Chapter 10 Sword and crossbow tension

The Zheng family sat in the private room of Deyuelou, with an air of gloominess hanging over them. Despite the dishes they had just ordered being full of color, aroma, and taste, everyone's faces wore inexplicable expressions. This meal was originally a luxurious choice to compensate for the loss of Xiao Ran, their "free labor force" at home, but unexpectedly, they encountered Xiao Ran in this high-end restaurant.

Lin Meiying gazed out at the street outside the window, feeling a mix of emotions. Usually, she was responsible for buying groceries and waiting for Xiao Ran to cook after work. However, now Xiao Ran was no longer a part of their family, and her role had changed accordingly. She was reluctant to enter the kitchen because it was once filled with Xiao Ran's busy figure, but now it was empty.

Zheng Youjun and Zheng Juan were even more angry. They had always treated Xiao Ran as a "tool" that could be used at their disposal, never expecting him to leave and appear when they least wanted to see him. This sudden stimulus made them feel extremely uneasy.

Just then, Zheng Juan's phone rang. She glanced at the screen and saw it was from her colleague, Xiao Liu, who was her close friend. Zheng Juan pressed the answer button, and Xiao Liu's urgent voice immediately came through: "Zheng Juan, you need to check out the Sucheng forum quickly. There's a post saying that you have an improper relationship with Dr. Zhang, and even Xiao Jie is his son! It's gaining a lot of attention now, and many people are discussing it!"

Zheng Juan's heart sank. Dr. Zhang was a colleague from her hospital, and although they had a good relationship, they had never crossed any boundaries. This post was undoubtedly a severe blow to her reputation. She immediately opened the Sucheng forum and indeed saw a conspicuous title: "Shocking! Zheng Juan and Dr. Zhang's Illicit Affair, Illegitimate Child Revealed!" Beneath it was a blurry photo that seemingly showed her and Dr. Zhang talking in the hospital corridor.

Zheng Juan's hands began to tremble. She knew that she and Dr. Zhang were innocent, but this post was like a bomb exploding in her life. She couldn't imagine how this rumor would affect her work and family.

Zheng Youjun and Lin Meiying also heard Xiao Liu's words, and their faces immediately turned sour. They knew that once this rumor spread, it would not only tarnish Zheng Juan's reputation but also plunge the entire family into trouble. They began to blame Zheng Juan for not being mindful of her words and actions, leading to misunderstandings.

At that moment, Xiao Ran passed by their private room door. He caught a glimpse of the post content on Zheng Juan's phone and sneered inwardly. This was exactly the effect he wanted—to use the truth to strike the arrogant air of the Zheng family. He continued to sit at his table, waiting for Liu Mei's arrival, while also observing the reaction of the Zheng family in secret.

Tears began to well up in Zheng Juan's eyes. She knew that once this rumor spread, it would be difficult to clear her name, but she didn't want to be wronged unjustly. She decided to stand up for herself and find out who was behind the rumor. She believed that as long as she faced all difficulties with a clear conscience, she would overcome them.

Zheng Juan's heart sank to the bottom of her stomach in an instant. Her face turned pale in a flash, as if all the blood had solidified in her heart. She quickly hung up the call with Xiao Liu and furiously tapped on the keyboard, opening the forum that had terrified her.

Indeed, the eye-catching title was like a sharp knife, piercing straight into her heart - "Shocking! Dr. Zhang of the North Orthopedics Department of the Municipal Hospital has maintained a long-term illicit relationship with Nurse Zheng and had a child together." The popularity of the post was almost blazing, like a raging fire burning fiercely in the ocean of forums, with over a thousand replies and comments flooding in.

Zheng Juan's body trembled uncontrollably, as if an invisible force had drained all her strength. She almost fell, but her strong sense of pride and desire to survive kept her standing. She told herself, she couldn't fall, not here.

