hotmtlnovel Chapter 1447 Following Dad, Everyone Except Stepmother is Family
Chapter 1447 Following Dad, Everyone Except Stepmother is Family
Chapter 1447 Following Dad, Everyone Except Stepmother is Family
That evening at eight o'clock, Chen Junsheng met with Attorney Zhang in a quiet coffee shop.
Attorney Zhang appeared to be around forty years old, wearing gold-rimmed glasses and a well-fitting dark suit, exuding professionalism and composure. A laptop and a folder sat before him, indicating he was well-prepared.
“Mr. Chen, please have a seat.” Attorney Zhang stood up and shook hands with Chen Junsheng. “President Qin has already given me a general overview of your situation, but I need to hear you explain it in detail. In particular, regarding your marital status, assets, and child custody.”
Chen Junsheng nodded and sat down opposite him. He ordered an Americano and began to recount his twelve-year marriage with Luo Zijun, from the initial sweetness to the later estrangement, and now to their breakdown.
He spoke in great detail and calmly, as if he were telling someone else's story.
Attorney Zhang listened attentively, occasionally taking notes on his computer. After Chen Junsheng finished speaking, he closed his laptop, looked at Chen Junsheng, and gave him a relaxed smile.
“Mr. Chen, if you haven’t withheld any crucial information from me, then frankly, your lawsuit is not difficult at all.”
Chen Junsheng smiled bitterly: "Attorney Zhang, I don't need a spectacular victory in the lawsuit. I have only one request—I want to ensure that my son stays with me. Nothing else matters. The house, the car, the savings—I can give them all to her. I can even provide some assistance if she encounters difficulties in the future. But I must have custody of Ping'er."
Attorney Zhang nodded: "Okay, I understand what you mean. You are a sentimental person, and it's rare that you can still consider your ex-wife after the divorce."
He opened the folder and took out a document: "Here's what we'll do, let's sign an agency agreement first. Leave the rest to me. I'll try to communicate with your wife first and try to reach an amicable divorce. If she doesn't agree, then we'll go through legal proceedings."
Chen Junsheng took the contract, read it carefully, and was about to sign it when he hesitated for a moment. He looked up at Attorney Zhang and said, "Attorney Zhang, it's like this. Although I want to divorce Luo Zijun, she is, after all, the mother of my child. We've been married for twelve years, and we still have some feelings for each other. Unless absolutely necessary, I don't want to go to court. That would be too ugly and not good for the child."
“Understood.” Attorney Zhang nodded understandingly. “You intend for me to meet with your wife first, have a talk, and persuade her to accept the terms of a divorce by mutual consent, right?”
“Yes,” Chen Junsheng said. “No matter what, at least she gave me a son, and I still care about her. If she has any difficulties in life in the future, I will still do my best to help her. But Ping’er must stay with me; that’s my bottom line.”
Attorney Zhang looked at Chen Junsheng with some surprise, remained silent for a few seconds, and then slowly said, "Mr. Chen, forgive my frankness, but in all my years as a divorce lawyer, I've seen far too many couples turn against each other. I've even seen divorce proceedings escalate to the point of violence, like throwing knives and acid. But this is the first time I've seen someone like you, who is about to get a divorce and is still so considerate of his wife. You are a truly kind person."
Chen Junsheng shook his head with a wry smile: "What's so kind about it? I just didn't want to push things too far. After all, I once loved her, and after all, she's Ping'er's mother."
"Don't worry." Attorney Zhang put away the contract. "The terms you've offered are so generous—the house, the car, the savings—you've even promised to provide assistance in the future. I think she has no reason to refuse. As long as she's not too confused, she should accept it."
Chen Junsheng nodded and signed his name on the contract. His hand trembled slightly, but his handwriting was firm.
He knew that from this moment on, his marriage with Luo Zijun had truly come to an end.
……
The next morning, Attorney Zhang arrived at Luo Zijun's home at the address given by Chen Junsheng.
