Chapter 183: Chapter 183: Liu Guifang Comes Knocking, All Pretense Shattered

Hatred surged uncontrollably in Lin Xiaomeng’s heart, threatening to drown her. The intense sense of injustice tore at her chest.

Xu Huaiyu killed her child—he didn’t deserve to be a father!

Although Xu Huaizhi wasn’t as agitated as Lin Xiaomeng—after all, he hadn’t experienced it personally and couldn’t truly feel the pain of a mother losing her child—his mood was still low.

He brought Liu Guifang to the area near the Yan family’s home in the county, then made an excuse about work at his factory and left in a hurry.

Xu Huaiyu had harmed his child; it was already generous not to make a scene. There was no way he’d pour his heart out for him anymore.

Sometimes, he couldn’t figure it out himself. Why was it that, as children, siblings could be so close and genuine, but as adults, they gradually drifted apart, even fighting like enemies over all sorts of things?

In the end, it all came down to human selfishness. Childhood was pure and beautiful, but once you had your own family, things started to twist and become self-centered.

Liu Guifang didn’t know exactly where the Yan family lived—just the general area. Luckily, neighborly relations were good in those days, and everyone knew each other.

She knocked on a random door and asked, and immediately got the Yan family’s exact address. People thought she was a relative coming for the wedding banquet, so they told her without hesitation. She followed the directions straight there.

Meanwhile, the Yan family had just seen off the last group of guests and were slumped in exhaustion, resting inside.

Since it wasn’t convenient to host at home, they’d held a few tables at a state-run restaurant for the youngest son’s wedding. Relatives, friends, and neighbors had all come to celebrate.

Although the new bride was already three or four months pregnant, she was thin, and with all the winter layers, it wasn’t obvious. The wedding had gone off without a hitch.

No one in the family even remembered Yan Lijun, who had left alone to get married that morning.

Yan Mother was happily counting the wedding gifts and cash they’d received.

Suddenly, someone knocked at the door.

Yan Mother told Yan Father to go open it.

As soon as Yan Father opened the door, he saw Liu Guifang’s long, stern face. Instinctively, he tried to close the door, but Liu Guifang slapped her hand against it, stopping him.

“Why are you closing the door? If you’ve done nothing wrong, you shouldn’t fear a knock at the door! Or is it that you have a guilty conscience?” Liu Guifang sneered.

Yan Father forced an awkward but polite smile. “In-law, what brings you here?”

Yan Mother, hearing Liu Guifang’s voice and Yan Father calling her “in-law,” was startled. She quickly hid the cash box and signaled her son to hide in his room.

Why was that old woman here? Was she here to demand the bride price? Why hadn’t Lijun stopped her?

“Why can’t I come? You people have some nerve! I’ve never seen anything like this in my life. If you wanted to sell your daughter to marry off your son, you should’ve said so! What’s with all the sneaking around?” Liu Guifang launched straight into her tirade, her voice loud enough to draw the attention of all the neighbors.

Yan Father’s face turned ashen.

“In-law, it’s a happy day today. Watch your mouth! What do you mean, ‘selling our daughter’?”

“If you weren’t selling her, why did you keep all the bride price my family gave Lijun and use it for your son’s wedding? So my family pays for your son to get married? What kind of logic is that?

Not a single person from your side came to escort the bride. She showed up at my house with nothing but a shabby suitcase. Anyone would think she was an orphan!” Liu Guifang spat out the words, her tone vicious.

The neighbors peered through cracks in their doors and curtains, listening in. As soon as they heard Liu Guifang’s words, they started whispering among themselves.

“I was wondering why we didn’t see Lijun at the banquet today.”

“Oh my, is it true? The three big items and a watch that the Yan family gave the bride were actually Lijun’s own bride price?”

“Heavens, how could the Yan family do something like that? Aren’t they just pushing their daughter into a pit? What mother-in-law would be happy with that?”

“Poor Lijun…”

…

Yan Father bristled at Liu Guifang’s words, glaring fiercely.

“We took everything? Didn’t we give back a watch?

It’s a happy day—I didn’t want to make a scene, but since you insist, fine.

To be blunt, our Lijun is a catch—good looks, good job, plenty of options. Your son doesn’t even have a proper job and is from the countryside. He’s not good enough for our Lijun. I only agreed because he seemed sincere.

Besides, what family doesn’t accept a bride price when marrying off a daughter? Do you think raising Lijun to graduate high school didn’t cost money? She didn’t grow up on air! What, I’m supposed to just give my daughter away for free?” Yan Father said righteously, convinced he was in the right.

