Chapter 37: Thorns, A Huge Mistake

Chapter 37: A Thorny, Colossal Mistake

"Divorce?" Sister-in-law Qin glared at Aunt Qin, never expecting her to say such a thing. Was divorce something to be mentioned so casually?

"Exactly!" Aunt Qin nodded. "Your family has produced a spy, a traitor to the country."

"No, that was my granduncle, not my immediate family," Sister-in-law Qin argued.

"You’re shameless!" Aunt Qin spat.

"Back then, it was all of you who refused to let Song Fenglan into the family," Sister-in-law Qin took a deep breath.

"I merely spoke a few words. If your in-laws disagreed, then they disagreed. I’m not Yi Zhou’s birth parents—I couldn’t make the final decision."

Aunt Qin didn’t think she was at fault. As an opportunist, she couldn’t have spoken too much at such a critical moment—staying silent wasn’t an option, but saying too much would risk offending people. So, she hadn’t said much.

But Sister-in-law Qin had kept insisting back then that Song Fenglan’s background was tainted, fearing she would bring trouble to the Qin family and affect her husband.

Song Fenglan wasn’t even marrying Eldest Brother Qin—why did Sister-in-law Qin have so much to say?

"Eldest sister-in-law—"

"As the saying goes, ‘Eldest sister-in-law is like a mother’—is that what you were going to say?" Aunt Qin rolled her eyes. "Your mother-in-law is still alive—since when does the daughter-in-law get to make decisions? You never meant well, only caring about yourself."

"You—"

"Me what? Dare you say you didn’t have such thoughts?" Aunt Qin retorted.

"Mom, I swear I didn’t know," Sister-in-law Qin turned to Mother Qin.

"..." Mother Qin remained silent, her feelings conflicted. Her eldest daughter-in-law’s family had produced a spy—can you imagine?

"Mom, you have to believe me. I truly didn’t know," Sister-in-law Qin pleaded.

"You didn’t know—but, did your father know? Did your mother know?" Aunt Qin pressed. "I remember before Yi Zhou got married, your mother came over and told him not to marry Song Fenglan. She even said she could introduce him to a better match. Luckily, Yi Zhou didn’t listen. If he had, we’d all be screwed now. The real mistake was ever letting you marry into this family—that’s why things have turned out this way."

"No!" Sister-in-law Qin gritted her teeth. "I am not to blame!"

"If it’s not your fault, then whose is it?" Aunt Qin demanded. "The spy was your granduncle—that’s a huge mistake right there."

"I..." Sister-in-law Qin looked at Mother Qin again, pleading with her eyes.

"Eldest daughter-in-law, did you come here for something?" Mother Qin asked, unwilling to discuss Sister-in-law Qin’s granduncle.

"My father lost his job. I was hoping Dad might know someone who could help..."

"No. Absolutely not," Aunt Qin cut in. "You actually have the nerve to ask for help? If I were you, I’d go home, keep quiet, and live quietly. I’d rather hang myself—how could you even think of asking for help?"

"There’s nothing we can do," Mother Qin said. This wasn’t a small issue—how could we possibly get involved?

When it came to the Song family’s affairs, the Qin family hadn’t stepped in. Now, if they tried to help with Sister-in-law Qin’s granduncle’s case—which had already been branded a spy, not something like a capitalist situation that could be overturned—how could they possibly reverse it? Unless he’d been a spy for our side—but was that even possible?

Impossible! If Sister-in-law Qin’s granduncle had really been an undercover agent, he wouldn’t have lived so comfortably on the other side of the strait, always plotting against us.

It was just that no one had known back then that the man was Sister-in-law Qin’s granduncle. Now, the truth was out.

"Mom, where’s Dad?" Sister-in-law Qin wondered if she should try talking to her father-in-law—maybe he would agree.

"Don’t bother looking," Aunt Qin said. "How about this—you divorce your husband, and we’ll see about helping your father?"

"..." Qin’s wife couldn’t possibly divorce her husband. If she did, she would truly be left with nothing.

