A lonely, unlucky military officer with a stubborn fate insisted on marrying me.

His mother isn't the Empress Dowager! Why can't he argue back?

Besides, his mother gave birth to him and raised him, so it's his duty to care for her in her old age and fulfill his filial duties—that's true. But you are his lawfully wedded wife, the person he's going to spend his life with. Why should you suffer for his "filial piety"?

"Yinyin, keep your voice down, don't say anything!"

No, I'm going to say it anyway!

Sister, a good man doesn't leave his wife to shoulder the burden of his mother's difficult behavior alone; he draws clear boundaries! What he should do is communicate properly with his mother, instead of turning a blind eye and making you a punching bag!

"Well said!"

Suddenly, a woman's voice came from behind, interrupting Lin Yinyin's accusation.

The two sisters turned around at the same time and saw a man and a woman sitting at the next table behind them.

The woman wore a simple silk shirt, exuding an elegant and gentle temperament, yet her brows held a hint of determination.

The man beside her was about thirty years old, dressed in a smart gray Zhongshan suit. He had a handsome face and a scholarly air about him. He was smiling and nodding at them.

The woman's gaze fell on Lin Huizhi's tense face, and her tone was sincere and empathetic: "Your sister is right. A man's filial piety is never an excuse to make his wife suffer."

The root of conflicts between mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law often lies with the husband. A man who can't even protect his own wife cannot be considered a true man.

After saying that, she turned to look at the man beside her, "Little brother, you see, even a little girl understands this principle."

Marriage doesn't guarantee happiness, and divorce doesn't guarantee unhappiness. You don't need to try to persuade me anymore.

Lin Yinyin's eyes lit up instantly. She was sure she had plenty of allies when she called a man a dog. She looked at the woman with full agreement: "What this sister said makes so much sense!"

I was just thinking of advising my sister to divorce my brother-in-law! Instead of suffering in this mess, it would be better for them to move on and both be happier!

"Yinyin!" Lin Huizhi tugged at her sleeve.

"What's there to be afraid of? Marriage is a matter of personal freedom, and so is discussing marriage. I..."

"Are you leaving or not?" an impatient voice suddenly interrupted.

"Finish your food and make room! Can't you see the long line behind us? This is a place to eat, not a place to chat!"

Sure enough, there were already quite a few people watching their seats in the state-run restaurant, and several diners were looking at them with urging eyes.

"Alright, alright, let's go!"

The elegant woman quickly stood up to apologize, then turned to the Lin sisters and suggested, "There's a People's Park nearby; it's quiet. Shall we go there to talk?"

Lin Yinyin's heart skipped a beat. With another empathetic person around, perhaps her sister could finally understand. She quickly grabbed Lin Huizhi's hand and shook it. "Sister, I've never been to a park before. Can you take me for a walk?"

Looking at her younger sister's expectant eyes, and glancing at the two siblings watching them, Lin Huizhi hesitated for a moment before finally nodding: "Okay."

The four of them left the restaurant and walked along the stone path toward the park.

As soon as you enter the park, the fresh scent of grass and trees wafts over you, and a gentle breeze carries a touch of coolness, dispelling the smoky atmosphere of the restaurants.

After sitting down on a bench, the woman broke the silence first, "My name is Chi Tinglan, and this is my younger brother, Chi Chengyan."

Lin Huizhi was taken aback upon hearing this, savoring the two names carefully, and softly recited: "The inkstone is freshly bathed, its fragrance lingers; the orchids and irises on the bank are lush and green. A good name."

Chi Tinglan's eyes showed approval. "This comrade is very learned. When my father named my brother and me, he specially chose these two characters from poetry. 'Tinglan' is a hope that I will be like a secluded orchid on the water's edge, keeping my heart pure; 'Chengyan' is a hope that he will inherit the literary tradition and cherish the art of writing."

"My name is Lin Huizhi. My sister's name is Lin Huiyin," Lin Huizhi introduced.

