Not long afterward, Huang Dachao and Qiu Mengyuan hurried back on their bicycles together. The couple went straight to the Cheng family home.
“Mengyuan, the Cheng family changed brides. Yao Yulan suddenly demanded a higher bride price and refused to marry. Your niece from your maiden family was driven out by your mother-in-law and children. She had nowhere else to go, so she gave up the bride price and came to marry into the Cheng family with her luggage,” Yu Dazui loudly announced the moment she saw them.
Earlier, it had been the Cheng family’s eldest uncle who went to fetch them. He had already carefully explained everything that happened that morning, but they hadn’t known that Qiu Yinong had been driven out by Old Madam Huang.
When Qiu Mengyuan heard Yu Dazui’s words, she frowned slightly and cast a cold glance at Huang Dachao.
“I didn’t know about this either.”
Huang Dachao’s expression darkened slightly. After parking the bicycle under a tree, he immediately arranged things: “You go find Yinong. I’ll go talk to my parents.”
Father and Mother Cheng were receiving Commander Tan and the others in the living room. Qiu Mengyuan quickly found the Cheng family’s eldest daughter-in-law, Li Shuangmei, learned that her niece was in the bedroom, and immediately asked to be taken there.
Qiu Yinong had just finished tidying up her luggage. Seeing her aunt arrive, she invited her into the bedroom to talk.
“Yinong, child, how could you act so rashly?”
“Marriage is not child’s play. You’ve only been here one day. How much do you know about the Cheng family? How much do you know about Cheng Yuanche?”
“I know your Grandma Huang speaks harshly and loves to gossip, and you’ve suffered grievances because of it. But you can’t gamble your lifelong happiness out of anger.”
When Qiu Mengyuan first heard the news, she had cursed Old Madam Huang countless times in her heart. She had immediately requested leave from work and rushed back as quickly as possible. At this moment, her face was filled with worry, and she wished she could drag Qiu Yinong back home immediately.
Qiu Yinong pulled her down to sit, her eyes clear and determined.
“Auntie, I’m not acting out of anger. I watched the entire wedding procession this morning. The Cheng family has good values, they’re united and harmonious, and Cheng Yuanche is a man with backbone. I have a good impression of him, and I’m willing to marry him.”
“As for Grandma Huang, yes, she’s very sharp-tongued and unpleasant to listen to. I’ve been in a bad mood lately and wanted a quiet environment to recover. Living long-term with the Huang family wouldn’t allow me to adjust my emotions.”
“Most importantly, I don’t want Auntie caught in the middle. Once I have my own home, Auntie can also feel at ease.”
She had her own reasons, but Qiu Mengyuan still disagreed.
“You’re my only niece. Your marriage can’t be decided so carelessly. Your father’s body isn’t even cold yet. If he knew you were forced into marriage and chose a family so casually, he would blame me terribly. He probably wouldn’t even be able to rest peacefully in heaven.”
“I’m not being forced into marriage. This is my own choice, Auntie, so you don’t need to blame yourself. Dad and Grandpa and Grandma are watching from heaven, and they won’t blame you either.”
Qiu Yinong followed her words gently, but when she saw her aunt wanting to continue, she interrupted:
“Alright, Auntie. I’m an adult now and will take responsibility for every decision I make. I’ve already decided to marry Cheng Yuanche, so naturally I can’t break my promise. I can’t become someone faithless and dishonorable like Yao Yulan.”
Things had already reached this point. She had even brought her luggage to the Cheng family home. Qiu Mengyuan knew that further persuasion would be useless, and with reddened eyes she said:
“Yinong, Auntie has wronged you. Before you came, I promised I would take good care of you, but you were forced to leave after only one night at our house…”
“Auntie, I’m getting married, not cutting ties with you. The two families live very close now, and we can visit each other anytime.”
“If we all lived under one roof, my lifestyle habits are different. Sooner or later Grandpa and Grandma Huang would dislike it, and it would also affect my younger cousins’ studying and sleep. Only by maintaining a bit of distance can the relationship between the two families last longer.”
