I’m A Scumbag Woman—I Flirt, But Never Marry [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 11

Wang Jianfei’s expression instantly darkened.

If he had been capable of swallowing his pride and saying “I’m sorry,” wouldn’t he have gone straight to the gallery to find Xu Tinglan? Why would he have taken such an enormous detour?

Besides, “I’m sorry” was only three words. It wasn’t that he physically couldn’t say them. He was simply afraid of spoiling her.

Even when he had been pursuing her, he had never uttered those three words. Whenever he truly did something wrong and needed to coax her, he always avoided apologizing by saying things like “I love you” or “You’re the only woman in my heart.”

If he broke that precedent today, what would he do when Xu Tinglan took advantage of it and became increasingly demanding?!

But Mrs. Xu had already made the suggestion. Wang Jianfei still worked under President Zhang, and he had spent so long acting like the perfectly devoted husband. He couldn’t allow his performance to fall apart now.

This was so fucking absurd!

After going in circles for so long, how had he managed to trap himself?!

Wang Jianfei gritted his teeth.

He would never do something that inflicted a thousand points of damage on his enemy while dealing eight hundred to himself.

It seemed he wouldn’t hear Xu Tinglan say “I’m sorry” today.

Fuck!

How infuriating!

No matter how many obscenities Wang Jianfei cursed internally, he continued looking sincere and honest on the surface.

“Mom, if you want me to apologize to Lan Lan without any conditions, I’ll do it. But if you want me to apologize so that she’ll apologize to me afterward, then forget it.

“We’re all family. There’s no need for so many empty formalities. Neither of us needs to apologize. We’ll simply put this matter behind us.”

Mrs. Xu couldn’t possibly have been more satisfied with this son-in-law.

Look at how sensible he was!

She walked over, took their hands, stacked them together, and patted them.

“Spending a lifetime together as husband and wife is just like eating a meal. Chopsticks and bowls will inevitably knock against each other sometimes.

“If you each take one step back, there won’t be any obstacle you can’t overcome. When you’re old and look back on this, it will seem like nothing more than children playing house. Even the two of you will find it funny.”

Professor Xu asked them a few more questions about work before they finally rose to leave.

Mrs. Xu accompanied them to the door.

“All right, it’s getting late. Go home, wash up, and get some sleep.”

Professor Xu followed and patted Wang Jianfei’s shoulder.

“Dad was almost forty when we finally had this precious daughter. We never hit or scolded her growing up. If she does anything wrong, come to me. I’ll help you correct her.

“Don’t keep your anger bottled up either. Dad will stand up for you.”

He then turned toward Xu Tinglan.

After wearing a stern face all evening, Professor Xu finally couldn’t maintain it any longer. He burst out laughing and playfully pinched Xu Tinglan’s unhappy face like a mischievous old child.

“Silly girl! If anything happens in the future, come to Dad. I’ll judge fairly between the two of you.

“Stop running away from home at the slightest disagreement. Has your rebellious phase arrived late? You were so obedient as a teenager.”

Mrs. Xu slapped his hand away and cheerfully ushered Xu Tinglan and Wang Jianfei through the door.

“Go home quickly. The longer you delay, the later it gets. It’ll be eleven before you arrive.”

Wang Jianfei turned and waved goodbye.

Xu Tinglan also raised her hand.

Beneath the corridor light, the undried water stains on her mother’s apron and the gray hairs at her father’s temples quietly tugged at Xu Tinglan’s tear ducts.

They knew nothing.

They believed this had only been a minor argument. Their hearts were filled with hope that she and Wang Jianfei would reconcile and return to how they had been—that they would remain a loving couple for the rest of their lives.

But could they truly do that?

Bitterness filled Xu Tinglan’s heart.

She suddenly lost all sense of direction and no longer knew which choice would be best.

Wang Jianfei guided her into the elevator.

The instant the doors closed, his smile disappeared.

“Are you satisfied now? Have you made enough trouble?”

Xu Tinglan sniffled, suppressed her tears, and turned her head away, unwilling to speak to him.

Wang Jianfei had already been holding back his anger. Seeing her reaction made it flare even more fiercely.

He grabbed her and slammed her against the elevator wall with a heavy thud.

“Because of you, I missed an entire day of work! That filthy bitch Ma Yanzhi beat me so badly that my waist still hurts!

“I’m not even holding any of that against you. I treated your parents like my ancestors, running around and waiting on them hand and foot. Who are you putting on that sour expression for?!”

Xu Tinglan glanced at the hand pinning her in place.

She didn’t struggle. She merely replied coldly, “I don’t believe Zhi Zhi was the one who injured your waist. Also, please show some respect for my friend.”

Wang Jianfei had only intended to vent.

The Xu Tinglan of the past would never have exposed an embarrassing fact like that. He hadn’t expected her to show him so little consideration today, and his humiliation immediately turned into rage.

“Listen to me, Xu Tinglan! Don’t reject the respect I’m giving you! How terrible was my mistake, huh? Was it a capital offense? Huh? Enough is enough!”

Xu Tinglan closed her eyes.

Bitterness continued surging through her heart.

Was this truly the man she had loved for six entire years?

Had she ever really known him?

“I think we need to spend some time apart. I’ll stay with Zhi Zhi for the next few days. Once we’ve both calmed down, we can discuss everything face-to-face.”

Wang Jianfei frowned.

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“I only want us both to calm down.”

“Calm down? Ha! I think staying away from home has made you wild! That little bitch Ma Yanzhi has been filling your head with nonsense, hasn’t she? You’re forbidden from associating with her again!”

Xu Tinglan emphasized every word.