Aunt Qin took one look at Qin’s wife's expression and knew she would never divorce Eldest Brother Qin. Of course—staying married meant a comfortable life, and she could even take things from the Qin family to support her own parents. Why would she give up such perks?

"Your father is so old—why does he still need to work?" Aunt Qin hit a nerve.

If she had to choose, Qin’s wife would rather her own father lose his job.

"So much for being a dutiful daughter?" Aunt Qin sneered. "Why are you still standing there?"

With a thud, Qin’s wife dropped to her knees before Mother Qin, still hoping she would help her father. "Mom, if you help my dad, I’ll bring the kids to visit more, we—"

"And if we don’t help? You’ll disown your parents? Refuse to support them in their old age?" Aunt Qin turned to Mother Qin. "See what your eldest son’s wife is like? How is she fit to be the family’s first daughter-in-law? I say, just let them divorce."

Aunt Qin didn’t believe Qin’s wife could turn things around. With someone like her, you had to crush her completely, to make her truly afraid.

"Auntie, this is none of your business." Qin’s wife gritted her teeth, unwilling to let Aunt Qin continue.

"I’m still a Qin," Aunt Qin retorted. "If I don’t step in, your mother-in-law will just be fooled by you again."

Qin’s wife looked at Mother Qin, but Mother Qin refused to meet her gaze. Furious, Qin’s wife stood and stormed out. As the first daughter-in-law, she’d already humbled herself—yet Mother Qin still snubbed her. It was Mother Qin’s fault.

As Qin’s wife rushed out in a rage, not even reaching the door yet, Aunt Qin added, "Face it, you’re finished. Don’t expect your eldest son and his wife to support you in old age—it’s hopeless. Look at her—throwing a fit when she doesn’t get her way. It’s not like she wasn’t given a choice. She wants her husband and helps her father. She wants it all—since when does life work that way?"

Aunt Qin knew how to stir the pot and twist the knife.

"Think carefully. If those two don’t divorce..." Aunt Qin sighed. "They’ve been married so long, divorce really isn’t likely. But... given the state of her family, she should visit them less."

"Ah." Mother Qin sighed. "We chose so carefully, and look how her family turned out."

"There must be something wrong with their family. Otherwise, why would her father lose his job?" Aunt Qin said. "Others kept their jobs—only he lost his. That alone tells you there’s a problem."

"Things are already like this..." Mother Qin was beyond frustrated, worse than when Qin Yizhou had announced he wanted to marry Song Fenglan.

"You’ll have to keep her in check from now on," Aunt Qin advised. "All she does is take from our Qin family to give to her own. No shame at all. What kind of daughter-in-law behaves like this?"

Aunt Qin had never criticized Song Fenglan this much before. At most, she’d said Song Fenglan’s background was bad and Qin Yizhou shouldn’t marry her. A few words were enough—she hadn’t even said much to Song Fenglan directly.

Around Song Fenglan, Aunt Qin had been relatively quiet, and Song Fenglan hadn’t provoked her either. On the surface, Aunt Qin had merely acted displeased, speaking little.

The Qin family refused to help, and Qin’s wife found the same response wherever she turned. No one would lend a hand—no one would risk sinking with her. Her uncle was indeed a major spy, the kind that could never be cleared.

Back at home, Qin’s wife collapsed in tears. The Qins were heartless—how could they do this to her?

Aunt Qin didn’t call Song Fenglan. She felt she’d criticized Song Fenglan little before, but it was still enough to offend. Calling now wouldn’t do any good. Better to wait until Song Fenglan returned before bringing up other matters.

The care package from Song Fenglan’s mother for Qin Zihang finally arrived. It should have come much earlier, but delays had stretched it to nearly a month.

Song Fenglan opened the parcel to find clothes for Qin Zihang, along with formula and other essentials. Her mother had considered sending dried fruits but worried about packaging and the long journey from the capital to the southern city. She decided to wait until colder weather to send other items.

