Liu Xiulan woke up with a start. She turned over and glanced beside her.
Chen Hao was already cradled in Chen Qingxiu’s arms.
He was still fast asleep, unable to wake no matter how much Chen Qingxiu called out to him.
The cramped room was filled with Chen Qingxiu’s sobs:
“Son, son, wake up! What’s wrong with you?
“Mom is here, your grandparents are here too.
“Son, son, open your eyes.”
Seeing Chen Hao still unconscious, Wang Kai grew anxious too.
He shook Liu Xiulan by the shoulder and demanded:
“What did you do to him? I’m asking you, what did you do to my son?
“Mom, tell me! Hurry up and say something!”
Liu Xiulan had already been slapped several times by Chen Qingxiu.
She stared at the crowd in the room, baffled:
“How did you find me? How did you track me down?”
The tiny room was packed with police officers, Chen Qingxiu, Wang Kai, and Chen Qingxiu’s parents.
Su Ling strode over and slapped Liu Xiulan again:
“You old hag! Who gave you the right to take my grandson? Who gave you the nerve?
“What did you feed him? Why isn’t he waking up?”
Liu Xiulan was furious.
Her swollen face, still smarting from Chen Qingxiu’s slaps, now stung again from Su Ling’s blows.
She couldn’t take it. She swung back at Su Ling.
But she couldn’t even get close to her.
Too many people were there—police, Wang Kai, Su Ling’s husband.
Liu Xiulan sobbed and pointed at Wang Kai accusingly:
“Wang Kai, are you even a man? Are you still my son?
“How can you not say a word for me? Have you forgotten who brought you into this world?
“Have you forgotten who raised you, who sent you to college?
“I just wanted to see my grandson today, and you called the police on me?
“Wang Kai, do you have any conscience at all?”
“Conscience?”
Wang Kai jabbed a finger at Liu Xiulan’s chest:
“Anyone can talk to me about conscience, but not you.
“Liu Xiulan, in all my years, the most heartless person I’ve ever met is you. You, Liu Xiulan.
“You’ve failed your children, you’ve mistreated your daughter-in-law. How dare you claim to have any conscience?
“Liu Xiulan, I’m asking you now: What did you give my son? Why isn’t he awake yet?”
Liu Xiulan was crushed, utterly crushed.
She felt Wang Kai showed no consideration for her, never saw things from her perspective.
She shook her head:
“I’m not telling you. Let you all stew.
“You want to know? Then change his surname. If he’ll only go by Wang, I’ll wake him up right away.”
“Change it? Change it to your damn surname?”
Chen Qingxiu, mad with rage, slapped Liu Xiulan again and again.
Then she picked Chen Hao up and strode for the door.
She was going to the hospital—the hospital would tell them everything.
Liu Xiulan tried to block her.
She spread her arms across the doorway:
“No one leaves! No one is allowed to leave!
“Until my grandson’s surname is changed, none of you are going anywhere!”
Wang Kai shoved her aside:
“Get out of my way!”
He pushed with all his strength. Liu Xiulan lost her balance, stumbled, and crashed into the edge of a table.
She clutched her back, her face twisted in pain.
Tears streaming, she wailed:
“Son, son, I need to go to the hospital too. Take me with you!”
She didn’t end up at the hospital. She ended up at the police station.
The Chen family was pressing charges—kidnapping.
At the station, she threw a wild fit:
“How is this kidnapping? I’m the child’s grandmother! I just wanted to see my own grandson!”
"Comrades, you have no idea how vicious my daughter-in-law is.
"Ever since my grandson was born eleven years ago, she's never let him come home to see me, never let him call me 'Grandma' even once.
"Put yourselves in my shoes. What would you do if you had a daughter-in-law like that?
"You can't arrest me. I'm just a pitiful old woman."
In the end, the police didn't detain her.
Because she hadn't caused any serious consequences, and she was indeed the child's grandmother.
She was given a warning and let go.
Wang Kai was waiting for her at the police station entrance.
When she saw him, she walked up with red-rimmed eyes:
"Son, my son."
Wang Kai stepped back several paces, putting distance between them.
"Mom, this time you went too far. You nearly cost me my wife and child, do you know that?
"Stay away from me from now on, please. I beg you, keep your distance.
"Wasn't it enough that you destroyed Wang Hao's family? Do you have to come wreck mine just to be happy?
"Why can't you stand to see us well? Tell me, why?"
Liu Xiulan's heart ached terribly.
She didn't understand why neither of her sons could see her side.
She was only doing it for their own good.
All she wanted was to keep their wives in line and raise her sons' status in their homes.
She tried earnestly to lecture Wang Kai again, but before she could even start, he got into his car and drove off.
She chased after the car for a long time, running and shouting:
"Son, I'm your mother! I'm your mother!"
Wang Kai never stopped. Liu Xiulan stood on the busy road, tears streaming down her face.
Drivers passing by stuck their heads out and cursed her:
"If you want to die, go jump in a river. Don't cause trouble for others here."
Liu Xiulan sobbed until she nearly choked.
When had she ever wanted to die?
She had never even thought about death. She wanted to live more than anyone.
And she wanted to live well—better than anyone else.
At least better than Zhang Cuihua.
Dejected, she returned to Wang Family Village.
The sun had set. She stood in her yard, which Wang Kai had trashed. Hatred burned in her heart.
Now she loathed everyone.
Especially Chen Qingxiu and Lin Wanyi.
She blamed everything on them.
If it weren't for them, her sons would still listen to her.
"Btches, you're all btches!"
She stood with her hands on her hips, cursing Chen Qingxiu and Lin Wanyi:
"May you both die horribly—all of you, die horribly!
"I won't let this go. I'll make you regret this to your graves!"
Wu Qin stood by the window and sent Liu Xiulan's crying video to Lin Wanyi.
She also added: "Wanyi, I feel like Liu Xiulan is not far from losing her mind."
When Lin Wanyi got the message, she let out a long sigh.
Liu Xiulan deserved this. She brought it all on herself—it was her own doing.
Liu Renzhi took her phone:
"What are you looking at?"
Lin Wanyi showed him the video:
"Just watching a villain get what she deserves."
Liu Renzhi pulled her into his arms:
"Feeling better now? Then how about we make a baby?"
Lin Wanyi quickly blushed:
"You—you talked about it during the day, and now you're bringing it up at night?"
Liu Renzhi pecked her on the lips:
"To be honest, I was already thinking about it during the day."
Lin Wanyi gave him a playful punch:
"Be serious. I didn't come home to sleep last night, and it's not good to do this again tonight."
"I'm going down to take a stroll with my mom and Keke. The scenery here is so beautiful that we should take more time to enjoy it."
Liu Renzhi was very frustrated, but he was not a man without a sense of propriety.
He let go of Lin Wanyi and said,
"Got it. Go ahead. Next time, we'll take a trip just the two of us.
"I'll continue with my work and won't disturb you."
Lin Wanyi nodded with a smile and left the room.
Li Suhua said they were having a barbecue by the lake, so Lin Wanyi walked along the stone path towards it.
However, before she reached the lake, Wang Hao covered her mouth and dragged her behind the rockery...
