When she entered the house, Yu Qiaoqiao had just finished dinner with Qin Jizhi. She was tidying up the dishes when she saw Qin Mu storm in angrily. In her heart, she was secretly delighted.
That old woman—be angry all you want!
She greeted her warmly, “Oh Mom, you’re back so soon? You must be exhausted. How is Xiaolong’s arm?”
Qin Mu was momentarily thrown off by her sudden friendliness. What was she here for again?
Then she saw the empty bowls on the table, and her anger flared up again.
“Yu Qiaoqiao!”
“Oh Mom, don’t shout like that. You’ll hurt your health. Go ahead, I’m listening.”
“You—where’s the food??!”
After fuming for a long time, Qin Mu realized she was actually at a loss for words. Looking at Yu Qiaoqiao’s smiling face, she didn’t even know how to start.
“Food? We already ate.” Yu Qiaoqiao glanced at her expression, then continued, “I was just telling Jizhi how kind you are, Mom—you even left us such good food, worried we’d go hungry.”
Seeing Qin Mu’s face turn green with anger, she quickly picked up the dishes.
“Mom, I insist on washing the dishes. You’ve already worked so hard cooking for us, I can’t possibly let you wash too.”
“You sit down and talk with Jizhi. I’ll go wash the dishes.”
She shot Qin Jizhi a signal and hurried out with the bowls, almost jogging.
Qin Mu: “……”
What was she here for again?
Yu Qiaoqiao could play along with Qin Mu, but Qin Jizhi couldn’t. He looked at his mother calmly.
“If you have something to say, just say it.”
Qin Mu immediately exploded.
“Jizhi, I’m only saying this as your mother—yes, you’re like this now, but as a man, you still need to control your wife. You can’t just let her do whatever she wants. She’s wasted an entire family’s meal—what kind of behavior is that?”
Qin Jizhi let out a cold laugh.
“So what you’re saying is, we shouldn’t have even been given food in the first place?”
Qin Mu choked.
That was exactly what she thought.
Now that Yu Qiaoqiao had entered the family, cooking should naturally be her responsibility. Why should she, the mother-in-law, cook for them? She had married Yu Qiaoqiao precisely to get rid of the burden of her disabled son—now instead, she had gained another mouth to feed. How could she not be angry?
“That’s not what I meant… it’s just that our situation is special…”
Qin Jizhi cut her off.
“Special situation, or because I’m a burden?”
“I never said that! During all this time you’ve been sick, hasn’t Mom taken care of you diligently? You can’t be ungrateful!”
Qin Jizhi gave a cold snort.
“Taking care of me diligently means letting me starve every meal, letting my health get worse day by day? Or letting me lie in bed until I get bedsores as summer approaches? If that’s what you call ‘diligent care,’ then Mom has really worked hard.”
He had never said such things before. No matter how his family treated him, he had always endured it, believing he was already a useless person and should just live day by day.
But now, he suddenly didn’t want to live like that anymore.
Just then, Yu Qiaoqiao came back after washing the dishes, carrying freshly cleaned bedding, planning to sew it before nightfall so they could have a warmer blanket.
Qin Mu’s expression darkened even more and she shot Yu Qiaoqiao a sharp glare.
Yu Qiaoqiao rolled her eyes and looked at Qin Jizhi.
Qin Jizhi took a deep breath.
“Ever since I became paralyzed, the state has been giving a 20-yuan monthly subsidy. I never received it—it all went to the family. Since you feel it’s inconvenient to take care of us, then from now on, we’ll take that money ourselves.”
“We’ll split the family.”
“After that, Qiaoqiao and I won’t trouble you anymore.”
His expression was firm, as if he had made a life-changing decision.
Yu Qiaoqiao was surprised to learn that this family had even been pocketing his disability subsidy. She turned to look at Qin Mu as well.
Qin Mu panicked immediately.
They absolutely could not split the family. The entire household depended on that 20 yuan per month to get by. Without it, they wouldn’t even have money to improve their lives or buy snacks for Qin Xiaolong and Qin Xiaohuan.
“Jizhi, what are you saying? Why split the family so suddenly? Of course Mom will take care of you. You two are so young—life isn’t easy.”
She put on a kind motherly expression, while secretly glaring at Yu Qiaoqiao.
It must be that little troublemaker stirring things up. After splitting, she might even take the money and run to her old lover. Just looking at her face, she was clearly not a woman who lived properly.
Yu Qiaoqiao could guess exactly what she was thinking.
Seeing her frustrated but helpless expression, she almost applauded Qin Jizhi.
“Mom, you’re getting older, and Jizhi’s health isn’t good. Taking care of him must be exhausting. Since I’ve already married into the family, this should be my responsibility.”
Seeing Qin Mu still hesitating, Yu Qiaoqiao quickly grabbed her hand.
“Don’t worry, Mom. I’ll take good care of Jizhi. I won’t let you down.”
Before Qin Mu could react, she had already been gently but firmly pushed out of the room, and the door was locked behind her.
Only then did she realize—she had been tricked.
How did it suddenly turn into a family split?!
No, absolutely not. If they split, the whole family would be ruined!
Inside the room, Yu Qiaoqiao listened to the commotion outside and quietly gave Qin Jizhi a thumbs-up.
“You’re really something, Qin Jizhi. Very manly.”
Qin Jizhi chuckled softly. He noticed he had been smiling more today than in the past month combined.
“I’m serious. Living with them would make you suffer.”
Yu Qiaoqiao leaned closer to him, her eyes sparkling.
“Worried about me?”
“Mm.”
She sat beside him, folding the blanket. “Your wife isn’t some soft persimmon for people to squeeze. Besides, I still have to protect you.”
Before Qin Jizhi could respond, a somewhat familiar male voice suddenly sounded outside.
Yu Qiaoqiao and Qin Jizhi exchanged a quick look.
Why was Zhao Lijie here?