Chapter 27: At Worst, We'll Just Part Ways

Arrived home.

Sun Xiaojuan was cooking in the hallway by the entrance.

Unfamiliar voices drifted from inside the house. Leng Hui walked in carrying a sack, only to find that she recognized the people inside.

It was Li Yong, the section chief of the technical department at the machinery factory; she had even gone to the hospital with Li Ying from the Women's Federation to visit Tang Lin last time.

"Uncle Li."

"Ah, Huihui, you're back," Li Yong nodded to her with a smile.

Noticing the sack she was carrying, Tang Lin asked curiously, "What did you bring back this time?"

"I got a few radios from the scrap yard." Leng Hui carried the sack into the partition room of their main house and set it down.

As she came back out, Li Yong couldn't help but ask, "As far as I know, the radios at the scrap yard are all junk; there's no possibility of fixing them. Why did you bring that stuff back?"

"What else would it be for? To waste money, obviously!" Old Mrs. Leng, who had been sitting on the edge of the bed in the corner, snapped.

Li Yong gave an awkward laugh, checked the time, and stood up to bid Tang Lin farewell. "It's getting late, so I'll be heading off now."

Tang Lin politely tried to keep him, "Dinner is almost ready. Stay and eat before you go."

"No, no, my family is waiting for me to come home for dinner."

It was all just polite formalities; Li Yong wasn't going to stay.

As soon as Li Yong left, the expressions of Tang Lin and her daughter immediately turned cold, and they didn't brighten up even after finishing their meal.

When Leng Yongkang returned from work, he also noticed the sack in the partition room and asked about it during dinner.

"Where did you get so many old radios? I saw two old fans in there as well."

Leng Hui scooped a large amount of bamboo shoots into her bowl and replied nonchalantly, "For repairs."

"Pfft!" Sun Xiaojuan burst out laughing. "Cough, cough, sorry, I couldn't help myself."

"I'm not saying this to be mean, Huihui, but do you even know how to fix radios? Don't tell me you don't even know the names of the components inside."

With a sneer playing on her lips, Leng Mei asked, "This is hilarious. Sister, when did you learn how to fix radios? How come I didn't know?"

"Is the fact that I can fix radios so funny?"

Leng Hui scanned the people in the room, finally fixing her gaze on Leng Mei's face. "Is it really that funny? Does it matter whether you know I can fix radios or not?"

The smile on Leng Mei's face froze. She glanced at everyone and lowered her head to eat her rice in a show of grievance.

"What a nuisance!" Leng Hui rolled her eyes at her.

"How much did you spend on that scrap?" Old Mrs. Leng asked coldly.

Leng Hui raised an eyebrow and retorted bluntly, "How much I spend is none of your business. Mind your own business!"

"You—!" Old Mrs. Leng clutched her chest in anger.

Leng Yongkang glared at Leng Hui. "You wasteful child, how dare you speak to your grandmother like that!"

"I am speaking calmly. She's the one with the narrow mind; are you blaming me?"

Old Mrs. Leng's face turned ashen with rage. Clutching her chest, she cried out that she was feeling unwell.

The two brothers, Leng Yongkang and Leng Yongxing, hurriedly stood up to comfort her and help her catch her breath.

Tang Lin took a bite of rice and said unhurriedly, "Try something new. Don't use this 'clutching the chest' trick every single time."

Leng Hui laughed. "Exactly. If you use this trick every time, it's like the boy who cried wolf. If your chest actually hurts one day, no one will believe you."

"Look at this! What kind of thing have you married? And that one—what kind of creatures have you given birth to! They won't be satisfied until they've angered me to death!" Old Mrs. Leng cried out in anger.

"Every time we argue, you belittle me. Since you look down on me so much, if you're so capable, have your son divorce me."

Tang Lin was laughed by anger.

Old Mrs. Leng's mouth was constantly filled with insults like "thing" or "creature." Since everyone couldn't stand each other, they might as well divorce and live separately so everyone could have some peace.

Leng Yongkang frowned and shouted at Tang Lin impatiently, "Shut up! My mother only said a few words to you. It's no big deal. Is there a need for you to make such a huge scene? Have I been too good to you lately, making you lose sight of your place?"

