Liu Yong: “None of your damn business. Point your finger at me again, and I’ll break it.”

From behind Auntie Wang, her twin sons, Zhao Wen and Zhao Wu, stepped forward.

“You try breaking one,” they said.

Although their names were Zhao Wen and Zhao Wu, both were burly men who worked in the security department of the steel factory.

In this era of tight employment, getting into the factory’s security team was based on real ability, not connections.

Liu Yong backed off two steps when he saw how big the two brothers were.

Zhao Wu let out a scornful snort.

Liu Yong twisted his mouth and rubbed his neck. “Just you wait.”

Liu Qin jumped off the back seat of her bicycle and turned to leave.

“Let’s go. This marriage is off.”

Since the Lin family still hadn’t taken a stand, she decided to push them into it.

“Qin Qin…” Lin Jianshe quickly grabbed her hand and angrily turned to his mother, Old Madam Li, shouting, “Mom, aren’t you going to apologize to Qin Qin’s brother?”

He was her precious son to whom she had given her job.

Out of her three children, he was the one sent to the countryside.

She had always felt guilty for his hardship and thus spoiled him more.

Yet now, for Liu Qin, he wanted his own mother to kneel and apologize.

Old Madam Li: “Lin Jianshe, I’m your real mother. I carried you for ten months and gave birth to you. And now, just for a woman, you want me to kneel and apologize?”

Lin Jianshe: “…”

Yes, having his mother kneel was a bit much, but he couldn’t afford to not get married.

Besides, it was his mother’s fault for hitting someone.

He had finally managed to win Qin Qin’s heart—no one could ruin their wedding day.

Lin Yongnian, the head of the family, spoke with a stern face, “Liu Qin, what happened today was indeed your future mother-in-law’s fault. But she’s still an elder. Let’s not make her kneel. Let her bow and apologize to your brother instead.”

He didn’t want his wife bowing and kneeling to a junior—it would make him lose face.

Liu Qin glanced at Lin Yongnian, knowing that he was the real decision-maker in the Lin family.

He was also a Grade 8 welder at the steel factory, earning over 120 yuan a month.

His face had to be given some credit.

“Fine. For your sake, if she bows and apologizes to my brother, gives him a 50 yuan red envelope, and gives me a 200 yuan ‘getting off the cart’ red envelope, we’ll drop the matter.”

Lin Yongnian frowned. “Two hundred yuan for a getting-off-the-cart red envelope? Isn’t that too much?”

Fifty yuan for Liu Yong getting beaten up while sending his sister off on her wedding day—fine.

But 200 yuan for the bride’s arrival?

That was a bit much.

No one in their area had ever asked for that much.

Even the eldest son only gave 20 when he got married.

Someone muttered, “Wow, this second daughter-in-law of the Lin family is something else. My daughter only got a 20 yuan dowry.”

Another said, “Her betrothal gift alone was 888. The poorer the family, the harder they demand.”

Liu Qin heard the gossip and bit her lower lip, shooting a fierce glare at the gossips.

Their daughters couldn’t get high dowries because they weren’t capable, in her opinion.

They were just jealous.

Lin Guodong looked at his younger brother, “Second brother, 200 yuan is too much. Talk to your wife.”

Lin Jianshe said nothing.

He wasn’t going to say a word.

On the way there, Qin Qin had already told him she wanted 200.

He agreed.

They’d use it in their own small family anyway. If he didn’t take his parents’ money, his elder brother would.

Liu Qin said with a straight face, “I didn’t want this much either. But she hit my brother. I can’t swallow this. If there’s no 200 yuan red envelope, I’m not marrying.”

This was something her family had discussed long ago.

Her mother told her that the “getting-off-the-cart” money was the easiest to ask for—no one wanted to lose face during a wedding.

Now that the old hag had hit Yongzi, they could use her as the excuse and even get Lin Yongnian to blame her.

Zhang Jiao held her son tightly.

Two hundred?

When she married, she only got 20.

Old Madam Li glared at Liu Qin with fury.

What nonsense.

In the previous life, the same thing happened—Liu Qin asked for 200 yuan then too.

Back then, her eldest daughter-in-law even took the kids and stormed back to her maiden home.

She had to make up another 100 yuan to coax her back.

Lin Yongnian’s eyes were sharp and cold as he glared at his wife.

He didn’t know what had gotten into her today. Couldn’t she just let the girl have her moment and make a scene for fun?

She had to slap someone and make him pay so much more.

He growled, “What are you standing around for? Hurry up and bow to Liu Yong, and go wrap up two red envelopes!”

Old Madam Li stared at her husband’s fierce face and felt like slapping it.

This was the man she had served her whole life?

In the previous life, whenever conflicts arose between her, the sons, or in-laws, he always made her apologize—for the sake of peace.

Never once did he consider her feelings or take her side.

He always said that, as a mother and mother-in-law, she had to be generous and tolerant, that she couldn’t fight with the younger generation.

Now, he was making her bow and apologize to Liu Qin’s brother in front of everyone?

Did he ever think about how she could face others in the courtyard after this?

Even the eldest son just stood by and watched as Liu Qin and her brother humiliated his mother—without saying a word.

“Ptooey!” Old Madam Li spat a mouthful of saliva right onto Lin Yongnian’s face.

Lin Yongnian: Is it raining?

Nope—it was his wife spitting on him!

She actually dared?

“I’ll apologize to your damn mother! I’ll wrap a red envelope for your damn uncle! Lin Yongnian, you old bastard, Liu Qin’s brother humiliated me on purpose—made me wear a sign and parade around like a prisoner to bow to Liu Qin. Are you blind? Can’t you see?!”

Old Madam Li’s long-suppressed rage exploded from her chest.

Her voice cracked with fury.

In her past life, she had endured silently.

But not anymore.

The surroundings went dead silent.

Everyone stared at the couple, dumbfounded.

No one could believe Old Madam Li had just cursed Lin Yongnian like that—in front of everyone.

Everyone knew how much she cared for her husband.

If he liked hot dumplings, she’d cook five at a time just for him.

All the men in the courtyard envied old Lin for having such a virtuous wife.

Before Lin Yongnian could react, she pointed at her son and shouted,

“And you! Lin Jianshe, you ungrateful bastard! I gave up my job that was only five years from retirement so you could marry. Now you want your mother to kneel and apologize for your woman? You’re not even human!”

“You ungrateful dog! I should’ve given birth to a roast pork instead of you!”

Lin Jianshe stood there, stunned.

This was the first time in his life his mother had scolded him.

Old Lady Li kept going, turning to glare at Liu Qin, “You think I care if this marriage happens or not? If you don’t want to get married, get lost! Asking for 200 yuan for a cart-off gift—do you even deserve it?”

“You—!” Liu Qin was so angry she couldn’t speak.

Lin Yongnian’s face flushed with rage. “She was just making a bit of fuss for a lively wedding. There was no malice. But you hit someone—how can you still claim you’re in the right?”

“Why didn’t they ‘fuss’ with you then? No malice? Then go ahead.” Old Madam Li ripped the sign off her neck and hung it around Lin Yongnian’s neck.

“You go be the old servant for your daughter-in-law. That’s your greatest honor!”

Lin Yongnian ripped the sign off and stomped on it twice, his eyes filled with cold fury.

“Why don’t you keep wearing it? It’s so fun! Let everyone have a laugh. Why is your face so black now, and I haven’t even rubbed soot on it yet?”

“I think you’ve lost your mind!” Lin Yongnian slapped Old Madam Li across the face.