Qiu Mengyuan understood her in-laws and children well. The concerns Qiu Yinong mentioned were reasonable. Helplessly, she sighed.
“Yinong, I didn’t think things through properly.”
The aunt and niece hadn’t closed the door while talking. Huang Dachao stood outside with the three children. Seeing how firm and opinionated Qiu Yinong was, and that his wife couldn’t persuade her at all, he finally stepped in and said:
“Mengyuan, since things have come to this, let’s respect Yinong’s decision.”
“She’s willing herself, and Cheng Yuanche’s superiors and leaders are already here. Backing out now wouldn’t be appropriate.”
“We watched Yuanche grow up. His character is beyond reproach. He’s a good man worthy of entrusting a lifetime to. The Cheng family is going through difficult times right now, but once they get through this period, Yinong will have a good life with him.”
Qiu Mengyuan glared at her husband, then turned to look at her three children huddled in the corner and said sternly:
“Huang Zheng, the three of you, come here!”
The three children glanced at Qiu Yinong. There was indifference in their eyes as they slowly shuffled over.
Qiu Mengyuan sternly demanded:
“What did I tell you before I left for work? I told you to take good care of your cousin. Did you secretly complain to your grandmother behind my back?”
After being scolded, Huang Ya’s eyes instantly reddened as she muttered softly:
“Grandma said Cousin came here to freeload.”
Huang Zheng and Huang Bin lowered their heads without saying anything, silently agreeing with her words.
Qiu Mengyuan was so angry her chest heaved. Pointing at the three children, her voice filled with heartbreak, she said:
“Ever since I was adopted into this family, your grandparents and uncle never stopped sending us money and food supplies. Every year they sent money on time. Even that house we used to have before it was confiscated was bought with their money.”
“My job was secured because of their secret help. Even your father’s job—they also contributed to that.”
“Now that your uncle is gone, we brought Yinong here to stay. She only just arrived, and this is how you treat her? How are your actions any different from ungrateful ingrates?”
“Your uncle died suddenly. Yinong is in terrible emotional pain. Before leaving, I repeatedly reminded you to take good care of your cousin. And this is how you cared for her? Your uncle is watching from heaven. How heartbroken must he feel?”
“The matters on your uncle’s side cost two thousand yuan to handle after his death, but over the years he spent far more than that on us—more than three times that amount. Yet he never once asked us to repay a single cent. What right do you have to complain?”
The three Huang siblings flushed red with shame and didn’t dare lift their heads.
“We didn’t know these things.”
“I may not have told you these matters, but haven’t you all gone to school? Don’t you even have basic manners?”
“Yinong is your own cousin. She traveled thousands of miles to come here, and it’s her first time visiting. Shouldn’t it be natural for the family to add one extra bed and one extra set of bowls and chopsticks for her?”
“Your older cousins often come to eat at our house and take things, and I’ve never heard you complain once. Yinong shares the same blood as you. Yet after staying just one night and eating two home-cooked meals, you already started complaining. Is this how you conduct yourselves? What exactly have you learned at school?”
“I had hoped you would build a relationship with Yinong, comfort her properly, and help her out of her grief. But look at yourselves—what kind of mess have you made?”
Qiu Mengyuan’s harsh scolding was extremely severe, leaving the children too ashamed to raise their heads or make a sound.
“Alright, go outside now.”
Huang Dachao spoke at the right moment, waving them away. Then he apologized to Qiu Yinong:
“Yinong, Little Zheng and the others don’t have bad intentions. They just inherited my mother’s bad habit of gossiping thoughtlessly. We’ll educate them properly in the future. Don’t stoop to their level.”
Qiu Yinong had remained silent the entire time, quietly observing everyone’s expressions. Tugging lightly at the corner of her mouth, she said:
“Uncle, I’m not holding it against them. After all, I arrived very suddenly and disrupted their lives. It’s normal for them to have their own thoughts about it.”