Chapter 15: Bai Mengmeng Shows Up at the Door

The bedroom had a fan running and two ice basins placed nearby. Xiaonuan was sleeping peacefully.

Watching her daughter’s calm, sleeping face, Jiang Yuan felt a deep sense of peace — all the hard work and sacrifices she had made were completely worth it.

Her mother had prepared a late-night snack for them: dumplings stuffed with pork and pickled cabbage.

Because the weather was hot, the pickled cabbage had fermented quickly — perfect timing to bring it out and enjoy it today.

Jiang Yuan hadn’t eaten dumplings with pickled cabbage filling in a long time — Xia Chaoyang’s whole family only liked chive-flavored ones.

So anything stuffed at home was either chive and egg, chive and meat, or chive with glass noodles.

She had once told them she wanted to eat something else, and her former mother-in-law mocked her harshly.

“When you marry a chicken, follow the chicken. Marry a dog, follow the dog,” she said.
“Xia Chaoyang likes it, so stop making a fuss.”

It wasn’t that she was being difficult — chives gave her acid reflux if she ate too much.

Even while she was breastfeeding, they still insisted on eating chives.

Everyone knew chives could reduce milk supply, but no one cared.

Thinking about it now, she felt like a joke — she had tried so hard to maintain her marriage, and in the end, it had completely fallen apart.

What did marriage give women?

The loss of self, being trapped in the household, and unappreciated efforts.

It was better to just live freely. Caring too much about what others thought only led to suffering.

“That girl downstairs is really annoying. We should just keep our distance,” said Jiang Xingzhi.

“Dad, you noticed it too? We’re not the ones bothering her — she keeps picking fights with us.”

Of course Jiang Xingzhi knew — but what could they do? They lived upstairs and downstairs from each other.

Now that the elevator wasn’t working, they’d be bumping into each other all the time.

“By the way, I think I saw Xia Chaoyang today!”

Qin Yue looked a bit nervous as she glanced at Jiang Xingzhi, then at Jiang Yuan.

“Yeah, he and that mistress of his were out buying supplies too.”

Jiang Yuan recounted everything that had happened at the supermarket — including how their neighbor helped her out.

“Serves him right. You went easy on him. A guy who can’t keep it in his pants — what’s the point of keeping him?”

Qin Yue was still fuming. The more she thought about it over the past two days, the angrier she got. She’d long wanted to give Xia Chaoyang a beating.

“Mom, it’s fine. He’s not worth our time. It’s over now.”

“Yuan Yuan, from now on, you need to listen to your mother. Stay far away from people like that.
I was against your marriage to him from the beginning. His parents looked shady from the start…”

“What’s the point of bringing that up now? You’re just making the girl feel worse,” Jiang Xingzhi interrupted with a glare.

“Alright, I won’t say more. Yuan Yuan, don’t worry — your parents will always be your support.”

Jiang Yuan was a little moved. In this world, the only people who could forgive you unconditionally and love you no matter what… were your parents.

“Mom, I’ll listen to you from now on. I won’t go against you ever again.”

“Good.”

Qin Yue went to scoop out the dumpling soup. Jiang Yuan quietly noticed her wiping away tears.

In the past, because she had married Xia Chaoyang against their wishes, she had left her parents behind in the countryside.

Now, even though she was broken and hurting all over, her parents had still come to take care of her without hesitation.

If she still didn’t know what was important, then she truly wasn’t worth anything.

Now that both her parents and her daughter were with her — and they were safe — what more could she possibly ask for?

Jiang Yuan fell asleep that night feeling completely content. She slept soundly until morning.

She thought things had settled down.

But the next day, as they were having breakfast, an uninvited guest showed up.

Jiang Xingzhi watched through the surveillance monitor. That Bai Mengmeng — not only was she not prettier than his daughter, her character was terrible too. Was Xia Chaoyang kicked in the head by a donkey?

“Don’t worry about it, sweetheart. Let her cause a scene if she wants to. We’re not going out,” Qin Yue said, holding Jiang Yuan’s hand tightly.

“Exactly. Just ignore her and see what she does.”

Outside, Bai Mengmeng was blocked in the hallway on the 20th floor, yelling non-stop. There was not even a trace of the delicate “white moonlight” she pretended to be.

“Jiang Yuan, come out here! You hit someone and ran — you need to take responsibility! Get out here!”

“Jiang Yuan, don’t be a coward hiding in your shell! Are you trying to drive me to suicide?! If you don’t give me an explanation today, I’m not leaving!”

“If you still won’t come out, I’m calling the police!”

More and more neighbors were gathering in the stairwell, especially those on the 20th floor, watching the drama unfold with excitement.

Bai Mengmeng seemed to gain confidence from the growing audience — she started banging on the door and even kicked it a few times.

This idiot was seriously getting on Jiang Yuan’s nerves. Was she trying to die or what?

She opened the door without hesitation.

“Call the cops. I’d love to see how the police handle a mistress who broke up a marriage and moved in while the man was still married.”

Hearing Jiang Yuan’s voice, all the neighbors downstairs suddenly felt like they’d gotten front-row seats to the biggest scandal — their eyes lit up with gossip-fueled excitement.

“Don’t change the subject! You beat up Xia Chaoyang. What are you going to do about that?” Bai Mengmeng yelled.

“What am I gonna do? Nothing. Suck it up!”

“You…”

Bai Mengmeng hadn’t expected Jiang Yuan to be so shameless. She blinked quickly, and a new tactic popped into her head.

“Sister Jiang Yuan, I know we’ve wronged you. But Chaoyang and I truly love each other…

You already took all the money from the house. Can’t you just let us go? We have nothing left now.”

She even started crying.

“What’s wrong with this woman? It’s just a relationship — does she have to be so dramatic?”

That comment came from the woman on the 20th floor. Jiang Yuan shot her a cold look.

“If you’re so kindhearted, why don’t you invite them into your home and feed them?”

“What’s it got to do with me? Why should I support them?”

“Since it’s none of your business, then shut your stinking mouth.”

“You…”

Seeing that things were going south, Bai Mengmeng quickly tried to smooth things over:

“Sister Jiang Yuan, I’m sorry. Please don’t take it out on this kind lady.
I came today just to ask if we could borrow some money. Chaoyang is badly hurt — we need to go to the hospital.”

“Bai Mengmeng, are you brain-damaged?

Xia Chaoyang cheated on me while I was pregnant.
We weren’t even divorced when you brought your child into our home and forced me out.
I didn’t say a word then.

You guys took the 130-square-meter apartment in the city.
Did I get a single thing in the split?

And now you want me to pay child support?

Don’t tell me you’re broke. Xia Chaoyang bought you this place behind my back — don’t tell me he doesn’t have secret savings.

And now you come crying to me for help?
Where do you get the nerve?!”

Bai Mengmeng felt miserable too. To force Jiang Yuan out, she’d taken all the money from the family.

She thought with the shop still running, they’d have a steady income — like having a chicken that lays golden eggs.
But then the heat hit, and the market closed.

Now they hadn’t earned a cent, and her savings were almost gone.

“But Chaoyang was hurt by you! You should at least pay for his medical expenses!”

“Pfft. You’ve got some nerve. I fought tooth and nail just to grab a few groceries, and you two came to snatch them away from me — why should I give you anything?
I was defending myself — what law says that’s wrong?”

“It wasn’t stealing — we were just asking to borrow some food!”

Jiang Yuan sneered coldly:

“If you really can’t tell the difference, then go ahead — call the cops.”