Chapter 289: Chapter 289: Yan Lijun Finally Snaps

Unlike Xu Meiling, who looked plump and healthy, Yan Lijun was so thin she was almost unrecognizable—skinnier than when she first got married. She wore a loose dress that did nothing to show she was pregnant. Only when the wind pressed the fabric against her body could you faintly make out the bulge of her belly, sticking out like an upside-down pot.

Yan Lijun had been forced to take maternity leave by the factory leaders this time—her condition was just too poor.

Leaders these days weren’t like those in later generations, desperate to work you to death. Yan Lijun looked so unwell that even her bosses couldn’t bear to let her work up until her due date. They approved her leave early so she could go home and rest, hoping nothing would go wrong when she gave birth.

Having a pregnant woman at home in these times was like living with a sword hanging over your head—one careless moment, and you might be arranging a funeral. Maternal and infant mortality rates were high in rural areas; tragedies like that happened every year. Not long ago, Gu Qinghuan had even heard about a newlywed in the village who delivered a stillborn baby—thankfully, the mother survived.

“How did you get so thin?” Gu Qinghuan greeted her.

Yan Lijun looked troubled and replied softly, “It’s summer, I have no appetite, I just can’t eat.”

Lin Xiaomeng shot Gu Qinghuan a look, signaling her not to ask further. Gu Qinghuan took the hint and dropped the subject.

While they were cooking, Lin Xiaomeng quietly explained to Gu Qinghuan that Yan Lijun didn’t want Xu Huaiyu to go off to college at such a critical time, and the couple had been at odds for two months.

From Yan Lijun’s perspective, she was about to give birth and needed someone to care for her. She’d fallen out with her own family to marry Xu Huaiyu, and her in-laws weren’t particularly warm either—she could only count on her husband. But now, just when she needed him most, he wanted to leave for school, leaving her alone with her in-laws. There were so many things that would be inconvenient, not to mention the issue of childcare. She’d have to go back to work after her postpartum month—who would look after the baby? How? These were real problems.

And now Xu Huaiyu was just going to abandon her and their child? How irresponsible was that!

On top of that, Yan Lijun had her own worries. She knew Xu Huaiyu always wanted to climb the social ladder. What if he went to college and decided she wasn’t good enough anymore, or found someone else? What would happen to her and the baby then?

So she was absolutely against Xu Huaiyu going to college.

The two of them had been deadlocked over this, and Xu Huaiyu was still spending her hard-earned money on himself—buying new clothes, new shoes, even a new suitcase. If he was already like this before even starting college, what would he be like after?

No wonder Yan Lijun was depressed—she was in a constant bad mood, couldn’t eat or sleep, and had no energy.

Xu Meiling had finished her postpartum month, and she and Chen Jianghe rarely brought the baby over for a meal. Chen Jianghe held the chubby, adorable baby—nicknamed Miaomiao, full name Chen Ya, a name he’d chosen himself.

Xu Meiling still looked very overweight, not having lost any of her pregnancy weight. Chen Jianghe, on the other hand, seemed to have slimmed down a bit, probably from taking care of his wife and newborn. Liu Guifang helped out, but only with her daughter—she never bothered with the baby. So Chen Jianghe had to do it himself, and he made a good “dad”—the baby was no longer the purplish, wrinkled thing she’d been when they first brought her home, but was now fair and plump.

Everyone gathered around, curious to see the new baby.

Yan Lijun, about to become a mother herself, naturally loved children. She leaned in, wanting to play with little Miaomiao.

But Xu Huaiyu ruined the moment. “Look at their baby—so fat and healthy. Now look at yours. What is that? I bet our son isn’t even as big as a chick.”

That’s right—he looked down on Yan Lijun now.

If he’d known he’d have the chance to go to college, he wouldn’t have married so early. He could have found a wife from the provincial capital—wouldn’t that have been better than Yan Lijun?

Saying such things in front of everyone was really too much. Yan Lijun immediately burst into tears.

As if this was her fault!

Even Xu Huaizhi couldn’t take it. “Third brother, what are you saying? How can you talk like that? Your wife is pregnant, already having a hard time, and you say things like that?”

Gu Qinghuan turned away in disgust, afraid she’d lose control and beat him up. A useless man living off his wife, and now he had the nerve to complain.

Lin Xiaomeng felt the same way. She glared at Xu Huaiyu and spat in his direction.

Xu Mingshan and Liu Guifang just watched the drama unfold. That was always their way—if it didn’t concern them, they kept out of it. Only when Xu Huaiyu was losing an argument would Liu Guifang step in to help.

Xu Huaiyu didn’t think he was wrong at all. “What did I say that wasn’t true? She’s always making trouble out of nothing.”

Yan Lijun sobbed as she accused him, “Xu Huaiyu, don’t you feel guilty saying that? You use my wages to buy all sorts of things, dress yourself up like a peacock, while I only dare eat plain vegetables and black bread every day—how am I supposed to gain weight? I wanted to take some grain from home, but Mom wouldn’t let me, said I was wasteful. What do you want me to do—just go smash my head and be done with it?”

This had been building up for a long time, and Yan Lijun finally exploded. It was only because so many people were here today that she dared to speak up—normally, when it was just her, she wouldn’t have dared to confront the mother and son duo.

