Meanwhile, in Huaihua Alley, Beijing…
After returning from her parents’ home that afternoon, He Siyue had been sulking the entire day.
No matter how much she thought about it, she couldn’t understand why her grandparents and her mother had sided with an outsider.
She had always treated Lu Jinyun the same way in the past even more harshly at times and no one had ever said a word.
So why was Lu Jinhuan different?
The more she thought about it, the more irritated she became. It wasn’t until her husband, Gu Xiaosong, came home and opened the door that she snapped out of her thoughts.
“Why are you just getting back?” she demanded sharply, still in a foul mood.
Gu Xiaosong seemed long accustomed to her temper.
“I had dinner with a few senior staff from the factory. I brought you something to eat it’s still warm. Go ahead and eat.”
Grandpa He and Gu Xiaosong’s grandfather had been comrades during the war. Gu’s grandfather had sacrificed his own life to save Grandpa He on the battlefield.
To repay that debt, the He family later brought the Gu family from the countryside to Beijing and had supported them financially ever since.
Years later, when Grandma Gu became terminally ill, her dying wish was for her only grandson, Gu Xiaosong, to marry a granddaughter of the He family namely, He Siyue.
If Gu Xiaosong’s grandfather hadn’t taken three bullets for Grandpa He all those years ago, the one who would have died would have been Grandpa He.
Without hesitation, Grandma He agreed to the marriage. She even promised to give the young couple a traditional two-courtyard residence in Huaihua Alley as He Siyue’s dowry and their marital home.
Only after receiving the He family’s promise did Grandma Gu pass away without regrets.
Gu Xiaosong was handsome in a refined sort of way. He had delicate features, a straight nose, fair skin, and carried himself with the gentle elegance of a scholar.
Having grown up surrounded by the rugged, headstrong sons of military officers, He Siyue found Gu Xiaosong’s cultured temperament especially appealing. So after a little persuasion from her grandparents, she readily agreed to the marriage.
They had now been married for more than three years, yet still had no children.
In fact, during their first year of marriage, He Siyue had once become pregnant.
However, she hadn’t known about it.
While drinking with friends, she consumed nearly half a kilogram of strong liquor, suffered alcohol poisoning, and miscarried without realizing she had been expecting.
Since then, she had been unable to conceive again.
“I’m not hungry. Just leave it there.”
Still fuming, He Siyue had no appetite at all.
Not forcing the issue, Gu Xiaosong set the lunchbox on the table and picked up a thermos, preparing to wash up in the courtyard.
“Hey! Aren’t you even going to ask what’s wrong? Can’t you tell I’m angry?”
“I can tell.”
His tone was calm.
“Out of three hundred sixty-five days in a year, you’re in a bad mood for three hundred sixty-four of them. What exactly am I supposed to do?”
Gu Xiaosong was utterly exhausted.
He had long grown tired of his wife’s overbearing personality. She was like a fighting rooster if she didn’t quarrel with someone for a day, she seemed physically uncomfortable.
His indifferent response infuriated He Siyue.
“Gu Xiaosong! You’re my husband! I was bullied at my parents’ house today. Can’t you at least comfort me?”
He looked at her in confusion.
“How am I supposed to comfort you? Go to your parents’ house and fight your second sister-in-law for you?
Honestly, I don’t understand. If you don’t like her, then stop going back so often. Why insist on returning every day just to make yourself angry?”
Ever since He Xiangbei, the He family’s second son, had gotten married two years ago, He Siyue seemed to have found a new hobby.
The happiest part of her day was going back to her parents’ house to pick fights.
Her expression became slightly awkward.
“This time it wasn’t Lu Jinyun. It was Lu Jinhuan my eldest brother’s new wife. She actually dared lecture me right in front of Grandpa and Grandma. She should take a good look at who she is before acting so arrogant. We’ve given her far too much face!”
Gu Xiaosong looked genuinely surprised.
“Our new sister-in-law? She hardly dared breathe in front of your family during the wedding. You’re saying she lectured you? I don’t believe it.”
He had watched the wedding clearly.
The bride had been extremely timid, her eyes filled with insecurity and shyness.
The second sister-in-law also lacked confidence, but she hid it well.
The eldest sister-in-law, perhaps because she was younger, wore every emotion plainly on her face.
Hearing that only made He Siyue explode with rage.
Her teeth ground together audibly.
“Gu Xiaosong… have you fallen for that bitch? No wonder you smiled so happily at the wedding!
Don’t forget without the He family, you’d still be some dirt farmer! If you ever betray me, my grandparents will never let you off!”
Gu Xiaosong looked at her as though she had gone insane.
“He Siyue… are you out of your mind?
I’m naturally cheerful. Does smiling automatically mean I’ve fallen for someone?
Should everyone wear a sour face like you every day for it to be considered normal?
Yes, everything I have today was made possible by Grandpa and Grandma He.
So what?
If my grandfather were still alive, the Gu family might not have ended up any worse than the He family.
Go back three generations who wasn’t born a peasant?
I honestly don’t know where all your sense of superiority comes from.”
What he hated most was her constant obsession with family background, as though he were nothing more than someone living off his wife’s family.
Yes, the Gu family had received help from the He family.
But in his eyes, that help was only fair.
His grandmother had remained a widow for half her life after his grandfather’s sacrifice. No one truly understood how much she had endured.
Like a lion driven mad, He Siyue suddenly flipped the table over.
The lunchbox crashed onto the floor, sending food flying everywhere.
“Bullshit!
You ungrateful bastard!
The He family wasted all those years raising you!
If we’d fed all that food to a dog, at least it’d wag its tail and bark at us.
But after feeding you, the He family can’t even get a word of thanks!”
Completely drained, Gu Xiaosong shot her a cold glare.
He set down the thermos and turned to leave.
Only one word escaped his lips.
“Shrew.”
Enraged, He Siyue shouted after his retreating figure.
“Get back here!
If you walk out that door today, don’t even think about coming back!
And don’t forget this house was part of my dowry! It belongs to the He family!
If you really anger me, I’ll have my grandmother take back the house your mother is living in too!”
Gu Xiaosong stopped.
He took a deep breath.
Seeing him pause, He Siyue thought he had finally given in.
A smug smile had just begun to appear on her face when she heard him say,
“Do whatever you want.
I’ve had enough of a woman like you.”
Without another glance, he walked away.
He Siyue stamped her feet in fury.
She overturned the coffee table as well. The thermos, teacups, and teapot crashed to the floor, shards of porcelain scattering everywhere.
Gu Xiaosong had nowhere to go.
He didn’t want to return to the Gu family. If his mother learned that he and He Siyue had argued again, she would only worry herself sick.
Left with no other choice, he returned to the factory, intending to spend the night in his office.
After graduating from high school, Gu Xiaosong had entered the machinery factory through arrangements made by the He family.
He started as an ordinary factory worker.
Later, after marrying He Siyue, she felt that being a worker lacked status. She persuaded Grandpa He to use his connections to promote Gu Xiaosong to Director of Logistics.
In the beginning of their marriage, Gu Xiaosong had genuinely been grateful to the He family, and to He Siyue.
But no matter how deep that gratitude had once been, it had gradually been worn away by He Siyue’s endless nagging and constant reminders.