Chapter 141: Chapter 141: Haven’t You Been Crazy Enough

The pair of chopsticks was new, the ends engraved with the pinyin initials of a name.

She recognized the name. It was the daughter of a colleague her father had mentioned once.

For the first time, Cao Daqiang felt so guilty in front of his daughter that he couldn’t look her in the eye.

The domineering air he usually had when he lost his temper and scolded people at home was completely gone. Now, he was like a child who had done something wrong.

He quickly shielded the woman behind him, trying to put on a brave face and coax his daughter into leaving.

"It’s nothing. This is just my kid, being immature and throwing a tantrum."

As he spoke, he gently pushed the woman’s shoulder, signaling for her to go into the bedroom.

But the woman didn’t move. She just leaned out from behind him, staring at Cao Jiajia.

But how could Cao Jiajia listen to reason at a time like this?

Her mind was filled with rage. She stormed into the room and started smashing whatever she could see.

She grabbed a glass and smashed it on the floor, sending shards flying everywhere.

She swiped a porcelain vase off the coffee table. With a crisp CRACK, it shattered into several pieces that scattered across the floor.

A small table lamp toppled over, its cord yanking the plug from the socket.

She didn’t stop, panting heavily as she continued to look for more things to throw.

She yanked open drawers and dumped their contents out, scattering papers and clothes all over the floor.

The woman, her long hair a mess, huddled in Cao Daqiang’s arms, trembling and letting out a small shriek every so often.

She crouched on the floor, hugging her arms with her knees pressed to her chest, curled into a ball.

Her eyes were wide, her lips pale. When she saw Cao Jiajia get closer, she hid behind Cao Daqiang.

One hand desperately clutched the hem of his shirt.

Smashing things wasn’t enough to quell her anger.

The child was hiding in the doorway of a room, clutching a stuffed teddy bear.

He was about seven or eight years old, wearing cartoon pajamas, his shoes not even on properly.

Cao Jiajia strode over in a few steps and reached out to grab him by the collar.

’I just want him to know he’s not the only one in the world with a father.’

That completely crossed a line for Cao Daqiang.

He let out a sudden roar, rushed forward, and wrapped his arms around her waist.

There was a significant height difference between them.

But his strength was immense, and he forcibly lifted her off the ground.

She struggled, kicking her legs, and one of her shoes flew off.

"Cao Jiajia, have you lost your mind?! Get out!"

He roared, the veins on his neck bulging and his face flushed red.

In her struggles, the strap on her other shoe broke, and it fell with a dull thud.

"Yuanyuan, take the kid and go home. Wait for me. I’ll be back soon."

He turned his head and shouted back into the apartment.

The woman nodded, slowly stood up, and took the boy’s hand, leading him further inside.

Right before entering the room, she glanced back at Cao Jiajia.

With a BANG, the door slammed shut, and he started dragging Cao Jiajia away.

The dim, yellow light of the hallway cast their struggling silhouettes onto the walls.

Her feet scrambled against the floor as she clawed at his arm, leaving several red scratches.

He paid her no mind, just forcefully moved forward.

"Let go! Let go of me! You’re not my dad! I hate you! I’ll never acknowledge you as my father again! How could you do something like that behind my mom’s back..."

She cursed as she cried, tears streaming down her cheeks and into her mouth.

Before she could finish, his hand clamped over her mouth.

He was too strong. She couldn’t break free and could only express her defiance by writhing in his grip.

He dragged her to a deserted corner, his eyes bloodshot as he glared at her.

It was a landing in the stairwell, cluttered with a few abandoned bicycles.

The moment he let go, Cao Jiajia immediately lifted her head and spat out a vicious threat.

"Hmph! I’m going to go back and tell Mom right now! I’m also going to report you to your work! Let’s see how you’re going to live with *her* then!"

After speaking, she straightened her back, though her legs were still trembling.

"You dare!"

Cao Daqiang’s eyes went wide, and he raised his hand as if to slap her.

