Chapter 12: I Want to Break Up with You

Zheng household.

Zheng Qingning pushed open the door and walked inside, only to meet the furious gazes of Zheng Mother and Zheng Jiaojiao, who looked as if they wanted to swallow her whole. Before she could react, a bowl flew at her head.

Zheng Qingning stepped aside to dodge it, then calmly walked to the dining table and sat down. Ignoring Zheng Mother’s murderous glare, she picked up her rice bowl and served herself a bowl of rice.

She reached for the only meat dish on the table scrambled eggs and scooped half of it into her bowl before starting to eat.

Zheng Father slammed the table and stood up, roaring at her, “You’ve turned against us! Do you even know what you’re doing today? You’re bringing shame and disgrace to the Zheng family!”

“We raised you all these years. So what if you suffer a bit? Why must you ruin us just because of that?”

Zheng Qingning had eaten a bowl of noodles earlier at the state-run restaurant, so she wasn’t very hungry, but she still finished her food.

She placed her bowl and chopsticks down heavily and looked coldly at Zheng Father. “Shame? Who’s really bringing shame here?”

She turned to Zheng Jiaojiao and sneered. “Everyone in the family compound knows Ye Yunzhou is my fiancé, that he’s the one I’m supposed to marry. But your precious daughter has no shame, clinging to her sister’s fiancé in broad daylight without a trace of propriety.”

“Why don’t you go ask around the compound and hear what they’re saying about those two shameless people?”

Zheng Father’s chest heaved with anger. He raised his hand, wanting to slap Zheng Qingning.

But things had already blown up how could Zheng Qingning still be foolish enough to just stand there and take it? She grabbed Zheng Jiaojiao, who was glaring at her fiercely, and slapped her hard across the face.

Caught off guard, Zheng Jiaojiao’s head was thrown to the side. Her pupils trembled as she looked up at Zheng Father in disbelief.

Her mouth filled with the metallic taste of blood as she cried, “Dad, you hit me?”

Zheng Father’s lowered hand trembled violently. His eyes flashed with pain and guilt, but when he turned to Zheng Qingning again, his bloodshot eyes were filled with murderous rage.

“Zheng Qingning. Well done. Very well!”

He looked around, grabbed a stool, and hurled it at Zheng Qingning with a fury that could’ve killed her.

Zheng Qingning dodged behind Zheng Mother and Zheng Jiaojiao. “Dad, am I not your daughter? Why are you treating me like this?”

“It’s not even my fault. You can’t bear to punish Jiaojiao, so you take it all out on me. I won’t accept it!”

“Since we were kids, whenever Jiaojiao cried, it was my fault. If she didn’t do well on exams, my fault. If she got sick, also my fault. I want to ask you what exactly have I done wrong?”

“Did I stop her from studying? Did I sneak into her room at night to throw off her blanket? Can I control when she laughs or cries?”

“Why do you blame everything on me? What exactly have I done wrong?”

“Since Jiaojiao came back from the countryside, how many things of mine has she taken? Now she wants to take Yunzhou too. And not only do you not stop her you help her. Are you trying to drive me to death?”

“Fine. I’ll die, is that what you want?”

As she spoke, Zheng Qingning wiped her tears and ran out the door. She climbed the fence at the entrance, about to jump.

Zheng Father panicked if she actually jumped, their whole family would be finished.

He rushed over and dragged her down, pulling her back inside and slamming the door shut. His face was livid as he glared at her.

“What exactly do you want?”

Zheng Mother and Zheng Jiaojiao were frightened by her madness.

Everything that happened today the entire compound knew. If Zheng Qingning jumped from the building, even if it wasn’t technically their fault, her death would still be blamed on them.

Labeled as the family who drove their daughter to suicide, they’d lose their jobs, and people in the compound would ostracize them.

“She’s gone crazy. Zheng Qingning is completely insane!”

Even Zheng Jiaojiao was scared.

