Chapter 12: Liu Yongming Demands an Explanation

"Job placement, job placement. If it weren't for your job, my daughter and I wouldn't have to suffer so many grievances! You must help your sister out in the future. That bitch Lin Qin treated me like this—the wounds on my arm are still there! If there’s really no other way, just say you can't get along with her and threaten her with death to force a divorce!" Ma Cuihua suggested spitefully.

Liu Yongming’s brow furrowed even tighter. "Mom, this is a last resort. I wouldn't want you to carry the reputation of a wicked mother-in-law if I didn't have to."

Hearing that her son was considering her feelings, Ma Cuihua finally felt a bit better.

"Fine, then hurry up, otherwise your sister won't be able to go to school!" Ma Cuihua didn't forget to urge Liu Yongming before she left.

After sending them off, Liu Yongming thought for a moment, bought some cheap biscuits, and rode his bicycle toward Shanglin Village.

Along the way, he had already figured out how to explain things to Lin Yi and how to persuade Lin Qin to go to the school to clarify matters. However, when he arrived at Shanglin Village, he found the gate to his father-in-law's house locked, and there wasn't a soul in sight.

Just then, Lin Qingxiang happened to be walking by. Liu Yongming hurriedly stepped forward and asked, "Uncle, do you know where my father-in-law went?"

Lin Qingxiang looked Liu Yongming over carefully, his expression instantly souring. "Didn't you come back a long time ago? Lin Qin only took the child back to her in-laws' house because she heard you were back. What? You don't know why your father-in-law isn't home?"

Facing Lin Qingxiang’s questioning, Liu Yongming felt a mix of embarrassment and displeasure. He explained coldly, "I’ve been interning at my unit during this time, so I haven't been staying at home."

"If you weren't staying at home, why did you let your wife and child go back? To let your mother and her family bully them? Is that how you act as a husband?" Lin Qingxiang unleashed a barrage of scolding, showing him no respect at all.

Unable to listen any longer, Liu Yongming turned around, got on his bike, and left.

Lin Qingxiang spat on the ground. "Pah! What a piece of trash!"

Not having seen Lin Qin and not wanting to go home to be nagged by Ma Cuihua and his sister, Liu Yongming had no choice but to return to Fang Ying’s place.

Seeing him return late, Fang Ying raised an eyebrow and asked, "Did you go deal with that yellow-faced woman?"

Liu Yongming let out a frustrated breath, his expression depressed. "I went to Shanglin Village, but I didn't see anyone. I don't know where they crawled off to! She even went to my sister's school today and caused a scene, causing my sister to be ostracized by her teachers and classmates. It seems this woman is becoming increasingly uncontrollable. Do you have any good suggestions?"

A mocking smirk tugged at the corner of Fang Ying’s mouth. "Aren't you so capable? Now you know to come begging me? Hmph! There are plenty of ways to handle a woman! Doesn't she care about her daughter and her father? Just use those two to force her into submission!"

Liu Yongming was suddenly enlightened. "As expected of a woman who could get into junior college, your brain is sharp! I’ll make a few more trips to Shanglin Village these next few days. I don't believe they can hide forever!"

The next morning, Lin Qin processed the discharge papers for Liu Yaya. The child’s back still hurt, so she had to be held with extreme care.

Lin Yi specifically returned to Shanglin Village to borrow a wheelbarrow, placed Liu Yaya on it, and the two carefully brought the child back to Shanglin Village.

For the past few days, Lin Qingxiang would stop by Lin Yi’s place after finishing his work. Seeing the door open, he walked straight in. "Where are they?"

"Coming, coming!" Lin Yi ran over from the backyard and invited Lin Qingxiang to sit down and talk.

Lin Qingxiang didn't stand on ceremony, sat on a small stool, and started smoking. "Let me tell you, your son-in-law came by yesterday evening. He couldn't find you, so he left. I get angry just looking at that kid with his nose in the air."

Lin Yi paused and sat down as well. "What did he say?"

"What else could he say? He asked why you weren't there. I asked him back how he could not know where you went. He couldn't answer, gave me attitude, and just turned around and left! What a piece of work! I’m telling you, that kid is clearly no good. Lin Qin and the child have suffered greatly this time; who knows what will happen if they get sent back!"

As an outsider, Lin Qingxiang saw things more clearly than Lin Yi. The "good son-in-law" in Lin Yi’s eyes didn't look like that at all now.

Lin Yi fell silent.

Lin Qingxiang glanced at the small door to the backyard and asked in a low voice, "How is the child?"

Lin Yi’s face was full of sorrow. "A large patch of her back was scalded. For the first few days, she cried and screamed every day, saying it hurt here and there. Her mother and I took turns looking after her day and night. It’s still not fully healed!"

Lin Qingxiang felt his heart ache. He specifically went to the backyard to look at the child, and when he actually saw the wound, his anger flared up again.

He cursed all the way from the backyard to the front courtyard, startling all the nearby villagers.

Lin Qingxiang told them everything the Liu family had done, point by point, and got everyone to join in the condemnation.

In the evening, Liu Yongming came by again. Seeing people in the house, he barged right in. "Dad! I’m here to pick up A-Qin and Yaya."

Without a word, Lin Yi stepped forward and grabbed Liu Yongming by the collar. "Now that the child is discharged, you’re here to pick them up? Where the hell were you before? Where were you when your mother, your sister-in-law, and your sister were bullying them?"

Liu Yongming’s face turned red and white under Lin Yi’s scolding. He struggled to break free from his grip and frowned with dissatisfaction. "Dad! Let’s talk properly, don't get physical. I’m still studying and can't look after things at home. Instead of scolding me, you should talk to A-Qin. My mother just said a few words to her, and she talked back. Yaya is the same; she’s been spoiled rotten by her. Look at how she bumped into my sister-in-law this time—my brother is demanding an explanation from me."

Lin Yi laughed in anger. "So? What the hell are you here for? Let me tell you! My daughter still has me, her father, to protect her. She’s not someone your Liu family can trample on just because you want to! You want to take them away from me today? Fine! Whatever injuries Yaya suffered, and whatever injuries my daughter suffered—whoever did it, you make them pay it back. Otherwise, get the hell out of here now!"

Liu Yongming’s expression shifted slightly. "Dad! What nonsense are you talking about! Haven't the previous matters already been put behind us? A-Qin and Yaya are fine. Now that I’m back, my mother and the others definitely won't treat them like that again. Besides, there’s no such thing as a married daughter staying at her maiden home forever. If word gets out, where will I put my face? Your reputation won't look good either!"

"Bullshit! I don't care about your face or reputation; reputation is earned by oneself! Your Liu family doesn't act like human beings, you deserve to have no face!" Lin Yi cursed in a rage.

Liu Yongming didn't want to argue with him. He stretched his neck and shouted toward the backyard, "A-Qin, A-Qin! I’m here to pick you up, hurry and bring the child back with me! I promise those things from before will never happen again."

As soon as he finished shouting, Lin Qin appeared.

Liu Yongming smiled triumphantly at Lin Yi, then immediately began to lecture Lin Qin with dissatisfaction. "Look, we’ve been husband and wife for so many years. You know what kind of temper my mother and the others have, so why do you have to be so stubborn with them? Now look, the child has suffered because of it. You even went to A-Li’s school to cause a scene. Do you know that by doing this, you’ve ruined A-Li’s future?

Hurry up and pack your things and come back with me. Tomorrow, go to A-Li’s school and explain things clearly to her teachers and classmates. A-Li needs to go to school normally; she’s in her third year of middle school, her studies cannot be affected."