He rang the doorbell and waited a while before the door opened. Luo Zijun appeared in the doorway, looking terrible. Her eyes were red and swollen, her hair was disheveled, and she was wearing a wrinkled nightgown, making her look ten years older.
"Who are you looking for?" Luo Zijun asked Lawyer Zhang warily.
"Hello Ms. Luo, I am Attorney Zhang. Mr. Chen Junsheng has asked me to speak with you about the divorce," Attorney Zhang said politely, handing over his business card.
Luo Zijun's face turned deathly pale instantly. She took the business card, her hand trembling slightly. She looked at Lawyer Zhang for a few seconds, then stepped aside to let him in: "Come...come in."
Attorney Zhang entered the living room and found it in disarray. Empty wine bottles and takeout boxes were scattered on the coffee table, clothes were piled on the sofa, and dust clung to the floor. The entire room exuded an atmosphere of decadence and despair.
“Ms. Luo, I think Mr. Chen has already expressed his wishes to you.” Attorney Zhang found a relatively clean spot on the sofa, opened his briefcase, and took out several documents: “I am here today on behalf of Mr. Chen to formally discuss the specific terms of the divorce with you.”
Luo Zijun sat in the chair opposite, her hands clenched tightly together, her knuckles white. She didn't speak, but stared intently at Attorney Zhang.
“Mr. Chen has offered very generous terms,” Attorney Zhang began. “He is willing to leave with nothing—the house you currently live in, the car, and all your savings will all go to you. He only wants custody of his son.”
He looked at Luo Zijun, trying to make his tone sound gentle and persuasive: "In addition, Mr. Chen also promised that if you encounter difficulties in life after the divorce, he will provide assistance to the best of his ability."
Luo Zijun remained silent, but her breathing became rapid, and tears welled up in her eyes.
Attorney Zhang assumed she was moved, so he continued, "Ms. Luo, if I may be frank, given your current financial situation—no job, no source of income—it's very difficult to provide your child with a stable and good environment for growth. Forcing him to stay with you would actually harm him. Mr. Chen has the ability to provide better living conditions and educational resources; Ping'er will have a better future with him."
He paused, observing Luo Zijun's reaction: "Of course, as her mother, your visitation rights will be absolutely guaranteed. You can see Ping'er often and participate in his growth. This is good for everyone."
"Shut up!" Luo Zijun suddenly screamed, her voice sharp and shrill: "Get out! Get out of here!"
Attorney Zhang was startled, but he continued to persuade her: "Ms. Luo, please calm down. I understand how you feel, but please think rationally..."
"Get out!" Luo Zijun jumped up from her chair like an angry lioness: "Tell Chen Junsheng that I can divorce him, but he can forget about taking my Ping'er away! Ping'er is my flesh and blood, and no one can take him away from me!"
As she spoke, she pushed Attorney Zhang towards the door. Attorney Zhang hadn't expected such a strong reaction, and while backing away, he tried to explain, "Ms. Luo, this won't solve the problem... Let's talk this out..."
"There's nothing to talk about!" Luo Zijun had already pushed him to the door and yanked it open: "Get out! Tell Chen Junsheng that unless I'm dead, he won't be able to take Ping'er away!"
Attorney Zhang was pushed out the door, nearly falling over. He straightened his suit, still trying to make one last effort: "Ms. Luo, why are you doing this? Mr. Chen's offer is really generous; it's better for everyone if you accept it. If you insist on not agreeing to a divorce by mutual consent, then we'll have to see each other in court. And at that point, who knows what the judge will decide..."
Before he could finish speaking, the door was suddenly flung open again. Luo Zijun rushed out, wielding a kitchen knife, her eyes bloodshot, and brandishing it at Lawyer Zhang like a madwoman: "Get out of here! Anyone who tries to take Ping'er away, I'll fight them to the death! Get out!"
