Why Did My Ex-Wife’S Aunt Treat Me Like That? Chapter 7
byChapter 7 “Give it to her.”
On the way there, Peng Cheng had imagined many scenarios.
Many of those images involved Yuan Yi being injured. She didn’t know how Yuan Yi and He Xun had escalated to the point of mutual combat so quickly.
She remembered Yuan Yi had been in the hospital for a checkup just yesterday.
And that pale face.
She could still distinguish between what was important and what wasn’t.
After she got out of the car, the police officers looked like they had seen a savior and rushed to welcome her inside.
Peng Cheng hadn’t expected the scene she witnessed.
Her expression froze slightly, then she slowly frowned.
“Aunt, you’re finally here!”
Sitting opposite was He Xun.
Not only was her face covered in various injuries, but her cheeks were swollen, crisscrossed with blood streaks and scratch marks. Her eyes were forced into a squint, but the injuries didn’t look like they were caused by fists; they looked like she had been whipped.
Her exposed arms and neck were covered in bruises.
…Mutual combat?
Peng Cheng’s gaze shifted to Yuan Yi.
Yuan Yi had a very clear palm print on her left cheek. When she noticed Peng Cheng looking, she deliberately turned that side towards her.
Smiling brightly, she said, “Director Cheng, you’ve arrived.”
She rubbed her slightly sore shoulders, her entire upper body relaxing. Seeing Peng Cheng was like seeing her biggest supporter.
The police officers present thought: Is this right?
Why is she suddenly acting so well-behaved now?
And speaking of which, who exactly did Director Cheng come to bail out?
Assistant Nian suppressed his surprise. “What exactly happened?”
“She beat me up this badly, and you still have to ask what happened?” He Xun’s refined image was completely gone. She had to pause and take a breath after every sentence.
“I came here today specifically to find Yuan Yi, and she had the audacity to go crazy and beat me up like this! Even if she is my girlfriend, I absolutely will not forgive her! I want her locked up in the detention center.”
Peng Cheng glanced down and saw the trash can by He Xun’s feet was full of blood-stained paper towels. She wondered if He Xun had lost a tooth.
Yuan Yi said, “Don’t slander me. Officers, you heard the surveillance footage, right? She was the one who went crazy first and told me to quit my job. If she hadn’t suddenly slapped me, I wouldn’t have reacted and hit her. I was just acting in self-defense.”
Assistant Nian looked at his boss’s grave expression and felt that this matter was truly difficult to handle.
He Xun wouldn’t back down.
The only reason she insisted on calling Peng Cheng was because she knew her aunt’s influence.
Moreover, Yuan Yi was terrified of Peng Cheng, so she would surely obey obediently.
Peng Cheng suddenly asked, “Quit your job?”
Yuan Yi cupped her face and nodded. “He Xun told me to quit my job, and the conflict started because I refused.”
He Xun retorted, “You just want me to support you, don’t you? Aunt, don’t listen to her nonsense. You saw that big blue tent outside our house yesterday, right? She was planning to propose to me yesterday. Quitting her job was her own idea!”
Even as she said it, He Xun didn’t find it absurd. Who proposes in a plastic tent?
Peng Cheng hadn’t witnessed the proposal scene. She had only seen Yuan Yi packing all her belongings into that large backpack.
The police also knew that Peng Cheng was a heavyweight figure they couldn’t afford to offend. An officer chimed in, “They did have a verbal argument before the fight. Ms. Yuan Yi also said that her dream was to collaborate with you, but Ms. He Xun often mocked her, which she considered an insult.”
Yuan Yi hadn’t expected the police to reveal that detail here. She lowered her head awkwardly, avoiding Peng Cheng’s probing gaze.
Since arriving, Peng Cheng had spoken very little, but her aura was incredibly strong. Everyone took turns explaining themselves in front of her, trying to gauge her attitude.
But Peng Cheng was impenetrable, her expression remaining neutral.
He Xun slammed her phone onto the table and said, “Aunt, everything Yuan Yi says is a lie. She’s also a thief. Look at this surveillance footage.”
The footage showed Yuan Yi entering the villa at four in the morning.
This was why He Xun had said that Yuan Yi would be at a disadvantage once they reached the police station.
She had already obtained this video and knew Yuan Yi had entered. Based on her understanding of Yuan Yi, what else would she take? Designer bags or jewelry. Any of the things she had given Yuan Yi were valuable.
Not to mention, her aunt always hated hypocrites the most and would surely side with her.
