Chapter 88: A Heavy-Handed Strike!
"Alright, alright! That's enough! Xiao Cui, we're all out to have a good time, so what are you two doing? If you have something to say, save it for when you get home and talk it over properly! If you won't do it for Hanrui's sake, then at least think about the baby in her belly! If Hanrui gets upset, the one who suffers will be the baby!" At this moment, Li Bin stood up at the opportune time, pulling Cui Tianjiao aside and starting to play the peacemaker.
Letting the couple have a complete falling out right now was not what Li Bin wanted.
Li Bin's current goal was to create a rift between the husband and wife, to plant the seeds of hatred in their hearts.
This way, he could find an opportunity to exploit the opening!
If he really let them have a complete falling out, wouldn't his own chances decrease instead?
"Hanrui! Don't be angry anymore! This isn't good for the baby! Quick, sit down! Let's talk this out nicely!" Wan Wen also stepped forward at this moment, pulling Ling Hanrui down to sit and gently soothing the furious Ling Hanrui.
Cui Tianjiao watched Li Bin playing the peacemaker, and his anger flared even hotter.
This bastard was the one who started it all, and now he was playing the mediator and spouting self-righteous nonsense!
Cui Tianjiao really wished he could just slap Li Bin right then and there.
But seeing the gazes of many diners turning towards them, the prideful Cui Tianjiao ultimately held back. He let out a heavy snort in Li Bin's direction and sat down onto the sofa.
Just then, the waiters began to serve the food. Li Bin picked up a piece of beef and, with great enthusiasm, placed it in the bowl of the Ling Hanrui who was still fuming. He said tenderly, "Hanrui, you're pregnant now. Eating some beef is good for you and the baby. Actually, we shouldn't have eaten hotpot today. We should have had something lighter. Hotpot isn't good for the baby."
"Thank you, Li Bin. Honestly, I used to think you were useless and incompetent, but now, I think you're so much better than this bastard, Cui Tianjiao! At least you know how to cherish someone, you love Wanwen with all your heart, and you're willing to do anything for her! Not like some people here! So selfish! I'm still pregnant with his child, and he's already planning on how to kick me out with nothing!" Ling Hanrui glanced gratefully at Li Bin, her words laced with resentment as she made veiled criticisms.
[Intimacy with Ling Hanrui: +15 (0: Strangers)]
"What did I do?! What have I done to wrong you?! Ling Hanrui, do you have a conscience?!
The house we live in was bought by my family. I pay for all the household expenses!
I'm the one paying off the mortgage alone! Back then, to marry you, my family spent all their savings and even borrowed hundreds of thousands, just to give your family a 500,000 bride price!
In what way have I treated you unfairly? Ah?! All the money you've earned over the years, you've spent it all on buying a house for your brother, and I've never complained once!
And now I've spent all my savings to buy you a BMW!
I'm asking you, in what way have I wronged you?!"
Cui Tianjiao was already furious from watching Li Bin fawning over his wife, even feeling like he was being cuckolded. Now, hearing Ling Hanrui's unreasonable words, he immediately lost control of his anger once more. The grievances he had suppressed for years made Cui Tianjiao tremble uncontrollably. If it weren't for the sake of the baby in Ling Hanrui's belly, Cui Tianjiao would have really wanted to have it out with her right there and let everyone judge who was right!
"You!! You bastard!! Cui Tianjiao! My parents raised me for so many years! They married me to you, what's wrong with asking for a bride price?! I'm the one having your child, do you have a conscience at all!..." Ling Hanrui was left speechless and trembling with rage by Cui Tianjiao's words. She clutched her chest, wanting to retort but unable to find the words. For a moment, she was so angry her face turned deathly pale, and she couldn't get a single word out.
"Xiao Cui! Is that any way to talk?! Isn't it normal to pay a bride price when you marry a woman?
If you can't bear the bride price, then don't get married! Look around you, some families ask for a 5 million bride price!
Hanrui's family only asked for 500,000, and they gave you such a beautiful and outstanding wife. You should be grateful!
And besides! Hanrui married into your family! Do you have any idea how hard it was for her parents to raise her? They raised her, and now she belongs to your Cui family!
Isn't it right to give some bride price? And what's more! Buying a house, paying the mortgage and daily expenses, shouldn't that be the man's responsibility?
Are you expecting Hanrui to pay your mortgage for you? Her name isn't even on the property deed, why should she pay your mortgage?
Hearing you talk like this, I don't think you're much of a man at all! And do you have any idea how painful childbirth is for a woman?
How much harm does it do to a woman's body? The child is born with your surname, they belong to your Cui family! If you were any kind of man, you wouldn't be making Hanrui angry!"
Li Bin refuted Cui Tianjiao on Ling Hanrui's behalf. His tone was full of self-righteousness and indignation.
[Intimacy with Ling Hanrui: +10 (10: Acquaintance)]
[Intimacy with Ling Hanrui: +10 (20: Acquaintance)]
...
[Intimacy with Ling Hanrui: +10 (50: Friendly)]
Every single one of Li Bin's words seemed to speak directly to Ling Hanrui's heart. It was as if he had given clear and articulate voice to all the feelings she herself couldn't express!
At this moment, the way Ling Hanrui looked at Li Bin was as if she were looking at a soulmate! She truly wished she could just give him a big, passionate kiss right now!!
*****
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