Attorney Zhang was terrified and stumbled backward before turning and running away. After a few steps, he turned back and saw Luo Zijun still standing at the door with a kitchen knife in her hand, her eyes filled with madness and despair.
"Ms. Luo, please...please calm down! I'll leave, I'll leave right away!" he said as he backed towards the elevator, only letting out a sigh of relief once he was inside.
Even as the elevator doors closed, he could still hear Luo Zijun's hysterical cries.
Attorney Zhang leaned against the elevator wall, wiping the cold sweat from his forehead. This divorce case was unlikely to be easy.
……
Luo Zijun's home.
With a clang, the kitchen knife fell from Luo Zijun's hand and landed on the floor. As if all her strength had been drained, she collapsed to the ground, burying her face in her hands and sobbing uncontrollably.
The cries were shrill and desperate, echoing in the empty living room. She cried for a long time, until her voice was hoarse and her tears ran dry.
Then, she gradually calmed down. She knew that crying wouldn't solve anything. Chen Junsheng had already hired a lawyer; he was determined to divorce her and take Ping'er away. She had to find a way; she had to fight back.
She struggled to her feet, walked to the sofa, found her phone, and dialed Tang Jing's number.
The phone rang for a long time before being answered. Tang Jing's voice sounded hurried: "Hello, Ziju? What's wrong? Why are you crying? What happened?"
"Tang Jing..." Upon hearing her best friend's voice, Luo Zijun's tears welled up again: "Come quickly, Chen Junsheng wants a divorce... He hired a lawyer, he wants to take Ping'er away... What should I do, Tang Jing... What should I do..."
Her voice was broken and filled with helplessness and panic.
Tang Jing, on the other end of the phone, was in the conference room at Bianti, preparing to present a proposal to an important client. The client had arrived, and the meeting was about to begin. But hearing Luo Zijun's sobs, her heart clenched.
"Zijun, don't panic, tell me slowly, what exactly happened?" Tang Jing tried her best to make her voice sound calm.
Luo Zijun recounted the story of Lawyer Zhang's visit, her words somewhat incoherent, but Tang Jing roughly understood what she was saying.
Tang Jing looked at the clients waiting in the conference room, and then thought of her helpless best friend on the other end of the phone. After struggling for a few seconds, she finally made a decision.
“Zijun, wait for me at home. Don’t do anything foolish. I’ll be right there,” she said.
"Hmm... I'll wait for you... Come quickly..." Luo Zijun seemed to have grasped at a straw.
After hanging up the phone, Tang Jing took a deep breath and called her assistant, Xiao Liu.
"Xiao Liu, give these documents to Lucy and have her explain the plan to President Wang on my behalf." Tang Jing handed the documents to Xiao Liu.
Xiao Liu stared wide-eyed at Tang Jing in disbelief: "Huh? Sis, you're not kidding, are you? The meeting is about to start. President Wang is a big client, this project is very important..."
“I’m not joking.” Tang Jing’s tone was firm: “Tell Lucy that this is an opportunity, and whether she can seize it is up to her. If she does well, she will be in charge of this project from now on.”
She patted Xiao Liu on the shoulder: "Alright, I have to go now. I'll leave this to you."
"Sister, no... are you really leaving?" Xiao Liu exclaimed anxiously, "This is a project worth millions!"
Tang Jing paused for a moment, but quickly continued forward: "I can't worry about that now. Ziju needs me."
After saying that, she left the meeting room without looking back, leaving Xiao Liu standing there alone, holding the documents, at a loss.
Tang Jing didn't go directly to Luo Zijun's house, but instead went to Chenxing Company downstairs first. She stormed into Chen Junsheng's office, ignoring the receptionist's inquiries.
The office door was open, and Chen Junsheng was sitting inside, staring at the computer screen with a furrowed brow and a tired expression.
Tang Jing pushed the door open and slammed it shut.
