“I’ll start with this—there will be no 500 yuan. Whoever caused the trouble can go ask them for it.”
“Second, whether your daughter really lost her innocence to this fool, you people know it best yourselves. Coincidentally, his eldest uncle specializes in this kind of investigation. It won’t be hard for him to look into it.”
“As for the marriage request, I can agree. We have plenty of children at home; we don’t lack him. For the betrothal gift, 500 yuan plus a bicycle.”
Liu Guiying returned the same tone to the Zhu family.
Zhu Lao’er’s eyes turned red with rage. Seeing that words were useless, he raised his hand toward the young men he had brought.
“Are the Sun family being unreasonable? Are they trying to step on us from Old Guan Village and shit on our heads? Smash their house!”
Liu Guiying pushed her “tool son-in-law” aside and stood firmly in the doorway alone, like one person holding the pass against ten thousand.
“Let’s see who dares. If you haven’t entered this door yet, we can still talk. But if you step inside, I’ll immediately report you for burglary.”
“Xiaoxin, go call your uncle. Tell him to bring people here and catch them red-handed.”
“Mom, didn’t Uncle say he’s coming over for dinner later?”
Zhang Xin played along smoothly. At this moment, whether it was bluff or real, he couldn’t leave his mother-in-law alone.
If there was a fight, he would be the first to take the hit.
Liu Guiying silently approved of her son-in-law.
The group of young men from Zhu’s side immediately pulled back their steps. Joking aside—who would risk their life just for one meal?
These were all local troublemakers. Zhu Lao’er had recruited them by promising a free meal after things were done.
They thought it would be an easy job, but instead they ran into a tough opponent.
This was completely different from what Zhu’s daughter had said. Was this woman even real, or was she impersonating someone?
One by one, they scattered like birds and beasts.
Only four people remained, standing awkwardly.
Zhu Lao’er pointed at the fleeing men.
“Uncle, why did they run? We haven’t even eaten yet!”
He even licked his lips after saying it.
“This isn’t over,” Zhu Lao’er spat out before turning to leave.
“Wait.”
Liu Guiying’s voice stopped them.
She turned and went inside.
The remaining four felt a flicker of hope—maybe she had changed her mind.
Only the foolish one, Er Lengzi, looked completely confused.
Sun Jiandang secretly rejoiced.
He knew it—his mother couldn’t really be that heartless. What she said earlier must have been anger.
But when Liu Guiying returned and threw a piece of paper in front of him, his hope shattered instantly.
On it were clearly written the words: “Separation Agreement.”
“Mom… are you still my real mother?”
Sun Jiandang looked at her in disbelief.
“The family is already separated. Whether you acknowledge me or not doesn’t matter. Just sign it. Eighteen yuan per person, and 150 jin of grain.”
“The two rooms Sun Jianguo took are sold to me for 220 yuan. If you want, I can buy yours too.”
The Zhu family instantly felt a twist of fortune—they hadn’t expected money to still come out of this.
They originally thought they would just get a “fertile worker” for free.
Turns out he was a “gold-egg-laying hen.”
“Future son-in-law, Zhao Di is still waiting for you at home. Since your family doesn’t want you, ours will take you.”
“You can just sell the house to your mother. Our family has plenty of space.”
Zhu Lao’er patted his chest as if he were the real father.
Sun Jiandang hadn’t expected that just a few days away, his mother would no longer want him.
And the only ones willing to take him in were his girlfriend’s family.
He felt a wave of despair—but still clenched his teeth and refused to sell the house.
As if doing so would keep the last thread connecting him to his family intact.
Seeing this, the Zhu family didn’t press further. The house wouldn’t run away anyway. Once he married into their family, everything would be theirs sooner or later.
Zhu Lao’er took over the money and grain and led Sun Jiandang away.
They came arrogantly—and left in disgrace.
Watching their backs, Liu Guiying felt a faint heaviness in her heart.
But then she thought of the past life—how she hadn’t seen through Zhu’s scheme, how she had desperately tried to save money to stop her son from becoming a live-in son-in-law.
And in the end, Sun Jiandang still insisted on going.
He even said it was “free love” and accused her of being a feudal authoritarian.
Fine—let him choose his own path.
But later, after they had a son, Zhu Zhaodi hooked up with a city electrician boss, and Sun Jiandang’s usefulness ended there.
In the end, he returned home broke.
She had to support him again and even find him another capable wife.
And so he lived as a parasite for the rest of his life.
This time, she would still let him choose freely.
Everyone walks their own road. Once chosen, they must walk it—even on their knees.
She just wondered whether, without her cleaning up after him, he could still live as freely as in his past life.
With just a few words, Liu Guiying dismantled the situation effortlessly.
Tomorrow, there would still be another battle. She needed to conserve her strength.
The next day, the Sun family went to work or school as usual.
Zhang Xin stayed home to take care of Sun Xiumei and the three children.
After confirming Sun Jiandang’s younger brother’s workplace, Liu Guiying strode out with determination.
Zhang Xin watched her back and felt a vague sense that something big—and troublesome—was about to happen.
But he didn’t ask. His mother-in-law would not harm them.
Liu Guiying went to Aunt Ma’s house. The people she needed were already there—five of them.
Together with Aunt Ma, the group was complete, and they set off for the city by bus.
On the way, Liu Guiying explained the plan. Everyone patted their chests, saying they were professionals and she could rest assured.
And she was indeed reassured—this kind of small job was nothing to them.
After getting off the bus, they headed straight toward the city steel factory.
Before retirement, Liu Guiying’s father had been a senior master in the steel factory and had trained many apprentices.
Liu Weidong’s job had even been arranged through one of those apprentices.
One apprentice had once nearly caused a major accident at work, almost losing his life. It was Liu’s father who saved him, preventing disaster.
Because of that, the factory had even awarded Liu’s father.
Later, that apprentice’s family privately arranged an internship position at the public security system to repay him.
Liu Weidong later worked like a tireless engine for years and eventually became a full employee through his own ability.
So Liu Guiying came to the steel factory today without any fear at all.
Not only was her father a respected senior figure there, many of his former apprentices still held important positions in the factory.