Lin Xia knew the blame was on her mother-in-law.

The brother-in-law took the child to the factory office, and the factory leaders asked Tong’s mother and Tong San to bring the child to apologize.

This should have ended the matter, but the mother-in-law invited them over to appear to apologize while actually being passive-aggressive and holding people accountable.

What kind of situation is this?

You look down on me as a countryside daughter-in-law, and now you have to make trouble for my sister’s family as well?

My sister came to stay with me, and my brother-in-law came as a guest.

You enter the house and don’t even show a smile to the relatives, yet you act like a warm and kind person towards Tong’s mother?

Who is close and who is distant is obvious, isn’t it?

Is there something wrong with you?

Why didn’t I realize before that you’re such an oddball?

Qian’s mother was still displeased and pulled Lin Xia into the bedroom to talk.

Qian’s mother dragged Lin Xia into the bedroom, looking at her with a scrutinizing gaze, “Are you feeling better?”

Seeing her tone was questioning, Lin Xia replied indifferently, “Almost. I’ll be back to work in a few days.”

Qian’s mother: “Has this month’s salary been paid?”

Lin Xia: “Yes, it has.”

Qian’s mother immediately said: “Give me my share.”

Lin Xia: “Mom, I’m preparing to have a baby once my health is better. The family expenses will increase…”

“What?!” Qian’s mother became anxious, “Does this mean you won’t give me any in the future? That’s not acceptable!”

Lin Xia then explained that she would have higher expenses in the future due to having a baby.

“I can’t give you extra money, but I will still provide for your old age and such,” she said with a forced smile. “Mom, when I have the baby, won’t you come help out? Of course, the money will still be under your control.”

Qian Mu blurted out, “Your sister-in-law’s pregnancy isn’t going well. She needs money to support the pregnancy, and you’ll need to give it to me.”

Lin Xia was displeased. “Why should I be responsible for her pregnancy? If Qian Lisheng wants to give money, that’s his problem. I don’t want to.”

Qian Mu was angered by her refusal and raised her voice, “Don’t make me say things I don’t want to. I’m still giving you face here.”

Lin Xia frowned, “What do I have to be embarrassed about? I couldn’t have children before, but now I’ve had the surgery. The doctor said there’s no problem with pregnancy now, so what should I be afraid of?”

Qian Mu sneered, tilting her head and glaring at Lin Xia with a sharp, cutting look.

She saw through Lin Xia’s pretense and thought she was quite scheming.

Her younger son’s wife sister-in-law’s mother was a gynecologist at the Qizhou General Hospital, who had claimed that Lin Xia’s condition was incurable, and that the so-called treatment for her blocked fallopian tubes was a scam.

The truth was that Lin Xia was naturally infertile, and no amount of surgery could change that—it was just a ploy to deceive her in-laws.

The younger daughter-in-law had said, “Mom, the eldest sister-in-law is just deceiving you and elder brother-in-law. Don’t let her know I told you, or she’ll come knocking on my door, and I’m trying to protect my pregnancy, not to mention getting scared off.”

Thinking of her younger daughter-in-law’s words, Qian Mu became even more resentful towards Lin Xia.

Tong Mu’s comments about country folk being deceitful and taking advantage resonated with her.

The younger daughter-in-law had also mentioned, “Mom, I heard the eldest sister-in-law’s brother got divorced? Tsk, tsk, such a trend for a country person to get divorced. Who dares to get divorced in the city? With such a reputation, who would want to marry them?”

Qian Mu agreed that divorce was shameful, and it was even worse with children involved.

How selfish could one be?

Her brother’s situation was bad, and so was Lin Xia’s.

No wonder her son had joked about bringing her younger brother’s child over—it turned out Lin Xia was behind it all.

This was a never-ending exploitation, and now she even wanted the next generation to continue leeching off the Qian family.

How could Qian Mu not be furious?

“Your brother got divorced, didn’t he?”

Lin Xia replied, “Yes, I told you about it before.”

She had mentioned it when her father and brother came to the city for training.

Qian Mu coldly responded, “You didn’t say.”

She hadn’t paid much attention to her daughter-in-law’s words before, and she didn’t usually take her seriously.

Lin Xia felt that she suddenly couldn’t communicate with her mother-in-law anymore; it was as if they had never known each other.

They had clearly gotten along quite well over the years.

How did things turn out like this all of a sudden?

She didn’t want to say more; she decided to wait until Qian Lisheng came back to discuss it.

Qian’s mother was relentless, chasing Lin Xia for money and insisting on supporting the younger daughter-in-law’s pregnancy. “I see you should stop struggling. If you really can’t have a child, just wait until your sister-in-law gives birth and then adopt one of her children to give to Lisheng.”

The Qian family doesn’t divorce; they can’t afford to lose face.

If it gets out that they divorced because the daughter-in-law couldn’t bear children, wouldn’t that be a disgrace?

Fortunately, the younger daughter-in-law is good and can have several children, so giving one to the eldest is fine.

Qian Mother continued “Anyway, for me as a grandmother, all the grandchildren are the same, no matter which daughter-in-law gave birth to them.

