Han Xiangjun felt an unprecedented sense of defeat. "Jianbin, bathe yourself and go back to your room to sleep. Let's talk, Yu Xiaoli."
Han Jianbin looked worriedly at his parents, and seeing the glance from Dad, he finally left obediently.
Yu Xiaoli still didn't lift her head. She felt a deep-seated disgust for Han Xiangjun. She simply didn't want to see him.
"Yu Xiaoli, I set you free. You can leave, go wherever you want. I'll give you two thousand yuan, but you can't take Jianbin and don't disturb him in the future."
Yu Xiaoli finally looked at Han Xiangjun, her heart full of disdain.
"Two thousand isn't enough. If you want me not to disturb Jianbin, give me three thousand, and from now on, he will have nothing to do with me."
Han Xiangjun looked at the woman he had lived with for eight years, feeling truly blind. What was he thinking back then? This woman was only slightly pretty and utterly useless otherwise.
At first glance, he fancied her, although at that time she was already so thin she was almost unrecognizable. He gave her family five hundred pounds of grain in exchange for her.
Han Xiangjun mockingly smiled. Back then, she was like a startled rabbit. After one month of care, the sixteen-year-old visibly gained weight, becoming even more alluring and beautiful.
He desired her, but she refused. "I have someone I like. I don't like you."
"Oh, if you didn't like me, why didn't you oppose it back then? Why did you take my grain? Why did you live off me for a month? What kind of person do you take me for?"
"No one forced you to stay and eat what was mine."
This struck Yu Xiaoli's sore spot. She became furious, "I will pay you back."
"I, Han Xiangjun, never owe anyone, and naturally, no one can owe me. If that's the case, repay me all the grain, and you can leave."
At this point, Yu Xiaoli said nothing. She had nothing.
She wasn't stupid. At this moment, she realized a person who could offer so much grain and lavish food wasn't ordinary.
Unwillingly, she allowed Han Xiangjun to sleep with her, but from then on, she harbored endless disgust for him, though she dared not resist.
In bed, Han Xiangjun was a dominating presence, physically vigorous, causing her suffering, which made her detest him even more.
Every day felt like being tortured. Back then, Han Xiangjun was young, thoroughly enjoying those things, tormenting her daily.
Two months later, Yu Xiaoli realized she had missed her period. "Han Xiangjun, I might be pregnant."
The young man was thrilled to hear he was going to be a dad, eagerly wanting to go out and prepare supplements for his wife.
"Han Xiangjun, if you want this child, don't touch me again. If you can't do that, I won't keep the child."
It was like a bucket of cold water doused on burning iron. Han Xiangjun's excitement immediately cooled.
Looking at the increasingly beautiful woman, he wished he could strangle her in his heart.
"Fine, then give birth to the child."
Until Jianbin was born, Han Xiangjun truly didn't look her in the eye. Gradually, his obsession with her waned significantly.
The child's birth did not improve their relationship. She demanded five hundred yuan to be willing to feed the child.
When had Han Xiangjun, a man of his stature, ever been threatened ? With a sneer, he walked away with the child.
He did not return for ten days, and everything edible at home was consumed. Only then did Yu Xiaoli become anxious. She had starved before and was truly terrified of that feeling, yet she dared not leave.
She feared if she went out, she wouldn't be able to return, and feared starving again. But with Han Xiangjun gone, she had no options.
After two days of hunger, Han Xiangjun returned for supplies, and she finally relented.
Han Xiangjun brought the child back, but Yu Xiaoli no longer had milk.
The child, not even a month old, tugged at Han Xiangjun's heart. Not wanting his son to suffer, he sent him away for someone else to raise.
When the child was eight months old and could eat solid food, he brought him back.
By that time, Han Xiangjun truly had no interest in Yu Xiaoli. He was indifferent to her, and as for money, he didn't give her any, and the food was far worse than before.
Yu Xiaoli was truly afraid of this situation, afraid that Han Xiangjun would abandon her now, so she crawled into his bed at night.
Han Xiangjun knew what kind of person she was, having already fathered a son, he had no desire for more.
Yu Xiaoli was incredibly selfish, indifferent even toward the child she bore.
Witnessing this attitude towards her own child, Han Xiangjun was completely disillusioned. Yet, being young, he still harbored some unrealistic thoughts.
Years passed, and they continued living this way.
"Yu Xiaoli, you merely gave birth to Jianbin, never even fed him for a day, demanding five hundred yuan just to feed him. No wonder I'm asking for an extra thousand from you."
"Fine, let's draft an agreement. After you sign, I'll give you the money, and you can leave immediately." ɪꜰ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡᴀɴᴛ ᴛᴏ ʀᴇᴀᴅ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs, ᴘʟᴇᴀsᴇ ᴠɪsɪᴛ 𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹•𝑓𝑖𝑟𝑒•𝙣𝙚𝙩
Han Xiangjun took out pen and paper, quickly drafting a severance agreement, and handed it to her, "Take a look, sign it, and I'll pay you."
Han Jianbin heard the entire conversation. Tears streamed down his face. He knew his mother wasn't cheerful or attentive towards him, always thought it was just her nature, but as he grew older, seeing how others interacted, he began to wonder if she didn't like him.
Now he understood, his mother didn't just not like him, she resented him.
Yu Xiaoli read through the agreement Han Xiangjun wrote. She had no reluctance within her; she just wanted to leave this place quickly, to leave Han Xiangjun. As for Jianbin, he wasn't close to her anyway, and with his father looking after him, what could she expect?
So, she picked up the pen and signed her name.
"Yu Xiaoli, that's not enough. You need to make a guarantee, promising never to appear around Jianbin in the future; Jianbin also has no obligation to support you."
Facing such circumstances, Yu Xiaoli didn't argue further. She simply wrote a guarantee as Han Xiangjun requested.
Taking out the ink, he asked her to press her fingerprint. "Jianbin, you can come out now."
Seeing the child appear, Yu Xiaoli felt a tinge of emotion, but looking at the money in Han Xiangjun's hand, she ultimately said nothing.
Han Jianbin looked at his mother, tears still falling.
"Mom, are you going to leave me?"
"It's your father who won't let me take you."
Hearing her shameless words, Han Xiangjun laughed, "Yu Xiaoli, how about this, you take Han Jianbin with you. I'll give you twenty yuan a year for his upkeep."
Yu Xiaoli wondered where she could go with him. She was going to find her true love; how could she bring along a burden?