"Your names are also excellent, 'Huizhi' and 'Huiyin,' meaning the beauty of orchids and the abundance of lush vegetation, just like plants supporting each other, combining strength and gentleness."

"Thank you." Lin Huizhi's cheeks flushed slightly.

Chi Tinglan changed the subject, her gaze becoming serious: "Judging from your speech, I can tell you've read quite a few books. Logically, you should be a wise person. How can you be so stubborn in your marriage, compromising yourself to accommodate a man who doesn't protect you?"

"I......."

Seeing that her sister didn't want to talk about it, Lin Yinyin said, "Sis, let me ask you another way: Do you love my brother-in-law?"

"I......."

"Let me ask you from another angle: did you feel any attraction towards your brother-in-law?"

"Feeling tempted?"

"When I see him, my heart races, like I'm carrying a rabbit, and my face gets hot."

Lin Huizhi thought about it carefully, "No."

"Do you miss him when he's not home?"

"Does my concern about whether he might get hurt count?"

When you leave home, do you miss my brother-in-law?

"No. I'd be more worried about whether I've watered the vegetables in my yard."

"Yeah, the vegetables are all more valuable than my brother-in-law's," Lin Yinyin added.

"Pfft!"

Chi Tinglan couldn't help but laugh out loud, and quickly took out a handkerchief to cover her mouth.

"I'm sorry, but this little girl is absolutely right."

Comrade Lin Huizhi, if I may be so bold, it seems you don't love your husband that much.

Lin Huizhi blushed and remained silent for a long time.

"Okay, little sister, may I borrow your question for a moment? I'll answer it."

Turning to look at her younger brother, she said, "Chengyan, your brother-in-law and I don't have any romantic feelings for each other. I won't even think about him when he goes away on business. I've been living a very carefree life since I left home, so why would I be thinking about him?"

Chi Chengyan: "......."

Seeing that her younger brother couldn't answer, Chi Tinglan looked at Lin Yinyin and praised her with a smile, "You asked a very good question, hitting the nail on the head."

My brother, who's usually very quick-witted, is now speechless with words of advice.

"That's right! But I haven't finished yet!"

Lin Yinyin pressed on, "Sister, let me ask you again, has your husband ever done any housework at home? Does he lend a hand when you do laundry, cook, or do other chores?"

"No, I won't... I do all the housework at home, he works very hard."

"Does he stop being human just because he goes to work? Humans need to eat, drink, relieve themselves, and work."

Marriage is about two people living together and supporting each other, not about you being the only one taking care of them like a mother!

Sister, he married a wife, not a free nanny.

"No, that's not it..."

"Not what?"

"Sister, are you trying to talk about gratitude?"

"I..." Lin Huizhi stared blankly at Lin Huiyin. How did she know?

"Sister, you don't have to say it if you don't want to, but let me tell you, if your husband helped you back then, you can remember it for the rest of your life, but you can't use your whole life as a thank you gift."

Lin Yinyin could tell with her own eyes that 18-year-old Lin Huizhi could not possibly have a good life by relying on her uncle.

They got married so soon after they started dating, there must be something wrong with that.

Lin Yinyin continued to persuade, "Sister, even if the debt of gratitude is heavy, it should have been repaid after so many years. Think about what kind of life you have lived these past few years."

Sister, don't treat marriage like a ledger for repaying favors; you'll be living your whole life within that ledger.

Lin Huizhi was deeply moved by what she heard. She bit her lip and looked at the white ducks playing on the lake. The defense she had held for many years began to waver.

The Chi siblings looked at Lin Yinyin with admiration. This little sister, at such a young age, was truly insightful.

However, the insightful Lin Yinyin felt a pang of sympathy seeing her sister's helpless state.

She knew she couldn't push her sister too far.

So she continued, "Sister, since you don't want a divorce, can you name some of your husband's good qualities that you can't forget? Hmm! Being well-endowed and good in bed counts too!"

"Pfft!" Chi Tinglan couldn't help but laugh out loud.

"Hahaha! Yinyin, I'm sorry, I just couldn't help it."