Wang Meijuan cried tears of anger:
"What kind of terrible ideas are you all coming up with? We're from the same village, we grew up together, and instead of helping me, you're helping this outsider?
"Besides, back then it was her who shamelessly insisted on marrying my brother. She wanted to marry him even if she didn't get a single cent of bride price.
"What does that have to do with me? It just shows my brother is outstanding. She didn't make a fuss back then, so why is she making a scene now?
"Lin Wanyi, stop acting crazy!"
Liu Chunlan quickly chimed in:
"Exactly. I didn't even agree to it back then. I was always against it, and I had even found a local girl for Haohao.
"But you threatened suicide if you couldn't marry him. I had no choice, I was forced to agree.
"So what are you complaining about now? Lin Wanyi, what right do you have to feel wronged?"
Yes.
Lin Wanyi wished she could travel back eight years and give herself a vicious slap across the face.
How could she have been so stupid and naive?
How could she have thought that asking for no bride price would make them respect her more?
In reality, she only now understood that families who spent hundreds of thousands to marry a daughter-in-law were terrified of losing both the person and the money, so they treated them like royalty.
And her?
She was just a worthless, cheap thing.
Wang Hao came over to mediate again:
"Stop arguing, everyone stop. Is this really that entertaining to watch?
"It's the New Year. You've been fighting from the 28th of the twelfth lunar month all the way to today. What exactly do you all want?"
Lin Wanyi kicked him:
"You know exactly what I want, Wang Hao. Stop pretending. I want..."
Before she could say the word 'divorce,' Wang Hao tightly covered her mouth:
"Stop saying things like that during the New Year. Aren't you afraid of people laughing at us?"
What was there to be afraid of?
Lin Wanyi had already given up on saving face.
She wanted people to laugh. Anyway, once she divorced and left, no one would be laughing at her.
It was only the Wang family who had nowhere to go. They would be laughed at for decades.
Two sons: one divorced and the other married into his wife's family.
When that day came, Liu Chunlan would definitely feel worse than death.
Li Jun went to pull Wang Meijuan away:
"Let's go, come back with me."
Wang Meijuan refused to leave: "I came back to my maiden home, and you want me to leave before I even step through the door? Li Jun, whose side are you on?"
Li Jun simply lit a cigarette and watched the drama unfold:
"Fine, argue. Keep arguing. I just want to see how this turns out."
"You!"
Wang Meijuan stomped her foot in anger: "Help me pull her away! It's my home, I don't believe I can't go inside."
Li Jun didn't move an inch, leaning against his motorcycle and smoking.
Wang Hao and Liu Chunlan, however, came up to pull Lin Wanyi:
"You wretched thing, get out of the way right now. Making a scene every day during the New Year, what are you fussing about?"
The young women outside the door cheered Lin Wanyi on:
"Don't back down, Lin Wanyi! Fight them! If it comes to it, I'll call the police for you!"
Furious, Liu Chunlan picked up a beverage bottle and threw it outside:
"Get lost! All of you, get lost! A bunch of psychos!"
Lin Wanyi refused to step aside no matter what. After watching for a long time, Wang Jianguo finally lost his temper.
He shoved Wang Hao forward and handed him a rope:
"You useless thing, you can't even control your own wife. Tie her up for me. Let's see how she makes a fuss then!"
Wang Hao picked up the rope but didn't approach Lin Wanyi. He pleaded with her:
"Stop making a scene. Do you have to make everyone angry? Honey, let my sister come in.
"Does a family really have to be like this?"
"Impossible!"
Lin Wanyi loudly refused: "There are two choices. Either Wang Meijuan gets lost, or you take Keke right now and come back to my maiden home with me.
"Choose for yourself!"
Wang Hao was in a difficult position; he didn't want to choose either.
He just wanted to live with Lin Wanyi like they used to.
But Lin Wanyi had changed. She had completely changed.