She didn’t understand just yesterday Zheng Qingning was still a pushover. How had she changed so much overnight?

And changed into something terrifying.

“Mom, what do we do? What do we do?”

Seeing her precious daughter so frightened, Zheng Mother quickly hugged her and soothed her. “Don’t be scared. It’ll all be fine after tonight.”

As Zheng Jiaojiao leaned into her mother’s arms, a flash of malice appeared in her eyes. As long as they made it through tonight, Zheng Qingning would be doomed for the rest of her life and the suffocating weight on her chest eased slightly.

“I want to sever ties. I’m cutting all ties with the Zheng family! Since you can’t treat your daughters equally, then I’m done.”

Zheng Qingning’s words exploded in the room like a bomb.

Zheng Father’s eyes widened in disbelief. “You, you, you dare!”

“We raised you all these years, and now you want to cut ties? In your dreams!”

Zheng Qingning met his gaze without fear. “Then I’ll expose what Zheng Jiaojiao and Ye Yunzhou have been doing. Let’s see who ends up more humiliated.”

She let out a mocking laugh. “When the Ye family comes knocking, let’s see if she still marries into their family, if she still gets to follow Yunzhou into the army and play house with him.”

“If you dare try to shove Ye Yunzhou onto me, I’ll report it to his unit. Let’s see what’s more important his future and your precious daughter’s happiness, or forcing me to stay here like a servant.”

Zheng Father was shaking with rage. He never imagined that the obedient daughter who had always worked without complaint would turn against them so fiercely.

Zheng Mother, remembering their plan for the evening, quickly held her furious husband back and whispered something in his ear.

Zheng Father narrowed his eyes. When he looked at Zheng Qingning again, his gaze held barely contained fury.

“I’ll think about it. I’ll give you an answer tomorrow.”

Zheng Qingning knew exactly what they were plotting but decided to play along for now.

“Tonight, the room is mine. Zheng Jiaojiao is not allowed to come in.”

With that, she turned and entered the room, slamming the door behind her.

Inside, Zheng Qingning was going over her own plan when text appeared in front of her eyes.

[Oh no! The Zheng family is being investigated. Grandpa and the rest were detained by the Red Armbands.]

[Why is the Living Hell King getting involved too?]

[Isn’t this He Chunfeng that cousin from the female lead’s second aunt’s side? Why is he showing up so early?]

[If the Zhengs are being investigated, then her family’s turn must be next…]

[Back then, corruption meant being sent to the countryside. What will happen to our girl? Can she still join the arts troupe?]

Zheng Qingning saw the words “arts troupe” and sat up in bed, clutching her blanket tightly.

No she couldn’t be dragged down by the Zheng family. She had to join the arts troupe. She had to rise above everyone else.

Severing ties couldn’t wait any longer.

Outside the room, Zheng Jiaojiao, unwilling to accept Zheng Qingning’s defiance, pulled at her mother’s sleeve angrily and bitterly. “Mom, look at her!”

Zheng Mother patted her hand and said to Zheng Father, “No matter what happens tonight, this must be settled. If we keep her around, she’ll be nothing but trouble.”

Zheng Father’s face darkened. “To be absolutely sure, go double-check everything.”

Then he turned to Zheng Jiaojiao and said coldly, “You stay home these days. Don’t leave until Ye Yunzhou returns to the base.”

“Dad!” Zheng Jiaojiao protested. “I love Brother Ye. I want to marry him. You promised me. How can you go back on your word?!”

Zheng Father, frustrated, said, “Do you really want to stay with the Ye family, taking care of all their elders, while letting Ye Yunzhou find someone else in the army?”

Despite being angry, Zheng Father still couldn’t bring himself to speak harshly to the daughter he had spoiled for over a decade.

“All the aunties in the compound are watching you two closely. One wrong move, and you’ll be forced to marry into the Ye family whether you want to or not.”