Chapter 74: Her Daughter Is Better Than Anyone Else

Xie Yunshu’s face darkened. For a moment, she didn’t know whether to beat up Lin Cuiping or pity herself.

She had truly and sincerely loved Lu Zhixing. Just over twenty, a young girl newly awakening to love, she hadn’t interacted with many men before. Lu Zhixing was handsome and a respected doctor. Compared to the men she grew up with in their cramped housing block, he was clearly a cut above.

After the matchmaking meeting, the matchmaker told her that Lu Zhixing liked her and wanted to settle things soon. At that time, she had felt nothing but pride. She knew she was good-looking and had dreamed of the two of them being a perfect couple, growing old together just like in the novels.

In youth, love is often filled with unrealistic expectations. What’s more, Xie Yunshu had always been someone who loved fiercely and clearly distinguished love from hate. She loved him so passionately that she was even willing to swallow her pride, thinking that as long as she was Lu Zhixing’s wife, it would all be worth it.

That’s why, when she learned about Zhou Yuyue’s existence, she couldn’t accept it and almost lost her mind. Love is sweet only when it’s mutual—when you give 100% and the other person returns 200%. If it’s not equal, sweetness turns into poison…

Now that she had woken up from that illusion, all she felt for Lu Zhixing was disgust. She never expected him to be so shameless—still talking about reconciliation at the time of their divorce, but already sleeping with Zhou Yuyue behind her back.

Luckily, she had escaped…

Lin Cuiping sneered at her, “Tsk tsk, you don’t even know—Lu Zhixing and that Zhou Yuyue have become a total joke. Everyone in the hospital compound’s talking! Oh my, Xie Yunshu, your ex-husband is really something else. How did you ever marry him?”

Xie Yunshu took a deep breath and gritted her teeth. “Lin Cuiping, have you laughed enough yet?”

Lin Cuiping finally had something on Xie Yunshu to mock her with—how could she stop now? She laughed so hard she almost slapped her thigh. “Hey, you’re the one who chose him. It’s got nothing to do with me. But when I get married, I’ll definitely keep my eyes wide open! I’m not about to lose my job and then get dumped!”

Xie Yunshu was furious. That foul mouth!

Just then, Aunt Liu came out of the yard carrying a basin. Seeing the tension, she immediately tried to calm things down—used to their bickering. “Alright, enough, both of you. Stop talking already. It’s almost time to eat, so finish up and go home.”

One had a sharp tongue, and the other had a temper. And of course, these two just happened to live upstairs and downstairs from each other. Even the teenage boys in the building didn’t fight as much as these two. If they ever got along, it’d be a miracle.

For the first time in her life, Lin Cuiping had managed to shut Xie Yunshu up, so she immediately pushed her advantage. “Anyway, I hauled all that stuff back, and after seeing that gross display, you owe me extra!”

Xie Yunshu gritted her teeth. To be fair, Lin Cuiping had brought back a lot. She originally said just to bring back the wardrobe and the stereo, but who would’ve thought Lin Cuiping would find a few big tricycle carts and empty out the whole place…

Well, that worked out. She had been worried about the cost of filling the courtyard, but now it looked like she wouldn’t have to spend a cent.

“How much do you want?” Xie Yunshu asked, taking a deep breath. She grabbed the filthy rag from Aunt Liu’s basin and threw it onto Lin Cuiping’s head. “Think it over carefully. If you ask for too much, you won’t get a dime!”

The words “I want three yuan” were stuck in Lin Cuiping’s throat…

Furious, she yanked the rag off her head, nearly gagging. “Ugh, what is that smell? Xie Yunshu, are you crazy? Throwing something that disgusting on me? I just washed my hair this morning with Seagull shampoo!”

Aunt Liu took the rag back apologetically. “I just used it to wipe the door frame and didn’t wash it yet…”

Lin Cuiping was about to explode. She pointed at Xie Yunshu and was ready to curse her out, when Xie Yunshu narrowed her eyes and spoke slowly, “Lin Cuiping, you’re not actually thinking of fighting me right now, are you?”

“I…” Lin Cuiping gritted her teeth. “Xie Yunshu, don’t go too far…”

“I’ll give you five yuan more…”

“Huh? What?”

Lin Cuiping stopped grinding her teeth and widened her eyes. “What did you say?”

Xie Yunshu rolled her eyes. “I said I’ll give you five yuan more. Do you want it or not? If not, forget it…”

“I do! When did I say I didn’t want it? If you go back on your word, you’re a dog. Hand it over!” Lin Cuiping didn’t even care about the smell anymore. Five yuan could buy several bottles of Seagull shampoo!

Xie Yunshu pulled out five yuan from her pocket and stuffed it into her hand. “You talk too much. Now move the stuff inside. Take the money and shut up.”

Lin Cuiping instinctively wanted to argue again, but after looking at the money in her hand, she forced a smile. “I’m not the talkative type. Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone about your ex-husband sleeping naked with another woman!”

She dared say that out loud again?!

Xie Yunshu took a deep breath. “Shut up already!”

Aunt Liu glanced enviously at the five yuan in Lin Cuiping’s hand and chuckled. “You two girls really are close. One’s helping move furniture, the other’s so generous with money.”

Lin Cuiping huffed and puffed as she lifted a single-seat sofa. She muttered to herself, “Close my foot. I’m just doing it for the money and to watch Xie Yunshu make a fool of herself!”

Xie Yunshu followed behind carrying a few stools, calling out to everyone in the yard: “We’re cooking a big pot of meat here tonight. No one go home yet. Eat here and come to my place afterward to watch TV!”

Lin Cuiping’s eyes lit up. After smelling meat for days, she was finally getting a taste!

Aunt Zhao laughed loudly, “It’s too late to steam buns now. Let’s make some hand-pulled noodles and cook them in the broth—warm and tasty!”

Li Fenlan’s eyes lit up with joy. She rarely spoke loudly, but now she unconsciously stood up straighter. “I’ll go home and bring some pork—thick-cut belly with skin. We’ll stir-fry some meat sauce. It’ll be delicious!”

She knew her daughter had made money recently and finally felt at ease. In a poor family, having money gives you confidence. Even divorced, they were still living just fine—her daughter really was stronger than anyone else.

As the sky darkened, yellow lights lit up one by one in the alley. The stone-paved street was swept clean by the wind. Though the winter night was cold, there was a surprising warmth that felt like spring.

Unlike the cozy warmth in the alley, the Lu household was caught in a storm. The atmosphere was even colder than when Xie Yunshu had gone to court.

Lu Jianshe smashed a porcelain teacup to the floor—it shattered into pieces, one sharp shard grazing Lu Zhixing’s face.

“Not marrying her? After all this scandal? You’ve embarrassed Hai City Hospital, and now you say you don’t want to marry Zhou Yuyue?”