No one had expected this, and everyone was shocked.

Xu Huaiyu really was something else—he’d mastered the art of sponging off his wife and still acting superior.

“Third brother, you got a lot of money when the family split up, right? You shouldn’t have spent it all. Why are you wasting your wife’s hard-earned money?” Xu Huaizhi was utterly disgusted with his younger brother.

“What do you mean, her money? Isn’t she family? This woman has no sense when it comes to spending—I have to control the money, or she’ll bankrupt us sooner or later.”

Xu Huaiyu put on a self-righteous face, just like his shameless mother.

Everyone was thoroughly disgusted by him—including Chen Jianghe, who was holding the baby and covering her ears, not wanting her to hear such shameless talk.

Xu Meiling was a mother herself now, and she couldn’t agree with her brother’s attitude. You can’t expect a horse to run and not let it eat grass—where’s the logic in that?

Liu Guifang chimed in, “Third daughter-in-law, your husband is right. You’re about to have a child—you have to be careful with money. Back in the famine years, we ate dirt and tree bark, even pregnant women. You should be grateful you have food now—don’t be picky.”

Yan Lijun had only wanted to air things out and fight for some rights for herself and her child, but she hadn’t expected the mother and son to be so shameless. She really couldn’t take it anymore.

“Raising a child—how? With what? Who’s going to do it? Xu Huaiyu, you just walk away, leaving me to support the whole family. I have to work and take care of the baby, with no money and no food—are we supposed to live on air? Is the child mine alone? They say, ‘Marry a man, get food and clothes.’ Marrying you is the worst luck I’ve had in eight lifetimes.

You’re a grown man, but you act like a baby—lying around at home, not working, needing your mom to bring you food to your bed. Why not have her chew it up for you, too?

I finally see it now—none of you care if me or the baby live or die. What’s the point of having a husband like you? I’d be better off on my own—at least I wouldn’t be this miserable.

Let’s get divorced! Do whatever you want. I can raise the child myself!”

Yan Lijun was furious, and there was a hint of defiance in her words.

If Xu Huaiyu was completely useless and only dragged her down, she didn’t see any reason to keep him around. She’d had enough of life in the Xu family these past months.

Her outburst left everyone stunned.

Gu Qinghuan hadn’t expected the once-timid Yan Lijun to become so tough after all she’d been through.

Lin Xiaomeng saw her own past self in Yan Lijun and felt a mix of emotions—thankfully, she’d gotten out in time, and now Xu Huaizhi knew to protect her and their child.

“You bitch! How dare you talk nonsense like that!” Xu Huaiyu, exposed in front of everyone, flew into a rage. He stormed over and slapped Yan Lijun hard.

In a flash, Yan Lijun was knocked to the ground. Maybe it was the force of the blow, or maybe her emotions were already unstable, but she suddenly clutched her belly in pain.

Lin Xiaomeng’s legs went weak—she’d seen this before.

“Her… her dress…” someone said.

There were bright red spots on Yan Lijun’s skirt—she was bleeding.

Everyone panicked.

Xu Huaizhi rushed to get the cart; Lin Xiaomeng ran home to grab an old quilt to pad it. Gu Qinghuan went inside to get a glass of water for Yan Lijun, insisting she drink it. This water was special spring water she’d brought from her space, hoping it would protect Yan Lijun and the baby.

Even Xu Meiling knew to run inside and grab a flashlight for them—it would be dark soon, and you couldn’t travel at night without one.

But the people who should have been helping the most just stood there as if nothing had happened.

Xu Huaiyu, still sulking from the argument, thought, “You’re so tough—go to the hospital yourself.” He didn’t feel the slightest bit guilty.

Liu Guifang put on her mother-in-law airs and said, “What are you doing? Isn’t there a midwife in the village? It’ll be dark soon, and going to the hospital is such a hassle.”

No one paid her any attention.

Xu Mingshan chimed in with some useless scolding for Xu Huaiyu, but by now, no one cared about his act.

Xu Huaizhi got the cart ready and glared at Xu Huaiyu. “Aren’t you going to carry your wife onto the cart? Or do you expect me to do it?”

Yan Lijun, clutching her belly, took in everyone’s reactions. At that moment, she felt nothing but disgust for this family—they were rotten to the core.

In times of trouble, you see people’s true colors. Even her eldest brother-in-law and two sisters-in-law were helping her get to the hospital, but the man who’d hurt her did nothing.

If she made it through this, no one would ever push her around again.

Xu Huaiyu reluctantly picked Yan Lijun up and put her on the cart, then stood aside as if it had nothing to do with him.

Lin Xiaomeng shouted at him, “Bring your family’s money! Your wife’s having a baby—don’t expect us to pay for it. And you pull the cart! My husband isn’t your servant. If anything happens to your wife today, it’s your own fault—don’t blame us.”

Xu Huaizhi agreed with his wife. Seeing Xu Huaiyu still unmoved, he picked up a stick from the ground and looked ready to beat him.

Sometimes, the saying “the eldest brother is like a father” is no joke. Xu Huaiyu had been disciplined by Xu Huaizhi since he was a child, and he flinched instinctively. Grudgingly, he went inside to get the money, then started pushing the cart toward the commune."