HLnovel Chapter 25: Does a woman who is divorced no longer become the mother of her child?
Chapter 25: Does a woman who is divorced no longer become the mother of her child?
Tian Xiang carried the cloth in her hands and took a few steps to reach the upper floor.
The child's cries continued, and she quickly found the room where Chu Qian was.
She slammed the door open with a piece of cloth and was immediately dumbfounded, "Second Uncle?"
The person in the side room was Chu Wang. He was holding a bamboo stick, his chest heaving as he looked at the child in front of him who was only as tall as the table leg.
The child turned his head and his pupils dilated the moment he saw Tian Xiang.
The next second, he rushed towards Tian Xiang and hugged her legs tightly, crying, "Mother, Mother, Mother."
Tian Xiang crouched down and hugged Chu Qian, while secretly pulling open the back of the child's shirt with one hand...
Her heart sank. Behind the child... were crisscrossing bruises.
Anger and heartache intertwined, almost suffocating her.
Her eyes were filled with disbelief as she looked up at Chu Wang, who was standing to the side.
Chu Wang lowered his head, his face showing some panic.
Tian Xiang spoke through gritted teeth, "Second Uncle, Qian'er is your own nephew, why are you treating him like this? He's so young, how can you be so heartless..."
Before she could finish speaking, tears were already blurring her vision.
Tian Xiang hugged Chu Qian even tighter.
Chu Qian sobbed softly, his body trembling slightly, his little hands wrapped around Tian Xiang's neck, "Mother, Mother, Qian'er will be good, please don't abandon Qian'er."
Tian Xiang's body stiffened instantly.
The child's words...
"Qian'er." Tian Xiang hugged Chu Qian's small body.
She carried the child for ten months before giving birth.
Her parents-in-law usually worked in restaurants, her husband spent his days frequenting brothels, and she raised the child single-handedly.
Tian Xiang's heart ached even more. She fought back her tears and comforted her child, "How could Mother not want Qian'er?"
Chu Wang went from being flustered at the beginning to being silent, without the slightest trace of remorse on his face.
Tian Xiang slowly stood up, staring at Chu Wang, "Second Uncle, you..."
“If a child is disobedient, of course he should be beaten.” Chu Wang angrily threw down the bamboo stick in his hand.
“Mrs. Tian, you are no longer a daughter-in-law of the Chu family. Please call me Second Young Master from now on.”
He came to Tian Xiang's side, forcefully pulled Chu Qian out of her arms, and pressed one hand hard on Chu Qian's shoulder.
"Mother!" Chu Qian cried out.
"How the Chu family raises its children is none of a village woman's business," Chu Wang shouted outside, his expression fierce. "Little Si, do you want to quit? You're letting just anyone in here!"
The waiter had been outside the whole time, and only dared to come in after hearing Chu Wang's voice.
"Young Madam..." Xiao Si began to speak.
"What young mistress!" Chu Wang retorted again, "She has already been divorced by the Chu family and is just a country bumpkin!"
Xiao Si shrank back involuntarily, startled by his shout. "Mrs. Tian, please leave..."
"Mother." Chu Qian reached out his hand, his little face filled with fear.
Tian Xiang was all too familiar with that expression.
Jinghe, her younger brother Jinghe, always had the same expression after being beaten and scolded by their grandparents.
At this moment, she was almost certain that this was not the first time Qian'er had been beaten.
Tian Xiang pushed Xiao Si aside and rushed to Chu Wang, trying to hug Chu Qian.
Unexpectedly, Chu Wang kicked her directly.
Caught off guard, Tian Xiang was kicked to the ground by Chu Wang, her forehead hitting the ground. But she didn't care about anything else and turned around to hug Chu Qian again.
Upon seeing this, Chu Wang pulled Chu Qian back.
Chu Qian was still a three-year-old child, weighing just over 20 kilograms.
Pulled by Chu Wang, it flew backward and only stopped after crashing into the wall.
"Waaah... Waaah..." Chu Qian's cries echoed in the room.
He didn't know where the pain was; he only knew how to cry, his eyes filled with helplessness and fear.
Tian Xiang rushed towards Chu Qian anxiously and lifted him up from the ground with trembling hands.
"Chu Wang, are you even human?" Her eyes were red, and tears welled up in her eyes.
"Qian'er is only three years old!"
"You'll kill him if you do that!!"
Chu Wang's lips curled into a disdainful smile.
Tian Xiang was stunned. Why... did she actually feel...?
"He's going to beat Qian'er to death! What a great guy to take over Chu Xing Restaurant!!"
Tian Tian stood at the door of the side room, her voice firm and resolute.
A lot of people were talking downstairs...
"Chu Xing is already dead. If Chu Xing's son dies too, this restaurant will belong to Chu Wang alone."
"That's so heartless. He's his own nephew, after all."
"So what if he's a nephew? People will kill their own fathers for money, let alone their nephews."
"That's right..."
Chu Wang rushed out of the room and glanced down.
The lobby downstairs was packed with people, even more than during regular mealtimes.
They were mostly shopkeepers from the surrounding area and some familiar locals.
Tian Tian helped Tian Xiang up. "Big sister, are you alright?"
Tian Xiang shook her head. She was fine, it was just...
"Qian'er".
Chu Qian hugged her legs tightly and wouldn't let go.
Chu Wang shouted down, "Xiao Wu, Xiao Liu, are you all dead? Hurry up and kick the people out!"
The waiters, Xiao Wu and Xiao Liu, rushed over and said, "Everyone, let's go out. It's not mealtime now."
Tian Tian raised her voice, "Chu Xing Restaurant is open for business, but it's actually turning away customers. It seems that Chu Xing Restaurant is preparing to close down."
The people downstairs joined in the commotion.
"Really? Chu Xing Restaurant is closing down?"
"Chu Xing Restaurant has such a great location, it would be such a shame to close it down."
"If you really don't want to continue, sell the shop to me. I'll take over. The location is really good."
Xiao Wu and Xiao Liu had no choice but to stop and look up.
Chu Wang turned around angrily, glaring at Tian Tian, "Who are you? Causing trouble at our Chu Xing Restaurant? Aren't you afraid I'll report you to the authorities and have you arrested?!"
Tian Tian snorted coldly; she didn't believe that Chu Wang still didn't know who she was.
"Alright, then please have Young Master Chu report this to the authorities."
"We can also let the county magistrate take a look at Qian'er's injuries!"
Chu Wang was taken aback.
He turned to Tian Xiang and said, "Tian, you have been divorced by the Chu family. Our Chu family's affairs have nothing to do with your Tian family!"
"I advise you not to meddle in other people's business!"
Tian Tian held Tian Xiang's trembling hand tightly and straightened her neck, "What law in Da Qi says that if a woman is divorced, she is no longer the mother of her child?"
"Can't she get involved in the children's affairs anymore?"
Chu Wang pointed at Tian Xiang, "She...she's already been divorced by our Chu family, the child belongs to our Chu family, so what does that child have to do with her anymore?"
Downstairs, someone in the know said loudly, "Young Master Chu, what you said is wrong."
“Our Great Qi has a law that states that if a man divorces his wife, the young children must be raised by the mother.”
“Ms. Tian is incapable, and the child can be raised by the Chu family, but that does not mean that Ms. Tian is not the child’s mother.”
Tian Tian raised her eyebrows slightly, not expecting that Da Qi would have such laws.
She looked at Chu Wang again, "And more!"
"Your Chu family divorced my eldest sister, but what law did you base your decision on?!"