Chen Junsheng looked up, saw Tang Jing, paused for a moment, then understood her purpose. His expression was somewhat complicated.
"Chen Junsheng." Tang Jing walked to the desk, placed her hands on the surface, and looked down at him: "You're determined to get a divorce, aren't you? You've even found a lawyer. You've moved pretty fast."
Chen Junsheng nodded bitterly, his voice hoarse: "Tang Jing, about this matter..."
"You don't need to explain!" Tang Jing interrupted him. "I'm only asking you, are you determined to take Ping'er away? Are you determined to drive Zijun to the brink of despair?"
Chen Junsheng was silent for a few seconds, then looked up at Tang Jing and said, "Tang Jing, I know you and Zijun are very close. But this is between Zijun and me. Ping'er will be better off with me. I have the ability to give him a better life and a better education. You know Zijun's current situation better than I do. She can't even take care of herself, how can she take care of Ping'er?"
"That's her business!" Tang Jing said excitedly. "Ping'er is her son, her life! What right do you have to take him away? Just because you have money? Just because you can afford a lawyer? Chen Junsheng, let me tell you, don't think you're the only one who can afford a lawyer!"
She straightened up, pointed at Chen Junsheng, and said, word by word, "I will definitely find the best lawyer for Luo Zijun. We'll see each other in court! I refuse to believe that the court will award custody of the child to a man who neglects his family, works overtime all day, and doesn't even care about his wife!"
After saying that, she turned around, slammed the door, and left.
Chen Junsheng sat in the chair, looked at the closed door, and sighed deeply.
But he doesn't regret it. He had to do it for his children.
……
After leaving Chenxing, Tang Jing drove directly to Luo Zijun's house.
She pushed open the door and found that Luo Zijun wasn't alone in the room. Xue Zhenzhu, Luo Ziqun, and even Bai Guang were there. The room was messy, and the atmosphere was tense.
Upon seeing Tang Jing, Xue Zhenzhu rushed over as if she had seen a savior: "Oh, Tang Jing, you've finally come! You must persuade Zijun! She's actually going to leave with nothing... Isn't she crazy? She doesn't want the house, the car, or her savings..."
Tang Jing first comforted Xue Zhenzhu: "Auntie, don't worry, tell me slowly." Then she walked up to Luo Zijun, and seeing her best friend's haggard appearance, she felt a pang of sadness and hugged her tightly.
"Zijun, don't be afraid. I'm here. I won't let anyone bully you," Tang Jing said softly.
Luo Zijun's suppressed emotions finally erupted. She hugged Tang Jing and cried loudly, "Tang Jing, Chen Junsheng is trying to take Ping'er away... Ping'er is my own flesh and blood, I can't lose him... Ping'er can't live without his mother either... How pitiful are children without mothers..."
"I know, I know." Tang Jing patted her back. "Don't worry, I'm here. We will definitely not let Chen Junsheng succeed. We will find the best lawyers, fight the lawsuit, and win Ping'er's custody."
While comforting Luo Zijun, she inquired about the details. Luo Zijun recounted the story of how Attorney Zhang came.
When Tang Jing heard that Chen Junsheng was willing to give up all his property in order to get Luo Zijun to give up custody of Ping'er, and promised to continue to help her after the divorce, she was speechless for a moment.
From a legal and rational perspective, the conditions offered by Chen Junsheng were indeed very generous, even to the point of being extremely kind and considerate.
"At least Chen Junsheng did something decent..." Xue Zhenzhu, who was listening nearby, couldn't help but say, "He doesn't want the house, the car, or the savings, he just wants the child... This condition is actually worth considering..."
"Mom!" Luo Zijun suddenly raised her head, her eyes red as she glared at her mother: "What did you say? You're going to help Chen Junsheng take Ping'er away too? Do you also think that money is more important than Ping'er?"