Seeing her son siding with her, Old Mrs. Leng felt somewhat comforted and looked at Tang Lin triumphantly.

Tang Lin felt as if she had heard a joke. She found it hilarious, but at the same time, she felt pity for the original owner of this body. "Whether you are good to me or not, we both know the truth in our hearts. As for the 'place' you mentioned, then tell me, where exactly should my place be?"

"You are my wife. Serving my parents is the duty we owe as sons and daughters-in-law. My mother is old; she only has a few years left. Can't you just be a bit better to her? If something happens, can't you just endure it and let it pass?"

"That is your mother. If you want to endure her, that's your business, but I won't!"

When people are not on the same wavelength, even half a sentence is too many. Tang Lin didn't want to argue with him; it was too exhausting.

Leng Yongkang was stunned for a moment, and seeing that she refused to back down, he flew into a rage. "If you can't endure it, then endure it anyway! Since ancient times, a woman follows her husband wherever he goes. Once married into a family, she should honor her parents-in-law, raise the children, and serve her husband.

All these years, out of consideration for your hard work at your job, I have never mistreated you with housework, to the point where you've forgotten your duties as a wife.

Lately, you've even become more aggressive, hurling insults at my mother. Go outside and look—what daughter-in-law in any other family acts like you!"

"I don't need to imitate anyone; I will just be myself. I cannot do any of the rules and frameworks you've set. If you insist on making me act according to your requirements, then this life cannot continue. We can only part ways."

Leng Mei watched from the side, secretly clicking her tongue. She hadn't expected her aunt, who was still alive, to dare to go head-to-head with her uncle like this. Was she really not afraid that her uncle might get angry and kick her out of the house?

Leng Hui raised both hands in support. "Mom, I support you! Divorce Dad, and I'll take you to live a happy new life! We won't stay here to take their abuse!"

"You... you..." Leng Yongkang felt his vision go dark from the anger caused by the mother and daughter. What kind of children were these, specifically born to rebel against him?

Sun Xiaojuan pulled Leng Hui's sleeve. "You child, when your parents argue, it's enough if you don't try to mediate; why are you fanning the flames? If they really do divorce, aren't you afraid your mother will find you a stepfather who mistreats you?"

Leng Hui pulled her sleeve back. "My biological father isn't necessarily only good to me. When your Leng Mei was in the hospital, wasn't it him running back and forth, providing both money and effort? When my mom was in the hospital, he was nowhere to be seen, and he didn't even care to see if his daughter was tired."

Old Mrs. Leng threatened, "Divorce then! Eldest, divorce her and see if she can still fly without you. Our Leng family has treated her too well, and she's lost all sense of her own worth."

Leng Hui almost wanted to applaud Old Mrs. Leng's words; it was truly a "divine assist."

Sure enough, Tang Lin slammed the table and stood up. "Divorce then! Anyone who doesn't divorce is a son of a bitch! Leng Yongkang, we're going to handle the paperwork tomorrow!"

Leng Yongkang secretly observed the expressions of the mother and daughter. Seeing that they weren't sad, but instead filled with excitement, agitation, and even a hint of anticipation, his heart skipped a beat. Something was going wrong!

But a man's pride would not allow him to admit he was wrong at a time like this. He stiffened his neck and said stubbornly, "Tang Lin, divorce is a major matter. You'd better think it through. If you really divorce and then try to come back later, I won't allow it."

Seeing this, Old Mrs. Leng continued to stir the pot. "Come back? In your dreams! Once you're divorced, I'll turn around and find you a young, virtuous girl—one with wide hips so she can give you plenty of sons. Let him have ten or eight of them just to make you jealous!"

"Mom, don't act undignified in your old age. As the saying goes, it's better to tear down a temple than to break up a marriage. You're inciting my eldest brother and sister-in-law to divorce; aren't you afraid of losing your virtue!"

Seeing the situation spiraling out of control, Sun Xiaojuan grew anxious.

If the main household divorced, where would they live? Who would earn the money to support the household?