He Xun said, “She went to work so early today, she definitely hasn’t gotten rid of the things. If you don’t believe me, check her bag.”
Her bag…
Yuan Yi immediately sat up straight. “Why should I let you search my bag? That’s my private property. I won’t let you look.”
He Xun exclaimed, “See! She stole things from my aunt’s house and won’t admit it!”
Peng Cheng finally walked slowly into the room.
He Xun looked triumphant. Everyone knew that this matter was likely about to conclude.
Yuan Yi was still a little afraid of Peng Cheng. She kept her head down, but not because He Xun was falsely accusing her of theft. How could Peng Cheng not know whether she stole anything? They had already run into each other at the time.
Today, Peng Cheng was wearing a trench coat, with an inner layer similar to what Yuan Yi had seen yesterday morning: a shirt and a vest. A classic black and coffee color scheme.
Yuan Yi didn’t dare to look too closely.
This English style suited Peng Cheng perfectly. Already tall, the outfit made her look elegantly beautiful.
Beneath that elegance, there was often a hidden undercurrent, firmly restrained, which made her seem so reserved.
Just like Peng Cheng’s figure, subtly outlined beneath the coat.
Yuan Yi dared not dwell on it, dared not imagine.
“You went to work today?”
Unexpectedly, Peng Cheng’s question caught everyone off guard, including Yuan Yi.
Yuan Yi looked up and met Peng Cheng’s eyes. “…Yes, I went to work at 8:30.”
Peng Cheng quickly calculated in her mind: Yuan Yi woke up at four in the morning, went to the villa, and then went straight to work without rest.
There was no doubt about it; she must truly love that job.
How much motivation had that comment about wanting to collaborate with her provided?
“No need for injury assessment. Settle this,” Peng Cheng took a step back, increasing the social distance between herself and Yuan Yi.
Triumph wouldn’t disappear; it would only transfer.
At this moment, Yuan Yi completely understood. Triumph radiated from her face to her hair. If it weren’t for the inappropriate setting, she would have hugged Peng Cheng’s leg and declared, “Director Cheng is wise!”
She could also take the opportunity to confirm if Peng Cheng’s leg was still alright.
Peng Cheng couldn’t help but take another half step back.
He Xun only now realized that her aunt meant for her to just drop the matter with Yuan Yi.
She thought Yuan Yi had lost her mind, perhaps due to the excessive pressure she had put on her recently.
But why was her aunt acting this way too?
After a brief moment of stiffness, He Xun was about to jump up but was restrained by Assistant Nian, who had rushed over. “Ms. He Xun, General Manager He! Don’t forget who you are. If people find out you caused such a scene in public, it will embarrass the family. Getting hit a few times by an ex-girlfriend is only natural. Since the matter hasn’t escalated, just calm down and let it go.”
In the face of profit, everything else had to yield. He Xun couldn’t understand, but Peng Cheng wouldn’t waste time on such pointless arguments.
He Xun was completely unwilling, but when she met Peng Cheng’s serious gaze, she knew she couldn’t cause any more trouble.
Yet, she felt incredibly wronged. Yuan Yi was the one who had caused the trouble.
The matter should have been settled. The officers in charge were relieved and were about to have the two sign the mediation agreement when they heard Yuan Yi speak.
“I don’t agree. I won’t mediate.” Yuan Yi returned He Xun’s words to her verbatim. “I want her to spend a few days in the detention center. Look at this slap on my face; it was so hard. I won’t forgive her.”
The police officers: “…” A true living devil has arrived.
Doesn’t she know what it means to quit while you’re ahead?
Why is this young woman acting even more arrogant after Peng Cheng arrived?
He Xun completely lost the composure she used to have when dealing with Yuan Yi. When she sprang up, her whole body ached. “Yuan Yi, is your brain broken? What exactly do you want?”
Assistant Nian held her down. Peng Cheng asked calmly, “What are your conditions for settlement?”
“I can’t take this slap for nothing. I want five hundred thousand, and an apology for insulting my dream.”
Five hundred thousand was nothing to them.
“The things you took from me are worth far more than five hundred thousand!” He Xun looked at Yuan Yi in disbelief. “Why stop pretending? You said you didn’t care about money when you were my girlfriend. You’re so hypocritical.”
She never thought she would hear that sentence so soon in this life.
Yuan Yi said with satisfaction, “I am hypocritical. I love money. If you don’t give me the money, I won’t settle. We can stay here all day.”
