Hearing those words, the anger already blazing in Lin Mei flared up all at once!
She could take it no more. Making sure the front door was firmly shut, she stormed straight to Liu Lichun’s room.
Bursting inside, what she saw made her recoil in revulsion, nearly fainting on the spot!
Her own husband was sitting on the same bed as her mother‑in‑law, pressed close together. Liu Lichun was even leaning on Li Heng’s shoulder, sobbing softly, putting on a helpless, clinging act!
“What on earth are you two doing?!”
Lin Mei shrieked, then immediately turned and slammed the door shut again.
She could never let anyone outside hear her humiliation—least of all You Sanmei.
Liu Lichun flinched, pressing even closer to her son, and whined in a thin, plaintive voice: “Son… look at your wife. Did I tell you the truth or not?”
“Ah… I think she only married into this family so she could sit back and live off us, doing nothing at all.”
“Why else would she fly into a rage just because I asked her to wash a few clothes for me?”
“I’m asking what you’re doing right now!” Lin Mei’s eyes burned. She strode forward and forced herself between them, teeth clenched. “Separate! Get apart!”
“He’s my husband! Is it proper for a mother to be this close to her own son? Aren’t you disgusted by this?!”
“Lin Mei!”
Li Heng’s face darkened sharply, and he stood up abruptly. “I know you’ve had a hard life—losing your own mother so young—but that doesn’t mean you have to begrudge others a good relationship with theirs!”
“I told you what my family’s like! My father’s never taken responsibility for anything, never comes home. It was just my mother raising me all these years!”
“I will never forget my mother just because I got married!”
“And what about you? Can’t you even wash a few clothes now that you’re part of this family?”
“Lin Mei—don’t you forget what kind of life you led back in your parents’ home before you married me!”
“Be grateful for what you have!”
……
He went on and on, giving her no chance to get a single word in edgewise.
In the end, she wandered back to her room in a daze, head hanging low, wondering: Was she really being unreasonable?
Was it because she had no memory of a loving mother of her own that she found the way her husband and mother‑in‑law acted so wrong?
Lost in misery, the door creaked open.
She jumped, quickly wiping her eyes, glowering at him with all the sullenness she could muster, then stared silently at the floor.
But the moment Li Heng shut the door, his whole demeanor changed!
He stepped forward with a coaxing smile and wrapped his arms around her. “Alright, don’t be mad. Everything I said just now was just for my mother’s sake.”
“…For your mother?” Lin Mei stared, bewildered.
“Exactly!” Li Heng let out a quiet sigh of relief. Leaning close, he whispered gently in her ear: “She really did raise me all on her own—your father‑in‑law and her were barely more than strangers living under the same roof. That’s why she always acts this way, just trying to get my attention.”
“Mei, you’re a woman too—surely you can understand that, right?”
“But I know you feel wronged…”
“Here!”
Before she could react, he pulled a silver bracelet from his pocket.
It glinted bright and beautiful!
“Ah!” Lin Mei gasped, stunned. “Where… where did you get this?”
Li Heng kissed her cheek. “Bought it just for you. Do you like it?”
“Here—try it on.”
All her anger vanished in an instant; every bit of hurt and resentment melted away.
Seeing her beam, Li Heng said softly: “My workplace is far from here, so sometimes I have to stay in the dormitory there. I’ll have to leave things in your hands here at home.”
“If my mother gets difficult, just bear with her a little. I’ll make it up to you when I’m back, I promise.”
With such sweet words, and the gleaming silver bracelet on her wrist, what more could Lin Mei say?
Deep down, she knew there was some truth to what he’d said earlier.
However bad things were here, she couldn’t go back to her parents’ place—she’d be looked down on even more! How could she ever show her face again?
Her tone softened at once. “…Fine. I’ll be the bigger person and let it slide this time.”
Li Heng smirked inwardly—easy enough to keep her wrapped around his finger.
“Then could you do me a favor, my good wife… and wash those clothes for us?”
“I’ll go check on Mother—she’s probably calmed down by now.”
“Alright, go on then!”
Lin Mei hopped up and headed straight for the laundry, glad to get away from them for a while.
She told herself: She’s just a bit over‑sensitive, that’s all. At least my husband’s on my side.
He even bought me something nice to make up for it!
That’s way better than the rotten apples You Sanmei’s husband brings her, isn’t it?
The more she thought about it, the lighter she felt, the straighter she stood.
She scrubbed away with renewed energy, happily washing for nearly an hour without feeling tired at all.
Meanwhile, back in Liu Lichun’s room, Li Heng pulled out a stack of bills and held it out to her. “Alright, Mother—don’t be upset anymore.”
“Here—just got paid. It’s all yours.”
“Only leaving ten yuan for cigarettes—satisfied?”
Liu Lichun muttered something about not caring about his money, but snatched it up instantly.
Li Heng always found her hypocrisy rather endearing. He teased with a grin: “Oh? Then give it back! It only took a few nice words to calm your daughter‑in‑law down anyway!”
“As if she deserves anything better!” Liu Lichun counted the notes and tucked them contentedly under her pillow.
She lifted her chin and sniffed: “Back at her parents’ place, she worked like a mule and got nothing for it. Marrying into this family is the best thing that ever happened to her!”
“She should be counting her blessings!”