At the mention of money, everyone fell silent.
Wang Hao looked at Wang Meijuan:
"Older sister, housing in the city is worth its weight in gold; it's not as cheap as potatoes and cabbage.
"The money I worked so hard for all these years wasn't meant for you and your son to spend.
"If you really want to live in the city, then have Li Jun hurry up and buy you a place instead of taking over my house."
"You!"
Before Wang Meijuan could finish speaking, Wang Hao turned his head to look at Liu Chunlan and Wang Jianguo:
"Mom, Dad, you didn't help out at all when I bought this house.
"At my age, you can go out and ask around: whose son buys a house without their parents' financial help?
"Whose parents don't spend money when their son gets married?
"But I didn't get that. You truly didn't contribute a single cent, and you even demand living expenses from me.
"Originally, I thought, if you want to stay here, then stay. After all, you are my parents.
"But now there's no other way. Lin Wanyi and I are divorced, and she wants to sell the house. What else can I do?
"So please, just understand my position. Save me some face, alright? Move out. Everyone move out. I'm moving out too."
The Wang family members refused to move.
They continued to live as they always did. Only Wang Hao packed up his belongings.
He stared blankly at the few pieces of clothing Lin Wanyi had left behind in the closet.
She must be very happy right now, finally free of them.
Finally divorced, finally able to return to the maiden home she longed for.
She deserved to be happy.
In fact, Lin Wanyi was truly happy. She sent a video call to Li Suhua:
"Mom, we're divorced. Wang Hao signed the papers. Now we just have to wait out the one-month cooling-off period."
Li Suhua wept tears of joy. She wiped her eyes off-camera before looking back at Lin Wanyi:
"Good, good. I've also found a school for Keke. It's right in the city, just a ten-minute e-bike ride away.
"Everything is good. Everything is very good."
Wang Keke held up the doll Li Suhua had bought for her, spinning around happily:
"Mommy, when are you coming back? Keke misses you so much.
"Mommy, you don't know, Aunt Siyue took me to the biggest, biggest amusement park! It was so much fun.
"Grandma Su also bought me lots of pretty dresses. Really, so many!
"And shiny princess shoes too!"
Lin Wanyi just listened to her talk, talk about her happiness, her joy, her new discoveries, and everything else.
Keke was very happy; it made everything worth it.
She was no longer the little girl in Wangjia Village who was called a money-losing burden.
Nor was she the timid girl who didn't even dare to speak loudly.
She was the bright and sunny Wang Keke.
Lin Jiajun was a bit worried:
"Sis, do you think they'll move out tomorrow?"
Lin Wanyi wondered the same.
Knowing the Wang family's character, it would probably be difficult.
But she had made up her mind. Tomorrow, no matter what, even if it came down to a hair-pulling fight, she was going to sell this house.
Only then could she leave with peace of mind.
While they were worrying on this side, Wang Meijuan couldn't sleep on the other side.
She went to find Liu Chunlan: "Mom, what do we do tomorrow? Are we really going to move out?
"Let me tell you, I'm not moving. I want to live here with Borui; we like it here."
Liu Chunlan didn't want to move either:
"I'm not moving either. This is our Wang family's house. Why should I give it up to her? Juan'er, tomorrow, if anyone comes, we'll just throw a tantrum.
"What homebuyer wants to ask for trouble? People will take one look at this kind of house and leave.
"From now on, every time someone comes, we'll make a scene. After a while, the real estate agents won't even bring people here anymore."
Wang Meijuan took this to heart.
Early the next morning, Wang Meijuan went to the wet market.
She didn't buy vegetables, but instead asked the chicken butcher for a lot of chicken blood.
Carrying a large bag of it, she finally went home satisfied.
She showed the stuff to Liu Chunlan:
"Mom, later on, if Lin Wanyi dares to bring people to see the house, I'll splash this chicken blood all over them.
"Let's see if she can still sell this house."
Liu Chunlan nodded frantically:
"Good, this is a good idea. Juan'er, you really have a quick mind.
"Don't just splash the buyers; make sure to splash that agent too.
