Chapter 150: What to Do? Pay for the Lesson

Chapter 150: So What Can You Do? Pay for the Lesson.

When Shen Qin arrived in Shencheng, it was Su Lichen who drove Xu Moxing to pick her up.

Shen Qin immediately recognized her son's good friend.

"Oh, Xiao Su, you even drove to pick me up? I'm really troubling you."

Shen Qin gave Xu Moxing a mock-scolding glance, "Don't put your friend out. How embarrassing."

"No trouble at all, I heard Moxing say he was taking you for a check-up, so I volunteered. It's also been a long time since I've seen Auntie."

Xu Moxing smiled but said nothing.

In the car, Su Lichen drove and occasionally chatted with Shen Qin.

"Oh wow, Xiao Su, you're so young and already have a car, such a successful young man at your age. This car doesn't look cheap either."

Shen Qin didn't know car brands well. For years, her family only had a motorcycle. As for cars, she never even dared to dream of owning one.

Whenever she saw someone else with a car, she assumed their family must be pretty well-off.

Earlier, Shen Qin had secretly asked Xu Moxing whether Xiao Su's car was bought by his family or he bought it himself.

Xu Moxing told her that Su Lichen had bought it with his own money, and Shen Qin had since assumed Xiao Su was a successful young professional, viewing him through rose-tinted glasses.

"Not really, Moxing is just as excellent."

Su Lichen initially wanted to mention that Xu Moxing was learning to drive but, considering Shen Qin's habit of belittling her own children, held back.

To his surprise, Shen Qin didn't deny it this time.

"That's right! Our Moxing and Jianqing may not earn as much as some, but they're still doing quite well."

Su Lichen obviously came from a wealthy family, and his parents must have invested heavily in his upbringing.

Shen Qin, no matter how hard she thought she'd worked, knew that just ensuring her children could go to school was already an achievement.

They had achieved everything on their own, and that was impressive.

Su Lichen's eyes darted as he decided to act first and ask for forgiveness later.

"Auntie, during your time in Shencheng, how about letting Moxing stay at my place? I brought it up with him when I found out you were coming, but he was worried you'd overthink it and kept refusing.

You see, he rents a studio apartment, especially since you're mother and son, it's still quite inconvenient.

I have a two-bedroom apartment with a separate living room, with a guest room. If you're okay with it, let Moxing stay with me temporarily?

What do you think? Moxing and I are very good friends, and I'm inviting him myself. Please don't stand on ceremony."

Xu Moxing knew Su Lichen's little plan but didn't expose him in front of his mother.

"That would be asking too much, wouldn't it?"

Shen Qin's first reaction was still reluctance to impose on others.

"Not at all. Moxing and I are really good friends—sometimes he crashes at my place after we talk late into the night."

They went back and forth politely a few times before Shen Qin finally said, "Well, do whatever you want. If you're both willing, I won't read anything into it."

"I'm willing, I'm willing. Right, Moxing?"

Su Lichen "pressured" Xu Moxing to agree in front of Shen Qin.

"Of course. I'll stay at Lichen's place for now, Mom. You can rest easy at my place."

"Okay."

The three of them went to Xu Moxing's place, settled Shen Qin in, had dinner together, and in the evening, Su Lichen led Xu Moxing back to his place.

Before leaving, Xu Moxing reminded Shen Qin, "Mom, I'll come back tomorrow to take you to see the doctor. Call me if anything comes up."

Shen Qin, already familiar with the place from her earlier visits, waved her hand to tell Xu Moxing not to worry.

On the way back to Su Lichen's place, Su Lichen apologized first.

"I didn't discuss it with you and used your mom's visit to get you to stay with me for a few days. Did it make you uncomfortable?"

"Not really uncomfortable. It's normal for you to have your own little plans."

"That's good."

Su Lichen raised Xu Moxing's hand to his lips and kissed it.

After the check-up the next day, Shen Qin stayed on in Shencheng for another two weeks.

She went to help Luo Shuling, and the two of them hadn't seen each other for two months. With Shen Qin going through a divorce, they had endless things to talk about.

"Divorce isn't as simple as it used to be. Be mentally prepared. Since your soon-to-be ex refuses to divorce, litigation will likely be a drain on your time and energy.

Anyway, take care of your own life first. The divorce will happen eventually."

Shen Qin nodded.

"My kids both told me not to rush it. He can drag it out, and I'll drag it out too. The divorce will happen eventually. I don't care how long it takes. I can't let him take advantage of me just because I'm in a hurry."

"Good, you have that awareness. Don't go gossiping about this with anyone on your side. Call me if anything comes up, and get along with your neighbors."

Luo Shuling was wary of Xu Lan, that bastard, hearing any gossip and getting any bad ideas.

"Don't worry, I know all that."

Actually, Shen Qin had wanted to tell others, but Luo Shuling, knowing her nature, had repeatedly told her not to discuss anything related to the divorce with anyone other than her own children.

