Chapter 51: Discussion

When she saw Yang Yi at Lin Wei’s house, Liu Dan was shocked.

Although she lived next door to Yang Yi, she had to go to work every day, and when she came home, she still had to cook, bathe the children, and wash their clothes. By the time she finished everything, it was already time to go to bed.

So, even though she and Yang Yi saw each other daily, except on weekends, there really wasn’t much time for them to talk.

Yang Yi wasn’t someone who liked to complain. She confided in Lin Wei because she felt stifled. And once she opened up the first time, it became easier the second—but even so, she only spoke to Lin Wei. In front of others, she maintained a peaceful façade. Even if she was hurting inside, she would still force a smile.

Liu Dan had thought Yang Yi hadn’t slept well the night before. That morning, she even told her to go to bed earlier and not stay up too late.

But just now, when Lin Wei went to find Liu Dan, Yang Yi had been sitting alone in the Lin family’s courtyard. She couldn’t help but dwell on everything that had happened. The more she thought about it, the harder it became to bear, and her eyes involuntarily turned red.

While Zong Shao was giving the two children a bath, he had come out briefly and heard someone crying. But being a man, it wasn’t appropriate for him to go over and comfort her—especially if others saw, they might think he’d made her cry.

And since the kids were in the bath, it wasn’t convenient for him to leave them either. So he simply stayed out of it.

So when Liu Dan walked into Lin Wei’s yard and saw Yang Yi’s red, swollen eyes and the dark circles under them, she immediately thought of what had happened earlier. Pulling Lin Wei aside, she lowered her voice and asked, “Did Xiao Yang tell you about her mother-in-law?”

Lin Wei nodded. “She did.”

Liu Dan guessed, “And you called me here to help talk some sense into her?”

Lin Wei didn’t hide the truth. “No. She wanted to ask if you could help figure out whether Qi Tao knows about all this.”

Liu Dan was sharp. The moment she heard that, she realized Yang Yi’s mother-in-law must have done much worse than what she herself had seen. And now it was even starting to affect Yang Yi’s marriage—or at least her feelings for Qi Tao.

At that moment, Liu Dan began to question what she had previously believed.

That was Qi Tao’s own mother. She had treated her daughter-in-law so badly behind his back. Could Qi Tao really not have known? If he did know but pretended not to, then what kind of life had Yang Yi been living all these years?

Just the thought of it sent chills down Liu Dan’s spine. She immediately asked, “So what should we do?”

“We’ll talk it through later,” Lin Wei said, walking over to Yang Yi. She pulled a handkerchief from her pocket and handed it over. “Wipe your tears.”

Yang Yi thanked her, wiped her eyes, and said, “Sorry to make you all see such a sorry sight.”

“We’re friends—what’s there to apologize for?” Liu Dan said firmly. Remembering how Yang Yi had acted completely normal earlier that morning, she couldn’t help but say, “You’re something else. Usually so sharp with your words, but you just go soft in front of that old hag!”

Yang Yi sniffled and looked at Lin Wei, who gave a light cough and said, “There are people around—watch what you say.”

Liu Dan was about to retort, but when she glanced next door and saw the empty Zhao family yard, she remembered how Gao Xiulian had once tried to sabotage Lin Wei at work. So she swallowed her words.

While Yang Yi composed herself, Zong Shao had finished dressing the children after their bath.

Refreshed, Mingming jumped up as soon as he had his shoes on. When he saw the three women, he stopped and called out, “Auntie Yang, Auntie Liu, hello! Mom, can I go find Little Shitou to play?”

Lin Wei said, “Yes, but don’t get your clothes dirty.”

As long as he could go out and play, any rule was fine. Mingming quickly agreed, then turned to Ruirui and called, “Brother, hurry up! Mom said we can go find Little Shitou!”

Ruirui came running out after hearing that. After greeting Lin Wei, the two brothers held hands and ran out of the old stone courtyard.

Watching them run off, Lin Wei called after them, “Don’t run too fast!” Then she turned to Yang Yi and asked, “Should we go inside to talk or go out?”

Since Zong Shao was still at home, Yang Yi said, “Let’s go out.”

Lin Wei hummed in response and said to Zong Shao, who had just come out of the bathroom with a bucket of dirty clothes, “I’m going out with the girls to chat for a bit.”

Zong Shao nodded at the two women and said, “Come back early.”

There were actually quite a few people walking along the beach in the evening, but Lin Wei’s house was relatively remote, and not many people passed by the stretch in front of her yard. It was fairly quiet, so she didn’t have to worry about anyone overhearing their conversation.

Once they were outside, Lin Wei explained in detail what Yang Yi had been going through.

Before, it had only been speculation, and even then Liu Dan had already cursed Yang Yi’s mother-in-law. Now that the suspicions were confirmed, her curses became even more relentless. Frustrated, she asked angrily, “That old hag is so against you, and you’ve just been enduring it all this time?”

“At first, I used to talk back,” Yang Yi said, “but the moment I did, she’d claim she had a headache. After a while, I didn’t dare say anything anymore.”

