Chapter 32.1

Qin Qingman arrived home around one o’clock in the afternoon, exhausted and starving. In the northeastern season, the sky turned dark by around four, and at that moment, thick, low clouds filled the sky, promising snow soon. In such a gloomy atmosphere, someone unexpectedly came to make a scene.

Without even looking, Qin Qingman knew it had to be the family from next door—the Zhus, particularly Zhu Hongxia’s family.

The crying voice didn’t sound like Zhu Hongxia’s, though. Well, that made sense—Zhu Hongxia was bedridden with an injury and unable to move. If she tried to venture out to cause a disturbance in weather like this, it would likely be the end of her.

So, if it wasn’t Zhu Hongxia herself, it must be Qin Caiyun.

If Qin Caiyun dared to come crying at her door, it was surely at the instigation of Zhu Hongxia and her husband.

Seething with anger, Qin Qingman added another half-kettle of boiling water to her foot bath, then carried it out. Chuchu, sharp-witted as ever, noticed Qin Qingman carrying the foot bath and instantly guessed the situation. He quickly bundled himself in his cotton-padded coat and rushed out with her, even reaching the courtyard gate before Qin Qingman and opening it.

*Swoosh—*

Qin Qingman flung the barely used foot bath water out of the basin.

The scalding hot water met the freezing air, creating a burst of powder-like icy rain that floated down rapidly, glittering in the air.

Kneeling at Qin Qingman’s door, Qin Caiyun was instantly drenched.

The icy water clung to her hair, face, eyelashes, and nose, and even her open mouth caught some of it, as she’d been wailing.

Qin Caiyun knew well enough that Qin Qingman could be ruthless. Her face changed color as she breathed in the ice and snow, and she stopped crying immediately, spitting out the cold, wet slush from her mouth, her face flushed red with anger. She was so furious she almost wanted to slap Qin Qingman.

“If you choose to act despicable, don’t blame others for treating you as such. I’ve said it before—we have no relationship with your family anymore. Don’t drag my household into your mess. If someone dies in your family, go cry at your own home, not mine, or you’re just showing yourself to be shameless.” Qin Qingman said, sparing no mercy.

If Qin Caiyun dared to bring trouble to her door, Qin Qingman would make sure to insult her without restraint.

If she didn’t show some toughness, these people would truly think she was easy to bully.

Qin Caiyun was stunned by the insult. She hadn’t expected that Qin Qingman would not only call her shameless but would also curse her family, practically wishing Zhu Hongxia a quick death.

“Get lost. I’m warning you—if I hear you crying at my door again, Grandma here will go straight to the village committee and demand that Qin Jianming and Qin Jianjun get locked up. Let them sit in prison for a good ten, maybe twenty years.”

After throwing down these words, Qin Qingman slammed the door shut and returned inside.

Next door, Zhu Hongxia, who had been eavesdropping all along, paled at Qin Qingman’s threat. She only had two sons; if both went to prison, it would be the death of her.

Terrified, she quickly urged Qin Lei to go fetch Qin Caiyun back.

They couldn’t afford to provoke Qin Qingman any further, nor did they dare to.

Qin Lei’s expression was also sour. Originally, he thought it would be humiliating for him, as an elder, to bow down to Qin Qingman, so he came up with the idea of sending Qin Caiyun to play the role of a “mourning soldier.” But things hadn’t gone as they’d hoped—instead, they had only further angered Qin Qingman.

“All of this is your fault!” Zhu Hongxia scolded. “If you’d gone yourself, Qin Qingman might’ve shown some mercy out of respect for her Second Uncle. Maybe she would have agreed to go easy on Jianming and Jianjun. But you found it too humiliating and insisted on sending Caiyun, and Caiyun is nothing but bad luck. She can’t get anything right!”

Some people never look for the reason for failure in themselves; they only shift blame and evade responsibility.

Zhu Hongxia was precisely that kind of person.

Irritated by her accusations, Qin Lei snapped, “This is your fault, not mine. If you hadn’t schemed against Qingman in the first place, she wouldn’t have distanced herself from us, and she wouldn’t have cut ties with us publicly. If anyone is to blame, it’s you. You pushed things way too far!”

“Oh, you’re blaming me?” Zhu Hongxia’s anger flared up, too. “If it hadn’t been for my scheming, you wouldn’t have had to chop as much firewood, and you’d have been eating full meals every day.”

Faced with Qin Lei’s blame, Zhu Hongxia’s frustration rose. It was as though all the things she’d “earned” through scheming had been hers alone to enjoy.

If it weren’t for the family, would she have had to do such detestable things?

They had all enjoyed the benefits together, but now that trouble had come, they were laying all the blame on her. She wouldn’t stand for it!

Sputtering with indignation, Zhu Hongxia started to cry and rant, listing all the things she had done for the family since marrying into it—the sacrifices, the credit she’d earned. Yet now, when something went wrong, she was blamed as if she were an outsider. She couldn’t go on living like this.

“Then don’t live like this. If you want a divorce, then get a divorce.” Qin Lei retorted.

Qin Lei had already been troubled by the situation with his two sons, his hair turning gray with worry. Now, the solution he had hoped for had failed, and on top of that, he had to endure Zhu Hongxia’s constant complaints. Furious, he spat out one last remark and stormed out, slamming the door behind him.

The doorframe echoed with a buzzing sound, and Zhu Hongxia’s sobs were caught in her throat. Her tears flowed even more furiously.

She was terrified—genuinely scared.

At nearly fifty years old, if Qin Lei drove her back to her own home, how would she survive? The more she thought about it, the more frightened she became. Clutching the blanket, Zhu Hongxia broke down in loud, anguished sobs.

She regretted it—regretted provoking Qin Qingman. Had she known that Qin Qingman was so firm and unyielding, she never would have bullied her so harshly. If only she had shown some restraint, perhaps her family wouldn’t be in such a dire situation now.

As she cried, Zhu Hongxia’s face suddenly changed. She called out loudly for Qin Caiyun.

Meanwhile, Qin Caiyun, who had been scolded mercilessly by Qin Qingman and doused with the foot bath water, had already slunk back home. Upon entering, she overheard her parents arguing and decided she didn’t want to be used as a pawn any longer. She remained silent, not entering the living room, but instead squatting in the corner, contemplating her next move.

She couldn’t stay in this house any longer. She had to leave.

While thinking about how to leave the house with dignity, she saw Qin Lei storm out, and a few minutes later, she heard Zhu Hongxia calling for her from inside. She didn’t respond and pretended not to hear.

Qin Caiyun knew exactly why Zhu Hongxia was calling her, but she no longer cared about fulfilling her filial duties. No matter how much she tried, no one ever appreciated her efforts.

Inside the bedroom, Zhu Hongxia’s voice grew hoarse as she repeatedly called out for Qin Caiyun. The more she called, the redder her face became, until eventually, all the sounds were choked off in her throat.

The most humiliating thing that could happen to someone confined to a bed had just happened to her.

Sickened by the stench in the air, Zhu Hongxia cursed loudly—cursing Qin Lei, cursing Qin Caiyun, and cursing Qin Qingman.