Chapter 3 The Cruel Mother-in-Law

I sat in my room, silent as a statue.

My heart ached so hard I couldn't breathe, and all sorts of distracting thoughts grew like weeds.

I wanted to hack Wang Ru to death right then and there, but I knew that wouldn't work for now.

I still didn't know who that bastard was. If I killed Wang Ru, he'd continue to live freely, sleeping with another woman the next day. And then I'd be stuck in jail, waiting to eat peanuts. Why?!

I had to be patient. I had to find out who that man was, so I could deal with him together.

That way, even if I died, I wouldn't feel so suffocated.

Time slipped by unnoticed as I pondered my thoughts. Outside, it was dark.

Only then did I notice that the bitch hadn't returned with my daughter. Hadn't kindergarten already dismissed her? I couldn't help but start to worry again.

Just then, the door opened, and there was the sound of a light turning on. Wang Ru returned with her daughter. Seeing me sitting in the dark, she was startled. "What's wrong with you? You're home, and you don't even turn on the lights? You're scaring me to death! Why are you back so early today? Aren't you going to work?"

I gave Wang Ru a cold look, tempted to retort.

But I held back, saying I wasn't feeling well.

Wang Ru didn't even bother to ask any more questions, and went about removing her makeup.

I felt a wave of sadness. Is this the ideal wife and mother I'd imagined? Ridiculous, absolutely ridiculous!

Thankfully, I still had my daughter. The little girl ran over to me, asking with concern what was wrong and if I'd taken my medicine.

I caressed Yueyue's head lovingly, saying I was fine, but tears flowed uncontrollably. I turned my head away, trying not to show my vulnerability to my daughter. My heart ached. "Dad, are you okay? Why are you crying?"

"I'm not crying. My eyes feel a little sore. They're irritated. By the way, why are you back so late today?" I forced a smile.

"Mom said I can go to Yuying Primary School. Hehe, Yueyue is so happy."

"Mom said it's the best primary school. Yueyue will study hard and won't let Mom and Dad down."

I didn't expect Yueyue, such a smart kid, to say such a thing. Hearing this, I felt a mixture of emotions, but suddenly the hatred faded a lot.

It was obvious that Wang Ru must have made some kind of deal to secure a place for my daughter.

It all came down to my own incompetence! If I had the ability, I could have gotten Yueyue into Yuying Primary School on my own, and perhaps Wang Ru wouldn't have done this.

Wang Ru was indeed despicable, but she was doing it for her daughter after all.

As long as my daughter lives a good life, I...I...I still can't bear this. I secretly decided that as soon as my daughter officially started school, I would divorce Wang Ru. I really couldn't stand her betrayal. But forget about revenge. People, after all, have to move on.

I thought I'd endure it until my daughter started elementary school, then divorce and start anew. Unexpectedly, my mother-in-law's arrival shattered everything.

My father-in-law, Wang Xu, was an honest man, but a health injury early in life prevented him from doing heavy work, leaving him with a low status in the family.

My mother-in-law, Lin Ying, was shrewd and capable. However, she channeled this shrewdness into gossip and rumors. It's fair to say that Lin Ying was the village gossipmonger, a well-known gossipmonger with a vicious tongue.

Over the years, I've tried to avoid her whenever possible. Fortunately, I was only responsible for the money, and I'd accompany Wang Ru back home during Mid-Autumn Festival or Chinese New Year. We kept our distance, and managed to maintain a somewhat harmonious relationship.

One day, I went home for something. When I opened the door, I saw Lin Ying lounging leisurely on the sofa, cracking sunflower seeds, the shells flying everywhere. Wang Ru was chatting with me, both of them enjoying the conversation. Seeing me return, they both paused.

Wang Ru simply gave me a cold look, while Lin Ying sneered, "It's only so late, and you're back? If a man doesn't work hard, he'd better go farming. My little Ru is so wronged to be with you."

I was so furious I almost snapped back.

But thinking of my daughter, I decided to hold back for now. I forced a smile on my face, forced myself to call out "Mom," and asked, "Why are you here?"

"What's wrong? I can't come, or what?"

Wang Ru saw her mother's stern attitude and seemed to feel a little uncomfortable. She quickly stood up to smooth things over and pulled me aside to talk.

I then realized that Wang Ru's younger sister, Wang Yue, was about to take the college entrance exam, and Lin Ying was here to paved the way. The family planned to live in our city.

I almost laughed out loud when I heard this. With Wang Yue's grades, what kind of school could she possibly go to? She couldn't even get into a decent junior college!

Moreover, Wang Yue is quirky and extremely difficult to deal with, much like her mother: she'll jump at any advantage and stay away if there's none. If she'd really come along, it would have been a real mess. Fortunately, I wasn't going to tolerate it anymore. By the time she arrived, Wang Ru and I had almost completed our divorce. I breathed a sigh of relief.

But there was also a formidable opponent, and I was feeling a surge of anxiety. I left early and came back late, trying to avoid contact with Lin Ying to prevent her from causing any trouble.

I had ultimately underestimated the potential of my mother-in-law. Even when she wasn't around, she'd still be giving you a hard time.

After a busy day, I returned home after ten o'clock.

Lin Ying and her daughter were asleep, but Wang Ru's bedroom light was still on. Before, Wang Ru would have ignored me upon hearing me return. I would have washed up and gone back to my study. But today, Wang Ru seemed to be waiting for me. She opened the door and walked out, a smile on her face. She asked me if I had eaten yet and if I wanted some noodles.

I was extremely wary and coldly declined, turning to leave.

When things are out of the ordinary, there must be something fishy going on. This woman might be harboring some evil intentions. It's best to stay away from her.

Wang Ru followed me into the study, asking about my well-being and appearing incredibly affectionate.

I suspected she would have agreed if I had made that request at this point.

But I knew it wasn't that simple. I suppressed my emotions and said coldly, "I've been busy all day. I'm a little tired. If you have anything to say, just tell me."

Wang Ru seemed a little surprised by my reaction, and her smile faltered. However, this woman had a strong mental fortitude. After a moment's hesitation, she finally said something that nearly made me explode.

My face flushed red, and I was furious. The mental preparation I'd built up over the past few days was nearly broken. I wanted to just fight to the death. Damn it, all this must be Lin Ying’s fault. I knew that this woman was up to no good!