Chapter 254 I Choose the Second Option

Fan Liangyu had never really paid attention to this issue before.

Before she married into the family, she always thought that her future mother-in-law was kind and approachable, and that her future sister-in-law was a straightforward and generous person who would always help her. She also thought that her family was exceptionally well-off.

turn out to be……

They're all personas.

After actually marrying into the family and experiencing things, she realized that her carefully constructed persona had completely collapsed.

"...You're right, his mother knows how to sweet-talk people. Before I married into their family, every time I went to their house, Zheng Xiulan would cook a huge table full of delicious food, most of which were my favorites. She treated me like her own daughter. I would say I wanted some fried dough twists, and she would let me have them next time I went. She even remembered my birthday and my period, and would have Zhang Haijun bring me brown sugar ginger tea. She would call and specifically tell me not to eat anything cold or raw during my period, saying, 'Your mother didn't even remind you...'"

Su Hongying smiled, but her eyes were icy cold. "My mother raised me from childhood to adulthood, enduring countless hardships, exhausting herself, and staying up countless nights. She wiped it all away with a single sentence, 'Your mother didn't even remind you.' And I... I was actually fooled. It's ridiculous."

Su Hongying closed her eyes briefly, then opened them again to look at Fan Liangyu.

I asked her, "Do you understand what I mean?"

Fan Liangyu nodded, "I understand. Zhang Haijun truly loved you before he married you. Otherwise, with his family's wealth and Zheng Xiulan's persuasive tongue, he could have married whoever he wanted."

Su Hongying smiled without any emotion.

He said, "As you've seen, even the strongest liking can turn into mutual dislike, so that's just how it is."

Fan Liangyu hummed in agreement.

Su Hongying looked at her and said, "I plan to choose the second option."

Fan Liangyu's tone suddenly rose halfway through his "hmm," turning into a puzzled "hmm."

She exclaimed in surprise, "Aren't you afraid..."

In Su Hongying's novel, she wrote, "I'm not afraid. There's no reason why I should give her face when she almost killed me. I don't plan to continue living with her son anyway. Let's make a scene. I have nothing to lose, so it's all about who's more willing to go all out."

She grinned, her eyes shining, "I'll expose all of Zheng Xiulan's dirty secrets, let's see how she'll still have the face to work here!"

Fan Liangyu, "...What's the difference between that and tearing her face off and stomping on it? With you making such a scene, that Zhang Haijun..."

Su Hongying frowned and stared at her.

"What's wrong?" Fan Liangyu asked, puzzled, touching his face.

Su Hongying shook her head and said, "You've worked your way up to get this public office, so shouldn't you be better at manipulating people's hearts? I think your brain is full of mush."

Fan Liangyu: "...Go on, I'm really curious about how you plan to deal with Zhang Haijun."

Su Hongying was amused.

"Wouldn't that make things easier? If Zhang Haijun sides with me and criticizes his own mother, people will say that his mother raised an ungrateful child and that Zhang Haijun is unfilial. Such things spread like wildfire. If their leaders find out, will they still promote someone who is unfilial to his parents?"

Fan Liangyu's eyes widened slightly. "...No."

“If he sides with his mother, I will have a perfectly legitimate reason to divorce him. Then people will say he is unreasonable, a mama's boy, that his own mother almost killed his wife and children, and that he blindly side with his mother. No wonder people want to divorce him, he deserves it!”

Fan Liangyu's eyes widened in disbelief as she looked at Su Hongying, pressing for an answer, "What if... he's on your side? Are you still planning to stay with him?"

Su Hongying glanced at her.

She said, "What are you thinking? Of course I don't want to. If he really sides with me, I'll make him cut ties with his mother and forbid him from having any contact with them except during holidays. Do you think Zheng Xiulan would agree to Zhang Haijun's request? And what about his career? Career, wife, children, and his own mother—isn't that a mess?"

"...It's a mess." Fan Liangyu felt completely overwhelmed.

Su Hongying raised an eyebrow with a smile, "What are the consequences of not agreeing? The mother and son will argue, quarrel, and make a scene. Then you can sit back and reap the benefits, verbally provoke Zhang Lao Er, and make him steal Zhang Haijun's money. A three-way battle, isn't that exciting?"

Su Hongying became more and more excited as she spoke, and then pulled Zhang Laosan out of the conversation, analyzing, "He took money from Zheng Xiulan and Old Man Zhang to buy himself the job and become the only beneficiary. If he dares to utter a word, it will be a family feud. Old Man Zhang has worked at the company for decades, and he's someone important. If those messy things at home get back to his workplace, and people ask him about it, will he tell the truth or make up lies? Will he go home and confront Zheng Xiulan? Will he take his anger out on his sons? The whole family will be in such a mess. Just thinking about it is hilarious, isn't it?"

Fan Liangyu stared intently at Su Hongying, shaking his head repeatedly, and even reached out to ruffle Su Hongying's hair.

He said, "Your brain used to be completely muddled."

Su Hongying, "..."

The room fell silent for a moment, then the two looked at each other and burst out laughing.

Just as they were about to start talking again, Zhang Haijun walked in.

Upon seeing Fan Liangyu, he greeted her with a smile and asked, "The second son said he's found a house he likes. Are you... also moving out? Aren't you getting a divorce?"

Fan Liangyu glanced at Su Hongying and murmured an "Mmm".

He explained, "I haven't thought it through yet. I don't want to end up like Hongying when I get pregnant and have children, so I don't want to live with your parents. But your mom says that while your parents are alive, you shouldn't separate the household, so..."

Zhang Haijun nodded in understanding.

Su Hongying's affair also had a great impact on him. Fan Liangyu had a job and was good-looking. It wouldn't be difficult for her to divorce and remarry. There was no reason for her to stay and live in fear.

"You... and your second son are both filial. After you separated from the family and went your separate ways, can you really not care about your parents?"

Zhang Haijun's eyes dimmed slightly.

He glanced at her and Su Hongying and said, "There's no reason to abandon your parents after getting married. We definitely still need to take care of them. Moving out is already a form of resistance against them. We've made sacrifices for you, so shouldn't you make some sacrifices for us in return?"

Su Hongying and Fan Liangyu looked at each other, then at Zhang Haijun, and asked him, "What do you mean?"

"At the very least, visit them during holidays? Get together as a family on weekends and help with any small chores you can manage. After all, they raised us, and as their daughters-in-law, you should take care of them until the end."

Fan Liangyu glanced at Su Hongying and mentally rolled his eyes at Zhang Haijun.

Su Hongying smiled throughout and chimed in at the right moment, "Brother Haijun is right. As long as Mom treats me well, I will definitely treat her well in return. I understand the principle of repaying kindness with kindness. Brother Haijun, you can't be biased, you have to be fair."

Zhang Haijun, "..."