After she left her father and kept her son, President Pei lost control and knelt down.

Upon hearing this, a flicker of emotion crossed Pei Xinyang's hawk-like eyes, but his stern face remained impassive.

"You mean, Pei Hansheng doesn't want a divorce?"

"Yes."

Why?

"He doesn't love me. In a marriage without love, women often suffer greatly, and that's why."

Pei Xinyang narrowed his eyes slightly. This was the first time he had looked at his daughter-in-law directly, and her frankness was unexpected.

He sneered, "You're really not suitable for Pei Hansheng. He doesn't need a woman who tolerates and yields. Only a wife who strives in everything and will stop at nothing to achieve her goals can fight alongside him in the business world. Based on that alone, you're not even half as good as Chunzhi."

Qiao Wan forced a smile: "I'm not going to fight. I just don't want to waste my energy on a meaningless relationship. Pei Hansheng loves Jiang Zhichun. It's not that Jiang Zhichun won; it's that Pei Hansheng favored her. When two people are in love, it's effortless. If I were to fight... Mr. Pei, if I divorce your son, how much money would you give me?"

Pei Xinyang chuckled coldly: "You're quick to retaliate. I told you you weren't going to fight back, and now you're asking for money."

Qiao Wan felt a lump in her throat. She had thought that not asking for a single penny would prove her backbone, but now she realized how foolish she had been. She should have fought for something for Xiao Bao.

"You were the one who caused the car accident, and you haven't paid a single penny in compensation. You're even asking our Pei family for money. Qiao Wan, you should feel very fortunate that we haven't pursued your responsibility."

Pei Xinyang tossed a document to Qiao Wan, the cover of which read "Letter of Commitment".

The notice stated that Qiao Wan would receive one million yuan in return for divorcing Pei Hansheng and never setting foot in Beijing again.

One million.

Qiao Wan sneered. This amount of money was nothing to the Pei family; it was just for one meal. They really treated her like a beggar.

"I don't want the money, and I won't leave the capital."

She had nowhere else to go but the capital, the birthplace of Xiaobao and the city where she had lived for eight years. Returning to Hong Kong was out of the question; it wasn't home, it was a den of demons.

"What do you want?"

Qiao Wan was getting impatient and repeated, "I just want Pei Hansheng to sign the divorce papers. I want my freedom."

Pei Xinyang raised an eyebrow, seemingly thinking she was too naive.

"You're a hit-and-run driver with a murder on your hands. Your reputation is already ruined. Do you think you can survive without the Pei family? I advise you to be smart and take the money and leave."

Qiao Wan remained firm: "I don't want money, and I won't leave the capital."

Pei Xinyang scoffed inwardly. Trying to act tough in front of him? What a clown.

"Give me the divorce agreement. I'll have someone put it in Pei Hansheng's office among the documents he's already reviewed. Getting him to sign it will be easy, just don't regret it later."

Qiao Wan clenched her hands, the weight on her heart lifted, but another feeling arose.

It was the pain of cutting a malignant tumor out of flesh, but she knew it was only temporary and would pass eventually.

The study door opened from the outside, and Pei Hansheng barged in, glancing around before his gaze settled on Qiao Wan.

Pei Xinyang was displeased and criticized him: "You're in such a panic, this is outrageous! What are you trying to do?"

Pei Hansheng is usually aloof and imposing. When facing senior executives who are decades older than him at the company, he is tall, imposing, and serious, yet he still manages to control the situation. However, he appears somewhat inexperienced in front of Pei Xinyang.

He turned his gaze away from Qiao Wan: "Grandpa wants to see Qiao Wan."

Pei Xinyang said angrily, "Your grandfather is senile, and you're following suit. Your mother already said that you're not allowed to let your grandfather go downstairs anymore."

Qiao Wan's eyes flickered slightly: "What's wrong with Grandpa?"

"I fell and broke a bone."

"I want to go and see."

The two were walking out of the study when Pei Xinyang suddenly called out to Pei Hansheng:

"I need to see the company's recent business reports tomorrow, so please sign them and give them to me as soon as possible."

"understood."

Pei Hansheng closed the study door and pulled Qiao Wan aside.

What did my dad say to you inside?

Qiao Wan glanced at him and said, "He told me to leave the capital."

"He tells you to leave, and you just leave? Don't you have any backbone?"

Pei Hansheng gripped Qiao Wan's wrist, his brows furrowing: "Without my permission, you'd better stay in the capital and don't force me to lock you up."

Qiao Wan stared at him, unable to understand Pei Hansheng anymore.

A soft voice called out from the other end: "Hansheng."

Pei Hansheng looked over, and she asked him, "My parents would like to talk to you, is that a convenient time?"

