Chapter 12: Trying to Ruin Someone’s Marriage?

On the way back, Liu Jie kept mocking Lin Shuqiao in a sarcastic tone,
“Some people really don’t know what’s good for them—trying to have it both ways. Careful you end up with nothing at all.”

Lin Shuqiao couldn’t be bothered to respond. She was carrying a child behind her; one wrong move and she might drop the poor thing.

“Ugh, what a fake,” Liu Jie sneered. “Some people are just naturally unfaithful. If this were the old days, you’d have been paraded through the streets and drowned in a pig cage.”

Zhao Juan chimed in, adding fuel to the fire.

Still expressionless, Lin Shuqiao retorted coldly,
“What I spend my money on has nothing to do with you. It’s not your money. You two believe every baseless rumor you hear. What else is in your heads besides gossip?”

Liu Jie was furious.
“Lin Shuqiao, you’re so wasteful! You managed to burn through all of Commander Lu’s salary. No wonder he wants to divorce you. You ruined him—such a good man—and you still have the nerve to act arrogant? Trash!”

Lin Shuqiao replied coolly,
“Has my family ever taken a single cent from you? Only my husband has the right to say that—not you or anyone else.”

Liu Jie scoffed,
“You used his money to chase after other men. If I were Commander Lu, I would’ve divorced you on the spot. What a disgrace!”

Lin Shuqiao stopped her bicycle and looked at Liu Jie closely.
“How much he gives me and how I spend it is between the two of us. We’re not divorced yet, so it’s none of your business.”

“From how you’re always eyeing someone else’s husband, looks like you’re the one trying to ruin a marriage.”

Liu Jie’s face twisted in anger.
“You’re the shameless one! Just wait and see—your lucky streak won’t last forever! Sooner or later, Commander Lu will leave you, you homewrecker!”

Lin Shuqiao smirked coldly.
“Well, he hasn’t left me yet, has he? And you, as an outsider, have no right to judge. Mind your own business—I don’t have a good temper.”

Liu Jie’s face turned pale with rage. She sneered,
“Just wait, I’m going to tell Commander Lu that you came out today just to flirt with Jiang He. Too bad you didn’t dare because we were watching!”

Lin Shuqiao skillfully turned a corner, thinking,
Go ahead and tell him—what can he do? We’re getting divorced anyway.

But Liu Jie wasn’t entirely wrong—Lu Zheng really was a good man.

——

They soon arrived at the compound. As soon as she got off the bike and set Lu Ziqi down, Lin Shuqiao saw a crowd gathered outside the yard. Almost all the nosy neighbors had come.

What a rare sight… something must’ve happened.

As soon as Lin Shuqiao looked up, she saw people pointing at her, their eyes gleaming with excitement as they whispered behind cupped hands.

She frowned. What had happened while she was gone?

Probably nothing good.

Just as she was wondering, a shrill and mean voice shouted from inside the house,
“Lin Shuqiao! Get your butt in here! Where have you been messing around?!”

Hearing that voice, Lin Shuqiao’s face turned cold.

So the whole wretched family was here.

She glanced toward the voice and, carrying her bags, stepped inside.

It had been almost ten years since she’d seen this lot. For a moment, it felt surreal.

The last time they met, they had driven her out of the village, calling her a jinx who ruined the family’s reputation and prevented Lin Long from finding a good wife.

Inside the house, Lin Long was shouting at the top of his lungs,
“I’m starving! Sis, hurry up and cook! I want five big pork knuckles, extra fatty! Why are you just standing there?!”

Lin Shuqiao crossed her arms and replied coldly,
“If you’re hungry, go home and eat. I’ve got nothing for you here.”

Her mother immediately snapped,
“You heartless wretch! Your brother’s starving and you won’t even feed him? Just because you married well, now you don’t care about your family? He’s just hungry!”

Lin Long grinned smugly at the scolding being hurled at Lin Shuqiao.

“Yeah, sis, you’ve cooked so many times before—what’s one more? Hurry up, I’m really hungry,” he said, slumping into a chair.

Their younger sister, Lin Lianlian, stood silently, not daring to say a word.

Old Lady Lin strolled over slowly, pulling Lin Long’s head to rest on her shoulder.
“Our poor Longlong must be starving. Don’t worry, your sister will cook a few pork knuckles for you soon. Just wait a bit.”

She then glared at Lin Shuqiao and snapped,
“You call yourself his sister? Married off and now you forget your own name? You can’t even take care of your own younger brother? Put those bags down and get in the kitchen right now!”

Lin Shuqiao acted like she didn’t hear her and headed toward the house. But her father, Lin Youxi, suddenly reached out to grab the bag in her hand.
“What’s this? Give it here!”

She immediately pulled it back and said coldly,
“Dad, I bought clothes for Lu Ziqi. You can’t have this.”

“If you want something, go buy it in town.”

As if he had any money!
She knew exactly what kind of insult he was going to take that as.

Lin Youxi’s face darkened in frustration.
“Clothes for him? You really think you’re his stepmother now? I haven’t heard anyone say anything good about you! If it weren’t for us, would you even be where you are today? You owe us for life! Hand it over!”

Before she could respond, her mother cut in,
“Buying new clothes for someone else’s kid, but not for your own brother? We raised you all these years for nothing! Ungrateful brat!”

“Dad, don’t say that… Sis has it hard too,” the timid Lin Lianlian tugged at their father’s sleeve.

Lin Shuqiao looked at the scene before her with cold amusement.

But Lin Youxi wasn’t done. He lunged again, grabbing the bag by force.

His strength overpowered hers, and he wrenched the bag away.

As he stuffed it into his arms, he scolded her:
“You need to think about your brother more! Stop being so selfish!”

Lin Shuqiao stood there unmoving, her gaze like ice.

Old Lady Lin looked over, still clinging to Lin Long, and ordered,
“Go cook now! Don’t forget the pork knuckles—our Longlong’s starving! Make plenty, or there won’t be enough to go around!”

“All of it is mine! No one else gets a bite!” Lin Long yelled as he slapped his grandmother across the face.

But instead of being angry, the old woman beamed.
“That’s right—don’t share your food with anyone. Grandma’s proud of you!”

Watching this, a wave of disgust rose in Lin Shuqiao’s heart.

This was the kind of place she used to live in—completely devoid of any moral compass.

Her eyes turned cold, and she sneered,
“Beating your grandmother and getting praised for it? What an eye-opener.”

“This isn’t your place to speak! Go make the pork knuckles! What if my precious grandson starves?” the old woman barked, banging her cane on the ground.

“Grandma,” Lin Shuqiao looked at her calmly,
“Is he your only grandson? Am I nothing to you?”

“Just because he’s a boy, you spoil him rotten. Do you even care what kind of man he’ll become?”

Her words instantly enraged everyone in the room.

Lin Youxi rushed over and slapped her hard.
“You have no right to talk about your brother! He’s ten times the person you’ll ever be! I regret ever having a daughter like you!”

“Too bad,” Lin Shuqiao sneered. “If you don’t treat me like your daughter, then get the hell out!”

She dodged to the side and pointed toward the door, sweeping her icy gaze across her so-called family.