Scumbag Forcing Me to Divorce? Watch Me Turn Around and Marry a Powerful Capital Tycoon! - Chapter 52

Just as Zhao Xinyue was soaking in her pride, a shrill scream suddenly burst through the phone.

“Zhao Xinyue! You wicked snake! You set me up! If you hadn’t egged me on to make things hard for Miss Jiang and Chairman Wang, I never would’ve offended Academician Chen’s savior! You wretched woman—why don’t you just die?!”

“You wait! I’ll never forgive you!”

Zhao Xinyue froze. She scrambled out of the bathtub, water dripping everywhere, her face drained of color.
“Xiao Wen—what… what’s going on? There must be some misunderstanding?”

“Misunderstand your mother! I’ve been ruined because of you! Mark my words, Zhao Xinyue—you’ll pay for this! I lost my job, and I’ll drag you down with me!”

Before Zhao Xinyue could make sense of the chaos, Yu Xiaowen hung up.

Staring at the dead call, unease crept into Zhao Xinyue’s chest. She redialed again, but Yu Xiaowen rejected the call without hesitation.

Zhao Xinyue narrowed her eyes.

Just now, Yu Xiaowen seemed to mention something about a “life-saving benefactor.”

And she’d brought up Academician Chen’s name.

Could it be… Jiang Ning was the one who had saved Academician Chen?

Impossible.

How old was Jiang Ning? What qualifications did she have to be anyone’s life-saving benefactor?

Zhao Xinyue shook her head, dismissing the absurd thought. Wrapping herself in a towel, she tried to calm her nerves. Tomorrow, I’ll visit Xiaowen and get to the bottom of this.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

The moment Zhao Xinyue slipped into her nightgown; furious pounding rattled her door.

Who was it, brimming with such hostility, hammering the wood instead of pressing the doorbell?

Click.

As she pulled the door open, a stormy-faced Yu Xiaowen exploded into view.

“Xiaowen, what are you—”

The words had barely left her lips when—SLAP!

The force of the blow left Zhao Xinyue reeling.

But Yu Xiaowen didn’t stop. She shoved Zhao Xinyue to the floor, straddled her, and rained blows down with venom in her voice.

“Zhao Xinyue, you did this on purpose, didn’t you?! You knew Jiang Ning was Academician Chen’s benefactor, yet you pushed me to target her! Now I’ve been expelled from the institute—are you satisfied?!”

“You vile little tramp! Tonight, I’ll kill you!”

Smack after smack, Zhao Xinyue’s face swelled grotesquely. What broke her even more was the utter lack of a chance to explain.

Within moments, the two women were entangled in a vicious brawl.

…

Meanwhile, at Cheng Corporation.

When word reached him that Jiang Ning and Wang Shengli had been driven out of Academician Chen’s research institute, Cheng Zijun smirked coldly.

“I knew it. Jidong was never destined for greatness.”

Them, meeting Academician Chen? Laughable.

He glanced sideways at Lin Yuze. “What about the search for Academician Chen’s benefactor?”

Lin Yuze frowned helplessly. “Still no leads. A person capable of saving Academician Chen must be some hidden master. Their whereabouts are elusive— even Chen herself has no clue.”

Zijun’s gaze sharpened.

The harder it was for Chen to find her savior, the more their Cheng family needed to succeed first.

Only then… would Chen owe them.

“Keep looking,” he ordered coolly. “Don’t stop until you find them.”

“Yes, Zijun-ge.” Lin Yuze nodded.

“And Jiang Ning?” Zijun asked again. “Has she tried to reach out?”

“No,” Lin Yuze shook his head.

Zijun’s lips curled into a sneer. His eyes brimmed with disdain.
“She’s taking her time, isn’t she? Well, she won’t be able to hold back for long.”

After all—tomorrow night at eight o’clock was his engagement banquet with Zhang Shuyi.

Thinking of it, Zijun’s voice dropped lower. “Are preparations for the banquet complete?”

“Perfectly smooth,” Lin Yuze assured.

“Good. Double the security tomorrow. If Jiang Ning dares to show up and ruin things, I won’t allow her to harm Shuyi.”

Lin Yuze hesitated. “Zijun-ge… honestly, I don’t think she’ll come.”