"Mom, did Grandma send all this?" Qin Zihang exclaimed. "So many things!"

"Yes, all from Grandma," Song Fenglan nodded.

Unsure of Qin Yizhou’s size, Song Fenglan’s mother hadn’t bought him clothes but included fabric so Song Fenglan could make some for him.

"Nice clothes!" Qin Zihang held up one outfit.

The garment had been made by Song Fenglan’s mother back on the farm, embroidered with little animals, intended for Qin Zihang. Later, after the Song family’s rehabilitation and their return to the capital, she’d acquired more goods and sent this piece along with the rest.

"Your grandmother's embroidery is better than mine. She taught me all these skills," said Song Fenglan.

"I really want to meet Grandma," said Qin Zihang. "Grandma is so nice, really nice, much nicer than Granny. Granny's not nice."

Song Fenglan hadn’t taught Qin Zihang that Granny wasn't nice—this was just how the child honestly felt.

"You..." Song Fenglan glanced at Qin Yizhou sitting beside her.

"Mom hasn’t treated him well, so he feels it. He doesn’t like her, and that’s fine," Qin Yizhou said. He wouldn’t force the child to like his grandmother.

"Aren’t you worried I taught him that?" Song Fenglan asked.

"You wouldn’t teach him such things," Qin Yizhou replied. "If you had, it might even be better. Don’t be foolish—whether it’s parents or anyone else, if they treat you poorly, you shouldn’t like them. Don’t feel pressured by family."

Song Fenglan strongly agreed with Qin Yizhou’s words. "Hangbao’s still little. I don’t dare to impose likes or dislikes on him, afraid it might set a bad example. Kids pick up everything—whether good or bad, they learn fast. That won’t do. It’s easy for kids to learn bad habits but hard to learn good ones."

"You’ve had your hands full," Qin Yizhou said. "Your mother sent so many things."

"A bunch of packages came at once," Song Fenglan explained. "She even sent winter clothes—all brand new."

Song Fenglan had been planning to go shopping for winter clothes soon, as the weather was getting colder. The lab hands out clothes too, but she wanted something cuter—at least a couple of outfits, especially for little Hangbao.

"Mom said she didn’t know your size, so she didn’t buy you clothes. Instead, she sent some fabric for me to make you something," Song Fenglan said.

"That’s so like Mom," Qin Yizhou remarked.

Song Fenglan opened another package. She had just said there were no clothes for Qin Yizhou, but inside was a coat clearly meant for him.

"Mom clearly said there weren’t any clothes for you," Song Fenglan checked the package slip again. "This is the right package."

She decided to call her mother to ask if it was meant for someone else, like Professor Su.

"It’s for Yi Zhou," her mother said. "We took a guess and got one."

"Mom, you didn’t even tell me," Song Fenglan said.

"I just forgot to mention it," her mother replied. "These things only just arrived at your place now. Slow, since later shipments arrived first. Fast, because the earlier ones are only arriving now. Get that formula opened for Hangbao pronto. Check to make sure it hasn’t gone bad. If it has, throw it out."

"It’s all good—not spoiled," Song Fenglan had already checked the milk powder cans.

"You have some too—you need the nutrients," her mother said, her heart going out to her daughter. She didn’t know what her daughter’s current figure was like, but she imagined she must be exhausted. "Don’t worry about us not having enough to eat. Your father got his back wages, so we have money to buy these things. If you need anything, just tell us."

They couldn’t rely on the Qin family to provide for Song Fenglan and her son—it had to be the Song family.

"We’ve got everything we need. Just take good care of yourselves. I’ll get back to unpacking," Song Fenglan said before hanging up, waving Qin Zihang over. "Come here, thank Grandma."

"Thank you, Grandma," Qin Zihang said into the phone. "Hangbao loves you lots. Thank you, Grandma. Grandma, Hangbao will come visit you later!"

"Good. Grandma, Grandpa, Uncle, and Auntie are all waiting for you to come see us," her mom chuckled.