Wang Jianguo slapped Wang Hao across the face:
"Get out of the way, you useless piece of trash. If you won't do it, I will. I don't believe I can't tie her up."
He snatched the rope and walked toward Lin Wanyi, but Lin Wanyi still didn't move an inch.
Liu Chunlan watched coldly, while Wang Meijuan gloated:
"Keep fussing, keep fussing, Lin Wanyi. I think you've just had it too good for too long.
"You refuse to do things the easy way and insist on doing it the hard way, making my dad angry.
"Once he really locks you up, you'll behave.
"You have no idea how my dad treated me back then..."
She swallowed the rest of her words after glancing at Liu Chunlan.
As Wang Jianguo drew closer, Wang Hao pleaded with Lin Wanyi again:
"Just move out of the way. What good does being so stubborn do you?
"You are just one person, and we are a whole family. How can you possibly win?
"Lin Wanyi, I've given you enough face lately. I've yielded to you and tolerated you at every turn. Don't push your luck!"
Lin Wanyi's eyes were shedding tears, and her heart was bleeding.
This was the man she had been so blind to insist on marrying.
At the critical moment, he still sided with his own family without hesitation.
Just as Wang Jianguo was about to reach her, Lin Wanyi received a video call from Chen Qingxiu.
She answered immediately: "Sister-in-law, were you looking for me?"
The approaching Wang Jianguo stopped in his tracks, and Liu Chunlan took two steps forward, pricking up her ears.
Even Wang Meijuan leaned in a bit closer.
On the other end of the video call, Chen Qingxiu said:
"I know this call is a bit abrupt. It's nothing major, I was just thinking that since you didn't go back to your maiden home on the second day of the New Year, maybe you'd like to come over to my place to hang out.
"If you come, I'll go pick you up."
Lin Wanyi's tears gushed out. She panned her phone around:
"Sister-in-law, I'm afraid I can't come bother you today. Look, things are pretty busy at home right now.
"Everyone is surrounding me."
Chen Qingxiu saw all the Wang family members in the video, as well as the rope in Wang Jianguo's hand and the crowd of onlookers standing outside the door.
She raised her voice:
"Should I call the police? Do you want me to call the police for you?"
Before Lin Wanyi could speak, Liu Chunlan yelled loudly at the phone:
"Chen Qingxiu, don't meddle in other people's business! You're no good yourself, so don't be a bad influence on Lin Wanyi.
"Shut your mouth!"
Chen Qingxiu cursed back at her through the phone:
"You old hag, what good does it do you to bully one daughter-in-law after another? You'll get what's coming to you in the future."
Lin Wanyi thanked Chen Qingxiu and quickly hung up the video call.
The next second, she suddenly pulled a folding knife out of her pocket.
She pointed it at the approaching Wang Jianguo:
"Take one more step forward, and I'll stab it into your throat."
Terrified, Wang Jianguo stumbled back several steps, throwing the rope far away:
"Lunatic! You're a freaking lunatic!"
Liu Chunlan turned pale with fright: "Lin Wanyi, drawing a knife during the New Year? What on earth is going through your head?"
Wang Hao tried to coax her: "Put the knife down, honey. Put the knife down.
"It's just about not letting my older sister come back, right? If you don't want her to, she won't."
He winked at Wang Meijuan outside the door:
"Go back, sister. You go back first."
Wang Meijuan was also terrified, but she remained defiant:
"Lin Wanyi, do you actually dare to use it? You're just putting on a show, right? Do you really dare to stab anyone?
"If you so much as make a move, you'll go to jail immediately. Let me ask you, what will happen to your worthless daughter then?
"Could you bear to leave her home alone?"
Lin Wanyi gripped the knife and lunged toward her:
"You tell me if I dare! Try it! Come and try it!"
Wang Meijuan scrambled away in terror, quickly hiding behind Li Jun.
Li Jun's face turned white as he waved his hands frantically:
"Sister-in-law, this has nothing to do with me! Don't come after me, please don't come after me!"