She forced herself to calm down, took a deep breath, and opened the post. The words in the post were like sharp knives, stabbing her eyes. However, after carefully reading it, she breathed a slight sigh of relief. It turned out that apart from the title, all the details in the post were fabricated. Those so-called rumors of "having sex in the changing room" were absurd. How could they possibly do such a thing in such a place?

However, the problem was not solved yet. Who had spread this news? Her gaze involuntarily shifted to Xiao Ran sitting at a desk not far away. Besides him, who else could it be? The man she had always considered weak and powerless had stabbed her in the back. This shocked and angered her.

She walked up to Xiao Ran's desk, her eyes filled with malice and anger. She shouted angrily, "Xiao Ran, I didn't expect you to be such a despicable little man! You think you can defeat me with such underhanded tactics? Tell you, no matter what, we've been married for four years, and the marital property must be divided evenly!"

Xiao Ran looked up at her angry face, but his expression remained unchanged. He calmly said, "Zheng Juan, you're wrong. I'm not trying to defeat you; I just want the truth to be known. Do you think you can keep hiding it forever? Do you think you can keep deceiving me? I tell you, I've endured you for four years, and it's enough. I won't let you continue deceiving me or hurting me."

Zheng Juan was shocked by his words. She never expected Xiao Ran to say such things. She thought he was always the meek and malleable man who let her have her way, but she never expected him to counterattack so harshly. She suddenly felt an unprecedented sense of fear and unease.

She shouted loudly, "You think you've won? I tell you, you're wrong! Even if I resign from this hospital and lose everything, I will never let you go! I'll make you regret it for the rest of your life!" Her voice echoed in the office, filled with resentment and anger.

However, Xiao Ran only looked at her coldly and then turned back to continue working. His eyes were filled with indifference and determination, as if he were saying, "I'm ready. No matter what you do, I won't be afraid."

Zheng Juan looked at his indifferent back and felt full of resentment and anger. She knew she had lost him and this family. But she wasn't going to give up. She told herself that she must make Xiao Ran pay! She must make him regret it for the rest of his life!

Xiao Ran sat on the bench outside the courtroom, his eyes shining with determination. He nodded and said to Zheng Juan, who was pale and panicked across from him, "You're right, marital property should be divided equally, and I fully agree. But I hope you remember, our agreement is not just verbal. I've recorded your words. If you ever backtrack, this recording will be my best evidence."

Zheng Juan's face darkened even more. She didn't expect Xiao Ran to be so shrewd, actually recording her words at such a crucial moment. She was flustered inside but tried to maintain a calm exterior, attempting to intimidate Xiao Ran with her words, "Hmph, you can record all you want, Zheng Juan keeps her promises. But, are you really not worried that this will affect your friend Dr. Zhang's upcoming promotion?"

Xiao Ran smiled faintly, knowing Zheng Juan would bring up Zhang Zihao. He knew clearly that Zhang Zihao meant a lot to Zheng Juan; otherwise, she wouldn't have chosen to keep the baby when she got pregnant, even resorting to finding a scapegoat to cover up the truth. He said calmly, "Of course, I care about Zhang Zihao's future, but all this is because of you. What you've done, you should bear the consequences."

Zheng Juan was taken aback by Xiao Ran's directness. She didn't expect him to point out her mistake so bluntly. She was flustered inside but tried to appear unyielding on the outside, "You sneaky little man! You think recording this conversation can threaten me? I'll tell you, Zheng Juan is not so easily bullied!"

Xiao Ran shook his head, not intending to argue with Zheng Juan. He knew that Zheng Juan's anger and resentment were just because she couldn't accept her mistakes being exposed. He said calmly, "I never intended to threaten you, I'm just defending my rights. Moreover, I believe that justice is fair, and it will give us a just verdict."

Upon hearing Xiao Ran's words, Zheng Juan felt even more flustered. She knew that she didn't have much of a chance in this lawsuit, but she still didn't want to lose. She gritted her teeth and said, "When the court verdict comes down and you have to pay a large amount of money, I'll definitely pay you back for everything!"

