Gu Jiaojiao finished administering the silver needles to Su Shuochi, then hooked him up to an IV drip since Mr. Su and Su’s mother were still busy.

So, the couple didn’t enter the space. Su Shuochi sat in his wheelchair, getting his IV drip, while Gu Jiaojiao leaned against the headboard, reading a medical book.

"Brother, Sister-in-law, are you two asleep? Sheng Shiwu’s mother is at our front door threatening to kill herself, and a huge crowd has gathered to watch."

"We’re still awake. Why is she threatening to kill herself?" Gu Jiaojiao immediately got out of bed to open the door.

"She’s crying and yelling that she doesn’t want a divorce. If Uncle Sheng insists on divorcing her, she says she’ll die right here at our front door."

"Honey, stay out of it. What gives Sheng Shiwu’s mother the right to come to our door and threaten suicide? Can’t that mother and daughter ever just give it a rest?

Besides, Jiaojiao already cut all ties with the Sheng Family. If they’re getting a divorce, it’s their own damn fault!"

Su Shuochi’s voice was icy, laced with a burning rage. He really didn’t want his wife to go out.

"Exactly! I mean, whose fault is it that her daughter is so horrible? Sister-in-law, my brother’s right. Just stay out of it. If she wants to die, let her."

Su Qinchun chimed in, gloating in agreement with her brother. She had been washing scallions by the well pump just now and had overheard some of the commotion—all of it insults directed at her sister-in-law.

"I’m going to go take a look. Su Shuochi, you’re getting an IV, so you stay here." With that, Gu Jiaojiao left.

Su Shuochi wanted to follow her, but the IV bag was only half empty. Besides, he didn’t want other people to see that their family could set up an IV drip whenever they pleased.

Mr. Su and Su Qinchun automatically flanked Gu Jiaojiao, ready to protect her. Su’s mother, on the other hand, had already gone outside to join the shouting match.

"Gu Jiaojiao, get out here! Your father says he wants to divorce me, and it’s all your fault!

You menace, you curse! I never should have let you stay in the Sheng Family! I raised you for eighteen years for nothing!"

Mrs. Sheng wailed hysterically. With her hair disheveled, she looked utterly wretched, a far cry from her usual elegance.

Su’s mother shot back without hesitation, "Your husband wants to divorce you, what has that got to do with our Jiaojiao? You make it sound like the Gu Family didn’t raise your own daughter for you."

The crowd of onlookers remained silent, but inwardly they all agreed with Su’s mother.

"How is it none of her business? Her second brother’s legs were broken! I just wanted to ask her to visit Shiwen in the hospital, and suddenly her father wants to divorce me over it."

Mrs. Sheng grew more agitated as she spoke, her voice trembling with sobs. "Jiaojiao, I know you despise Yueyue. Your father has already sent her back to the Song Family. Can’t you even bring yourself to visit your second brother in the hospital?"

Someone from the crowd stepped forward to offer a "fair" opinion. "Gu Jiaojiao, no matter what grudges you hold, you should still go to the hospital to see your second brother."

Seeing someone take the lead, others quickly began to side with Mrs. Sheng. "Since Sheng Shiwen’s legs are broken and he’s in the hospital, Gu Jiaojiao should go see him. She is his adoptive sister, after all."

"That’s right. Your second brother used to treat you really well, we all saw it. You should go, if only for the sake of how kind he used to be to you."

"His legs are broken! What could you possibly still be blaming him for? Not going would be truly heartless."

"..."

Listening to the crowd’s clamor, Gu Jiaojiao’s expression turned grim, her eyes burning with a rage that seemed ready to erupt into flames.

But she suppressed her fury and said coldly through gritted teeth, "Your Sheng Family unilaterally published a newspaper announcement severing all ties with me.

I still have a copy of that paper. I’m sure everyone here saw it that day, but if anyone didn’t, we have one at my house.

Since ties have been severed, where does this talk of ’my second brother’ and ’my father’ come from? Let’s put aside these relationships and titles for a moment.

Let’s focus on one thing: Is Comrade Sheng really divorcing you just because I didn’t go to the hospital to see Sheng Shiwen?

