Chapter 12: Liu Yongming Leads an Expedition to Demand Justice

“Work assignments, work assignments... If it weren’t for your job, neither your sister nor I would have to endure so much humiliation! From now on, you must stand up for your sister. That wretched Lin Qin treated me so badly—my arm still hasn’t healed! If things get worse, just say you two don’t get along and threaten to divorce!” Ma Cuihua proposed angrily.

Liu Yongming frowned even deeper. “Mom, this really is a last resort. I don’t want you to bear the stigma of being a difficult daughter-in-law unless absolutely necessary.”

Hearing that her son was trying to protect her, Ma Cuihua felt somewhat comforted.

“Fine, then hurry up, or your sister won’t be able to go to school!” Ma Cuihua reminded him as she was leaving.

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

Along the way, he planned how to explain things to Lin Yi and persuade Lin Qin to return to school. But when he arrived at Shanglin Village, he found his father-in-law’s gate locked and no sign of anyone.

Just then, Lin Qingxiang was walking over, and Liu Yongming hurried to ask, “Uncle, do you know where my father-in-law has gone?”

Lin Qingxiang scrutinized him carefully, his face instantly falling. “Weren’t you back long ago? Lin Qin only took the child to her in-laws’ house after hearing you had returned. Don’t you know why your father-in-law isn’t home?”

Liu Yongming felt a mixture of embarrassment and displeasure at Lin Qingxiang’s questioning and replied coolly, “I’ve been interning at work and haven’t been living at home.”

“You haven’t been living at home, yet you let your wife and child go back there? Let your mother bully them? Is that how you’re supposed to be a husband?” Lin Qingxiang berated him harshly, showing no respect.

Unable to stand it, Liu Yongming turned and got on his bike to leave.

Lin Qingxiang spat on the ground. “Ugh! What a worthless bastard!”

Since Liu Yongming hadn’t found Lin Qin and didn’t want to go home to be nagged by Ma Cuihua and his sister, he had no choice but to go to Fang Ying’s place.

Fang Ying raised an eyebrow when she saw him return late. “Went to deal with that yellow-faced woman?”

Liu Yongming exhaled in frustration, his expression gloomy. “I went to Shanglin Village but didn’t find anyone. Don’t know where they’ve disappeared to! Today, she even caused a scene at my sister’s school, making my sister isolated by teachers and classmates. This woman is getting more and more uncontrollable. Got any good ideas?”

Fang Ying’s lips curled into a slight sneer. “You’re so capable, huh? Now you come begging me? Hmph! There are plenty of ways to handle a woman like that! Isn’t she very concerned about her daughter and her father? Use those two to pressure her into submission!”

Liu Yongming suddenly felt enlightened. “No wonder you managed to get into a technical college. You’re smart! I’ll make a few more trips to Shanglin Village over the next few days. I don’t believe they can keep hiding forever!”

The next morning, Lin Qin arranged for Liu Yaya’s discharge from the hospital. The child’s back injury still caused pain and required very careful handling.

Lin Yi had specially borrowed a wheelbarrow from Shanglin Village to place Liu Yaya on. The two of them carefully brought the child back to Shanglin Village.

In recent days, whenever Lin Qingxiang finished work, he would stop by Lin Yi’s place. Seeing the door open, he went straight inside. “Where are they?”

“They’re here, they’re here!” Lin Yi came running from the backyard, inviting Lin Qingxiang to sit down and talk.

Lin Qingxiang didn’t bother with formalities. Sitting down on a small stool, he lit a cigarette. “Let me tell you, your son-in-law came by yesterday evening, couldn’t find you, and left. The way that kid acted like he was better than everyone else made me furious.”

Lin Yi was taken aback for a moment, then sat down. “What did you say to him?”

“What else could I say? I asked why you weren’t home, and he couldn’t answer. Then he got all sullen and walked away. What the hell kind of guy is that? I tell you, that kid is no good. Lin Qin and the child have suffered greatly. Who knows what will happen if we send them back!”

As an outsider, Lin Qingxiang saw things more clearly than Lin Yi. The son-in-law Lin Yi admired now seemed a very different person.

Lin Yi fell silent.

Lin Qingxiang glanced at the small backyard door and quietly asked, “How’s the child?”

Lin Yi’s face was full of worry. “She has a large burn on her back. She’s been crying and complaining of pain every day. Her mother and I have taken turns caring for her day and night. She still hasn’t fully recovered.”

Hearing this made Lin Qingxiang’s heart ache. He looked at the child in the backyard and, seeing the injury, his anger flared again.

He cursed from the backyard all the way to the front yard, startling the neighbors.

Lin Qingxiang recounted everything the Liu family had done, urging everyone to condemn them.

That evening, Liu Yongming came again. Seeing people inside, he barged in. “Dad! I’m here to pick up Aqin and Yaya.”

Without a word, Lin Yi grabbed Liu Yongming’s collar. “Now that the child is discharged, you come to take them? Where were you before? What were you doing when your mother, your sister-in-law, and your sister were bullying them?”

Liu Yongming’s face flushed with anger and embarrassment. He forcefully broke free, frowning unhappily. “Dad! If you’re going to talk, just talk—don’t get physical. I’m still studying and can’t always take care of family matters. If you want to scold me, go talk to Aqin. My mom just said a few words to her, and she snapped back. Yaya’s spoiled by her too. Look what happened this time—my sister-in-law got hit. My older brother insists I give him an explanation.”

Lin Yi laughed in disbelief. “So? What exactly are you here for? I’m telling you, my daughter and I will protect her. The Liu family can’t just treat her badly! If you want to take them away today, fine! But you better return the injuries my daughter and Yaya have suffered. If not, get out right now!”

Liu Yongming’s expression shifted. “Dad! What nonsense are you talking? Haven’t things already been settled? Aqin and Yaya are fine now. I’m back, and my mother won’t treat them like that anymore. Besides, how can a married woman keep living at her parents’ house? What kind of face would I have? Your pride won’t be saved by this either!”

“Nonsense! I don’t care about your face or anyone’s. Respect is earned! Your family has behaved disgracefully and deserves no respect!” Lin Yi raged.

Liu Yongming didn’t want to argue further. Stretching his neck, he called toward the backyard, “Aqin! Aqin! I’m here to take you. Come on, bring the child and come back with me! I promise those things will never happen again.”

Just as he finished calling, Lin Qin appeared.

Liu Yongming smiled smugly at Lin Yi, then began to scold Lin Qin with dissatisfaction. “We’ve been married for years, and you know how my mother is. Why do you have to take things so seriously with them? Now the child’s suffering because of it. You even caused a scene at A Li’s school—do you know how you’ve ruined her future? Pack your things and come back with me. Tomorrow, we’ll go to A Li’s school to explain everything to her teachers and classmates. She’s in ninth grade; her studies can’t be affected.”