Chen Lishu and her companions got off the train. Because they had a lot of luggage and were accompanied by children, Ding Chen and Gu Xingping did not rush back to school. Instead, they took a car to help transport the belongings to their home.
"Da Wang!" As they reached the downstairs of the building, Rui Rui’s sharp eyes spotted something in a corner. "Mom, it's Da Wang."
Saying this, Rui Rui released Chen Lishu's hand and ran towards 'Da Wang'. The latter was grooming its fur. Upon seeing Rui Rui approach, it immediately arched its back, bared its two sharp teeth at him, and let out a threatening purr from its throat.
"Rui Rui." Seeing that the situation was not right, Chen Lishu quickly called out to stop Rui Rui. 'Da Wang' squinted at Chen Lishu, pushed off with its hind legs, and lightly leaped onto the wall. It then turned and left without looking back.
"Mom." Rui Rui stopped and called out to Chen Lishu. Chen Lishu said nothing, but her brows furrowed unconsciously.
Although 'Da Wang' was usually aloof and not very sociable, it had never been as irritable as it was today. Looking in the direction 'Da Wang' had left, Chen Lishu couldn't help but worry.
The group went upstairs. Unsure if Zhao Qiuyue was at home, Chen Lishu directly took out her key and opened the door.
As the door opened, Chen Lishu was almost disbelieving at the messy state of the room. If not for the sound of children playing intermittently within the room, she might have thought the house had been burgled.
Hearing the sound of the door opening, Li Caixia came out of a room. Upon seeing the people standing at the doorway, she immediately realized that the person in front of her must be Zhao Qiuyue's employer. She quickly hurried forward, "Sister-in-law, you're back. Isn't it not yet the start of the school term? Why are you back so early?"
"Mom, my comic books." Rui Rui emerged from behind Chen Lishu. The moment he saw the two children snatching something in their hands, he quickly ran a few steps forward. However, before he could get close, the two children, due to the force with which they were pulling the book, had already torn it in half.
Chen Lishu asked with a cold face, "Who are you, and why are you in my house?"
"Yes, you don't know me. I am Qiuyue's sister-in-law. She has gone out to buy groceries. Don't stand at the door, come in quickly and sit down."
Chen Lishu did not move. She said coldly, "Get out."
Li Caixia didn't react immediately and stared at her blankly, "What? What did you say?"
Chen Lishu suppressed her anger and repeated, "I told you to get out. Take your children and leave my house immediately."
This time, Li Caixia understood. Her face immediately fell, and she said unhappily, "Why are you like this? I already said I'm Zhao Qiuyue's sister-in-law, why are you still driving people out?"
As soon as she finished speaking, Zhao Qiuyue came upstairs from buying groceries. Seeing the people standing at the doorway, her expression changed drastically. She quickly hurried over.
"Lishu, sister, you're back?"
Seeing Zhao Qiuyue return, Li Caixia's spirits immediately lifted. "Sister, you're back just in time. Come and judge for yourself. How can someone be so petty? We just came to visit, and this person has had a scowl on her face since she came in. Does she think this is the imperial palace and can't be approached?"
Seeing Chen Lishu's increasingly cold expression, Zhao Qiuyue felt both fear and anxiety. She said to Chen Lishu, "Lishu, please don't be angry. My sister-in-law and her family just arrived today. I'll have them leave right away."
"Zhao Qiuyue, who is your sister-in-law? Do we have to leave just because you say so? Who does she think she is? Isn't she just a capitalist exploiter? Otherwise, how could she spend money to boss around servants? You work for her, it's true, but can't relatives visit?" Li Caixia shouted, with her hands on her hips.
Zhao Qiuyue immediately began to sweat profusely, almost on the verge of tears. She said in a low voice, pleading, "Sister-in-law, please say a few less words. Can you take the children and leave first?"
"Why should I leave? You're still working here. We have relatives visiting today, and there's no room for them. Whether she's willing or not, I have to stay here with the children for a couple of days."
Before, she had heard from this sister-in-law how good-tempered her employer was. Now, it seemed to be nothing special. She had only brought her children to stay for two days, and this person's face was longer than a donkey's.
"There are neighbors around. I don't want to argue with her further." Chen Lishu looked at Zhao Qiuyue, "Sister Xiaoyue, she is your relative. For your sake, I have not chosen to call the police directly. I hope you can resolve this as soon as possible."
After speaking, Chen Lishu picked up her things and entered the house. She frowned at the muddy footprints all over the floor and the messily rummaged house, but said nothing. She then sat down on the sofa.
Gu Xingping and Chen Liyuan exchanged glances and silently carried their belongings to the kitchen.
Zhao Qiuyue kept pleading with Li Caixia in a low voice, but she was not swayed at all.
"When your husband died and you moved back to your maiden home, how did my husband and I treat you? Did we lack food or drink for you? Now that you're doing better, you won't even let me stay for a couple of days? Before, you got angry with me just for lying on the bed for a moment. Did you lock the bedroom door before you left? Treating me like a thief. I'm telling you, if I leave today, you'll never be able to step into our maiden home again."
Li Caixia placed one hand on her hip, her outstretched finger almost poking Zhao Qiuyue's nose.
If a woman nowadays lost the backing of her maiden family, she wouldn't be able to stand tall. Moreover, Zhao Qiuyue, a woman whose husband had died and who had no children, would be even more helpless if she offended her maiden family.
"I..." Zhao Qiuyue bit her lip, not knowing what to do.
Chen Lishu's gaze fell on the door of her bedroom. When she saw the lock on it, her expression softened slightly.
"Sister-in-law, you should take the children and go back." After making a great decision, Zhao Qiuyue finally refused Li Caixia's unreasonable demand.
"Fine, you ungrateful wretch. You eat and drink well yourself, and then you forget your maiden family, and you don't even recognize your sister-in-law and nephews."
"I didn't say I don't recognize you. It's you who is forcing me to choose."
Zhao Qiuyue looked up. "Sister-in-law, don't worry. I will still give Mom her monthly filial piety money." She received fifteen yuan a month. After keeping five yuan for herself, she gave ten yuan to her brother and sister-in-law every month.
Seeing that she had said so much and still chose to side with Chen Lishu, Li Caixia became enraged. "Do you really think anyone cares about your little bit of money? You're doing a demeaning job serving others, and it's embarrassing for us to talk about it. Quit your job now and come back with me to find someone to marry, or else I'll go back and have your elder brother and mother come to take you back."
Zhao Qiuyue's face turned pale. Before, they had wanted to sell her to an old man for a bride price. Now that she finally had such a stable job, she would never go back.
"I'm not going back."