Lin Wanyi's nose tingled with the urge to cry.
She hadn't expected to be kicked out by her in-laws on New Year's Eve, only for the neighbors to offer her shelter.
Wang Hao was still trying to explain, "No, we didn't kick them out. It's all a misunderstanding, just a misunderstanding."
But Wang Keke shouted loudly, "Grandpa did kick us out! He told Mom and me to get lost!"
"That's too much!"
Wu Qin tried to take Lin Wanyi's suitcase, but Lin Wanyi shook her head at her.
She wanted to leave. She truly wanted to leave.
Wu Qin pulled her hand back from the suitcase, her heart aching for her. "There won't be any cars tonight, Wanyi. You..."
She didn't say anything more.
She just choked back a sob and watched her walk away.
Wang Hao followed Lin Wanyi all the way to the edge of the village.
Growing impatient, he reached out and snatched the suitcase from her.
"Are you done making a scene, Lin Wanyi? Do you really have to make things so ugly on New Year's Eve?
"My dad just said that in the heat of the moment, and you're actually leaving?
"It's one thing for you to throw a tantrum, but dragging Keke into it?
"Aren't you worried she'll get sick out here? Aren't you worried she'll catch a cold?
"I think you're just being selfish, Lin Wanyi. Come back with me right now!"
Lin Wanyi knew she wouldn't be able to leave, but she had already walked up to Chen Daniu's house.
She suddenly sat down on the steps of Chen Daniu's house and burst into loud sobs.
Crying and shouting, she wailed, "Wang Hao, you're bullying me! Your whole Wang family is bullying me!"
Chen Daniu's mother, Aunt Zhao, opened the door and poked her head out. "Oh my, isn't this Wang Hao's wife? Why are you sitting at my door crying on New Year's Eve?"
Seeing her, Lin Wanyi immediately grabbed her sleeve and cried even louder. "Auntie, I have such a bitter life, I really do!
"The Wang family is terrible. They kicked me and my child out on New Year's Eve. I walked here and really have nowhere else to go.
"I can't even get a car. My child and I, ah..."
She cried harder and harder, looking more and more heartbroken.
She cried so pitifully that even Aunt Zhao couldn't bear to watch.
She immediately took Lin Wanyi's hand and led Wang Keke inside. "Come, come, come inside Auntie's house to warm up first. It's so cold out, how can the child stand being outside."
Wang Hao followed behind them, trying to explain again, but no one listened to a word he said.
Lin Wanyi took the opportunity to follow Aunt Zhao inside.
It was indeed much warmer inside.
She glanced around. The Chen family was clearly in the middle of their New Year's Eve dinner. Sitting at the table, besides Chen Daniu and his father, was a young, pretty girl.
The girl had her head down, her eyes darting nervously. She only glanced at Lin Wanyi for a second before immediately dropping her gaze again.
Lin Wanyi walked right over, squatted beside her, and started crying. "You must be Daniu's wife. I heard you're from out of town. I'm from out of town too.
"We're the only two out-of-town wives in this village. We should visit each other more often from now on.
"Marrying far from home is so hard. Look at me, kicked out with nowhere to even rest my feet.
"Sister, I advise you to always listen to Daniu, so you don't suffer any grievances, you hear me?"
Both Chen Daniu and his father stared at Lin Wanyi. Chen Guanshan was even more guarded, scolding her, "Wang Hao's wife, what is all this nonsense you're spouting after suddenly running into my house? Don't go scaring my daughter-in-law, she's timid enough as it is."
Chen Daniu chimed in, "Sister-in-law, don't you worry. If Wang Hao treats you badly, that's his fault. I would never bully my wife."
After saying that, he looked at the girl. "Wife, tell her, have I bullied you?"
The girl's body trembled slightly, but she still replied in a low voice, "No, my husband treats me very well!"
Lin Wanyi wiped her tears.
"That's good then, as long as he treats you well. As the saying goes, marry a chicken, follow the chicken; marry a dog, follow the dog. Sister, come find me more often.
"We can keep each other company!"
After she finished speaking, she pulled out her phone and took a selfie of herself and the girl.
Chen Guanshan hastily tried to stop her. "What are you doing? Why are you taking pictures of my daughter-in-law?"
Lin Wanyi quickly explained:
"The sister and I are both from out of town. I thought we could look out for each other, so I wanted a photo as a keepsake.
"Uncle Chen, is it really a problem just to take a picture of your daughter-in-law?
"Why is your family even stricter than the Wangs?"
Chen Guanshan couldn't say much more to that, so he just waved at Wang Hao.
"Hurry up and take your wife back. Making such a scene on New Year's Eve, what kind of behavior is this?"
Wang Hao hurried over to pull Lin Wanyi, and this time, Lin Wanyi didn't resist.
She matched Wang Hao's pace and walked out the door.
As Chen Guanshan closed the door, he gave Lin Wanyi a fierce glare.
"Wang Hao's wife, mind your own business and keep an eye on your daughter.
"Remember what I said, around these parts, there's a shortage of girls."
Lin Wanyi held tightly onto Keke's hand, while Wang Hao dragged the suitcase and scolded her:
"Are you crazy? Running to someone else's house on New Year's Eve to make us a laughingstock, does that make you happy?
"Lin Wanyi, I'm realizing you're seriously not normal right now."
Firecrackers went off from an unknown house.
The crackling sounds struck Lin Wanyi's heart, making her feel awful.
Awful for herself, and awful for Chen Daniu's wife.
She tightly gripped her phone, which held the only photo of that girl.
Back at the Wang house, Liu Chunlan blocked the door, refusing to let Lin Wanyi inside.
She looked highly amused:
"Heh, weren't you leaving? Weren't you going back to your parents' house?
"Go on, leave! We gave you the chance and you didn't leave, we told you to go and you didn't.
"Lin Wanyi, remember that you're the one shamelessly staying behind this time.
"It's not that our Wang family can't live without you; it's that you can't live without our Wang family."
She thought Lin Wanyi would cry and beg to be let in, but Wanyi simply lifted her foot and stepped right past her leg.
"Who said I was leaving? Why should I leave? We haven't even divorced yet, and the assets haven't been divided.
"Why on earth would I leave?"
As she spoke, right in front of Wang Hao, she sent a message to Lin Jiajun:
"Jiajun, your older sister is doing great over here. Your brother-in-law even transferred five thousand yuan to our mom.
"Don't worry about me."
After sending the message, she looked at Wang Hao again:
"I've already put the word out. It's up to you whether you transfer the money or not.
"If you don't, Jiajun will definitely march over here tomorrow, and you can deal with the consequences yourself."
Wang Hao had no choice. He knew he couldn't threaten Lin Wanyi anymore; she was ready to divorce at any moment and had nothing to lose.
Swallowing his anger, he transferred five thousand to Li Suhua.
Liu Chunlan's nose twisted in anger:
"On what grounds? Why should a mother-in-law get five thousand yuan for the New Year?
"What contribution has she made to our family?
"Five thousand, and she actually dares to accept it?"
Indeed, Li Suhua hadn't accepted it yet.
She showed it to Lin Jiajun. "Wang Hao suddenly sent me five thousand. Should I accept it or not?"
Lin Jiajun directly tapped receive for her:
"Accept it. Tomorrow we'll use this money to go see my sister and Keke.
"Mom, you've been missing Keke so much anyway. We'll just give Keke some extra red envelopes then, and it'll balance out."
Seeing the words Payment Received, Wang Hao felt annoyed to death.
He had thought Li Suhua wouldn't accept it, that it was just for show.
He never expected she would actually take it...
