Chapter 204: Afraid of the Wife

Chapter 204: Chapter 204: Afraid of the Wife

"He’s a director, has two kids, and there’s still a line of girls fighting to marry him."

He Wei grew more furious the more she spoke.

"I dug out the old blueprints, took measurements, looked up building materials, and even checked the cement grade three times. And what did I get? Not only was he ungrateful, he said I was being nosy! He said I was meddling in his family’s business and crossing a line!"

"You have to see it from his perspective."

Her mom sighed and wrung out a dripping towel from the clothesline.

"You’re all in the same unit. If someone makes a casual, gossipy remark, how could it not rub him the wrong way? Today, they’ll say you’re too controlling. Tomorrow, they’ll say he can’t manage his own household. The day after, the rumor might be that he’s afraid of his wife."

"Just deny it to the death. What can anyone do to you? It’s not like someone took a video or recorded you. It’s just hearsay. Even if he’s hopping mad, there’s nothing he can do!"

He Wei’s mom flicked the apple core into a peel-filled bowl as she pared the fruit.

He Wei kept her head down, her fingers picking at the seam of the sofa.

They had already argued. The shouting was over.

’What’s the point of saying ’I should have known’ now? It’s no different from trying to scoop up spilled water.’

Her mom shoved the apple into her hand.

"Stop being so stubborn. You’re off tomorrow. Pack up your clothes and bags first thing, and I’ll drive you back."

"Don’t wait until the day after. If someone else takes your place in the family, you’ll be left with nothing but tears."

After a pause, she tapped the fruit knife twice on the cutting board.

"I’ll go with you. I want to see this girl from out of town for myself—who the hell does she think she is, being so audacious."

He Wei couldn’t hold it in and repeated Song Yao’s original comment about having eight children, word for word.

「The next morning.」

He Wei was hustled into the car by her mom and driven home, carrying two large bags.

Coincidentally, Song Yao got off work half an hour earlier than usual that day.

He Wei had been gone for several days. Yang Lei, watching the two kids by himself, was already giving it his all just to keep them fed.

A small, unfolded children’s blanket was still draped over the sofa.

Without a word, He Wei walked in, grabbed a broom, and started cleaning.

She had just carried a bag of trash to the landing,

when she saw Song Yao coming up the stairs, unhurriedly carrying a basket of groceries.

Song Yao’s pace wasn’t fast, her heels clicking on the concrete steps.

He Wei’s eyes widened, and she immediately darted back inside.

"Mom!"

She shouted while blinking frantically.

Her mom understood instantly, grabbing her purse and rushing out the door.

Song Yao was taking out her key. The lock had just clicked halfway open when she heard two short coughs behind her.

She turned around.

A middle-aged woman with a short, ear-length bob stood a few steps away.

Song Yao gave her a single glance before looking away and continuing to turn the doorknob.

Just as the door was about to close, the woman lunged forward and blocked the entrance.

Song Yao immediately stopped and gently placed her grocery basket on the concrete floor by the door.

It wasn’t that she was cruel, but one couldn’t be too careful.

’If she dares to grab my sleeve, this key is going straight for the softest part of her face.’

"You’re the new one?"

The woman’s voice was shrill.

Song Yao raised an eyebrow.

"Do I know you? I only greet people I know."

The words left the other woman stunned, the fake smile on her face freezing in place. ℓ.

The woman immediately switched to a sneer.

"You may not know me, but I’ve heard all about you!"

Her gaze was fixed on Song Yao’s lower abdomen.

"My daughter told me that you, young lady, may be young but have a big appetite. Planning to have eight kids in one go? Hah..."

She held up an open hand, then added three more fingers.

"You couldn’t even be bothered to count them right, could you?"

Song Yao had originally just thought He Wei was stupid. But now, hearing her mother spew such venom, she finally understood.

’Stupidity can be fixed, but malice is bone-deep.’

Seeing Song Yao’s expression remain unchanged, the woman added another comment.

"Oh, you’re from the countryside, aren’t you?"

"Think you’re some kind of breeding sow?"

