can he even do? Is he the only child you have? What am I to you then?” Lin Qinghan didn’t back down and questioned her sharply.

“What are you? Of course you’re my daughter! You ungrateful girl, it’s just thirty thousand yuan! Your brother almost had his hand chopped off, and you, as his sister, would just watch and do nothing? Is that something a person would say?” Jiang Fang snapped in frustration.

“I am his sister, sure. If I lend him money, that’s out of kindness. If I don’t, that’s my right. And besides, what do you mean ‘lend’? Isn’t he just asking for money again? When has Lin Zhixin ever paid back a cent?” Lin Qinghan was furious. She truly hadn’t expected her mother to join Lin Zhixin in cornering her for money.

While they were arguing, Shen Xian had already walked over. Shen Tian was still clinging to her and whispering, “No, no, Mommy, Tian Tian doesn’t want to go over. I’m scared.”

Shen Xian, carrying the child in one arm, gently grabbed Lin Qinghan’s wrist with the other and passed Shen Tian to her. “Qinghan, take Tian Tian and walk away for a bit. Don’t scare the child. I’ve got this.”

Seeing Shen Xian approaching, Lin Zhixin immediately flinched and stepped back, retreating behind Jiang Fang. He still managed to remind her, “Mom, don’t let my sister take the kid away. If she can do those things, why would she care if the kid sees it? Let Shen Tian see just how unfilial her mother is.”

Jiang Fang tried to step forward and grab Lin Qinghan, but Shen Xian intercepted her and stopped her by grabbing her wrist. “If you’ve got something to say, say it to me. Don’t lay a hand on Qinghan.”

That one grab set Jiang Fang off. She shrieked, “Say it to you? Who the hell do you think you are? I haven’t even settled scores with you over hitting my son last time! Now you want to hit me too? Ah! My arm — my arm is broken! It hurts so bad!” She cried out while dropping to the ground dramatically — just like Lin Zhixin did at the hospital the other day.

Shen Xian almost burst out laughing. What kind of bizarre people are these? That Lin Qinghan managed to grow up normal in this kind of family was honestly a miracle.

Unbothered, she took two steps back and looked coldly at Jiang Fang sitting on the ground, curious what else she might pull. Sure enough, Jiang Fang’s insults grew nastier:
“Lin Qinghan, you’re so heartless. Just letting your mother be bullied like this. Already divorced and still can’t stay away from Shen Xian — always messing around with different people. Your own mother asks you for one little thing and you keep dodging it. I can’t go on living. How did I raise such a shameless daughter? And you, Shen Xian! Do you think you’re her only lover? She’s been fooling around with several men at her hospital!”

Not far away, Lin Qinghan’s heart turned cold. She really hadn’t expected her mother to stand in the middle of the street and say all that. Just to get money, she was willing to disgrace her like this?

“Wuwuwu, Mommy, Tian Tian is scared… I don’t want Grandma. I don’t want Grandma…” Shen Tian was trembling in Lin Qinghan’s arms, terrified by Jiang Fang’s shouting.

“Don’t be scared, Tian Tian. Don’t worry. We’re right here. Everything’s okay.” Lin Qinghan whispered soothingly, walking a bit farther away to try and shield Shen Tian from the shouting.

“Alright. I recorded everything you just said,” Shen Xian said coolly. “Public insults or spreading false rumors to defame someone — minor cases can result in detention for up to five days or a fine of up to 500 yuan; more serious cases can mean five to ten days’ detention, possibly with a fine as well. If you’ve got something to say, then say it. But with that attitude, I’ll just go ahead and call the police.”

Shen Xian had no hesitation when it came to dealing with Lin Zhixin. But Jiang Fang, after all, was Lin Qinghan’s mother, and Shen Xian didn’t want to act in front of Qinghan unless absolutely necessary.

“You’re threatening me now, Shen Xian? You think I don’t know how much you really know? Trying to scare me with your made-up laws? Hah! Go ahead, call the cops! If I were scared of you, I’d already be taking your surname!” Jiang Fang laughed as she shouted, still sitting on the ground.

Shen Xian scoffed and replied, “No need to take my name — I wouldn’t want an unfilial daughter like you anyway.”

