Chapter 3: I Am Zhou Changdong’s Person in Life, Zhou Changdong’s Soul in Death!

“His sister-in-law, that’s not how you say it!” Wang Guifen wouldn’t concede. “Changdong’s current state is something unavoidable. None of us wanted to see this situation, but now that it’s like this, what can be done? Yunyun is only twenty-two. Are you suggesting you want my Yunyun to waste her entire life here?”

He Yuling: “Even if she wastes her whole life here, isn’t that what she should do? Sister-in-law spent so much of Changdong’s money these past three years. Now that Changdong is in trouble, she wants to just walk away? There’s no such easy thing in this world!”

Hearing that, Wang Guifen understood.

Since they were going to get divorced anyway, she certainly wouldn’t leave her daughter with any handles for others to criticize.

However, while she was willing to clearly settle her daughter’s expenses for these three years, how one spoke about it mattered.

She couldn’t just say they were willing to return everything; being too agreeable would make the divorce process difficult later!

She needed to give the other party an impression of being difficult to negotiate with!

Being a little hard to deal with was the way to handle things smoothly and effectively!

It was like haggling: if you wanted to buy a shirt for fifty yuan that the seller quoted at a hundred, you couldn’t offer fifty. You had to offer twenty or thirty, and then slowly add a bit more.

Su Lüyun wasn’t good at this trick, but Wang Guifen was an expert.

She began by talking about how for the past three years, her daughter had been alone in an empty room, how she had shed tears until dawn by herself.

During these three years, other families had husbands to support them and lend a hand, but she even had to change a light bulb herself.

Only her daughter knew the bitterness and hardship involved!

And she had waited from nineteen years old all the way to twenty-two!

How many such beautiful three years does a woman have in her lifetime?

When Wang Guifen spoke of these things, she painted a vivid and lively picture!

However, Mother-in-law Chen Aihong wasn’t a pushover. She didn’t leave this matter entirely to her eldest daughter-in-law, though her own thoughts were similar.

The Zhou family was willing to let the Su family take their daughter, but she didn’t want half of her youngest son’s demobilization pay, bonuses, and the past three years’ wages and allowances to be taken away!

So, of course, she couldn’t let Wang Guifen speak unchallenged.

But she didn’t interrupt Wang Guifen’s words. Only after Wang Guifen finished did she begin.

She said that although Su Lüyun had been married for three years, she wouldn’t admit that Su Lüyun had suffered any grievances.

Because after she married, Zhou Changdong had given Su Lüyun his savings passbook from his years in the military.

She didn’t know the exact amount, but soon after the marriage, Su Lüyun used the money Zhou Changdong left her to buy her current house at a high price, claiming discord with her sisters-in-law, and moved out to live alone.

That house alone cost one thousand seven hundred yuan at the time!

Because Zhou Changdong was on a secret mission, his money for the past three years hadn’t been sent back.

But Su Lüyun still lived a very respectable life.

Others might be reluctant to wear good clothes or eat good food, but she was never stingy with herself or her well-being. In terms of clothing, food, housing, and transportation, she lived as comfortably as possible!

The neighbors nearby had all seen this, and the news, of course, reached Chen Aihong’s ears.

Chen Aihong, as the mother-in-law, had never interfered. Her philosophy was that since all three sons were married, they should live their own lives; she couldn’t be bothered.

Her own mother-in-law didn’t meddle, but the neighborhood aunties and grandmas were busybodies who would tell her to be more frugal, that life wasn’t meant to be lived that way.

But Su Lüyun directly stated, why should she save?

She had asked Zhou Changdong at the time if the money he left her was hers to spend as she pleased, and he said yes.

So why wouldn’t she spend it?

Naturally, she also earned the reputation of a “spendthrift woman” in that area!

This formed a stark contrast with the virtuous female lead, her cousin Zhao Yuzhu, who lived next door!

These things aside for now.

At this moment, Wang Guifen and Chen Aihong began to haggle back and forth.

But the Zhou family had just gone back and discussed everything.

They also knew that the Su family was determined to get a divorce.

So, when they heard that Wang Guifen was willing to return half of her daughter’s expenses for these three years, they considered that quite reasonable.

The Zhou family had no reason to keep the girl.

