Chapter 4: True Love Revealed in Adversity, Reputation Reversed!

Wang Guifen couldn’t pull her daughter away; she was both angry and anxious!

Zhou Quansheng and his wife Chen Aihong, along with Zhou Changping, Zhou Changan, and others, also regained their composure.

The Zhou family’s previously cold and distant expressions softened because of Su Lüyun’s words.

Especially Chen Aihong, the mother-in-law.

She looked at the sorrowfully weeping Su Lüyun and thought that even though the third son’s wife was a bit wasteful, not good at managing a household, and a bit extravagant with money, true love was revealed in adversity.

She hadn’t expected that with the third son in such a state, she would still be willing to stay!

Just this one point could make up for all her shortcomings!

But Chen Aihong also knew that she couldn’t keep her.

How could the third son, in his current condition, keep this beautiful daughter-in-law?

She wanted to persuade her to divorce and go back.

Because both parties could part ways gracefully with a decent divorce.

But He Yuling spoke first. She said, “Third sister-in-law, you and Changdong didn’t even consummate your marriage back then, and Changdong was gone for another three years. To put it harshly, you probably even forgot what Changdong looks like, right?”

She knew exactly what kind of person this sister-in-law was!

Typically opportunistic, valuing wealth and disdaining poverty!

Her brother-in-law was in such a state; would she be willing to stay and take care of him?

That was impossible!

She was probably after her brother-in-law’s demobilization pay and compensation, as well as the wages and allowances that hadn’t been sent back for the past three years!

Her brother-in-law’s comrades, fearing that someone might embezzle this money, had announced in front of the neighbors that there was a total of three thousand yuan!

When He Yuling said this, everyone, of course, understood her meaning and looked at Su Lüyun.

The truth was, in the past three years, Su Lüyun’s image as a “spendthrift woman” was too deeply ingrained!

Three thousand yuan was one-third of ten thousand yuan, which was not a small sum…

Su Lüyun wanted to clear her name, so she naturally didn’t want this sister-in-law to ruin things. She unceremoniously retorted, “What do you mean by that? You’re the one who said I couldn’t just walk away, and now that I want to stay, you’re saying I’m doing it for Changdong’s money?”

He Yuling denied, “I didn’t mean that…”

Su Lüyun impatiently interrupted her:

“If it is, it is. Why deny it? But you’re right, Changdong left with his comrades overnight, and we didn’t even consummate our marriage!”

“But so what?!”

“That doesn’t change the fact that I am Zhou Changdong’s wife!”

“Yes, for the past three years, I have indeed complained about Changdong being out of contact!”

“But when I see others celebrating holidays, a family lively and together, while I’m all alone, who wouldn’t feel a little grievance?”

“But if, because of that, sister-in-law, you think I’m choosing to stay for Changdong’s money, then you’re going too far!”

“You are humiliating me, humiliating a wife’s affection for her husband!”

“…”

After speaking, she cried and ran to open a cabinet, taking out a cloth bag!

This cloth bag contained Zhou Changdong’s demobilization pay and compensation, as well as the wages and allowances that Zhou Changdong hadn’t had time to send back in the past three years!

Not to mention what was handed to her three years ago, just this time’s amount was as high as three thousand yuan!

In 1980, this was undoubtedly a huge sum!

She unhesitatingly stuffed the money into her mother-in-law Chen Aihong’s arms, “Mom, this was given to me by Changdong’s comrades. They said in front of the neighbors that it’s a total of three thousand yuan, wrapped in newspaper and placed here, but I haven’t opened it to count yet. Now I’ll tear it open in front of everyone for you to see!”

Saying that, she tore open the newspaper wrapping, revealing neatly stacked ten-yuan bills!

Su Lüyun said without hesitation:

“Mom, you can count and take this money in front of everyone, so that no black-hearted person can say I stayed for this money!”

“And I’ll put my words here: I will not divorce Changdong; I will stay and take care of Changdong!”

“I am Changdong’s lawful wife! We have a marriage certificate; none of you can make me leave!”

“…”

The mother-in-law was fair in her dealings, and the father-in-law was a department head at his workplace with a very high salary. The mother-in-law had never asked her sons for money over the years.

Since she wasn’t short on money herself, she wouldn’t embezzle this amount!

Su Lüyun wasn’t worried about the money being temporarily kept by her mother-in-law.

And just like that, after saying all the pretty words, this “green tea” woman continued to whimper in Zhou Changdong’s arms, crying with such profound grief and boundless sorrow!

Zhou Quansheng and Chen Aihong also recovered their senses, looking at their third son’s wife with indescribable expressions!

Their third son’s wife was truly willing to stay, without a hint of pretense!

Though she had been somewhat thoughtless in the past, her dedication to their third son was beyond reproach!

Zhou Changping and Zhou Changan, the two brothers, also looked emotional.

Time reveals a horse’s strength, and adversity reveals true affection!

Their third brother had indeed married the right wife!

It was just a pity that their third brother was now in this state…

Beside them, He Yuling: “…” She was also stunned.

This sister-in-law was actually willing to stay and care for her vegetable brother-in-law?!

This was impossible, absolutely impossible!

But she had actually given the money to her mother-in-law, which left He Yuling with no point to refute!

Even Lin Fang, who had always worn an indifferent expression, couldn’t help but take a second look at Su Lüyun, this sister-in-law whose behavior was consistently unruly and foolish!

Not only were the Zhou family members inside the house dumbfounded, but weren’t the neighbors listening outside also?

Among the neighbors who had just been watching, some had the same thought as He Yuling, whispering that she was probably doing this for the three thousand yuan.

But Su Lüyun, with a turn of her head, stuffed the money into her mother-in-law’s arms!

Slapping them squarely in the face!

This time, no one doubted Su Lüyun’s sincerity about wanting to stay.

Everyone was very emotional and began to speak of Su Lüyun’s good qualities. “Actually, come to think of it, while Changdong’s wife is a bit extravagant with money, she’s actually a decent person.”

“That’s right, although she likes to look down on people, as arrogant as can be, upon closer thought, she really hasn’t done anything out of line.”

“I’ve always said she’s a good person. Last time, I saw my grandson being bullied by some bad kids, and she bravely stepped in and chased those boys away!”

“This is true sincerity in adversity; many people seem fine on the surface but abandon ship when trouble strikes. On the contrary, Changdong’s wife, at this critical moment, truly can be steadfast and loyal!”

“…”

In an instant, Su Lüyun’s reputation turned around, and everyone eagerly recounted her virtues.

This caused a mocking expression to flash across the face of a young wife in the crowd!

She was the “good daughter-in-law” praised by everyone in the area—Zhao Yuzhu!

She was also the cousin who had grown up with Su Lüyun and married into this area three years ago.

Others might not understand Su Lüyun, but how could she not know what kind of person her cousin was?

Spiteful, forgetting righteousness for gain, unruly, willful, and unreasonable—that described her perfectly!

Especially these past few years, she had lived a happy and fulfilling life, while Su Lüyun had been lonely from beginning to end, her eyes red with envy and jealousy!

So, in places others didn’t know about, Su Lüyun, whose husband was away and who lived a solitary life, was even flirting and developing feelings for a man who had returned from the countryside!

These were things others were unaware of, but she knew quite well!

Because Su Lüyun would come and confide in her!

However, she had never thought of stopping her!

Of course, to avoid unnecessary trouble, she would still pretend to remind her that she was already a married woman!