“Shen Xian! How dare you take advantage of me? I’ll fight you!” Jiang Fang suddenly jumped up and lunged at Shen Xian. Shen Xian quickly sidestepped, causing Jiang Fang to stumble and fall back onto the ground. Even as she landed, she cried out, “Ay! I’ve fallen! Shen Xian, you better pay for my medical bills. I want thirty thousand yuan — not a cent less!”

Shen Xian sneered, “Thirty thousand? Did you get diagnosed with a terminal illness? You tripped on your own and want thirty grand from me? Ridiculous. And don’t forget — this has nothing to do with me. I’ve had my phone recording the whole time. You were the one who rushed at me first. None of this is my fault.”

With that, she called the police. After briefly explaining the situation and giving the location, she hung up.

Seeing that Shen Xian really did call the police, Jiang Fang simply sat on the ground and refused to get up. “Good! Let them come! I’ll let the police see how badly you beat me. I can’t even move anymore!”

Just then, the sound of a car came from a distance. Shen Xian turned around to see a red Porsche pull up nearby. She quickly jogged over as Jiang Xi got out of the car.

Jiang Xi looked toward the two yelling figures in the distance and asked with some confusion, “Sis, where’s the child? Did something happen? Want me to make a call for you?”

“There’s a bit of trouble. My ex-wife’s brother keeps harassing her for money. If he could get held for two or three days, that’d be enough. Nothing major. Just help me watch the kid — I’m mostly worried she’ll get scared.”

Disputes like this, even if the police are called, usually end in mediation, rarely with actual detention. But if someone pulls some strings, that’s another story.

“Got it. I’ll take the child for now.”

While Shen Xian was speaking with Jiang Xi, Lin Qinghan was watching them from a distance. Jiang Xi looked to be in her early twenties, with delicate features and the appearance of a fragile and pampered omega. Then, noticing the luxury car parked nearby, Lin Qinghan suddenly understood — no wonder Shen Xian hadn’t been asking anyone for money lately. Had she found herself a young, pretty sponsor?

While Lin Qinghan was letting her imagination run wild, Shen Xian and Jiang Xi had already walked over.

“Qinghan, let my friend take care of Tian Tian for now,” Shen Xian said. “I just called the police — it won’t be resolved quickly. Let’s not scare Tian Tian any further.”

Lin Qinghan looked Jiang Xi over but didn’t move. Jiang Xi looked back at her and, in a naturally friendly tone, said, “Don’t worry, sis. I’ll watch the child for you. Once you’ve taken care of things, I’ll bring her back.”

Lin Qinghan was a little suspicious — was this “sponsor” really that easygoing? Even willing to help look after a child? But her mind was already in chaos from her mother and brother, and Shen Tian’s eyes were still red from crying. Lin Qinghan was indeed worried about scaring the child more, so she nodded at Jiang Xi and said, “Thank you.”

“It’s no problem at all, sis,” Jiang Xi said, reaching out to take Shen Tian. But Shen Tian clung tightly to Lin Qinghan.

Shen Xian gently coaxed from the side, “Tian Tian, can you go with this auntie for a little while? Mommy will come get you as soon as she gets rid of grandma and uncle, okay? Be good — this auntie is Mommy’s good friend, she’ll take great care of you.”

Shen Tian still didn’t want to leave with Jiang Xi, but when she glanced toward her grandmother and uncle in the distance, her tiny body trembled in fear. She pressed her lips together and said, “Then Mom and Mommy, you have to come get Tian Tian quickly. Tian Tian’s scared.”

She hesitantly let go of Lin Qinghan’s neck and reached out her small hands to Jiang Xi, blinking her big eyes as she studied the woman. Jiang Xi was nearly melted by how cute she was and immediately picked her up, saying, “Let’s go, Auntie will take Tian Tian to get something yummy. Don’t be scared.”

Jiang Fang, seeing Jiang Xi driving a luxury car and talking to Shen Xian, immediately caught on. She stopped sitting on the ground and dragged Lin Zhixin over to confront them.

“Hey, girl, let me tell you — Shen Xian already has a wife and child. Don’t let this scumbag fool you. But since you’re with her now, you’ll have to repay the 30,000 yuan she owes me. Judging by your car, you don’t look like someone short on cash.” As Jiang Fang spoke, she tried to grab Jiang Xi.

Shen Xian stepped in front of her and grabbed her wrist. “Xiao Xi, take Tian Tian and go.”

