Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Granny Xue’s words unsettled Xu Jiefang.

As soon as the meeting ended, he pulled Wang Meili aside and whispered, “Second sister-in-law, have you seen her?”

Everyone knew the truth—had Xu Jiefang found someone better, Granny Xue would’ve pushed him to divorce long ago.

Wang Meili gave a knowing smile. “Don’t worry, what the old lady said is nonsense. I heard Yanwen and her daughter are hustling at a street stall near the train station.”

The train station was a high-traffic spot. It wouldn’t take long for word of Feng Yanwen and Xu Meng’s business to spread. If someone recognized them and mentioned it back home, the whole family would know in no time.

But Wang Meili didn’t think much of it—they were just not worth mentioning, doing shady gigs like that. As if they could actually make it big out there!

To old-school minds, running an individual business was shameful. She hadn’t dared bring it up in front of Granny Xue earlier—if she got angry and refused to let Feng Yanwen come back, the whole family would suffer.

Xu Jiefang, however, felt relieved. He wasn’t only worried that Feng Yanwen had found another man—he also feared she might be doing too well outside.

He knew she’d been unhappy all these years, but Granny Xue had drilled into him since childhood that this was just a daughter-in-law’s lot in life. She should endure it. When she grew older and became the matriarch, others would fawn over her too. Why couldn’t she bear a little hardship?

Hearing she was hustling at a small-time stall eased his worries. Small-time hustling was tough work, earning peanuts—nowhere near as comfortable as staying home. After all, she hadn’t worked much in years anyway, right?

They agreed to pick her up. From the hospital, Xu Jiefang went home, changed into something cleaner, and shaved.

Wang Meili got ready too, and with Xu Laoer tagging along, the three made their way to the train station.

It was afternoon when Feng Yanwen and Xu Meng wrapped up work. They packed everything into a cart, both on cloud nine—today had been good: fifteen watermelons sold, two to three hundred maps gone. At this rate, they’d rake in a solid sum before summer break.

Xu Meng already had plans—whipping up a shopping list, no less. Feng Yanwen teased her about it, but secretly admired her daughter’s drive. That kind of confidence was great to see.

Feng Yanwen realized she should’ve gotten out there sooner.

Back then, people were conservative—jobs were government-assigned. After being suspended from school, she’d sunk into a deep funk. A former teacher couldn’t just take a maid’s job, so she stayed home for years, putting up with sneers left and right.

Now that she was making money, she decided to pamper herself a little. Housework was done for good.

After work, they passed a restaurant and decided to grab a bite out.

A pound of pork-and-leek dumplings—just enough for the two of them.

At first, Feng Yanwen hesitated to spend the cash until Xu Meng crunched the numbers.

“…Going home means lighting the stove and cooking for one or two hours. Isn’t it easier to eat out? Two yuan for good eats, no fuss. Think of it as working an extra hour selling melons—doesn’t that sound worth it?”

Feng Yanwen had to admit it did. After a few days, she fully embraced the idea.

Before, she was stuck in a never-ending grind around the kitchen.

Now, not cooking didn’t bother her at all. Today this, tomorrow that—eat whatever she wanted, no nagging, no walking on eggshells. That was real freedom.

“Wait, let’s go inside,” Xu Meng suddenly said, spotting an electric fan in a shop window. “Mom, we need one.”

They’d been roasting lately. Even though northern nights weren’t as humid as southern ones, she still couldn’t sleep. With how busy they’d been, they kept forgetting to buy a fan. By the next day, she’d forget again. Xu Meng had even had to crash on a bamboo bed in the yard.

Feng Yanwen remembered—the fan was top of the list.

When they came out, the cart now held a brand-new Huasheng table fan.

Over a hundred yuan, but Feng Yanwen shelled out without batting an eye—something she’d never have done before.

They rarely bought anything for the household, since any spending would inevitably draw complaints. Over time, people grew cautious about spending money. Now, with no such worries and her own money to manage, Feng Yanwen felt completely free. As they left the store, she said to Xu Meng, “Don’t sleep outside tonight—there are too many mosquitoes. I’ve burned mosquito coils inside.”

Xu Meng smacked her forehead. “I forgot to buy mosquito coils!”

Mosquito coils were easy to get—available at any small shop.

After grabbing the coils and a few small things like soap and detergent, they bumped into Xu Jiefang and the other two right outside.

Wang Meili was the first to speak. Her eyes zeroed in on the brand-new “Huasheng” fan in their cart, and her face lit up. Her family had an old fan, bought when she got married, which had broken last year. Despite multiple repairs, it still rattled loudly whenever it spun, driving her crazy.

“Well, look who’s splurging now! A new fan?” Wang Meili stepped closer to inspect it. “And a top brand, no less! Spending like this—is this how you manage a household?”

Xu Jiefang also stared at the fan.

Feng Yanwen had once complained that their old fan was too weak and wanted a bigger one, but back then he had refused. He thought having any fan at all was good enough. Now she had gone and bought such a big item without even telling him. Being a traditional man, he struggled not to dwell on it. Hearing Wang Meili’s sarcastic tone only made him more uncomfortable.

He bit back his words, remembering why they had come.

This was Xu Meng’s first face-to-face with Wang Meili since coming back.

If Xu Jia had taken her college admission notice, Wang Meili was surely behind it.

