Wang Hao started checking train tickets on his phone, but couldn't find any after looking for a while.
With the Spring Festival rush approaching, tickets were impossible to buy.
He felt very anxious, sensing that Lin Wanyi had grown even more distant since coming back.
He increasingly felt that Liu Chunlan was right; she shouldn't have returned, for her heart had changed since she did.
Lin Jiajun knocked the phone out of his hand:
"What do you mean by this, brother-in-law? I told you to bring Keke over for the New Year, but you say you're taking my sister back tomorrow.
"Was my sister sold to your family? Why can't she spend the New Year at her maiden home?"
The phone fell to the ground, its screen cracking.
Wang Hao's expression turned ugly:
"Lin Jiajun, don't think I won't touch you just because you're my brother-in-law. You're overstepping your bounds.
"You need to be clear that your sister and I are a family, and it's only right for us to spend the New Year together.
"Why are you interrupting?"
Lin Jiajun was young and hot-blooded, afraid of nothing: "You've been married to my sister for eight years, so you've only been family for eight years.
"She lived in my house for twenty years, who is closer?
"She's spent eight New Years with you, can't she spend just one with us?"
Wang Hao wanted to say something else, but Lin Wanyi looked at him pleadingly:
"Stop it, Wang Hao, please just bring Keke over to see my mom, okay?
"She's seven years old and has never been to her grandmother's house, that doesn't make any sense.
"I'm begging you, Wang Hao!"
Wang Hao didn't respond, but Lin Jiajun clenched his fists:
"Sister, why are you begging him? She's your own daughter, can't you just take her away?
"Tell me, what exactly happened, how has his family been treating you?"
Lin Wanyi was about to speak, but Wang Hao grabbed her:
"Nothing happened, Jiajun, you're really overthinking it. My mom is just afraid that Keke won't get used to it here, after all, the winter here is too cold and there's no heating.
"She's also worried about Keke's health."
"What's there to worry about? Didn't we all grow up like this? Besides, my dad specially installed an air conditioner at home before he passed away. If Keke is cold, we can just turn on the heat.
"Anyway, I'll put my words right here today. My sister must stay here for the New Year this year.
"If you don't go pick up Keke, I will!"
Lin Wanyi's tears fell as if they were worthless, she couldn't wipe them fast enough.
She didn't want to cry, she didn't want to show her emotions in front of Lin Jiajun.
But she really couldn't hold it back anymore.
Eight years.
She had been married for eight years, and every year she wanted to come back for the New Year, but every year the Wang family had various excuses.
She was alone over there, she couldn't leave.
She also couldn't let her maiden family worry, she always said she was doing great and didn't want to come back.
But only God knew how much she wanted to come back.
Having been tense for so long, when Lin Jiajun forcefully said she had to spend the New Year at her maiden home and offered to help her bring Keke back, she finally broke down.
As her tears fell more and more, Lin Jiajun knew he had guessed right.
His sister must have suffered too many grievances.
He looked straight at Wang Hao: "What do you say?"
Wang Hao certainly didn't want to agree, but he couldn't say it now.
He brushed it off: "It's not that I don't want to let Keke come back, it's really that my mom can't bear to part with her.
"Wait for me to make a call and discuss it with my mom."
He took his phone to the yard, and Liu Chunlan cursed Lin Wanyi on the other end:
"That cheap thing, I knew she had bad intentions going back, I knew she wouldn't behave.
"Now you know why I didn't want to let her go back.
"Son, just agree with her, let her spend the New Year over there, but Keke, don't even think about it.
"Anyway, as long as Keke is here, I have plenty of ways to make her come back.
"You play the good guy, I'll be the bad guy."
Wang Hao hung up the phone and went inside:
"Honey, I talked my mom into agreeing to let you and me stay here for the New Year, but she really can't let Keke go."
Lin Jiajun was so angry he wanted to flip the table, but Lin Wanyi held him back.
Back in the room, Wang Hao's face darkened: "Lin Wanyi, what do you mean by this? Didn't we agree to come back just for the funeral?
"Why did you change your mind? Tell me, do you have an old lover here, are you..."
Slap!
Before he could finish his words, Lin Wanyi suddenly slapped him across the face:
"Wang Hao, I was really blind to marry you back then.
"I've endured and endured these past few days, don't push it too far, or we'll fight to the bitter end."
Wang Hao knew what she cared about.
She didn't want to make things so ugly, she didn't want her mother to worry.
So she was too easy for him to manipulate:
"We go back tomorrow, otherwise don't blame me if something happens to Keke."
Lin Wanyi went crazy and wanted to slap him again, but Wang Hao grabbed her hand first:
"Stop messing around, otherwise your mom's health won't be able to handle it!"
Lin Wanyi finally compromised.
She stayed until the seventh day after her father's death.
When she left, she didn't dare to look at Li Suhua, and Lin Jiajun didn't even show his face.
Li Suhua comforted her: "Your brother is still young, don't be mad at him.
"Mom is fine, nothing's wrong, and I can go wherever I want now. Maybe one day I'll go see you and Keke."
Lin Wanyi clenched her teeth tightly, not daring to speak, afraid that she would cry as soon as she opened her mouth.
Seeing her leaving, Eldest Aunt quickly pulled her youngest daughter to educate her:
"See this? This is what happens when you marry far away. You still have to leave right before the New Year.
"If you marry far away in the future, I'll break your legs."
Li Suhua glared at her: "Sister-in-law, say a few words less."
"Hmph!"
Eldest Aunt didn't say less; on the contrary, she said even more:
"Sister-in-law, you just spoil her. Her dad was sick for so long and she didn't take care of him for a single day. She only came back to take a look after he died.
"Leaving right after the seventh day, what's the use of giving birth to a daughter like this?
"And..."
She turned to ask Lin Wanyi: "You won't be here for the New Year, what about the money? You have to give money, right? How much money did you give your mom?"
Lin Wanyi whispered: "I didn't give any."
"Didn't give any?"
Eldest Aunt's voice grew louder: "You have the nerve? Not giving your mom a single cent for the New Year?
"You really are a capable daughter."
Lin Wanyi had originally planned to wait until New Year's Eve to give it; in previous years, it was always two thousand.
Since Eldest Aunt brought it up, she would give it first.
But when she opened her phone, she realized the money was gone again.
Just like the last time it was transferred away by Liu Chunlan, not a single cent was left.
Even her family card had been canceled.
She stared dead at Wang Hao: "Where is my money?"
Wang Hao smiled meaningfully and immediately took out his phone to transfer one thousand to Li Suhua:
"It's the same if I transfer it to Mom. Honey, we are husband and wife, why distinguish between yours and mine?
"My money is your money, just tell me how much you want to spend."
Li Suhua's face was very ugly, and Eldest Aunt couldn't believe it:
"Wanyi, you don't even have a single cent in your hands? Don't you manage the household?
"You have to ask Wang Hao for a thousand bucks, what kind of life are you living?"
Grievance and embarrassment climbed into Lin Wanyi's heart, and the things she tried so hard to hide were slowly revealed to her maiden family.
She finally opened her mouth to ask Wang Hao: "Are you satisfied?"
