Liu Chunlan stood high and mighty:
"Lin Wanyi, it is you who doesn't know how to behave, and it is you who disrespected me first.
"I am your mother-in-law, yet you hit and curse at me. How do you expect me to endure this? How do you expect me to hold my head high in the village from now on?
"You cannot blame me. Get out, do not stay here and be an eyesore."
Lin Wanyi refused to leave: "I want to see Keke, I must see Keke!"
Slap!
Liu Chunlan slapped her across the face again: "Get out!"
She did not leave; she rushed forward to grapple with Liu Chunlan, but she was no match for her.
Liu Dabing grabbed her by the hair and pulled her away: "You dare to bully my sister right in front of me? Lin Wanyi, I think you have a death wish."
Lin Wanyi was thrown to the ground by her hair, the sharp gravel cutting her palms.
Wang Hao stood in front of Lin Wanyi:
"Do not hit her, Uncle, do not use force, really, do not."
Liu Dabing ignored his words entirely, pushing him aside and squatting in front of Lin Wanyi:
"Listen to me carefully. A mother's brother is the greatest. Around here, the uncle is the most respected elder.
"Kneel down right now and give me three loud kowtows, and I will let you off today. Otherwise, you will see what happens."
Lin Wanyi gritted her teeth tightly, her fingers curled into fists.
She stared straight at Liu Dabing without saying a word. Suddenly, Liu Dabing grabbed her bangs and forced her to look up:
"Stubborn, I see how stubborn you are! Damn it, a thing with no family backing. Even if I beat you to death right now, no one would know.
"Today, you will kowtow whether you want to or not. Kowtow!"
He pressed Lin Wanyi toward the ground as he spoke.
Lin Wanyi kept her head held high and straight: "My mom told me that in this life, we only kneel to our parents and the dead. Uncle, are you dying? Is that why you want me to kneel and kowtow?"
Furious, Liu Dabing raised his fist to strike again, but Wang Hao blocked him once more:
"Let it go, Uncle. Wanyi's father just passed away, and she is very sad right now. Do not hold it against her.
"Let go, I will take her away right now, I will take her away immediately!"
Liu Dabing did not let go. He dragged Lin Wanyi into the room and threw her onto the bed:
"Wang Hao, consummate your marriage right here. I will personally supervise. I insist this bitch gives you a son!"
Wang Hao stuttered: "Uncle, we cannot do this, absolutely not.
"Let us go back. When we get back, I will make her have a son, I absolutely will!"
Liu Dabing leaned against the doorway and lit a cigarette: "Wang Hao, it is not that I doubt you, but are you impotent?
"If you really cannot do it, I can help you..."
"Uncle!"
Wang Hao raised his voice, and Liu Dabing smiled:
"I was just joking with you, are you actually angry?"
He pushed Wang Hao into the room: "I am leaving. You two will stay here at my place for the next two days. Whenever she gets pregnant with a child is when I will let you out."
He slammed the bedroom door shut.
Lin Wanyi pressed against the door and screamed: "Let me out, let me out!
"I want to see Keke.
"Keke! Keke!"
Wang Hao tried to comfort her: "Do not worry, Keke will be fine."
Lin Wanyi did not believe him; she was trying to figure out how to escape.
Her phone rang, and her mother said on the other end:
"The funeral parlor said we cannot keep the crystal coffin at home for too long. They said tomorrow is the last day.
"Wanyi, can you come back tomorrow?"
"Yes!"
Lin Wanyi said over and over again: "Yes, I will definitely make it back!"
Hanging up the phone, she suddenly dropped to her knees in front of Wang Hao:
"Wang Hao, let me go back, please? Have a little conscience and let me go back, okay?
"I have been married to you for eight years, and I have served your family without complaint for eight years.
"Do you remember what you told me before we got married? You said I could go back whenever I wanted, you said you would respect me and would not imprison me at home.
"But look at us now! My dad is gone, and I did not even get to see him one last time. Are you still going to stop me from seeing him off on his final journey?
"Wang Hao, I am begging you, please!"
She pulled at Wang Hao's clothes, crying hysterically without any regard for her image.
She cried until she nearly fainted.
Wang Hao hugged her with an aching heart: "Go back, I will let you go back.
"It is just that my mom cannot bear to part with Keke right now. Honey, how about I go back with you?
"We will go pay our last respects to Dad. Keke is too young, and it is not safe for her to go to that kind of place, so let us leave her at home.
"Do not worry, my mom promised me she will absolutely never give Keke peanuts again. As long as you come back, she will not do anything to Keke."
Lin Wanyi looked at him in disbelief: "Wang Hao, are you threatening me?
"Are you using Keke to threaten me?"
Wang Hao did not dare look at her, because what she said was the truth.
Although he was not as blunt about it as Liu Chunlan, he thought the same way in his heart.
Lin Wanyi was the best and most outstanding wife he could possibly marry, and he was a hundred percent satisfied with her.
Liu Chunlan often talked about local girls, but he could not afford a single local girl.
Even second-marriage women asked for a bride price of 388,000 yuan. Where would he get that kind of money?
So, even though Lin Wanyi had not wanted a second child all these years, he had never forced her.
He just wanted Lin Wanyi by his side.
A few months ago, many brides from other towns in the neighboring village had left and never returned.
He was terrified deep down; he was afraid of losing Lin Wanyi.
So, from the beginning, when Lin Wanyi said she wanted to visit her maiden home, he had disagreed, but he did not say it out loud. He let Liu Chunlan play the bad guy.
"Are you threatening me?"
Lin Wanyi continued to ask him: "Wang Hao, we dated for two years and have been married for eight. Do you not know what kind of person I am by now?
"If I wanted to run away, I would have done it a long time ago. Your mom does not trust me, but why do you not trust me either?
"I already missed seeing my dad one last time. Do I have to miss his funeral too?
"Can you not put yourself in my shoes?"
Wang Hao knew. He knew everything.
He had been agonizing over this for the past two days. On one hand, he knew Lin Wanyi had to go back; on the other hand, he was afraid she really would not return.
After thinking it through, he ultimately chose his own side:
"Honey, I will go back with you!"
Lin Wanyi finally lost all her support. She knew she could not go back alone.
But that was her dad. She had to go back no matter what.
Thinking of this, she turned on her phone and tried to dial 110.
She needed the police to help her. She had to go back!
But before the call could connect, Wang Hao grabbed her hand:
"Enough! I already promised to go back with you. What more do you want?
"Lin Wanyi, do not push it.
"My mom is right. I have spoiled you too much and given you too much face.
"From now on, your phone stays with me, and I will contact your mom.
"I will give you half a day to think about it. Your dad must be buried tomorrow. Think carefully about whether you want to go back with me to send him off in person, or just watch it through the phone. You decide."
Lin Wanyi stared fixedly at Wang Hao through teary eyes.
She looked at this man she had so carefully chosen.
Her heart was finally, completely dead.
