“Fine! Well done, Jiang Cheng! You’ve been pretending all along, haven’t you?”

Mother Lin’s face flushed with anger as she panted heavily.

Jiang Cheng got right in her face, spitting as she spoke, spraying Mother Lin with saliva.

“Pretending? Alright, you try pretending for three years, working nonstop from four in the morning until ten at night!”

“You’ve taken all the benefits, and now you’re turning around to blame me. You’re like someone who smashes the bowl after eating—utterly shameless!”

“Lin Chengyuan getting married—such a big event, and you claim you didn’t know about it?”

“Even after knowing, you still used the title of daughter-in-law to tie me down and make me work for your family. Even the old landlords weren’t as disgusting as your Lin family!”

Jiang Cheng paused for a moment, seemingly trying to calm herself before continuing, “Return my compensation money, and I’ll leave the Lin family immediately. Otherwise, I’ll report you for your capitalist, bandit-like behavior!”

At these words, the entire Lin family’s expressions changed, their brows twitching.

They had already been caught off guard by Jiang Cheng’s fabricated diary.

But returning the money? That was more painful than cutting off their own flesh.

Seeing the Lin family remain silent, Jiang Cheng turned her gaze to He Dan.

“Little sister, it seems the Lin family can’t bear to let me go. Who would have thought that in this new society, I’d still get to witness the practice of taking concubines.”

Jiang Cheng emphasized the word “concubine” heavily.

He Dan’s face turned pale, and she shoved Lin Chengyuan hard.

Lin Chengyuan’s brow twitched repeatedly.

“Jiang Cheng, stop talking nonsense! He Dan and I are revolutionary comrades with shared goals.”

Jiang Cheng scoffed coldly and held out her hand.

“Then stop acting all righteous while behaving like a scoundrel. Give me back the money!”

Lin Chengyuan knew the gravity of the situation. His job transfer hadn’t been finalized yet.

But Jiang Cheng? She just had to make such a scene.

If she liked him so much, why couldn’t she consider his position?

Lin Chengyuan gave Jiang Cheng a deep look, one that sent a shiver down her spine.

What a sick man.

Lin Chengyuan averted his gaze and turned to his parents.

“Mom, Dad, give her the money!”

Mother Lin and Father Lin also knew that, at this point, they had no choice but to hand over the money.

But…

“Chengyuan, come here.”

Lin Chengyuan, confused, walked over, and the three of them huddled together, whispering for a while.

“You!”

Lin Chengyuan, who also cared about his reputation, was so angry that his face turned red. He stomped back, pulling He Dan aside for another round of hushed discussion.

He Dan, who had always carried herself with an air of superiority, finally showed some emotion, glaring fiercely at Jiang Cheng.

Jiang Cheng: What a perfect match these two are! They deserve each other—locked together forever!

He Dan, after being pulled and coaxed by Lin Chengyuan, realized there was no other way.

After all, Lin Chengyuan still had a good job. In the end, she nodded in agreement.

When the two returned, Lin Chengyuan pulled a brown paper bag from He Dan’s luggage.

“Six hundred yuan. Count it carefully.”

“Jiang Cheng, think carefully. Once you take this money, you’ll have no connection to the Lin family whatsoever.”

Jiang Cheng didn’t even glance at Lin Chengyuan, scoffing as she dropped the act. “Enough with the nonsense!”

Lin Chengyuan clenched his fists and snorted coldly.

Fine, Jiang Cheng. Even if she begged to come back to him in the future, he wouldn’t spare her a glance!

Jiang Cheng didn’t take the money directly. Instead, she walked over to Old Man Sun, the manager of the courtyard.

“Uncle Sun, could I trouble you to act as a witness? Help me count the money and draft a written agreement?”

Old Man Sun was a smart man. Deep down, he disapproved of the Lin family’s actions, and as the courtyard’s manager, he naturally agreed.

At Jiang Cheng’s request, the agreement clearly outlined the entire situation. The money was counted on the spot, and both parties signed and pressed their fingerprints.

Jiang Cheng carefully stored the agreement.

The original host and Lin Chengyuan had never held a wedding or registered their marriage, so her household registration couldn’t be transferred to the city.

She had been living with the Lin family under the guise of visiting relatives, with her household and grain relations still tied to the village.

When the Lin family had gone to propose the marriage, the Jiang family’s old house had been pressuring the original host to hand over the compensation money.

This was also one of the reasons the original host had trusted the Lin family so completely.

“Looks like someone’s going to be sleeping on the streets!”

Lin Jiaojiao’s face showed a level of pettiness beyond her years as she gleefully clung to He Dan’s arm.