Everyone knows I was out of town studying medicine with Divine Doctor He Shen Yi from the Imperial City. I only got back last night.

Even if you hadn’t come here to cause a scene, Shu Ci and I were already planning to visit Comrade Sheng Shiwen at the hospital tomorrow morning.

But since you’ve decided to come to our doorstep to cause trouble, fine. We’ll go to the hospital and see him right now.

Whether or not you get divorced tomorrow will have nothing to do with me, then. So, tell me, are you still planning on dying here?"

Mrs. Sheng was speechless. ’This adopted daughter has changed,’ she thought. ’There’s no longer any trace of affection in her eyes when she looks at me.’

’What’s the point of her going to the hospital now? Yueyue and Song Zijin aren’t even there anymore.’

’Besides, her husband wasn’t divorcing her because Gu Jiaojiao didn’t go see Shiwen in the first place.’

’This adopted daughter hadn’t said much, but every word was sharp and every sentence cut to the bone, pushing her right into the center of the storm.’

Left with no other choice, Mrs. Sheng could only resort to hysterics. "You ungrateful wretch! Is this how you repay me?"

"And how, Captain Ren, should I repay you?" Gu Jiaojiao asked with surprising patience.

’There must be more to Mr. Sheng wanting a divorce than this,’ she thought. ’It can’t be this simple.’

"Go to your father right now and tell him not to divorce me."

"I’m afraid I have to disappoint you. I no longer have any relationship with Comrade Sheng. He won’t listen to me."

"He will! I know he will! He’s always felt incredibly guilty toward you, so he’ll listen to anything you say," Mrs. Sheng said, as if grasping at her last straw.

"I’m afraid I’m about to disappoint you yet again. From the day our ties were severed, I swore to never set foot in the Sheng home again. I’ll let everyone here be the judge—am I wrong for staying away from the Sheng Family?"

Gu Jiaojiao’s voice was ethereal. The mixed glow of the moon and the streetlights illuminated her face, which was graced with a gentle smile.

Her eyes sparkled, and when she looked at someone, her gaze was like a gentle sunbeam, warming them without a hint of harshness.

The gossiping crowd fell silent. As the saying goes, one either perishes in silence or erupts from it.

A moment later, the tide of opinion began to turn. "I think Gu Jiaojiao should just visit Sheng Shiwen in the hospital. You should stay out of the divorce, ma’am."

"If you ask me, she shouldn’t even bother visiting Sheng Shiwen! He got hurt protecting Sheng Yueyue from a couple of blows. What’s that got to do with our Jiaojiao?" Aunt Song declared loudly.

She had also caught wind of the commotion and rushed over to the Su’s house with her husband and son.

Song Zijie gave his mom a double thumbs-up. As a man, he felt it was inappropriate for him to be the one to speak out.

"That’s exactly right. It’s late, and Jiaojiao’s health is delicate. She should go back inside and rest," said one of the daughters-in-law from the Xie family.

Her father-in-law’s illness had been cured thanks to a favor from Su Shuochi, who had arranged for Divine Doctor Su Gu to treat him.

"Captain Ren, you really should consider your image. Don’t come to the Su’s house acting like an uncultured shrew, throwing a fit on the ground."

"If you keep this up, it’ll be too much for any of us to watch. Mr. Sheng really might divorce you then."

"Everyone knows the Shengs are the model couple of our compound! Who’s going to believe you when you say you’re getting divorced?"

"Captain Ren, hurry up and go home. Don’t stand here scaring our Jiaojiao. She’s timid—a fright like this from you will definitely give her nightmares."

Seeing that the crowd had turned, Su’s mother seized the moment to drive Mrs. Sheng away. ’How shameless,’ she thought, ’coming to our home and threatening suicide.’

"That’s right, Captain Ren, you should hurry on home. We all need to get to bed, we have work in the morning!"

"Aunt Ren, let us walk you home." Song Zijie and Xie Zhuoyu went up and flanked Ren Cuiping, each taking an arm to support her.

Mrs. Sheng was left speechless.