Rebirth: Once Again With You

The familiar voice startled Li Caiyi. She didn't notice it until now, but the door wasn't completely shut, so she could hear the conversation inside.

There was no way she wouldn't notice Qing Xiangjun's voice when she was angered. Her mother-in-law scolded her with the same tone over and over again in the past.

Li Caiyi immediately realized that the Meng couple was probably having a fight, so she retreated and intended to return to her room. No matter how urgent she was, it wasn't right to stay there and witness that.

However, her steps halted when she heard Qing Xiangjun's following words.

"Why do you even try to help her and embarrass our family name? We should have just made Renshu divorce her, and everything should end!"

Divorce?

Li Caiyi's blood ran cold when she heard that, but she tried to calm herself down by pressing her hand to her chest. Her heart pounded nervously, heating the word she always dreaded to hear.

No. Li Caiyi didn't want to divorce Meng Renshu. It was okay if he didn't love or even hate her, but she still wanted to protect this marriage. Li Jirong would kill her if she was kicked out of the Meng family.

Canceling her intention to return to her room, Li Caiyi pressed herself to the door to listen more. Eavesdropping was terrible, but her fate would be decided here. So far, being married to Meng Renshu was the only merit she had.

Li Caiyi would be completely useless if she lost her status as Madam Meng. Just thinking about what her father would do to her was enough to make her whole body tremble in fear.

"Tone down your voice. You usually behave elegantly, but you act like a shrew from the market once we are alone." Meng Yaoshu's helpless voice could be heard next.

"It's not the time for that! Don't you realize you have been dragging this long enough? Just how much more should we suffer humiliation from this scandal? I can't even raise my head because people keep talking nasty things about our family."

Li Caiyi wasn't the culprit, but she felt terrible for causing so much trouble. As Madam Meng, this incident undoubtedly hurt the Meng family's good name and face.

"Can't you be more understanding? I need a little more time." Meng Yaoshu began to sound impatient.

However, his attitude infuriated the prideful Qing Xiangjun even more. "So you want to say I'm causing a stir for nothing here? Can you put yourself in my shoes for once?! I have heard about the result. The police already have the evidence, and there is even a witness. You are the only one who stubbornly tried to prolong this matter uselessly!"

Not only did she make a mistake and cause a lot of trouble, but now Meng Yaoshu had to endure his wife's scolding. All her father-in-law did was try to protect her, but it put him in a difficult situation.

Li Caiyi bit her lips. If this went on, then she wouldn't be surprised if they really would force Meng Renshu to divorce her. Qing Xiangjun never had a reasonable opinion about her, which was the opportunity to get rid of her.

The most frustrating part was that Li Caiyi could understand where she came from.

Qing Xiangjun didn't know the truth, and the investigation showed a disadvantageous result for her. If their position were reserved, Li Caiyi probably wouldn't agree to let her son be with a useless and problematic daughter-in-law like her.

'That's right. I have inconvenienced a lot of people, but I'm still so shameless and come to beg for Father's help. I really am a failure and good-for-nothing.'

A gloomy mood surrounded her, and every word of 'divorce' stabbed her heart deeply. She waited to hear more from Meng Yaoshu, but there was a long silence before she heard a laugh. It sounded a little bit off, like a peal of twisted laughter.

"My wife, you worry too much. You said she could hold on all this time because I protected her? That's not right. It is supposed to be 'she has to hold on until the time I deem right to throw her away'."

Li Caiyi couldn't believe what she had just heard. But that was definitely Meng Yaoshu's voice. The same kind and gentle men who comforted her just a while ago.

So why did his voice sound so vile right now?

"H-Husband, what do you mean?" Qing Xiangjun voiced her thoughts. She seemed as surprised as Li Caiyi with his sudden behavior change.

"It's just as you heard. We have to at least put on a show in trying to defend her, or our family will be considered a heartless family who kicked their daughter-in-law when she was weak. The launch of new medicine will be held soon, and we need people's support as much as possible. We can use this incident to our advantage."

Li Caiyi could feel the ground crumble beneath her. She clamped her mouth with her hand while holding back her sob. Her tears flowed down uncontrollably before she knew it.

The amount of agony she felt was immeasurable.

Her father-in-law, whom she had thought of as her own father, and looked up greatly, was hiding such a nefarious plan all this time. She came to him for help without knowing that she had actually entered a lion cage of her own volition.

"Besides, Renshu made a little mistake too. I have to ensure no bad rumors about him will spread after that, so would you mind waiting a little bit more?" Meng Yaoshu sighed. "I told him often that he should be more careful if he wanted to meet another woman behind his wife's back."

By this time, Li Caiyi's eyes had utterly lost their light. To call what she felt as sadness would be an understatement.

'He always cheered me up whenever I looked lonely. But he is giving such advice to his son all this time. Everything was just a lie.'

Li Caiyi felt like laughing now. How could he endure playing a caring and generous father-in-law all this time? He must have felt sick and fed up with her, yet he persevered and managed to hide his disdain. What good acting, what dedication!

Li Caiyi couldn't imagine how much he had laughed and mocked her inwardly whenever she thanked him profusely. How pathetic she must have looked in his eyes at that time!

'I'm so stupid. Even my biological father didn't want me. What makes me think that someone like my father-in-law would be able to accept me? I'm just a useless and pathetic substitute.'

"Husband, what is this? So you have been planning for this from the very beginning?" Qing Xiangjun sounded taken aback.

"Yes, my silly wife. I had never made a failed investment before. It was unfortunate since she is obedient, but it's time for her to move out from the picture."

"I don't understand you. I have always thought it was weird how you readily agreed to the marriage just because of an old promise. What is your true reason for doing this? It's about time you tell me what you have been hiding all this time."

Meng Yaoshu laughed again, and it sent chills down her spine. "The Li family has been the thorn in our side for a long time. It's about time we do something about them. After this, there will be no promise or relation between us. The current Li family head is a greedy and incapable man, but his son is different. Even now, many people praise him for his achievement, which puts us in this predicament.

I can't let the public see our family see us as the white-eyed wolf. If we allow a genius like him to gain more merits, then he probably would threaten our son in the future."