Chapter 16: Come Drink with Brother

“But… you got laid off!

Your mom, besides being senile, is physically healthier than me. That means, for the next ten, twenty years, or even longer, I’ll have to take care of her until she dies!

Of course, if you had been a little kinder to me, helped me a bit more when you came home, or at least spoken sweetly, I wouldn’t have sent your mom away.

But you didn’t do any of that!

Just thinking about those dark, hopeless days makes me feel like someone’s choking me—I can’t breathe.”

【Such a cruel woman’s heart! How could she leave an elderly person who can’t take care of herself in a strange place? Isn’t that just asking for her to die?】

【Sigh, every family has its own difficult story. I feel sorry for her, no normal person could endure that kind of life.】

【Actually, she didn’t ask for much. If her husband were gentle and considerate, it wouldn’t have come to this.】

【Better to just get a divorce. There’s no need to carry that kind of shame and mental burden for a man and family like this.】

【Believe it or not, if this sister divorces, the husband’s relatives and friends will definitely criticize her mercilessly.】

【In my opinion, it’s this man’s irresponsibility—he breaks his promises and even leaves his own mother to his wife to care for. No sense of responsibility at all!】

【Another day of fear of marriage…】

The comments were all kinds of opinions.

The couple naturally saw all of them.

The man looked pained and deeply guilty.

“Sorry, wife. I didn’t realize how much pressure you were under. It’s all my fault for relying on you too much. This is my responsibility. Let’s find mom together, whether send her to a nursing home or hire a nanny. I will find a new job and try to understand you more. Let’s live well together from now on, okay?”

Xiao Xingfu was already in tears. She looked at Shen Chujin.

“Host, can I trust him?”

There was hope in her eyes.

She loved her husband, otherwise, she wouldn’t have stayed married through such difficult times.

But she had no confidence about the future.

She didn’t know if she would break down if her husband’s words turned out empty again.

So, she hoped Shen Chujin could give her an answer.

Whether it was the answer she wanted or not, at least it would be a resolution.

Shen Chujin nodded, “Yes, he can.”

【Sending her back to a family like that? Host, aren’t you just setting her up to suffer?!】

【I think the host is deeply rooted in patriarchal thinking! No matter how bad men behave, she always advocates that women should forgive and return to the family. Tch! I’m done watching, this is boring!】

【Ha, her own mother was heartlessly abandoned, and she still wants to reconcile with that woman? What a ‘filial son’! You all just stay locked up and don’t come out to harm others!】

After glancing at the comment section, Shen Chujin said, “Xiao Xingfu’s husband will find a new job. Although it won’t be as glamorous as his previous one, this will be a fresh start for his career.

His position will rise steadily, and he will earn more and more.

Later, he will start a business and succeed, leading the whole family to a prosperous life.

He will also remember his previous promises—no matter how busy he is, he will make time to care for Xiao Xingfu and the child.

Even if successful, when facing temptations outside, he will maintain boundaries, keep his principles, and give his wife full respect.

They will also frequently visit the nursing home to see his mother, and the whole family will live happily together.

However, if they divorce, Xiao Xingfu will meet a scumbag two years later.

That man will not only cheat but also be abusive.

Meanwhile, Xiao Xingfu’s husband, after achieving success, will encounter a woman who only wants his money.

She will not only beat and abuse him and Xiao Xingfu’s daughter but also steal all his money.”

Although Shen Chujin advocates divorce if the marriage is unhappy,

if there are still feelings tied to the marriage and divorce leads to an even worse life, then divorce is unnecessary.

【I think nowadays netizens are just fed too much toxic advice online, shouting “divorce” at the slightest problem. There’s no perfect marriage, it requires effort from both partners.】

【I agree with this. Divorce hurts the kids the most. I’ve seen many children from single-parent families with psychological or character issues.】

“Sorry, husband, I was wrong.”

At this moment, Xiao Xingfu was very frightened.

She deeply realized her mistake.

She should have communicated more with her husband and honestly expressed her true feelings and thoughts.

Not bottling up all her emotions inside, leading to emotional breakdown and making such a mistake.

“Host, can you find my mother-in-law’s exact location?” Xiao Xingfu asked anxiously.

At this moment, her question was sincere and heartfelt.

Actually, thinking carefully, before she got sick, the mother-in-law treated her quite well.

Her remorse reached its peak.

She was very afraid that her mother-in-law might really get into trouble alone outside.

“You all follow the endpoint of that bus route westward, and you will come across a century-old willow tree. The elderly lady is under that willow tree. But you have to be quick, or she might not still be there.”

Upon hearing this, the couple hurriedly thanked her, quickly sent a few gifts, and then ended the connection.

【Huh? This woman sent her own mother-in-law away and didn’t get any punishment?】

Looking at the comments on the screen, Shen Chujin slowly said, “Punishment isn’t always something tangible. Some punishments make people suffer physically, lose money, or lose something important, some punishments are invisible and intangible.”

Xiao Xingfu didn’t seem to have received any punishment from this incident, but her heart was already tormented.

From then on, she would only treat the elderly lady better out of guilt.

Although the elderly lady would eventually be sent to a nursing home, the care she would receive there would be better than at home, since the staff there are professionals.

Xiao Xingfu would visit the nursing home regularly and talk with her.

Therefore, the nursing home staff also dared not neglect her.

【Her husband didn’t even care about her nagging?】

【Host, I think I get what you mean. You’re saying she will be punished by her conscience, right?】

【Everyone can make mistakes, what matters is how they deal with those mistakes.】

【If it were me, I definitely wouldn’t forgive my wife if she sent my mother away without my permission. But human nature is diverse. Everyone has different lives and views. I don’t understand, but I respect that.】

【Sigh, hard to judge.】

“Alright, let’s start today’s second reading.”

Shen Chujin sent out the lucky bags.

Everyone watched intently, secretly counting the seconds.

Five… four… three… two… one!

【Ahhh, why isn’t it me again?】

【Never won a red envelope, never got a lucky bag either. Who’s more unlucky than me?】

【Who is the lucky one? Come out, I guarantee… you’ll be so jealous!】

The connection was established, and strong drum music suddenly boomed.

The flickering lights and the noisy voices instantly stunned the viewers in the livestream chat.

This is… a bar?

Young men and women in the private room were drinking, playing rock-paper-scissors, and howling wildly as they sang.

This lifestyle was utterly decadent.

Suddenly, a drunken blond-haired guy stumbled up close to the camera.

His face was flushed red, clearly drunk.

“What a pretty girl! Come keep brother company and drink.”

Seeing that Shen Chujin didn’t react, his tone became even more flirtatious.

“Come keep brother company for one night, I guarantee you’ll make more than streaming for a whole month. How about it?”

【The host dares to be teased like this? Aren’t you afraid the host will summon some ghosts to come play with him?】

【Damn, what kind of person is this? So annoying, just begging to be punched.】

【Guys, do you know where this place is?】

【Where?】

【This is “Night Mystery,” the most luxurious and extravagant entertainment city in the imperial capital. The entrance ticket alone starts at ten thousand per night, not to mention the insanely priced drinks and services inside. Only the rich and powerful heirs of the imperial capital can afford to spend money here.】

“Ghosts? Hahaha, where are the ghosts?”

The blond guy laughed loudly while drinking.

Shen Chujin slowly glanced at the corner behind him.

Calmly, he said, “Right behind you.”