After leaving the alley, Lin Zijing held little Lin Ziyou’s chubby hand and followed behind Yang Qingqiu.
“Mom, where are we going?” she asked.
“Where else? We’re going to buy you a couple of nice outfits. You’re about to get married—how can you still wear old clothes?”
“I just managed to get 120 yuan from Lin Jiancheng. You take 60 with you, and the rest I’ll use to get you proper clothes.”
“You need to look decent when you marry out.”
“Your mother doesn’t have much money on her either. The Lin family probably won’t give you anything good either.”
“Your biological father died early. After handling his funeral, there wasn’t much money left. We can’t rely on that side.”
Lin Zijing twitched her lips slightly but said nothing.
Yang Qingqiu slowed her steps and said quietly, “Girl, listen to me. When you get married, you must hold onto either feelings or money.
If you can hold onto both, that’s even better.
Don’t end up like your mother.”
Her tone carried a hint of nostalgia as she spoke of the past.
When she was with Lin Zijing’s biological father, life wasn’t as good as now, but she was happy.
He never let her do heavy work, always thought of her when there was good food, and even handed over all the New Year money to her.
Unlike now…
She had chosen Lin Jiancheng because he was a city man, hoping her children could also become city people and avoid a life of farming in the countryside.
Lin Zijing could sense her mother was in a bad mood, so she hooked her arm through hers.
“Mom…”
Yang Qingqiu smiled faintly at her daughter.
“Let’s go. We’ll head to the department store.”
The three of them went to the department store. Yang Qingqiu bought Lin Zijing a plaid dress, a white shirt, and a pair of military-green trousers.
After shopping, they left the store. Seeing candied hawthorns being sold nearby, Lin Zijing bought one for her younger brother, Lin Ziyou.
It was getting late, so Lin Zijing suggested, “Mom, let’s go eat meat buns at the state-run restaurant. The money and meal tickets you gave me at noon—I haven’t used them yet.
Let’s not go home for dinner tonight. Let them cook for themselves.”
Hearing the slight grievance and concern in her daughter’s tone, the frustration in Yang Qingqiu’s heart faded a lot.
Little Lin Ziyou, happily eating his candied hawthorn, looked up with bright eyes. “Yes! Mom, let’s go eat meat buns!”
Looking at her two children, Yang Qingqiu felt that everything she did was for them. A faint smile appeared on her face.
“Alright, I’ll listen to my daughter and son. Let’s go eat meat buns.
Let those three father-and-daughter pair eat nothing—let’s go.”
Lin Ziyou bounced with excitement. “Yay! Meat buns!”
The mother and her two children went to the state-run restaurant, ate meat buns, and also ordered fish—the same dish Lin Zijing had tried in the morning. She thought it was especially good and wanted her mother and brother to try it too.
By the time they returned home, it was already dark.
Just as they reached the door, they heard Lin Shu’s sharp, harsh voice coming from inside.
“Where the hell did they all go?
It’s this late and they still haven’t cooked—are they trying to starve us to death?
I knew that Yang Qingqiu and her daughter were nothing good. I knew that woman was just pretending before.
She used to act so virtuous, and now she can’t even bother pretending anymore?
Isn’t it just because the matchmaker introduced her daughter’s blind date to my sister instead? My sister is just older—that match should’ve gone to her first anyway.
What’s the big deal?
She talks nicely about treating us like family, but in reality she only cares about her own daughter.
This little issue has turned the whole house upside down.
And she even extorted 120 yuan from the family. That mother and daughter are the same kind of shameless people, spending other people’s money and acting all innocent!
Now they’re not even cooking dinner—what, do they think they’re queens now? Where did they go off enjoying themselves?”
Every word of those unbearable insults reached Yang Qingqiu and Lin Zijing’s ears.
Lin Zijing’s anger flared up instantly. Now that her household registration was no longer with the Lin family, she had no reason to hold back anymore. She was about to kick the door open and go inside.
But Yang Qingqiu stopped her.
She had endured it for so long. At this critical moment, she didn’t want anything to happen that would damage her daughter’s reputation.
She shook her head at Lin Zijin and gave her a look. Then, straightening her back, she pushed the door open and walked in.
With a creak, the door opened.
In the living room sat three people: Lin Jiancheng, Lin Xue, and Lin Shu.
Yang Qingqiu held her daughter and son’s hands and walked in, her expression cold as she looked at the three of them.
Her gaze finally settled on Lin Shu, carrying a sharp chill.
“So you think your fox tail is showing?”
“Heh. Lin Shu, ask yourself with a clear conscience—when I entered this family, you were only two years old.”
“You were so thin you looked like a kitten, and you even had a fever. I was the one who carried you to the hospital in the middle of the night and stayed with you.”
“Whenever there was something good to eat, I always gave it to you first.”
“You’ve never once been asked to do housework, not even your sister. I washed all your clothes for more than ten years.”
“I cooked your meals and cleaned your rooms. And in the end…”
She suddenly turned her gaze to Lin Jiancheng.
“Lin Jiancheng, you saw all of this, didn’t you?”
“Tell me yourself—honestly—how have I treated your children?”
Lin Jiancheng felt his head throb.
“You… you’ve done a lot for this family. The child didn’t mean it. You’re the adult, don’t hold it against her.”
“Heh. So she doesn’t see me as her mother?”
“I can understand your favoritism. Everyone favors their own biological children.”
“But today, my daughter suffered such a huge grievance, and I can’t even take her out for a decent meal?”
“Just because I didn’t serve your precious young lady for one meal, she goes behind my back and curses me?”
“Calling me exposed? Saying my fox tail is showing?”
“And you, as her father—you hear your own daughter say this and don’t even say a word…”
“I came into your Lin family, worked like a cow and a horse. Which household chore haven’t I done?”
“What do I gain from this? I only wanted stability, for my two children to have a home, and for you to treat Zijin a little better.”
“And what do I see?”
“One steals her sister’s blind date. The other insults me behind my back.”
“One meal not cooked, and it turns into all this drama. Fine. From today on, whoever wants to cook for the Lin family can do it. Whoever wants to wash clothes, go ahead. I’m done serving you.”
After saying that, she didn’t wait for their reaction. She pulled her two children straight into Lin Zijin’s room.
Bang—
The door slammed shut, leaving Lin Jiancheng and his two children stunned.
Lin Xue frowned tightly.
“Dad, look at Aunt Yang. How can she act like this?”
“Xiaoshu is still young. She only said a few casual words. Does she really need to get so angry?”
“And slamming the door like that—if people find out, our family’s reputation…”
Before she could finish, the door opened again.
Yang Qingqiu stood there, not backing down at all.
“What if it gets out? If it does, it’ll be Lin Xue who ruins this family’s reputation.”
“What are you pretending to be so innocent for?”
“Wasn’t it you who brought your aunt’s introduced blind date into this house? I know exactly what you’re up to.”
“You sisters—one acting in the open, one hiding in the shadows. Don’t think I don’t see your tricks.”
“I only held back because I felt sorry that you don’t have a mother. I didn’t bother arguing with you.”
“But if we’re going to settle accounts, then let’s settle them properly. From now on, I won’t cook, I won’t wash clothes. Whoever wants to do housework can do it.”
“This isn’t just your father’s home—it’s mine too. My name is on the marriage certificate.”
“Either we live together, or we don’t live at all.”
As soon as she finished speaking, she went into her room with Lin Jiancheng, took all her and her son’s thin clothes, and brought them into Lin Zijin’s room.
Lin Jiancheng’s face turned dark, full of anger—but he couldn’t explode, because his daughter really was in the wrong this time.