After hanging up, Song Fenglan turned and saw Qin Yizhou’s sulky expression. "What’s wrong?"

"I didn’t get to thank Mom," Qin Yizhou said.

"Oh... It slipped my mind," Song Fenglan said. "Do you want to call back and say thanks?"

"No, next time," Qin Yizhou replied. No sense calling back just for thanks—that’d burn up the phone bill.

Qin Yizhou felt bad about using public phone funds this way; he’d have plenty of opportunities to speak with his mother-in-law later.

"Here, try this on," Song Fenglan handed the coat to Qin Yizhou.

"I want to try it too," Qin Zihang said.

"Alright, both of you go try it on together," Song Fenglan waved them off, needing to unpack the rest of the items.

Everything sent by Song Fenglan's mother was intact—nothing had been stolen. Her mother had hidden the milk powder cans between layers of clothes, so even if someone handled the package, they wouldn’t suspect there were milk powder cans inside. Since it was delivered to the military housing compound, no one would dare mess with it.

Song Fenglan set aside the clothes her mother had sent for her—a bright red outfit that was both stylish and elegant. Her mother still understood her well, knowing exactly what kind of clothes she liked.

Qin Zihang and Qin Yizhou put on the coats. Qin Yizhou’s fit perfectly, while Qin Zihang’s was a bit too long.

"My hands are lost in the sleeves," Qin Zihang said.

"Your grandma was worried you’d shoot up in height soon, so she bought it longer to make sure you wouldn’t outgrow it too fast," Song Fenglan explained. "I told her the same thing—our little Hangbao will grow tall in no time."

"Grow big and strong!" Qin Zihang cheered.

"Take them off now. These clothes still need to be washed," Song Fenglan said. "They’ve come a long way—best to wash and sanitize them."

"I’ll wash them," Qin Yizhou offered.

"You wash them," Song Fenglan smiled. "You should—it’s a bargain since you’re saving so much money."

"True, I hit the jackpot. My mother-in-law gave me a stunning, brilliant wife—I’m the real winner," Qin Yizhou said.

"What about me? What about me?" Qin Zihang chimed in eagerly.

"You’re our little love, our treasure," Song Fenglan always told Qin Zihang this, even during times when her relationship with Qin Yizhou wasn’t as strong.

She never let him sense any tension between his parents.

"There, sweetie... Satisfied?" Song Fenglan asked.

"Dad?" Qin Zihang turned to his father, who hadn’t spoken yet.

"Your mom’s right—you’re our heart’s joy," Qin Yizhou said, watching his son giggle behind his hands, which lifted his own spirits.

"It has to be the heart’s joy!" Qin Zihang declared, then rolled his eyes playfully. "Dad, Mom is my heart, and you’re just a tiny bit behind her."

"Hmm," Qin Yizhou pretended to think. "Mom is Dad’s heart, and you’re just a tiny bit behind her."

"Okay, we’ll both take second place to Mom," Qin Zihang turned back to his mother. "Mom, am I your heart, or is Dad?"

"..." Song Fenglan smiled at her son—was this a pop quiz? "You’re both my heart."

"If we’re both hearts, does that mean two little horns, like a panda? Not a unicorn?" Qin Zihang asked.

Song Fenglan chuckled, relieved that Qin Zihang didn’t yet understand that the heart was singular and couldn’t grasp the full metaphor. She knew his gullible days were numbered. She wondered how long this innocent version of her son would last—though she hoped he’d grow smarter sooner rather than later.

That day, Qin Yizhou had to call a car to pick up the packages—there were too many for him to carry alone. Yue Hongwei was also running errands, so only one car was available. When Yue Hongwei saw the sheer volume of items, he was stunned and remarked on how much there was, asking if it was from Qin Yizhou’s parents.

"It’s from my in-laws," Qin Yizhou clarified, not wanting anyone to mistake it for his own parents’ doing. His own mom just called once to ask if Song Fenglan and the child were there—no packages had come from them. Qin Yizhou knew better than to expect anything from his own parents.

