Yang Chen was about to explain when Qin Xi snapped, "You shut up!"
"Mommy, I'm hungry!"
Qin Xiaoxiao's voice chimed in at just the right moment.
Hearing her daughter was hungry, Qin Xi turned to her father, "Dad, let's eat."
Qin Xi's father, Qin Dayong, held a low status in the Qin family due to his lack of capability, but Qin Xi was highly capable and valued by the family patriarch.
It could be said that the family's current standard of living was largely due to Qin Xi's efforts, making her status in the household quite high, except when it came to marriage matters, where her parents were very assertive.
Because the car of Su Chengwu, the richest man in Jiangzhou, had appeared and he had sent lavish gifts, Wang Jian didn't dare to show off anymore and left without eating, making an excuse.
By five in the afternoon, all the relatives had left. Qin's mother, Zhou Yucui, said to Qin Yi, "Yiyi, take Xiaoxiao back to the room first."
Qin Yi understood that Zhou Yucui was going to lecture her brother-in-law and gave Yang Chen a gleeful look before leading Qin Xiaoxiao away, "Xiaoxiao, come play hide and seek with auntie."
Although Qin Xiaoxiao wanted to stay with her father, the mention of playing a game with her aunt made her trot off happily, holding her aunt's hand.
Only Qin Dayong, Zhou Yucui, Qin Xi, and Yang Chen remained in the living room.
"Yang Chen, since you're back, there are some things we need to clarify," Zhou Yucui cleared her throat and spoke, no longer as harsh as when she first saw Yang Chen.
Yang Chen nodded respectfully, "Mom, please say whatever you need to."
Zhou Yucui then said, "You know well that five years ago, you and Xiao Xi were set up, leading to your marriage. There was no emotional foundation between you two. Right after getting married, you left without a word. Over these years, Xiao Xi has been both father and mother, suffering greatly and enduring countless rumors. Even the Sanhe Group she founded was forcibly taken by the family. All this is because of you."
Yang Chen's heart ached, knowing these were not fabrications but facts.
He had left for five years, especially when Qin Xi was pregnant, and could only imagine the malicious gossip she had endured.
Qin Xi's eyes were also red, her teeth clenched tightly on her lip.
"Mom, I understand all that you've said, but rest assured, I've returned to make up for Xiao Xi and Xiaoxiao. I will not let you down again."
Yang Chen spoke earnestly, his sincerity evident. He didn't know what else to say but to express his genuine intentions.
"You still dare to talk about the future with us?"
At this, Qin Dayong stood up abruptly, full of anger, "Do you think my daughter is a commodity? To be taken when you want and discarded when you don't?"
Qin Dayong pointed to the gold and silver jewelry on the coffee table, "Look at what others have sent to marry my daughter. You're just a worthless good-for-nothing. Do you really think serving in the army for five years qualifies you to make my daughter happy? You've already wasted five years of her life. Tomorrow morning, you two are getting a divorce."
Zhou Yucui, moved by Qin Dayong's words, was also in tears, crying, "Old Qin is right. You two should get divorced tomorrow. There are men lining up around Jiangzhou to pursue my daughter, yet she was ruined by you, a good-for-nothing. If you truly love her, then divorce her."
Yang Chen's face was full of sorrow. No matter how his in-laws scolded or berated him, he deserved it. Thinking of all Qin Xi had endured alone over the years only deepened his pain.
The reason he left five years ago was that he felt unworthy of Qin Xi. Only by joining the army could he possibly carve out a place for himself and become worthy of her. But he didn't know that just one encounter would leave Qin Xi pregnant.
Qin Xi had long been in tears. Years of enduring everything alone had made her incredibly strong. Even with tears streaming down her face, she refused to let out a single sob.
Seeing Qin Xi in such pain made Yang Chen's heart ache even more.
Now, even if Qin Xi wanted the stars in the sky, he would find a way to get them for her. But would Qin Xi accept him?
Only now did he realize that from the very beginning, it had been his unrequited love. He had liked her even before the incident five years ago, but Qin Xi had never looked at him seriously. Even after being set up and having a marital relationship with him, even marrying him for the sake of family honor, as Qin Dayong said, there was no emotional foundation between them.
Yang Chen had mistakenly believed that as long as he could become worthy of Qin Xi, he could make her happy.
At this moment, he realized he was wrong!
He had been wrong for five whole years!
Bang!
Yang Chen suddenly stood up and knelt heavily towards Qin Dayong and Zhou Yucui, the sound resonating as if the entire room shook.
"Father-in-law, mother-in-law, please accept my bow!" Yang Chen's expression was solemn and respectful.
Bang!
His forehead hit the hard marble floor with a heavy thud.
"Yang Chen, what are you doing?"
Seeing the blood seeping from Yang Chen's forehead, Zhou Yucui exclaimed in shock.
"Don't think you can win Qin Xi's forgiveness with this kind of self-sacrificing act."
Qin Dayong was also surprised, then looked at the tear-streaked Qin Xi, "Xiao Xi, you must not be fooled by his self-sacrifice. This good-for-nothing should never be forgiven."
Bang!
Yang Chen seemed not to hear anything, bowing heavily again, his forehead hitting the floor.
"Yang Chen bows again, thanking you both for taking care of Xiao Xi and Xiaoxiao all these years."
Then, another bow!
"For these five years, Yang Chen has failed in his duties as a husband and father, letting Xiao Xi endure countless rumors and Xiaoxiao grow up without a father. I have wronged my in-laws, and even more so, Xiao Xi and Xiaoxiao!"
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Each bow was made with immense force, as if only through this could he alleviate some of his pain.
After dozens of bows, Yang Chen's forehead was already covered in blood.
Beside him, Qin Xi was also in tears.
Yang Chen finally stood up, feeling somewhat relieved. He walked up to the sobbing Qin Xi and suddenly said, "Xiao Xi, let's get a divorce."
Hearing Yang Chen's words, Qin Xi trembled, and Qin Dayong and Zhou Yucui were also shocked and surprised.
Qin Xi stood up, her body shaking, her lips tightly bitten. Her makeup was ruined, but it couldn't hide her stunning beauty.
Slap!
"Divorce?"
She slapped Yang Chen across the face, furious, "What kind of person do you take me for?"
"I admit, what happened five years ago, you were also a victim. If you didn't want to marry me, you could have refused. Why did you leave after we were already married?"
"Do you know how much gossip I've endured, how much I've suffered after you left? Do you know how our daughter was bullied in kindergarten, called a fatherless bastard?"
"Do you know how much it hurt me every time our daughter asked me when her daddy was coming home, holding our only wedding photo?"
"I finally waited for my husband to return, our daughter finally waited for her father to come home, and you tell me you want a divorce?"
"Tell me, how can you face me? How can you face our daughter?"
Qin Xi finally exploded, crying out loud as if to vent all the pain she had endured alone over the past five years.
With each of her questions, Yang Chen's heart ached more. When Qin Xi broke down in tears, the hero who had fought on battlefields, bearing countless wounds without a cry of pain, now shed tears.
Yang Chen stepped forward and suddenly embraced Qin Xi tightly.
"Let go of me! Get out! Get out of my life completely. Didn't you say you want a divorce? We'll go to the civil affairs bureau tomorrow." Qin Xi struggled and cried, pounding on Yang Chen's chest.
Yang Chen's arms were like iron clamps, holding her tightly, letting her vent, whispering softly in her ear, "I'm sorry, I will never leave you again in this lifetime."