A Chan – CH 005

Chapter 5: Utter Defeat (1)

Li Weiyi only had one older sister. Before Li Weiyi was born, her family lived in the countryside. However, her parents, hardworking and resilient, left their hometown for the city. They started by setting up a small stall and later rented a small shop, eventually accumulating a small fortune and buying a small two-bedroom apartment in the city.

Li Xiaoyi was born in the countryside, while Li Weiyi was born in the city. When Li Weiyi was just learning to speak, Li Xiaoyi already knew how to help her mother and took care of her younger sister. Li Xiaoyi’s personality was very much like her mother’s—gentle, kind, hardworking, and honest. She possesses a pretty and delicate appearance, and since her teenage years, she had had no shortage of suitors. Her current husband, Zhou Zhihao, was one of them.

Li Weiyi’s personality was completely different from her sister’s. She didn’t experience life in the countryside and was the youngest child, pampered by her entire family. Her father doted on her, her mother protected her, and her sister always put her first. This fostered Li Weiyi’s extremely cheerful and outgoing nature; she was always laughing and joking with everyone.

Li Weiyi was a girl who grew up surrounded by love.

Therefore, after being with Xie Zhilu, Li Weiyi always reciprocated his feelings with sincerity, never considering the practical issues Xie Zhilu mentioned. In her view, love was the most important thing, and both should keep their promises.

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So, when Xie Zhilu suddenly gave up, she was caught off guard.

Because she had never been so betrayed before.

…

Even though it was past midnight, upon seeing her sister’s text message, Li Weiyi didn’t hesitate to call.

It rang at least ten times before someone answered.

Li Weiyi: “Sis, what happened?”

Li Xiaoyi, on the other end of the line, remained silent; only her breathing sounded heavy and damp.

“I’m sorry! I worked too late last night, and I’ve been busy today, so I only just saw your message… Are you alright? What happened? Tell me, sis.”

Li Xiaoyi gave a bitter laugh: “It’s nothing; what could possibly happen? It’s the same old story.”

Li Weiyi’s anger surged: “He hit you again?”

Li Xiaoyi gave a soft “Mmm.”

Li Weiyi felt both pity and anger at her sister’s lack of resistance. A graduate of a top university, fully transformed into a big-city girl, she couldn’t understand why her older sister, a vocational high school graduate who stayed in their hometown, lacked the courage to fight against her fate.

So, Li Weiyi’s words carried a hint of resentment: “How many times have I advised you? Why haven’t you divorced him? Why keep this abusive scumbag around?”

The sister could only choke back tears.

“Sister, get a divorce!” Li Weiyi’s eyes also welled up with tears. “After the divorce, you and Niu Niu can come to Xiangcheng and live with me! Find a job if you want, or I’ll support you if you do not! I’m your fallback!”

The sister cried, “Thank you, Weiyi. But it isn’t that easy. He won’t agree to a divorce, and if I bring it up, he won’t let me go… Even if we do divorce, I know from what I’ve learned. His family is so wealthy; they own shops and stores. I’ve worked as a sales assistant in their store for the past few years. My income is very low, and the child will likely be awarded to him.” “How can I leave Niu Niu with him? Niu Niu is my life; she’s my life! That beast, he even beats Niu Niu now. What if he remarries and abuses her with someone else?”

“Are you just going to endure this? You texted me yesterday saying you’d made up your mind. What mindset?”

Li Xiaoyi: “Nothing…” A sudden noise came from the other end of the phone. Li Weiyi could feel her sister shrinking back even through the phone line. Li Xiaoyi quickly said, “He’s back; I won’t say anything more.”

The call ended.

Li Weiyi stared blankly at her phone. Her first thought was to call her brother-in-law, Zhou Zhihao, and give that beast a good scolding. But she knew she could not. If she scolded him, even if she felt good, that scheming Zhou Zhihao might just smile and apologize, only to beat her sister even harder later—it had happened before.

She called her father.

Mr. Li, awakened by the noise, spoke with a muffled voice but with concern: “Weiyi? What’s wrong?”

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Li Weiyi, tears welling in her eyes, said, “Dad, you must go and bring my sister and Niuniu back right now! My sister was beaten again! Zhou Zhihao is a beast! Make my sister divorce him! Divorce him immediately!”

Mr. Li was startled: “Your sister told you that?”

“Yes!”

“I’ll call your sister right away!”

Li Weiyi calmed down slightly, but after a while, she suddenly realized this wouldn’t work—Zhou Zhihao was already home.

Her older sister had been wronged, and her instinctive reaction to seek help from her parents had backfired.

She immediately called her father, but the line was constantly busy; she also tried calling her mother, but no one answered.

About half an hour later, Mr. Li called her back, his tone relieved: “Weiyi, it’s alright. You’re just a young girl, not even married yet, so immature and making a fuss. I just spoke with your sister and brother-in-law on the phone; they are fine, laughing and joking. They said they had a quarrel during the day, which is why your sister called to complain. Zhihao repeatedly assured me that he was just drunk and blacked out last time, and he would never do anything like that again.”

Li Weiyi’s heart sank. “Dad, don’t listen to him,” she said. “He’s lying to you. My sister is pretending nothing’s wrong… she must have been threatened.”

Mr. Li didn’t like hearing this. He had always been an honest and simple man, his greatest wish being for his family to live in harmony. He remembered how respectful and gentle Zhou Zhihao had been when he brought his eldest daughter and granddaughter home last month, and instinctively didn’t believe it. He said, “What nonsense are you talking about? Threatening me? Your sister is a grown woman; if she’s really wronged, doesn’t she know to speak up? Last time, he knelt down and apologized to your sister and to us. A man’s knees are worth gold! Last month, Zhihao even bought your sister a gold necklace; we all saw it. If he really didn’t treat her well, would he be willing to spend money like that? Alright, it’s the middle of the night; don’t interfere in your sister and brother-in-law’s affairs!”

Li Wei was furious and shouted, “He’s faking it! What’s a gold chain? It’s just a cover-up! Despicable and vile!”

Mr. Li chuckled, amused by the joke, and Mrs. Li chimed in, “Alright, alright, Weiyi, how have you been lately? How’s Zhilu? Did he pass the civil service exam?”

Mr. Li: “Yes, did he pass?”

Li Weiyi’s breath suddenly sank. “The results aren’t out yet… Fine, if you don’t believe me, I won’t say anything more. Go to sleep, bye.”

Li Weiyi buried her face in the covers, screaming and hitting wildly for a while. Then she looked up at the pale moon outside the window, its light illuminating countless steel and concrete skyscrapers. The city seemed so quiet and vast. In her seven years in Xiangcheng, she had never felt so small and helpless as she did today.

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She had always been well-behaved and hardworking, consistently achieving excellent grades. She learned everything quickly—computer programming, accounting, and even drawing—easily becoming as talented as gifted students within a few years. She had always been carefree and successful, a little goddess in university; even the universally acknowledged heartthrob Xie Zhilu was her admirer.

Why did she feel so utterly defeated now?