In the village, every family receives a bride price when their daughter gets married. Although hers was a bit high, Junzi's family didn't object at first. How could it be that after the marriage, it was like she was being sold to them?
Their heated argument attracted her mother-in-law, Old Lady Yuan. Without asking why, she started yelling at Lin Jianfang: "You've only been married a few days and you're already arguing with your husband. What kind of behavior is this? Do you even act like a woman?"
At first, she didn't know what kind of person her mother-in-law was. Every time she saw her, she was very kind and gentle, always saying that she didn't have a daughter and treating her like her own daughter. So when she saw her mother-in-law coming over, Lin Jianfang pointed to her red face and said aggrievedly, "Mom, look at Junzi, I don't know what happened, but he started hitting me."
Old Mrs. Yuan glared at Junzi and tried to smooth things over, saying, "Junzi, even if your wife is wrong, you can't hit her. Apologize to her and coax her. You've only been married a few days and you're already making a scene. Won't people laugh at you?"
Junzi glanced at his mother giving him a meaningful look, then stepped forward to coax Lin Jianfang, saying, "Fangzi, it's all my fault. I like you too much. I know about what happened between you and that guy, and you were still talking to him. How could I not be anxious? Anyone would be upset in this situation."
Lin Jianfang explained, "There's nothing between us now. We grew up together, so if we meet on the street, we can't just ignore each other, can we?"
"I don't care, you're not allowed to speak to him from now on, or I'll get jealous."
She was young at the time and had little experience in this area. Seeing that Junzi's apology was sincere, she forgave him and promised not to talk to that man again. Junzi was happy and bought her a new outfit, making her feel like the happiest woman in the world.
Junzi attacked her a second time, also at his home, which was a storefront in town.
After they got married, Lin Jianfang, who didn't want to stay idle at his house, discussed opening a small shop that sold odds and ends such as oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar, pastries, and fabrics.
Junzi is a math teacher at a school. She also runs her own small shop. Her mother-in-law goes out for walks occasionally and helps her out sometimes. The whole thing started because of a man.
She sat on the stool as usual, waiting for customers, when a man came in to buy something.
During their casual conversation, she learned that they were elementary school classmates. Their family lived in the village next to her mother's. They didn't know anyone in the town, so when they met someone they knew, they inevitably chatted for a while. Just then, Junzi, who was coming home from school, saw them. Seeing that he looked unhappy, her classmate said she had something to do and left.
After her classmate left, Junzi slammed the door shut and demanded angrily, "Who is that person? Are you so insatiable? Is it because I can't satisfy you? You've brought a green hat into my home, have you no shame?"
Despite her repeated explanations that he was just an elementary school classmate and that they hadn't exchanged many words, Junzi, in a fit of rage, beat her up, causing her to abort her two-month-old baby.
After being beaten, Junzi saw the blood flowing down her body, but he didn't care. He took the money from home and went out. She was in so much pain that she rolled around on the ground and crawled for a long time before finally managing to crawl to the door and fainted.
When she woke up again, she saw her mother-in-law looking at her with displeasure. As soon as she saw that she was awake, she immediately began to scold her:
"What can I say to you? You didn't even know you were pregnant. Now look what's happened, my chubby grandson is gone. How are you going to compensate me?"
"What? She's pregnant!" Lin Jianfang touched her lower abdomen and tears streamed down her face. Her child was gone just like that. Seeing that Old Lady Yuan was still cursing, Lin Jianfang mustered up her courage and said, "It was Junzi who hit me. If he hadn't hit me, how could the child be gone?"
Old Mrs. Yuan paused for a moment, then scolded loudly, "What did you do to offend him again? Otherwise, why would he hit you? Our family is really unlucky. We spent so much money and married this kind of living ancestor."
Look at this, this is the mother-in-law who claims to treat her like her own daughter. It's clearly her son's fault, but she doesn't mention it at all. Everything she says is her fault.
By the time Grandma Shen and the others received the letter, two days had passed. Lin Jianfang, who had lost a lot of weight, burst into tears when she saw Grandma Shen. She choked out, "Mother, I don't want to live with him anymore. Let me get a divorce. I can't take it anymore."
Who knew that her beloved mother didn't come to help her get revenge, but instead scolded her: "You can't even protect your child. You're not a child anymore, how can you still act like one? Don't you even know what's going on with your period? No wonder your son-in-law is angry. A perfectly healthy child is gone, who wouldn't be angry? I would be angry too."
"Mother, it was because he hit me that the child died."
Grandma Shen wiped away her tears: "Alright, the child is gone, so be it. You should take care of yourself and you can have another one with your son-in-law later."
Lin Jianfang mustered her courage and said again, "Mom, didn't you hear me? I want a divorce. I'm not staying here anymore."
"What divorce? Look around here, who's divorced? Every family has its ups and downs. Have you ever seen anyone mention divorce? You've only been married a short time. If you get divorced, what will your father and I think of us?"
Upon hearing the news that her family had come, Junzi quickly put down his mahjong and slipped back. As soon as he entered the house, he knelt down in front of Lin Jianfang with a "thump," and said with a face full of guilt, "Mother, it's all my fault, it's all my fault. Fangzi, hit me, if it can calm you down, I'd be willing to beat me to death."
Before Lin Jianfang could say anything, Old Mrs. Shen pulled Junzi up: "Son-in-law, what are you saying? People quarrel at the head of the bed and make up at the foot of the bed. Which couple doesn't quarrel a few times? You can't hit his hands next time."
Then he said to Lin Jianfang, "And you, Fangzi, you need to change your temper. You're not a little girl at home anymore. Don't talk back all the time. He's the head of the household, he's your everything. Just serve him well."
And so, one of her children was offset by Junzi's kneeling. After that incident, Junzi closed her shop, and from then on, she restrained all her temper because she knew that crying was useless, and her mother would never let her divorce him. She could only silently endure it.
To be continued!
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