"Job assignment, job assignment... If it weren't for your job, we wouldn't have suffered so much! In the future, you have to help your sister. That bitch Lin Qin treats me this way, and the injury on my arm is still fresh! If it doesn't work, tell them I can't get along with her, and threaten divorce with death if necessary!" Ma Cuihua suggested in a huff.
Liu Yongming furrowed his brows even tighter, "Mom, that's a last resort. I don't want you to carry the reputation of being an evil mother-in-law unless absolutely necessary."
Ma Cuihua felt a bit better hearing that her son was considering her feelings.
"Alright then, hurry up, or your sister won't be able to go to school!" Ma Cuihua reminded Liu Yongming as she was leaving.
After seeing them off, Liu Yongming thought for a moment, bought some cheap biscuits, and rode his bicycle towards Shanglin Village.
Along the way, he planned how to explain to Lin Yi and persuade Lin Qin to go to the school. However, when he reached Shanglin Village, he discovered that the door to his father-in-law's house was locked, and there was no one in sight.
Just then, Lin Qingxiang was walking over, so Liu Yongming quickly approached and asked, "Uncle, do you know where my father-in-law went?"
Lin Qingxiang looked Liu Yongming up and down, and his face immediately fell, "Weren't you supposed to be back already? Lin Qin took the kids back to her parents' house after hearing you were back. What? You don't know why your father-in-law isn't home?"
Liu Yongming, faced with Lin Qingxiang's questioning, felt embarrassed and displeased. He explained lightly, "I've been interning at work these days, not staying at home."
"You haven't been home, so why did you make your wife and kids go back there? To let your mom's family bully them? Is that how a husband should act?" Lin Qingxiang lashed out at Liu Yongming, giving him no face at all.
Liu Yongming couldn't take it anymore and turned his head, getting on his bike and leaving.
Lin Qingxiang spat on the ground, "Pah! What a worthless piece of crap!"
Having not seen Lin Qin and not wanting to go home to be scolded by Ma Cuihua and his sister, Liu Yongming returned to Fang Yin's place.
Fang Yin saw him return late and raised an eyebrow, "Dealing with that old hag's issue?"
Liu Yongming sighed heavily, looking depressed, "I went to Shanglin Village, but no one was there. No idea where they went! Today, she even caused a scene at Yaya's school, isolating her from her teachers and classmates. Seems like this woman is getting out of control. Do you have any good suggestions?"
The corners of Fang Yin's mouth curled with a slight sneer, "Weren't you very capable before? Now you know to ask me? Hmph! There are plenty of ways to handle a woman! Doesn't she care a lot about her daughter and her dad? Use them to force her compliance!"
Liu Yongming had a sudden realization, "No wonder you got into college; you're so smart! I'll run to Shanglin Village a few more times these days. I don't believe they can hide from me forever!"
The next morning, Lin Qin handled the discharge paperwork for Liu Yaya, who still felt pain in her injured back and had to be carried with extreme care.
Lin Yi specifically returned to Shanglin Village and borrowed a wheelbarrow to transport Liu Yaya, and the two carefully took the child back to Shanglin Village.
For the past few days, after finishing work, Lin Qingxiang would visit Lin Yi's place. Seeing the open door, he went straight inside, "Where are you?"
"Coming, coming!" Lin Yi ran in from the backyard, inviting Lin Qingxiang to sit and chat.
Lin Qingxiang didn't stand on ceremony, took a seat on a small stool, and started smoking, "I tell you, your son-in-law came by yesterday evening. Couldn't find you and left. Just looking at that kid's proud expression made me angry."
Lin Yi was slightly stunned and then sat down, "What did he say?"
"What else could he say? He asked why you weren't home. I asked him why he didn't know where you were, and he couldn't answer and gave me attitude, then turned around and left! What a thing! I tell you, that kid is no good. Lin Qin and the kid have suffered greatly; if you send them back, who knows what will happen!"
Lin Qingxiang, as an outsider, saw things more clearly than Lin Yi, who now realized his good son-in-law wasn't what he seemed.
Lin Yi remained silent.
Lin Qingxiang glanced at the small door to the backyard and asked quietly, "How's the kid doing?"
Lin Yi looked worried, "A large area of her back was scalded. She cried every day about the pain all over. Her mom and I have been taking turns caring for her day and night, and she's still not fully healed!"
Hearing this made Lin Qingxiang's heart ache, and he specifically went to the backyard to see the child. Upon seeing the injury, his anger went through the roof.
He cursed loudly from the backyard to the front yard, attracting all the neighboring villagers.
Lin Qingxiang recounted every wrong the Liu family had done, urging everyone to curse them together.
By evening, Liu Yongming came again. Seeing people inside, he barged in directly, "Dad! I'm here to take Ah Qin and Yaya home."
Lin Yi stepped forward without a word and grabbed Liu Yongming by the collar, "Now that the kid is discharged, you've come to get them. Where the hell were you before? While your mom, sister-in-law, and sister bullied them, what were you doing?"
Liu Yongming's face turned pale, then red, as he forcibly broke free from Lin Yi's grip, frowning in dissatisfaction, "Dad! We can talk, no need to get physical. I'm still studying; I can't take care of family matters. Instead of scolding me, why don't you tell Ah Qin? My mom only scolded her a bit, but she talks back. Yaya, too, spoiled by her, and now she hit my sister-in-law. My brother insists I give him an explanation."
Lin Yi laughed angrily, "So what? What the hell are you doing here? Let me tell you! I am here to protect my daughter and granddaughter. They are not for you to bully at the Liu family's whim! If you want to take them today, fine! But first, you must return what was done to Yaya and my daughter. If not, then get lost!"
Liu Yongming's expression changed slightly, "Dad! What nonsense are you talking about? Haven't we moved past all that? Ah Qin and Yaya are fine now, and I'm back. My mom and the others won't treat them like that again. Besides, no married woman stays at her parents' house forever. How will that look for me if it gets out? And it won't be good for your reputation either!"
"Bullshit! I don't care about your reputation! Reputation is earned, and your Liu family's actions deserve shame!" Lin Yi shouted in fury.
Liu Yongming didn't want to argue anymore and craned his neck, shouting towards the backyard, "Ah Qin, Ah Qin! I'm here to take you and the kid home! I promise that what happened before will never happen again."
Just as he finished shouting, Lin Qin appeared.
Liu Yongming quickly smiled smugly at Lin Yi and then started criticizing Lin Qin with discontent, "How many years have we been married? You know what my mom and the others are like, so why cross them? Now look, the kid has suffered because of it, and you even went to Yaya's school to cause trouble. Do you know you've ruined her future with your actions?
Pack up and come back with me. Tomorrow, we'll go to Yaya's school and explain things to her teachers and classmates. We need to ensure Yaya can continue her studies. She's in her final year, and her education mustn't be affected."