When the Song Family returned to the capital, their first thought was of Song Fenglan. They brainstormed what she’d need and bought it all before sending it to her. Sometimes, they’d ship things by day, then remember at night that they’d forgotten something and had to send more.

Song Fenglan’s mother wasn’t afraid of being labeled materialistic. Their family had been cleared of past accusations, and they were simply sending necessities to Song Fenglan—nothing illicit. Having not seen her daughter in years, Song’s mother always felt like she hadn’t prepared enough. She wanted to send as much as possible, knowing the damp cold bites just as hard as the winters in the capital, if not worse.

When others saw Qin Yizhou unloading many things from the car, passersby would often ask, and Qin Yizhou would give the same reply.

Yue Hongwei returned home and remarked to Fan Yani about how good Qin Yizhou’s in-laws were.

"My birth family wouldn’t send so much stuff, and you know—they’re adoptive parents," Fan Yani said. She couldn’t expect her adoptive parents to treat her better than their biological son—that wasn’t realistic.

"I’m not asking your birth family to send anything," Yue Hongwei said. "When Qin submitted his marriage report back then, even his superiors advised him to think carefully."

"And now?" Fan Yani raised an eyebrow.

"Now everyone says he married well," Yue Hongwei replied.

"Exactly," Fan Yani said. "What goes around comes around—no one knows the future. Marriage is a lifelong commitment. If people love someone and want to be with them, stopping them is pointless. Why not let them be together if they truly care? Why not live boldly while you can?"

"You don’t know how hard Qin has worked these past few years, taking on so many missions and getting injured," Yue Hongwei said. "People say if he hadn’t married his wife, maybe he wouldn’t have pushed himself so hard."

"He’s taking responsibility for his wife," Fan Yani said.

"Yeah," Yue Hongwei nodded. "Only recently has he seemed a little more relaxed."

"It’s good he’s relaxing," Fan Yani mused, though she suspected Qin Yizhou might not truly be relaxed. Song Fenglan was Song Xingyun’s niece—who knew if she had read his notes or something? Regardless, the Song family’s quick rehabilitation definitely had something to do with Song Fenglan. Instead of going on other missions, Qin Yizhou should focus on protecting her. "Qin worked hard, but Feng Lan must have too. When no one was looking, she must have put in a ton of work."

"You…" Yue Hongwei looked at Fan Yani. "You seem to really like Feng Lan."

"Of course. If not someone like her, then who?" Fan Yani said. "I know right from wrong, and I won’t listen to my sister-in-law’s nonsense. Speaking of which, she’s been laying low lately—like a scared little bird."

Fan Yani figured Shi Guilan’s husband had been transferred too early. If they were still around, given Shi Guilan’s actions during the Cultural Revolution, she’d be in trouble now that people were being rehabilitated.

The higher-ups had been kind to Staff Officer Xu, transferring him to an unfamiliar place where he wouldn’t have as many enemies. As long as Shi Guilan behaved there and didn’t stir trouble, she’d be fine. Being in unfamiliar territory, she’d likely keep a low profile.

"Did anyone see those things?" Fan Yani asked.

"Some did," Yue Hongwei nodded. "Qin said they were from his mother-in-law."

"Qin is decent," Fan Yani said. "He didn’t pretend his birth parents sent them—he was honest about it."

Some men, afraid of embarrassing their birth parents or themselves, would insist their own parents sent the gifts. Some wives wouldn’t dare contradict them.

Qin Yizhou straightforwardly credited his in-laws—it was better this way, sparing his wife any discomfort.

When the neighbors heard how much the Song family had sent, they were envious. No one called them capitalists to their faces now—if they did, it was only in private, never openly.

The Song family’s rehabilitation marked the end of that era. Who would shamelessly bring it up now? They’d just look petty.

Qin Zihang was like a kid in a candy store, eyes wide at all of it. When Zhang Xiaohu came over to play, Zihang proudly boasted about all the things his grandmother had sent.