Zijun scoffed. “You think too highly of her. I’m marrying Shuyi—of course she’ll come crawling, unwilling to let go.”

His smirk carried nothing but ridicule.

…

The Next Day.

Chen Yin personally visited Jidong Company to sign the contract.

Once everything was finalized, Wang Shengli glanced at his watch. “Academician Chen, I’ve reserved a restaurant. Would you honor me with dinner tonight?”

Chen Yin smiled apologetically. “Chairman Wang, I truly appreciate your kindness. But I have a flight to the capital at 1:30 this afternoon. When I return, we’ll gather again—with Miss Jiang, of course. I’ll host next time.”

“That works,” Wang Shengli agreed readily. “Allow me to arrange your transport to the airport.”

“No need,” Chen Yin waved him off. “My driver is already waiting downstairs.”

Soon, she was on her way, and by 3:30 in the afternoon, her plane touched down in the capital.

She was here for a conference scheduled for tomorrow morning at nine. Which meant today, she had an entire afternoon free. Carrying specialties from City A, she went straight to visit an old friend.

The taxi stopped before the grand gates of the Shi family estate.

Yes—Chen Yin’s destination was none other than Old Madam Shi’s residence.

The two women had grown up together, closer than sisters, their bond unbroken despite time, careers, and family burdens.

At the gate, Shi Nanyue welcomed her warmly.

“Auntie Chen, you came without saying a word? I would’ve arranged someone to fetch you from the airport.”

Chen Yin chuckled. “I didn’t want to trouble you. Besides, I brought your mother her favorite pickled beans and golden greens. Where is she now?”

At the mention of her mother, Shi Nanyue’s smile faltered with worry. “She’s been suffering headaches lately. The doctor advised her to avoid drafts, so she stayed in.”

Chen Yin’s face grew anxious. “Headaches? What did the doctor say?”

“Just neurasthenia,” Nanyue reassured. “Nothing serious.”

Chen Yin nodded quickly. “Let’s go—I want to see her right away.”

Her old friend had endured a bitter life: widowed young, a son who later became a vegetable, a missing daughter-in-law, and a lost granddaughter. Misery upon misery.

Filled with concern, Chen Yin quickened her pace, Nanyue hurrying alongside her.

The Shi estate sprawled vast. Even after entering, they rode another five minutes in a car before reaching the courtyard where Old Madam Shi lived.

Inside the bedroom, Tang An was tending gently to the elderly.

Upon seeing Chen Yin, she rose and greeted respectfully, “Good afternoon, Grandma Chen.”

Chen Yin’s eyes softened with affection. “My, An’an, you’ve grown more beautiful with each passing year.”

“Thank you, Grandma Chen,” Tang An replied sweetly.

Hearing this, Old Madam Shi lifted her gaze to Chen Yin. Her eyes glistened with longing.

“Ah Yin,” she murmured, voice trembling, “if Sheng Bao were here, wouldn’t she have blossomed just as beautifully as An’an? Sheng Bao was such a pretty baby. I still remember—just a month old, eyes as round as grapes, her little nose so straight. Everyone said she looked like a porcelain doll…”

Tang An’s lashes lowered, concealing the fleeting shadow in her eyes.

Beside her, Shi Nanyue frowned ever so slightly.

Sheng Bao, Sheng Bao… Mother only ever speaks of Sheng Bao. But the one by her side now is Tang An, not Sheng Bao.

Chen Yin smiled softly. “Of course. Sheng Bao would surely be just as lovely.”

Then, turning serious, she asked, “Jingqiu, how bad are the headaches? Shall I accompany you to the hospital?”

“It’s nothing. Just an old ailment,” Old Madam Shi shook her head.

Sensing the heaviness, Nanyue interjected, “Mom, why don’t you and Auntie Chen chat? An’an and I will step out. Call us if you need anything.”

“Mm, go ahead,” Old Madam Shi said.

Once her daughter and granddaughter had left, Old Madam Shi’s eyes welled with tears. She looked at Chen Yin, her voice hoarse with sorrow.

“Ah Yin… lately, I keep dreaming of Huashang bringing Sheng Bao back. Tell me… do you think, in this lifetime, I’ll still get to see my Sheng Bao again?”