"That's not what I meant..." Xue Zhenzhu quickly explained, "I mean, the conditions Chen Junsheng offered are indeed... indeed worth considering. Ziju, be realistic. You don't have a job or income right now. Even if you win custody of Ping'er, how will you support him? How will you live? You can't just starve with Ping'er, can you?"
"I don't care!" Luo Zijun shouted hysterically, "Even if I starve to death, I will stay with Ping'er! No one can separate us, mother and son!"
“Sister, I think Mom has a point…” Luo Ziqun said cautiously, “What Chen Junsheng’s lawyer said isn’t entirely unreasonable… Ping’er will definitely have a better life with Chen Junsheng…”
Before she could finish speaking, Luo Zijun suddenly pointed at her and started cursing: "What kind of logic is this? In your eyes, money equals logic, right? Then why don't you find a rich husband? Why did you find a good-for-nothing gigolo? Isn't it enough to suffer every day? Now you have to lecture me?"
Bai Guang, who had been sitting in the corner playing on his phone, was instantly enraged upon hearing this. He jumped up, pointing at Luo Zijun: "Who are you calling a spineless gigolo? Luo Zijun, do you think you're still the rich wife you used to be? What's the difference between you and me now? No, you're even worse off than me! At least I can earn my own living, but what about you? Without Chen Junsheng, you wouldn't even have enough to eat!"
"Didn't you used to boss me around just because Chen Junsheng earned more? Well, now Chen Junsheng is going to dump you. What do you call that? You deserve it! What goes around comes around! This is your retribution!"
Luo Zijun was trembling with rage. She grabbed an ashtray from the coffee table and threw it at Bai Guang. Bai Guang dodged it, and the ashtray smashed against the wall with a loud bang.
"Bai Guang! What nonsense are you spouting!" Xue Zhenzhu stepped forward and shoved Bai Guang hard. "Don't forget, if it weren't for Zijun giving you money to pay off your debts all these years, you would have been thrown into the Huangpu River by those creditors long ago! How dare you say such things about Zijun? Have you lost your conscience?"
Bai Guang didn't tolerate his mother-in-law, who always looked down on him, at all: "Don't talk about me! If Chen Junsheng wants to divorce your daughter, you're partly responsible! You know how much you've taken from his family over the years! In the future, without Chen Junsheng, your rich son-in-law, I don't think your life will be easy!"
"Oh, you Bai Guang, you heartless bastard..." Xue Zhenzhu stomped her feet in anger and stepped forward to hit Bai Guang.
Bai Guang was not to be outdone and reached out to push Xue Zhenzhu.
Just as their argument was about to escalate into a physical fight, Tang Jing suddenly shouted, "Enough! Can you two be quiet for a second!"
Her voice was loud, carrying an undeniable authority. Everyone was stunned and looked at her.
Tang Jing took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down: "The most urgent thing right now is to help Zijun fight for custody of Ping'er. Will arguing here solve anything?"
Xue Zhenzhu slapped her forehead: "Right~~~ I'm so confused! Ziju, listen to me, we need to fight for Ping'er's custody, the house, the car, and the savings! Don't make a mistake! You can't work right now, and supporting the family and the child will cost a lot of money! If you leave with nothing, you'll have nothing!"
As she spoke, she took Tang Jing's hand again: "Tang Jing, please help me persuade her not to do anything foolish... If she really leaves with nothing, how will she live in the future..."
“Auntie, don’t worry,” Tang Jing said. “I will definitely hire the best lawyer to help Zijun with this case. We will not only fight for custody of Ping’er, but also for the property that she is entitled to.”
As she spoke, Tang Jing took out her phone and made a call. This lawyer was someone she had worked with before; he was very capable and experienced in marriage and family law.
The call was answered quickly, and Tang Jing briefly explained the situation. Initially, the other party readily agreed, saying they could take the case. But after listening to Tang Jing's detailed description—especially mentioning Chen Junsheng's name and that Chen Junsheng had already hired Lawyer Zhang—the other party suddenly fell silent.
