Lin Wanyi trembled with anger. Disregarding everything else, she grabbed Liu Chunlan's hand and demanded her money back:
"Give it back to me. That's my money, the money I saved up by living frugally."
Liu Chunlan shook her arm hard, but she couldn't break free.
Growing anxious, she grabbed a teacup from the table and smashed it toward Lin Wanyi.
The pain made Lin Wanyi let go. She touched her forehead and felt a large lump forming.
Liu Chunlan quickly ran out the door:
"Help! Daughter-in-law beating her mother-in-law! Everyone, come look! Daughter-in-law beating her mother-in-law!"
She stood in the courtyard and shouted at the top of her lungs. Soon, the elderly neighbors ran over to watch the spectacle.
Aunt Zhang cracked melon seeds between her teeth:
"Oh my, Chunlan, this cheap daughter-in-law of yours from out of town actually dares to hit you? She's turning the house upside down.
"Look at my daughter-in-law. Yesterday she even took me to the city and bought me two new outfits."
Aunt Wang chimed in:
"I've always said these outsiders are unreliable. They don't care about the family at all, and now she even dares to hit her mother-in-law. Where's Wang Hao? Hurry up and call him back to teach this cheap thing a lesson."
With snot and tears streaming down her face, Liu Chunlan wailed dramatically:
"I never agreed to let Hao Hao marry this cheap thing in the first place! She was the one who shamelessly insisted on marrying my son, not even asking for a bride price. I couldn't drive her away!
"I clearly introduced Hao Hao to several local girls back then, but his mind was clouded, and he insisted on marrying this tramp.
"Oh heavens, my life is so bitter! Who will help me?"
Lin Wanyi had never felt so humiliated in her life.
Crying, she defended herself:
"When did I ever hit you? You were the one who stole my money and smashed me with an ashtray!
"Mom, aren't you afraid of shortening your lifespan by lying at your age?"
"You!"
Liu Chunlan's lips trembled with anger.
At her age, the thing she feared most was people saying her life would be shortened.
Just as she was about to strike Lin Wanyi again, Lin Wanyi's phone rang.
She quickly answered it. Her mother was sobbing uncontrollably on the other end:
"Wanyi, come back as soon as possible. The doctor said your father might not make it to the New Year.
"He keeps muttering your name, he... he..."
Her younger brother then sent her a video.
Her father was lying in bed, covered in tubes, mumbling vaguely:
"My girl, my girl!"
Lin Wanyi was burning with anxiety. She no longer cared about arguing with Liu Chunlan.
She had to find a way to go back immediately.
The train tickets were completely sold out, so she had no choice but to look at the plane tickets she usually couldn't bear to buy.
There were tickets available for tomorrow. Her heart finally settled down a bit.
But what about the money?
She knew Liu Chunlan definitely wouldn't return it to her now.
She thought about it again and again, and finally gritted her teeth and sent a message to her brother, Lin Jiajun:
[Sis is a bit tight on money recently. Can you lend me ten thousand yuan first? I'll pay you back as soon as I get things sorted out.]
The next second, Lin Jiajun transferred twenty thousand to her.
[Sis, hurry back!]
Lin Wanyi quickly booked the plane ticket, finally hugging her phone and crying silently.
The elderly neighbors in the courtyard were still cracking melon seeds and laughing at her:
"I say these women who marry far away either have something wrong with their brains or couldn't get married in their hometowns. Otherwise, why would they marry so far away?"
"Exactly. I would never agree to let my daughter marry far away. Look at her, she hasn't gone back for the New Year in eight years. Her parents really raised her for nothing."
Liu Chunlan looked smug. "Hehe, what do you know? She wants to go back every day. It's all because I keep a tight leash on her, otherwise she would have run away long ago.
"When they got married, they even planned to have my son marry into their family. Bah, she's dreaming!"
Lin Wanyi's ears had grown calluses from hearing these words.
In the beginning, she would argue back a bit, but now she felt they were right.
Marrying far away really meant having something wrong with your brain.
When Wang Hao returned, he saw her packing her luggage.
He grew a bit nervous. "How can you go back when you don't have any money? What are you packing for?
"Wife, stop making a fuss. Can't we just live our days peacefully?