Irritated, Liu Dan asked, “So every time you talk back she gets a headache, but she’s full of energy when she’s scolding you?”

Yang Yi understood this too, but what could she do? That was her mother-in-law—an elder. If something bad happened out of anger, she would be the one blamed.

Seeing Yang Yi’s distressed expression, Liu Dan softened her tone. “If you can’t say it, can’t you at least shout? That woman thrives on appearances—maybe if you raised your voice, she’d be more cautious.”

Yang Yi lowered her head. “No one would believe me.”

It was because she had always saved face for her mother-in-law that the woman never felt the need to act kind in front of outsiders. In the past, even Yang Yi herself didn’t think her mother-in-law was a bad person.

So when the old woman first turned on her, Yang Yi thought it was because she herself had done something wrong. But after it kept happening, she finally realized—it wasn’t about her shortcomings. Her mother-in-law had simply changed.

After figuring that out, she had tried to confide in someone, but the response was always the same: surprise and disbelief. “Your mother-in-law treats you so well, why aren’t you satisfied?”

Eventually, Yang Yi realized that her mother-in-law only acted warm and kind when others were around. The moment they were gone, she would start nitpicking.

So when Yang Yi said that her mother-in-law had been cold and critical lately, people just assumed she was being ungrateful and didn’t know how lucky she was.

Even when she returned to her mother’s home and tried to talk about it, her mom only half believed her. Later, her mother reluctantly agreed to visit and see for herself. Unsurprisingly, she was fooled too and ended up advising Yang Yi not to make trouble.

Left with no one to turn to and unable to bear staying at home, Yang Yi finally called Qi Tao and asked to join him with the army.

When Mrs. Qi first learned of Yang Yi’s desire to join the army, she was upset and tried to stop her under the pretense of not wanting to be separated.

But Qi Tao argued that he and Yang Yi had been apart long enough due to his responsibilities in caring for his mother and younger brother. Now that his brother was grown and independent, it was time for him and his wife to reunite. He even suggested that if his mother couldn’t bear to part from them, she could move to the base with them—there was plenty of room.

Most mothers would be touched to hear that their son wanted to bring them along, but Mrs. Qi had two sons. Though the older one was more accomplished, he had been away for years and wasn’t as sweet or attentive as the younger one. In her heart, the younger son was more important.

So when her eldest son said that, she stopped pretending she couldn’t bear to part from Yang Yi and dropped the matter altogether. That’s how Yang Yi was finally able to go to the base.

Liu Dan considered all this and asked, “From what you’re saying, Qi Tao still cares about you. So why didn’t you bring all this up to him after you joined him?”

Yang Yi sighed. “I didn’t dare.”

Her own mother had sided with her mother-in-law and thought she was too sensitive. So what could she expect from Qi Tao, who was her mother-in-law’s biological son? She didn’t want to say anything that would damage their relationship.

“If Lin Wei hadn’t woken me up that day,” she continued, “I probably wouldn’t have done anything. I would’ve just kept enduring it and waited until it was time to go back home.”

Liu Dan fell silent. She could understand the choice Yang Yi had made. If she were in her position with such a mother-in-law, she might not have handled things any better.

And Mrs. Qi had probably caught on to Yang Yi’s mentality, which only emboldened her to use words to suppress her further.

Liu Dan reached out and patted Yang Yi’s shoulder. “Have you really thought this through?” she asked.

She didn’t specify what “this” was, but Yang Yi understood and nodded. “Yes, I’ve thought it through.”

“Even if the result isn’t what you hope for?”

Yang Yi smiled bitterly. “I still need to find out what kind of person is lying beside me.”

“Alright.” Liu Dan nodded, then turned to Lin Wei. “What do I need to do?”

Lin Wei explained her plan. It wasn’t particularly complicated. She wanted Liu Dan to use the fact that she had overheard Elderly Mrs. Qi reprimanding Yang Yi as a pretext for Xing Dong to bring it up with Qi Tao and observe his reaction.

“If Battalion Commander Qi tries to whitewash the situation or says nothing to Sister Yang after going home,” Lin Wei said, “then there’s an 80% chance he already knew about everything. But if he gets to the bottom of it and stands up for Sister Yang, then there’s an 80% chance he didn’t know.”

“What if he brings it up with her and shows some concern, but doesn’t pursue it seriously?” Liu Dan asked.

“Then he’s either a hypocrite or someone with soft ears. It’s a fifty-fifty split,” Lin Wei replied. “It depends on what she’s willing to believe.”

She left the last part unsaid.

Liu Dan thought it over, then asked, “When do I make a move?”

“In a couple of days,” Lin Wei said, glancing at Yang Yi. “Something happened just now when I went to call Sister Liu.”

Liu Dan picked up on it immediately and looked at Lin Wei in surprise, her eyes asking, Didn’t you promise Qi Tao not to say anything to Yang Yi yet?

Lin Wei gave her a reassuring look before turning to Yang Yi. “But since Battalion Commander Qi said he would explain everything to you in person tonight, I can’t tell you what happened just yet. Whether or not he follows through, I think you should use tonight to reconsider whether this relationship is worth continuing. Once you’ve made up your mind, we’ll go from there.”

