Fang Yao looked at Wang Cuilian, who was puffed up like a fighting rooster, and instead of getting angry, she chuckled.
“Auntie, what you’re saying makes it sound like your family has wanted Li Xuemiao all along, deliberately sent her to the wrong bridal chamber, and intentionally tried to steal her from Xu Qingzhou?”
As soon as Fang Yao finished speaking, Wang Hua happened to come out of the kitchen and glared coldly at Wang Cuilian.
Meeting Wang Hua’s sharp, almost murderous gaze, Wang Cuilian quickly denied it: “That’s not true at all! Don’t you dare slander us! I said Xuemiao is better than you because she cares about us—she used her dowry to compensate you. She’s nothing like you, you troublemaker! You’re nothing but a homewrecker!”
Pointing to the ground, Wang Cuilian finally felt she could hold her head high. “This is Xu Qingzhou’s dowry and our family’s compensation to you. As for Xuemiao’s part of the betrothal gifts, there’s no need to return them. Take this money, and if you ever come to us again with your nonsense, I’ll tear your mouth to shreds!”
Fang Yao still wore a smile on her face. No matter who she had a problem with, she’d never turn down money.
Just as she was about to bend down, Wang Hua beat her to it. She picked up the money and handed it directly to Fang Yao, frowning at Wang Cuilian. “Second daughter-in-law, there’s no need for you to come here shouting and making a scene. You agreed to give this compensation. If you’re not satisfied, we can go to the village chief and settle this. Fang Yao married Qingzhou, so she’s my daughter-in-law now. Who do you think you’re embarrassing by saying such nasty things in front of me?”
This was the second time Wang Hua had spoken up for Fang Yao today. Fang Yao already knew her personality from her past life—easygoing yet proud, never one to bother arguing with anyone.
Now that she was willing to stand up for her, it was clear she already saw Fang Yao as family. Fang Yao felt comforted in her heart. Since someone had her back, things would be much easier for her.
Wang Cuilian, mindful of both families’ reputations, didn’t dare to openly clash with Wang Hua. She snorted awkwardly, went inside, and moved Li Xuemiao’s dowry luggage away.
Fang Yao also went to collect her share of the dowry. Wang Hua offered to help and moved it into the house with her.
After placing the bedding into the large wardrobe, Wang Hua took Fang Yao’s hand and comforted her. “Fang Yao, you can see what kind of person your aunt is. In the future, it’s best to avoid her when you see her. There’s no need to waste your breath on her.”
“You’re right, Mom. As long as she doesn’t provoke me, I won’t pay her any attention!” Fang Yao winked.
In her past life, she had been tormented by Wang Cuilian in every way possible. She had dreamed of having a good mother-in-law like Wang Hua, but Li Xuemiao had taken such blessings for granted.
After Xu Qingzhou became disabled, Li Xuemiao had hoarded all the money, not giving Wang Hua a single cent. This forced Wang Hua to take odd jobs to make ends meet while also serving them like a maid. In less than two years, she had fallen ill from exhaustion and passed away.
And the last words she spoke before her death were that she regretted ever bringing Li Xuemiao into the family.
In this life, it was Fang Yao’s turn to be her daughter-in-law, and she would absolutely cherish this blessing and build a good relationship with her mother-in-law.
Seeing how well-behaved she was, Wang Hua smiled gently. “It’s been a hectic morning, and we haven’t even eaten. I’ll go make lunch now. Will Qingzhou be back at noon?”
“He went to the military unit to submit the marriage certificate for approval. He said he’ll be back in the evening.”
Wang Hua went to the kitchen, while Fang Yao tidied up the remaining items. She then took out the compensation money from Wang Cuilian and counted it. After deducting the fifteen hundred yuan betrothal gift Xu Qingzhou had given Li Xuemiao, Wang Cuilian had prepared an additional twelve hundred yuan. Adding the eight hundred yuan dowry Xu Manjiang had given her, the total came to exactly thirty-five hundred yuan. Holding the thick stacks of cash in her hand, she felt much more at ease.
But Fang Yao immediately thought of something else.
