Back to the 80s: A Marriage of Convenience
Regardless of how unpleasant Chen Cui's expression was or the discussions surrounding them, Grandma Zhao forcefully addressed Grandma Qi and Zhou Ju, saying, "This is the situation; you two figure out how to resolve it!"
What situation? Grandma Zhao was so emphatic, yet Grandma Qi and Zhou Ju did not see it as a topic that required discussion.
They truly could not understand where Grandma Zhao's confidence and assertiveness were coming from, nor could they determine how this entire situation had come about.
Zhao Jin had already been their Qi Family's daughter-in-law for a whole year, and she had even given them a grandson. Why were Grandma Zhao and the others still not willing to give up?
Fortunately, they shared the same surname "Zhao," and Grandma Zhao was Zhao Jin's biological grandmother. Otherwise, the current situation would likely be even more complicated and chaotic.
Of course, even if the source of the problem lay with the Zhao Family, it did not mean that the current scene looked any better.
As for how to resolve Grandma Zhao's issue?
Grandma Qi and Zhou Ju exchanged glances, each seeing confusion and doubt in the other's eyes. They both believed their refusal had been quite clear; how could Grandma Zhao still not understand?
However, Grandma Qi and Zhou Ju were much more agreeable than Grandma Zhao.
Since Grandma Zhao did not get it, Grandma Qi and Zhou Ju reiterated their stance: three words—no agreement.
"You don't have a choice but to agree. It's settled; let Zhao Jin pack her things and move to the Wu Family. Hurry up and clear out the house for Ying'er to move in." Seeing that Grandma Qi and Zhou Ju were still unwilling to cooperate, Grandma Zhao grew annoyed and simply issued commands.
It wasn't something that needed much debate; it was a natural progression. Why was it getting messier?
The Qi Family was also stubbornly thick-headed and completely unyielding.
Forget it; they would just take practical action. Once Zhao Jin obediently moved out of the Qi Family, everything would be resolved.
"That's impossible." Grandma Zhao's attitude was firm, and Qi Zheng should also give way a bit more.
Compared to the chattering and commotion caused by Grandma Zhao, Qi Zheng's concise three words undoubtedly carried more impact and were more capable of silencing the crowd.
In an instant, everyone's chatter quieted down. They all unconsciously turned their attention to Qi Zheng.
Living in the same village, everyone knew Qi Zheng's temperament well.
Qi Zheng had always been known for his steadfast and resolute character. Moreover, now that Qi Zheng had started a family and established a career, the authority of the Qi Family naturally fell on his shoulders.
Thus, when Qi Zheng spoke, everyone paid extra attention and remained particularly quiet.
In terms of credibility, within Willow Leaf Village, Qi Zheng ranked second; it was hard to find anyone who dared to claim the first position.
With Qi Zheng having made such a statement, there was naturally no room for further discussion. At the same time, Grandma Qi and Zhou Ju were also greatly shocked, unable to believe what they heard as they looked at Grandma Zhao: "Why would our daughter-in-law want to move to someone else's house? Instead, it's Zhao Ying'er. Why does your Zhao Family's daughter and Wu Family's daughter-in-law have the right to come into our home?"
Indeed! Why should that be? Qi Ze nodded in agreement and couldn't help but shout out: "Are you trying to take advantage of us just because our family's situation has improved a bit? Please, have some self-respect and don't be so shameless!"
"Who is being shameless? We are just correcting past mistakes and reversing previous errors." Grandma Zhao was already somewhat afraid of Qi Zheng. When Qi Zheng said "impossible," Grandma Zhao was so frightened that she couldn't respond and nearly backed down.
However, after Grandma Qi and the others spoke up, Grandma Zhao's anxiety and fear began to ease.
Soon enough, Grandma Zhao quickly regained her composure and hurriedly shouted again.
Grandma Zhao prided herself on being right and wore a smug expression as if her views were the absolute truth. She failed to realize that anyone who heard her attitude found her utterly ridiculous.
After all, regardless of what had happened before or any circumstances in between, Zhao Jin was now the daughter-in-law of the Qi Family, while Zhao Ying'er had married into the Wu Family. This was a fact that could not be changed by anyone. Even if the patriarch intervened, it would be useless.
Moreover, Grandma Zhao's desire to swap her two granddaughters was utterly impossible. It was laughable and foolish.
Not to mention that Zhao Jin had just given birth to two fat babies for the Qi Family and was currently in her confinement period. How ignorant could Grandma Zhao be to say such things?
Grandma Zhao could not admit her ignorance.
She was so astute that she immediately recognized the merits of the Qi Family, and dared to forcibly demand the return of her two granddaughters without fear of Gossip.
