“Don’t act like you’re doing this for me. Whatever you do, you only ever do it for yourself.”
“Zhiqiu, if you just say the word—”
Shen Zhiqiu cut Chen Can off. “I don’t need to.”
“Chen Can, I’ve already cut ties with the Shen family. You saw it yourself—I even dared to hit Shen Daqiang. To me, Shen Liya isn’t even worth a fart.”
A mocking smile curled her lips. “I have no reason to beg you for her sake.”
“Zhiqiu, I wasn’t talking about her. I meant you.”
Chen Can took a step forward. “If you tell me not to interfere, I really won’t.”
“You know, if I stay out of it, things will be much easier for you. On the other hand, if I step in—”
“If you step in, it doesn’t matter. At most, I’ll just have a few more headaches—but the outcome won’t change. I believe in my own abilities, and I believe even more in Mingyuan’s.”
“If you want to help Shen Liya, that’s you fulfilling your duty as a husband. But my husband has always been more dutiful than you. I don’t need to beg him—Mingyuan helps me willingly.”
Her words instantly darkened the expressions of both Chen Can and Shen Liya.
“Zhiqiu, I’m speaking to you nicely. Why do you have to be so prickly?”
Chen Can pulled Shen Liya closer, his face stiff. “A woman should be gentle—that’s what makes her likable. You really should learn a thing or two from Liya.”
“I have my own gentleness. I don’t need to learn from anyone—it’s just that my gentleness is reserved for Mingyuan. No one else is worthy of it.”
Shen Zhiqiu smirked, throwing his words right back at him. “Chen Can, the most admirable quality in a man is loyalty. That’s something you should really learn from Heizi.”
Heizi was the male dog owned by Chen Can’s next-door neighbor. There had also been a female dog named Dawang.
After Dawang died, Heizi refused to eat or drink—and soon followed her in death.
The whole neighborhood knew the story, praising Heizi as a loyal and devoted dog.
Chen Can immediately realized Shen Zhiqiu was calling him less faithful than a dog. His face darkened with fury. “Zhiqiu, I never knew you could be so sharp-tongued.”
Seeing this, Shen Liya seized the chance to stir the pot. “A-Can, I’ve told you before—Shen Zhiqiu is ruthless. The way she acted before was all an act to deceive you!”
“Shen Liya, I’m not even a fraction as ‘skilled’ as you.”
Shen Zhiqiu cast her a derisive glance before slowly turning her gaze back to Chen Can, staring straight into his eyes as she spoke deliberately.
“You think Chen Can doesn’t know your true nature? He just doesn’t care whether you’re deceiving him—because he knows you can’t leave him.”
“The only reason he hasn’t divorced you is that he’s up for a promotion and doesn’t want the scandal.”
“Don’t bother fantasizing. He won’t lift a finger unless he’s willing to throw away his career.”
Chen Can’s brow furrowed. Shen Zhiqiu had laid bare his thoughts, and it unsettled him—yet, in a strange way, it also intrigued him.
“A-Can, is that true?” Shen Liya clutched his arm fearfully.
But Chen Can didn’t even glance at her. Instead, he kept his eyes fixed on Shen Zhiqiu, his voice icy. “Zhiqiu, are you threatening me?”
“You’re overthinking it. You’re not worth the effort. I’ve said all I needed to say—and I’m sure you’ve already made up your mind.”
With that, Shen Zhiqiu turned and walked away. Shen Daqiang and Shen Liya immediately panicked.
“Xiao Chen!”
“A-Can!” Shen Liya shook his arm desperately.
Chen Can shoved her off irritably. “Can you stop causing trouble for me every damn day?”
“A-Can, but you promised you’d help get my dad released!”
Biting her lip, Shen Liya’s eyes reddened with aggrieved frustration. “How could Shen Zhiqiu’s few words make you change your mind? What’s so great about her that you can’t forget her? She’s already married to Yue Mingyuan—I’m your wife!”
“Have you forgotten why Zhiqiu and I broke up? Or how you ended up married to me? If not for your scheming, Zhiqiu would have been my wife!”
Chen Can grabbed Shen Liya’s wrist and yanked her close, his voice a low warning. “Shen Liya, don’t think I don’t know what you’ve done. The fact that I haven’t divorced you yet is the greatest mercy you’ll ever get from me. Don’t push your luck.”
“Zhiqiu knows to consider my career, but all you care about is yourself and your parents! Why can’t you think about me for once?”
“Listen closely—if you want this marriage to last, behave yourself.”
Shen Liya seethed with hatred inside, but she remembered her mother’s advice: No matter how much it hurts, endure it. Never anger a man.
She absolutely could not divorce Chen Can—at least not until she found a better replacement.
And right now, he was the only one who could save her father.
“A-Can, I’m sorry. It’s all my fault.”
Lowering her eyes, she let tears drip pathetically down her cheeks. Ignoring the pain in her wrist, she wrapped her arms around Chen Can’s waist, her voice soft and pleading.
“A-Can, how could I not consider you? I just didn’t realize… Please don’t blame me, okay?”
“But my dad is getting old. I can’t be as heartless as Shen Zhiqiu, watching him suffer like this.”
“A-Can, I’ll find another way myself. You focus on your work.”
Chen Can had always been weak to softness over force. Even if he knew she was acting, he still enjoyed seeing Shen Liya like this.
“That’s more like it. Whatever you do, don’t imitate Shen Zhiqiu’s attitude, understand?”
In his heart, he added: “You could never pull it off anyway.”
Shen Liya nodded obediently.
“Xiao Chen, you can’t just abandon me!” Shen Daqiang protested.
Shen Liya shot him a warning look. “Dad, I’ll find a way to get you out. Don’t bother A-Can.”
“The key to this is Shen Zhiqiu’s uncle. If you can get him to drop the charges, Dad will be fine.”
“Once her uncle backs off, Shen Zhiqiu won’t have any grounds to keep pushing this.”
Chen Can sighed. “I’m not washing my hands of it—I just can’t intervene directly. I’ll talk to the people holding your dad and make sure he’s treated more comfortably.”
“A-Can, thank you.” Shen Liya stood on her toes and kissed him.
Once Chen Can left, she sat across from Shen Daqiang. “Dad, we’ll have to do as Chen Can said. I’ll go talk to Shen Zhiqiu’s uncle.”
“Liya, I knew I could count on you. You’ve always been the most filial.”
Shen Daqiang’s face twisted with malice. “Just wait till I’m out. I’ll make that ungrateful bitch Shen Zhiqiu pay!”
“Dad, you can’t let her off easy! She deserves to die!”
Shen Liya’s eyes gleamed with calculation. “But maybe I should be the one to teach her a lesson. That way, Yue Mingyuan won’t suspect you.”
The moment Shen Daqiang remembered Yue Mingyuan’s terrifying aura, his legs went weak.
