The 1970s: Married First, Fell in Love Later-Chapter 189 - 188: Someone Jumped

This was also Li Wanqing’s first time visiting Wang Shumin’s university.

When the school year started last year, it was Wang Tianzhu who had brought Wang Shumin to campus.

Fortunately, Li Wanqing knew which department Wang Shumin was in, and after asking a few students, she found her dorm room.

"Wang Shumin? She doesn’t have class this afternoon, so she went out on a date," a roommate told Li Wanqing.

Li Wanqing’s eyes widened slightly, as if she had misheard. "A date?"

Seeing the displeasure on Li Wanqing’s face, the roommate’s heart skipped a beat. She quickly covered her mouth. When Li Wanqing asked again, she refused to say another word.

That single sentence was enough to make Li Wanqing nearly explode with rage.

She suppressed her anger and sat down on Wang Shumin’s bed, her expression so terrifying that none of the other roommates dared to stay in the room.

Li Wanqing’s fists were clenched tightly.

’So you won’t come home, is that it? Going on dates, are you? I’d like to see what else you think you can get away with.’

And so, Li Wanqing waited until Wang Shumin returned.

"Mom—?"

The moment Wang Shumin opened the door, she saw her mother sitting on the edge of her bed, glaring at her with a murderous look.

Wang Shumin’s heart leaped into her throat. Her eyes darted around nervously as she slowly walked toward Li Wanqing.

She asked cautiously, "What are you doing here?"

"What were you just doing?" Li Wanqing asked abruptly.

Wang Shumin hesitated for a moment before answering sheepishly, "Nothing much. Just reading in a classroom."

"With who?" Li Wanqing’s voice was icy.

Wang Shumin’s fingers curled slightly. "A classmate."

"Which classmate? A boy or a girl?"

Wang Shumin lowered her gaze and gave a bitter smile. ’It’s no use. She already knows. She’s here to condemn me.’

Seeing her daughter’s silence, Li Wanqing stood up.

She pointed a finger at Wang Shumin. "So it’s true? The reason you won’t come home is because you’re seeing someone at school?"

Wang Shumin remained standing in silence.

Furious, Li Wanqing strode forward and yanked a handful of Wang Shumin’s hair. A sharp pain shot through Wang Shumin’s scalp, and she cried out, "Ah!"

Li Wanqing stared at her coldly. "You think I won’t find out just because you stay quiet? I’m going to find your school’s administrators right now. I’m going to ask them if you’re here to study or to find a boyfriend! Which little bastard seduced you, made you refuse to come home, made you disobey me? I’ll make sure he can’t stay at this school any longer."

As she spoke, Li Wanqing turned to leave. Wang Shumin quickly grabbed her arm, pleading, "Mom, don’t! Please don’t! I know I was wrong."

Li Wanqing violently threw her off. Wang Shumin stumbled and fell to the floor, wrapping her arms around Li Wanqing’s legs.

Li Wanqing kicked her a few times. "Let go."

Wang Shumin sobbed, gasping for breath. "Mom, it’s all my fault. It has nothing to do with anyone else."

The more she said this, the angrier Li Wanqing became.

"I’d like to see which good-for-nothing punk has you protecting him like this. You’re a girl! Have you no shame? Did everything I taught you go into a dog’s stomach? The family arranged a good match for you, but you refused for dear life, and instead you’re out here fooling around behind my back! I’m telling you, break it off immediately. Otherwise, you can quit school and come home right now."

Wang Shumin finally broke down and screamed, "Mom—, are you even my mother? I’m just dating someone! Why are you acting like I’ve committed some unforgivable sin? I’m over twenty years old, can’t I be in a relationship? Every single person you introduced me to was someone whose family status you approved of, but I didn’t like them! Why can’t you just listen to what I want for once? Am I just a tool to you? Don’t I have a mind of my own?"

Li Wanqing glared at her. "I gave birth to you, so you will listen to me! I raised you all these years, not for you to defy me. I’m warning you now: cut off all ties with these messy people and things outside. Come home immediately and prepare to marry into the Liu Family. Otherwise, you can withdraw from school. Don’t even bother coming back here. You know me. Don’t push me. I’m capable of anything. You’d better obey."

Wang Shumin slowly let go of Li Wanqing’s leg and began to laugh at herself.

"HAHAHAHAHA—"

Her laughter was filled with despair, and the light in her eyes completely vanished.

Li Wanqing stared at her, wondering what madness had possessed her.

She yelled, "Hurry up and pack your things! You’re coming home with me."

Wang Shumin looked at Li Wanqing, her face devoid of expression. "I recall you already took out a newspaper ad to disown me. I have nothing to do with you people anymore. My life is none of your business."

Li Wanqing let out a mocking laugh. "That was your father who disowned you. Take out that newspaper and look closely. Is my name mentioned anywhere on it? So, I am still your mother. And as long as I’m alive, I will cling to you. I’m telling you, if you don’t want to acknowledge me, I will make such a scene that your reputation will be utterly ruined. And as for that—boyfriend of yours, I won’t let him off easy, either. I’ll make it so he can’t even stay in Beijing City."

Wang Shumin smiled. "Mom, look at you. You’re truly amazing. With just a few words, you’ve seized my heart in your fist. I really have to admire you. Pushing your own daughter to this point, you must feel so successful, so proud of yourself. As your daughter—no, as your tool—it’s my fault. Everything is my fault."

Wang Shumin stood up and dejectedly began to pack her things. But in the blink of an eye, she opened the window, stepped onto a stool, and climbed up onto the ledge.

Li Wanqing’s mouth fell open. Before she could say a word, she could only watch, frozen, as Wang Shumin jumped from the window.

’My God, this is the sixth floor.’

Hearing the gasps of alarm from outside, Li Wanqing stood stunned, not daring to go over and look for a long, long time.

While Wang Qiming was at work, his right eye suddenly began to twitch violently. He rubbed his eyelid and tried to continue with his task.

A few moments later, he heard someone call his name.

"Wang Qiming, you have a phone call."

Wang Qiming put down his work and ran over. The moment he picked up the receiver, he heard Li Wanqing crying on the other end. It took him a while to make out her words: "Your sister... she jumped from a building! She’s at the hospital, they’re trying to save her now! You need to come quickly!"

’Jumped from a building... they’re trying to save her...’ The two phrases echoed endlessly in Wang Qiming’s mind.

As he stood there in a daze, the phone slipped from his hand and fell. Without even thinking to ask for leave, he bolted out the door.

When he arrived at the hospital, he saw Li Wanqing standing outside the operating room, pacing back and forth anxiously.

"Where’s Xiao Min?" Wang Qiming asked, running up breathlessly.

"Qiming, you’re finally here! I was scared to death just now," Li Wanqing said, patting her chest.

Wang Qiming stared at the light above the operating room door, then asked, "What on earth happened? Why would Xiao Min jump?"

At the mention of it, Li Wanqing’s anger flared up again. "You have no idea. That damn girl was actually dating someone at school! All I did was tell her to break it off and come home to marry into the Liu Family, and she got all worked up and jumped."