“Sister He Dan, you’re so pretty—much prettier than Jiang Cheng. My brother is so lucky. Unlike Jiang Cheng, who’s always gloomy and annoying!”

He Dan smiled gently, holding Lin Jiaojiao’s hand. “Jiaojiao, you’re pretty too. If you don’t like her, just don’t mention her. She’s not important.”

“Mhm, mhm! You’re right, sister-in-law!”

The two of them bantered back and forth, trying to provoke Jiang Cheng.

But who was Jiang Cheng?

She had been the queen of clapbacks at the orphanage. If it weren’t for the money, she would have already roasted them until they questioned their life choices.

Her mentor had once suspected that she learned five languages just to argue with people abroad.

China wasn’t enough for her to fully unleash her skills!

Jiang Cheng stood tall, her hands behind her back, as she scrutinized Lin Jiaojiao’s face, making Lin Jiaojiao frown.

“Lin Jiaojiao, you only have one face. Be careful not to lose it all! At such a young age, you’ve already inherited your grandmother’s pettiness. Whoever marries you will be getting a wife who’s already an old hag!”

“And as for you, Miss ‘I-like-to-pick-up-other-people’s-men,’ could you please look at the ground? You and I are standing on the same land. Who are you trying to act so high and mighty for? Or do you look down on the peasant class?”

He Dan was left speechless. Who would dare say they looked down on the peasant class?

With Jiang Cheng’s sharp retorts, the onlookers’ eyes widened in surprise.

Was this the same Jiang Cheng who used to be as silent as a stone?

Her way with words was so impressive that it felt like a waste not to put it to use.

But then again, the Lin family had it coming.

Lin Jiaojiao wanted to retort, but she was cut off by Lin Chengyuan’s furious roar.

“Enough!”

“Jiang Cheng, take the money and leave.”

Jiang Cheng tapped her foot, her tone dripping with sarcasm.

“Since when did the public areas of the courtyard belong to the Lin family?”

Lin Chengyuan glared at Jiang Cheng, his teeth clenched. “Let’s go inside.”

The Lin family members, all with grim expressions, turned and entered their small three-room west wing.

Mother Lin and Grandma Lin were also angry, but they still held onto a sliver of hope.

They both thought that Lin Chengyuan’s sudden return today had been too much of a shock.

In a few days, they could coax Jiang Cheng back.

In their eyes, Jiang Cheng’s harsh words were just her resentment toward Lin Chengyuan.

Without love, there would be no resentment.

“Cheng Cheng, we’re still family. Don’t let this create a rift.”

Grandma Lin wiped her eyes as she tried to smooth things over.

Jiang Cheng smirked. The old woman was truly naive.

“Only those buried in the same grave are family. You’d better not get lost on your way there—once you’re lost, there’s no coming back!”

Grandma Lin’s face turned ashen.

The older one got, the more they feared such curses.

“Fine, fine! Let’s see how you survive on your own!”

Jiang Cheng remained standing straight, speaking slowly and deliberately. “That might be tough. I’m young, so you might not live long enough to see it.”

“Jiang Cheng, don’t go too far!” Lin Chengyuan glared at her, his anger palpable.

Jiang Cheng had disappointed him so much!

Thank goodness he had married Dan Dan. A woman like Jiang Cheng was utterly unsuited for refined company.

Jiang Cheng smiled humbly, her tone sweet. “When dealing with scoundrels, even the harshest actions are acts of kindness. I’m just doing my part, really.”

“What? Are you going to hit me?”

Jiang Cheng tapped her forehead provocatively.

“Come on, come on! Hit me right here! You hit, I fall, and unless I get at least a thousand or so, none of us are walking away happy!”

“I wonder if your wife’s little bag can even cover that.”

Lin Chengyuan and He Dan’s faces both darkened.

Father Lin pulled Lin Chengyuan back, staring at Jiang Cheng. “We’ve underestimated you.”

“No, you’ve just been looking down on me all along.”

The Lin family was so furious that their eyes bulged, but Jiang Cheng’s sharp tongue never once resorted to vulgarity.

Why did it feel so satisfying to listen to?

Several young onlookers were even tempted to take out notebooks and jot down her words. They hadn’t been this attentive in school.

With a loud “bang,” the Lin family slammed their door shut, too angry to continue.

Jiang Cheng shrugged. That’s it?

She was just warming up.

The courtyard residents, seeing that the main targets of Jiang Cheng’s verbal assault had retreated, offered her a few half-hearted words of comfort before dispersing.

But tonight’s gossip would be overflowing!

Among the crowd, a pregnant woman with a Liu Hulan-style haircut gave Jiang Cheng a discreet look.

Jiang Cheng nodded subtly and followed the woman out of the courtyard.