Chapter 185: Chapter 185: A Home That Can’t Tolerate Her

How could she have known? It was her own man who caused the neighbor’s miscarriage—no wonder the woman’s attitude was so hostile.

Lin Xiaomeng now hated their whole family and was plotting to stir up trouble.

When Yan Lijun got home, she quietly asked Xu Huaiyu why the neighbor’s wife looked at her like she was an enemy, her gaze downright chilling.

Xu Huaiyu’s heart skipped a beat.

He hadn’t felt guilty about Lin Xiaomeng before. It was just a child, after all—hadn’t even been born yet. She could just get pregnant again, couldn’t she?

But now, for the first time, he was experiencing what it felt like to be a father—the anticipation and hope were indescribable.

He could finally empathize with Lin Xiaomeng’s pain at losing her child. Fear crept in, and regret too—he realized he’d been too impulsive back then.

Yan Lijun didn’t know what had happened. What if Lin Xiaomeng tried to get back at her, to avenge her own lost child by causing Yan Lijun to miscarry? What would they do then?

Xu Huaiyu couldn’t help but start thinking in conspiracies.

In the end, he had no choice but to confess to Yan Lijun that, in order to protect his mother, he had “accidentally” kicked his sister-in-law, and told her to be extra careful around Lin Xiaomeng and protect their baby.

Only then did Yan Lijun understand what was going on. She’d sensed some inexplicable hatred in her sister-in-law’s eyes before, but hadn’t thought much of it. Now she realized there was a story behind it.

She became wary, afraid that Lin Xiaomeng would set her up and harm her child.

Lin Xiaomeng didn’t have much to do with Yan Lijun to begin with, so she hadn’t found a chance to strike and steal her luck.

Yan Lijun might be innocent, but as long as she was connected to Xu Huaiyu, Lin Xiaomeng wanted to ruin her too—only then could she vent her anger.

After finally enduring through a week of wedding leave, Yan Lijun could at last escape the Xu family and return to the city for work.

Because Xu Huaiyu had injured his leg and couldn’t work for a long time—and he was already lazy and greedy—the head chef at the factory kitchen didn’t like him. When they needed someone to fill the vacancy, they simply found someone else.

When Xu Huaiyu was injured, Xu Huaizhi had helped him ask for leave, and the head chef had tactfully suggested he just not come back. So now, Xu Huaiyu was once again unemployed.

Yan Lijun only found out about this now, but there was nothing she could do. Xu Huaiyu couldn’t work with his injury.

If she didn’t work, how would the family survive? Other than still eating and drinking with her parents, everything else depended on her.

So, no matter what, she had to go back to work.

Yan Lijun had always been a strong-willed girl. She believed she could live well—better than her younger brother—and prove to her parents that they’d bet on the wrong child.

So, as soon as her wedding leave ended, she returned to the city for work, riding Xu Huaiyu’s old bicycle, her luggage and the borrowed suitcase strapped to the back.

When she was leaving, Liu Guifang found out that the suitcase was actually borrowed by Yan Lijun’s father just to save face, and immediately started cursing—her words were harsh and unpleasant.

“Your Yan family is so stingy! You call yourselves city people? Nonsense! You’re even stingier than us country folk. When I married off my daughter, I didn’t even ask for a bride price, and I sent her off with a dowry.

But you? You took the bride price and sent her off with an old quilt and a few sets of worn clothes.

I thought at least there was a suitcase, but even that’s just for show, borrowed for appearances.

So your parents gave you nothing but a new set of clothes and sent you off?”

Yan Lijun wiped away tears as she rode her bike.

Liu Guifang’s words had cut her deeply. She’d tried so hard, yet was still abandoned by her parents and criticized by others.

Even after marrying, her mother-in-law used these painful things to attack her. She longed for loving parents to support her, but from beginning to end, she’d always been alone.

She even envied Xu Meiling—though she wasn’t pretty and was a bit dim, her parents truly cared for her.

Unlike her…

Yan Lijun paid a visit to her parents’ home.

It was her first time back since getting married, under the pretense of returning the suitcase, but she also wanted to see how her family was doing.

After Liu Guifang had come to demand the bride price, they probably hadn’t been happy.

It was Yao Hongjuan who answered the door.

She was the only one at home now; everyone else was either at work or busy trying to make money. After all, they were about to run out of savings and still owed Yao Hongjuan some money.

“Who are you looking for?”

Yan Lijun sized up her new sister-in-law.

She really was lucky.

Her parents doted on her, she’d married her younger brother—who, while not particularly capable, at least wouldn’t hit or abuse her. Her in-laws had her back, and she was crazy enough that everyone was a little afraid of her.

Yao Hongjuan, seeing that Yan Lijun didn’t answer, started to close the door. “Did you come to the wrong place?”

“I’m Yan Lijun.”

At that, Yao Hongjuan froze for a few seconds, awkwardly rubbing her hands. Big sister-in-law?

They’d never met before the wedding, for various reasons, but she knew the name and the person well enough. To put it bluntly, if Yan Lijun hadn’t insisted on the “three rounds and a sound” (three must-have wedding items), she wouldn’t have rushed into marriage for her brother’s bride price—even if she liked Xu Huaiyu, she would have thought twice.

If you really think about it, her marriage to Yan Xiangdong was thanks to this big sister-in-law.

If her own parents had married her off in a rush for her brother’s sake, she’d have been furious, would have raised hell.

