Chapter 88: Pushing Him to the Brink

Lin Zhiguo glared at her viciously.

Shen Wei met his gaze without flinching.

Regiment Commander Yang coughed pointedly, adding pressure: “Deputy Battalion Commander Lin, since both sides are sticking to their own stories, you must make a choice. Also, regarding the child, you must give Comrade Shen Wei an explanation.”

Looking at Regiment Commander Yang’s icy stare and thinking of that fatal leverage, Lin Zhiguo finally seemed to have his backbone ripped out, collapsing in defeat.

He closed his eyes and said hoarsely: “The child is… mine… I agree to the divorce…”

Shen Wei slumped to the floor, letting out a long sigh of relief.

Gu Yanbin swept a cold glance over the two of them: “Get dressed and come with me to see the political commissar!”

Yu Wanqin and Tongtong followed Gu Yanbin and the leaders as they left.

Disheveled and utterly humiliated, Lin Zhiguo and Shen Wei were escorted away by the guards under the contemptuous gazes of the crowd, to later face investigation and disciplinary action by The Organization.

Political Commissar’s Office.

Political Commissar Chen had just returned home, hadn’t even warmed his seat or taken a bite of mooncake, when he was urgently summoned by Gu Yanbin’s orderly.

On the way, he learned what had happened, furious at Lin Zhiguo’s shameless misconduct that tarnished morale.

Yet he couldn’t help feeling happy for Yu Wanqin—finally, she could get divorced!

With mixed emotions, he arrived at the office where everyone was already waiting.

Gu Yanbin sat to the side, his gaze sharp as an eagle’s, clearly there to back up Yu Wanqin and her daughter.

Yu Wanqin held Tongtong’s hand, standing calmly in the center of the office.

Shen Wei and Lin Zhiguo were also present. Strangely, Shen Wei no longer seemed afraid, openly stroking her belly as she sneered at Yu Wanqin.

Once divorced, Yu Wanqin would be nothing.

Perhaps the hospital would immediately dismiss her and send her back to the countryside!

“Comrade Lin Zhiguo, Comrade Yu Wanqin,” Political Commissar Chen sat down, took a sip of tea from his enamel cup, and then said gravely: “Regarding your divorce application, The Organization has fully understood the situation. Given that Comrade Lin Zhiguo has committed serious Lifestyle Conduct Issues during the marriage, Inheriting Two Branches, causing extremely negative impact, The Organization in principle agrees to Comrade Yu Wanqin’s request for divorce.”

“Now, both of you should finalize matters regarding property division and child custody.”

Lin Zhiguo opened his mouth, still wanting to struggle, to salvage some dignity or benefit: “Political Commissar, I…”

“Lin Zhiguo.” Yu Wanqin cut him off, her voice cool and unwavering, her eyes seeming to see right through him: “Between us, there is no affection left to speak of—only accounts to settle.”

Lin Zhiguo shut his mouth, his face grim.

She looked calmly at Political Commissar Chen, speaking clearly and methodically, word by word: “Political Commissar Chen, Commander Gu, my demands are simple, just three points.”

“First, custody of my daughter Tongtong goes to me. Lin Zhiguo may not interfere with visitation under any pretext, nor may he take the child without my consent.”

“Second,” she paused, her gaze sweeping over Lin Zhiguo and Shen Wei, “Lin Zhiguo and his family’s years of deception, humiliation, and the mental and material harm inflicted upon me and Tongtong must be compensated. I demand a one-time payment of five thousand yuan from the Lin family to me and Tongtong. This sum must be paid in full within three days of the divorce being finalized!”

“Five thousand yuan?” Lin Zhiguo and Shen Wei exclaimed in unison!

That was an astronomical sum!

Even if Lin Zhiguo saved up all his subsidies, it might not amount to this much!

Shen Wei shrieked, “Yu Wanqin, are you robbing us? On what grounds?”

“On what grounds?” Yu Wanqin sneered, her gaze sharp as an icy blade piercing toward her. “On the grounds that you deceived me for so many years! On the grounds that while I toiled like an ox and a horse for the Lin family, serving his parents, working in the fields, never having enough to eat or wear, you were living it up in the military district!”

“On the grounds that when my daughter nearly starved or fell ill in the countryside, you were squandering my Yu family’s money without a care! On the grounds that Lin Zhiguo was able to join the army only because my father spent money to arrange it! On the grounds that the Lin family’s grand three-courtyard compound was also built with my Yu family’s money!”

“And this is just the interest! Do you want me to lay out this account in detail, one item at a time, right in front of the political commissar and the division commander?”

Her words struck with resounding force, exposing Lin Zhiguo’s most guilty secrets.

“Hah!” Gu Yanbin suddenly let out a cold laugh, his large, well-defined hand tapping lightly on the table, his voice chillingly intimidating. “I’ve never seen anyone live off a woman and still act so self-righteous!”

Lin Zhiguo’s face turned deathly pale, sweat pouring down his forehead, not daring to utter a single word in rebuttal.

Shen Wei was also intimidated by her imposing manner, gritting her teeth tightly.

What Yu Wanqin said was the truth.

Relying solely on Lin Zhiguo’s meager subsidies, their previous life would never have been so comfortable.

Political Commissar Chen’s expression turned grave; he clearly knew some of the inside story as well.

He said solemnly, “Comrade Yu Wanqin’s words are entirely reasonable. Lin Zhiguo, you must pay this compensation.”

Despair washed over Lin Zhiguo’s ashen face. He opened his mouth but ultimately lowered his head in defeat.

Hoarsely, he spoke, “I agree.”

Yu Wanqin withdrew her gaze and continued, “Third, given that Lin Zhiguo is the party at fault and his actions have caused significant harm to the growth of our minor daughter, Tongtong, I demand that after he receives his monthly subsidy, The Organization directly deduct half of it as child support for Tongtong until she turns eighteen. This money must be handed directly to me and must not pass through Lin Zhiguo or any member of the Lin family!”

This condition struck right at Shen Wei’s core!

Without the Yu family’s money to support them in the future, she would have to rely solely on Lin Zhiguo’s salary to get by, and she still had her own child to raise. How could she possibly agree to give half away?

“No! I disagree!” Shen Wei jumped up. “Zhi Guo’s salary still has to support the family! How can we give away half? Yu Wanqin, you’re too greedy!”

“Greedy?” Yu Wanqin sounded as if she had heard a joke. “Shen Wei, don’t forget, everything you have now—the house back home, Lin Zhiguo’s job, your comfortable life all these years… it’s all built on the foundation of deceiving and plundering the Yu family’s assets! The fact that I haven’t demanded you vomit back everything you’ve taken from me is already the utmost kindness!”

She turned to Political Commissar Chen and Gu Yanbin, her tone firm. “Commissar, Division Commander, this is my bottom line. If these three conditions are not met, then I would rather not take this job and will appeal level by level all the way up!”

“He committed incest with his elder brother’s wife, putting on that act of ‘Inheriting Two Branches’—many people heard and saw it!”

These words carried immense weight! It was also the final ultimatum!

Lin Zhiguo’s face turned as white as paper, utterly devastated.

He wiped his face. “Do you have to be so heartless?”

This was pushing him to the brink of despair!

Yu Wanqin sneered, “This is just the beginning. When you abandoned Wanqin and Tongtong back in our hometown, did you ever consider how we, mother and child, would survive?”