If the eldest daughter-in-law can’t have children, then let the second daughter-in-law have more.

Lisheng won’t mind and will treat the younger brother’s child as his own. Once adopted, it’s like his own son.”

In the future, work should naturally be given to the child.

Qian’s mother felt that she had already given enough face by not exposing Lin Xia’s little tricks in front of outsiders.

Not making Lin Xia leave was already extremely generous; there’s no other mother-in-law like her in the world.

Lin Xia’s ancestors must have burned high incense to meet such a good mother-in-law, no wonder the Lin family elder admired the Qian family.

Lin Shu watched coldly.

According to the original memories, Qian’s mother wasn’t like this before.

Even in the original plot, when everyone thought the second sister couldn’t have children, Qian Lisheng didn’t divorce.

Qian’s mother only gave Lin Xia some folk remedies and didn’t force a divorce.

She didn’t even oppose bringing Tiantian and Panpan over after the second sister’s surgery.

It was clear that the old lady was quite pleased when she was flattered during the photo shoot.

Why has her attitude changed so drastically now?

Before, you favored the younger daughter-in-law when the second sister couldn’t have children, but now that the second sister’s surgery was successful and she could have her own baby, it’s excessive to still favor the younger daughter-in-law.

She said to Qian’s mother: “Aunt, my sister’s surgery was very successful. The expert Dr. Zhao from the city hospital performed the operation himself. If you don’t believe it, you can ask around.”

Qian’s mother sneered, “Did she write a guarantee in black and white that your sister will be able to conceive and give birth?”

Lin Shu frowned, “Aunt, no doctor would give such a guarantee. When they say there’s an 80% chance, it means it’s successful.”

Qian’s mother said sharply, “But that 20% is the most critical, isn’t it?”

Lin Shu clicked her tongue.

The old woman was being unreasonable.

Qian’s mother looked at Lin Shu’s extraordinarily beautiful face and couldn’t help but sneer, “I’m telling you, this is our Qian family, this is our Qian family’s house, it doesn’t have the Lin surname. Why are you changing it?”

“Where’s the lock?”

Outside, Lu Shaotang’s concerned voice came through, “Honey?”

Previously, Mother Qian had pulled Lin Xia into the room, and Lin Shu knew this was going to be a confrontation about the lock change.

She figured Mother Qian was likely angry about it, so she had Lu Shaotang take the children out for a walk.

It’s better for men and children not to get involved in women’s arguments.

Besides, Lin Shu and her sister wouldn’t be at a disadvantage; it wasn’t like Lu Shaotang would hit Mother Qian.

Lu Shaotang stayed behind but didn’t go far, still worried about his wife.

Inside, Lin Xia told Mother Qian, “If you want to take back the job you gave me, I’ll return it. I’m not the kind of person who’ll avoid responsibility.”

Mother Qian immediately said, “I never said I wanted it back. Don’t twist my words. You took the job from me, and if you don’t make money, my son will have to support you. Should I just watch you starve without helping? Now that your expenses are low, helping my daughter-in-law with some money for pregnancy care is wrong?”

She added, “What good is it to me now? I’m too old for the factory to rehire me, and everyone knows I can’t secretly sell the job again. You learned skills from my job, so even if you return it, the factory will still use you because of your skills. I’d end up losing out.”

Lin Xia replied, “I’ve already said, once I recover, I’ll be able to get pregnant. I want to have and raise my own child.”

Previously, she didn’t mind giving money to her mother-in-law, but now that she was preparing to have a baby, she needed to save for her own child.

She couldn’t let her own child go hungry while giving money to support others.

Mother Qian, frustrated, snapped, “You think you can have a baby? I know exactly what’s going on, even if I don’t say anything.”

Lin Xia and Lin Shu were shocked.

How could she know so much about them?

Lin Xia was so angry she couldn’t speak, her face turning pale.

Lin Shu supported her and gently said, “Sister, take a deep breath, it’s okay.”

Mother Qian continued to mock them, “Stop pretending. You’re fooling me and my son, and I haven’t even said anything yet.”

Lin Shu said to Mother Qian, “Auntie, we’re going to the hospital to find the chief surgeon now.”

Mother Qian said, “I won’t go. Isn’t this all planned by you? You spent a lot of money, and the doctor still can’t say she can have a baby? That would ruin the doctor’s reputation.”

Lin Xia stopped Lin Shu and said, “Forget it.”

The mother-in-law must have heard some gossip and believed that treating the illness was just an act.

There’s no point in explaining further.

No matter how much she proves herself, it won’t make a difference.

The doctor said the treatment was successful.

Mother Qian even accused them of bribing the doctor. Lin Xia suddenly felt disheartened by Mother Qian and lost all her feelings of goodwill.

In the past few years, even though the mother-in-law was troublesome, she did everything, whether it was finding alternative treatments or anything else, to help Lin Xia and Qian Lisheng have a baby.

It was all for their benefit.

Now, Lin Xia felt that the mother-in-law had never treated her well or believed in her.

In the end, it wasn’t about having a baby; it was that Mother Qian never considered her part of the family.

She always saw Lin Xia as an outsider, just someone from the countryside leeching off the Qian family!