“I already told you—show some respect for my friend!”

“Respect my fucking ass! We haven’t even been married for two years, and you’ve already learned to side with outsiders against your own husband? I’ve begged you this much, yet what more do you want?”

“Begged me? Is this how someone behaves when they’re begging?”

Wang Jianfei didn’t feel remotely guilty.

“Didn’t I put meat in your bowl earlier? Didn’t I serve you soup? Do you even understand the meaning of gratitude?”

She performed those tasks for him so routinely.

Yet when he did them once, they became a gracious favor?

Wang Jianfei continued ranting without pause.

“I only slept with another woman. Did that threaten your position as my lawful wife? If you think you’ve suffered a loss, I’ll sleep with you a few extra times tonight to make up for it.

“How many men who socialize for business remain completely clean? Even your father—how do you know for certain that he has never done anything?

“Do you have any idea how slutty female students are these days? Who knows how many of them your father has held in his arms?”

What?!

Xu Tinglan became so furious that her breathing grew unsteady. She clenched her delicate fists.

If she hadn’t been taught excellent self-restraint since childhood, she would have slapped his hateful face.

“Shut your mouth! He isn’t only my father—he was also your professor! How could you slander him like that?!”

Wang Jianfei scoffed indifferently.

“I know you can’t accept it right away, but that’s simply reality. Men are born with a powerful mating drive. They’re incapable of remaining faithful to a single woman.

“It’s their natural instinct and the optimal choice for the continuation of the species. You’ll have to accept it whether you like it or not.”

Then he tried to reassure her.

“But don’t worry. You’re the woman I love. Everyone else is merely someone I play with.

“A tired bird always returns to its nest. You’ll always be my wife, and no one can shake your position as the woman of the house. So relax.”

Relax?

For the first time, Xu Tinglan profoundly understood what it meant for one’s heart to turn completely cold.

“Ha… Hahaha…”

She suddenly laughed.

Her eyes reddened as tears surged inside them.

She almost began to suspect that she truly was the one behaving unreasonably—that Wang Jianfei had never cheated and she hadn’t caught him in the act.

Perhaps even the absurd scumbag rhetoric he was spouting now was merely part of some ridiculous dream she had imagined.

“I don’t think there’s any reason to waste more time. Let’s get divorced.”

Wang Jianfei froze.

“What did you say?”

“I said…”

Xu Tinglan’s lips trembled. She struggled to keep her tears from falling.

“Let’s get divorced.”

Bang!

A tremendous sound suddenly rang out as Wang Jianfei kicked the elevator wall.

His brows twisted, his eyes bulged, and his expression became vicious and terrifying. The hand gripping her shoulder tightened without mercy, causing so much pain that she nearly cried out.

“Say that again, you fucking bitch!” Wang Jianfei snarled through clenched teeth.

When pain reached a certain point, fear disappeared.

Xu Tinglan lifted her chin slightly and stared unblinkingly at him with reddened eyes.

“I advise you to release me immediately. There’s a surveillance camera in the elevator. You’ve already committed adultery. You don’t want to add domestic violence to your record, do you?”

“You’re threatening me?!”

Wang Jianfei nearly exploded with rage.

“I’m not threatening you. I’m merely stating a fact.”

“You! Well done, Xu Tinglan! You’ve certainly become capable, haven’t you?!”

Wang Jianfei glanced toward the surveillance camera. His eyes shifted as a new idea occurred to him.

He suddenly reached out and yanked at the shoulder strap of her dress!

Xu Tinglan had remained on guard against him and immediately resisted, but she couldn’t match a man’s strength.

He forcibly tore through the strap!

“What are you doing?! Have you lost your mind?!”

She wrapped her arms around herself and desperately held up her dress to keep it from falling. But Wang Jianfei showed no mercy and continued dragging it downward with all his strength.

“Didn’t you want to accuse me of domestic violence? I’ll strip you completely naked and shove you in front of that camera!

“Go ahead and report me if you have the nerve! Let’s see whether I’m the one who loses face—or whether you and your parents do!”

Forced into a crouch on the floor, Xu Tinglan desperately clutched her dress around herself.

Unable to suppress the sob in her voice, she pleaded bitterly.

“Don’t do this, Jianfei! Please don’t do this!”

Seeing Xu Tinglan curled miserably in the corner, sobbing and utterly humiliated, gave Wang Jianfei immense satisfaction.

Much of the anger he had accumulated over the past day and night finally dissipated.

At last, he stopped.

Bracing one hand against the wall, he looked down at her from above.

“I love you, Lan Lan. Don’t force me. I don’t want to treat you this way either.

“You don’t want your father to learn about all this chaos and become so angry that something happens to him, do you?”

Wang Jianfei pulled her to her feet and embraced her.

Xu Tinglan instinctively struggled, but a cold snort from him frightened her into stopping.

“As long as you behave obediently, I promise everything will remain exactly as it was before.

“No matter how much I fool around outside, you will always be my most beloved wife. Stop saying things I don’t want to hear.

“At least with me, you’re still untouched goods. I’ll pamper you. If you leave me for another man, you’ll be nothing but a worn-out shoe. No one else could possibly treat you as well as I do.

“Do you understand?”

Wang Jianfei had said similar things to brainwash her many times throughout their six years together.

Xu Tinglan had usually obeyed him.

But this time…

Xu Tinglan slowly closed her eyes.

Held in the embrace she had once loved most but now found unbearably repulsive, she silently clenched her fists.

She had to divorce him.

She absolutely had to get divorced!

But how was she supposed to do it?

How could she avoid hurting her parents?

Who could tell her?