But now that she was the beneficiary, she accepted it all—after all, who would turn down a good deal? People are selfish by nature.

“Oh, big sister’s back!” Yao Hongjuan only hesitated a moment before putting on her trademark smile. “Have you eaten? I just made some cornmeal porridge. Want to have some?”

She invited Yan Lijun in as she spoke.

Yan Lijun shook her head, and after entering, glanced around. “No one else home?”

“No, everyone’s out.” Yao Hongjuan was quite tactful, pouring her a cup of brown sugar water from a thermos.

Yan Lijun accepted it, half surprised, half disappointed, and took a sip.

Now, when she returned to her parents’ house, she was already a guest, no longer the owner.

After finishing her drink, Yan Lijun didn’t linger. She pointed to the suitcase she’d brought. “This is the suitcase we borrowed for the wedding. I’ve brought it back—please let Mom and Dad know.”

Yao Hongjuan hadn’t realized even the wedding suitcase was borrowed, and felt a bit awkward, but nodded anyway.

Now she finally understood what it meant to profit off someone else’s misfortune. She felt a little guilty for pushing Yan Lijun to this point—but only a little. After all, people look out for themselves.

“Okay, just leave it there. I’ll let them know.”

Yan Lijun went straight to her old room to pack her things. From today, she’d be staying in a dorm—her parents’ house was no longer a place she could stay.

She hadn’t expected her familiar room to have changed so much. Her belongings were packed up and shoved in a corner.

The kang (bed) was piled with wedding gifts and things for the unborn baby.

Clearly, this house no longer had room for her. Ha.

Yao Hongjuan hurried in to explain, “These are my dowry items from my parents, and things for the baby. There’s just too much, and we can’t fit it all in our room, so we put it here for now.

Big sister, if you want to stay, I’ll tidy up and make space for you?”

The more she explained, the worse Yan Lijun felt. She decided it was better not to see it at all, grabbed her own bundle, and left.

It was truly pathetic—after living here for twenty years, the place no longer belonged to her. It was full of unfamiliarity.

“No need for you to make space. I should be the one making room for you.” Her heart felt cold and empty.

In the end, she still had to bear everything alone.

Yao Hongjuan chased after her. “Big sister, aren’t you staying? Where are you going with your luggage?”

If her mother-in-law came home, she’d start complaining again.

“I’m going to stay in the dorm, making room for you. Isn’t that just what you wanted?” Yan Lijun wasn’t fooled—she knew her sister-in-law was deliberately provoking her.

Yao Hongjuan was indeed doing it on purpose. She’d piled her dowry on Yan Lijun’s bed and packed up her things to force her out.

After all, what woman wants her husband’s sister living at home long-term? It’s hard to split expenses between relatives, and conflicts are bound to arise.

She also worried that with Yan Lijun around, her mother-in-law would keep bringing up the bride price issue.

It was best for everyone if Yan Lijun left on her own.

Yao Hongjuan was secretly delighted, but put on a show of reluctance. “Big sister, you’re thinking too badly of me! I’d love for you to stay—Mom and Dad would be happy too.

Nowhere is as comfortable as home. You should stay.”

Yan Lijun couldn’t be bothered to play along.

“Don’t pretend to be something you’re not. Everyone knows what’s going on. I’m leaving to make room for you, just like you wanted.” Her anger flared as she saw through the act.

Just then, Yan’s mother came home.

She’d gone out in the morning to earn a bit of money assembling matchboxes, and came back early since there wasn’t much work.

She hadn’t expected to see her eldest daughter.

She’d missed her, after not seeing her for so long, but thinking of the Xu family’s troubles, she couldn’t feel happy.

Her face darkened. “So, you’re finally back? With all those bags—are you moving out?”

When her daughter hadn’t come home after the wedding, she’d waited all day, worried she’d been mistreated at the Xu’s. Now, after all this time, she comes back just to pack up and leave? Yan’s mother was upset.

Yan Lijun was stubborn too.

“I’m making room for your loving family. I’ve always been the extra one anyway!” She was angry, and her words were harsh.

“What nonsense are you spouting! Your father and I were afraid the Xu family would bully you, so we forced your sister-in-law to bring the sewing machine back.

We waited for you all day after the wedding, but you never showed.

Is this what you think of us?”

“If my mother-in-law hadn’t come to make a scene, would you have sent it back? Where were you then?

Do you know what I went through alone at the Xu’s? They forced me to ask for my things back, even threatened to hit me!

Everyone stared at me like I was some kind of freak. I was all alone, wishing I could disappear.

Even country folk don’t do what you did—giving all the bride price to the son to marry a wife. My life is ruined! Ruined!

After all that, how could I come home? Did you ever care if I lived or died?” Yan Lijun sobbed, shouting until her voice was hoarse.

“…”

Yan’s mother was silent. She knew her daughter was telling the truth, and had no face to argue.

Yan Lijun hadn’t meant to pour her heart out, but once she started, she couldn’t stop. Some things, no one else could truly understand. From now on, she’d bear them alone.

She wiped away her tears, picked up her things, and walked out.

Yan’s mother silently wept, chasing after her and grabbing her arm. “Girl! I’m sorry. Hit me, yell at me if you want, but don’t break your mother’s heart. We’re family—there’s no grudge we can’t get past.”

Yan Lijun shook off her hand fiercely."