Cao Jiajia trembled.

But her burning rage made her hold her head high and glare daggers at him.

"Go on, hit me! If you’ve got the guts, then kill me! Otherwise, I’ll definitely make your life hell!"

Cao Jiajia’s voice was sharp and shrill.

If he so much as touched her, she would have a million reasons to keep causing a scene.

"You..."

Cao Daqiang clenched his jaw. The arm he had raised, he suddenly pulled back.

He knew hitting and yelling wouldn’t solve the problem.

But the scene before him made his chest tighten with frustration.

In the end, he unclenched his fist, and his tone suddenly softened.

"You used to be so sensible. How did you become like this? Did your mom spoil you rotten? If I lose my job, will you still be able to wear new clothes? Or buy new shoes? If your classmates find out your dad is unemployed, won’t they laugh at you for being an unwanted child? Dirt poor?"

Every time he saw his daughter spending money so extravagantly, he felt a sharp pang of pressure.

His words hit their mark.

The cold smile on Cao Jiajia’s face froze, and her restless movements ceased.

She didn’t want to admit it, but his words did make a flicker of hesitation cross her mind.

She knew her family wasn’t well-off, and that the money her father brought home each month was carefully budgeted.

But she didn’t want to think about that.

The father and daughter knew each other’s weaknesses all too well.

When she was little and had a fever, Cao Daqiang had carried her on his back to the hospital and stayed by her bedside all night.

Later, when the family bought a television, he was too frugal to take a bus and insisted on carrying it home, walking three whole stops.

And Cao Jiajia remembered, too, how her father had beamed with more joy than anyone when she got a perfect score on a test for the first time.

But things were different now.

An unspoken wall of resentment and grievances had grown between them.

Cao Daqiang knew what would make her back down.

And Cao Jiajia knew how to wound him most deeply.

So every argument was like picking at each other’s scabs. The more they fought, the deeper the wounds became, yet neither was willing to be the first to stop.

To pacify her, Cao Daqiang tried everything from coaxing to making promises, painstakingly explaining the stakes.

He said things were strict at the factory recently, and the leadership was watching him closely.

If he got another complaint over a family matter, he’d really lose his job.

He also promised to take her to the mall on the weekend, saying she could buy one small thing she liked.

As long as it wasn’t too outrageous, he would do his best to get it for her.

Finally, he managed to suppress Cao Jiajia’s rebellious spirit.

Her shoulders slumped, and she no longer seemed so aggressive.

Although she still felt a little resentful, she didn’t want to keep making a scene for the time being.

The weather was getting colder, and the wind stung her face.

Cao Jiajia clutched the few bills he had shoved into her hand.

She didn’t leave right away. She stood stunned under a streetlight for a few seconds before slowly turning to walk home.

There weren’t many people on the street, and her shadow was stretched long behind her.

Her pace was much slower than before, and she was no longer stomping her feet in anger.

She passed a convenience store and glanced at the shelves through the glass window, but in the end, she didn’t buy anything.

The money her father gave her wasn’t enough to buy what she wanted, but that wasn’t the point.

The point was that she knew she couldn’t keep being so willful.

’At least I can’t cause any more trouble tonight.’

’Since I can’t get my way with Dad, I’ll just have to go home, bow my head, and admit I was wrong to Mom.’

She knew her mother wouldn’t forgive her easily.

But as long as she softened her attitude and pretended to be remorseful, Liu Yingzi would always give in.

Based on past experience, a good cry and a hug would be enough to move past it.

She had already planned what she would say and how she would apologize the moment she walked through the door.

Liu Yingzi wasn’t heartless; she was just truly hurt.

She had started speaking less. During meals, she would just pick at her food, not bothering to ask her daughter about school.

Before, they would chat about their day every evening.

Now, they often just retreated to their own rooms without even turning on the TV.

On the surface, the mother and daughter had reconciled, but in reality, an invisible wall stood between them.