“This is our family’s private business. All of you, please go back to your own homes.”
Lin Rende began ushering everyone out.
“Go home and start cooking,” Grandma Du Hongying added, trying to persuade the crowd to leave. “It’s getting late. If you don’t head back now, your families will come home to empty stomachs.”
But as she spoke, her eyes cut toward Lin Ni like knives.
She had never imagined Lin Ni would dare do something this outrageous behind her back—and behind her parents’ backs.
If Lin Ni had quietly succeeded with her scheme, she might even have praised her granddaughter for being clever.
Instead, the foolish girl had made herself the laughingstock of all the relatives and neighbors.
She had completely disgraced not only her grandmother, but also her own parents.
“No one’s leaving.”
Lin Daheng had no intention of keeping the family’s dirty laundry hidden.
“Everyone can stay right here and watch.”
“This isn’t the first time I’ve been humiliated over my daughter’s marriage.”
“I’m not afraid of losing face.”
“I’m not afraid of people watching.”
His daughter had suffered such injustice at Lin Ni’s hands.
Why should she have to suffer in silence?
He wanted everyone to know that his daughter was innocent.
He wanted everyone to know exactly what kind of person Lin Ni was.
“Daheng!”
Lin Rende was nearly furious enough to faint.
“Are you trying to make the entire Lin family a laughingstock?”
“That’s right!”
“Come watch!”
“The more people, the better!”
The louder his father shouted, the angrier Lin Daheng became.
He strode toward the gate, raising his voice.
“Everyone in the neighborhood, come take a look!”
Lin Rende hurried over to stop him, wishing he could stuff a filthy sock into his son’s mouth.
“Dad.”
Lin Daheng pointed directly at Du Hongying.
“Are you worried about the Lin family’s reputation…”
“…or your wife’s reputation?”
“Lin Ni is her biological granddaughter.”
“She isn’t your biological granddaughter.”
“Two years ago, you said the deed was already done.”
“You said we had no evidence that Du Hongying, Lin Rongzong, and Ma Xiaofang had plotted everything.”
“You said a family should live in harmony.”
“You said Zou Zhengting was a fine match anyway, and at least he was still marrying into the Lin family.”
“Back then, you defended Lin Ni.”
“Fine.”
“We had no evidence.”
“So we swallowed the injustice.”
“But today…”
“The witnesses are here.”
“The evidence is here.”
“Lin Ni and Yang Wen have admitted everything themselves!”
“And you’re still trying to smooth things over?”
He roared,
“Are you going to say Lin Ni should divorce and marry Yang Wen…”
“…while my Zhaoyang marries Zou Zhengting?”
“Do you think that would make everyone happy?”
“I’m your biological son!”
“Lin Zhaoyang is your biological granddaughter!”
“Why should my daughter and I be the ones suffering all the injustice?”
“If you don’t recognize me as your son anymore…”
“You should’ve said so a long time ago!”
His neck was stiff, veins bulging across his forehead.
He was furious beyond words.
Putting all his strength into his voice, he shouted,
“If you don’t want me as your son…”
“If you don’t want Lin Zhaoyang as your granddaughter…”
“Fine!”
“We’ll cut all family ties!”
“From now on, let Lin Rongzong and Ma Xiaofang take care of you in your old age!”
“Let Lin Rongzong perform your funeral rites!”
“As for me…”
“I’ll just become a man who has a mother but no father!”
Lin Zhaoyang stood beside Wang Fenglan.
Mother and daughter silently looked at Lin Rende.
Their hearts had already turned cold once two years ago.
This time…
The knife was simply driven in deeper.
The Lin family’s older female cousin quietly approached them and whispered,
“Sister-in-law… Zhaoyang…”
“Please persuade your father.”
“He’s gone mad saying things like that.”
“Your father is the real blood of the Lin family.”
“Lin Rongzong isn’t even a blood descendant of the Lin family.”
Seeing her husband too angry to speak, Du Hongying hurried forward and knelt before Lin Daheng.
“Daheng…”
“This grandmother is at fault.”
“I failed to raise Lin Ni properly.”
“If you’re angry, blame me.”
“Don’t blame your father.”
“Those words about severing family ties…”
“They’re breaking your father’s heart.”
She reached out to grab Lin Daheng’s hand.
“For the sake of the years I spent raising you…”
“Please talk to your father properly.”
“Don’t make him angry.”
“I’m begging you.”
“He’s getting old.”
“He can’t take this kind of stress.”
Wang Fenglan spat in disgust.
“You raised my husband?”
“When you married into this family with Lin Rongzong, my husband was already working at the factory earning his own salary.”
“Did he need you to raise him?”
“Grandpa is old and can’t handle the shock?”
Lin Zhaoyang looked coldly at Du Hongying.
“Was it my father who forced Lin Ni to steal my fiancé?”