Pei Hansheng held onto Qiao Wan's hand tightly and led her upstairs: "Tell them to wait a moment."

Jiang Chunzhi looked up at the second floor, and was about to follow when she heard a loud thud.

She stopped in her tracks, her eyes filled with ecstatic joy.

Pei Hansheng just hit Qiao Wan?

On the second floor, Qiao Wan was pinned against the wall by Pei Hansheng, his hand on her ear, slapping her with his other hand.

Qiao Wan looked at him, feeling both confused and amused.

Pei Hansheng thought she was heartless: "Still laughing, just keep me going."

"What's your name?"

"What did you yell when you were being beaten? Do I have to teach you?"

Qiao Wan lowered her eyes. Pei Hansheng was really trying hard to please the Jiang family.

Pei Hansheng slapped himself again, furious, and yelled at Qiao Wan, "You've been neglecting your discipline for a few days, and now you're itching for a beating?"

He clapped his hands as he cursed, until his palms turned red.

"If there's a next time, it won't be as simple as just getting a beating. I'll send you to Chiang Kai-shek's mansion to apologize."

Qiao Wan leaned against the wall, her face hidden in the shadows of the corridor, looking listless.

The more Pei Hansheng acted this way, the more she felt that he cared about Jiang Chunzhi.

Pei Hansheng had finished his act and grabbed her chin, ordering her, "Go to Grandpa's room and wait for me. Don't come out until the Jiang family leaves."

After he finished speaking, he went downstairs. Qiao Wan didn't move, but looked down through the carved railing of the stairs.

Jiang Chunzhi and the others greeted Pei Hansheng from below: "Let's go, my parents want to talk about my marriage."

Pei Hansheng's expression faltered slightly: "Marriage?"

Jiang Chunzhi looked somewhat saddened as she faced Pei Hansheng: "Hansheng, I'm 26 this year, and my parents are going to find me a blind date. Do you want me to get married?"

Qiao Wan looked at Pei Hansheng's back and could imagine his expression. He was so possessive that any man who got close to Jiang Chunzhi would be tormented by him.

How could he bear to see his sweetheart run off with another man?

"Really? Let me see what your blind date looks like. He's definitely not as handsome as me."

Pei Hansheng walked towards the living room, and Jiang's mother took out a stack of photos from her bag:

"Since Chunzhi returned to China, the number of people coming to the Jiang Mansion to propose marriage has been overwhelming. You see, this is only a part of them. They are all young talents who are a good match for Chunzhi. Although some of their family backgrounds are not as good as your Pei Hansheng's, they are willing to be slaves to Chunzhi and become live-in sons-in-law. It would be good for them."

When the photos reached Pei Hansheng, he casually flipped through them and tossed them onto the table: "They're all pretty good, but don't get overwhelmed by the choices."

Jiang's mother snorted: "Who told you to break up our family's engagement back then? Now that you see how popular our Chunzhi is, don't you regret it?"

Pei Hansheng lowered his eyes, concealing the emotions within them: "It's just that I'm not so fortunate."

Jiang Chunzhi leaned closer to Pei Hansheng and affectionately took his arm: "There will always be a place in my heart for one person, and I won't consider anyone else."

Qiao Wan watched from upstairs, suppressing the bitterness in her heart, and went to her grandfather's room.

The old man was resting with his eyes closed in his rocking chair, oblivious to the commotion downstairs. When he saw Qiao Wan arrive, he smiled and waved, "Little Wan, come here quickly, Grandpa has something for you."

Qiao Wan squatted down next to her grandfather, and he placed a gold longevity lock in her hand.

"This is for my great-grandson. You can put it on him so he can be safe and healthy."

It was heavy, made of solid gold, and Qiao Wan's eyes welled up with tears.

"Grandpa, Pei Hansheng and I are getting a divorce."

"What? Divorce? What about the child? Are you going to let him be a poor, fatherless child? No, no, call Pei Hansheng up here."

Qiao Wan looked at Pei Xiongkai, unsure whether he was confused or lucid.

She whispered, "The child... I don't want Pei Hansheng, and I don't want him either."

Pei Xiongkai didn't hear clearly, so he lowered his head and asked her to repeat herself. Qiao Wan smiled, changed the subject, and told him to take good care of himself.

Perhaps soon, after the divorce, she will no longer see the little old man who favors her.

When Pei Hansheng came in, Qiao Wan had made the old man very happy, and he was all smiles.

He put his hands in his pockets, leaned against the door, squinted, and looked at Qiao Wan with a complicated expression.

As soon as Pei Xiongkai saw him, he threw a cane at him: "Find my great-grandson for me, and don't let him suffer outside anymore."