Chapter 35: Second Update

Lin Xuexia hung up the phone. The next second, she was enveloped in a warm embrace. She looked up into Fu Wei’s dark, intense eyes. His expression was a complex mix—affection for her, anger at her past, but above all, a profound sense of pity and admiration.

He had overheard her conversation with her parents and sister, piecing together the grim reality of her situation. Lin Xuexia was the eldest daughter, just as he was the eldest son, yet their circumstances were worlds apart. While Fu Wei’s birth mother had never shown him much love, she had at least provided for him; after his parents divorced, he had felt little attachment to either side.

But Lin Xuexia? She had parents who were utter cowards, neglecting their own daughters to fawn over their nephew. Fu Wei couldn't fathom what she must have endured over the past decade for her and her sister to speak with such cold, absolute finality. Their hearts had clearly been shattered.

He thought of her meager wardrobe—only two decent outfits, bought from street stalls to save money—and the hard-earned wages she’d sent home, only to be used to subsidize her uncle’s family, build their house, and fill their coffers. Her parents had never been a sanctuary; they were parasites feeding on their own children. Such parents, he thought bitterly, were better off dead.

Fu Wei pulled her closer, his hands involuntarily clenching into fists. The woman in his arms was his beloved, and he would never let her suffer another grievance. He made a silent vow: he would ensure she married him with every bit of the splendor she deserved.

His gaze dropped. He pressed his hand to the back of her head, sealing a kiss on her forehead. "Xuexia, go back and get some rest today. We’ll go buy clothes tomorrow; there’s no rush."

"Tomorrow, your man is going to buy you new clothes—at least ten sets, thin and thick." Recalling his earlier dismissive remarks about straw mats and old clothes, he felt a wave of self-reproach. He would never let her suffer again; his Xuexia deserved the best.

He lifted his right hand, his index and middle fingers pressing against her lips to silence her before she could protest. "Don't you dare refuse."

His eyes, sharp as a wolf’s, locked onto hers with unwavering determination. He leaned down and kissed her softly, a fleeting touch, and promised, "From now on, I’ll take you shopping for clothes every single month. I’m going to build a massive wardrobe for our new home—no, I’ll design a separate room just for the mistress’s clothes and jewelry."

His eyes gleamed with ambition. He was already mentally overturning his previous house designs; the master bedroom would connect to a walk-in closet, filled with her clothes, bathed in brilliant light, with a full-length mirror…

"Okay," Lin Xuexia murmured, looking into his ardent eyes. She bit her lip and, finally, did not refuse.

Fu Wei held her tight, whispering against her ear, "Xuexia, from now on, we will never wear anyone else’s old clothes again."

A lump formed in Lin Xuexia’s throat. Her eyes turned red instantly. She had held her composure during the phone call, but hearing his words, her tears finally broke like a dam. All the grievances accumulated over the years poured out at once.

"Okay," she choked out.

Fu Wei intertwined his fingers with hers, their palms pressed firmly together. He kissed away the tears at the corners of her eyes. "Don't cry, I'm here."

"I’ll go back to your hometown with you to bring your sister here... We’ll hold a grand wedding here, too. You’ll wear the most beautiful wedding dress and be the bride everyone envies. I’ll hire a cameraman to record the whole thing."

"Then I’ll take the footage back to your village and play it. I want the girls there, your cousins and sisters-in-law, to see it and be green with envy."

Lin Xuexia: "..."

It was a ridiculous idea—only Fu Wei would think of it—but, honestly, it felt incredibly satisfying. She wiped her tears and couldn't help but laugh at the thought.

Fu Wei chuckled. "Look at you, crying and laughing at the same time. What does that old saying go?"

"You're the dog," Lin Xuexia retorted with a playful glare. "Take me home."

Taking advantage of the darkness, Fu Wei swept her up into his arms and carried her to his motorcycle. He put a helmet on her, then climbed on himself. After ensuring she was settled securely behind him, he drove her home.

"Don't let your mind wander tonight. If you can't sleep, just think about what colors you want for your new clothes. Or should we pick up some calendars with Hong Kong and Taiwanese stars on the way? You can learn their style..." His voice drifted off into the evening breeze.

***

Hundreds of miles away, Lin Xuexia’s younger sister, Lin Yuxia, hugged her pillow and retreated into her room, locking the door behind her. She lit a kerosene lamp and shouted to those outside, "If any of you dare to come in, I will burn this entire house to the ground."

Outside, Li Yinhua was hurling insults, while Lin Yongfu and Zhang Yuqin desperately tried to block the door. They knew that when their second daughter went mad, she was truly capable of anything.

The uncle and his sons, knowing the family savings had been taken, grabbed sticks and prepared to break in. "She’s just a schoolgirl; she wouldn't dare set a fire."

As soon as the words left Lin Fujia’s mouth, the door swung open. Lin Yuxia emerged, clutching the kerosene lamp in one hand and a flaming torch in the other, having already hidden the money.

The men backed away.

Lin Yuxia tossed the lamp onto a haystack in the courtyard—the kind farmers kept for kindling. It was bone-dry and caught instantly, sending roaring flames and thick black smoke spiraling into the night.

The entire Lin household shrieked in terror.

Lin Yuxia smiled brilliantly at her parents. "Dad, Mom, it’s late, but this will surely bring the whole village over. Let’s discuss dividing the family estate."