"Let's see if he still dares to sell our family's house.
"Hmph! They really dare to make money off of anything."
The two of them chatted happily, but Wang Hao asked them:
"Mom, Older Sister, why haven't you packed your things yet?
"They're coming later to sign the contract directly. Don't make them rush you."
Wang Meijuan still didn't move, and neither did Liu Chunlan.
Wang Jianguo was even lying on the large bed in the master bedroom, smoking:
"I'm just going to sleep right here. Let's see who can kick me out today."
Wang Hao was furious.
Although he didn't want to move either. Back when he bought this house, he had spun Lin Wanyi around in his arms.
He said he had finally given Lin Wanyi a home, a home that belonged only to them.
They no longer had to live together with Liu Chunlan.
They searched everywhere for renovation companies, comparing prices one after another.
They looked over blueprint after blueprint.
The color of the latex paint, the pattern of the curtains, the style of the furniture, he and Lin Wanyi had finalized everything bit by bit.
He still remembered that they had argued over the bed. Wang Hao wanted a large two-meter bed; he said he wanted to hold Lin Wanyi and roll around on it.
But Lin Wanyi said the room was so small that if they put in a two-meter bed, there wouldn't even be room to stand.
In the end, he listened to Lin Wanyi and only bought a 1.8-meter bed.
He sat on the sofa. This sofa was also chosen by Lin Wanyi.
She liked fresh, light colors, and Wang Hao had given in to her.
Now he stroked the sofa over and over, trying to feel some trace of Lin Wanyi's past presence.
But there was nothing. Nothing at all.
The image of Wang Keke jumping up and down on the sofa appeared before his eyes, and he could hear Lin Wanyi saying:
"Don't jump, you might fall.
"Get down, Keke, get down right now."
Wang Keke just wouldn't get down. She jumped from the left side of the sofa to the right, and then from the right to the left.
Lin Wanyi couldn't catch her no matter what. Finally, Lin Wanyi just sat on the floor, pointing at Wang Keke:
"Are you going to get down or not? Are you going to get down?"
Wang Keke stopped bouncing. She threw herself onto Lin Wanyi:
"Mommy, Mommy!
"I love Mommy the most!"
The mother and daughter hugged each other tightly, and the corners of Wang Hao's mouth had secretly curled up into a smile.
How happy was that?
How warm was that?
But Wang Meijuan interrupted his imagination:
"Haohao, let me tell you, this is your house. As long as you don't sign, no one can sell it.
"Remember that."
Wang Hao didn't remember it. He didn't want to make things difficult for Lin Wanyi at this point.
Since he had already signed, it was better to end it cleanly.
Let her sell it. Once it was sold, they would owe each other nothing.
Once it was sold, Lin Wanyi would be happy.
Once it was sold, she could leave.
Once it was sold, everything would be over.
He didn't want Lin Wanyi to look down on him in these final moments.
A day as husband and wife means a hundred days of grace.
Forget it.
Let her have her way.
She could do whatever she wanted.
Whether it was getting divorced or returning to her maiden home.
Wang Hao wouldn't interfere anymore.
Someone knocked on the door.
Alarm bells rang in Wang Meijuan and Liu Chunlan's hearts.
They assumed battle stances.
Only Wang Hao got up to open the door.
Standing outside were indeed Lin Wanyi, Lin Jiajun, the real estate agent, and the man buying the house.
Lin Wanyi took one look at the completely unpacked room and asked Wang Hao:
"What is the meaning of this? Did you go back on your word?"
Wang Hao felt deeply ashamed, wishing the ground would swallow him up.
He hurriedly explained, "We aren't backing out. We will move.
"We will move out as soon as the contract is signed."
The young real estate agent briskly pulled out the contract and handed it to Wang Hao.
"Take a look. If everything seems fine, you can go ahead and sign.
"The total price is one million."
Wang Hao didn't look closely, nor did he hesitate. Things had already come to this; he might as well just sign it.
But just as he picked up the pen, Wang Meijuan suddenly splashed a basin of chicken blood right at the buyer.
