Chapter 43: The Harsh Mother-in-law

Chapter 43: Chapter 43: The Harsh Mother-in-law

Fu Xiaoxiao had imagined Lin Xue’s sister’s situation, but upon witnessing it firsthand, even as an outsider, Fu Xiaoxiao’s fists clenched in anger.

Not to mention now that autumn has arrived, the wind is like a knife, stinging painfully, what was she wearing?

When they arrived, Lin Xue’s sister, Lin Qiu, happened to come out of her room. She tightened her thin, faded shirt, holding a basin of dirty clothes, and with a hunched body, headed to the water tank in the corner of the courtyard.

Just as she squatted down and hadn’t had time to put the water, she heard her mother-in-law’s sharp voice from inside the house: "Xiaoqiu, you lazy girl, are you deliberately slacking off? I just saw you dawdling there for ages, and you can’t even do this bit of work properly!"

Lin Qiu’s body stiffened, quickly responding, her voice trembling slightly. "Mom, I’ll wash them right away, it’s almost done."

She ladled water from the tank into the basin and dunked a piece of clothing, as Lin Qiu’s hands turned bright red from the cold.

An old woman strode out, holding a greasy, twisted apron, and threw it into the basin with a splash that wet Lin Qiu’s face. "Wash this too, look at you, so slovenly all the time, can’t even keep the house tidy. Marrying you was bad luck for eight lifetimes!"

Lin Qiu bit her lip, her eyes turning red, yet she dared not make a sound, silently picking up the apron to scrub.

"Sis..." Lin Xue’s eyes were red, trying hard not to let the tears flow.

Previously, whenever she went to visit, she would write to let her sister know first. And when she arrived, her sister would wear warm clothes, although she would be bossed around, it wasn’t like now, wearing a thin summer shirt in autumn, the autumn water so cold, yet she’s in the courtyard washing clothes in such scanty attire?

Having watched her treatment at the Liu Family the whole time, Lin Xue couldn’t hold back anymore, softly called out.

"Xiao Xue, why are you here?" Upon hearing her sister’s voice, Lin Qiu stood up in shock, hiding her hands behind her.

"So everything I saw before was fake, you’re even worse off than that!" Lin Xue’s eyes were red, pulling her sister’s hands from behind, seeing her scarred hands, old wounds not yet healed, new ones added, her whole body cold, hands painfully icy.

"I..." Lin Qiu gave a bitter smile, she didn’t want her sister to worry. Every time she would wear her best clothes to make her sister know she’s doing alright.

Unexpectedly, she still saw her disgrace.

"Oh, what’s this leftover brat doing here, couldn’t mix out there, coming here to freeload, huh? Let me tell you, we have no food for you, so leave quickly, going to someone else’s house without bringing anything, no upbringing at all." The old woman spat disdainfully at Lin Xue, not taking her into account at all.

In the past, Lin Qiu loved to pretend, she would just turn a blind eye, after all, she was an outsider, she’d pretend along with Lin Qiu, wasn’t like it cost her anything.

Now seeing Lin Xue has discovered it, she wasn’t bothered as she had Lin Qiu pinned down, knowing she dared not leave.

Fu Xiaoxiao raised an eyebrow, nudging Wang Lu beside her, indicating it was their turn to step in.

Looking at that old woman’s face, short and thin, her sallow face sagged with loose skin, those murky eyes, with malicious and harsh intent.

Once that big mouth opened, it unleashed a string of scornful words, sharp enough to pierce one’s eardrums.

"Xiao Xue, found your sister?" Fu Xiaoxiao entered, with gifts in Wang Lu’s hands, immediately causing a change in the old woman’s demeanor.

"She’s here! Xiaoqiu’s right there! Who are you?" The old woman asked warmly, but her eyes stayed glued to Wang Lu’s hands, eagerly wanting to receive them.

"Oh, sorry, you are?" Fu Xiaoxiao raised an eyebrow, glancing at the old woman’s hands with scorn and disdain.

"I’m Xiaoqiu’s mother-in-law." The old woman sensed Fu Xiaoxiao’s aura, seeing her fair, delicate face, realizing she was surely a lady from the city. Despite having a child, her good looks couldn’t be hidden.

She increasingly felt Fu Xiaoxiao was no ordinary person, offering ingratiating smiles, not the least bit angry at Fu Xiaoxiao’s attitude, instead thinking it was deserved.

"Xiaoqiu, are you dead? Didn’t see guests at home? Hurry and get the guests some sugar water!" Turning her head, the old woman chastised Lin Qiu again.

"I’ll go right away." Despite not knowing who her sister had brought, Lin Qiu instinctively shivered, not daring to delay, hurried into the kitchen to make sugar water.

"Xiao Xue, where’s your sister? I’m here to meet her, if it wasn’t for my Xiang Lu liking you, I wouldn’t come to this godforsaken place." Fu Xiaoxiao raised an eyebrow, displeased as she surveyed the Liu Family, waving her handkerchief with extreme disdain.

"She’s here, she’s here, Xiaoqiu, come out right now, I’ll make it!" The old woman understood Fu Xiaoxiao’s intention, immediately calling Lin Qiu out, heading to the kitchen herself.

Lin Qiu was forced out of the kitchen, Lin Xue pulling her to stand in front of Fu Xiaoxiao.

"Sister, this is my..." Lin Xue was about to reveal the truth when her husband Liu Qiang returned.

"Who’s this?" Liu Qiang glanced, his gaze falling on Fu Xiaoxiao, stayed there, unable to move for a long time, it was the first time he had seen such a beautiful woman.

"Look at my sister again, I’ll dig your eyes out." Wang Lu glared, getting in front of Liu Qiang.

Fu Xiaoxiao looked down on Liu Qiang, withdrawing her gaze. "Xiao Xue, these are your sister’s family? Really..."

"Qiangzi, this is Xiao Xue’s future sister-in-law." The old woman came out with two bowls of sugar water, quickly pulling her son back to prevent making trouble, quietly introducing him.

She had just glanced and figured out their identities.

"Sister, this is my fiancée, this is my fiancée’s sister, I’m going to marry Mr. Wang, they’re here to meet you, and discuss the wedding." Lin Xue explained to Lin Qiu with Fu Xiaoxiao’s signal.

Upon hearing it was her sister’s fiancée, Lin Qiu felt anxious about Fu Xiaoxiao’s haughty manner before.

"Is his family well off?" Lin Qiu asked worriedly.

"Mr. Wang is in the army." Lin Xue whispered.

Nearby, the old woman hearing this, her eyes lit up instantly, working in the army was a secure job, surely wealthy.

"Bride price five hundred!" The old woman immediately told Fu Xiaoxiao.

"No, no, that’s unnecessary, as long as you treat Xiao Xue well, the bride price isn’t needed." Lin Qiu shook her head quickly, she did not need this exorbitant bride price, and neither should Lin Xue.

She originally had nothing to give Lin Xue, she feared Lin Xue would be looked down upon by her mother-in-law, just like her...

"How can you marry without a bride price, they don’t have parents, I’m her elder, if you want to marry Xiao Xue, you should negotiate with me." The old woman angrily pulled Lin Qiu aside, refusing the bride price like that, truly useless, even rejecting money.