On one side were his wife and daughter. On the other was the daughter in law who had only married into the Zhao family two months ago. Naturally, Father Zhao sided with the former.
“Is that really how it was?” Zhao Tianlei did not even look at Father Zhao. If he had not accidentally overheard his mother and sister’s conversation earlier, he might have believed this version outright.
Seeing that her father had spoken up for her and taken her side, Zhao Meiyun no longer hid behind Mother Zhao. She got off the bed, lifted her chin slightly, and stared at her brother, speaking word by word, “Dad is right. We only said a few things to her, teaching her how to be a proper daughter in law. She just could not think it through.”
Zhao Tianlei sneered. “Zhao Meiyun, you should know the consequences of lying to me.”
Zhao Meiyun instinctively took a step back. She clenched her teeth and looked at Zhao Tianlei again. “I was not lying.”
Mother Zhao echoed her daughter’s words. “Shitou, Xiao Yun is your sister. You do not believe your own sister and instead choose to believe an outsider?”
Father Zhao did not even dare look at Mother Zhao. She was only dragging things down.
Now that Lin Siya had married into their Zhao family, she was Shitou’s wife. One was a wife, the other a sister. Who was closer and who was farther was obvious.
How had he ended up with such a wife?
“Dad, I want the truth. With this matter becoming so big, both villages should know about it by now,” Zhao Tianlei said calmly.
Father Zhao’s heart sank further.
He did not want his son to grow cold toward them because of Lin Siya. In their old age, they would still need their son to support them. If they made him lose heart, what would happen if he refused to care for them in the future?
A daughter in law could always be remarried. With his son’s position in the army, he would surely be able to find another wife. So Father Zhao chose to stand with his wife and daughter.
“Shitou, you do not believe your own mother, you do not believe your sister, and now you do not even believe your father. You would rather believe what outsiders say?” Mother Zhao sounded hurt. She valued her son greatly. When he had paid two hundred yuan as the betrothal gift for Lin Siya, she had been displeased. After her son left, all the household chores were dumped on Lin Siya, and she was even sent out to work. After all, Lin Siya had been married in for a high price.
“I want the truth. If what you say does not match what I know, do not blame me for being ruthless. Lin Siya is my wife. Being a military wife is already hard enough, yet you treated her like this. Are you trying to make sure I never marry again? Do you not want grandchildren anymore?” Zhao Tianlei said coldly, then opened the door and walked out.
“Shitou.” Seeing her son’s departing figure, Mother Zhao collapsed onto the ground and burst into tears.
Father Zhao sighed repeatedly. He had watched his son grow up. How could he not know his temperament?
Such words might have fooled him before, but his son was grown now and had his own judgment. He turned back and glared fiercely at the two women who had brought this calamity, then flicked his sleeve and returned to his room.
Zhao Meiyun had already retreated several steps, leaning against the wall to keep from collapsing. She could not utter a single word for a long time. Only one thought echoed in her mind.
It was too late. Everything was too late. Her brother would definitely not let her off.
Mother Zhao, meanwhile, was lost in thought, replaying her son’s words. She did not even look at Zhao Meiyun, standing there in a daze.
Meanwhile, Zhao Tianlei strode through the darkness toward Linjia Village. He needed to see what had happened to Lin Siya.
If something truly terrible had occurred, the Lin family would have long since stormed the Zhao household. Thinking of how the Lin family doted on their daughter and sister, Zhao Tianlei frowned deeply.
He decided that no matter what the Lin family said later, he would not argue back. Even if they struck him, he would not retaliate.
Lin Siya had married him only two months ago, yet such a thing had happened. He owed her.
He owed the Lin family an explanation.
When he had left, he had never imagined that things would turn out like this, that their relationship would become so strained, or that such events would occur.
On one side were the mother and sister who had raised him. On the other was the wife he had only just brought home.
He found himself unable to choose.
His father must have concealed the truth. Perhaps the truth really was what he had accidentally overheard earlier.
He only hoped that Lin Siya was truly still alive.
No matter what demands the Lin family made, he was prepared to agree to them. He would bear everything himself.
Hearing dogs barking, he ignored them and continued toward the Lin home. He had only been to the Lin household three times. Once to deliver the betrothal gifts, once to escort the bride, and once for the customary return visit.
Even though they had been betrothed since childhood, he had never visited the Lin family before the wedding.
They were eight years apart in age.
When he had gone off to join the army, she had only been a little girl.
At last, he reached the Lin household. The place was already shrouded in darkness. They had gone to rest.
Dogs barked again nearby. Zhao Tianlei raised his hand and knocked. After several knocks, a voice finally came from inside. “Who is it?”
At the very first knock, Lin Siya heard it and sensed a trace of hostility outside.
Who was at her door?
She spread her spiritual awareness and quickly saw a man outside. Taking a closer look, she recognized him as her so called husband.
Was he not serving in the army?
Why had he come back?
Even if he wanted to visit, who came knocking in the middle of the night?
Seeing how exhausted and worn he looked, had he rushed back straight from the army?
Father Lin carried an oil lamp to the door. When he saw the man outside, he paused in surprise, then his expression darkened. “Do you have business? If not, we do not receive strangers here.”
Zhao Tianlei knew that his father in law harbored resentment toward the Zhao family, and that resentment naturally extended to him.
“Dad, how is Xiao Ya?” Zhao Tianlei asked, his voice hoarse and low.
Father Lin snorted coldly. “You still remember Xiao Ya? I thought your Zhao family was hiding, too afraid to come to our Lin home. You harmed someone and thought that hiding would make it go away?”
“Dad, who is it?” Lin Jianshe heard the voices outside and got up, throwing on his clothes. He thought some child in the village had fallen ill at night and come to seek medicine. Such things happened several times a month, so he was used to it.
“Big Brother,” Zhao Tianlei greeted him neutrally when he saw Lin Jianshe.
Lin Jianshe had still been half asleep. Hearing that address, all drowsiness vanished.
“Zhao Tianlei, my sister was nearly killed by your Zhao family. You must give Xiao Ya and our Lin family an explanation. Otherwise, we will not let your mother and sister off,” Lin Jianshe said, glaring at the man before him with hatred and fury.
“Leave,” Father Lin said directly, driving him away. He truly did not want to see anyone from the Zhao family right now. What the Zhao family had done would not be settled so easily. As his son said, Xiao Ya had nearly died. If not for her strong fate, if she had not survived after drinking poison for so long, they would truly have had to send off the young before the old.
How could he ever accept losing his daughter like that, all because of false accusations?