Li Xuemiao, someone who cared so much about money, was actually willing to use her dowry to help Xu Manjiang’s family. It seemed she had truly been reborn as well, knowing that Xu Manjiang would later make money through his uncle!
With what she had done today, she had directly changed Wang Cuilian’s attitude and won over Xu Manjiang. Fang Yao’s hope of seeing chaos and conflict would likely be hard to fulfill.
Taking advantage of the fact that lunch wasn’t ready yet, Fang Yao took the money and her bankbook, said goodbye to Wang Hua, and went out.
Taoli Village wasn’t far from Yaocheng. After walking half a kilometer, she reached the outskirts of the city, where there was a savings bank nearby.
Fang Yao knew that in six months, the surrounding area would be designated as a development zone. Xu Manjiang’s uncle had seized the opportunity, contracted a road construction project, and helped him earn his first pot of gold.
Li Xuemiao had already gained an advantage through her rebirth and would surely not let go of any opportunities that came her way. If things continued like this, Fang Yao would only become more and more passive.
Fang Yao felt she had to do something to take control of her own destiny!
After depositing the money at the bank, Fang Yao went to a nearby supply and marketing cooperative to buy a lock, some knitting needles, and yarn.
When she returned home, Wang Hua had already prepared the meal and was waiting for her in the room to eat together.
Fang Yao locked the bankbook in an iron box, hid the key, and then brought the needles and yarn to Wang Hua’s room, placing them directly by the bed.
"Mom, after we finish eating, could you teach me how to knit a sweater?" Fang Yao asked earnestly.
Wang Hua looked at her with the indulgent gaze one gives a child and said affectionately, "Knitting strains your eyes. If you want one, I’ll make one for you later."
But Fang Yao insisted, "I still want to learn. It’s boring staying in the room all day, so I might as well find something to do."
"Alright, I’ll teach you in a bit."
Wang Hua agreed after all. There weren’t many mothers-in-law in the world who didn’t appreciate a daughter-in-law eager to learn.
After the meal, Fang Yao took the initiative to wash the dishes. Wang Hua sat in the room untangling the yarn, watching her busy figure through the glass, a smile unconsciously curling at the corners of her mouth.
She sighed, thinking that her son missing out on Li Xuemiao and ending up with the diligent Fang Yao was actually a stroke of luck in disguise!
After washing the dishes, Fang Yao first went back to her room to light the stove before coming to Wang Hua’s room to learn how to knit.
Although she had knitted before in her parents’ home, her skills were not refined, mainly because no one in her family was particularly skilled—they had only taught her the basic knit and purl stitches.
Wang Hua’s knitting techniques were different. She could create intricate and varied patterns and even design beautiful styles, no worse than those sold in stores.
Fang Yao wanted to master this skill. In the future, given the opportunity, it might even become a way to make a living.
As the evening sun sank behind the western hills, Fang Yao finished dinner at Wang Hua’s place and returned to her own room with the needles and yarn to practice.
The flickering candlelight cast her shadow on the wall. The wind rustled the calendar hanging there, and the door opened from the outside. Fang Yao looked up.
Xu Qingzhou took off his military overcoat and slowly walked toward the bed with long strides. The cold air he brought from outside mingled with a faint scent of alcohol as he bent down to look at the needlework in her hands.
“What are you knitting?” His rich voice carried a polite tone, yet it wasn’t distant.
Fang Yao wrinkled her nose at the smell of alcohol on him.
“A sweater. I just started learning from Mom. Who did you drink with?”
“With comrades. They insisted on treating me when they found out I got married. Here.” He reached into his pocket, pulled out a few scattered paper bills, and placed them in front of her. “These are their wedding gifts. Keep them safe, you little money-grubber.”
Fang Yao pursed her lips and shot him a glare at his teasing tone.
As for the money he left by the bed, she didn’t even glance at it.
“I’m not some Scrooge. There’s hardly any money there anyway. Keep it for yourself, as pocket money.”
“Then I suppose I should thank you for being so generous to me?” Xu Qingzhou’s laughter rumbled in his throat, like an invisible claw scratching at one’s ears in the quiet night.