Zhao Jin had already been married to the Qi Family for a year, yet she had not sent any good things to her. Why should such a good marriage benefit Zhao Jin?
Moreover, Ying'er was not doing well in the Wu Family. With Zhao Jin's happy and leisurely life as a comparison, wouldn't that be even more hurtful?
Therefore, no matter what, Ying'er's marriage should be returned to her. The Qi Family was Ying'er's In-law family, and Zhao Jin had nothing to do with it; Zhao Jin must leave.
"I am just being realistic, stating the facts and reasoning with everyone," Grandma Zhao insisted coldly in response to everyone's doubts.
Why should outsiders meddle in their Zhao Family matters? With her around, there was no need for these people to be so annoying!
"What facts? The fact is that Jin has already married into the Qi Family, and she is doing very well with Qi Zheng. The fact is that Zhao Ying'er is now the daughter-in-law of the Wu Family, with no ties to the Qi Family at all." Zhao Guoqiang clenched his fists tightly, glaring at Grandma Zhao with eyes full of hatred.
This was too much! He had never imagined that his own mother could stoop so low. Even if she were heartless and cold-blooded, it shouldn't be like this.
At this moment, what Grandma Zhao was doing felt even more unbearable to Zhao Guoqiang than if she had personally ripped out his heart. Taking a deep breath, he suppressed his violent thoughts about confronting his own mother and gritted his teeth, saying, "Mother, the facts are right in front of you, yet you insist on pretending not to see them. My Jin is already the daughter-in-law of the Qi Family, the mother of two sons of Qi Zheng. Are you going to keep making a fuss about this endlessly?"
"Or do you really feel so proud and pleased by making a scene in front of everyone?" It was unthinkable for Zhao Guoqiang to stand up and confront Grandma Zhao, but at that moment, it felt absolutely necessary. "Mother, don’t take advantage of your status as an elder to bully us who are too filial. How long are you going to keep pretending to be crazy?"
The phrase "pretending to be crazy" struck a nerve with Grandma Zhao, making her furious.
Was she pretending? When had she ever pretended? Did Zhao Guoqiang still have the face to claim he was filial? Nonsense filial piety!
Grandma Zhao would rather raise another dog at home than acknowledge that Zhao Guoqiang was her biological son.
On the other side, Grandfather Zhao, who had remained silent all along, looked extremely displeased: "Zhao Guoqiang, how can you speak to your mother like that?"
He may not speak, but that doesn't mean he is dead. In front of so many villagers, who is Zhao Guoqiang slapping in the face? Can't he just say a few words?
Indeed, it seems that the son is the most sensible and filial! In his lifetime, he can only rely on his son to support him in his old age and carry his coffin.
If he were to depend on Zhao Guoqiang, he would probably die of anger sooner or later.
However, what Grandfather Zhao and Grandma Zhao did not know was that while they were filled with disappointment towards Zhao Guoqiang, Zhao Guoqiang's heart was also bleeding. "If you don't want me to talk to my mother like this, then please, father, you and mother should be a bit more reasonable. As a son, I don't ask for everything to be fair and equal. I just ask you not to harm my daughter anymore and not to disturb her life. Is that too much to ask?" By this point, Zhao Guoqiang's eyes had already turned red.
Men shed blood but not tears; Zhao Guoqiang had always been strong, yet he was still brought to tears by the actions of Grandfather Zhao and Grandma Zhao.
At this moment, Zhao Guoqiang's feelings could no longer be described as merely sad or upset.
From this moment on, Zhao Guoqiang could no longer treat Grandfather Zhao and Grandma Zhao with a calm heart. Even if they were his biological parents, there would inevitably be no future connection between them.
Grandfather Zhao and Grandma Zhao, however, did not believe they were in the wrong. On the contrary, they thought that Zhao Guoqiang's actions were unreasonable and lacked any sense of propriety.
Frowning, Grandfather Zhao scolded unhappily, "How can you speak to your elders like this? Are you shrinking more and more? Don't you even understand how to conduct yourself? Ying'er is your own niece; how can you not want her to do well? Why must everything be a competition with your own niece? It's unacceptable! You..."
These words were something Grandfather Zhao had long wanted to say to Zhao Guoqiang.
Ever since the matter of Zhao Jin's marriage began, Zhao Guoqiang had become increasingly unruly and completely unfilial, which had truly angered Grandfather Zhao.
Now that he had the opportunity, Grandfather Zhao intended to give Zhao Guoqiang a thorough reprimand.
On ordinary days when there were fewer people around, Zhao Guoqiang wouldn't listen. Now that there were so many villagers watching, surely he would have to obediently listen to his father for a moment!