“Was it my father who made Lin Ni plot against Zou Zhengting and me?”
“Was it my father who pushed me toward death and upset Grandpa?”
Lin Zhaoyang had always hated this step-grandmother.
All that fake gentleness…
Those pretentious airs…
Lin Ni had inherited every bit of it from her.
“Zhaoyang…”
“You’re beautiful.”
“You have a good education.”
“You have a good job.”
“Ni Ni is your younger cousin.”
“As the older cousin…”
“You should give in to her.”
Du Hongying cried as she defended Lin Ni.
“She never wanted to drive you to death.”
“She’s just foolish.”
“She isn’t good at doing things.”
“There are plenty of women in the provincial capital who are prettier, better educated, and have better jobs than my Zhaoyang.”
Lin Daheng found her words revolting.
“If Lin Ni has so much ability, let her steal their fiancés.”
“Instead she keeps targeting her own cousin’s man.”
“And she still has the nerve to ask Zhaoyang to ‘give in’?”
Nestled in Yang Wen’s arms, Lin Ni sobbed uncontrollably, apologizing over and over again.
The little resentment in Yang Wen’s heart disappeared once more.
All that remained was pity.
Watching her son, Yang Jiahui felt sick to her stomach.
“Mr. Lin… Mrs. Lin…”
She addressed Lin Daheng and Wang Fenglan.
“I failed to raise my son properly.”
“That’s why Yang Wen committed such an unforgivable mistake.”
“It’s Yang Wen…”
“…and my family…”
“…who owe Zhaoyang an apology.”
Yang Jiahui was genuinely heartbroken.
“Yang Wen isn’t worthy of a daughter as wonderful as Zhaoyang.”
“The marriage between our two families is canceled.”
She walked over to Lin Zhaoyang, took her hand, and tears welled up in her eyes.
“Zhaoyang…”
“I’ve liked you ever since you were my student.”
“When you got into college…”
“And later returned to teach at your alma mater…”
“I liked you even more.”
When Lin Zhaoyang had suddenly become single after losing her fiancé, Yang Jiahui had secretly been delighted.
“I liked you so much.”
“I thought maybe my son, Yang Wen, was just barely worthy of you.”
“So I wanted to see if I was lucky enough to have you as my daughter-in-law.”
It had been Teacher Yang herself who introduced Lin Zhaoyang and Yang Wen.
“I never imagined…”
“…that I simply wasn’t blessed enough to hear you call me ‘Mom.'”
She gently patted Lin Zhaoyang’s hand.
“I’ve wronged you.”
“The engagement between you and Yang Wen is over.”
“You keep the house.”
“And keep the bride price and everything else our family gave you.”
“Consider them our apology.”
“It was that useless son of mine who delayed your future…”
“…and broke your heart.”
“If you have any other requests…”
“Just tell me.”
These tears were shed for herself.
For losing such a wonderful future daughter-in-law.
And for having raised a son like Yang Wen.
“My goodness…”
“Teacher Yang is really generous.”
Aunt Chen couldn’t help exclaiming.
Ignoring her, Yang Jiahui turned to Yang Wen.
“I’m canceling your engagement to Lin Zhaoyang.”
“From this moment on…”
“…you two have nothing to do with each other.”
“And one more thing.”
“I will never acknowledge someone like Lin Ni—someone with corrupt morals and despicable character—as my daughter-in-law.”
“If you still want to call me ‘Mom’…”
“…then you are not allowed to marry her.”
“If you insist on marrying her…”
“…then from today onward…”
“…I am no longer your mother.”
“You can choose.”
“Either your mother…”
“…or Lin Ni.”
After saying that, she released Lin Zhaoyang’s hand and walked toward the gate.
Just before leaving, she suddenly looked back at Yang Wen and gave a bitter laugh.
“Yang Wen…”
“Raising a son like you…”
“…is my greatest failure.”
“You’re exactly like your father.”
With those words, Yang Jiahui pushed her bicycle away alone.
By leaving the house and the bride price to Lin Zhaoyang as compensation, then walking away, she was sending an unmistakable message to Lin Ni’s family:
She would never accept Lin Ni as her daughter-in-law.
Even if Lin Ni married Yang Wen…
She would merely be Yang Wen’s wife.
She would have absolutely nothing to do with Yang Jiahui.
“Yang Wen, you should go home too.”
“Talk to your mother.”
“And stay with her.”
Du Hongying shot Lin Ni a meaningful glance.
What an idiot.
Her future mother-in-law had just issued an ultimatum and walked away.
Why was she still clinging to Yang Wen?
Lin Ni stepped back from Yang Wen’s embrace.
“Brother Wen…”
“I’m sorry.”
“I’ve hurt you.”
“Teacher Yang is so angry.”
“You should hurry after her.”