In the end, she pushed Zheng Xin’s hand away, glared fiercely at the couple, said nothing, and left angrily.
The two children also came over and pulled at their mother—they were truly afraid their mother would die.
“Mom, don’t die.”
“We don’t want you to die!”
“Mom, don’t leave us!”
Just now, Qiao Zhengping had also been frightened by his wife’s ferocity.
So his wife really didn’t want to live anymore.
He was such a failure.
Zheng Xin cried, holding the two children, and said sorrowfully,
“Who would want to die if they could live? When there’s no way to go on living, death is the only path.”
Hearing this, everyone thought, yes, if life weren’t so bitterly hard, with no way out, who would want to die? Their sympathy shifted back toward Zheng Xin.
But in her heart, she grew even more confident. Yiyang was right—if you want something, you have to fight for it yourself. See, wasn’t there already a result?
If she hadn’t made a scene, there would still be no hope in sight. Now, after causing this commotion, she could keep half her wages, just like the second branch.
Many wives were also thinking about the scene Zheng Xin had made today. Many wanted to keep more of their wages in their own hands, and some also wanted to split from the family.
Who wouldn’t want to be their own master?
It was as if a door had suddenly been opened.
After staying in the hospital for two more days, Mother Jiang’s health improved further, and she could take care of herself.
“Yang Yang, let’s go back. No matter what, sooner or later we have to go back and face it.”
Yes, whether you stick your neck out or pull it back, the knife still falls.
They had to go back and resolve things.
All three of them thought this way, so they packed their things and returned to the Jiang Family.
Before the three of them went back, Yang Yiyang knew that as soon as they returned, all hell would break loose—it might even come to serious physical fights.
She said, “Go buy a few meat buns and steamed buns. We’ll have more strength after eating.”
She didn’t say “more strength to fight,” as she didn’t want to scare them yet.
The three of them returned to the Jiang Family at eleven-thirty. As soon as they entered, Eldest Sister-in-law Jiang spoke with sarcasm:
“Oh, weren’t you permanently bedridden in the hospital? Now you’ve decided to come back.”
Yang Yiyang wasn’t about to indulge her. “Eldest Sister-in-law, what do you mean? Are you saying that as a daughter-in-law, you’re so unfilial that you want to drive your mother-in-law out?”
Eldest Sister-in-law Jiang immediately jumped up. “I never said that! Don’t go ruining my reputation!”
Yang Yiyang said lazily, “I just thought Eldest Sister-in-law was annoyed that Mom coming back to the Jiang Family was getting in your way.”
Eldest Sister-in-law Jiang glared angrily and said, “What’s the point of winning an argument with me? If you have the guts, act just as smug when Dad comes back later.”
When Mother Jiang heard that Father Jiang would come back later to settle accounts with them, her heart leaped into her throat again.
She began to feel anxious and fearful once more.
After saying this, Eldest Sister-in-law Zheng turned and went into the kitchen to busy herself with preparing lunch.
“Eldest Sister-in-law, make enough food for us too.”
Mother Jiang was about to say, “Didn’t we already eat at the hospital before coming back?”
But her son tugged at her clothes from behind, and she swallowed the words that were about to come out.
As soon as Yang Yiyang and her husband returned to their room and finished tidying up and cleaning, Father Jiang and his two sons returned together.
As soon as Father Jiang came back and saw the mother and her two children, his face immediately darkened.
“What, you’ve decided to come back without me having to beg and plead repeatedly?”
He said sternly to Jiang Zihao and his wife, “Since you’re back, hurry up and hand over the remaining money.”
Upon hearing these words, Jiang Zihao and his mother instinctively shrank their necks in fear, their hearts leaping into their throats.
Yang Yiyang played dumb and asked, "Father Jiang, what money? The money for our hospital stay? Do you mean you told Eldest Sister-in-law to bring us the hospital fees?"
Then she turned to Eldest Sister-in-law Jiang, "Eldest Sister-in-law, since Father Jiang gave you money to pay our medical bills, why didn’t you hand it over? Don’t tell me you even embezzled our hospital fees! You’re truly heartless."
Eldest Sister-in-law Jiang had never seen such a shameless person.
"What money? I never took any money from you. Don’t make false accusations!"
Yang Yiyang had no intention of letting her off.
"Really? Then didn’t Father Jiang just say you should hand over the remaining hospital fees for us?"
Jiang Mother wanted to remind Yang Yiyang that she had misunderstood—Jiang Dad meant they should hand over the remaining two hundred yuan returned by the Yang Family, all of it.
But Jiang Zihao stopped his mother again, shaking his head at her.
He knew this new bride hadn’t misunderstood at all—she must have some purpose in mind.
By now, Jiang Dad had lost all patience and slammed the table forcefully with his hand.
"Jiang Fourth Son, I’m talking about you two. Hand over the two hundred yuan from the Yang Family!"
Jiang Zihao, suddenly called out, steeled himself and was about to explain.
But Yang Yiyang spoke up first, "Father Jiang, are you mistaken? The two hundred yuan from the Yang Family—you mean the two hundred yuan dowry the Yang Family gave me? Are you saying I should hand it over to you?"
Jiang Dad was furious. What kind of shrew had they married into the family? She dared to defy her parents-in-law as soon as she entered the door—utterly lacking in upbringing.
"Isn’t what I said clear enough? Your mother stole a thousand yuan and sent it to the Yang Family. Didn’t the Yang Family return two hundred yuan in front of everyone?"
His meaning was clear: if they didn’t hand it over now, he would resort to violence.
Yang Yiyang said, "Oh, so the Jiang Family demands that a new bride hand over all her dowry as soon as she enters the door. Did Eldest Sister-in-law and Second Sister-in-law hand over all their dowries when they married in?"
She wore an infuriating expression that seemed to say, "If they didn’t hand theirs over, why should I?"
Eldest Brother Jiang stepped forward to speak.
"What do you mean, your dowry? Wasn’t that the thousand yuan Mother stole from Father? Your Yang Family pocketed eight hundred, and the remaining two hundred rightfully belongs to our Jiang Family."
Jiang Zihao could no longer hide behind a woman. "Elder Brother, you’re mistaken. Once that thousand yuan was given to the Yang Family, it became theirs."
"And these two hundred yuan weren’t returned by the Yang Family to the Jiang Family. They were given to Yiyang as her dowry, so they belong to Yiyang."
These words stirred up a hornet’s nest. Seeing that his son dared to covet his money, Jiang Dad immediately jumped up, ready to strike him.
At that moment, Yang Yiyang hooked a stool with her foot and swiftly placed it between Jiang Dad and Jiang Zihao.
Jiang Dad, walking too hastily, nearly stumbled face-first.
Fortunately, Eldest Brother Jiang saw it in time and caught him.
This only made Jiang Dad angrier. He wished he could beat them to death right then and there—if they refused to submit, he’d beat them until they did.
"Eldest Son, Second Son, hold Fourth Son down. Beat him to death!"
Yang Yiyang grabbed her husband and mother-in-law, one in each hand, and pulled them toward the door to flee.
Jiang Mother was utterly terrified.
Only one thought filled her mind: It’s over. Today, we’re done for.
As soon as they stepped outside, Yang Yiyang began shouting at the top of her lungs.
"Murder! The Jiang Family is trying to kill the newlywed bride! Help!"
She kicked Jiang Zihao with her foot,
then cried out, "Heavens, the Jiang Family is a den of wolves! The moment I entered this house, my father-in-law demanded I hand over all my dowry! I can't go on living!"