"I am Grandfather Zhao." Seeing Grandfather Zhao getting more worked up, Grandma Qi could no longer hold back. "Do you even know who is being unreasonable? Today is our Qi Family's banquet; who invited you here? Who are you related to?" "You mustn't think that just because you share the surname Zhao that you are part of our family. Although we share the same surname, our hearts are not united at all. Relatives like you who only calculate benefits will not be acknowledged by Jin or by our Qi Family. Go away! Leave quickly! Our Qi Family does not welcome you; do not come back again!" For Grandma Qi to chase away Grandfather Zhao and the others in front of so many guests shows just how furious she was at that moment.
Even as parents, they should act like parents. Otherwise, what right do they have to stand here and criticize their children at will?
Where did Zhao Guoqiang go wrong? In Grandma Qi's eyes, Zhao Guoqiang did nothing wrong at all. The biggest mistake Zhao Guoqiang made was being born into the Zhao Family, becoming the son of Grandfather Zhao and Grandma Zhao!
So, Grandfather Zhao should stop speaking arrogantly. Even an outsider like her couldn't bear to listen.
Most people present shared Grandma Qi's viewpoint. In contrast, those who stood by Grandfather Zhao and believed he and Grandma Zhao were in the right were almost nonexistent.
There was no way around it; the right and wrong were too obvious. If they still sided with Grandfather Zhao, it would be utterly inhumane.
At this point, the atmosphere fell into a strange state of obsession and repression. Not just Grandfather Zhao and Grandma Zhao, even Chen Cui and Zhao Ying'er felt embarrassed, as if everything was wrong.
Grandma Qi didn't give them a chance to speak further; she simply said one word: "Get out!"
Due to Grandma Qi's strong stance and the cold stares from others, Grandma Zhao and her group ultimately left empty-handed, their faces filled with anger.
However, for Grandma Zhao, this was just the beginning. They would absolutely not give up so easily or let things rest.
Just wait and see; whether it was the County Government's furniture business or the Qi Family's marriage matters, in the end, they would have to return everything to the Zhao Family.
Ignoring Grandma Zhao and her group's thoughts, and too lazy to care about how bizarre they would act next, the Qi Family's two Fat Babies' Full Moon Celebration continued on.
After a long period of silence, with the Qijia Family's efforts to liven things up, the atmosphere gradually returned to its lively state.
However, whenever people mentioned Grandma Zhao and her group again, their tone inevitably changed. It was very clear that this bad impression would last for a long time and wouldn't change.
There was no way around it; after all, Grandma Zhao and her group's actions today were simply too detestable, leaving people speechless and disdainful!
Zhao Jin was truly astonished by Grandma Zhao and her group's shamelessness.
If Zhao Fourth Uncle's family wanted to compete for the County Government's furniture business, Zhao Jin would scoff at them but wouldn't be too shocked.
After all, the Zhao Fourth Uncle's family has always been a group of opportunists who are only interested in money. Wherever there is a benefit to be gained, their presence is guaranteed. It doesn't matter whether they can or cannot; it only matters if they want to or not.
However, the idea of trading her for Zhao Ying'er was truly astonishing.
Although Zhao Jin had long witnessed the shamelessness of Grandma Zhao and others, she never expected that they could come up with such a thought.
She had already been married to the Qi Family for a whole year and had even given birth to two children for Qi Zheng. How could they possibly trade her?
Did Grandma Zhao think they were digging up sweet potatoes in the field? If one didn't look good, just swap it for another? If your family's sweet potatoes aren't tasty, just come and take mine?
Oh no, in Grandma Zhao's philosophy, it should be "My sweet potatoes aren't sweet enough; I must go to your house to trade."
However, Grandma Zhao seemed to overlook that people are not sweet potatoes; they cannot be swapped at will, nor can she dictate how things should be.
Thinking about Grandma Zhao's foolish behavior, Zhao Jin could only sneer and save her breath from further complaints.
There was no need; it was a complete waste of words.
Beside her, Zhao Yamei went into a state of shock and took a while to regain her senses, staring incredulously at Zhao Jin to confirm, "I didn't just imagine that, right?"
"No," shaking her head, Zhao Jin provided a definite answer, confirming what was on Zhao Yamei's mind at that moment.
Zhao Yamei blinked and sighed deeply: "I always knew that Grandma and Fourth Uncle's family were extremely unreasonable. But only today did I realize that my previous understanding was wrong. They are not just unreasonable; they are completely clueless and unaware of the situation."
