Haha, of course.

Whether in her past life or this one, Ma Xiangyang’s attitude was just the same.

Comrade Jiang Manyue chuckled coldly, mocking herself for having lived so pathetically before.

She stepped forward, grabbed Bai Wanrou by the wrist, and slapped her hard across the face.

Bai Wanrou staggered from the blow and fell to the floor. The slap was full force, leaving her ear ringing, and she almost toppled over.

“What—what are you doing?” Ma Xiangyang roared, completely enraged. “You dare hit her again?”

“Didn’t you say I hit her?” Comrade Jiang Manyue calmly rubbed her wrist. “Now you can see what hitting someone really looks like.”

“Wanrou!” He hurried to help Bai Wanrou up.

Her face and lips were split and swollen almost instantly, and she burst into loud sobs, mouth barely able to open from the pain.

“Manyue, what did I do wrong for you to treat me like this?” she wailed.

“I even apologized. What do you want me to do—kneel down and beg you?”

Seeing Comrade Jiang Manyue’s cold, indifferent face, Bai Wanrou gritted her teeth and prepared to kneel. “Fine. If that’ll calm you down, I’ll kneel.”

“No, Wanrou! What are you doing? You didn’t even do anything wrong!”

Ma Xiangyang grabbed her firmly. “It’s just a keepsake. Is this worth all this fuss?”

White Lotus tricks, one after another—first slapping herself, now trying to kneel.

And yet she easily fooled the blind and stupid around her, making men ache with pity.

Comrade Jiang Manyue raised her hand to hit Bai Wanrou again, but Ma Xiangyang grabbed her wrist tightly. “Are you crazy? What’s wrong with you now, Comrade Jiang Manyue?”

He looked like an enraged beast, his reddened eyes burning with a desire to tear her apart.

His grip was strong and painful on her wrist.

Smack—without hesitation, Comrade Jiang Manyue swung her free hand and slapped Ma Xiangyang across the face.

His head snapped to the side, his cheek stinging and burning.

Stunned, he stared at her in disbelief. “You—you dare hit me?”

Even Bai Wanrou, mid-performance, froze in shock. Her crying abruptly stopped.

She’s lost her mind. She even dared to hit Ma Xiangyang now.

“I’ll hit you whenever I want—why would I need to pick a day?”

Comrade Jiang Manyue’s gaze was cold. Seeing the three of them all holding their slapped faces, she finally smiled with satisfaction.

That’s better. A family should look united after all.

She stared at them darkly. “Consider this a warning: don’t show up in front of me again.”

“Keep up these pathetic acts and next time, it won’t just be your face getting hit.”

Bai Wanrou choked on her tears, her expression frozen.

With a look of contempt, Comrade Jiang Manyue turned and walked back to her room.

Ma Xiangyang’s furious roar echoed behind her, his chest heaving violently. “Comrade Jiang Manyue, you’ve got some nerve!”

“Xiangyang!” Bai Wanrou quickly held his arm, tears of grievance in her eyes. “Don’t be angry. Manyue was just acting on impulse—she didn’t mean it.”

“Wanrou, she treated you like that and you’re still defending her? I will never forgive her!”

He glared at the closed bedroom door, a nameless rage burning inside him.

But Comrade Jiang Manyue couldn’t be bothered to respond to the shouts outside. Tomorrow, her marriage application would be rejected, and then she’d drive this bloodsucking family out.

She just needed to endure one more day.

She gently placed the damaged bullet casing back in its brocade box, tears in her eyes as she carefully packed away her parents’ keepsakes.

Then she resumed her money-making mission.

Tonight, she had to finish both batches of fabric.

Men? All they did was slow down her earning speed.

The sewing machine whirred in the night, while angry shouts echoed from the next room.

“Hey! Where the hell did everyone go? You’re all dead or what?”

Ma Qingxiang’s curses resounded from his bed. “Someone get over here! Damn it!”

It was always Comrade Jiang Manyue who took care of him, but last night it had been Ma Hongxia who did the work.

Now that Liu Cuihua was back, she lay next to him snoring, pretending not to hear the shouting.

Why should she bother? Someone else would surely take care of it.

The cursing continued until she got annoyed and yelled, “Comrade Jiang Manyue, come change your dad’s pants!”

In the past, she only had to shout once, and Comrade Jiang Manyue would rush over from the balcony.

But then she remembered—she had quit on them.

“Why the hell am I yelling?” She grumbled, dragging herself out of bed, her face dark with irritation.

She grabbed a pair of pants while cursing.

“Stuff your face all night, then crap and piss yourself every time. Disgusting. Tomorrow you’re not getting any food.”

She pinched her nose in disgust.

“You—you wretched woman!” Ma Qingxiang had never been spoken to like that.

Now, paralyzed, he was humiliated and furious. He trembled, lifted his only functional hand, and slapped her.

Smack!

Liu Cuihua was stunned. She flung the clothes aside and wailed so loudly the whole house could hear.

“Oh heavens, this old bastard! Why is my life so bitter? You’ll die a miserable death!”

Her shrieks woke everyone up.

“What’s going on, Ma?” Ma Xiangyang, sleeping on the balcony bed, sat up groggily.

Bai Wanrou, squeezed onto a bed with Ma Xiaojun and Ma Hongxia, was already sleeping poorly. She rubbed her eyes and dragged herself up.

Entering the room, they saw Liu Cuihua sitting on the floor, wailing, while Ma Qingxiang sat naked, covered in filth, still shouting.

“Oh my!” Bai Wanrou quickly turned her face away. “Ma, it’s late. Stop making a fuss.”

Ma Xiangyang sighed helplessly. “Ma, it’s just changing Dad’s pants. Don’t make a scene.”

“If you think it’s easy, you do it!” She sprang up, pointing at him.

But with his injured leg, Ma Xiangyang was in no condition to help.

“Don’t look at me. I did it last night,” Ma Hongxia grumbled, turning back to her room.

Ma Qingxiang used to dote on his daughter, but even she refused after one night of care.

All eyes turned to Bai Wanrou.

“Wanrou, why don’t you take care of Dad tonight?”

“What?” Bai Wanrou’s face went pale. “How can that be proper? I’m just a daughter-in-law!”

Liu Cuihua immediately retorted, “Why not? Comrade Jiang Manyue did it before.”

“Fine, you stay here tonight!” She rubbed her slapped cheek angrily. “I’m sleeping next door.”

She grabbed Ma Xiangyang. “Son, stop watching and get back to bed.”

“Wanrou, sorry to trouble you,” Ma Xiangyang said with feigned concern, but didn’t stop her.

“Wait—don’t go!” Bai Wanrou cried out, but Ma Xiangyang ignored her.

Left alone, she bit her lip hard, staring at the naked, filthy Ma Qingxiang, her expression twisting.

In the past, Comrade Jiang Manyue had handled all the chores and care. She just had to stay beautiful.

Now she not only had to shop and cook, but also clean up after her father-in-law’s mess.

All night, Ma Qingxiang’s curses rang out, with Bai Wanrou as the new target.

Comrade Jiang Manyue sneered, listening to the commotion next door.

Without her to be willingly drained dry, their real hardships were just beginning.