Chapter 23: I Want to Stay with the Li Family and Live with Father

"I am willing to agree to a divorce, but I have one condition."

Lin Siyan, having found a timely excuse, immediately stopped in her tracks, terrified that if she tried to persuade him any further, Li Yuan might change his mind. She simply looked at him with reddened eyes and whispered, "Brother Yuan~"

The look on his face was too complex for Li Mumu to bother deciphering.

As for the divorce, the Gu family was naturally delighted. They did not consider it a disgrace to have a daughter cast aside by her husband’s family. In fact, they felt a sense of secret relief.

"Li Yuan, you are truly the most shameless person I have ever met," Gu Mingjing remarked.

Old Madam Gu shot him a warning look, then asked, "What is your condition?"

Seeing her grandmother’s reaction, Li Mumu knew she was also afraid that her scumbag father would backtrack and continue to torment his own daughter. After all, over the past two days, Li Yuan’s actions had completely broken their hearts. There was no way their daughter would have a good life staying with him, and given his treachery, there was nothing left to cling to.

The Gu family stood behind Gu Yuru, offering their unwavering support; not a single person urged her to reconsider. It was only then that Gu Yuru realized how unwelcome her marriage had been to her family. Everyone had advised against it back then, but she had stubbornly refused to listen. Having reached this point, she deserved her fate.

Li Yuan looked at his mother, then at his delicate little mistress—though, truth be told, she was not much younger than Gu Yuru and had even borne four fewer children, so she didn't look particularly youthful either.

"I want money and food," Li Yuan demanded.

His condition was within Li Mumu’s expectations. The reason he hadn't revealed his true colors at the beginning of their exile, as he had in the original novel, was that the Li family hadn't divided their supplies as they had in the story. Now that they had burned their bridges, he knew that if he didn't demand more now, he would never have another chance.

Old Madam Li did not try to reconcile them, but instead shouted, "And medicine! You must hand over everything you have right now. Otherwise, you are ours in life and will remain ours in death."

Gu Yuru frowned. Everyone knew that on the road of exile, supplies were life. She could not let her family fall into a desperate situation because of her.

"Impossible."

"Then you remain my wife." Li Yuan snorted, his confident smile suggesting he believed Gu Yuru was too attached to leave him, so why make a scene?

Gu Yuru looked at him with disgust. She was not attached to this man; the more she had loved him before, the more repulsive she found him now. However, she would rather suffer the nausea of remaining his wife than let her family suffer. In the end, it was nothing more than an empty title.

Li Mumu, however, did not want the situation she had worked so hard to orchestrate to fall apart halfway through. It was clear she wasn't the only one feeling anxious. After Old Madam Gu exchanged glances with the rest of the family, it was Song Qiang who spoke first. Even though she was the one who had procured the supplies and was reluctant to part with them, she said, "Take it, take it all! Just let this scoundrel leave my sister alone. It’s just some food; let’s just consider it feeding a stray dog."

Old Madam Gu nodded in satisfaction. This was exactly why her second daughter-in-law, despite her temperament, had always been able to get along well in the household.

Zhang Yi also nodded. "Sister, a bit of food in exchange for your peace of mind from now on is worth it."

Gu Yu chimed in with a grin, "Grandmother, does that mean Auntie and my cousins will be with us from now on?"

Old Madam Gu nodded, but Li Yuan disagreed. Being a man of many schemes, he said, "The children cannot go with you. They are of the Li family line."

"Li Yuan, don't go too far! Is there any chance of survival for the children if they stay with you?" Gu Mingyu shouted. If his hands weren't bound, he would have surely beaten him.

Li Yuan sneered, "Even if they die, they will die as members of our Li family."

Li Mumu, fearing that the negotiations would collapse, interjected, "I don't want to go with Mother."

"Mumu?" Gu Yuru looked at her daughter in confusion. She hadn't expected her three sons to cooperate, but they were clever; in their hearts, their mother’s happiness was more important.

Li Yunchao followed suit, "We all bear the surname Li. Mother, you should go by yourself."

The youngest, Li Yunjue, wiped away his tears but was scolded by his older brother. "I don't want to go with Mother either."

"Yunchao, Yunye, Yunjue?"

Children were a mother’s life. For a moment, Gu Yuru felt a pang of regret. How could her children survive without her?

Seeing the four children, Li Yuan felt triumphant. He assumed that by holding these three children, he could easily manipulate Gu Yuru, and perhaps the entire Gu family. He did not know that this was the most regretful decision he would ever make.

Old Madam Li ordered Mistress Zhao and Mistress Sun, "What are you staring at? Go and move the supplies!" Tonight, they would finally have a feast. Besides, her son was a great general; once his name was cleared, he could marry as many women as he wanted. As for Gu Yuru? A cast-off woman—who would ever want her?

Gu Yuru looked at her children with longing, but Li Yunchao and the others dared not meet her eyes. How could she not understand their intentions? How could she possibly leave now?

Li Mumu stood next to Lin Siyan. Seeing that her mother was about to backtrack, she rolled her eyes and whispered, "Is Mother not leaving anymore?"

That would never do.

Lin Siyan was terrified that Gu Yuru wouldn't step aside. "Sister, since your mind is made up, I fear you won't listen to any more of my persuasion. But rest assured, I will take good care of the children for you."

"I don't want you to take care of us!" Li Yunjue shouted angrily.

Li Yunchao shook his head at his younger brother. "Go, get some paper and a pen."

Song Qiang slapped her thigh. "No need for trouble, I have some ready."

Everyone looked at her, confused. "Why would you buy that?"

Song Qiang smiled. "Mumu said the boys couldn't stop studying, so I thought I’d buy some for them. No matter what, they still need an education. See? It’s come in handy."

Everyone merely marveled at the coincidence; no one suspected that Li Mumu had known anything in advance.

Zhang Yi also gently persuaded her, "Sister, the children will be right under our noses. If they dare not take good care of them, we will never forgive them."

"But..."

Zhang Yi shook her head and lowered her voice. "Don't waste the children's hard work. We will plan for the long term."

Gu Yuru understood that the children had said those things on purpose, and eventually, she nodded.

The divorce agreement was written by Gu Yuru’s own hand. Finally, the two of them pressed their thumbprints onto the paper. From that moment on, Gu Yuru had no further ties to the Li family.

Li Mumu sneered. Now, the scumbag father would no longer be able to force her mother to serve his little mistress and Zhang Xiang and the others. Perhaps now, Lin Siyan would have to do it herself?

The Gu family watched the Li family scramble to move the supplies without a hint of reluctance. Only Gu Yuru had reddened eyes—not because she regretted casting aside ten years of sincere devotion, but because she was moved by the selfless dedication of her family.

Li Mumu was sent by Old Madam Li to move supplies as well. She was truly happy. As for the goods? She had her own ways.