After a while, the other party cautiously asked, "Tang Jing, the client you introduced to me, is she named Luo Zijun?"
Tang Jing was taken aback: "How did you know?"
"Sigh..." The other party sighed, "Tang Jing, I'm afraid I can't help you with this. I've already... I've already signed an agency contract with Chen Junsheng."
Tang Jing frowned: "Was it Lao Qin who introduced you?"
"Yes." The other party admitted, "President Qin called me yesterday, saying that Chen Junsheng is his friend and asking me to help. I have already met Mr. Chen and signed the contract. According to professional ethics, I cannot represent both parties' cases at the same time."
Tang Jing's heart sank.
"Then... could you recommend another lawyer for me? Someone capable, someone with experience in divorce cases?" Tang Jing asked.
Attorney Zhang hesitated for a moment on the other end of the phone, his tone somewhat troubled: "Tang Jing, it's not that I don't want to help you. It's just... it's just that you and President Qin... I'm caught in the middle, it's very difficult for me. President Qin is an important client of our firm, I can't afford to offend him. Besides, I've already taken on Mr. Chen's case, and according to the rules, I can't introduce you to any other colleagues..."
"Okay, I understand," Tang Jing said, her voice somewhat cold. "That's settled then. I'll think of another way."
"Okay, you go ahead and get back to work, I'll hang up now." Attorney Zhang visibly relaxed and quickly hung up the phone.
After hanging up the phone, Tang Jing looked at Luo Zijun's expectant eyes and felt a pang of sadness. She forced a smile and comforted her, "It's okay, this lawyer is busy. I'll find you another one. Shanghai is so big, there are plenty of good lawyers. I'll definitely find you the best one."
Luo Zijun nodded, tears welling up in her eyes again: "Tang Jing, thank you... I really don't know what I would have done without you..."
"Don't say that, we're best friends." Tang Jing patted her hand.
For the next few hours, Tang Jing was on the phone, contacting various lawyer friends to find a suitable lawyer to represent Luo Zijun's case. She made more than a dozen calls. Some lawyers declined outright as soon as they heard that the other party was introduced by Qin Hao; some lawyers, although they did not say it explicitly, revealed their reluctance in their tone; and a few lawyers agreed to meet and discuss in detail, but they did not sound particularly confident.
Ultimately, Tang Jing found a lawyer willing to take the case through a college classmate's connection. This lawyer, surnamed Wang, was in his forties and specialized in marriage and family law cases, boasting a high success rate, but his fees were also considerable.
Tang Jing arranged to meet with Attorney Wang that evening to discuss Luo Zijun's situation in detail. After listening, Attorney Wang said that the case was difficult, but not entirely hopeless. The key was to examine Luo Zijun's financial situation, her ability to raise children, and whether Chen Junsheng had committed any obvious wrongdoing.
“If Mr. Chen is really as you say, often working overtime, neglecting his family, and not caring enough for his wife and children, then we can approach it from that angle to gain the judge’s sympathy,” Attorney Wang said. “But to be honest, nowadays, when the court decides on child custody, it mainly depends on who has better economic conditions and who can provide a more stable living environment for the child. From this point of view, Mr. Chen does have an advantage.”
Tang Jing nodded: "I understand. But no matter what, we have to try. Money is not a problem. As long as we can help Ziju win custody of Ping'er, I am willing to pay any amount of lawyer fees."
Attorney Wang glanced at Tang Jing, a hint of curiosity in his eyes: "Ms. Tang, what is your relationship with Ms. Luo...?"
“She is my best friend,” Tang Jing said simply.
Attorney Wang nodded and didn't ask any more questions: "Okay, then I'll take this case. I'll meet with Ms. Luo tomorrow to formally sign the agency agreement. We will do our best to achieve the best outcome."
"Thank you, Attorney Wang." Tang Jing breathed a sigh of relief.