Although Yang Yi didn’t know exactly what had happened, she sensed the importance of Lin Wei’s words. She swallowed her questions and nodded. “I understand.”

It was Liu Dan, however, who lowered her voice as they were leaving and asked Lin Wei, “Why did you tell Xiao Yang to reconsider things?”

Lin Wei also lowered her voice. “I was thinking, if Battalion Commander Qi was just brushing me off earlier and has no intention of explaining things to Sister Yang, then the outcome of our little test won’t be good. But if he does talk to her, she might change her mind.”

Of course, even if Qi Tao explained things, it didn’t mean he hadn’t known all along. There had been plenty of people around today. Just because Lin Wei had promised not to say anything now didn’t mean she wouldn’t in the future.

But at least it would show that he had the right attitude. If the test yielded positive results, Yang Yi might gain some confidence in him. And if she wasn’t truly determined to keep digging, that increase in trust might be enough to make her stop probing.

Understanding her reasoning, Liu Dan said, “You really do think everything through.”

…

By the time they had finished talking, the sky had gone completely dark. Liu Dan and Yang Yi didn’t stay at Lin Wei’s place—they said their goodbyes and went home.

Lin Wei, meanwhile, went to Deng Xiangyun’s house to tell the two children it was time to go home and sleep.

This back-and-forth hadn’t escaped Deng Xiangyun’s notice. She hadn’t gotten involved, but now that Lin Wei had returned, she couldn’t help but ask, “What’s going on with Sister Yang?”

“How did you know it was Yang Yi?” Lin Wei asked in surprise.

Deng Xiangyun replied, “She came to you first.”

Realization dawned on Lin Wei, and she sighed again. “It’s too early to say. I’ll tell you in a few days.”

Hearing that, Deng Xiangyun guessed it might be a personal matter concerning Yang Yi. She didn’t feel it was unfair that the other three knew while she didn’t—after all, it was a private issue. She nodded and said, “That’s fine.” Then she waved at the two brothers and led Little Stone out to see them off.

The conversation between Lin Wei and Deng Xiangyun was heard clearly by the boys. Rui Rui wasn’t all that curious, but Ming Ming was the opposite. Once they got home, he immediately asked, “Mom, what’s wrong with Auntie Yang?”

Lin Wei asked back as she bolted the door, “What’s wrong with Auntie Yang?”

Ming Ming said, “Little Stone’s mom asked. Isn’t Sister Yang Auntie Yang?”

Lin Wei turned around, raised her eyebrows, and teased, “Oh? You know her real name?”

Ming Ming raised his head proudly. “I’m smart!”

Lin Wei chuckled. “Yes, yes, you big smartypants. Now hurry up and go to bed.”

Ming Ming responded and started walking upstairs with his brother. But after a few steps, he suddenly remembered and turned back around on the stairs. “You still haven’t told me what happened to Auntie Yang!”

“Auntie Yang’s fine. But you, if you don’t go to bed right now, I’ll let you taste bamboo shoots stir-fried with meat.”

As soon as he heard he might get spanked, Ming Ming quickly turned back and rushed up the stairs, puffing and panting with his short legs—which were actually considered long among his peers.

But no sooner had Ming Ming gone upstairs and come out of the bathroom than Zong Shao, who had overheard the tail end of the conversation, picked up where the boy left off. “What happened with Comrade Yang?”

Unlike how she brushed off her son, Lin Wei didn’t dodge the question with Zong Shao. “Her mother-in-law and brother-in-law came over. There was a bit of a conflict.”

She didn’t go into details, and Zong Shao didn’t press her. But after thinking for a moment, he asked, “Qi Tao’s mom and younger brother—didn’t they come for quite a while?”

“Less than half a month. Why?”

Zong Shao asked again, “Qi Tao’s brother doesn’t work?”

“He says he works at a state-run factory in his commune. Why are you asking?”

Zong Shao sat down beside Lin Wei and said, “Qi Tao’s from Huizhou Province, right? From his hometown, it should take one or two extra days to travel here compared to us. So a round trip would take about half a month. But they’ve already stayed on the island for almost half a month, with no signs of going back. What kind of work unit gives such a long leave?”

They, as soldiers married to wives from afar, only go home every two or three years. Even when patching together leave, it’s hard to get a full month. Qi Tao’s younger brother just came to visit—what kind of work unit would approve such an extended leave?

Lin Wei blinked. “You’re right. How can he stay here for so long?” But after a moment’s thought, she waved it off. “Still, that’s not the biggest issue with their family right now.”

“Then what is?”

Lin Wei wanted to say, but thought better of it. “Let’s wait a few days. I’ll tell you when we know more.”

“Alright, you can tell me then. But don’t let it weigh on you too much,” Zong Shao said, reaching out to press the corners of Lin Wei’s mouth upward into a smile.

Lin Wei had been about to sigh, but after he did that, she couldn’t help smiling instead and scolded him lightly, “Childish.”