Chapter 12 The Collapse of Wen Huilin

Wen Huilin took out her phone and dialed: "Hello, my child signed up for a Fencing class. They've only had three lessons. Can I get a refund?"

"I'm sorry, parent, but the contract is very clear. No refunds are given after the third lesson. You can check the terms of the contract. The fact that you brought them three times shows that you approve of it."

Wen Huilin was completely stunned, staring at the contract with vacant eyes.

Afterward, she called the other two interest classes, but received the same script and the same answer.

She felt as if she had been hollowed out, standing dazed by the dining table. The phone in her hand slowly slid onto the table, and with a clatter, she finally snapped back to reality.

Then she exploded, "Chen Ang, I was thinking about not getting a divorce and living a proper life with you, but is this how you live?"

In her view, since she had decided not to divorce, Chen Ang should be fawning over her, handing over all his money to her just like before. However, reality had slapped her hard in the face.

Chen Ang leaned against the sideboard, reached into his pocket with his right hand, and unhurriedly took out a pack of Huanghelou 1916 cigarettes.

He lit one up with contentment, took a slow drag, and squinted his eyes, watching her hysterical state with a faint, elusive smile at the corners of his mouth.

After exhaling a puff of smoke, he asked seriously: "I signed my own son up for interest classes, and you're throwing such a big temper?"

"You..." Wen Huilin was stunned. In an instant, she also felt that her outburst was truly unreasonable; she just felt short of breath because the money had disappeared without passing through her hands.

Chen Ang sneered inwardly, but his face showed a hurt expression: "Wen Huilin, if you really want a divorce, I will agree to it, but I want custody of Chen Zetian."

Wen Huilin had no idea about Chen Ang's strategy of advancing by retreating. Her chest heaved violently, she almost couldn't catch her breath, and she felt both angry and panicked.

How could she possibly give her son to Chen Ang?

"That's not what I meant. I just think you shouldn't spend money so recklessly. Have you thought about who will pay this money back? You owe so much debt, yet you're still spending lavishly. Have you thought about the future for me and Chen Zetian?"

She could only latch onto the money issue to question Chen Ang.

"Chen Zetian is our child, so of course we should pay. It's precisely because of the debt that I need to spend more money on the child."

Chen Ang looked stern, staring at Wen Huilin with very serious eyes: "I remember you have a 100,000 yuan fixed deposit at the Agricultural Bank, right? Take it out and give it to me; I'll pay off the loan money first."

Wen Huilin looked at Chen Ang in astonishment, as if she were meeting him for the first time: "Why should I? Why should I pay for the money you borrowed? Besides, did I agree to let Chen Zetian attend these training classes?"

Chen Ang's expression darkened, and he said in a slightly heavy tone: "What the hell are you saying? Isn't Chen Zetian your son?"

Wen Huilin was rendered speechless, gaping and wanting to argue back, but Chen Ang didn't give her the chance: "You're not going to give it, right? Fine, I'll go to your workplace tomorrow and find your boss. Let your boss judge who is in the right and see if I'm the one in the wrong."

"Are you insane? Going to my workplace is going to make me a laughingstock! Chen Ang, do you even know what you're doing?"

Wen Huilin was on the verge of a breakdown. She was trembling uncontrollably with rage, her features distorted like a shrew baring its fangs.

Chen Ang was amused inside, ignoring her hysteria, and continued: "Did you use that money for something else? Don't tell me you've been messing around outside?"

Facing Chen Ang's sudden questioning, a guilty Wen Huilin dared not meet his sharp, piercing gaze. She turned her head away and said: "What nonsense are you spouting? Take it, take it all and squander it! I really can't live like this anymore."

Tears streaming down her face, Wen Huilin opened her bag, took out a bank card, and threw it at Chen Ang.

Seeing Chen Ang acting so unpredictably over the past two days, she was not only guilty but truly afraid that Chen Ang would cause a scene at her workplace.

She could only comfort herself by thinking that the money was ultimately being spent on her own son.

Thinking about how she hadn't managed to get any information out of Chen Ang yet had already lost 100,000 yuan, her anger shot straight to the top of her head.

Seeing her yield, the corners of Chen Ang's mouth turned up slightly. He bent down to pick up the bank card, then softened his tone and said earnestly: "I know what you're afraid of. I have it all under control. You only want a divorce for Chen Zetian's sake; I understand that."

"So, I just want to raise my son well and give him the best childhood. I'm even thinking about sending him abroad for studies in the future."

Hearing Chen Ang's tone soften, Wen Huilin finally dared to meet his gaze.

She carefully scrutinized Chen Ang's expression, which held a touch of self-deprecation mixed with sincerity.

She suddenly felt that her divorce had likely dealt a huge blow to this man, completely failing to understand that this was Chen Ang's stalling tactic.

Chen Ang sighed, then sat down on the sofa, rubbed his face with both hands, and looked up at Wen Huilin, saying in a low voice: "Wen Huilin, do you think a child's education is an investment or an expense?"

"Stop spouting this nonsense at me." Wen Huilin turned her head away, refusing to engage.

"Look at me and answer me." Chen Ang stared at her, his voice low but firm.

Wen Huilin bit her lip and didn't speak.

"Investment. Education is an investment." Seeing this, Chen Ang didn't press her further but answered for her with a straight face, "Which first-grader nowadays isn't enrolled in three or five interest classes? If Chen Zetian isn't, how will his resume look when applying for higher education later?"

"You have to understand, Fencing cultivates temperament, Robotics cultivates logic, and Cello cultivates a sense of art. You don't understand anything, you only know how to save money."

"I cannot let my child lose at the starting line. Do you understand me?"

Besides being earnest, Chen Ang also wore an expression of urgent desire for his son to succeed.

"I..." Wen Huilin wanted to retort, but swallowed the words back.

In that instant, she felt a sense of shame, as if she, the biological mother, didn't value the child as much as this fake father did.

She felt incredibly angry at her own lack of words; never before had she longed so much to be eloquent.

On the other side, after hearing the adults' argument, Chen Zetian, who was playing with building blocks on the small balcony, stood up.

He had heard Chen Ang's righteous words, so he walked over, looked at Wen Huilin, and said: "Mom, I don't want to lose at the starting line either, and the teacher said I have talent."

His words were like a knife, piercing directly into Wen Huilin's already overburdened heart.

In an instant, Wen Huilin turned pale, her breathing uneven. She felt a knife-stabbing pain in her chest, and her only thought was that this son had been raised in vain and she couldn't keep him.

Beside her, Chen Ang watched Chen Zetian's performance and was amused. What a silly child. How could you not have talent? Otherwise, wouldn't all the good words I spoke to the instructors and the money I paid be for nothing?

At this moment, he felt as refreshed as if he had gulped down a large mouthful of ice-cold cola while sweating profusely in the middle of summer.

He was incredibly looking forward to what Wen Huilin's next move would be.