"Even pigs have litters of seven or eight. For a human to do that, what’s the point? Planning to open a daycare in your house?"

As she spoke, she gestured toward Song Yao’s lower abdomen with her hand.

If Song Yao were really in her twenties,

a newlywed young wife would have been unable to hold back her tears by now.

But she wasn’t. She had lived into her thirties in her past life and was now living this one all over again. Her mind was unshakable.

Just as she was about to speak, someone shot up the stairs.

Shen Rongdan, carrying a large, bulging cloth bag in one hand, bounded up the stairs two and three at a time.

The moment Wu Xin saw how tall Shen Rongdan was, she whipped her head around to stare at her daughter, He Wei, without blinking.

The meaning was clear. ’Is this Song Yao’s man?’

He Wei quickly shook her head and whispered,

"Mom, I really don’t know him!"

Shen Rongdan didn’t waste words. He turned his shoulder, squeezed past Wu Xin, and went straight to Song Yao.

He first gave her a quick look-over. Seeing her hair wasn’t messed up, he breathed a sigh of relief and asked,

"Are you scared?"

Song Yao smiled and shook her head.

"Second Brother, what are you doing here?"

He put the cloth bag on the floor.

He Wei had shuffled over by now. Afraid her mom would be at a disadvantage, she didn’t say anything, but her feet moved faster than anyone’s.

Once she stopped, she looked Shen Rongdan up and down.

He was in training clothes, looked a bit younger than her, and wasn’t wearing any obvious rank insignia. She immediately made a judgment in her mind.

’Just a grunt. Not worth worrying about.’

But when she heard Song Yao call him "Second Brother," He Wei’s eyes widened, and her heart skipped a beat.

’So this little vixen has family here?’

’No wonder she was standing so tall. She has someone backing her up!’

’But so what?’

Wu Xin also squinted at Shen Rongdan.

She saw he was young, with a fair complexion, a neat haircut, and his collar buttoned to the very top.

"You’re her brother?"

"You need to teach her a lesson!"

She tapped her own temple with her finger.

"So young, but not very bright."

At these words, Shen Rongdan’s clenched fist loosened and then tightened again.

But Song Yao grabbed his wrist, gave it a gentle tug, and shook her head at him.

At this moment, she held the moral high ground.

If he made a move, even if he just gave them a push, the situation would immediately be turned on its head.

When Wu Xin and He Wei saw Song Yao grab him and shake her head, they thought she had cowered and gotten scared. The corners of their mouths curled up, their eyes crinkling with smug satisfaction.

But in the next second...

Song Yao suddenly squeezed Shen Rongdan’s wrist.

"Ah!"

"Song Yao?!"

Shen Rongdan flinched, shouting her name instinctively.

The mother and daughter, He Wei and her mom, were stunned on the spot and instinctively shrank back.

Wu Xin grabbed her daughter’s arm tightly.

"What... what’s wrong with her?!"

All the wives downstairs heard it.

Just a moment ago, they had been in the courtyard, watching their kids and gossiping.

"This whole thing with He Wei is just too ugly."

"If Director Li’s wife is really pushed into a corner and something happens..."

Before the words were even out, the shriek came crashing down from above.

"Oh no, oh no! Something really happened!"

"Quick, go see what’s wrong!"

Song Yao went limp and collapsed into Shen Rongdan’s arms.

"Second Brother, don’t panic... I’m acting."

Shen Rongdan had just broken out in a cold sweat from the scare.

The moment she finished speaking, his knees trembled, and he nearly dropped to the ground on the spot.

He had been about to scoop Song Yao up and rush downstairs.

But his legs felt like they were filled with lead, shaking uncontrollably.

This was the exact scene the neighbor, who had come upstairs to see the commotion, walked in on.

’Oh, boy. He can’t even stand straight. Something serious must have happened!’

"Oh my, what’s happened here?"

The round-faced neighbor was the first to push through, her voice an octave higher than usual.

Song Yao was slumped against Shen Rongdan.

"My... my stomach... it hurts so much!"

Her trembling hand pointed toward He Wei and her mother.