Zhao Jin shrugged; there was no need for her to comment on Grandma Zhao and others' actions; everyone knew the truth. "If it were just Grandpa and Grandma, we could understand. They are old and prone to confusion. But why is Fourth Uncle's family also acting foolishly? And what about Zhao Ying'er? Does she really not want to live with the Wu Family anymore?" Because she trusted Zhao Jin, Zhao Yamei spoke freely without any reservations.
"Weren't we just hearing that Fourth Uncle's family was very satisfied with the marriage to the Wu Family? During that time, Zhao Ying'er was quite proud and flaunted herself wherever she went. How did things change so quickly? Is it just because Qi Zheng is making money now and the Qi Family is thriving?" She felt there was something fishy about this situation.
Zhao Yamei began to analyze.
With such a commotion today, she was certain that the Wu Family would not let this slide easily. Unless Zhao Ying'er no longer wanted to return to live with the Wu Family in the future, she would inevitably face their wrath.
Although it is unclear what kind of life Zhao Ying'er had in the Wu Family before, after this incident, Zhao Yamei does not believe that Zhao Ying'er can continue to have things go her way and do as she pleases.
Perhaps in Zhao Ying'er's view, her choice is like a good bird choosing a tree to perch on; those who understand the times are the true talents. However, in Zhao Yamei's eyes, Zhao Ying'er is simply digging her own grave and will eventually suffer the consequences.
"Most likely, Zhao Ying'er did not have a satisfactory life in the Wu Family, which is why she has other thoughts!" Zhao Jin, who was once a daughter-in-law of the Wu Family, understands better than anyone that the Wu Family is nothing but a den of wolves; once married in, one can only live in constant turmoil.
As for Zhao Ying'er's drastic change, the only reason must be that she has already witnessed the terrifying aspects of the Wu Family.
Thinking about how Zhao Ying'er had just now acted as if she was willing to risk everything, even her reputation, to get involved with Qi Zheng... Zhao Jin has a premonition that perhaps Zhao Ying'er has already repeated her past misfortunes and has suffered beatings and scoldings from the Wu Family.
Zhao Jin has never doubted that Zhao Ying'er would have a hard time in the Wu Family.
With the nature of the Wu Family, it is impossible for them to treat any daughter-in-law well. Whether it was her or Zhao Ying'er.
Originally, Zhao Jin did not intend to interfere in Zhao Ying'er and the Wu Family's affairs. After all, it was Zhao Ying'er's own choice and had nothing to do with her; Zhao Jin preferred not to see or think about it.
However, now that Zhao Ying'er has come to her for help and Grandma Zhao and others are scheming to get the marriage back on track, Zhao Jin cannot stand by any longer.
Thus, Zhao Jin unceremoniously helped spread the Wu Family's bad reputation. At the same time, she also exposed Zhao Ying'er's ugly mindset.
From now on, Zhao Jin does not mind being seen as a meddlesome villain, doing everything she can to fan the flames between Zhao Ying'er and the Wu Family.
As for whether Zhao Ying'er and the Wu Family can coexist peacefully in the future or what complex struggles and quarrels they will face next, it has nothing to do with Zhao Jin. She is only responsible for stirring up trouble and has no intention of helping to put out fires.
"Ah?" Zhao Yamei was clearly surprised.
Previously, seeing the proud expressions of Zhao Fourth Uncle's family, Zhao Yamei thought that the Wu Family was indeed a good in-law family where Zhao Ying'er lived comfortably after marrying in!
After all this time, it turns out that the Wu Family is not as good as everyone imagined; Zhao Ying'er has been making empty calculations!
No wonder Zhao Ying'er refuses to settle down in the Wu Family and insists on causing a scene at Qi Family. It's typical of someone who is unhappy themselves but cannot stand to see others happy!
After a brief moment of surprise, Zhao Yamei's expression turned cold as she began to feel indignant on behalf of Zhao Jin: "Zhao Ying'er has had a hard time with the Wu Family, but that's her own problem. How can she drag you down just because she's struggling? That's really malicious!"
Zhao Yamei never liked Zhao Ying'er much to begin with. After today's incident, she naturally looked down on Zhao Ying'er even more.
At this moment, hearing Zhao Jin's speculation, whether it was true or not, Zhao Yamei undoubtedly stood by Zhao Jin's side and began to scorn Zhao Ying'er's actions with shared resentment.
"I just didn't expect that they would even think of switching places," Zhao Jin shook her head. She could tolerate many things, but for this matter, she would never give anyone a chance.
"That's because their whole family is delusional!" To Zhao Yamei, this situation was simply absurd.
She couldn't understand how Grandma Zhao and the others came up with such an idea, nor could she comprehend what was wrong with their way of thinking. As Zhao Yamei finished speaking, Sun Chun'er and Qian Minmin also knocked and entered the courtyard.
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