Chapter 19

Before Li Huilan could explode, Xin Qi sneered with contempt, “Mom, are you stupid or what?”

“I’ve said it over and over—I don’t want to get married right now. Our relationship is already this bad, and you still force me to go on blind dates.”

“Don’t you know the very first article of the Marriage Law is freedom of marriage?”

“Trying to force a woman into marriage against her will? That’s illegal, you know?”

“Are you trying to marry me off, or are you trying to make an enemy? Think about it—if I really married that so-called director, the first thing I’d do is take revenge on your Xin family.”

“You and Dad at least gave birth to me, so I wouldn’t do anything to you two. But as for others, like Xin Liyie? Well, I wouldn’t be so sure about them.”

“They say children are the debts of their parents, but parents’ debts also get paid back by their children.”

Li Huilan was so furious she began trembling, clutching her chest as if she might faint.

Xin Guoping was also seething with rage, pointing at Xin Qi and roaring, “You little brat! Are you insane, saying things like that? Are you trying to drive your mother to her grave?”

“As your parents, could we possibly mean you harm?”

“If you truly don’t care about me and your mother, then we’ve raised an ungrateful child.”

“Get out! If we’re nothing to you, then you can leave this house!”

His words were full of supposed righteousness, trying to corner Xin Qi on the moral high ground.

The usually quiet Xin Jianjun wanted to step in and mediate, but Zhang Lan held him back.

Unfortunately, Xin Qi didn’t care for morality.

Reasoning with people like Xin Guoping and Li Huilan was useless, and yelling at them didn’t help either.

Xin Qi thought some people just deserved to be messed with. She really didn’t want to make a big scene every time—it was exhausting putting on a show.

But her tears came on cue. The moment Xin Guoping saw that familiar expression on her face, his scalp tingled.

This was bad. That all-too-familiar drama was about to begin again. Just as he opened his mouth—

Xin Qi ran into the kitchen crying. She came out with a pot lid in one hand and a rolling pin in the other, heading straight for the balcony.

Only then did everyone react and follow her to the balcony.

There they saw Xin Qi, one foot on a small stool, the other foot dangling outside the balcony railing—it was a terrifying sight.

Banging on the pot lid like she was beating a grievance drum, she shouted dramatically:

“My life is so bitter! My father doesn’t love me, my mother doesn’t care! They want to sell their daughter for money, force me into marriage! I won’t marry! My own mother scolds me, my father kicks me out—what’s the point of living? Might as well be dead!”

Xin Guoping was furious, gritting his teeth and trying to pull her down.

Xin Jianjun, terrified she might actually jump, held Xin Guoping back and tried to calm Xin Qi.

Li Huilan couldn’t catch her breath—her vision blurred, and she couldn’t stand. Zhang Lan had to help her collapse onto the couch.

Zhang Lan had been standing there, dumbfounded. Once she snapped out of it, she quickly shooed little Haohao back into his room and helped Li Huilan into the living room.

The commotion also caught the attention of the neighbors. Another show at the Xin house—of course Wang Fengying from next door was the first to knock.

Zhang Lan glanced at Li Huilan rubbing her chest on the couch, then ran over and opened the door.

Li Huilan’s eyes widened, just about to yell at her, but Wang Fengying had already walked in. Li Huilan quickly shut her eyes, looking pained.

With a weak voice, she said, “Zhang Lan… my heart… it’s acting up again. Help me into the bedroom to lie down.”

She didn’t want to be mocked by Wang Fengying to her face—better to hide in the room for now.

Haohao was in the room too, so Zhang Lan helped Li Huilan into her own bedroom.

Wang Fengying hadn’t even opened her mouth yet before Li Huilan slipped away.

She curled her lip, then a few more people entered the Xin house.

Seeing Wang Fengying already there, they quickly asked what was going on this time.

Xin Qi was already notorious at the machinery factory—everyone there knew she didn’t have it easy at home.

These neighbors had watched Xin Qi grow up, and many pitied her. They were often willing to speak up for her.

Since Wang Fengying lived closest and always had a close eye on the Xin family, she had heard every word Xin Qi shouted. She eagerly added fuel to the fire, gossiping to the others.

That’s how everyone figured out Xin Qi was being forced into marriage and was now threatening suicide.

They were all shocked and rushed to the balcony to try to calm her down.

Xin Guoping turned around and was embarrassed to find the house packed with onlooking neighbors again. Maybe because he had already experienced this once before, he was slightly less flustered this time.

At first, he managed to barely keep it together, but with Wang Fengying leading the charge and a bunch of aunties chattering non-stop around him—

He couldn’t handle it. His eyes searched the living room, only to find his wife had already hidden away.

Xin Jianjun was no good with words, and soon Xin Guoping was overwhelmed.

With just a few sentences, Xin Qi had stirred up the crowd. Criticism of Xin Guoping grew louder and louder, until he could only gape silently.

The more defeated Xin Guoping looked, the more triumphant Xin Qi became.

She climbed down from the balcony, set down the pot lid and rolling pin, and bowed deeply to the crowd.

With emotion in her voice, she said:

“Thank you, uncles and aunties. There’s no such thing as bad parents—I believe my parents won’t force me to go on blind dates again.”

“I’m still young. It’s the perfect time for me to contribute to the Four Modernizations of our great nation. All I want right now is to dedicate myself to frontline work and help build a better country.”

“Women hold up half the sky. A woman’s path is not limited to marriage.”

“Here and now, in front of all of you, I swear—I won’t even consider personal matters until I’ve achieved something significant. Please supervise me.”

Everyone nodded in agreement.

“It’s a new society now—marriage is about freedom. Who still forces marriage these days? It’s not the old times.”

“Didn’t expect Xin Guoping to be so old-fashioned.”

“No wonder he didn’t get selected as an exemplary worker last time. Seems the factory leaders had good judgment.”

“He always acts like such a nice guy.”

“That’s why they say—beware the quiet ones.”

…

Xin Guoping’s face turned darker and darker. His decades-long reputation—ruined, just like that.

He was nearly coughing up blood.

At that moment, a voice from outside the crowd rang out:
“Well said! Women hold up half the sky. Marriage is not a woman’s only path!”

Luo Hongying had gone to see the factory leadership after Xin Qi left.

The machinery factory director, Li Weimin, was an open-minded leader. He was the one who approved broadcasting Xin Qi’s thank-you letter on the factory’s loudspeaker.

This time, Luo Hongying had come with Xin Qi’s new proposal—collecting submissions and broadcasting “Red and Black Lists” to spotlight and monitor workplace behavior.

Li Weimin was intrigued. He saw the potential not just for promoting women’s rights, but also for expanding this method to supervise other issues.

Luo Hongying had nothing but praise for Xin Qi—and Li Weimin knew Luo rarely spoke so highly of anyone, given her elite background. For her to suggest creating a special position in the Women’s Federation just for Xin Qi was a first.

But this girl, Xin Qi, had refused and insisted on staying a mechanic.

Li Weimin was curious now. Luo Hongying said she’d go inform Xin Qi that her proposal was approved, and he decided to tag along.

As fate would have it, they arrived just in time to witness the chaos at the Xin household—and to hear Xin Qi’s speech.