Shen Qin realized that getting a divorce would take so long that she decided she would never push her kids to get married again. If her kids ended up with bad partners and couldn't get out of the marriage, they would end up hating her.

Xu Moxing recently hadn't been going back to his own place after work; he just took the subway to Su Lichen's place.

Because Shen Qin and Luo Shuling were running their stalls and eating together, they never ate with Xu Moxing.

Xu Moxing, seeing his mother living so carefree, just let her be.

During these months of divorce litigation, Shen Qin finally realized how much the idea of 'family shame must be hidden' had backfired on her. For the sake of saving face, she might have to end up giving Xu Lan more money.

She had often been beaten and yelled at by Xu Lan, but apart from witnesses, she had no other proof.

She had never called the police, had no medical records, and had no records of seeking help.

Shen Qin recalled the time when she cried on the phone to Xu Moxing, and he said he would call the police, asked if she had gone to the hospital, and wanted to take her to get a divorce.

She came out with: "Call the police? Go to the hospital? Get a divorce? He's your father after all..."

And she even gave Xu Moxing a good scolding, but now the boomerang has come back to bite her.

Fortunately, the money Shen Qin earns from her stall is deposited into Xu Moxing's card, otherwise she'd have to split it with Xu Lan.

What can be done? They have joint marital property. Xu Lan doesn't support the family or take care of it, but whose fault was it that Shen Qin didn't divorce him sooner?

The sunk cost keeps growing; the later the divorce, the more joint property there is, and the longer Shen Qin has supported Xu Lan. So what can be done?

Who's to blame? That marriage certificate and its so-called "protection."

It should have ended a long time ago.

Xu Moxing could only comfort her.

"Let the judge decide. Try to minimize what we have to give. There's no way around it—it's unlikely the judge will let us pay nothing.

Don't rush into marriage again in the future. Dating is fine, but marriage needs very careful consideration. If you meet the wrong person, cut your losses in time. Otherwise, it only gets worse."

So what can be done? Treat it as money spent on a lesson.

Everyone has to pay for their own perceptions and actions.

The same goes for Shen Qin and Xu Lan.

Shen Qin used to passively let herself be exploited and drained. No matter how Xu Lan treated her, she wouldn't divorce. She has to pay for that choice.

As for Xu Lan, he has enjoyed the dividends of Shen Qin's self-exploitation. Now that Shen Qin refuses to be used as nourishment and wants to live for herself, his good days are over.

With the help of lawyers and witnesses, Shen Qin finally got the divorce. Everything was settled half a year later.

Shen Qin is enjoying her single life. She looks radiant, more beautiful and confident.

Recently, a divorced man her age has taken a liking to her and keeps pursuing her.

Shen Qin now often video calls her two kids, they usually do a group video call.

Xu Jianqing and Xu Moxing don't oppose her dating, but both advise her not to remarry. It's best to be wary of others.

Xu Moxing quietly adds, "Guard your money. Dating is fine, but I advise you to think twice about marriage. Don't let a few sweet words get to your head."

Shen Qin glares at Xu Moxing. "I don't want to date him! He smokes, has terrible breath, and his body stinks too. Disgusting.

After a few more years running the stall, I plan to start seasonal road trips with Aunt Luo. I'm getting my driver's license."

Xu Moxing already has his license, but he doesn't mention it.

Xu Jianqing adds casually, "Then protect yourself. Be assertive. There are way too many pervs out there."

Many people in this world aren't so much sexually repressed as they are sexually perverted. The number of perverts is absurdly high, yet it's sugarcoated as repression. Disgusting.

"I know that. Don't worry. Your mom lived with that scumbag for so many years—if she didn't perish in silence, she's become twisted in silence."

"Meow~"

Shen Qin hears a cat meow and asks, "Mo Xing, has your friend not come back from the business trip yet? Is the cat still staying with you?"

"Yeah, it'll be a while before he returns."

"After keeping it for so long, won't you be reluctant to give it back?"

"Yeah, I will, but it should be okay."

Xu Moxing is lying through his teeth.

Su Lichen comes out of the shower and sees Xu Moxing still video chatting with his mom. He tiptoes silently.

Xu Moxing sees Su Lichen come out in just his underwear in the summer heat and shoots him a glare.

"Mom, I gotta go now. I need to take a shower."

"Okay, you two go ahead. I'm going to wash up and sleep too."

Hearing the "ding" of the video call ending, Su Lichen leans in and kisses Xu Moxing.

"You have a nice apartment, but you insist on living with me in this single room. You're really crazy."

"You wouldn't move in with me, so I'll move in with you."

Shamelessly, Su Lichen kisses him again.

They've been together for seven months now, but Xu Moxing still refuses to cohabitate. He felt helpless, so he moved Little Tabby over too. Now the three of them live together in this tiny room.