Wang Guifen also sensed the Zhou family’s intentions.

However, she wanted to secure a good reputation for her daughter and didn’t want her to take any advantage of the Old Zhou family, to avoid being pointed at!

So, after confirming that the Old Zhou family had no intention of forcing her daughter to stay, she openly stated, “Yunyun indeed spent a lot of Changdong’s money these past three years. Since that’s the case, my Su family is unwilling to take advantage of him. We will settle the expenses for these three years and return the exact initial amount from Changdong’s passbook, not a single cent less, to Changdong!”

When these words came out, even the neighbors outside, listening to the commotion between the two families, had nothing to say!

Of course, there would still be one or two whispering quietly!

But the two families inside the house unanimously decided on this.

During this time, no one asked for Su Lüyun’s opinion. Only after the discussion was over did they all look at her.

Wang Guifen said, “Yunyun, go get the three thousand yuan Changdong’s comrade brought back, and Changdong’s passbook. Take them out and count them. Once verified, Mom will take you home!”

The money would be sent later; this was what they had just agreed upon!

The Zhou family members also looked at Su Lüyun, knowing she was surely eager to leave quickly.

According to the original plot, the paper character was indeed like this, but she wasn’t as generous as her mother described. Not only did she stubbornly refuse to return the expenses for these three years, but she even wanted to take a cut from the three thousand yuan Zhou Changdong brought back.

Wasn’t her youth worth money? If she was wasted for three years for nothing, who would she turn to?

So, returning the money was impossible; compensation was what she wanted!

In the end, the paper character did get her way, but the Zhou family had absolutely no goodwill towards her.

Later, after being financially and romantically scammed, she returned and saw that her ex-husband, Zhou Changdong, was not only well but had also started a business and made a lot of money, wanting to remarry. No one in the Zhou family agreed!

These were all part of the original cannon fodder plot, but now the real person was here!

And just like that, everyone saw this “green tea” woman’s eyes redden. She lunged onto Zhou Changdong, embracing him, and cried, “I’m not leaving! I’m not leaving! I won’t divorce Changdong!”

“None of you can make me leave!”

“I am Changdong’s person in life, and Changdong’s soul in death!”

“…”

This fervent declaration of love not only astonished Wang Guifen again, but Zhou Quansheng, Chen Aihong, and Zhou Changping, Zhou Changan, along with the two sisters-in-law He Yuling and Lin Fang, were all stunned!

They simply couldn’t believe she would utter such words of deep affection and unwavering loyalty!

Wang Guifen was the first to react. She pulled her daughter, saying, “You silly girl, are you crazy? What nonsense are you talking about…”

She never expected her daughter to be serious with her!

Because there was absolutely no need to act anymore!

Everyone had agreed to the terms: return the expenses of these three years to this fated-but-not-destined son-in-law. Neither the Zhou family nor the neighbors dared to say a single bad word!

Yet, this girl actually said she was Changdong’s person in life and his soul in death?

Wang Guifen was thoroughly scared by her daughter!

“What do you mean nonsense!” Su Lüyun interrupted her mother!

In front of her own mother, her in-laws, and others, this pitiful young wife embraced her unconscious husband and tearfully said, “Since I married Changdong, I am his person, and this is my home! Where else would I go?”

Her tone was filled with emotion, as well as sorrow and determination!

Wang Guifen was frantic. She came over and pulled her, “You girl, you’re still young, you don’t understand. First, pack your things and come home with Mom. Mom will explain it to you slowly!”

She never imagined that her daughter would be so infatuated!

It didn’t seem like her at all; her daughter’s usual temperament was to cling to whoever benefited her and turn her back on people when convenient, right?

But if her son-in-law were fine, even if he were disabled, missing an arm or a leg, she wouldn’t care, she’d accept it. But her son-in-law was a vegetable now!

How could her daughter possibly stay? She still had her own life to live!

“Mom, you don’t need to persuade me; I said I’m not going back!” Su Lüyun held onto Zhou Changdong tightly. “This is my home, and I’m not going anywhere. I’ll just stay with Changdong, with my husband!”

As she spoke, she cried. Her miserable and unwavering appearance made onlookers unable to bear it and listeners shed tears!