“Fourth Sister, why didn’t you… eat…”
Before Yicheng could finish his sentence, Feng snatched Fourth Sister’s bowl and dumped all the meat into her own.
Everyone’s faces darkened, especially Father Liu, Mother Liu, and Liu the Third. Only Fourth Sister looked calm, as if she had expected this all along.
Slam!
Mother Liu set her bowl down heavily and cursed, “Are you a starving ghost reborn? How dare you steal food from your own daughter’s bowl. You shameless thing!”
Feng didn’t think she had done anything wrong. To her, a mere girl didn’t deserve to eat something as good as meat. She stuffed all the meat into her mouth at once.
“Mother, Fourth Sister gave this to me out of filial respect.”
“…”
How could such a shameless creature exist in this world?
Mother Liu shot a furious glare at Liu the Third. Back then, she knew Feng was no good and refused to let her enter the family. There were many ways to repay a debt of gratitude; it didn’t have to involve marriage. But this foolish son wouldn’t listen. Now, he had married a troublemaker who ensured the family never had a day of peace.
Feeling his mother’s gaze, Liu the Third lowered his head in guilt. He knew he had made a mistake, but he realized it too late.
“Fourth Sister, come to Grandma,” Mother Liu beckoned.
Fourth Sister stood up obediently and walked over. Among all the Liu grandchildren, she was the thinnest—so frail it would make any stranger pity her. Mother Liu, her own grandmother, naturally felt the sting of heartache.
In the past, Mother Liu felt she shouldn’t interfere in her son’s household affairs. No matter how much she pitied the girl, she only offered a few words of reprimand without stepping in. However, a few days ago, Liu Ji’an had talked to them about Fourth Sister’s situation.
Thinking it over, they truly had failed this child. If they let this continue, the girl would be ruined by Feng. The most urgent matter was to take Fourth Sister away from Feng so she wouldn’t be mistreated or corrupted.
Mother Liu and Father Liu exchanged a look. After decades together, they understood each other instantly.
“Third Son, from now on, Fourth Sister will stay with your father and me. We’re bored in our old age anyway, so we’ll look after the child to pass the time. Do you have any objections?”
Mother Liu’s tone made it clear that this was not a negotiation. Liu the Third froze for a moment, then nodded immediately. He had actually wanted this for a long time but feared his parents wouldn’t agree.
Seeing him hesitate, the anger in Mother Liu’s chest eased slightly. “Then it’s settled.”
“From now on, your and Feng’s food rations will be cut in half. Fourth Sister needs to recover her health, and as parents, you can’t just do nothing.”
Liu the Third replied, “I have no objection. I’ll do as you say, Mother.”
“No!” Feng suddenly stood up. In just a moment of distraction, her daughter was gone and her food was being cut in half. The current rations weren’t even enough for her; cutting them in half was like asking for her life.
“Mother, how can you do this? You’re the one who wants to raise her; I didn’t beg you to. If she needs food, it should come from your portion. What does it have to do with me?”
Mother Liu laughed out of pure anger. Were these words a mother should say? She was worse than a beast.
“Since you’re unwilling, I won’t force you.” Mother Liu turned to Liu the Third and said, “Write a letter of divorce immediately. Our Liu family has no place for a daughter-in-law who doesn’t even care for her own child.”
“If you don’t divorce her, then get out with her. I have plenty of sons; I won’t miss having one less.”
A divorce letter… how did it come to this? Feng panicked completely. No matter how much she had made a scene in the past, she was only scolded. They had never mentioned divorce. Now, just for that “dead girl,” they wanted to cast her out.
“Mother, you’re going too far! I am a daughter-in-law married into the Liu family with proper ceremonies. What right do you have to divorce me?”
Mother Liu slapped the table. “By the right that this is the Liu house, and the right that the Third Son came from my womb! The laws of Dongyuan clearly state that a mother-in-law has the right to divorce a wife on behalf of her son. Even in a court of law, if I say you are divorced, no one can stop me.”
The eldest son, the second son, and Liu Ji’an didn’t dare move. They knew their mother was truly enraged this time. The children sensed the heavy atmosphere and stayed silent, fearing the grandmother’s anger would turn on them.
Seeing that Mother Liu was serious, Feng quickly tugged at Liu the Third’s clothes. However, he ignored her, shook off her hand, and walked away.
She had to use her final trump card: “Father, Mother, have you forgotten how my father died? If you treat me like this, are you worthy of his memory?”
Mother Liu replied, “Feng, since you brought up your father today, let’s settle this in front of the whole family.”
“Yes, your father died saving our Third Son. Out of gratitude, he married you. In all these years, has the family ever mistreated you?”
“Instead, you’ve used that debt to turn this house into a mess. I only scolded you and never tormented you like those cruel mothers-in-law do. When you were pregnant, you did no work and ate and drank the best while your two sisters-in-law waited on you. When you gave birth to Fourth Sister, I never complained; I personally took care of you during your recovery.”
“I killed over twenty old hens for you, and you ate countless eggs. Ask around—which daughter-in-law enjoys such a life? But you? You don’t respect your in-laws, you don’t care for your husband, and you even beat your own daughter.”
“The Liu family owes you nothing. If your father knows this in the afterlife, I doubt he could say a word. If he does, then when we pass away, we’ll settle it with him before the King of Hell.”
At this point, Feng realized Mother Liu was determined to have her divorced. She looked at Father Liu, but he turned his head away, clearly refusing to help.
That wouldn’t do. If she were divorced, there would be no place for her in Liu Village. Everyone in the village knew her character.
With a thud, Feng knelt before the parents. “Father, Mother, I was wrong! I know I was wrong! Please don’t divorce me! I’ll be good to Fourth Sister from now on, I’ll listen to everything you say…”
No matter how she cried and begged, Mother Liu did not soften. She pulled Fourth Sister into her arms and stroked her head. “Fourth Sister, will you stay with Grandpa and Grandma from now on?”
Fourth Sister looked at Mother Liu, then glanced at Feng, who was crying on the ground.