Chapter 106: I Will Repay on Her Behalf

She paused for a moment, then continued, “Dad, Mom, I’ve already severed all ties with the Su family. If you don’t want to lose me as well, then stop bothering me, and don’t try to convince me to accept Pan Yixuan under the guise of caring for my future happiness.”

Su Qingli knew perfectly well why her parents had brought Pan Yixuan here today. She saw no need to beat around the bush, so she laid everything out plainly.

Seeing that Zhang Liping was about to speak, Su Qingli added, “And yes, things have completely fallen apart between Jiang Hao and me, but we haven’t actually divorced yet. So, someone here shouldn’t get too hopeful — you’d better rein yourself in!”

At her words, Zhang Liping, Su Bingming, and Pan Yixuan all looked deeply unsettled.

Su Qingli and Jiang Hao hadn’t divorced?

Hadn’t they already taken care of the divorce paperwork not long ago?

What was going on here?

Zhang Liping could no longer remain seated. She stood up and demanded, “Qingli, explain yourself. What do you mean you and Jiang Hao haven’t divorced? You already went through the procedures — how can you say you aren’t divorced?”

“Sorry, but we haven’t actually completed the paperwork. He’s been busy, and I haven’t had the time either.”

Su Qingli didn’t want to explain in detail, so she brushed Zhang Liping off with this excuse.

Su Bingming also stood and said, “How can you keep dragging your feet on something this important? This won’t do, Qingli. Call Jiang Hao right now — we’ll go with you and get the divorce done!”

Su Qingli shot Su Bingming a cold look and replied bluntly, “You want me to divorce Jiang Hao so you can marry me off to Pan Yixuan, is that it? Just so you can get a sizable bride price from him? What do you take me for? I may be your daughter by birth, but I am not your property to be sold for money!”

“That’s out of line!” Su Bingming shouted as he raised his hand and struck Su Qingli across the face.

The sharp, resounding slap echoed through the restaurant’s front hall.

The room fell silent; not a single person spoke.

After a moment, Su Qingli suddenly laughed.

One side of her face was already swelling, but she seemed not to care at all. In fact, she even looked relieved.

“Dad... that’s the last time I’ll call you that. Remember this: from this moment on, I, Su Qingli, am no longer your daughter! Now, all of you — get out!”

She pointed at the door, her tone commanding and severe.

Su Bingming’s face turned ashen.

He never imagined Su Qingli would actually disown them.

“I can’t believe this... I can’t believe this...” Zhang Liping clutched her chest, gasping for breath.

Beside her, Pan Yixuan felt utterly hopeless.

He had counted on Su Bingming and Zhang Liping to persuade Su Qingli to be with him, but he hadn’t expected her to be so explosive — ready to cut ties with her parents without a second thought.

Now, he could no longer rely on them.

And without their support, what did he have to offer that would make Su Qingli choose him?

Pan Yixuan quickly tried to smooth things over. “Let’s all calm down... There’s no need for things to get so tense — we’re family, after all.”

He was trying to save face for Su Bingming and Zhang Liping.

But before he’d even finished speaking, Su Qingli fixed him with a cold stare and said mercilessly, “Pan Yixuan, you’re the eldest son of the Pan family, not a member of the Su family. What right do you have to interfere in our family affairs? And don’t try to win them over anymore. How I live my life, whom I choose to be with — those are my decisions. No one else has any say!”

Pan Yixuan’s heart sank and his expression darkened.

At that moment, Zhang Liping suddenly shouted, “Fine!”

“You want to cut us off? Not call us your parents anymore? Then pay us back the money you owe us!”

“Your father and I worked ourselves to the bone raising you — we fed you, clothed you, put you through school and college. Now that you’re grown and independent, you refuse to acknowledge us? Then return every cent we spent on you!”

“Let’s see... annual living expenses, one hundred thousand a year — not too much, right? Clothing and daily needs, another hundred thousand a year — fair enough? Educational costs from childhood through college, two million — hardly unreasonable. Su Qingli, pay us back all this money now!”

“You’re twenty-six years old; that makes a total of seven point two million! Pay us back now!”

“If you can pay us back, we’ll part ways and never speak again — you won’t be our daughter, and we won’t be your parents. But if you can’t, then you’re still our daughter, and you must do as we say!”

After her tirade, Zhang Liping clutched her chest and struggled to catch her breath.

Pan Yixuan’s face lit up with a smile.

He knew full well that Su Qingli couldn’t possibly repay such a sum.

She had invested eighty thousand in opening her shop, which had nearly exhausted her savings. Even if she had a bit left, it was no more than a hundred or two hundred thousand — nowhere near seven point two million!

So, Su Qingli would have to bow her head.

She had no choice.

Su Bingming looked at Su Qingli and sighed. “You heard your mother. Seven point two million — can you afford that?”

“Don’t blame us for being materialistic. We invested so much in you, and now you want to cut us off? It hurts us, Qingli. So if you insist on severing ties, pay us back. If you can’t, then you have no right to leave this family!”

He fell silent, watching her, waiting for her response.

Su Qingli hung her head, saying nothing.

She was deeply hurt.

And more than that, she was disappointed.

Her own parents, at this moment, were demanding she repay them for all the costs of raising and educating her — it was utterly absurd!

What kind of parents did this world hold, who would raise a child only to expect repayment for every penny spent?

“I truly regret being born into this family. I truly regret having parents like you!” Su Qingli choked out, her face streaked with tears.

Su Bingming and Zhang Liping’s faces twisted with anger at her words.

They were about to retort when suddenly, laughter echoed from the kitchen.

It was a man’s voice — Jiang Hao.

Jiang Hao had overheard their conversation from the kitchen and knew it was time to step forward.

“I’ll pay whatever Su Qingli owes you.”

“Seven million? That’s nothing.”

“I’ll give you the money right now — take it and get out. From this moment onward, you have nothing more to do with Su Qingli.”