Yuan Yi thought she must look shameless right now, but she didn’t care. Shamelessness was good. She should have been this shameless sooner!
“You can’t give it to her, Aunt. She also stole things from our house. I’m calling a lawyer!”
Peng Cheng said, “Nian Ran, give it to her.”
Yuan Yi’s expression froze.
Who was giving it?
The five hundred thousand she hadn’t gotten even after dying in her previous life was now being obtained so easily.
But she wanted the five hundred thousand to pay back three hundred thousand to Peng Cheng. If Peng Cheng gave her the money, and she then gave it back to Peng Cheng, wouldn’t that be redundant?
“Wait.” Yuan Yi stood up from the chair and, in her haste, tugged on Peng Cheng’s sleeve.
“More demands?”
Yuan Yi swallowed nervously and whispered, “Use He Xun’s money, right? I… don’t want your money.”
Peng Cheng’s gaze slid from the red mark on Yuan Yi’s face down to the fingertips gripping her sleeve.
They were beautiful fingers, but not delicate or weak.
When did she grow up?
Even this small action of pinching someone’s clothes carried a hint of elusive cunning.
Yuan Yi realized what she was doing and quickly let go.
Before Peng Cheng could speak, He Xun rushed over, pulled open Yuan Yi’s backpack, and dumped the contents out.
Aside from a heavy laptop, only a beige single blanket with kitten prints fell out.
There were none of the valuable items He Xun had claimed.
Yuan Yi immediately tried to grab her bag back. He Xun held onto it, refusing to let go, and tried to rummage inside again. Yuan Yi didn’t tolerate her. In the struggle, she got tangled up with He Xun again.
The two police officers quickly separated them. Peng Cheng noticed that Yuan Yi still wanted to continue fighting.
An officer quickly held her back. “Young lady, please calm down!”
Seeing how Yuan Yi had managed to beat He Xun up, the officer thought Yuan Yi might have some training. Now, seeing her easily restrained by the police and still panting, he realized the girl had no special moves; she was just relying on a reckless, life-or-death determination.
As if she had nothing left to care about.
Just as Yuan Yi was being held by the officer, He Xun still tried to rush over and land a slap on Yuan Yi’s face.
The next moment, her wrist was firmly clamped, rendering her immobile.
“Haven’t you made enough of a scene?” Peng Cheng’s tone turned cold. She flung He Xun’s hand away. “You’ve completely lost your dignity over a breakup.”
He Xun was full of grievances but dared not defy Peng Cheng.
Assistant Nian politely approached Yuan Yi to apologize, told her the matter was settled, and asked for her bank account number.
He Xun was sent to the hospital to treat her injuries. Assistant Nian even asked Yuan Yi if she wanted to go, but by then, Peng Cheng had already gotten into her car, avoiding any further eye contact with Yuan Yi.
Yuan Yi naturally declined.
While waiting for a ride by the side of the police station road, Peng Cheng didn’t offer to drive her. Yuan Yi knew that her bold move of demanding money had likely significantly lowered her standing in Peng Cheng’s eyes.
Wealthy people could use money to buy face, while people like her, who currently lacked money, needed to use shamelessness to get it.
No big deal. The important thing was that she got the money.
The big problem was Peng Cheng’s leg.
What a coincidence.
Roadblocks had been set up outside the police station because an underground water pipe had suddenly burst and was undergoing repairs, leaving only single-lane traffic.
Vehicles were backed up, moving slowly.
Peng Cheng felt this scene was familiar. It seemed she always encountered traffic jams whenever she met Yuan Yi.
Feeling inexplicably stifled, Peng Cheng realized her brow hadn’t unfurrowed.
Assistant Nian rolled down the window to let in some air for her.
Yuan Yi also saw the situation ahead and decided to walk past the blockage with her bag and then hail a taxi.
She was a little tired and walked slowly, but even at a slow pace, she caught up to Peng Cheng’s car.
Because the window was open, she overheard the driver’s words.
“Director Cheng, the car factory said the 0909 is fixed and can resume picking you up tomorrow.”
He Xun said, “The 4S shop I recommended is amazing, right? It was fixed so quickly. I specifically asked my mother about it. Aunt, I’ll go help you inspect it tomorrow.”
Yuan Yi’s steps halted.
In the large newspaper photos at the time, the car Peng Cheng was driving during the fatal accident was a Mercedes-Benz S-Class, license plate 0909.
After the violent impact, the rear half of the silent beast was almost completely shattered.
The person sitting in the back was too, but the driver survived.