With that thought, she stopped sweeping the floor and gave up on tidying the room.
She couldn't even be bothered with the messy vegetables in the kitchen; they could eat whatever they wanted.
She went to check on Wang Jianguo, who was still sleeping like a dead pig.
Hmph!
She simply climbed right back into bed herself. Anyone could enjoy a little leisure!
Was she born just to serve others?
As they neared the village entrance, Wang Hao called her:
"Mom, wake Dad up. We're almost at the village. Both of you come out to the front door to welcome them."
Liu Chunlan glanced at the snoring Wang Jianguo:
"He hasn't sobered up yet."
Wang Hao was fraught with anxiety. This was his mother-in-law and brother-in-law, visiting for only the second time in all these years. He couldn't afford to neglect basic etiquette.
But knowing Wang Jianguo had drank too much, he instructed Liu Chunlan:
"Let him sleep. Mom, go to the door and get ready. Set off some firecrackers.
"Hurry up, we're almost there."
Liu Chunlan hung up the call and went back to scrolling on her phone.
Firecrackers?
She thought to herself, what kind of big shots were they to deserve a firecracker welcome? She didn't budge an inch.
She wanted to show them who was boss.
She needed to show them that Lin Wanyi wasn't the one calling the shots in the Wang family.
Wang Hao felt uneasy.
He prayed that Liu Chunlan wouldn't drag him down.
Otherwise, his marriage would truly fall apart.
But the closer he got to the house, the more panicked he became.
Because there was no sign of Liu Chunlan anywhere, let alone the firecrackers he had asked for.
Lin Wanyi knew Liu Chunlan would definitely give them an attitude.
But she had made up her mind; with her brother here this time, she wasn't alone.
She was going to lay her cards on the table.
So, she didn't care at all about Liu Chunlan's attitude.
But Li Suhua was different.
She understood etiquette and expected it.
When she heard Wang Hao mention the firecrackers in the car, she had felt somewhat gratified, knowing that at least Wang Hao cared about their visit.
However, when she stepped out of the car and saw absolutely nothing, her displeasure grew.
Wang Hao was incredibly embarrassed. He shouted at the door:
"Mom, my mother-in-law and brother-in-law are here! Mom, come out!"
After shouting, he turned to explain to Li Suhua:
"It's too cold out, and my mom's health isn't great, so she rarely comes outside.
"I'll go call her again. Mom, you and Jiajun just wait in the car. Don't get out, it's freezing out here."
Wang Hao hurriedly pushed open the door to Liu Chunlan's room, only to find her happily laughing at something on her phone.
He grew frantic:
"Mom, what is the meaning of this? Didn't I tell you my mother-in-law and brother-in-law are here?
"Didn't I tell you to set off some firecrackers to welcome them? Why are you still lying in bed?
"Get up quickly, they are waiting for you in the car."
Liu Chunlan rolled over and continued looking at her phone:
"Waiting for me for what? To greet them in person?
"Wang Hao, what kind of important figures are they that I have to personally welcome them?
"I'm not going. Why didn't they bring gifts to pay their respects to me?
"Tsk!"
Wang Hao was furious.
He reached out to pull Liu Chunlan up: "Mom, you're intentionally trying to make my life miserable, aren't you?
"You won't be happy until you see me divorced, right?
"They came from far away and are our guests. Are they supposed to host you instead?"
"I don't care. Give me five hundred thousand right now so I can immediately marry another wife, and I'll drive the people outside away right now. Will you give it to me?"
Liu Chunlan finally turned off her phone.
She certainly couldn't cough up another five hundred thousand.
She shook Wang Jianguo a bit, and finally went out the door herself.
In the car.
Li Suhua remained silent, but Lin Jiajun was visibly upset.
"Sis, what's wrong with her family? We came from so far away, and they don't even have the decency to come out and greet us?
"This is basic courtesy. Do they not welcome us?"
Lin Wanyi was just about to speak when she saw Wang Hao leading Liu Chunlan outside.
He was holding a string of firecrackers, which he set down outside the door.
Crackle and pop! Only after the firecrackers finished going off did Wang Hao open the car door.
Wearing a fake smile, Liu Chunlan said:
"Oh, in-laws, I am so sorry. I never imagined you would come visiting on the second day of the Lunar New Year.
"We've been such poor hosts, I'm truly sorry."
Her passive-aggressive tone made Wang Hao break out in a cold sweat.
He quickly pushed Liu Chunlan aside and helped Li Suhua with her luggage:
"Mom, Jiajun, come inside, hurry inside."
Li Suhua glanced at Liu Chunlan but said nothing.
Having lived for over half a century, she could tell at a glance who was smiling genuinely and who was faking it.
The group walked past Liu Chunlan and entered the house.
In the living room, Wang Hao poured a cup of tea for both Li Suhua and Lin Jiajun.
Liu Chunlan leaned against the wall:
"In-laws, what wind blew you here? Why didn't you let us know before coming?
"You see, I haven't prepared any food or drinks at all. I'm really quite embarrassed."
Hearing this, Lin Wanyi suddenly realized it was getting dark.
Li Suhua and Lin Jiajun had been traveling all day and were definitely hungry.
But from the sound of it, Liu Chunlan had no intention of cooking.
She felt heartbroken and intensely guilty.
At the end of the day, it was her own lack of success that allowed her maiden family to be looked down upon like this.
Without overthinking it, she headed for the kitchen.
Wang Hao immediately understood and followed her.
In the kitchen, Wang Hao quickly tied on an apron:
"Honey, go out and keep Mom and Jiajun company. They came all this way to see you, they must have a lot to say.
"You go be with them. I'll cook. I'll do all the cooking from now on, you don't need to worry about it."
Before Lin Wanyi could step out, Liu Chunlan walked in.
Seeing Wang Hao wearing the apron, she glared viciously at Lin Wanyi:
"You think you're so tough now that your family is here to back you up, huh?
"Listen to me, don't mess with me. If you act crazy like you have these past few days, I won't go easy on you.
"And don't even think your mother and brother will have a comfortable stay here."
"Mom!"
Wang Hao hissed in a low voice after pushing Lin Wanyi out of the kitchen:
"Why are you saying those things? You just have to work against me, don't you?
"They came from so far away, and you won't even give them a meal. What are they going to think?
"Let me tell you, they came this time just to see if Lin Wanyi is doing well.
"If you insist on causing a scene, I guarantee that by the eighth day of the New Year, your son will be divorced and kicked to the curb.
"Think carefully about that."
Liu Chunlan rolled her eyes in anger.
She untied Wang Hao's apron while scolding him:
"Useless thing. Both you brothers are completely useless, entirely whipped by women.
"How did I end up with two sons like you?
"Why is my life so bitter!"
Wang Hao didn't want to listen to her complaints and told her:
"Make your best dishes, and make sure it's a feast. Mom, help your son out!"
Liu Chunlan finally started cooking.
But she was still burning with indignation.
Why should she?
Why should she have to serve her daughter-in-law's mother?
As she chopped the vegetables, she thought to herself that she couldn't let Lin Wanyi have it so easy.
Lin Wanyi had driven away her own daughter, so why should Lin Wanyi's family be allowed to visit?
Why on earth?
As she stewed over this, she spotted a packet of white powder.
An ugly smirk tugged at the corners of her mouth.
Her best dishes. A feast.
Heh!
She would do exactly as asked, she just wanted to see if they would actually dare to eat it!