It was already 10 p.m. when Tang Jing saw Attorney Wang off. She felt exhausted, but she still had something to do.
She drove back to Bianti and found that Qin Hao's office light was still on. She hesitated for a moment, but then went straight there.
Knocked on the door.
"Come in," came Qin Hao's voice from inside.
Tang Jing pushed open the door and entered. Qin Hao was sitting at his desk reading documents, not even looking up: "What's wrong? You look so menacing, who upset you?"
Tang Jing walked to the desk, placed her hands on the surface, and stared at Qin Hao: "Who else could it be but you?"
Qin Hao then raised his head, looked at Tang Jing, and asked expressionlessly, "Me? What happened to me?"
"Why did you introduce Attorney Zhang to Chen Junsheng?" Tang Jing questioned, her voice filled with suppressed anger. "You knew he wanted to divorce Luo Zijun, and you knew Luo Zijun was my friend, yet you still helped him? Are you deliberately going against me?"
Qin Hao put down the documents in his hand, leaned back in his chair, and said unhurriedly, "Tang Jing, you and Luo Zijun are friends, so it's fine for you to stand up for her. But I'm also friends with Chen Junsheng, and we have business dealings. It seems there's nothing wrong with me helping him, right?"
He paused, then continued, "If a friend is in trouble, what's wrong with me introducing a lawyer? Are you allowed to help Luo Zijun but I'm not allowed to help Chen Junsheng? What kind of logic is that?"
Tang Jing was speechless for a moment, but quickly retorted, "But Chen Junsheng is going to fight Luo Zijun for custody of Ping'er! Ping'er is Luo Zijun's life! Chen Junsheng is trying to kill her! Do you know that? Today, Luo Zijun almost attacked Lawyer Zhang with a knife! She's almost gone crazy!"
Qin Hao's expression turned serious. He looked at Tang Jing and said earnestly, "That's precisely why Ping'er should be raised by Chen Junsheng."
Tang Jing was stunned.
Qin Hao stood up, walked to the window, his back to Tang Jing, and said calmly and rationally, "After a divorce, children growing up in a single-parent family are prone to psychological problems. If the guardian themselves has biased or extreme emotions, it can easily affect the child. You've seen Luo Zijun's current state—emotionally unstable, easily angered, and even prone to violence. Is such a mother really suitable to raise a child?"
He turned to Tang Jing and said, "Furthermore, have you considered this? If Ping'er stays with Chen Junsheng, even if Chen Junsheng remarries in the future, for Ping'er, only her stepmother will be an outsider; her father, grandparents, and other relatives will be family. But if Ping'er stays with Luo Zijun, and Luo Zijun doesn't have the financial means to raise Ping'er alone, she will inevitably need to remarry and find someone to help her raise her son. Once Luo Zijun remarries, what will Ping'er face? A family where everyone except her mother is an outsider."
Qin Hao walked back to his desk, placed his hands on the surface, and looked at Tang Jing: "If Luo Zijun truly cares about Ping'er, then she should let go. Let Ping'er stay with Chen Junsheng, where she can have a better life, a better education, and a more stable environment. That's the true way to love a child, not to keep the child by your side and make him suffer because of your own possessiveness."
Tang Jing tried to refute him several times, but rationally speaking, she couldn't find a reasonable argument to overturn Qin Hao's logic. Qin Hao was right; from the child's perspective, it was indeed better for her to stay with Chen Junsheng. Luo Zijun was currently emotionally unstable and had no income; if she remarried in the future, Ping'er's situation would be even more precarious.
But she was still unwilling to accept it. Luo Zijun was her friend, and she couldn't just watch her friend lose her child and everything.
"You didn't tell Chen Junsheng these things, did you?" Tang Jing suddenly asked.
Qin Hao looked at her, remained silent for a few seconds, and then said, "We just had lunch this afternoon."
Tang Jing's face darkened.