Jiang Xi quickly got into the car with Shen Tian, reversed, and drove off. Even after Jiang Xi’s Porsche had disappeared, Jiang Fang was still yelling.

“Well, Shen Xian! Flirting with my daughter while keeping a rich woman on the side! Qinghan, are you stupid? Teaming up with someone like her against your own mother and brother? She nearly broke my wrist!”

Shen Xian looked at Jiang Fang coldly and flung her hand away. Just then, the sound of police sirens drew near, and a police car turned the corner. Three officers got out.

Jiang Fang rushed forward and shouted, “Officers! You have to help me — my daughter was deceived by this scum! And she just hit me! She even dares to cry thief to catch a thief…”

She kept yelling, but the lead male officer frowned and interrupted, “That’s enough. We’re here to resolve the issue, not listen to you argue.”

Jiang Fang immediately fell silent, and Lin Zhixin looked nervous too — he hadn’t expected Shen Xian to actually call the police.

The lead officer turned to Shen Xian and Lin Qinghan. “Tell us what happened.”

Shen Xian nodded and began, “These two are my ex-wife’s mother Jiang Fang and younger brother Lin Zhixin. Lin Zhixin’s a lazy bum who spends his time eating, drinking, whoring, and gambling. Whenever he runs out of money, he comes looking for my ex-wife. He’s never paid back a cent he’s borrowed. This time, he owes another 30,000 yuan and came asking for it again. As for Jiang Fang, she only ever cares about her son. She’s willing to insult and torment her daughter just to get money. I recorded everything that just happened on my phone. Officers, you can take a look.”

“She’s lying!” Jiang Fang cried. “Shen Xian pushed me just now! My daughter’s been brainwashed by her and doesn’t care about us anymore — not even her own brother! We just asked to borrow 30,000 yuan, but now she’s acting like I’m not even her mother! Officers, you have to help us!”

Jiang Fang even managed to force out a few tears as she spoke.

The lead officer reached out to take Shen Xian’s phone. Jiang Fang panicked and tried to grab it back, but a female officer quickly stepped in to stop her.

“What are you doing? Trying to attack an officer?” the female officer asked sternly.

“I didn’t! I didn’t! I just didn’t want you officers to be tricked by this scumbag Shen Xian,” Jiang Fang quickly explained.

The female officer replied coldly, “If you act like this while we’re here, I can imagine how you are when we’re not. All the more reason to watch the footage.”

The officers gathered around and watched the recording. It clearly showed Jiang Fang and Lin Zhixin acting unreasonably, with plenty of scenes of them slandering and insulting Lin Qinghan. Combined with prior instructions to handle the case strictly, the officers quickly formed a judgment.

“I’ve been wronged! My daughter’s unfilial! She called the police on her own mother! I don’t want to live anymore!” Jiang Fang cried dramatically when no one responded.

The lead officer glanced at Shen Xian and Lin Qinghan. “Alright, we’ve got the gist of it. These two intentionally slandered and insulted others. We’ll detain them for two days. We’re taking them in now. You two will need to come too to make statements. The police car doesn’t have enough room, so you’ll need to find your own way there.”

Upon hearing she and Lin Zhixin were going to be detained, Jiang Fang panicked. “Officer, this is all their fault! They’re unfilial! Why are we the ones getting taken away?”

“We’ve seen the footage. You insulted and slandered others. Your daughter isn’t obligated to tolerate your abuse. I’ve seen plenty like you — habitual liars and leeches. A few days in detention might teach you a lesson,” the female officer replied coldly, clearly having no sympathy for Jiang Fang.

“Alright, come with us.” The leading police officer handed the phone back to Shen Xian and opened the door of the police car. “Be smart and get in on your own. Don’t make us use force.”

When Jiang Fang and Lin Zhixin heard they were going to the police station, their legs nearly gave out in fear.
“Officer, we really didn’t do anything wrong! Qinghan, please tell them — we don’t want the money anymore, we’ll leave, we’ll leave right now!”

“You think calling the police is a joke? Since we’re here, we have to make a proper report. Enough talk — move it, or we’ll move you.”

Urged by the police, Jiang Fang and Lin Zhixin reluctantly got into the police car. Just before getting in, Jiang Fang gave Lin Qinghan a vicious glare.

