“Do not forget, a married daughter is like water that has been poured out. When you grow old, who will actually be at your bedside taking care of you?” Father Zhao said heavily. He felt his wife had grown more muddle headed with age.
During this period, he had been busy at the production team and had not paid attention to what was happening at home. That negligence had led to this mess.
Mother Zhao fell silent.
Zhao Meiyun burst into tears and ran out.
“Xiao Yun.”
“You spoiled her yourself,” Father Zhao said in a low, oppressive voice, his gaze flicking toward his son. “She is grown and still has never worked in the fields, and now she even slanders her sister in law.”
He did not want the actions of his wife and daughter to chill his son’s heart.
Zhao Tianlei noticed his father looking at him immediately.
Mother Zhao wanted to go after her daughter, but Father Zhao held her back.
She looked anxiously at her son, hoping he would soften and go check on Xiao Yun.
Zhao Tianlei acted as if he had not seen it.
“Shitou, even if what you say makes sense, Xiao Yun is still your sister, the sister you have doted on for so many years. How can you treat her like this for the sake of an outsider? Will that not make Xiao Yun feel hurt?” Mother Zhao pressed.
Zhao Tianlei had not wanted to argue, but his mother kept harping on it.
“Mother, Xiao Ya is not an outsider. She has married me and is now a member of the Zhao family. Even if she were to die one day, she would still carry the Zhao surname. As for Xiao Yun, you have indulged her too much. That kind of doting is smothering her with praise and killing her in the long run. When she marries into another family, will she do nothing there as well? Would her in laws accept that? You should think about it carefully. I have said all I need to say. Eat slowly.”
Zhao Tianlei lost his appetite. Even now, his parents were still shifting the blame onto Xiao Ya.
That was selfishness at work.
Father Zhao shot Mother Zhao a fierce glare. He knew his son was right, but since their daughter had stayed by their side all these years, they naturally favored her.
The child who cried and fussed got the sugar.
Zhao Meiyun had mastered that to perfection.
“Old man, I am going to check on Xiao Yun,” Mother Zhao said.
“She is grown. Is she going to get lost?” Father Zhao replied curtly. “This afternoon, come work with me. Do you think I do not know what you are thinking? That bride price was saved by our son. Did you take out any money when he married? Now that he is finally married, do you not want to hold a grandson? Look around the village. Children Tianlei’s age already have several kids.”
Mother Zhao looked at women her age who were already holding grandchildren and felt envious.
Father Zhao knew his wife had heard him.
“It will all go to Xiao Ya in the end, to be used for our grandson. Do you really think Xiao Yun will support you in old age? Think carefully. Do not make our son lose heart. If he truly turns toward the Lin family, you will have nothing but tears left.”
Mother Zhao panicked. If her son’s heart truly went over to the Lin family, she would have nowhere to cry.
She had only borne one son and one daughter. The daughter would eventually marry out. Their future support would depend on their son. He was a company commander with a salary every month.
“Do I really have to go apologize?” she asked weakly.
“Wang Cuihua, have you thought about how much it would cost to remarry a new daughter in law? Weigh it yourself,” Father Zhao said flatly.
Between money and apologizing, Mother Zhao knew exactly which to choose.
Zhao Meiyun ran out of the house and ran into Wang Tingting, who she was very close with.
“Xiao Yun.”
A thin, frail looking girl in patched clothes with a basket on her back called out.
“Tingting, where are you headed?” Zhao Meiyun asked, seeing the basket. She was probably going to cut pig grass.
“I am going to cut pig grass. Have you been alright these past few days? I heard about your sister in law,” Wang Tingting said. She glanced around, then pulled Zhao Meiyun aside a few steps. “Xiao Yun, you would not believe how people are talking about you. They say you and your mother are ruthless and could not tolerate a new daughter in law. I know you. You would never do such a thing. There must be some misunderstanding.”
Hearing this, Zhao Meiyun felt much better and began to complain. “You do not know how much my brother likes her. Now that he has married a wife, he has forgotten our mother. Tingting, if only you had married my brother. Why did Lin Siya not just die? Now my brother is even forcing me to apologize to her.”
A flash of light crossed Wang Tingting’s eyes. She smiled gently. “Xiao Yun, do not say that again. Your brother is already married, and he is a company commander. I am not worthy of him.”
Zhao Meiyun curled her lips. “Lin Siya is the one who is not worthy of my brother.”
“Xiao Yun, why not just apologize to your sister in law? She drank poison and barely survived. No one knows if it will affect her ability to have children later. After all, that was poison,” Wang Tingting said, sounding concerned.
Sure enough, Zhao Meiyun’s eyes lit up.
In later terms, Wang Tingting was a fake white lotus.
“I will come find you later,” Zhao Meiyun said. She planned to tell her parents. If they knew Lin Siya might not be able to bear children, they would surely agree to a divorce.
What family would want a woman who could not have children?
Wang Tingting watched Zhao Meiyun leave, a satisfied smile curling at her lips.
Her mother had been a widow who remarried into Zhaojia Village and brought her along. After Zhao Tianlei once beat back a group of kids who bullied her, his image had lodged in her heart. When she learned he had joined the army, her admiration deepened. She never expected him to end up marrying Lin Siya.
Lin Siya had attended high school, was pretty, and came from a family with money. Why did she have to steal Tianlei from her? Why did she have to take him?
Apart from Brother Tianlei, Wang Tingting had no one.
After her mother remarried and gave birth to a son, all attention went to that child. Wang Tingting became someone dispensable.
She had even overheard her stepfather and grandmother planning to trade her for a higher bride price.
Now that the Zhao family had run into trouble, it would be hard for them to find another bride. She did not care. As long as she could marry Brother Tianlei, she would not ask for a bride price. She only wanted to escape her stepfather’s house.
Zhao Tianlei, on his way to the Lin household, had no idea someone was scheming to marry him.
When he arrived, everyone except his wife had gone to work.
“Xiao Ya.”
Lin Siya did not look at him, treating him as if he were invisible.
“If there is nothing else, you should go back. Before your family apologizes, I will not return to the Zhao household,” Lin Siya said deliberately, her voice hoarse as if her throat still hurt.
“Xiao Ya, your throat is uncomfortable. Do not speak. I will do these chores,” Zhao Tianlei said quickly, stepping forward and taking the hoe from her hands.
Lin Siya had been loosening the soil to plant some flowers and herbs.