“Pah! A watch? We gave you a proper set of three big items and a watch! If you’d kept one or two, I could understand—we both raised our kids.

But you kept everything and only returned a watch. Isn’t that a bit much?

So he doesn’t have a proper job yet—he’ll get one soon enough! There are plenty of jobs if he wants one.

And don’t you dare insult us for being from the countryside. Careful, or I’ll report you for capitalist behavior. We’re red through and through.

So your Lijun finished high school—well, so did my Huaiyu!” Liu Guifang shot back.

“Easy for you to say!” Yan Father fumed.

Yan Mother tried to smooth things over. “Sister, you’ve come all this way—come in and sit for a bit. Don’t be angry, we can talk things out, can’t we?”

“There’s nothing to talk about. Just one thing: return the bride price my family gave. If not, I’ll call the police and let them handle it,” Liu Guifang said, hands on her hips, unmoved.

Yan Father had already looked into this. It was legal for him to accept a bride price for his daughter’s marriage. The police wouldn’t get involved in family disputes, at most they’d give a warning. So he shouted fearlessly, “Go ahead and call the police! Let’s see whose side they take!”

He felt a twinge of guilt toward his daughter for offending his in-laws, but it quickly faded.

After all, both she and Xu Huaiyu had jobs and could support themselves. That old woman might be fierce, but once they were back in the city for work, things would be easier.

Seeing that the Yan family wouldn’t budge, Liu Guifang flew into a rage and started cursing.

“Everyone, come and see! The Yan family isn’t human—they took their daughter’s bride price to pay for their son’s wedding!

I’ve worked hard my whole life, saving every penny to get my son a wife, and now it’s all gone to someone else.

Heavens, if you have eyes, why don’t you strike him down with lightning?” The neighbors heard her, but none dared speak up. At times like this, it was best to watch from the sidelines.

“Mother-in-law, you…” Yan Mother tried to say something.

Yan Father slammed the door shut with a bang. Liu Guifang flinched, afraid of getting her hand caught.

“Don’t you hide in there like turtles! Get out here! If you’ve got guts, never step outside again!” Liu Guifang pounded on the door, shouting.

Yan Father usually cared a lot about saving face, but now he felt utterly humiliated.

But what could he do? Asking him to return the three big items was like asking for his life.

His son was useless too, always hiding behind his parents and sister, waiting for others to handle everything. Just thinking about it made him angry.

Both his children were dear to him. He knew he owed his daughter, but he couldn’t just ignore his son, could he?

Leaning against the door, Yan Father rubbed his furrowed brow and sighed in exhaustion.

Yan Mother whispered, “Are we just going to let her curse us out there?”

“What else can you do?” Yan Father retorted.

Yan Mother felt miserable. The first time she’d met her daughter’s mother-in-law, she’d seemed nice enough. Now her true colors were showing. Who knew how Lijun was faring in her new home?

She glared at her son’s bedroom door. It was all that woman’s fault.

*Bang bang!*

She knocked on the door.

Yan Xiangdong, the younger son, opened the door timidly. “Mom, is she still out there?”

Yan Mother nodded and motioned for him to move aside. She then turned on her new daughter-in-law.

“Happy now? Look at the kind of woman we’ve ended up with! How dare you demand the three big items and ruin my daughter’s life.

You’d better pray that baby you’re carrying is a boy, or I won’t let this go.”

After venting her anger, she turned to her son. “Xiangdong, listen to that! Hear how awful your sister’s mother-in-law is? You’ve ruined your sister’s future!”

The new daughter-in-law was no pushover. Lying on the bed, she said coolly, “Mom, you can’t say that. How is it our fault? It’s you as parents who couldn’t come up with the money and made your daughter take the fall. Now you’re blaming us?”

She tore away Yan Mother’s last shred of dignity.

Yan Mother raised her hand to hit her, but seeing her pregnant belly, she gritted her teeth and lowered it.

“Xiangdong, control your wife, or she’ll be the death of me!”

Xiangdong shrank back, saying nothing. He had no backbone, always letting the women in his life take charge. Otherwise, things wouldn’t have come to this.

Yan Mother felt utterly powerless. All these years, her eldest daughter had taken the lead and her own forceful personality had ended up making her son weak and petty. How could she rely on him in the future?"

"Chapter 184: The IOU, and It’s Settled