Xu Meng clenched her fists, fighting the urge to slap her.

“We didn’t spend your money. Mind your own business.”

Wang Meili immediately bristled, raising her voice. “Well, look who’s got a spine now! You’ve been gone so long, spending big, and now we can’t even say a word? You know I’m your aunt—not some stranger. With how things are at home, who’s to say you didn’t take money from there to waste out here?”

Xu Meng had had enough of her. “Really? If your family’s rolling in cash and doesn’t even notice when it goes missing, then anyone could just help themselves, couldn’t they? Did you come here just to lecture me about spending?”

Wang Meili gave Xu Meng a once-over. Before, she had been pretty but mousy, always shrinking into herself. Now, she carried herself confidently. Feng Yanwen seemed different too—no longer the insecure woman she once was.

Feng Yanwen’s face darkened.

She had tolerated their nagging before, when they controlled the money. But how dare they accuse her and Xu Meng of stealing?

She searched Xu Jiefang’s face but saw no defense there. Her heart turned colder. She relied on no one now and wouldn’t let anyone dictate her life.

“Is this why you came?” Feng Yanwen snapped. “You hoard your money at home—I never touch it. You know exactly how much I have. If you came to start something, leave.”

Xu Jiefang’s anger finally boiled over. “So you’re done—you don’t plan to come back anymore?”

Feng Yanwen: “That’s right. I’m not going back.”

Xu Jiefang: “…”

Wang Meili: “Yanwen, don’t be like this. If Jiefang kicks you out, how will you survive alone? Stop pretending. It’s not too late to go back—I’ll talk to the old lady and ask her to ease up on you.”

Who needs your help? Who wants to go back to that life?

Feng Yanwen snapped. “I’m not going back. Not only that—I want a divorce.”

Xu Jiefang: “What did you say?”

Feng Yanwen: “I said I want a divorce.”

She’d never said it with such conviction before.

At that moment, Xu Jiefang felt a surge of panic. He realized this time was different—Feng Yanwen was serious.

——————

Sister Liu had just gotten off work and decided to drop by to check on the three boys while passing through.

Since Feng Yanwen moved in, the lives of Liu Jin and his two brothers had clearly improved.

On one hand, the fifty-yuan monthly rent helped improve their situation. On the other hand, she heard that the three boys had earned some extra benefits by helping out and had stopped getting into trouble. She was quite satisfied with these two tenants.

But as soon as she reached the alley entrance, she heard an argument. At first, she didn’t pay much attention, but upon closer inspection, she saw it was Feng Yanwen and her daughter with a few unfamiliar people. Curious, she moved closer and overheard Wang Meili’s remarks, which instantly infuriated her.

What era were they living in anyway, still doing things like this at home? As a progressive Party member and official with strong political awareness, how could Sister Liu tolerate this?

“What’s going on, Yanwen? Who are these people?”

“And who are you?” Wang Meili, already fuming, snapped rudely. “We’re handling our own family matters.”

Sister Liu: “What’s that tone for? You know Yanwen, don’t you? Can’t you speak with a little respect?”

Wang Meili: “How am I not respecting her? Did I use a single curse word?”

Reading the situation, Sister Liu was quick to figure out the relationship between these people and Feng Yanwen. She had always wondered why Feng Yanwen moved out, but the latter never gave a clear answer. Now, she understood.

Feng Yanwen found this argument pointless. Normally, she might have felt embarrassed, but today her anger flared, her eyes burning with disgust. “Let’s be perfectly clear. You’re here to take me back, right?

Let’s lay it all out. The only reason you want me back is to take care of the bedridden old lady. If she weren’t paralyzed and the housework left undone, would you even think of bringing me home?”

The Xu family had their connections, but so did she. She knew exactly what condition the old lady was in—sick and paralyzed, only then remembering they had a convenient servant at hand.

Did they think she was clueless? These sisters-in-law were no angels. They never lifted a hand for chores, leaving everything to her, and only remembered her when trouble arose. Using her like a servant—even ancient maids got wages, and being a nanny wasn’t this humiliating. They’d gone too far.

Xu Jiefang suppressed his rising anger. “We don’t have any fundamental conflicts. Why make such a big deal? If you’re upset, this time apart should’ve calmed you. I’ve even explained Xu Meng’s schooling to the old lady—she can study for another year.”

He had come personally and agreed to let Xu Meng continue her education. Wasn’t that showing Feng Yanwen enough respect?

Feng Yanwen shook her head. She didn’t even know how to communicate with this man. Wanting a child of his own wasn’t wrong—why not split up while they were still young and find someone else to have one with? Instead of dwelling on this impossible situation, endlessly arguing and making life miserable, why not settle it once and for all? Wouldn’t that be best for both her and the Xu family?

Xu Jiefang had a job and that prized Beijing hukou. If he wasn’t too picky, he could even aim for a better match—finding a younger woman wouldn’t be hard.

But if he refused to divorce out of some deep affection for her, Feng Yanwen didn’t buy it. After so many years together, she knew exactly how they felt about each other. Maybe there had been some love early in their marriage, but the accumulated conflicts and daily friction had worn it all away. She had no desire to spend the rest of her life agonizing over why she couldn’t bear children. It was exhausting.

And when someone as mild-mannered as her finally uttered the word “divorce,” she meant it.

There was no turning back.