Lin Qinghan watched her mother and younger brother being taken away and felt nothing but unfamiliarity — they seemed like strangers. A chill seeped through her entire body. Were these really her family?
But despite everything, she still felt sorrow. She never thought she’d reach this point with her mother and brother.
Though she wasn’t the one who called the police, she was truly exhausted.
Their behavior kept getting worse and worse — when would it ever end?

Shen Xian stepped forward and gently patted Lin Qinghan on the shoulder in comfort.
“I know this is hard for you. But if they don’t face some consequences and keep showing up to cause trouble, it won’t be good for Tian Tian either.
This kind of dispute usually just leads to a short detention, one or two days at most. Don’t worry, they’ll be fine.
And this isn’t your fault — I’m the one who called the police.
Qinghan, don’t push yourself too hard.”

Lin Qinghan sighed and glanced at Shen Xian, giving a slight nod.
The two quietly hailed a cab and headed to the police station.
By the time they finished giving their statements, it was already afternoon.
As expected, Jiang Fang and Lin Zhixin were detained for two days.

Lin Qinghan didn’t feel any relief from this brief peace — instead, the sadness inside her kept growing, with no one to confide in.
Now, the only person standing by her side was the very one she least wanted to see not long ago.
And even that person had a new, young, and beautiful sponsor.
Lin Qinghan gave a bitter laugh at herself, opened the front passenger door of the taxi, and got in.

Shen Xian and Lin Qinghan got into the taxi one after the other. Though the distance between them was short, it felt like an invisible wall stood between them. They said nothing the entire ride.

Meanwhile, after Jiang Xi took Shen Tian away, she brought her straight to the Jiang family villa.
It was Shen Tian’s first time in a sports car, and she felt quite nervous.
There was no child seat in the car, and her eyes turned red as she sat in the front passenger seat, looking even smaller and more pitiful than usual.

Jiang Xi slowed the car down as much as she could, afraid of scaring Shen Tian.
As she drove, she gently coaxed her, “Tian Tian, don’t worry. Auntie will take good care of you. Sister Shen will be here soon to pick you up.”

The tiny Shen Tian tried her best to hide her fear and replied, “Mm-hmm. Tian Tian is a good girl. Tian Tian won’t cry.”

“Good girl! Auntie will prepare lots of yummy food for you. We’ll be home soon.”

Jiang Xi and her brother were both single, so they rarely interacted with children.
Before long, the red Porsche pulled up in front of the Jiang family villa.
Faced with this unfamiliar place, Shen Tian looked a little lost.
After parking, Jiang Xi opened the passenger door, gently carried Shen Tian out, and comforted her while holding her in her arms,
“Don’t be scared, Tian Tian. We’ve arrived at Auntie’s house. There are lots of tasty things here for you to eat.”

Shen Tian was nervous — everything around her was unfamiliar.
The only person she recognized was this Auntie, who was a friend of her mommy.
She had no choice but to wrap her tiny arms tightly around Jiang Xi’s neck, curling up into a small ball.

Jiang Xi carried Shen Tian inside. The Jiang family’s housekeeper, Aunt Yu, came to greet them immediately.
Seeing the child in Jiang Xi’s arms, she lit up.
“Xiao Xi, where did this little cutie come from? She’s so tiny and adorable!”

Jiang Xi smiled and patted Shen Tian on the head.
“She’s my friend’s child — very well-behaved and sweet. Aunt Yu, do we still have some snacks or treats at home? Could you bring some out for Tian Tian?”

“Of course! We’ve got plenty of snacks and juice. I’ll go get them right now.”
Aunt Yu was not yet fifty and adored children. She went straight to the kitchen with a cheerful heart.

Jiang Xi, worried that Shen Tian might be scared, continued to hold her while sitting on the couch.
She casually grabbed a cat plushie and handed it to Shen Tian.
“Here, Tian Tian — play with this kitty for now. Don’t be scared. Just treat this like your own home.”

Note: The legal reference mentioned at the end comes from Article 42 of the Public Security Administration Punishment Law.

TL Note: A bit of a side note to the note above, this applies to the 2012 edition of the Public Security Administration Punishment Law. In the revised 2025 edition, it is now on Article 50. Additionally, the fine for not following this law is now up to 1,000 RMB (previously up to 500 RMB).