Reborn in the 80s: My Whole Family Secretly Hears My Thoughts and Goes Wild with Success! - Chapter 105

“Xiao Tan, I heard Chen Can hasn’t been around lately. Is it because your household is out of rice and flour? Why don’t you stay for lunch?”

Wan Jiayin looked at Tan Yingjun and continued, “Speaking of Chen Can, even if he’s busy with work, he should still find time to visit you, shouldn’t he?”

“After Yaya’s full-month banquet, once he saw Shen Liya for who she really was, he should’ve divorced her. Instead, he moved out of the compound. What’s going on with that?”

“He usually listens to you the most—why didn’t you talk some sense into him? This isn’t something you can just indulge. Indulging a child is like killing them.”

“Now that Shen Liya’s been arrested, if he divorces her at this point, people will surely gossip behind his back. Xiao Tan, you’ve been foolish.”

Tan Yingjun’s face darkened with each word, as if Wan Jiayin were stabbing her in the heart.

She was someone who cared deeply about appearances. After Chen Can moved out following Yaya’s full-month banquet, she had stayed indoors for a long time, afraid of facing the humiliation if people brought it up.

Yet here was Wan Jiayin, prattling on without end—absolutely insufferable.

Shen Zhiqiu spoke up, “Mom, Chen Can doesn’t seem all that busy with work. When we passed by the Air Force compound earlier, I even saw his car parked there.”

“What was Chen Can doing at the entrance of the Air Force compound?”

“Probably waiting for General Xu’s granddaughter, Xu Wan. Chen Can’s been spending a lot of time with her lately.”

Shen Zhiqiu’s words caused the room to fall into a tense silence, with everyone instinctively glancing at Tan Yingjun.

Tan Yingjun shot to her feet, pointing at Shen Zhiqiu. “Shen Zhiqiu, don’t you dare spread lies!”

“Auntie Tan, are you really unaware, or are you just burying your head in the sand?”

“Chen Can’s been frequenting the Air Force compound and taking Xu Wan out and about—plenty of people have seen it.”

“The whole compound’s been talking about it. If you don’t believe me, ask the other aunties here.”

Shen Zhiqiu tilted her chin toward the gossipy women Tan Yingjun had brought along. Tan Yingjun turned to them, but they all avoided her gaze—the answer was obvious.

“Xiao Tan, had enough of the show? If not, I can pour you a glass of water.”

“Summer heat can make people irritable, and with your heart condition, we wouldn’t want you getting all flustered and short of breath.”

Wan Jiayin’s words sounded considerate, but she made no move to stand. Everyone understood she was politely telling Tan Yingjun to leave.

“No need! We have water at home. Save your hospitality for your precious daughter-in-law and her family.”

Tan Yingjun stormed out in a huff, her entourage hastily bidding farewell to Yue Guohuai and Wan Jiayin before scurrying after her.

Back home, Tan Yingjun stewed in her anger until she finally snapped, sweeping everything off the coffee table in a fit of rage.

Chen Can walked in to find the mess and frowned in annoyance. “Mom, what’s wrong now?”

“It’s all Wan Jiayin and Shen Zhiqiu’s fault! They ganged up on me—humiliated me!”

Tan Yingjun slumped onto the sofa, throwing a tantrum. “And that country bumpkin, Shen Zhiqiu’s second aunt, even had the nerve to talk back to me!”

“Why did you even go to the Yue family?”

Chen Can shot the hired help a look, signaling her to clean up the mess, then sat beside Tan Yingjun.

“I heard Shen Zhiqiu’s uncle was visiting today and wanted to see what kind of rural in-laws the Yue family had.”

Chen Can sighed. “So you went to embarrass the Yue family and ended up embarrassing yourself instead?”

“And whose fault is that?!”

Tan Yingjun twisted Chen Can’s arm hard. “I told you not to marry Shen Zhiqiu—I never liked her family. But no, you went and married Shen Liya instead, and didn’t even tell me until after the fact!”

Chen Can winced in pain, prying her fingers off and rubbing his sore arm. He put on a helpless expression. “She was pregnant! She threatened to report me and have me thrown in jail if I didn’t marry her. What else could I do?”

“You know what she’s like—what her parents are like. I had no choice but to marry her.”

Tan Yingjun jabbed a finger toward his crotch. “If you’d kept it in your pants, none of this would’ve happened! This is all your fault!”

Chen Can shifted all the blame onto Shen Liya. “She seduced me! Drugged me! She planned this from the start!”

“A woman like her—unruly, scheming—should never have been brought into this family. Because of her, we’re the laughingstock of the entire compound. How am I supposed to show my face now?” Tan Yingjun sniffled.

“Mom, crying won’t change anything. What’s done is done.”

Chen Can lit a cigarette. “I came back to tell you—I’m divorcing Shen Liya. I held off before because I didn’t want it affecting my promotion.”

“But now I have no choice. I can’t have a kidnapper for a wife, and Xiao Bo can’t have a kidnapper for a mother.”

Tan Yingjun immediately stopped crying. She patted his shoulder. “Son, you’ve finally come to your senses. I was afraid you’d stay under that vixen’s spell and ruin your career—and Xiao Bo’s future.”

“Mom, Shen Liya’s no vixen. She’s not even that pretty.” Chen Can didn’t bother hiding his disdain.

His mind drifted to Shen Zhiqiu—her every smile, every glare haunted him.

She was the real vixen, the one who had him utterly bewitched.

“No sensible man marries the vixen. Those women are for fleeting affairs—but you had to go and be stupid about it.”

Tan Yingjun’s tone was thick with disappointment. “Xu Wan has liked you since school. I told you to be with her, but you refused, saying she wasn’t pretty enough—then you fell for Shen Zhiqiu at first sight.”

“Looks don’t matter for men or women. Neither Shen Zhiqiu nor Shen Liya can help you—they’ll only drag you down. But Xu Wan can.”

“Once you climb the ranks, you’ll have your pick of women. A man shouldn’t get lost in romance—focus on your career.”

“Finalize the divorce with Shen Liya ASAP, then make it official with Xu Wan. I want you married by year’s end, understand?” She gave him a shove.

Chen Can nodded. “Understood.”

“Xiao Bo’s still young—he won’t remember much. Xu Wan can bond with him properly.”

Tan Yingjun motioned for Chen Can to lean in, then whispered a plan.

“That way, Xu Wan will have no choice but to stay loyal to you and treat Xiao Bo well. And if Xiao Bo doesn’t turn out well, you can always find another woman and have another child.”

For the first time, Chen Can felt his mother was making sense. He turned to her with a bright smile. “Mom, what do you want for lunch? I’ll cook for you myself.”

“Please. Even the dog wouldn’t eat your cooking.”