The Song family had also prepared coats for Professor Su and his wife—a safer bet, less likely to raise eyebrows. They weren’t worried about displeasing the Sus, but about getting them into hot water.

When Song Fenglan’s family went to deliver the gifts, Zhang Xiaohu stayed briefly before heading home.

"So much stuff!" Zhang Xiaohu waved his arms excitedly at home. "Zi Hang’s grandparents sent so much!"

He envied Qin Zihang, who had so much while he didn’t.

"That’s how their family is," Auntie Fatty told Zhang Xiaohu. "Don’t go begging Zi Hang for things."

"I didn’t! His clothes wouldn’t even fit me," Zhang Xiaohu said. "Auntie gave me milk—it was yummy."

"You even drank their milk?" Plump Auntie stared at Zhang Xiaohu.

"Auntie Song made it for me," Xiao Hu replied.

"..." Plump Auntie didn’t know what to say. Her youngest son always loved going next door to play, and Song Fenglan treated Xiao Hu so well. Plump Auntie felt her son was truly blessed in his naivety. "You should be nicer to Zi Hang, understand? You’ve eaten so much *at* their home."

She wasn’t sure if her son felt embarrassed, but as a mother, she certainly did.

Professor Su and Mrs. Su invited Qin Yizhou and his wife to stay for dinner. When they were given the coats, they thanked them warmly and asked Fenglan to convey their thanks to the Song family.

"You’re too kind," Mrs. Su said.

"It’s only right," Fenglan replied.

While Mrs. Su cooked, Fenglan didn’t assist—instead, Yizhou helped in the kitchen, and Zi Hang played in the living room. Fenglan and Professor Su went to the study to discuss some work matters.

"Your uncle’s always like this—even on his day off, he’s still thinking about work," Mrs. Su said with a smile. "And he ropes Fenglan into it too."

"Uncle takes his work seriously," Yizhou said.

"So does Fenglan," Mrs. Su added. "Your uncle is fortunate—he doesn’t have to manage household affairs. But Fenglan is a mother, and mothers always worry about their children. She has to handle so much more. If there’s anything she overlooks, you should be understanding."

As someone who had been through it herself, Mrs. Su could endure it, but she wasn’t sure if Yizhou could.

"Part of my job is to manage the household and support my wife in logistics," Yizhou said earnestly and solemnly.

By the time Mrs. Su and Yizhou brought the dishes to the table, Fenglan and Professor Su were still in the study.

"Dinner’s ready—come eat first," Mrs. Su knocked on the door. "You can discuss work matters when you’re back at work. Hurry and eat."

Hearing Mrs. Su’s voice, Professor Su finally dropped it. "Go eat. If we delay any longer, your auntie will scold us."

"Auntie is worried about your stomach and wants you to eat on time," Fenglan said. "You really should take care of yourself."

"Of course, of course. With all of you around, how could I not?" Professor Su thought of the new fighter jets. He had to live long enough—not just to contribute more, but also to see the day when the country could produce its own fighters without being held back by foreign dependence.

Once everyone sat down to eat, Mrs. Su habitually dished out food for Zihang, knowing exactly what dishes he liked.

After the meal, Yizhou’s family left together. Professor Su had wanted to bring up work again, but Mrs. Su gave him a look. "It’s your day off—stop thinking about work. Even if you don’t rest, at least let Fenglan have a break."

Professor Su dropped it. He really wanted to continue discussing work, but he supposed it could wait until they were back at work.

Zi Hang held his father’s hand in one hand and his mother’s in the other, grinning from ear to ear.

Li Hui and Guo Peng happened to walk their way, and the two groups ran into each other.

Li Hui stopped, and Guo Peng followed suit.

Fenglan didn’t speak to Li Hui or her husband, nor did Yizhou. The couple simply walked forward, holding their child’s hands.

"..." Li Hui pursed her lips, then turned to watch Fenglan’s family walk away.

"Don’t look," Guo Peng said.