Saying that, she huffed and stalked off. Watching her depart, Xiao Ran felt a mix of emotions. He never thought he would end up like this with Zheng Juan, but the facts were in front of him, and he had to face them.

He recalled the memories of meeting Zheng Juan, and his heart was filled with complex emotions. He remembered how he had doted on and accommodated Zheng Juan, and also how she had betrayed and deceived him. He felt heartache and disappointment, but at the same time, he strengthened his resolve—he must fight for his due rights.

Xiao Ran stood up, knowing that he still had a long way to go. But he believed that if he persisted, justice would prevail over evil. Taking a deep breath, he stepped forward with a determined stride, leaving the courtroom behind.

On the noisy second floor of the restaurant, the air was filled with various food aromas, and the chatter of people and the clinking of tableware intermingled to create a unique atmosphere. However, amidst this, a silent war was unfolding.

Zheng Gang sat in a corner position, his gaze perfectly aligned with the stairway entrance. Suddenly, a striking figure caught his full attention. A gorgeous woman dressed in a fashionable dress gracefully ascended the stairs, and with each step, she seemed to bring light, brightening the entire space.

Zheng Gang's eyes widened instantly, and he couldn't help but admire in his mind, "This woman is stunning! Her chest is so firm and ample, and her hips are so round and shapely. She's definitely my dream lover!" However, just as he was immersed in his fantasy, he stumbled upon a fact that was difficult to accept—this gorgeous woman was walking straight towards Xiao Ran.

"Could it be? Is it really?" Zheng Gang's eyes bulged, filled with jealousy and anger. He couldn't believe that such a goddess would sit opposite Xiao Ran. He glanced at his own girlfriend, who was ordinary in appearance and figure(omitted as it's a repeat of "Mediocre figure"), and then back at the beautiful woman sitting across from Xiao Ran, making his heart even more unbalanced.

"Why? Why is this scoundrel, who was a submissive dog at home, now able to sit with such a gorgeous goddess?" Zheng Gang roared in his mind, his jealousy driving him to lose his senses.

At this moment, Zheng Juan also noticed the sudden appearance of this beautiful woman. She was originally chatting with her friends, but upon hearing Zheng Gang's exclamation, she couldn't help but turn her head to take a glance. When she saw Xiao Ran sitting opposite the beautiful woman, her expression immediately darkened.

"You've already found someone new just a day after our divorce?" Zheng Juan sneered in her mind. She couldn't believe that Xiao Ran would find a new partner so quickly, especially one so breathtakingly beautiful. She suddenly realized that Xiao Ran might have been seeing someone on the side before, or else how could he have moved on so seamlessly?

"Well, you have the audacity to accuse me of cheating on you, but what about you? Did you deserve me?" Zheng Juan stood up angrily and strode towards Xiao Ran's table. Her eyes were filled with anger and dissatisfaction, wanting to confront Xiao Ran about why he betrayed her.

However, when she reached Xiao Ran, she found herself unable to speak. As she observed the harmonious and congenial atmosphere between Xiao Ran and the beautiful woman, it seemed as if they had known each other for a long time. She suddenly realized that she had lost the right to confront Xiao Ran because she was no longer his wife.

Zheng Juan stood there for a long time before slowly walking away. Her heart was filled with disappointment and resentment, but she knew that it was all beyond her control now. She could only silently accept this cruel reality and strive to become better.

Meanwhile, Xiao Ran continued to enjoy his meal and time with the beautiful woman. He seemed to have forgotten about Zheng Juan's existence and the emotional turmoil they once shared. He only wanted to cherish the happiness in front of him and strive to improve himself.

Ultimately, this silent war ended in Zheng Juan's defeat, but her failure didn't deter her from pursuing happiness. She believed that with hard work, she would definitely find her own happiness.