Once the children finished eating, Jiang Qiuyue grabbed a sweet potato and prepared to leave the table.  

“Eldest daughter-in-law.”  

Lin Fugui suddenly spoke. “What exactly are you planning now?”  

Having lived so many years, he knew Jiang Qiuyue’s sudden change couldn’t be without reason.  

Qian Li watched gleefully, certain Jiang Qiuyue was doomed. Her father-in-law rarely scolded anyone, but when he did, it meant serious trouble.  

“Dad, why ask like that?” Jiang Qiuyue had prepared for this. Wang Chunhua was a fool, but Lin Fugui wasn’t so easily fooled. “That fall today hurt so much I thought I was going to die. The thought of Beibei and Nannan losing their mother and being abused by a stepmother kept me clinging to life.”  

As she spoke, the children’s eyes reddened. Lin Beibei pressed her lips tightly together, while Lin Nannan looked ready to burst into tears.  

“After waking up, I realized I can’t keep exhausting myself. Dazhu sends money every month so the three of us won’t suffer. I need to take care of myself—who else will look after these children?”  

Lin Fugui studied Jiang Qiuyue’s face, searching for any hint of deception, but found nothing.  

“And… to say something painful, I’m deeply disappointed in Mom and Second Brother.”  

Jiang Qiuyue pretended to wipe tears. “A few days ago, I overheard Mom and Second Brother saying I’m just the Lin family’s slave, that all the housework is my duty, and that it’d serve me right if I worked myself to death. Mom said she never saw me as a daughter-in-law, and Second Brother called me and Dazhu outsiders—not even true Lin family blood.”  

These were the original Jiang Qiuyue’s words. The original host had been heartbroken but blamed herself for not being good enough, spiraling into self-criticism instead of anger.  

The moment these words were spoken, Lin Fugui’s face darkened.  

He hadn’t expected Jiang Qiuyue to overhear such things.  

Jiang Qiuyue sighed and stood up, radiating disappointment. “Dad, I know you favor the others, but after all the work I’ve done for this family, don’t I at least deserve some acknowledgment? How could you call me the Lin family’s slave? It’s too cruel!”  

“Since you asked me directly today, I’ve spoken honestly. From now on, I won’t lift a finger for this household. I’ll only take care of Beibei and Nannan. Everyone else can fend for themselves!”

Taking the two children outside, Jiang Qiuyue immediately broke into a smile.  

Meanwhile, inside the house, Lin Fugui glared at Qian Li. “Did your mother-in-law really say such things?”  

Qian Li shrank her neck and nodded. “M-more or less.”  

“Damn idiots!”  

Lin Fugui slammed the table and cursed. “Have you all lost your minds?”  

The term “slave” belonged to the old society—what a bunch of fools! With Jiang Qiuyue around, the household chores were taken care of, she handed over living expenses every month, and even worked in the fields to earn work points. She saved the family so much trouble.  

He had warned them before to watch their mouths, lest they bring disaster upon themselves without even realizing it.  

Lin Dabao burst into terrified wails, and Qian Li, equally frightened, hugged her son and whispered, “Dad, it’s not our fault. We didn’t know Jiang Qiuyue was outside the door.”  

She found it strange. Mother-in-law had scolded Jiang Qiuyue plenty of times before—why was she suddenly making a fuss now?  

“Brainless morons! Can’t even tell if someone’s outside the door? Get out!”  

Even his usually beloved eldest grandson couldn’t soften Lin Fugui’s temper now. During the famine years, people in the village had starved to death, yet his family had stayed afloat—not because of any special skill of his, but because of his eldest son’s monthly remittances.  

What if Jiang Qiuyue wrote to Dazhu about her grievances and he stopped sending money?  

The more Lin Fugui thought about it, the more restless he became. Just as he was at his wit’s end, his two sons and wife returned.  

Wang Chunhua, her front teeth broken, had been given anti-inflammatory medicine at the clinic. The moment she got home, she wanted to settle the score with Jiang Qiuyue. “Where is she? Tell Jiang Qiuyue to get out here!”  

“Shut your mouth!” Lin Fugui, already furious at Wang Chunhua’s loose tongue, roared when he saw her stirring up trouble again.  

Wang Chunhua froze. Normally, her husband never interfered when she disciplined the eldest daughter-in-law. Yet today, he was yelling at her. After a long pause, she started wailing dramatically. “Lin Fugui, you rotten man! Instead of standing up for me when I’ve been wronged, you tell me to shut up?”  

*Slap! Slap! Slap!* She lunged at Lin Fugui, hitting him wildly.  

Lin Fugui shoved her away and struck her hard across the face. “Do you even know why the eldest daughter-in-law is rebelling? It’s because of your and Second Son’s big mouths! How dare you use words like ‘slave’—are you trying to get yourselves killed?”  

After berating Wang Chunhua, he turned on his son. “And you! Use your damn brain for once! The money for your wedding, the monthly groceries—all of it comes from the eldest son’s remittances. Let me make this clear: you’d better start sweet-talking your sister-in-law. If she doesn’t hand over the living expenses tomorrow, *you* will pay for your younger brother’s wedding!”  

“Why should I?” Lin Erzhu blurted out, but the murderous look in his father’s eyes made him swallow the rest of his words.  

Against his father, he still couldn’t act tough.  

Only after Lin Fugui left did Wang Chunhua fully process that she’d been hit. She plopped onto the floor, howling.  

Lin Erzhu watched his mother’s tantrum with a headache. He couldn’t afford to pay for his younger brother’s wedding. His father was right—they had to keep his sister-in-law handing over the money.  

Lin Sanzhu, meanwhile, shot resentful looks at his mother and brother. What were they even thinking, causing such a mess? He wasn’t married yet! If his sister-in-law stopped contributing, where would the family get the bride price?  

Jiang Qiuyue, lying in her room, pretended not to hear Wang Chunhua’s wails. She was exhausted and needed proper rest.  

As for the living expenses the Lin family was counting on? They wouldn’t get a single cent from her anymore!