"They’re happy," Li Hui said quietly.

"..." Guo Peng thought, of course Yizhou and his wife were happy. The shadow over them was gone, the stigma lifted, and Yizhou would no longer face negative repercussions. Fenglan still worked at the research institute—a wife like that was only a plus for Yizhou.

He wondered if Li Hui was still thinking about Yizhou. He was no match for Yizhou, but Li Hui hadn’t ended up with Yizhou.

Qin Yizhou and his wife didn’t give Li Hui a second thought. They didn’t care if she was stammering or miserable, nor did they concern themselves with whether Li Hui was happy or unhappy. Li Hui wasn’t their relative—so why would they care about her happiness?

At this moment, Sister-in-law Qin returned home seething, having hit walls at every turn. People who once greeted her with smiles now shut her out and even asked, "Why are you even here?"

This infuriated Sister-in-law Qin—those people hadn’t acted like this before.

There was nothing she could do. After what had happened in her family, both she and her relatives had become social pariahs.

"Are you thinking of divorcing me?" Sister-in-law Qin sent the children to their room before confiding in her husband in the bedroom. She didn’t want them to see her losing control.

"No," Eldest Brother Qin replied.

"Your aunt is pushing you to divorce me," Sister-in-law Qin sneered. "Since when does she get a say in our family matters?"

"Just tune her out," Eldest Brother Qin said. "Why let her words bother you?"

"You don’t know how harsh she was," Sister-in-law Qin retorted. "She even compared me to Song Fenglan. Now Song Fenglan is the prized one. Song Fenglan hasn’t held it against me, but your aunt has."

Sister-in-law Qin had expected Song Fenglan to give her hell, but so far, neither Song Fenglan nor Qin Yizhou had called to berate her. The couple likely figured it wouldn’t change a thing.

"You know how my aunt is," Eldest Brother Qin said. "Let her talk—just tune her out. Back then, she tried to stop Yi Zhou from marrying his wife, but did he listen? Her yapping doesn’t change anything..."

"Of course it does!" Sister-in-law Qin snapped. "She used to praise me as a good niece-in-law, but now she only spews venom. And it’s not just me hearing it—others must have too. I think she’s trying to force me into a divorce."

"Do you want a divorce?" Eldest Brother Qin asked.

"Divorce? Over my dead body!" Sister-in-law Qin would never agree to that. Divorce wasn’t happening in her current state.

No decent man would touch her now that her family’s reputation was ruined.

She would remain Eldest Brother Qin’s wife—she still had two children to think about.

"Then what’s the problem? You don’t want a divorce, and neither do I," Eldest Brother Qin said, finding his wife unreasonable. Lately, she had been on edge, reacting to every little thing. "Back when my aunt criticized my sister-in-law, you—"

"Don’t bring up the past!" Sister-in-law Qin cut him off. "Do you all expect me to take this lying down like Song Fenglan?"

"..." Eldest Brother Qin did think that way. Song Fenglan hadn’t kicked up a fuss, so why was his wife causing trouble?

Who was the real victim here?

He felt his wife was being unreasonable and failing as the eldest daughter-in-law.

"Fine, go ahead and blame me," Sister-in-law Qin said bitterly. "Do you think I wanted my family to end up like this? I had no idea!"

She broke down in tears, realizing she couldn’t keep being aggressive. She needed to soften her approach, fearing her husband might actually leave her. With her family’s disgrace, no one would blame him—they’d only say she deserved it.

"My father lost his job," she said. "His position can’t be passed down. Our family... I’ve told you, but you don’t listen. You won’t lift a finger to help them."

"I can’t help. Really, I can’t," Eldest Brother Qin said. "Your family was involved with spies—"

"It was my granduncle, and he’s hardly blood to me!" Sister-in-law Qin argued. "Back then, even parents and children got separated, let alone uncles and nephews."

She wished her granduncle had died long ago—it’d have died with him, no one would’ve known, and her family wouldn’t have suffered. Now, she felt it was unfair. Her father wasn’t a spy!