"Grandma has a thousand yuan. It should be split equally between the two brothers. That’s only fair."

The aunt, Zheng Qiaoli, looked ready to explode with rage. That money was meant for her son’s bride price. She had known Lin Xuexia made good money, and the bride’s family had been greedy, demanding eight hundred. She had tolerated it, thinking of the monthly remittances, but now that Lin Xuexia had been fired and the second daughter was threatening to split the family and take their money, she felt like killing them all.

Lin Yuxia’s fire had been perfectly timed. It summoned the entire village, including the village elders, who stepped in to mediate the division.

"The brothers are grown; it’s high time they lived separately."

After a chaotic night, the Lin family was officially split the next morning. The house, the fields, the livestock, and every bowl and utensil were divided. Initially, Lin Yuxia had only intended to give the uncle’s family four hundred, keeping six hundred for her own, but under the witness of the village cadres, they agreed that the grandmother, Li Yinhua, would stay with the uncle’s family. Her own parents would pay a monthly maintenance fee of three yuan, with no further obligations. In the end, they kept six hundred and gave back four hundred.

Lin Yuxia was satisfied with this result. She wore a smile as bright as a rainbow after a storm. Both she and her sister knew that the money wasn't the most important thing; the priority was severing ties with their uncle’s family and living independently.

Her older sister could earn money, and once she finished university, she would too; they didn't care about a few hundred yuan.

Her parents were cowards, yes, but they were also incredibly hardworking. With the land they had, they could feed themselves and even turn a profit. Her mother was excellent at raising chickens, ducks, and pigs. Not having to serve the grandmother and the uncle’s family anymore was a massive relief.

The uncle’s family had lived so well only by exploiting them, using her parents like beasts of burden. Now, she wanted to see how they would manage on their own. She was looking forward to watching them struggle; their three sons were not exactly easy to deal with, either.

Lin Yuxia looked at her parents, thinking that if these two were going to be exploited, it should at least be by their own daughters rather than outsiders.

"Dad, Mom, from now on, everything in this house follows my sister’s word. If she’s not here, it follows mine. And we will be the ones managing the family’s money."

The family was split. Lin Yongfu and Zhang Yuqin looked at their surroundings in a daze. They were accustomed to their repetitive, grueling life. Now, with the house divided and fences erected, they were to live on their own?

Neither had ever carried the burden of leadership; they had never tasted the freedom of being masters of their own house.

Lin Yongfu sighed, smoking his cigarette. "You manage it, then. You manage it. You girls have grown wings and don't listen to us anymore."

"You’ve ruined our relationship with your uncle’s family; you’ll regret this sooner or later. You’re young and don't understand—once you’re married off, you won't have any men from your maiden family to stand up for you."

Lin Yuxia simply scooped a ladle of cold water and splashed it onto Lin Yongfu’s face. In the late autumn chill, it soaked him through. "Stop spouting nonsense. Do you even believe the garbage you’re saying?"

"If my sister and I were doing poorly, they’d be setting off firecrackers and mocking us. Stand up for us? They’d sooner see us dead."

Lin Yongfu looked defeated. Zhang Yuqin, however, felt a strange sense of relief. She began to tidy up the house, working with purpose. For her, living under the authority of her own daughters was far easier than living under the thumb of her mother-in-law and sisters-in-law.

Lin Yongfu had never wanted to split the family, and Zhang Yuqin had never dared to imagine it. She had lived her life dependent on her husband. For years, she had carried a lingering sense of guilt for not bearing a son. Lin Yongfu had always claimed that his lack of status in front of his own mother was entirely Zhang Yuqin’s fault for not providing a male heir, and the aunt’s bullying was justified for the same reason.

Zhang Yuqin had no status in the Lin family. A rural woman who was divorced and had no maiden home to return to had no place to stand; the only way out was often suicide.

For so many years, she had endured, and endured, until she became numb. She believed she was a sinner, that it was her fault she hadn't produced a son, that she deserved the humiliation.

But now... now she was living under her own daughters.

As she cleaned, her numb mind finally caught up. Her daughters wouldn't blame her for not bearing a son, and they wouldn't speak to her with such venom.

Her daughters were grown. Her eldest could earn money, and her second might graduate from university and secure a government job. Even if she were kicked out of the Lin family, her daughters wouldn't let her starve.

And besides, they had already split the family!

Yes, Zhang Yuqin felt a sudden jolt. They had split the family!

Lin Yongfu was still droning on about how his daughters were ungrateful and how they would suffer without male protection, how they would be bullied and left with nothing... but Zhang Yuqin wasn't listening anymore.

Lin Xuexia’s words had pierced deep into her heart. Lin Yongfu relied on his nephew to carry his coffin and hold his spirit tablet, but if she, an aunt, truly relied on those nephews, they would bury her in a shallow grave and never give her another thought.

Only her daughters would care for her.

Zhang Yuqin had always been terrified of being cast out of the Lin family. Without fields or land, she would have had no way to survive. Rural women often chose suicide over divorce because they truly had nowhere to go.

Women were so helpless, forced to rely on men—that had been Zhang Yuqin’s reality for decades.

But her eldest daughter had promised on the phone that she would move their household registration and take her sister away. She said she was doing business with Gao Chunyan, making as much money as she did in the factory, and had even rented a proper apartment...

If only her daughter could take her along, too.