CHAPTER 208: CHAPTER 208: BRINGING HUMILIATION ON ONESELF (3)_1

"Mom and Dad, please, I beg you."

Li Wanying was performing a soliloquy, holding Shangguan Rou and crying out loud. Her cries and pleas for mercy were exceptionally piercing in the entire military compound. But no matter how much she cried or called, not a single person approached them. Not even the few women who were usually friendly with her showed any intention of coming over to help.

They only glanced from afar before quickly leaving, as if she were some sort of virus.

"Wanying, stop crying and go home," a voice rang in Li Wanying’s ears. It belonged to Mrs. Zhang, the wife of an adjutant, who usually ingratiated herself with Li Wanying and was now kindly reminding her.

"Everyone in the military compound knows what you’ve done, and it’s being furiously reposted on the internet. You’re so vicious to your stepdaughter that you wish she were dead. Now that you’ve come back in such a pathetic state, everyone sees you as someone who wants to harm the Shangguan Family’s Princess. So even if you’re to be pitied, cry, or beg, no one will sympathize with you. Just go home and stop making a scene here."

Mrs. Zhang spoke quickly, then ran off to the side, disappearing from Li Wanying’s presence. Li Wanying was stunned for a few seconds. What was going on? What had she done?

"What happened here?" Before Li Wanying could collect herself, two guards approached and saluted her.

"My daughter fainted. Please help me open the door and assist her inside," Li Wanying said to them urgently. There’s no use making a scene now; it’s better to go back and sort this out.

"Sorry, Mrs. Li," said the leading guard politely. "The Senior Officer and the Commander have made it clear: this place belongs to the Shangguan Family, not the Li Family. All the keys were changed yesterday. Without their permission, you and the young miss cannot enter. Please, both of you, go back." If one looked closely, they could see the disdain in their eyes. As soldiers themselves, and she a soldier’s wife, how could she push danger onto her stepdaughter for her own safety? And to do so in front of so many people, publicly wishing her stepdaughter a life worse than death? Such vicious behavior disqualified her from being a military wife, from standing by their Commander’s side.

"What? What did you say?" Li Wanying became agitated, jumping up from the ground and trying desperately to unlock the door with her key. But no matter how much she turned it, the door wouldn’t budge. She collapsed to the ground, drained of all energy.

She really hadn’t expected Shangguan Hao to be so cruel as to change the door locks. He was really trying to drive them out.

"I’ve already called Elder Li. I believe someone will soon come to pick both of you up. Please wait a moment," Luo Wu’s voice sounded, interrupting everyone else. Luo Wu spoke politely, his gaze sweeping over them. Then, the two guards, one on each side, escorted the two women to the security room to wait.

"Mrs. Li, Miss," Luo Wu said indifferently, "this is your luggage. It was supposed to be sent back to you, but the Commander had instructed it to be personally handed over to you. Now that you have arrived, I’ll leave it with you. When the Li Family members arrive, you can take it all with you." He then presented the bags and boxes packed by Nanny Zhang, containing Li Wanying and Shangguan Rou’s belongings. All of their things, even the beds they used, were brought out.

Li Wanying stared blankly at the belongings in front of her and at the list in her hand. The list enumerated all of her and Shangguan Rou’s possessions, even the clothes she had bought for Shangguan Hao. Everything was listed precisely—not one item missing, not one extra.

"Mommy, Daddy, do you really not want us anymore?" Shangguan Rou, who had been pretending to faint, couldn’t keep up the act any longer. Seeing their belongings, she tearfully spoke. The two of them, mother and daughter, had actually been thrown out of the house. How was this possible?

"No, that’s not possible! You are the Shangguan Family’s young miss! Even if the Shangguan Family wants to drive me away, how could they drive away his own daughter? How could he be so heartless?" Li Wanying muttered, shaking her head. She couldn’t believe it. Rourou was one of their own. How could they be so heartless? How could they?

"Wicked stepmother vows to destroy poor stepdaughter! The incident involving a wicked stepmother and a poor stepdaughter, which occurred at the entrance of a supermarket yesterday, was once again brought to public attention. The wicked stepmother’s words provoked strong public backlash, and she was pelted with eggs."

The clear voice of a TV presenter came on. Then, the most authoritative TV station in Beijing replayed the entire conversation between Li Wanying and Shangguan You from the day before.

Li Wanying, shocked, listened to her own malicious words cursing Shangguan You from the day before playing on the TV. Her body involuntarily shuddered.

"Why won’t you die? How great it would be if you died! Such a good opportunity, and you still didn’t die! You’re just too hard to kill. If you were dead, Rourou would be the Shangguan Family’s only granddaughter. Then I could return to the Shangguan Family in a dignified manner, as Mrs. Shangguan. Even if they kicked us out, I could still return because of Rourou. Why can’t you just die?"

"To repay you for raising me, to thank you for kneeling before me yesterday and begging me to save you, I was even willing to sacrifice my life. Do you know how sad I was when Grandfather almost kicked me out? But since you wish death upon me, and for me to live a life worse than death, Auntie Li, your heart is too cruel."

The malicious words of Li Wanying juxtaposed with the frail words of Shangguan You played on the TV, each sentence reaching Li Wanying’s ears. She staggered, almost fainting. It was unbelievable that yesterday’s scene had been broadcast on TV!

Beyond the sound of the TV, Luo Wu’s words plunged Li Wanying deeper into hell. Her actions that day had not brought her success; instead, they had brought her humiliation.

The TV exposed her maliciousness, while the Shangguan Family directly forbade her from entering the Shangguan house.

"Check who let Mrs. Li and Miss Shangguan inside! Send them all to the barracks for retraining. Abiding by the superiors’ commands is the sacred duty of a soldier. Even though we’re not in the barracks, our mission is to ensure the safety of each leader. The Senior Officer and the Commander just issued their orders, and you brazenly violated them! Who let them in?"