Chapter 14

Wang Guiying looked at the three utterly foolish daughters in front of her and felt completely fed up. No wonder they were treated poorly by their in-laws—serves them right!

Seriously…

They couldn’t tell good from bad, and it gave her a headache just thinking about it.

Irritated, she said, “If you have something to say, say it already!”

Among the three sisters, Chen Chun was the one with some brains. Earlier, she’d been overwhelmed with joy from Wang Guiying’s words, but now that she had come to her senses, something felt off.

She looked up and scanned Wang Guiying’s expression. Sure enough, her face was grim and complicated. Her words had clearly been reluctant and insincere!

Chen Yue and Chen Hua, on the other hand, were still immersed in their joy. They didn’t think too deeply about it, nor did they notice Wang Guiying’s expression.

Sensing danger, Chen Chun smartly kept quiet and stepped back. She knew better than to stick her neck out. Let others take the bullet—she’d rather stay to the side and wait for the right moment.

Her tiny tricks didn’t escape Wang Guiying’s eyes. As the saying goes, “Ginger gets spicier as it ages,” and no one knows daughters better than their mother. Among the three, it was clear Chen Chun, the eldest, was the schemer.

Since childhood, she had always instigated easily-provoked Chen Yue, who would flare up at the smallest spark, and naive, indecisive, bland Chen Hua. In the end, it was always Chen Chun who profited while Chen Yue and Chen Hua took the beatings and still thought their big sister was great.

Chen Yue and Chen Hua, oblivious, whispered a few words to each other before Chen Yue stepped forward as the spokesperson: “Mom, I feel like all the bones in my body are about to fall apart. I’m afraid it might leave some lasting damage.”

“That bitch Gu Zhenqi hit us so hard, without a shred of mercy. But since she gave the Chen family a child, we sisters won’t ask for much—just a hundred yuan each, and we’ll call it even!”

Chen Yue suddenly paused and looked toward Chen Chun. But Chen Chun deliberately looked away, pretending not to see her, because she could see their mother’s face getting darker and darker—nearly as black as the bottom of a pot.

Right now, anyone who spoke would be walking right into the line of fire. That would be suicidal. Though she often dared to complain about Wang Guiying, it was only because she knew her mom would let it slide.

In truth, having been beaten by her mother since she was little, she was deeply afraid of her—especially that fierce glare.

When Chen Yue didn’t get a response, she turned back to Chen Chun, who then, upon signal, spoke up: “Third sister is right. Gu Zhenqi disrespected her elder sister and attacked us first. There’s no way we’re taking that lying down. A hundred yuan each—no less!”

“You three might as well become bandits! Robbing people would be faster and more profitable!”

Wang Guiying was so angry she nearly jumped. Every day, they did nothing but scheme to take things from their mother’s house.

Normally, she genuinely felt sorry for their hard lives with their in-laws and wanted to help a little, so they wouldn’t suffer so much.

So she turned a blind eye and let them take a few things here and there. But now? They’d pushed too far—trying to get a piece of Chen Kuo’s allowance?

How could she tolerate that?

Others might not know, but she, as a mother, knew exactly what was going on.

Three years ago, when Chen Kuo returned, she accidentally saw the scars all over his body—old and new. It pierced her heart.

That was the main reason she agreed to let Gu Zhenqi have full access to his allowance. Her son had earned that money with his life—it wasn’t too much to let his wife and child use it.

To her, spending a single cent of that money felt like cutting into her son’s flesh.

And now, his sisters dared to…

“They only know how to bully their own! But as soon as an outsider speaks, they cower like scared dogs! And besides…”

At that moment, Gu Zhenqi cut in on purpose and left her sentence unfinished. She believed Wang Guiying, knowing her daughters all too well, would automatically fill in the blanks.

And she was right. In just a moment, Wang Guiying’s imagination took over, and she roared:

“You three have grown guts now, huh? Trying to rebel? So tough—why don’t you dare act like this at your in-laws’ place? Why the hell did I raise three useless daughters? Can’t even fart in front of their in-laws but love to stir trouble in their mom’s house!”

“Let me be clear—The Chen family owes you nothing. I gave birth to you, raised you. If you didn’t have enough food or clothing, blame the times, not me! You think I sent you off to get married too young? If I hadn’t married you off, you’d have starved to death!”

“All these years, you’ve taken my good heart for granted. I indulged you, let you do what you wanted, and now you think the Chen family owes you. Disgraceful! If anyone owes—”

Wang Guiying’s words became increasingly savage. She strode over to Chen Yue and Chen Chun, then yanked Chen Hua out from behind them and snapped, “Don’t bother hiding. I can see exactly what you are—person or ghost!”

“Didn’t you think you were all that? I just didn’t want to deal with you. You thought you ruled the skies? Fine, today let’s settle this once and for all. Let’s get it all out. I won’t take advantage of you!”

“Go on. Say what you want. How much do you want? Say the number! I’ll give it to you—even if I have to sell everything I have, even my blood! But remember—what you think I owe you, I’ll repay. But what you owe me, you’ll pay back today too!”

“Mom, you mean it?”

“Mom, you can’t go back on your word! If you say it, you have to do it—no tricks! Or you’re a little dog!”

“Deal, Mom! One word settles it!”

The three sisters chimed in, confirming the promise with Wang Guiying.

Watching all of this, Gu Zhenqi almost burst out laughing at how dumb these three were.

She had lived in this house for three years. Wang Guiying, for all her indulgence, never truly let anyone take advantage of her. If not for Gu Zhenqi’s efforts, Chen Chun and the others wouldn’t even be able to take a needle or thread from the house.

Now Gu Zhenqi could tell—Wang Guiying was truly enraged and deadly serious. She just couldn’t quite guess what Wang Guiying would ask from them in return.

Whatever it was, it wouldn’t be something they could easily give. Yet Chen Chun, Chen Yue, and Chen Hua were still smiling like they’d hit the jackpot.

Gu Zhenqi gave them a cold glance and sneered inwardly: Let’s see who ends up crying. If you even can cry later, that is.

“I’ll give you three time to discuss. Just say it. If you can name it, I can give it.”

Wang Guiying emphasized again.

Hearing this, Chen Chun pulled her sisters to a corner and looked back at Wang Guiying and Gu Zhenqi. Seeing they hadn’t followed, she felt safe enough to speak.

“Big sister, you always have good ideas. Second sister and I have always listened to you. Do you think Mom’s serious this time?”

“I don’t think she’s lying. She’s probably just sick of our pestering. Mom being generous—it’s rare. We should take the chance and ask for something good!”

“Don’t talk. Let me think. After this, going back to Mom’s house to get anything won’t be easy. We have to make sure we get enough now or we’ll lose big!”

After she said that, Chen Chun fell into deep thought, brain spinning fast.

About five minutes later, after pacing back and forth, she suddenly stopped.

“How about this… we…”