The Female Cannon Fodder With Boundless Merits
Chapter 451 - 455: Shang Family’s Daughter (16)

Chapter 451: Chapter 455: Shang Family’s Daughter (16)

Su Li was about to speak when her words stunned everyone into bewilderment.

With a stern glare, Su Li scolded Yuan Xiaoxiao, then gently gathered the two frightened children, who had curled into balls, into her arms.

"Don’t be afraid, don’t be afraid, Mother is here, no one can bully you."

The two tiny children looked up at Su Li admiringly and trustingly, nodding vigorously and then tenderly pressing their little faces against Su Li’s.

Satisfied with the response, they revealed small smiles, brimming with joy.

After comforting the children, she signaled the maid to hurry and take them away.

"Young master, young miss, please come this way with me."

Although reluctant, the two children obediently followed the maid.

Facing these soft and adorable little creatures, Su Li’s expression softened somewhat, "In a while, Mother will come to see you."

As the figures of the two children disappeared from view, Su Li turned around, her expression rapidly darkening, and she reprimanded Yuan Xiaoxiao, "All the etiquette and manners you’ve learned have gone to the dogs."

"These two children will be your younger brother and sister from now on."

Yuan Xiaoxiao screamed out, "Mother, have you gone mad? How could those two brats possibly be my brother and sister?"

Yuan Wen also spoke with displeasure, "Su Li, stop joking. Whose relatives’ kids are these? Send them back quickly."

Su Li chuckled, "I forgot to tell you, those two children have been adopted by me, and they will take the Su surname from now on."

Yuan Wen’s heart tightened upon hearing this, recalling that the Su Family had no male heirs and that it was previously agreed their second child would take the Su surname, an arrangement he later regretted.

To actually give the second child the Su surname, how would others see him?

He couldn’t afford to lose face like that.

So many years had passed, and Su Li hadn’t brought up the matter again. He thought Su Li and the Su Family had given up.

After all, both had a pair of dragon-phoenix twins.

With the Su Family lacking male heirs, Yuan Wen had long regarded the Su Family’s wealth as something that would eventually go to his own son, no different from going to himself.

But now suddenly two children with the Su surname appeared, what was this all about?

Yuan Wen raised his voice, "Don’t talk nonsense, we have children, I don’t agree to the adoption."

Yuan Jiaming also felt his position was threatened, having always believed since childhood that he would inherit the Su Family’s wealth, as told by his father.

"Mother, if you adopt another son, then you might as well disown me as your son."

Yuan Xiaoxiao also quickly made her stance clear, "I agree, I will not acknowledge those two as my siblings."

Su Li responded, "But I’m not here to discuss this with you, only to inform you."

"Yuan Wen, if I’m not mistaken, you’ve recently been in desperate need of money."

"Even going so far as to let your own son become a petty thief..."

Yuan Wen and Yuan Jiaming, father and son’s faces quickly flashed with panic.

"What are you talking about? I..."

Su Li was not there to listen to their excuses. She said, "As long as you agree to the divorce, I am willing to support you one last time with one hundred taels of silver."

If it had been before, Yuan Wen would never have agreed.

Su Li was like a golden goose that could lay eggs; given the choice between a quick profit and a steady income, only a fool would choose the former.

But...

After he and his son had secretly searched the house and failed to find any dowry chests, let alone any slightly valuable items he had once seen in the house—all of which had vanished without a trace—he knew.

This woman was guarding not only against him but also against her own biological son.

The matter at Su University was urgent—the chance to pass the examination came only once...

After much consideration, Yuan Wen gritted his teeth and said, "Give me one thousand taels, and I’ll agree to the divorce."

"You should at least consider Jiaming and Little Cutie somewhat."

Su Li laughed sarcastically, "One thousand taels? Why don’t you just rob someone?"

"Do you think you’re worth that much?"

"Besides, Jiaming and Little Cutie bear the Yuan surname, they’re the blood of your Yuan Family. With you, their father, to think and worry about them, I’m not concerned."

"One hundred taels, not a tael more, or else I won’t even bother to give you that. You’ve embezzled quite a lot of Silver Coin from my dowry’s estate, and I haven’t even settled that with you."

Yuan Wen was so angry that the veins on his forehead bulged, "Indeed, when a woman gets vicious, she recognizes no kin, not even her own children."

"Jiaming, Little Cutie, did you hear that? Your mother, for the sake of some money, doesn’t care about your lives anymore."

Yuan Wen maliciously stirred up deeper resentment in the two children against Su Li, hoping to soften her resolve.

But, Demon King Su, was born with a heart of stone.

"Talking about this is pointless. Think it over and come back to discuss it with me when you’re ready."

Having said this, Su Li was ready to turn around and leave.

"There’s no need to think, I agree. Bring the pen over," Yuan Wen said, hating the situation but helpless.

Su Li was not only surrounded by a formidable old woman but also by even more formidable guards.

Unable to fight, rob, or steal, and with the children’s attitudes unable to wound her in the slightest, Yuan Wen couldn’t think of any way to control her.

What’s more, he was in urgent need of money...

Soon, a Maid brought pen and ink to Yuan Wen.

Seeing their eldest brother and sister-in-law about to divorce with just a few words, Lao San, who had been coldly observing, jumped out and shouted, "Eldest Brother, you must not."

"It has always been only men who dismiss their wives; there’s no such thing as mutual divorce."

"Just for Sister-in-law’s great disrespect, it’s a grave sin..."

He was the most animated; the sister-in-law was like a walking purse, and they couldn’t let her slip away.

Just look at the eldest brother’s expenses for his studies; if the sister-in-law left, these heavy burdens would fall on them.

And besides, their parents had made their plans, they would surely come up with a way to make the sister-in-law give up her dowry, and then their household would also get a share.

Before Third Son Yuan could finish, his face already sported two black and blue circles around his eyes.

A guard casually withdrew his fist, breathed on it, and said, "Keep talking, and it won’t just be this lesson."

Third Son Yuan dared to shout and bellow at Su Li, but facing a brawny man, he immediately lost his nerve.

His mouth might as well have been sewn shut, not even letting out a breath.

Indeed, some people bully the weak and fear the strong.

Yuan Wen, frustrated, tugged at his garment. How could he not have considered his third brother’s words? But he couldn’t delay.

While his brush dashed swiftly across the paper, Yuan Wen thought resentfully: Once he passed the examination, he would pay back today’s humiliation to the contemptible Su Li and the Su Family, double-fold.

After the ink dried, Su Li picked up the document to inspect it and, ensuring there were no issues, instructed an old woman to quickly register it with the government.

Only after receiving the original marriage certificate did Su Li pull out a one hundred taels silver note from her bosom.

"You’re certainly cautious," Yuan Wen said, not without irony.

Su Li replied, "One must be careful and prudent—the treacherous are hard to guard against."

Yuan Wen: "...you"