Lin Juncai’s face shifted between green and white, infuriated by Lin Qiao. This daughter of his seemed determined to poke at his very lungs!
He had married into the family, yes, but hearing Lin Qiao say such things out loud made him unbearably embarrassed.
Don’t be fooled by Yuan Mingzhu’s usual arrogance—when it came to her own man, she truly cared.
She looped her arm through Lin Juncai’s and whispered coaxingly: “Jun Cai~ don’t listen to that wicked girl. Didn’t we agree? Later… the children will all take your surname.”
Ha! Just listen to what Lin Qiao heard!
Lin Qiao turned toward the main house and shouted loudly: “Old Master Yuan, come hear this! A grown daughter shouldn’t be kept at home! You’re not even dead yet, and your daughter is secretly planning with her husband to change the surnames of the children born through marriage into our family!”
Yuan Dewang, concerned about the commotion in the yard, hadn’t gone far and had been straining to listen.
Hearing Lin Qiao’s words, his heart sank. Yuan Mingzhu, whom he had cherished since childhood, was doted on by the whole family. But judging by her clinginess to Lin Juncai, Old Master Yuan believed Lin Qiao’s accusation.
He could only sigh inwardly. He couldn’t control matters after death, but as long as he lived, all children in the family must bear the Yuan surname!
Yuan Dewang approached the doorway, expressionless, staring at Lin Qiao: “Qiao girl, have you had enough? Today’s your wedding day—you should go back to your own home!”
Lin Qiao touched her nose. Had she just been dismissed?
Yuan Mingzhu, having heard Lin Qiao’s words earlier, had been a little guilty and worried that her father would get angry. But seeing that Yuan Dewang hadn’t scolded Lin Qiao, her courage surged:
“You little brat! Did you hear that? Now scram!”
Lin Qiao glanced at Lin Juncai. Seeing no reaction from him, she also looked at him with disdain.
So she realized she held no status whatsoever in her father-in-law’s heart.
Hmph! Always like this—a whole family bullying a weak, powerless girl!
Her smiling face fell instantly, and she wiped away imaginary tears with her sleeve.
“I came home out of good intentions, just to visit, and this is how you treat me! Fine, fine! If you don’t welcome me, I’ll leave!”
As she walked toward the gate, she muttered sadly: “Who can’t report wrongs? I’ll tell Liu Xiangyang back home that your whole family teamed up to bully me! Since you’re driving me away, I won’t have anything to do with the Yuan family anymore!”
Before she could go far, Yuan Dewang shouted: “Qiao girl, what nonsense are you talking? Who’s driving you away?”
Lin Qiao stopped but only turned to glare at him coldly, saying nothing.
Old Master Yuan felt the girl in front of him was no ordinary child—she was like a rolling blade of meat with a thousand years of cultivation!
He pinched the bridge of his nose and scolded Yuan Mingzhu helplessly: “Haven’t you apologized to Lin Qiao yet? You’re family—how can you tell her to scram? Can’t you speak properly?”
Yuan Mingzhu stared at him in disbelief: “Dad! What did you say? You want me to apologize to that little brat?”
“I said, apologize!” Old Master Yuan’s expression brooked no argument.
Yuan Mingzhu trembled with rage. Why should she? Just some powerless girl she could bully at will, and now, because she got married, she dared to ride over her? Who did she think she was?
She looked pleadingly at her father. But seeing the reproach in his eyes, her heart sank. She thought she was the most important in his heart, but it turned out it was all an illusion!
Her father had promised her mother on her deathbed that he would treat her well. And now, he was forcing her to apologize to this little brat—would he drive her out of the Yuan family tomorrow?
Though scared, Yuan Mingzhu stubbornly looked at Lin Qiao: “Lin Qiao, you want me to apologize to you?”
Lin Qiao blinked innocently: “I didn’t say anything—Old Master Yuan said it all.”
Seeing that path blocked, Yuan Mingzhu took a deep breath, tears welling, and helplessly looked at Lin Juncai: “Jun Cai, look at your daughter! Everyone says being a stepmother is hard—I didn’t believe it at first. She’s trying to drive me to death!”
Lin Qiao shivered at this display—this big bear-like figure, acting all spoiled.
Honestly, such coquettish theatrics were… eye-burning!
Lin Juncai pulled his wife into his arms, fully in the melodramatic male lead mode, looking sadly at Lin Qiao: “Lin Qiao, why are you like this now? Weren’t you always obedient and good? Must you drive Mingzhu crazy to be happy?”
Lin Qiao felt like vomiting. What now?
She ignored Lin Juncai and turned toward Old Master Yuan with a look of complaint—how could he be village captain and not handle trivial matters properly?
Old Master Yuan, realizing he was watching a storm no one could suppress, slammed his cane on the ground:
“Yuan Mingzhu! I’m speaking to you! Are you deaf? Apologize now!”
Yuan Mingzhu, spoiled for over thirty years, could not endure such humiliation. She burst into tears and ran into her room.
Even from a distance, her loud wailing could be heard.
Lin Juncai blinked. His daughter just got married—how did she suddenly become so stubborn?
He glared at Lin Qiao, then ran back inside to console his wife.
Old Master Yuan sighed and looked kindly at Lin Qiao: “Qiao girl, your mother spoiled you rotten. Don’t stoop to her level. Rest assured, the Yuan family is always your home. Come whenever you want—no one will stop you.”
Lin Qiao: “Old Master, what are you saying? How could I be angry at my stepmother? If I didn’t want to honor her, I wouldn’t have come back today!”
Old Master Yuan was momentarily speechless—he’d never seen such shamelessness in his life.
Yuan family’s second daughter-in-law, Qian Dingxiang, was shocked. What had happened? She knew better than anyone how doting her father-in-law was toward the younger daughter—he practically treasured her. How could he scold her now for Lin Qiao? The sun must have risen from the west today!
Once her husband returned, she would have to figure out if life would improve if the little sister-in-law lost favor. She was tired of that lazy, greedy, troublemaking girl.
She had borne two sons for the old Yuan family—the eldest grandson came from her womb—but the old man hadn’t shown extreme favoritism. Now, perhaps she could persuade her husband to split the family estate?
Even the third daughter-in-law, Wang Caixia, usually more cunning, was left speechless.
That was the unrestrained Yuan Mingzhu! Not only spoiled by Old Master Yuan, but both of her elder brothers always indulged her.
At first, Old Master Yuan seemed normal, but now, when Lin Qiao threatened to leave, he demanded his daughter apologize.
Could it be that Lin Qiao had some leverage over him?