If you don't consummate the marriage for three years and then marry a successful educated youth

[Ha, if you weren't willing to take care of it, why didn't you do it earlier? Why did you agree when I brought it up before? Now you're abandoning it and making things difficult for me.]

[Lin Fengjiao, ask yourself honestly, how has our family treated you? Before the marriage, we treated you with utmost respect. When you came to my house, my mother gave you a big gold bracelet that she herself had never even had.]

【…】

Shen Qingshu listed them one by one, his words clearly accusing her, almost directly calling her heartless and inconsiderate.

You don't treat us like family at all. My sister has had it much worse than you. If you really want to come home, that's fine, but taking the two kids with you would be perfect.

[But you never discussed this with me. Ultimately, you only care about yourself. You don't appreciate any of the good we do for you, just like how no matter how good Jiang Lie is to you, it's useless.]

Lin Fengjiao didn't expect him to bring up Jiang Lie. With these accusations leveled against her, she didn't know how to refute them. Her eyes reddened, and her body trembled.

She began to sob softly: "You've gone too far! How could you say that to me? How am I supposed to bring the child back? I'm a patient with a low-grade fever, I'm even feeling dizzy myself, how am I supposed to take care of him?"

Can't you think about me for once? Those two kids are old enough to go to a factory school...

Before I could finish speaking, the call was abruptly disconnected.

Only a series of short beeping sounds rang in her ears. Lin Fengjiao felt a tightness in her chest and a sense of unease. She quickly dialed back, only to hear the voice of the convenience store owner.

Helpless, she could only put the phone away and go back to her room, where she buried herself under the covers and cried bitterly. She felt wronged too; how could anyone criticize her like that?

Was I really wrong...?

Zhang Lan finished cooking and came over to call her daughter. She saw that her daughter was covered by a blanket and could faintly hear her crying. She asked worriedly, "Fengjiao, are you alright? Tell your mother what's wrong."

"That call was made by your son-in-law. Did you two have a fight? Listen to your mother and talk to her. This is your second marriage. You can't be like that before."

"Sigh, your son-in-law has a good job and a good family background, so he's bound to be a bit arrogant. You should be more accommodating to him."

Lin Fengjiao felt even more upset upon hearing this. She threw off the covers, revealing her eyes, which were already red and swollen from crying, and said in a hoarse voice, "Mother, why are you saying this to me? What crime have I committed?"

"He blamed me for the child's problems. Why should I? I'm not the child's biological mother. Besides, I'm a patient. My own face is almost rotting away. He doesn't care about me at all."

"He called but didn't care about me at all. He just kept criticizing me for not taking care of the children and for making the house a mess. How did his family live before I married him?"

Zhang Lan sighed, knowing that her daughter was wronged, but that's how life is after marriage. There are many things that can't be explained clearly. Her family had indeed married above their station.

They were just offering a few words of criticism. Besides advising their daughter to think more positively, there was nothing else they could do. If they were to resort to violence, they certainly wouldn't let it go so easily, but clearly this time it wasn't.

She reached out and hugged her daughter, patting her gently: "You're our only daughter. We've cherished you since you were little. How could we not love you?"

"That's just how it is for daughters. Once they get married, they live in someone else's home, so they have to integrate into their family. There's no way you can expect them to adapt to you."

Lin Fengjiao sniffed, somewhat indignant: "Why? Jiang Lie never treated me like this when he married me before. He told me to be the same as before and to keep doing what I was like. He said he would solve all the problems."

"Even so, I didn't give him my virginity, but I gave my body to Shen Qingshu. At home, I also have to take care of two children and have a lot of housework. Why does he have the right to criticize me?"

Zhang Lan sighed: "Silly girl, men as good as Jiang Lie are rare. Shen Qingshu is the kind of person a normal family should live with. You're from the countryside and you're on your second marriage."

"If you were moved to another city, it would only be more torturous for you. It's not something that can be easily explained in a few words. Do you understand?"

"Sigh, there will never be anyone who loves you like Jiang Lie does."

Lin Fengjiao felt heartbroken upon hearing this, tears streaming down her face as she choked out, "I don't want to! Shen Qingshu said he would treat me well, why is he going back on his word? Waaah, Mother, I want to go back to my parents' home."

Zhang Lan felt sorry for her daughter, but she also knew that this was wrong and would ruin her daughter: "No, you're already married. When you encounter problems, you have to find ways to solve them. You can't run away and go back to your parents' home."

"How can you be a mother like this? Your father and I will grow old and there will come a day when we can't protect you anymore. When that time comes, you'll be bullied to death in the countryside."

"Listen to me, Qing Shu is actually not wrong. Try to understand him more. You can't keep acting the way you always have. He's not Jiang Lie after all. He has to support his family, so you have to take care of the household chores."

Lin Fengjiao understood, but she didn't want to speak; she just kept crying.

Zhang Lan could only pat her back gently and patiently say, "Don't look back on what's gone. We have to move forward. Your second marriage is already quite good."

"Do you know how many girls in the brigade are green with envy? If you want a better life in the future, you have to pester Shen Qingshu to get a job."

"You need to show that you care about him because he has to support his family. Once you start working, remember to use your money to support your family, and then slowly save some money for yourself."

Lin Fengjiao calmed down a bit, but her face was still stinging. She didn't dare to cry anymore and sat on the bed sobbing.

"Mother, do you think I chose the wrong person?"

Zhang Lan frowned: "Daughter, you can't think like that. You can't get stuck on this kind of thinking, or you won't be able to live your life in the future. Since you chose Shen Qingshu, you have to care about him."

"The worst thing for people is to look back and get stuck in a rut. Jiang Lie was good to you before, but that was when you were young. Who can guarantee that things will stay the same forever?"

"City life, that's a truly good life. Strive to get a decent job, and you'll never have to be subservient to anyone or suffer from the elements for the rest of your life. That's the right path."

Lin Fengjiao nodded and said, "Okay, I understand. I will try my best to control my temper, but sometimes I really can't understand it, and I feel very frustrated."

Zhang Lan held her hand: "I understand. You just have to think things through. Otherwise, if you keep these things bottled up inside, it's not a good thing. You'll get sick if it goes on for too long."

"When living together, you should focus on the other person's strengths and advantages, instead of always being dissatisfied with this or that. If your sister-in-law is in trouble, you should help take care of her two children."

"They will be grateful to you for the rest of their lives. That's how you repay a debt of gratitude. Your husband will also look up to you and think you're helping the family."

Lin Fengjiao hung her head and said, "Okay, I know what to do, but he's asking me to go back now. I really can't go back. If I go back, my face will be ruined."