"If you really miss your parents, just make a video call and you'll see them. Why do you insist on going back in person?
"Round-trip train tickets cost two or three thousand. Wouldn't it be better to save that money and buy some gifts for your parents?"
"Exactly!"
Liu Chunlan leaned against the doorframe:
"Do you think your maiden family likes you that much and wants you back? They just want you to go back and give them money!
"They say the road back to the maiden home is paved with money. I think you should just transfer a hundred-yuan red envelope and stay put obediently."
Lin Wanyi finally finished packing her luggage. Ignoring everyone, she called Keke's kindergarten to ask for a leave of absence.
Wang Hao finally realized she wasn't just throwing a tantrum. He turned to ask Liu Chunlan:
"Mom, didn't you say she had no money on her phone? How is she going back?"
Liu Chunlan rolled her eyes:
"How should I know what she's up to again? Anyway, the money is still with me, she can't take it."
Wang Hao turned back to Lin Wanyi:
"Did you buy a ticket? But didn't you say you'd go back for the New Year? That's still a month away. Why are you packing so early?"
Lin Wanyi finally looked up at him:
"Wang Hao, my dad is dying. I'm taking Keke back tomorrow. You..."
"Dying?"
Wang Hao also became nervous. "Why so sudden? Then I'll go back with you."
"I forbid it!"
Liu Chunlan pulled Wang Hao away and blocked him:
"You're not allowed to go. Hao Hao, are you stupid? It's obvious their family is ganging up to trick you.
"You absolutely must not fall for this bitch's trick. Don't give her any money. Let's see how she goes back without money."
Lin Wanyi gripped her phone tightly and said nothing. She wasn't going to tell them she had already bought a plane ticket.
She couldn't afford any more complications.
But Keke happily said:
"Daddy, Mommy bought us plane tickets! She said she's going to take me on an airplane."
"Airplane?"
Liu Chunlan's eyes widened:
"What airplane? Who's taking an airplane?
"Hao Hao, this damn woman must be crazy. Airplanes are so expensive, how can they afford it?
"Crazy! Truly crazy! Lin Wanyi, what right or ability do you have to take an airplane?"
Wang Hao also came to snatch Lin Wanyi's phone, but having learned her lesson from last time, Lin Wanyi held onto it tightly.
"Did you really buy plane tickets? Are you really in such a hurry to run back to your maiden home?
"Lin Wanyi, I am your husband. How could you just make this decision on your own without discussing it with me at all?"
"Discuss what with you?"
Lin Wanyi finally exploded:
"How many times have I tried to discuss things with you? When have you ever agreed?
"Wang Hao, my dad is critically ill. Very, very ill. The doctor said he might not make it past a few days. Are you still not going to let me go back?
"Are you trying to imprison me here?
"If that's the case, I'll call the police right now and let them handle this! Do you want to test me?"
Wang Hao froze, taking a long time to come to his senses:
"What do you mean critically ill? I didn't know. Is it really that serious? You're really not lying to me?"
Lin Wanyi opened her phone and showed Wang Hao the video:
"See for yourself. See if I'm lying to you. Wang Hao, I'll tell you the truth: I bought a plane ticket for tomorrow.
"I have to go back. If you dare to stop me, I'll divorce you. Even if I die, I'm going back!"
Wang Hao finally believed that his father-in-law was truly dying.
He nodded hastily. "Yes, go back. I agree to let you go back. Let me go with you, okay?"
"No!" Lin Wanyi refused. "Keke and I will go back alone. Wang Hao, I am afraid that if my dad sees you, he will pass away even sooner."
With his head lowered, Wang Hao was pulled out of the room by Liu Chunlan.
"Son, do you really agree to let her go back? Once she is far away and out of our reach, do you think she will ever come back?
"It is not easy to get a wife these days, and the bride prices around here are ridiculously high. I heard that Erniu from next door went on a blind date, and the girl asked for a bride price of 500,000!
"Think it through. You cannot let the wife you already have slip away. Absolutely not!"
Wang Hao lowered his head in deep thought, while Liu Chunlan muttered to herself,
"I will not let her go back. Even if she has already bought the tickets, it is not happening.
"I have a plan!"