Before, when the Song family was sent to the labor camp, Sister-in-law Qin hadn’t thought them innocent—just deserving. But now that the fire had reached her, she saw her own family as victims.

"Distance doesn’t matter—it’s not up to us to decide," Eldest Brother Qin said. "At least Father only lost his job. It could’ve been worse. Quit stirring the pot, and don’t ask others for help. No one will step into this mess. I’m stuck here, but I won’t let you sink me further."

"Seems like you want to escape this fire I’m in," Sister-in-law Qin said coldly. "Don’t even dream of it."

The news about Sister-in-law Qin reached Jiang Yufei's ears, and she cheered. Back then, Sister-in-law Qin not only looked down on Song Fenglan but even gave Yu Xiaoyi the cold shoulder. Whenever Jiang Yufei greeted Sister-in-law Qin, the latter either ignored her or rolled her eyes.

Now that Jiang Yufei had learned about this matter, she made sure everyone heard about it, even telling her mother.

"That Qin woman—Feng Lan’s sister-in-law—her great-uncle was a spy," Jiang Yufei said, sitting in her parents’ living room and pouring herself another glass of water. "Word is her father got fired."

"Why do you care about this?" Yu Xiaoyi asked.

"She looked down on me," Jiang Yufei replied. "It’s one thing for her to look down on Song Fenglan, but she also disdained us. Her family was working-class, and so was ours. Who does she think she is? Now the tables have turned."

"Why would I invite myself?" Yu Xiaoyi brushed it off. She didn’t want to dwell on these matters, nor did she feel the need to get involved.

Ever since the Song family was rehabilitated and returned, Jiang Yufei’s relatives had been urging Yu Xiaoyi to get closer to Madam Song, hoping she could mooch more off her. Yu Xiaoyi felt helpless—she didn’t want to constantly run to her elder sister.

Yu Xiaoyi and Madam Song weren’t full sisters; they were half-sisters, but their relationship appeared decent. Still, Yu Xiaoyi always felt a sense of inferiority around Madam Song, even though Madam Song never looked down on her or called her ‘bastard-born.’ Madam Song genuinely treated Yu Xiaoyi as a younger sister—otherwise, she wouldn’t have given Yu Xiaoyi so much in the past and entrusted her with taking care of Song Fenglan.

Madam Song trusted Yu Xiaoyi completely, but Yu Xiaoyi knew what her in-laws were like. She believed her family had already received enough and shouldn’t keep pestering her sister.

"Mom, she rolled her eyes at you. What’s wrong with taking some pleasure in her misfortune?" Jiang Yufei scoffed. "Believe me, if Song Fenglan were here, she’d definitely mock her back."

"..." Yu Xiaoyi found herself missing Song Fenglan a little. Song Fenglan was reliable and didn’t require much worrying. Yu Xiaoyi glanced at Jiang Yufei and thought how much better it would be if Jiang Yufei and Song Fenglan could switch places.

Jiang Yufei knew Song Fenglan wasn’t someone to be bullied. On the surface, Song Fenglan might seem patient, but she was a wolf in sheep’s clothing, always finding ways to retaliate against those who wronged her. Back then, Jiang Yufei had expected Song Fenglan to be crushed by reality, but instead of seeing a weak and helpless person, she encountered a seemingly delicate woman with thorns hidden inside.

This year’s leap-month festival, Sister-in-law Qin spent alone. Qin’s parents didn’t invite her to celebrate with them—they only asked Eldest Brother Qin to bring the children. In truth, Qin’s parents didn’t explicitly forbid her from joining, but since they hadn’t directly invited her, Sister-in-law Qin refused to go. In previous years, during leap months, their family would invite relatives over for a special meal, but this time, nobody felt like celebrating.

"I’m not going. You take the kids to your parents’ place," Sister-in-law Qin said. "They didn’t invite me—they only called for you and the children. Why would I invite myself and let your parents laugh at me?"