After settling on the wedding date, the Fu Family left.
Compared to the excitement of Si's Father and Si's Mother, Lin Sisi wasn’t as happy. The moment the Fu Family was gone, her smile faded.
Because that day, Fu Yang hadn’t touched her.
When Lin Sisi heard the name "Si Nian" from Fu Yang’s lips, her heart filled with panic and dread.
In her past life, at least for the first three years, Fu Yang hadn’t loved Si Nian.
But in this life, Si Nian had left at the moment he despised her the most. Yet this man, who should have been relieved and happy, had called out Si Nian’s name while drunk.
They say drunken words are sober thoughts.
Even if Fu Yang hadn’t fallen in love with Si Nian, it was clear from the current situation that she was still on his mind.
The only consolation was that Si Nian and Zhou Yueshen were already married.
Fu Yang’s pride would never allow him to break up someone else’s marriage.
But it still stung.
No matter how hard she tried, why couldn’t she win Fu Yang’s heart?
Lin Sisi’s face darkened.
In the Si Family, aside from her, there was one other person with a grim expression.
Liu Dong, wearing an apron, stood in the kitchen, leaning against the counter with a pale face.
She hadn’t expected Lin Sisi and Fu Yang’s wedding to be scheduled so soon.
It left her utterly unprepared.
The thought of that radiant, tall, and handsome man marrying another woman made Liu Dong’s heart feel as if it were being torn apart.
Si Nian had no idea about the storm brewing in the military compound. She slept straight until three in the afternoon.
With nothing to do, she took Yaoyao out for a bike ride to get some fresh air.
She had only planned to circle around and head back, but then she spotted a crowd gathered up ahead.
Curious, she followed the passersby who were glancing in that direction and soon heard crying and shouting coming from the Zhang Family’s small courtyard not far away.
Many were watching the spectacle.
Recognizing the gate, Si Nian realized it was the home of Sister-in-law Zhu, the woman who had previously come to buy mung bean cakes from her.
Intrigued, she parked her bike and led Yaoyao over to see.
At the Zhang Family’s doorstep, Zhu Yun sat in disarray, clutching her two children as she wiped away tears, her hair a mess.
The two little girls in her arms, much younger than her own children—around three or four years old—were wailing uncontrollably.
The onlookers murmured in pity, whispering among themselves.
"I heard Zhu Yun secretly saved private money to send back to her family."
"Her mother-in-law and sister-in-law found out, searched under her pillow, and discovered the cash. Now they’re making a scene, demanding a divorce—the two daughters go with her, but the son stays with the Zhang Family. What a tragedy."
"No way, Zhu Yun’s always been so timid. How could she dare hide money? And where would she even get the means to support her family?"
"Who knows? Maybe she’s been stashing it away. Her husband Zhang Xiong works as a porter in town and earns a decent amount. Could be she’s been skimming off the top."
At the doorstep, Zhu Yun wept and cried out in despair, "Mom, I never gave money to my family!"
"Then explain where the money under your pillow came from! My son hasn’t even split from the family yet, and you’re already hoarding private funds? No wonder our savings have been shrinking this past year—it’s because of you, you backstabbing thief! My grandson hasn’t even had treats, yet you’ve been secretly buying expensive snacks for these two worthless girls. You’ve got a death wish, haven’t you?"
Madam Zhang jabbed a finger at Zhu Yun’s forehead, her voice sharp with fury. Zhu Yun didn’t dare dodge.
Beside her, a younger woman who resembled Madam Zhang smirked. "Stop lying, sister-in-law. I saw you handing money to your family. My brother works himself to the bone, and all his earnings end up feeding outsiders. It’s disgusting."
The Zhang Family had three sons and a daughter. The sons worked outside, and since they hadn’t divided the household, they managed to save a fair amount.
Their life was comfortable—at least by local standards, they were considered well-off.
But Zhu Yun’s two elder sisters-in-law came from better backgrounds and had strong personalities. Madam Zhang, being a bully who feared the strong, took out all her frustrations on her youngest son’s wife.
Zhu Yun never dared talk back. And after bearing two daughters in a row, she fell even further out of favor.
The family’s other grandchildren rarely got sweets, yet Zhu Yun had spent money on something as extravagant as mung bean cakes for her daughters. The discovery enraged Madam Zhang, who now wanted nothing more than to drive this "traitor" out.
Hearing her daughter’s accusation only stoked her fury. Her eyes burned with malice as she glared at Zhu Yun.
In the crowd, Si Nian finally understood—this whole mess had started because of her mung bean cakes.
She knew many families in the village had strained relationships between mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law.
But she hadn’t expected it to be this bad.
Looking at Madam Zhang’s sharp, unkind face—so similar to Aunt Liu’s—Si Nian couldn’t help but shudder.
For a moment, she felt grateful that Zhou Yueshen’s parents had passed early.
Zhu Yun trembled like a leaf, her face ghostly pale. "I—I didn’t! That money was from my own sewing work. I never took a single cent from my husband’s earnings!"
She had saved that bit of cash, hoping to use it for her daughters’ schooling. But because of the mung bean cakes, her sister-in-law had caught on.
Not only had they taken the money, but now her mother-in-law was screaming for a divorce.
Terror gripped Zhu Yun. With three children, how could she survive if she were sent away?
Her husband treated her well. Though she had always been the least favored in the family, she held onto the hope that they would eventually split the household. She had been careful—so careful.
Yet now, at this critical moment, disaster had struck.
To Zhu Yun, it felt like the sky was falling.
"Bullshit! That lousy sewing of yours couldn’t earn you a dime! Shameless wretch—divorce! Get out of my house today!"
Si Nian frowned and was about to step forward when Zhu Yun suddenly dropped to her knees, pleading, "Mom, please! I was wrong! Don’t throw me out—I’ll never save money again!"
Si Nian paused.
She had intended to explain about the mung bean cakes, but sometimes, explanations were useless.
People like Zhu Yun were pitiable, but if they couldn’t even stand up for themselves, how could others help them?
"Respecting others’ fates" was one of Si Nian’s life principles.
She turned to leave.
But just as she did, Zhang Qian—watching from the doorway—suddenly spotted her.
Straightening up, Zhang Qian pointed and shouted, "Isn’t that Si Nian? My sister-in-law bought mung bean cakes from you, right? You must’ve seen the money she used!"
The crowd instantly turned to stare at Si Nian.
Si Nian stopped in her tracks.
Zhu Yun looked up, her face ashen.
Sure enough, there stood Si Nian, poised and indifferent, her expression faintly annoyed.
Zhu Yun’s eyes held a glimmer of hope—not that Si Nian would defend her, but at least that she’d clarify the truth: Zhu Yun really didn’t have that kind of money.
Si Nian glanced at her, then away, and said simply, "Yes."
Zhu Yun’s face twisted in disbelief.
Zhang Qian immediately let out a cold laugh and, looking at the shocked faces around her, declared, "Everyone heard that, didn’t they? It’s not that our Zhang Family is being unreasonable by driving her out. She’s the one who went too far—sneaking money to her own family behind our backs and secretly indulging herself. Tell me, who could tolerate such behavior?"
The crowd was stunned. Initially, they hadn’t believed Zhu Yun would dare to be so bold.
But since Si Nian claimed to have witnessed it, it must be true.
As Zhang Qian gloated triumphantly, Si Nian spoke up, "Why the rush? I haven’t finished yet."
