Madam, Please Behave-Chapter 346: Cracks (2)

【……】

Still silence.

Liu Changqing was just trying to bait her. freewebnoveℓ.com

If Li Wanran really did reveal the truth, that would be the best-case scenario…

But she wasn’t the type to be easily tricked by a bluff, right?

Even Liu Changqing felt he was being too optimistic.

Hearing nothing but quiet from the other end of the line, he nearly laughed.

Just as he was about to say something else—

Suddenly, Li Wanran’s voice came through the receiver.

【Who told you?】

He froze.

The moment he heard that, Liu Changqing knew: Li Wanran definitely knew the truth behind his parents’ death.

Otherwise, she wouldn’t have asked that question.

His grip on the phone tightened.

“You think you can keep this hidden forever?”

【Looks like… you still don’t know.】

Hearing Liu Changqing dodge her question, Li Wanran immediately realized—he still didn’t know the full truth.

【If that’s all you wanted to talk about, then I don’t see a reason to continue this call.】

“…”

【Since there’s nothing else to say, I’ll just hang up—】

“Do you think… your marriage is a happy one?”

【……】

The sudden question caught her off guard.

Just as Li Wanran was about to end the call, Liu Changqing interrupted her mid-sentence.

She… fell into silence.

Liu Changqing continued.

“Do you still remember what you said when we got divorced? You said… you didn’t want to spend your life with someone you had no feelings for.

You wanted to go find your own love.”

【……】

“So you ignored all my efforts to stop you, ignored Xiazhi’s begging,

You didn’t even hesitate for a second about the children.

You just walked out that door and never looked back…”

【What are you trying to say?】

“Nothing.

It’s just… been a while since we talked.

I heard you and Li Chongming are married now, and I got curious—

The love you chose… how’s that working out for you?”

【I’m doing just fine.】

“Is that so…”

He held the phone to his right ear, raising his left hand slightly.

Liu Changqing’s gaze landed on that raised hand—

He lifted it higher, and it blocked the dim, flickering bulb hanging from the ceiling above…

His eyes narrowed slightly.

“But I think… you’re probably not doing so great.”

【……】

【Liu Changqing!】

On the other end, Li Wanran’s voice rose sharply.

It was like Liu Changqing had just sliced through her protective layer of pride with a verbal blade.

She could no longer keep up the cold, calm front.

She shouted his name, wanting to end the call and escape this barrage of ridicule,

But her finger hovered over the “End Call” button and… didn’t press it.

Deep down, Li Wanran had always had some suspicions.

But her pride wouldn’t allow her to dig deeper.

She had abandoned what was once a happy family of four,

Left behind Liu Changqing, who had always treated her with care,

Abandoned her son and daughter…

To chase her so-called love.

【Heh…】

A light chuckle came from the other end—Liu Changqing.

Li Wanran clenched her hand tightly, completely disregarding her manicured nails.

Her nails dug into her palm, sending sharp pain through her hand.

【Do you remember what I told you at the hospital?

A person who can betray once—you really think he’ll stay loyal to you forever?】

【Li Wanran… I don’t remember you being this naïve.】

【A younger woman, full of energy, thoughtful, considerate, someone who takes care of every little thing in his life—

You think now, entering middle age, childless, that you can compete with that?】

“……”

【A woman in her twenties, perfectly healthy, and most importantly—never had children.

I know all about Li Chongming’s condition…

Low sperm count, right?

That’s why you two haven’t had kids after all this time.

And that’s why you tried to take Xiazhi last time—to make her the heir of the Li family’s pitiful little inheritance…】

“Enough!”

【Oh? Are you mad?】

Liu Changqing’s voice, with that mocking calmness, echoed from the phone.

Li Wanran’s chest heaved rapidly.

She felt like she was completely exposed in front of him—

Laid bare with nothing to hide behind.

That feeling…

She was breathing hard.

Even though she tried to suppress it, Liu Changqing could still hear it clearly through the receiver.

In all his memories—

Through their many years of marriage,

He had never seen Li Wanran like this.

That cold face of hers, every word she used to say like it was law—

Always so sure of herself, convinced that everything she did was right.

Never once… had she shown an ounce of regret.

And now, like this…

Are you finally starting to regret it?

Liu Changqing hadn’t even realized—

The expression on his face right now couldn’t be described in words.

There was some excitement…

But also a trace of pity.

He opened his mouth, and into the phone, spoke his final words of the night.

“I’m just talking nonsense, really.

You should trust your husband—he loves you so much, he’d never cheat, right?

Maybe I’m just too jealous of your perfect love story…

Anyway, it’s getting late. I should get some rest. So…”

He paused for a moment.

“Ms. Li, I wish you and your husband a long and happy marriage.”

And with that, Liu Changqing pressed the hang up button without a shred of hesitation.

As the call ended, he let his body fall backward, lying flat on the bed.

His wrist rested across his forehead as he let out a long, deep breath.

His heart was pounding fast.

His hints had been more than obvious.

And with Chu Fang working her angle on the other end—

Based on what she’d told him in their last call,

Li Chongming and her had already crossed that line.

Liu Changqing didn’t know what kind of grudge Chu Fang had against Li Chongming,

But she was willing to sacrifice herself just to ruin that man’s name…

He moved his hand away from his forehead.

Staring at the dim, yellow bulb hanging from the ceiling, he noticed how pathetically weak the light was.

Even looking at it directly didn’t make his eyes sting.

He had dropped every possible hint—short of outright saying that Li Chongming had cheated.

With the kind of temper Li Wanran had, she would definitely dig into it herself.

This New Year…

Their family wouldn’t be having a peaceful one.

Lying there on that stiff wooden bed, Liu Changqing stared up at the ceiling.

His expression was eerily calm, not moving at all, just lying there silently…

Until—

He spoke.

As if talking to himself.

Or maybe, talking to someone else.

“This is the ending she deserves… She deserves it.”

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